The skin is said to be normal if it does have a minimum of 10% water in it, however, 20-35% is the ideal range. An oily substance known as Sebum produced by the skin’s glands is what helps the skin from losing water. The sebum substance can be overpowered by some environmental factors causing the skin to crack since more water will be evaporating. The most common symptom of dry skin is itching, wrinkles on skin as well as flaky skin.

Factors leading to cases of dry skin

Among the old aged, their sebaceous glands are highly inactive and hence the production of the sebum is generally low, hence high chances of having dry skin. Another cause of dry skin would be when one does excessive cleaning, especially of your own body. If you shower severally in a day, or wash your hands every now and then or use soaps that might dissolve the sebum you are likely to have a dry skin. The excessive scrubbing can remove the protective layer and in some cases result in dry skin in almost the whole body. Environmental factors like extreme heat which can cause high water loss in the body also can be a cause of dry skin. Evidence can be the people who live in areas with desert like conditions.

Diagnosis and its expected duration

One can start by asking themselves the following questions; how long do I take to shower, do I use hot water to bathe that can remove the protective layer of the skin, how frequently do I wash my hands, do I use soaps that can scrub away the protective layer and how many times do I shower in a day? Examining the environment you are in is the next thing; which climate do I live in, do I spend the winter season indoors or outdoors, do I protect my skin always by use of sunscreen or moisturizing creams?

Your skin starts improving as soon as two weeks after you have started taking care of it. A good sign of improvement would be a soft, smooth skin. If you do not take care of the dry skin, it leads to more complicated skin infections.

Preventive measures one ought to take

When taking a bath, avoid using hot water, warm water is recommended and also do not scrub your skin excessively. The use of unscented soaps and moisturizers will help that are rich in glycerin. Before applying any moisturizer ensure you are dry enough. Apply petroleum jelly as well as sunscreen in the case that you are outdoors when you cannot wear protective clothing. During winter, ensure your house has a humidifier. Excess use of perfumes and deodorants will cause dry skin too. If the skin problem persists, it is better to consult a doctor from there.