Dry skin

and Sabine Schrör, medical journalist

Dr. Andrea Bannert has been with since 2013. The doctor of biology and medicine editor initially carried out research in microbiology and is the team's expert on the tiny things: bacteria, viruses, molecules and genes. She also works as a freelancer for Bayerischer Rundfunk and various science magazines and writes fantasy novels and children's stories.

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Sabine Schrör is a freelance writer for the medical team. She studied business administration and public relations in Cologne. As a freelance editor, she has been at home in a wide variety of industries for more than 15 years. Health is one of her favorite subjects.

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With dry skin, the skin's natural fat and moisture regulation is disturbed. The skin becomes rough and brittle, in extreme cases cracks and eczema develop. Seniors in particular suffer from dry skin because the skin produces less moisture with increasing age. However, external factors such as cold and heat as well as malnutrition and diseases can also cause dry skin.Read here how dry skin develops and what you can do about it.

Brief overview

• Causes: external factors (e.g. heat, cold, solar radiation), diet, certain medications, stress and emotional stress, biological factors (such as age), diseases such as neurodermatitis, allergies, psoriasis, contact eczema (rash), leg ulcers (ulcer on the lower leg) , Diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, Crohn's disease, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, celiac disease.

• Treatment: depending on the trigger, e.g. with medication (such as cortisone). In addition, treatment of underlying diseases (such as diabetes).
• Self-treatment and prevention: correct skin care, sun protection, protection of the skin from dry heated air in winter (e.g. with a humidifier), balanced, healthy diet, drinking enough, as little alcohol as possible, no smoking, lots of exercise in the fresh air, home remedies (such as a face mask with Avocado).

• When to the doctor If your own measures do not change the dry skin. If the skin suddenly dries out, burns, flakes, itches, or becomes inflamed for no apparent reason. For additional symptoms such as hair loss, headache, dizziness or nausea.

• What does the doctor? Anamnesis (taking the medical history), physical examination of the affected areas of skin with a magnifying glass or microscope, allergy test, if necessary blood / urine test, tissue sample. If certain underlying diseases are suspected: stool examination, colonoscopy, ultrasound, X-ray examination.

Dry skin: causes

Normally, the sebum and sweat glands continuously produce a mix of fat and water that keeps the skin supple. Dry skin occurs when the sebum glands don't release enough fat. Then the functionality of the skin suffers: For example, it can no longer adequately protect the organism from external influences such as UV radiation, pathogens or mechanical injuries, and it can no longer fully regulate body temperature and water balance.

Dry skin is particularly common on the face. But lower legs, shins, feet, hands, elbows and forearms can also be affected. Dry skin feels rough and chapped. It is fine-pored, tense, flaky and itchy. There are also often reddened areas. Dry skin cracks quickly and is sensitive to cold and / or heat. In extreme cases, dehydration eczema can form: the skin tears and becomes inflamed.

Usually external influences, biological factors, but also certain diseases cause dry skin.

External factors

• The weather can irritate the skin. If you sweat in summer, for example, the body loses fluid and the skin dries out faster. Air conditioning and solar radiation intensify this effect. But even in cold temperatures, the skin can dry out quickly. Because at an outside temperature of 8 ° C or less, the sebum glands stop production. In addition, you hardly sweat in the cold, so that less moisture gets to the epidermis in winter. This messes up the skin's fat and water balance, resulting in dry skin. Wind, moisture and heated air promote dehydration. Parts of the body that are not protected by clothing, such as the face, lips and hands, are particularly affected.
• Diet also affects the complexion. Above all, malnutrition and malnutrition and the resulting underweight dry out the skin. Those who don't drink enough, smoke a lot and / or drink alcohol regularly also develop dry skin quickly.
• In addition, stress and emotional stress can dry out the skin.
• Dry skin can also occur as a side effect of drugs that affect the body's fluid balance or certain glandular functions. These include skin creams containing cortisone, retinoids (used to treat acne and psoriasis), diuretics (drugs that wash away water), and chemotherapy drugs (used to treat cancer). Radiation for cancer can also dry out the skin.

Biological factors

• With increasing age, the moisture content of the skin decreases. In addition, the skin binds less moisture with age and the sweat glands produce less sweat. Both also dry out the skin.
• Genetic predisposition also influences the appearance of the skin - dry skin can also be familial.

Diseases

Certain skin disorders are associated with dry skin. But other diseases can also be associated with dry skin. The most important conditions with dry skin include:

• Eczema
• Allergies
• psoriasis
• Contact eczema (rash)
• Ichthyosis (also called fish scale disease, hereditary disease of the uppermost corneal layer)
• Oral rose (rashes around the mouth)
• Ulcus cruris (ulcer on the lower leg)
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypothyroidism
• Intestinal diseases (such as Crohn's disease or inflammation of the intestine)
• Inflammation of the stomach lining
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (when the stomach produces too much acid as a result of the increased production of the hormone gastrin, and ulcers in the gastrointestinal area develop)
• Celiac disease (chronic disease of the small intestinal mucosa due to gluten intolerance)

Dry skin: treatment

The therapy of dry skin depends on the causes. The dermatologist can, for example, use preparations containing cortisone or recommend care products that are specially tailored to your skin and that moisturize the skin. Basic diseases such as neurodermatitis or diabetes must be treated accordingly. But you can also do a lot yourself against dry skin.

care

Proper skin care is essential for dry skin. You should only wash dry skin with mild substances that are ideally pH-neutral and fragrance-free. You should avoid using alcohol-based toners, as they will also dry out your skin. Always apply cream to dry skin after bathing or showering to compensate for the loss of moisture.

The best way to keep extremely dry and calloused skin areas supple is to use anhydrous fat creams. In winter you can protect your face from drying out with a moisturizing face cream. Care sticks with jojoba oil, beeswax or palm wax are suitable for the lips. For longer walks or winter sports, you should use a care pen with a UV filter.

As older people are particularly likely to suffer from dry skin, they should pay more attention to adequate skin care.

nourishment

A balanced diet also protects against dry skin. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide important minerals and vitamins for the cells. Drink enough, preferably water, fruit spritzers, fruit or herbal teas. On the other hand, you should avoid alcohol as much as possible, because it can also dry out the skin. The same goes for smoking.

Home remedies

Some sufferers swear by home remedies for dry skin. For example, the following are recommended:

• Coconut oil
• almond oil
• Aloe vera

• avocado
• olive oil
• honey
• Carrot juice
• Clay

Mixed with water, rose water or a high-quality oil, applied as a cream or mask, the substances can supply dry skin with moisture and make it supple again.

miscellaneous

Exercise a lot in the fresh air, because this will stimulate the blood circulation in your skin and prevent dry skin. You should avoid frequent direct sunlight. To protect your skin from dry heating air in winter, you can use humidifiers or set up bowls with water.

Dry skin: when do you need to see a doctor?

If you have naturally dry skin or your skin becomes drier with age, moisturizing care products will usually help.

You should see a (skin) doctor if:

• You have been suffering from dry skin for a long time and applying lotion does not alleviate the symptoms.
• the skin suddenly becomes dry for no apparent reason.
• flaky and dry patches of skin develop.
• the skin is painful, red and inflamed.

Additional symptoms such as hair loss, headache, dizziness and nausea, significant weight gain or loss, severe thirst, frequent urination, inner restlessness or unusual anxiety make a doctor's visit urgently necessary.

Dry skin: what does the doctor do?

At the beginning there is the anamnesis (survey of the medical history), in which your doctor asks you in detail about your symptoms. Possible questions are:

• How long have you been suffering from dry skin?
• Did you change your diet before the skin got dry?
• Do you regularly take medication?
• Are there any other symptoms accompanying dry skin?
• Do you suffer from a specific underlying disease such as an allergy or diabetes?

Physical examinations

After taking the medical history, the doctor will examine you physically. The dermatologist concentrates on the changed areas of the skin and examines them with a magnifying glass or a microscope. In this way he can determine how moist or oily the skin looks and whether it is noticeably rough. An allergy test can also show whether the dry skin is due to an allergic overreaction of the immune system.

Laboratory tests

Special blood tests and urine tests can also be informative. This can be used to determine deviations in the salt-water balance, deficiencies and hormonal disorders.

Using a tissue sample (biopsy), the doctor can diagnose psoriasis or ichthyosis.

With the help of a stool examination, colonoscopy, ultrasound and X-ray examinations, other diseases can be identified as possible causes of dry skin.

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