Dry skin is often temporary or seasonal — you might get it only in winter, for example — or you might need to treat it long term. Signs and symptoms of dry skin might vary based on your age, health status, skin tone, living environment and sun exposure.
Complications of dry skin
Scratching dry and itchy patches of skin can cause permanent changes, including discoloration, thicker patches, and constant itching.
The good news is: a broken skin barrier can be repaired, but it does take a little time and effort. Depending on the extent of the damage, it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks up to 6 months to get it back to its protective best.
The time it takes to repair the skin barrier can vary depending on the severity of the damage, the underlying cause, and an individual's skin type. In general, minor skin barrier damage may take a few days to a week to heal, while a more severely compromised barrier may take several weeks to months to fully recover.
Dry skin often responds well to lifestyle measures, such as using moisturizers and avoiding long, hot showers and baths. If you have very dry skin, your doctor may recommend a moisturizing product formulated for your needs.
Dry skin is often temporary or seasonal — you might get it only in winter, for example — or you might need to treat it long term. Signs and symptoms of dry skin might vary based on your age, health status, skin tone, living environment and sun exposure. They include: A feeling of skin tightness.
“The best practice is to avoid over-scrubbing because you want to maintain a healthy and intact skin barrier,” Dr. Khalifian notes. Going too hard can leave your skin red and irritated. Use it after cleansing, and always follow with moisturizer to lock in hydration.
Once UV radiation changes your skin cells' DNA, the DNA damage can't be reversed. However, this doesn't mean that you can't change the appearance of your skin. You can treat, reduce and/or repair the effects of sun-damaged skin.
Pure petroleum jelly is very gentle on skin, making it perfect to soothe dry skin on all areas of the body and keep it hydrated at the same time. Choosing a good moisturizing lotion containing micro droplets of Vaseline® Jelly will help heal dry skin deep down for fast relief from itchy dryness.
While medical professionals cannot reverse the effects of sun damage entirely, there are treatments that can help with collagen production, skin turnover, improvements in the appearance of dark spots and more. These include: Topical treatments containing retinol. Chemical peels.
When your barrier is weak because you don't have enough lipids in your skin, Vaseline acts as a substitute for these lipids. Remember the brick-and-mortar analogy? Vaseline fills in the cracks in your skin's “mortar” so that your barrier starts to act in a healthy way again.
Signs of Skin Barrier Damage
Damage can lead to moisture loss, resulting in skin that appears dry, flaky, and sometimes peels, revealing an inability to retain water. Itchy and Irritated Skin: Damaged moisture barrier symptoms can cause the skin to become unusually itchy and irritated.
Dehydrated skin is always a temporary condition that can be reversed with appropriate products. It is an alteration in the superficial layer of the epidermis that lacks water. This lack of hydration disturbs the skin's barrier function and leads to discomfort.
Skin that is healthy and properly hydrated is naturally capable of defending itself against the causes of dry skin and continuously repairing itself.
The growth of collagen encourages the edges of the wound to shrink together and close. Small blood vessels (capillaries) form at the site to service the new skin with blood. Maturation stage – the body constantly adds more collagen and refines the wounded area. This may take months or even years.
Most wounds do not penetrate completely through all the layers of the skin (partial thickness) and will heal eventually. If the skin has been destroyed (full thickness) over large areas, such as in severe burns, it can't grow back properly.
Another way to treat leather skin is through gentle exfoliation and applying a moisturizer every day. Luckily for us, we can heal our skin damage (unlike the unfortunately animals that make our leather products).
Dry skin usually goes away after using OTC treatment. But sometimes, dry patches can need medical care. If you're prone to dry skin, it can crack and allow bacteria to enter, causing infection. Get medical help if your dry skin isn't getting better after OTC treatment.
Staying hydrated is great, but is not necessarily the cure-all for dry skin, since it's more of an issue of water escaping through the skin.” However, if you are chronically dehydrated, drinking the right amount of water can help hydrate your skin.
DON'T SCRATCH DRY SKIN
So don't forget, although it might feel good to start with, scratching is one of your dry, atopic eczema-prone skin's worst enemies.
The “black stuff” when you rub your skin is nothing but dead cells, dirt and surface grime. It comes off due to friction caused by rubbing your skin.