Dry skin is a common condition that occurs when your body loses its normal reserves of moisture. You may develop dry skin for a variety of reasons, including age, environment, side effects of skin cleansing products, and inherited and non-inherited skin disorders. Fortunately, several treatment options are available for this condition.
Common Dry Skin
Common dry skin, also called xeroderma or xerosis, is a non-inherited condition, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Common risk factors for the condition include advancing age, living in a climate that is both cold and dry, frequent bathing, use of harsh soaps or cleansers and the presence of a skin disorder called atopic dermatitis, or eczema. You will most frequently experience this form of dry skin on your thighs, lower legs, arms and the sides of your abdomen, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus. Symptoms that commonly accompany the condition include itching, scaling and the development of skin cracks or fissures.
Keratosis Pilaris
You may also develop dry skin as a result of a common inherited disorder called keratosis pilaris, the American Academy of Dermatology reports. As much as 40 percent of the population has this disorder, which is characterized by small red or flesh-colored bumps that frequently appear on your thighs or upper arms, as well as on the cheeks of children. In addition to dryness, the condition may trigger skin itchiness.
Ichthyoses
Dry skin may also result from a group of genetic disorders called inherited ichthyoses, Merck Manuals report. These disorders, which may occur on their own or as elements of a larger syndrome, typically cause significant skin scaling. In some cases, scaling may be severe and lead to body disfigurement. You may also acquire an ichthyosis as a symptom of systemic diseases such as lymphoma, AIDS, hypothyroidism and leprosy, the Merck Manuals explain. Use of medications such as triparanol or nicotinic acid may also trigger these conditions.
General Treatments
Medline Plus lists a number of self-care options for the treatment of dry skin, including using mild cleansers, limiting your use of cleansers, reducing the length of baths or showers, bathing less frequently and drying your skin both thoroughly and gently after bathing. You can also increase your daily water intake, use moisturizers or bath oils that do not contain alcohol and moisten the air of your environment with a humidifier. Medline Plus recommends consulting your doctor if home care does not work, if you develop open sores or cuts, if you itch without visible skin changes or if itchiness interferes with your normal sleep patterns.
Disorder Treatments
The American Academy of Dermatology lists treatment options for keratosis pilaris that include lactic acid creams, preparations of urea, moisturizers, topical retinoid medications and products that cause mild skin peeling. If you develop an ichthyosis, your doctor will attempt to control the underlying condition, Merck Manuals explain. Additional treatment options include moisturizers, propylene glycol, antibiotics to prevent infection, and retinoid medications such as tretinoin and isotretinoin.
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