Dry skin disrupts the natural regulation of oil and moisture. The skin becomes rough and brittle, tense and in extreme cases develops cracks and dehydration eczema. Dry skin is a common symptom, especially in older people, because skin moisture naturally decreases as we age. In addition to this biological factor, numerous external factors such as cold, heat, malnutrition or various diseases are considered as a cause. Read here how dry skin develops and what you can do about it.
Description
Dry skin feels rough and brittle, tight, scaly and itchy. Red spots often appear. It is finely porous and forms cracks. Cold or heat can easily irritate them. In extreme cases, we are talking about the so-called drying out eczema: the skin breaks down and becomes inflamed. Dry skin is especially common on the face. But the lower limbs, legs, feet, arms, elbows and forearms can also be affected.
The tasks of the skin are varied: it protects against external influences such as ultraviolet radiation, pathogenic microorganisms or mechanical injuries, regulates body temperature and water balance. Through the skin, people feel touch and pain or secrete sweat and other substances. When the skin is dry, these important functions are partially impaired.
Treatment of dry skin on feet with folk remedies
You can relieve your feet from dryness with the help of creams, peelings and other products, both manufactured and prepared independently. Medicinal baths made from natural herbal decoctions will help eliminate dry feet even in children.
O'Keeffe's, Healthy Foot Cream, 3.2 oz (91 g)
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487 rub.
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Cococare, Repair & Condition Dry & Cracked Heels, 11 g
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Eucerin, Advanced Repair, kturrbq Feel Foot Cream, Fragrance Free, 3 oz (85 g)
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O'Keeffe's, Exfoliating Moisturizing Foot Cream, For Very Dry, Chapped Skin, 3 oz (85 g)
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564 rub.
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Baths made from different herbs have special healing properties:
- mint soothes irritation and itching,
- hops and chamomile relieve inflammation and protect the skin of the feet from various infections. Yarrow softens chapped skin.
- Pine needles moisturize the skin and relieve fatigue.
- Wild chestnut strengthens blood vessels.
- Oak and sage relieve sweating.
- Wormwood and rosemary accelerate blood circulation and refresh.
- Calendula heals wounds.
The plant needs to be filled with hot water and left for two hours. Then heat the infusion and steam your feet in it for 15-20 minutes. Do herbal foot baths twice a week.
Burdock, castor, peach and almond oils will help soften dry skin on your feet. Wipe your feet with them, after holding them in water with sea salt.
Causes and possible diseases
Typically, the sebaceous and sweat glands form a water-fat mixture, which keeps the skin elastic. Dry skin occurs when the sebaceous glands are no longer rich in oil and moisture regulation is disrupted. In addition to external influences and biological factors, diseases can also be considered as triggers.
External factors
- Weather can affect your skin. If you sweat in the summer, fluid is released through the skin and the skin dries out faster. Air conditioning and sunlight enhance this effect. When the outside temperature is 8°C or lower, the body stops producing sebum. In addition, people sweat a lot in the cold, so less water enters the epidermis in winter. Result: the fat and water balance of the skin is disrupted and the skin dries out. Wind, humid and warming air stimulate dehydration. Particularly affected are parts of the body that are not protected by clothing, such as the face, lips and hands.
- Diet also plays a role in skin condition. Malnutrition (especially if you are underweight) contributes to the development of dry skin. Not drinking enough fluids leads to a lack of fluids, which can also cause dry skin. Consumption of alcohol and nicotine increases the risk of dry skin.
- Stress and mental tension can take a toll on the skin and cause dryness.
- Dry skin can also be a side effect of medications that affect the body's fluid balance or certain gland functions. These include cortisone skin creams, retinoids (used for acne and psoriasis), diuretics (water flushing medications), and chemotherapy drugs (to treat cancer). Cancer treatment can also cause dry skin.
Biological factors
- As we age , skin moisture naturally decreases. This process is enhanced by the fact that the skin binds less moisture and the sweat glands produce less sweat.
- Hereditary predisposition also plays a role.
Diseases
Apart from skin conditions associated with dry skin, there are a number of other conditions in which dry skin is a symptom.
The main diseases with dry skin are:
- eczema
- allergies
- psoriasis
- contact eczema (rash)
- Ichthyosis (also called fish scale disease, an inherited disease of the top layer of the cornea)
- oral rose (rash around the mouth)
- leg ulcer
- diabetes
- hypothyroidism
- intestinal diseases (such as Crohn's disease or inflammatory bowel disease)
- gastritis
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (increased production of gastrin gas causes excessive stomach acid and causes gastrointestinal ulcers)
- celiac disease (a chronic disease of the small intestinal mucosa due to gluten intolerance)
Diseases with this symptom
Find out here about the diseases that can cause dry skin:
- metabolic syndrome
- gastritis
- Crohn's disease
- hypothyroidism
- thyroiditis
- seborrheic
- stomach ulcer
- psoriasis
- eczema
- ulcerative colitis
What to do if you have dry skin?
At the first symptoms of dry hands, you should definitely take measures to eliminate it. This can be done using pharmaceutical products, as well as traditional medicine methods. The most popular medications and recipes are presented below.
Important: if you have severe dry skin on your hands, when no remedies help, you should contact a cosmetologist or dermatologist.
Pharmacy products
Pharmacy products for the treatment of dry hand skin include multivitamin complexes and ointments:
| Vitamin complexes | Ointments |
| • Neutrovitan. The drug mainly contains vitamin B. The course of treatment is 2-4 weeks, 4 capsules per day; • Vitrum beauty. Regular intake of this vitamin complex improves the condition of the skin, nails, hair, and the drug removes toxins from the body. The course of treatment is a month, you should take 3 capsules per day. • Alphabet of cosmetics. The medicine contains a complex of useful microelements. Copes with vitamin deficiency and mineral deficiency. The course of treatment is a month, it is recommended to take 1 tablet three times a day with an interval of 4 hours. • Supradin Rosh. Broad-spectrum multivitamins. Restores skin and mucous membranes. Should be taken for at least 30 days. It is recommended to take one tablet per day. | • Boro Plus. Universal spectrum ointment. Cleanses the skin, normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands, nourishes and eliminates flaking. • Radevit. Fights inflammation, restores the upper layers of the epidermis. Normalizes metabolic processes, moisturizes and increases elasticity. Contains vitamins A, D and E. • Bepanten. The composition contains panthenolic acid, restores the skin, and intensively copes with dryness. • Neutrogenia. The ointment effectively copes with dryness and prevents moisture from evaporating from the epidermis. Quickly absorbed and comfortable to use. • A mixture of salicylic ointment and glycerin. Buy salicylic ointment and glycerin, mix in equal proportions and apply several times a day; you can add various oils for greater effectiveness. |
Folk recipes
Traditional medicine recipes involve the use of various masks and hand baths:
| Recipes for masks and lotions | Bath recipes |
| • mix honey with oatmeal and let it brew. Apply to the skin of your hands for half an hour. After the procedure, wash off and lubricate your hands with ointment; • mix egg white and lemon juice in equal proportions. Lubricate your palms and hold for half an hour. Rinse, moisturize the skin with cream; • mix glycerin and honey 2:1, add a little flour for thickness. Apply the mask for half an hour on your fingertips. Instead of glycerin, you can use any oil, just keep it on all night. After the procedure, rinse off; • chicken yolk (1 piece) mixed with a tablespoon of natural yogurt and 2 teaspoons of strong green tea, rub the mask into the skin, leave for 20 minutes, and then rinse. After the procedure, apply a pharmaceutical product; • mix half a tablespoon of honey with olive oil, add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Apply to the skin of your hands, leave for 15 minutes, rinse; • take a tablespoon of natural cottage cheese, mix with half a peeled tomato, apply the mixture to your hands for 30 minutes, then rinse, lubricate the skin with pharmaceutical ointment; • add 2 teaspoons of flax oil and 2 teaspoons of honey to melted beeswax (2 tsp), let cool, then rub into your hands. | • dilute sea salt in water and hold your hands in this solution for about 10 minutes, after the procedure, lubricate the skin with nourishing cream or ointment; • dilute several tablespoons of vegetable or essential oil in a liter of warm water, keep your hands in it for about 10-15 minutes, after the procedure lubricate your hands with cream; • boil oatmeal with plenty of water, strain the broth, keep your hands in it for about 20 minutes, rinse with warm water and soften with cream; • brew chamomile flowers, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the broth. Keep your hands in the bath for about 10 minutes. Rinse, lubricate with cream; • use store-bought products for paraffin baths, follow the instructions. |
Cosmetic preparations
Creams that cope with dry epidermis:
- Hydroactive. Triple effect cream, restores the epidermis of the hands, improves the condition of the nail plates;
- Velours. Well moisturizes the epidermis, protects against adverse environmental factors, and treats minor damage. Contains chamomile, glycerin and vitamin E;
- Salon Spa. Moisturizes the skin, smoothes out fine wrinkles. Contains kelp and silk extract. Removes flaking and dullness, intensively nourishes;
- Doctor Sante. Gentle care for dry hand skin. After use it does not leave a sticky feeling, is comfortable to use, intensely nourishes;
- Homemade recipes. Contains peach oil and royal jelly. Effectively eliminates inflammation, fights age-related changes in the skin, retains moisture in the epidermis and does not allow it to evaporate;
- Handson. Deep nutrition and effective hydration. Contains plant components.
Interview with a specialist
Cosmetologist Olga Metelskaya will talk about an effective remedy against chapped and dry epidermis of the hands:
When should you see a doctor?
If you have dry skin or aging skin, well-chosen skin care and protection products will help. You should see a doctor if:
- You have been suffering from dry skin for a long time, and the cream does not relieve the symptoms
- Dry skin occurs suddenly and for no apparent reason
- The skin hurts, turns red and becomes inflamed.
Even if you experience additional symptoms such as hair loss, headaches, dizziness and nausea, significant weight gain or loss, extreme thirst, frequent urination, or internal anxiety and restlessness, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Etiology
Cracks in the fingers are also dangerous because they are entry points for various types of infections. This is especially true for people working in the food industry (cutting fish, meat, etc.)
The skin on the hands often dries and cracks under the influence of non-pathogenic factors, including:
- vitamin deficiency (dryness, skin peeling off fingers, bruises);
- weather conditions (chapping of the skin in cold weather is fraught with drying out of the sensitive epidermis, the appearance of peeling and deep cracks);
- improper skin care (washing hands too often, using low-quality care and cleansing cosmetics, as well as daily cleaning, washing dishes, washing clothes by hand without special gloves and using aggressive household chemicals leads to the abrasion of the protective layer of the epidermis).
In addition to the fact that under the influence of these factors the skin loses its healthy and well-groomed appearance, due to the thinning of its natural protective barrier, the gates open for all kinds of pathogenic microorganisms. The risk of infectious, fungal or viral infection increases several times.
Also, the skin on the hands cracks until it bleeds, drying out and becoming irritated due to the development of such pathological conditions of the body:
- Mycosis. People of different ages, gender and nationality are susceptible to fungal infections of the skin of the hands by dermatophytes and candida. The source of the disease in most cases is infected skin of the feet, from the surface of which spores of the pathogenic fungus spread throughout the human body. Characteristic manifestations of mycosis on the hands are dryness, irritation and peeling of the skin between the fingers, a burning sensation and itching in the damaged areas. With candidiasis, these symptoms are accompanied by a whitish coating with a sour odor, weeping, the formation of yellowish or white spots on the nail plates and a change in their shape, caused by the penetration of fungal spores into the thickness of the nail.
- Dermatitis. Drying and cracking of the skin on your hands can be caused by allergic or contact dermatitis. For the first type of disease, which develops immediately after direct contact of the skin with an allergen, the characteristic symptoms are the accompanying inflammatory process, hyperemia and swelling of the affected area. Allergic dermatitis can develop without direct contact of the skin and the irritant; its indirect exposure (oral intake of certain groups of medications, food, etc.) is sufficient. This type of disease is manifested by redness, swelling and itching of the skin, the formation of small water bubbles with liquid on the fingers. In advanced cases, the skin on the palms may peel off.
- Eczema. Severe itching, hyperkeratosis, dryness and flaking, swelling and weeping of the skin usually react to the development of eczema. In most cases, the symptoms of the disease in chronic form manifest themselves in the form of a rash on the palms and fingertips. During the period of exacerbation of the pathology, large cracks may form on the skin of the palms, in the folds between the fingers, thickening and excessive pigmentation of the affected skin, provoked by constant scratching of itchy foci of eczema.
- Exfoliative keratolysis. In women and men at a young age, exfoliative keratolysis often occurs, in which the skin on the hands becomes very dry and flaky, especially in the hot summer season. A predisposing factor to the development of the disease is the use of soaps, solvents or detergents with aggressive components in the composition. The first symptoms of the disease are small air-filled blisters that are localized on the fingers or the surface of the palms. Noticeable itching may occur only in rare cases. In the pathogenesis of exfoliative keratolysis, there is a strong tendency towards relapses occurring as soon as possible after remission. This process is usually accompanied by the formation of large cracks in the interdigital folds and on the palms.
- Cold urticaria. The skin of the hands is often exposed to aggressive external factors (frost, cold wind and water, dampness, etc.). Against the background of such cold irritation, an allergic reaction develops, the characteristic manifestations of which are red spots, swelling, the formation of blisters, dryness and peeling of the skin exposed to low temperatures. Allergy symptoms make themselves felt in the near future (usually within the first 10-20 minutes) after contact with external irritants.
It also cannot be ruled out that drying and cracking of the skin on the hands may act as a dermatological manifestation of diabetes mellitus. Patients experience dry skin, local hyperkeratosis on the palms, and wrinkling of the fingertips.
What does the doctor do?
Your doctor may ask you when your skin becomes so dry, whether you changed your diet before your skin became dry, or whether you are taking medications regularly. The diagnosis can also help with questions about possible underlying symptoms, allergies, or underlying medical conditions that cause dry skin, such as diabetes.
Physical examinations
After this, the doctor performs a physical examination. You can consult a dermatologist. This examines the changed areas of the skin using a magnifying glass or microscope. In this way the following can be checked: the water content of the leather, the fat on the surface of the leather or the roughness of the leather. Allergy testing can rule out a hypersensitivity reaction as the cause of dry skin.
Laboratory tests
In addition, special blood or urine tests may be helpful. Imbalances in salt water content, deficiencies or hormonal imbalances may be identified. Examination of tissue samples (biopsy) allows diagnosis of psoriasis or ichthyosis. Other conditions that cause dry skin can be identified by stool examination, colonoscopy, ultrasound, or x-ray, among others.
Treatment
Treatment for dry skin depends on the cause. For example, your dermatologist may use medications that contain cortisone or recommend skin care products specifically designed for your skin that will moisturize your skin. Underlying conditions such as atopic dermatitis or diabetes should be treated accordingly.
Important Research
These studies help to find out the reasons for complaints:
- blood collection
- blood analysis
- colonoscopy
- intestinal examination
- gastroscopy
- chair examination
- Analysis of urine
How to restore an even tone
What to do with a dull complexion to restore its attractiveness? To do this, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
Hydration
Water is very important to maintain elasticity and beautiful skin color. The relief of the skin and its ability to reflect light depend on its elasticity. Moisturizing is especially important for people with dry skin. It includes using a variety of cosmetics with moisturizing ingredients and drinking enough water (8 glasses a day).
Massage
The procedure accelerates metabolic processes and the removal of decay products from tissues. Massage creams and oils provide additional benefits. Massage improves blood circulation and lymph outflow, which ensures normal delivery of nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Related articles: Facial massage with vacuum jars
Pilng
During peeling, dead epidermal cells are eliminated. This is one of the most effective methods of combating dullness. Cells can be exfoliated at home using masks, scrubs and peeling mixtures for home use. In a cosmetology clinic, professional chemical and hardware peels are used.
Whitening
Lightening can be done using home remedies, special cosmetics or medical procedures.
The result of a course of chemical peeling at home
