I'm sure it doesn't feel good to be labelled as having skin "as rough as the sandpaper". When we were young, our skin was the epitome of youth: smooth, supple, always perfectly moisturized. But having passed the golden age of my teen years, my skin is beginning to show the harsh ravages of daily life and is no longer moisturized. Thus I am very concerned about treating dry skin and I'm here to share with you all some information on this condition.

Dry skin is defined as flaking or scaling -- which may or may not be itchy -- when there is no evidence of dermatitis, or inflammation, of the skin. Some flaking along with redness, however, may be a sign of an underlying dermatitis. It occurs mostly on the shins, hands and sides of the abdomen.

Millions of people around the world have dry skin—especially during the winter months—and millions more buy the vast number of skin care products to counteract dry skin. But moisturizers aren't the only solution. With only a few lifestyle changes, you can moisturize your skin. Treatment is important because extensively dry skin can lead to dermatitis, a more severe inflammation of the skin.

Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of dry skin depend on your age, your health status, your locale, the amount of time you spend outdoors, and the cause of the problem. If you have dry skin due to normal aging, you're likely to experience one or more of the following:

1. A feeling of skin tightness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming
2. Skin that appears shrunken or dehydrated
3. Skin that feels and looks rough rather than smooth
4. Itching (pruritus) that sometimes may be intense
5. Slight to severe flaking, scaling or peeling
6. Fine lines or cracks
7. Redness
8. Deep fissures that may bleed


Causes of Dry Skin
You can't cure dry skin if you don't know what's causing it.

1. The wonders of winter: If you thought the winter months meant cozy fires and homemade soup, think again. The winter months mean dry skin for a lot of people because the air is colder, drier and less humid (not conducive to moisturizing your skin). Another reason is that you spend more time indoors, where it's warmer, but drier.

2. Inheritance: You may have inherited your mother's personality and your father's good looks, but you also got their dry skin.

3. You want fries with that?: A poor diet means more than just a big belly. If you're lacking in vitamins A and B, you might be lucky enough to get dry skin.

4. The elements: The sun (fire), wind, water and earth all contribute to dry skin. Yes, even water -- showering removes the natural oils coating your body.

5. Medical complications: Skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema (dermatitis) will also dry out your skin.

6. Central heating and air conditioning: Central air and heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all reduce humidity and dry your skin.

7. Hot baths and showers: Frequent showering or bathing, especially if the water is hot and your baths are long, breaks down the lipid barriers in your skin. So does frequent swimming, particularly in heavily chlorinated pools.

8. Harsh soaps and detergents: Many popular soaps and detergents strip lipids and water from your skin. Deodorant and antibacterial soaps are usually the most damaging, as are many shampoos, which dry out your scalp.

9. Thyroid disorders: Hypothyroidism, a condition that occurs when your thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormones, reduces the activity of your sweat and oil glands, leading to rough, dry skin.

Treatment
1. Long hot showers are one of the major causes of dry skin. You may feel clean and refreshed, but in a matter of minutes, your skin will look chapped and parched. The easiest solution to this problem is to not take as many showers. You do not need five showers a day. But if you must shower after every meal, then cut down on the duration of each shower. Long showers wash off more of your natural oils. Besides, instead of hot water (which will soften up the oils and make it easier to wash away), use warm water—it's better for your skin, scalp and hair.

2. While showering, try not to use soap. Soap irritates and dries the skin. If you just can't shower without soap, use a mild bar soap. Liquid soap, shower gels, glycerin soap and deodorant soap are all very harsh to your skin. Try to use the soap only on parts of the body that really need it, particularly your face and feet.

3. Once you are done showering (seems like everything you were doing in the shower was bad for your skin), pat your skin dry with a towel. Rubbing dry will further irritate the skin. Leave the skin a little damp. Immediately after, moisturize your skin with bath oil or moisturizing lotion.

4. Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration will not help your skin look its very best.

5. During the winter months, when the air is drier both indoors and outdoors, use a mist vaporizer or humidifier to add moisture to the air in your home.

6. When using moisturizers, the general rule is "the oilier, the better." Oil-based moisturizers work better than water-based moisturizers because they do not evaporate and can trap the water better. Furthermore, water-based moisturizers contain alcohol and may dry the skin when used repeatedly.

7. If you have very dry and scaly skin, it is recommended that you use a cream that contains lactic acid or lactic acid and urea.