What is meant by dry skin?
Dry skin is a skin condition that feels dry or rough to the touch, looks dull and tends to peel which occurs due to reduced moisture in the outermost layer of the skin. Dry skin is also called xerosis or xeroderma.
What causes dry skin?
Dry skin is generally caused by one or a combination of the following factors:
Abnormality of the outer layer of the skin that functions to protect against irritants and allergens
Reduced production of sebum by the oil glands in the skin layers
The ratio of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids in the skin layers is unbalanced, which causes the skin's barrier function to be disrupted so that fluids come out more easily from the surface of the skin (increased transepidermal water loss)
Gene mutations in ichthyosis
Who is at risk for dry skin?
Dry skin can affect both men and women in various age ranges.
Dry skin that has occurred from an early age/children can be part of ichthyosis, may be accompanied by a family history of dry skin.
Dry skin in individuals with atopic eczema varies from infancy to adulthood.
Dry skin in elderly individuals (> 60 years)
Individuals with the following diseases or conditions
What is the clinical appearance of dry skin?
Skin looks dull or feels rough
You can see gray lines or cracks on the skin surface
May be accompanied by redness and itching
Fine to rough scales appear / peeling skin
In extreme conditions the skin can split to cause light bleeding, generally on the palms of the hands/feet
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