Skip to main content
Contact us
Where to Buy

What Causes Dry Skin

DRY SKIN SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Feel like you’re battling dry skin – no matter what time of year it is?

Dry skin happens when the skin doesn't retain enough of the moisture-rich water, lipids and oils that keep it healthy. As a result, the skin barrier becomes impaired and the skin looks and feels dry, rough, scaly and itchy.

Signs and symptoms of dry skin range from mild to severe and can vary depending on age, coexisting medical conditions and environmental factors, but likely include one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Skin that feels and looks rough, scaly or flaky

  • A feeling of skin tightness, especially after bathing or swimming

  • Itching (pruritus)

  • Burning, stinging or redness

  • Fine lines or crepiness in the skin

  • Calloused, rough, cracked skin

  • Gray, ashy skin

WHAT CAUSES DRY SKIN?

Anyone can develop dry skin. While the cause is most often environmental, genetics and certain diseases can also play a significant role. Causes of dry skin can include one or more of the following:

CLIMATE

Skin is generally driest in the winter, when temperatures and humidity levels drop. Winter can also cause preexisting skin conditions (like eczema and psoriasis) to worsen.

HUMIDITY

Winter is a peak time for dry skin due to low humidity in the air and from central heating systems, but air conditioning can also cause dry skin because it removes much of the moisture from the air.

BATHING AND SWIMMING

Showering or bathing for long periods in hot water can strip the skin barrier of precious lipids. Frequent swimming in heavily chlorinated pools can have the same effect.

HARSH CLEANSERS

Harsh soaps and detergents can also wreak havoc on skin. Normal skin has a balance of moisture and oils and is slightly acidic at a pH of ~5.0. Soaps tend to be much more alkaline with a pH of ~10.0. Synthetic detergents are a better choice with a pH closer to healthy skin.

SUN EXPOSURE

Sun exposure in any climate can dry out the skin. UV rays penetrate deep below the skin's surface, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Sun-exposed skin gradually loses moisture and essential oils, making it appear dry, flaky and prematurely wrinkled.

LIFESTYLE FACTORS

Our daily habits, stress levels and diet can all have an effect on our skin. Lack of sleep, increased stress, smoking and alcohol use can all contribute to dryness and premature ageing of the skin.

GENETICS

We are all born with different skin types (like dry, normal or oily) and levels of skin sensitivity. Genetics are believed to be linked to our skin type and why some people develop skin conditions like eczema, ichthyosis vulgaris and psoriasis.

Researchers have found that some people have a gene flaw that causes a lack of a type of protein, called filaggrin, in their skin. This protein is essential for skin barrier function, helping to form a protective layer at the surface of the skin that keeps water in and foreign organisms out. Reduction or complete absence of this important protein leads to impaired formation of the skin barrier.

AGEING

As we age, we tend to lose collagen and natural oily secretions from glands in our skin. Normal cell turnover slows down (even if we don’t), our skin barrier becomes weaker and can’t repair itself as easily. Couple this with environmental exposures, hormonal changes and any medical conditions or medications – and you have a recipe for dry skin.

MEDICATIONS

There are certain medications that cause dry skin by reducing the stratum corneum's water content. Common medications that can cause dry skin include retinol, acne or blood pressure medications.

A REGIMEN OF CARE FOR DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN

The ideal regimen for dry, sensitive skin should reduce skin dryness, irritation and itching, as well as enhance the skin’s appearance and protective function by helping to restore skin’s moisture.

CLEANSER

Dry, sensitive skin needs a gentle, soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser.  NEOSTRATA® Restore PHA Facial cleanser  gently cleanses and prepares the skin to optimise the skin care regimen that follows. Formulated with a non-irritating Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA), known to lightly exfoliate without drying skin's protective moisture barrier.

SERUM

Applying a serum before moisturising will give dry skin an extra boost and add a layer of protection from the elements. Try our  NEOSTRATA® Restore Bionic Face Serum with 10% Polyhydroxy Bionic Acid , a potent antioxidant to help support skin's moisture barrier and protect against environmental factors.

MOISTURISER

The best moisturisers for dry skin have a combination of moisturising ingredients that prevent water loss and restore skin hydration. Try our  NEOSTRATA® Restore Ultra Moisturizing Face Cream , a gentle anti-ageing face cream with PHA, to moisturise and reduce visible signs of ageing. PHA also is known to soothe and strengthen the protective moisture barrier for dry, stressed skin.