What if you knew that what you do in your everyday life could potentially be causing your dry, flaky skin? Well unfortunately it may be true!
Dry Skin and Some Potential Risk Factors
Your lifestyle and who you are may be contributing to your dry skin problem, and whilst you cannot change some aspects of your life, others can be worked on. Some things which may increase your risk of dry skin include:
Sun Exposure
When you think of the sun, you think of developing a nice, healthy looking tan. You do not expect the sun to cause your skin to dry out, if anything, you would think it would make the skin oily! However, as the sun produces an awful lot of heat, it does dry the skin out and unfortunately it can not only damage the epidermis (the outer layers of skin), but it can penetrate deep into the dermis (the inner layers) of the skin and that can cause a collagen breakdown. This causes the skin to not only dry out, but it can also cause premature ageing.
A Man or a Woman?
Your sex can also be a contributing factor and generally a mans skin tends to stay a little moister than a womans skin. As you get older this becomes more apparent as men tend to stay fairly moist until well into their 80s, whereas women tend to gain dryer skin once they have gone through the menopause.
Do You Smoke?
If you smoke you will notice that the tobacco causes the skin to wrinkle and it does cause the skin to become dryer than usual. Generally the longer you smoke the more damage it will do to your body. The dangers of smoking are well known, and it could be a contributor to your dry, damaged skin.
Hot Baths
Hot water can strip the body of its natural oils and this can leave the skin extremely dry. Bath water should always be warm, not hot and it can also cause problems with your circulation. Also, using soap in the bath or shower can also be contributing to dry skin, as most of them are too harsh for the skin and again, they strip away the natural oils.
Health Problems
If you are suffering from a health problem such as diabetes, it can seriously affect your dry skin. This is because the small blood vessels and nerves tend to get damaged because of the condition and they in turn, damage the skin.
Winter Weather
If you spend too long in the cold, blustery winds, without proper protection on the skin, you do risk getting extremely dry skin! You should always wear gloves and a scarf to protect the hands and the neck, and before putting on your gloves, apply a little moisturiser to lock in moisture.
Diet and exercise are two other factors and are probably the most obvious ones. Whilst there is no link between diet and dry skin, many people do notice that if they eat a poor diet their skin tends to suffer. The best thing you can possibly do for your dry skin is to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and apply moisturizer at least twice daily.
Dry skin can be a problem but it can be treated with the right amount of time and care. There are a lot of products out there designed especially for dry skin so you should not find it hard finding something to suit you. If you are ever in doubt about how serious your dry skin is, you should always consult your doctor. They will be able to prescribe stronger treatments which you may find useful.
