Dry Skin

Healthy skin relies heavily on a layer of moisture containing water and sebum, a waxy secretion your skin produces to prevent the water from evaporating or being wicked away. The epidermis, which is your skin’s outer layer, needs that moisture to reduce harmful friction, keep the skin flexible and pliable, and stop harmful substances from penetrating it.

When that layer of moisture dries up, the skin begins to lose its elasticity and become more susceptible to damage. There are various things that can cause the moisture to dry up, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Abrasion. If you sustain significant skin abrasion through general wear and tear (often through athletic activities) or simply scrubbing your skin too hard while washing, you can remove a lot of moisture and leave the skin drier and more vulnerable.
• Skin disorders. Various skin conditions cause dryness through disrupting the regular processes that produce healthy skin. Consider issues such as rosacea or psoriasis.
• Chemicals. Cleaning products, both those intended for use on skin and those intended for household chores, can sap the moisture from your skin. They can also cause skin damage resulting in additional dryness.
• Ageing. The older you get, the worse your body becomes at maintaining healthy skin, leading to loss of moisture and overall skin smoothness (and raising the importance of using moisturising skin treatments).
• Illness. Issues such as kidney disease or diabetes can lead to chronic skin dryness, making it worthwhile to get a full health checkup in the event that you develop a broad skin problem that seems extremely difficult to clear up.
• Environment. Spending a lot of time in hot and dry conditions will impact the moisture of your skin, and it’ll be particularly bad if you’re outdoors in windy weather.