DRY SKIN

It’s winter time and you are itchy and feel your skin dry up. Frustrating, right? Often, this dry skin lasts only through winter but sometimes, it could last much longer – almost a lifetime. Dry skin is such a common condition causing small fine flakes, cracking, and dry patches and there are so many home remedies and basic care routines that are preventive and curative. However, in some extreme cases, dry skin lasts much longer, especially among the elderly. In medical terms, dehydrated skin is called Dermatitis.

What are the symptoms of dry skin?

With exposure to extremely hot water, dry weather or even certain chemicals, skin can dry out. Dry skin can also be due to a pre-existing medical condition. But what are the symptoms and how would you know if you have this condition?

• Your skin will feel rough to touch and look dried out
• Fine lines or rashes will appear
• You might experience itching
• Your skin might experience flaking, peeling or even scaling
• You might develop deep cracks that might start to bleed

There could be other symptoms beyond these to indicate dry skin and in case the severity of symptoms in your case increases, you would need to visit a specialist.

What causes dry skin?

Dry skin happens mostly during the winter months for most people. However, it is possible for this to become a permanent condition or appear during other months due to other disorders or external factors.  Some of the things that could cause dry skin apart from winter are:

• It could be a sign of ageing as with age, your body produces lesser oil, making your skin dry
• If you have a history of contact dermatitis or eczema, you could be prone to dry skin
• It could be due to poor bathing habits where you bathe in scalding hot water always or bathe too frequently
• It could be a result of some allergic reaction
• It could be a reaction or a side effect of certain medications you are on

How to treat dry skin?

A popular treatment option that a lot of women opt for, to combat dry skin, is microdermabrasion. In this minimally invasive, surface treatment, microcrystals are used to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells. This results in healthier and brighter-looking skin.

Treating dry skin with certain home remedies and self-care regimes is possible when it is not a severe condition. We, at PHI Clinic, believe in approaching skin conditions in a holistic manner. We will, therefore, make sure that you are completely aware of all the different lifestyle and dietary changes, as well as some basic home remedies and topical creams, before opting for a more intense procedure. Depending on the severity of your condition, the reason behind it, and the extent to which you need a solution, we will come up with a plan.

Contact us for guidance from our experts through your options.