Dry skin, how it manifests itself and why you should care about it:

There are certain areas of the body that are particularly susceptible to dry skin. This also includes the face. You usually notice dry skin when it starts to itch, feel tight and hurt. You can often see small scales, redness and fine cracks on the dry areas. Dry skin occurs when the skin's protective barrier function is disrupted. The skin barrier function is maintained by a natural hydrolipid film consisting of moisturizing factors and fats. If the skin is dry, it means that it does not contain enough moisture and oils.

 

Which factors promote dry skin?

Both external and internal factors affect the condition of the skin. Cold or dry air in winter or too much sunlight in summer can dry out the skin. Contact with skin-damaging substances can also dry out the skin. These include alkaline soaps and disinfecting too frequently. Showering too long or too hot can also dry out your skin.

As a person gets older, their hormonal balance changes. With menopause, dry skin can increase. Malnutrition, lack of fluids and excessive sweating can also dry out the skin. In addition, smoking and psychological stress have a negative impact on the appearance of the skin.

 

What to do if you have dry skin?

Small changes in behavior and care often help to make the skin more supple again. However, dry skin can also be a sign of illness. A doctor should be consulted if there is no improvement despite appropriate nursing measures.

A care routine that suits your skin can help with dry skin. Mild, non-alkaline soaps, moisturizing cleansers and moisturizing creams without perfumes are recommended. It is also recommended to eat a balanced diet and drink enough water. Avoid excessive weather influences and make sure you relax enough.

 

You should pay attention to this with your products:

For cleansing, you should use a cleansing milk instead of a gel, as it has a moisturizing effect and thus cleanses the skin without drying it out further. A peeling with BHA and azelaic acid helps against dry patches on the face. In addition, wild rose oil and sea buckthorn oil reduce dryness, while algae extract and hyaluronic acid moisturize dry skin. A rich base cream also strengthens the skin barrier. For more care tips for dry skin, take a look here .

 

Sources:

healthy.bund – Dry skin. (November 23, 2020). https://gesund.bund.de/trockene-haut

Moll, I. (2016). Dry skin. Dermatology . (8th ed.). 147-148. Georg Thieme Verlag KG.