Dry skin - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

Dry skin( overdried, cracked, dryish, keratinized, not sufficiently moisturized, dry skin, wrinkled, wrinkled) - this is a special type of skin that is characterized by insufficient moisture, lack of a natural fatty grease).Signs of the disease are unpleasant sensations of dryness, pain, redness, peeling, itching. However, the symptoms are not as important as the effect that dry skin has on human health.

Skin protects the body from infections and when it is damaged, the risk of penetration of dangerous bacteria through the skin increases. Skin itching can interfere with proper rest, both during the day and at night. This reduces the ability to work and resistance( resistance) to stress.

Causes of dry skin

The protective surface layer is a complex system that adapts to the skin's needs in water, maintains the water balance. The moisture of the skin depends on internal factors( endogenous) and external( exogenous) factors.

Internal:

1. Insufficiency of the lipid barrier of the skin.

There are epidermal lipids between the cells in the stratum corneum. They are important for skin health: they form its protective barrier and delay water. In the absence of these fats, the skin can become dry and rough, and its integrity is impaired.

2. Lack of natural moisturizing factor.
Components of the moisturizing factor include urea, lactic acid, salts and sugars. They help to retain moisture in the upper parts of the epidermis and the horny layer of the skin.

3. Incorrect functioning of the excretory( secretory) function of the skin.
The correct functioning of the network from microscopic channels that transport moisture to various layers of the epidermis is disturbed.

Exterior:

1. Frequent washing.
2. Wearing coarse clothing.
3. Wrong care.
4. Side effects of drugs.
5. Chronic diseases.
6. Hypovitaminosis( A, C, E, PP, B)

The symptom of dry skin is most often observed in a certain group of people:

• Elderly people have an increased risk of developing diseases associated with dry skin, due to age-related changes in the body.
• Babies and children often have dry skin, since the immature skin emits less fat and has a thinner corneal layer.
• Patients with cancer who underwent radiation therapy( treatment of tumors with the help of radioactive radiation).
• People engaged in certain occupations related to strong ventilation and low air humidity, low temperatures, long-term contact with water, soap, detergents, solvents, frequent washing and hand treatment with disinfectants.

Diseases in which a dry skin symptom

can be observed. Dry skin can be a symptom of a wide variety of diseases:

• Hypothyroidism is a deficiency of the thyroid hormone. A frequent complaint of patients with this disease is dry skin, especially on elbows.
• The liver diseases are mainly inflammatory. One of the symptoms may be dryness and thinning of the skin.
• Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease affecting pulmonary tissue and other internal organs, characterized by inflammatory reactions on the skin.
• Syndrome of immunodeficiency syndrome( AIDS) - a violation of the human immune system, as a result of cell damage by the virus. In this case, the protective layer of the skin is broken and dryness appears.
• Eczema is an inflammatory dermatosis that is characterized by a rash and itchy skin.
• Ichthyosis is a hereditary skin disorder in which the upper layers of the skin become cornified.
• Psoriasis is a chronic non-infectious disease that occurs as a type of dermatosis. The skin becomes covered with red spots, and they, in a consequence, start to be shelled.
• Contact dermatitis is an inflammatory skin reaction that occurs when exposed to an allergen( detergents, disinfectants).

Dryness of the skin as a side effect of some medicines:

- Lowering cholesterol.
- Retinoids( for acne treatment), they can also cause dry skin.
- Diuretics( diuretics)

When you need to see a doctor

Medical care is needed in cases where the skin is painful, covered with crusts, pustules develop( small bubbles with pus).Infection of dry skin is a rare complication and requires immediate contact with a doctor( dermatologist, kozhvenerologu, cosmetologist).

The disease is usually diagnosed on the basis of signs and symptoms detected during the examination by a dermatologist. It is very important to distinguish the sign of dryness of the skin from the symptom of a more serious illness. Surveys include skin allergic tests, taking a sample of tissue for analysis, standard blood and urine tests, specialized tests for determining the function of the thyroid gland.

Severe cases of skin diseases associated with dryness require regular visits to the doctor and strict monitoring of treatment, only in this way other complications of the disease can be avoided.

Dry skin treatment

Cosmetics.

Moisturizing cosmetics for dry skin contains, most often, the following combination of ingredients: vaseline and paraffin( beeswax), oils( lanolin, silicone, vegetable and animal fats), exfoliating components( alpha hydroxy acids, lactic acid, salicylic acid, andurea).The effectiveness and texture of the moisturizer directly depends on its composition and is based on the ratio of water and fat. Creams create an oil barrier that seals and protects from loss of natural moisture, blocks the evaporation of the body. You can use for cosmetic purposes ointments, creams, lotions.

• ointments tend to have a heavy, greasy texture and can leave oily traces on the skin. They are preferable to use in winter or for those parts of the body where the skin is the most dry( elbows, heels, knees).
• creams contain the same amount of oil and water. They are usually distributed evenly and leave no traces. Can be used for general moisturizing of the body and face at any time of the year.
• lotions have a high water content. Their structure is very light, so the moisturizing effect is short-term.

Phytotherapy for external use with dry skin

• Jojoba oil : quickly absorbed into the skin due to small molecules, very similar in chemical structure with natural skin fat. Has the ability to renew the lipid barrier of the skin, gives the effect of coating. Its action is especially useful in case of irritation, skin cracks, sunburn.
• Borage oil : rich in fatty acids( omega, linolenic).They are similar to skin fat, they relieve irritation, improve the protective properties of the skin.
• St. John's wort oil : is obtained by infusion of fresh inflorescence in vegetable oil( olive oil or sunflower) under the influence of sunlight. Flavonoids are distinguished which have an antioxidant and calming effect.
• Althaea officinalis : the root is used in phytotherapy. Well moisturizes, it is added to the cream for dry and flaky skin.
• Aloe Vera : a leaf gel is used, which is a gelatinous substance. Forms a protective film when applied to skin tissue. The product is rich in polysaccharides, which are involved in the regeneration process, restore the integrity and functionality of the skin.
• Flaxseed oil : rich in nutrients, contains omega-6 fatty acids, has moisturizing properties, smoothes and nourishes the skin.
• Coconut oil : nourishes and moisturizes the skin.

Vegetative masks for dry skin

When selecting a mask, care should be taken to ensure that it contains substances that penetrate deep inside the skin, since dry skin is not sufficient only for surface moisturizing( creams, ointments, oils).Examples of homemade masks intended for dry skin:

Face mask with strawberry and raspberry .Grind three large strawberries and a few raspberries, add 1 teaspoon of fresh cream, apply on face and neck and wash off after 15 minutes.

Face mask with avocado .Half the fruit crush with a fork mixed with egg yolk and a few drops of lemon juice. Apply on face and neck and hold for 20 minutes. Wash off with warm water. Avocados because of the high content of essential fatty acids has a protective effect on the skin.

Grape mask .Ten grapes with a fork. Juicy flesh cover the face and neck. After 15 minutes, remove the mask and wipe the skin with a tonic.

Pear mask .Grind the pulp of one pear, add a spoonful of honey and 1 tablespoon of milk. For very dry skin, add to the mixture 2 more olive oil and egg yolk. After 20 minutes rinse with warm water.

Face mask with kiwi .1 tablespoon of kiwi juice and mix with 1 tablespoon fresh cottage cheese. Apply on face and rinse with warm water after 20 minutes.

Face mask with tangerines or oranges .Mix with 1 tablespoon of tangerine juice with 1 raw yolk. Apply on face and neck for 20 minutes. Wash off with warm water. Potato mask. Cook the boiled potatoes with a fork and mix with a spoonful of olive oil. Apply to skin and wash off after 20 minutes with warm water.

Mask from lettuce leaves .Finely chop the leaves of lettuce and mix with wheat germ oil, add 0.5 teaspoon of baby powder. Apply on face for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Carrot protective mask .In a fresh squeezed carrot juice add one egg yolk and a few drops of olive oil. Apply to face and rinse after 20 minutes. Mask of oatmeal flakes .Take 1 tablespoon of ground oatmeal, chamomile and sage, add 1 teaspoon of honey and a few drops of olive oil, mix the resulting mass with boiling water to a thick paste. Apply on face and neck for 20 minutes. After removing the mask, rinse the skin with cold water.

Cheese mask .2 teaspoons of cream cheese mixed with 3 teaspoons of cream, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply on face for 10 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

Vitamins needed for dry skin.

To regenerate and moisturize the skin, daily intake( with food or as a dietary supplement) of the following substances is essential for the body:
- vitamin A,
- vitamins B, C, E and D,
- minerals( zinc, iron, copperand selenium)
are essential amino acids.

Prevention of dry skin diseases

To avoid unpleasant symptoms of dry skin, you should start with good care for it. Here are some simple rules:

- you need to regularly apply moisturizing cream,
- cream is better applied to damp skin,
- the quality of used cosmetics is important, preferably without perfumes and alcohol,
- creams should be thick and fatty( sour cream consistency),
-less time in the shower or in the bathtub,
- wash not with hot water, but with warm water,
- moisten the air in the room( using humidifiers or by putting a water tank near the battery or air conditioner),
-uyte mild liquid soap( PH neutral),
- not rubbing the skin towel.
- Eat right. Food should be rich in vitamins, proteins and fats.
- Drink a sufficient amount of water( up to 6 glasses per day), especially in the hot season and with intense physical exertion.

Doctor cosmetologist Kondratenko NA