Dry skin: what causes it and how to treat it

Sometimes, applying moisturizer generously and diligently every single day, massaging oils, adding expensive serums, and drinking liters of water isn't enough. Our skin doesn't have the radiant appearance we wish to see reflected in the mirror. The skin looks dry—it's rough, flaky, cracked, and dull. It happens to everyone. It can be an occasional issue or a chronic condition, triggered by various factors such as a deficiency of natural skin oils or adverse weather conditions, but it all leads to one result: making us feel uncomfortable. What can we do to solve this problem? It's time to restore hydration, but also to investigate the causes to adopt prevention methods and a proper skincare routine for dry skin, with a focus on the face.

What is dry skin?

The skin acts as a protective barrier from the outside world, and to effectively perform its defense role against external aggressors, it must maintain a certain level of hydration. When the skin barrier is damaged, natural moisturizing factors like hydrolipids are lost, and the skin cannot retain enough water. The result? It becomes dry. On the face, dryness usually appears on the cheeks and around the eyes, but especially in winter, it also affects the lips. The lack of hydration in the skin can manifest in different forms, ranging from typical dryness to flaking, from small cuts to redness, from a constant feeling of tightness to itching.

Causes and Triggers of Dry Skin

Dry skin can have many potential causes, both internal and external. Genetic factors such as a hereditary tendency to dryness, medical conditions like psoriasis and eczema, and the use of certain medications can all affect hydration. Here are other common causes:

• Age: As we age, the skin's metabolism slows down, leading to dryness.
• Hormonal changes: Menstruation, pregnancies, menopause, and other conditions that cause hormonal fluctuations can lead to variations in sebum production, resulting in drier skin.
• Poor diet: A lack of nutrients, unsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins like vitamins C and E, which are responsible for maintaining healthy skin, can reduce skin resilience.
• Not drinking enough water: It sounds obvious, but many of us simply don't drink enough water daily to stay hydrated.
• Alcohol and caffeine consumption: Nicotine and the toxins in cigarette smoke significantly reduce blood circulation, slowing down skin metabolic processes, leading to easier dehydration and premature aging.
• Adverse weather conditions and low humidity: Low temperatures in winter, high temperatures in summer, wind, UV rays from the sun, and indoor environments with heating or air conditioning can all damage the skin's natural barrier and promote water evaporation, leading to dehydration, making the skin tight, dry, and flaky.
• Use of harsh soaps or cleansers: These can alter the skin's pH balance and strip it of its natural oils, leaving it dry and sensitive.
• Too many baths and scrubbing: These can strip the skin of its natural oils and compromise its hydration.

How to Prevent and Cure Dry Skin with the Right Skincare Routine

We have examined the external and internal factors that compromise the skin's natural barrier, triggering the water loss process. Assuming that the best way to strengthen the skin is to apply hydrophilic and humectant products regularly, here are some other ways to maintain optimal hydration and avoid dryness:

• Avoid using harsh products containing alcohol.
• Use gentle makeup removers like micellar water.
• Gently wash your face and avoid very hot water: opt for a gentle, non-foaming cleanser specifically formulated with moisturizing ingredients. After ensuring all dirt and makeup residue is removed, rinse your face with lukewarm or cold water to avoid inflammation and damaging the skin barrier.
• Remember to exfoliate regularly with specific products, as dead cells on the skin's surface act as barriers to the absorption of serums and moisturizers you're applying.
• Choose a face cream with the right ingredients for your skin that support the protective skin barrier and reduce transepidermal water loss. Go for humectants like shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, argan oil, jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, peptides, and glycerin.
• Apply moisturizer when the skin is still damp: the moisture will help lock in water, effectively hydrating the skin.
• Use sunscreen every day: look for an SPF of 30 or higher, and make sure to reapply it every two hours because UV rays cause free radical damage leading to premature aging.
• Add a targeted serum and treatment: opt for vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, or retinol. To avoid irritation, apply this last active ingredient 1-2 times a week during the first weeks to give your skin time to adapt.
• Apply a sheet mask once a week for a hydration and/or nourishment boost.