Winter Itch or Dry Skin

Skin | Dermatology | Winter Itch or Dry Skin (Symptom)


Description

Dry skin is usually not a serious medical condition, but can cause discomfort and can be unsightly, turning round cells shrivelled cells and causing wrinkles. More serious dry skin conditions such as a group of inherited disorders called ichthyosis, can sometimes be disfiguring and can cause psychological problems.

If dry skin is due to aging, these symptoms may occur: A feeling of tightening the skin, especially after showering, bathing or swimming; skin appears dry or dehydrated; skin is rather rough, not soft; itching (pruritus) that sometimes may be intense; scaly skin (damage can be mild or severe); fine lines or cracks (cracks); redness; deep cracks that may bleed.

Causes

Most dry skin is often caused by environmental factors such as: Weather: Dry skin is generally lower in winter when temperature and humidity levels winter conditions can also cause worsening of existing skin problems, but the reverse may be true especially in desert regions where temperatures can rise very much, and humidity is low; central heating and air-conditioning: central air and heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all reduce humidity and dry skin; Hot baths and showers, bathing, especially in hot water or if it takes a long time, destroy the lipid barrier of the skin, and so does frequent swimming, particularly in heavily chlorinated water; soaps and detergents, which dries: soaps and detergents strip lipids from the skin, deodorant and antibacterial soaps are the most dangerous, as the dry scalp shampoos.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Fortunately, most dry skin problems caused by environmental factors may be partially or fully controlled. These environmental factors include exposure to hot weather or cold for long periods using air conditioning or heating and excessive bathing.

Severe or chronic problems may require dermatology dry skin. To dermatology, measures to prevent problems include the use moisturizers, bathing, rare and avoid soaps that dry skin. Skin is often only a temporary problem - for example, which appears only in winter - but can affect the skin throughout life . And although skin is usually dry in the arms, legs, sides of abdomen, this pattern may vary considerably from person to person. Signs and symptoms of dry skin can vary according to age, health, time spent outdoors.

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