Dry Skin Basics – Prevention

Dry skin – prevention is better than cure

Dry skin is a common skin type but shouldn’t be ignored as it could lead to further problems. A good skin care regime can not only help treat dry skin but may also play a preventative role in some skin conditions. Has your skin suddenly become red and inflamed? Or dry and itchy? You may have a skin condition called contact dermatitis. Untreated dry skin can result in dermatitis. Moisturisers can play an important role by helping to keep skin well hydrated and maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier, thus helping to prevent some skin conditions. Choose a moisturiser that is high in ingredients that will keep the skin hydrated all day long – try the skinsaviour range of products. Skinsaviour is especially formulated to soothe and hydrate dry skin with ingredients designed to help preserve the integrity of the skin barrier.

Severe dry skin can also be prevented by following a skin care regime for dry skin. Over time dry skin can become worse and therefore is harder to treat.  Severe dry skin can lead to cracking of the skin which makes it more prone to bacterial infections as the skins’ defence barrier is broken. Within a few minutes of having a shower or washing your face and body, smooth on a moisturiser to help lock in moisture and prevent dry skin.  Look for moisturisers that contain Shea butter, Olive Oil, Hyaluronic acid and other natural moisturising factors that soothe and fully hydrate dry skin. Keeping the skin well moisturised is also a preventative for fine line formation – the drier the skin the more the skin is prone to fine lines forming

Our skin is naturally protected by oils that keep it moist and soft. Therefore it is important to keep to minimum, external factors that we can control that strip the skin of this vital physical barrier.

Some of these factors include:

• Long hot baths and showers
• Swimming
• Cold windy weather
• Hot windy weather
• Sun exposure
• Dry saunas
• Harsh soaps and detergents
• Over cleansing
• Clothing that makes us itch
• Sun exposure
• Radiators
• Air conditioning
• Indoor heating

Many of these external factors we can regulate or keep to a minimum. Combined with a skin care regime especially formulated to deal with dry skin we find that we can easily keep our dry skin supple and smooth and looking its best, while preventing further skin problems.

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Dry Skin & Hormones

Dry skin and menopause

Menopause is commonly connected with hot flushes and night sweats – most women are familiar with these. The lesser known problem of dry skin that commonly accompanies menopause is also a side effect of changing hormones or more specifically one hormone – estrogen. When women enter menopause and this varies widely from 40 to late fifties, the ovaries stop releasing eggs, periods cease and the production of the hormone estrogen begins to decline.

Estrogen has many functions to do with the reproductive function of a woman’s body but also stimulates the production of collagen and sebum that keeps the skin supple and well lubricated. When this declines, dry and itchy skin can begin to appear as the body also loses its ability to lock moisture in to the skin.  Not only is this noticed on the face but commonly all over the body.

Dry skin is treatable in menopause – try these ideas below to help keep your skin soft and smooth.

• Use a creamy cleanser and moisturiser that will help hydrate and lock the moisture into the skin. You need a skincare regime that has no perfumes, colourings, alcohol or soaps and detergents that may cause dry skin even drier.

• Use a sunscreen daily – even on cloudy days. Dry skin can be made worse from exposure to the sun.

• Essential fatty acids in the diet are important to focus on – omega 3’s as found in deep sea fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines. Add nuts, soy, olive and flaxseed oil to the diet on a daily basis.

• Keep showers and baths to a minimum. As pleasant as a long steamy shower can be – it is also very drying for the skin.

• Pat dry gently and apply moisturiser all over the body on a daily basis to moisturise and help prevent moisturise loss.

• Avoid soaps with too much perfume, antibacterial action or deodorant ones as they all tend to dry out the skin further.

If dry skin continues to be a problem after following a dry skin care regime, it may be time to consult a doctor or dermatologist. Most simple cases of dry skin should respond well to the suggestions above over a period of a few weeks.

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