Case studies show the cause of dry skin is exposure to the environment. The appearance of the skin is greatly affected by the environment and that presents problems for many people. Contributing factors to dry skin include weather, central heating and air conditioning, hot water in showers and baths, harsh components of soaps and detergents, sun exposure, psoriasis, and thyroid disorders.
The skin is generally drier in the winter when the temperatures and moisture levels change the weather from the humidity. The dryness of the skin worsens in the winter seasons. For the people who live in the desert regions the winter seasons dryness is reversed since the weather is cooler in the wintertime and the humidity levels remain low.
Some people find using the central air and heating, wood burning stoves, fireplaces, and space heaters add to the dryness of their skin. The reason for the additional dryness is the heating sources remove moisture from the air, which the skin needs to avoid becoming dry.
Frequent exposure to hot water in the baths and showers cause dry skin. The hot water removes the lipid barriers in the skin making the skin dry out. People who swim in chlorinated pools will have the same issues with dry skin, since the chlorine promotes the dry skin.
The harsh soaps and detergents that are popular contribute to dry skin in the same means of hot water breaks down the lipids in the skin. The soaps and detergents can cause dry skin and scalp from their ingredients that sometimes extremely harsh to the skin. To help with the dry skin, it is recommended to use mild soaps without fragrances and harsh chemicals. Avoid using too much soap on the skin and reduce the chances of dry skin. Use laundry detergents without the harsh chemicals and that promote being milder on their labels.
The sun dries out the skin. The damage from the ultraviolet is a form of radiation that penetrates the surfaces of the skin, known as the epidermis. The frequent exposure to the sun damages the layers and breaks down the collagen and elastin fibers in the skin faster than when the skin is not subjected to the exposure. The breaking down of the collagen and elstin fibers will cause the skin to sag and wrinkle, losing the youthful appearance of tighter skins. For these reasons, skin exposed to the sun will appear dry.
The skin condition known as psoriasis is the rapid buildup of rough, dry, and dead skin cell, which form thick scaly appearance on the surface of the skin.
Another reason for dry skin is hypothyroidism. This condition happens when the thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormones resulting in lesser activity of the body’s glands to produce sweat and oil. The lack of production of the sweat and oils results in dry skin. Some additional signs of hypothyroidism include weight gain and fatigue.
Other contributing factors of dry skin include medication and drugs. There are many drugs and medications with the side effects causing dry skin. Some of the drugs and medications that will possibly dry out the skin include drugs for high blood pressure, allergy, and acne.
In addition to the listed above factors, there are other contributing factors of dry skin including women going through menopause, diabetes, and malnutrition. Women going through menopause have levels of natural hormones that change during this time and will sometimes experience drying of the skin.
Diabetes is the fluctuating of the glucose level. This fluctuation can lead to dehydration, which dries out the skin. Signs of diabetes include thirst, slow healing, and increased infections. For the person with diabetes, it is very important they take care of their skin.
People who do not eat properly or have a diet lacking in the body’s needed nutrients face the possibility of dry skin. Changing the diet and eating habits can help it reduce dry skin.