The skin is the body's largest organ, responsible for shielding your inner organs from harm. But what happens when the skin itself needs a better shield? Excessive moisture loss can cause your skin to shrivel, wrinkle, itch, flake and even bleed. Although there are some underlying skin conditions that can cause extreme dryness, oftentimes a few simple changes to your daily routine can fix the problem.
Extremely Dry Skin Identification and Causes
In clinical terms, dry skin is called "xerosis." It happens when your skin loses moisture, either through artificial stimuli or through the natural aging process. As you age, your skin loses the ability to retain moisture, resulting in drier skin and wrinkles over time. However, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, excessively dry skin can be caused by factors such as central heating or air conditioning, repeated exposure to hot water and rough towel drying that removes your skin's outer layer of moisture and lipids.
Prevention
According to MayoClinic.com, you can help prevent dry skin by keeping water locked beneath the skin's surface. Baby oil applied to damp skin immediately after washing can help seal in moisture that lotions often let escape. Keep baths and showers short, less than 15 minutes, and use warm water instead of hot. The air around you can even contribute to extremely dry skin. Buy a portable humidifier and place it in the rooms you frequent. Treatment for persistent dry skin may include creams with lactic acid or urea, or itch-relieving hydrocortisone lotions.
Extremely Dry Hair Identification and Causes
In "Every Woman's Guide to Beautiful Hair at Any Age," author Lisa Akbari writes that chemical shampoos with a high pH can deplete the scalp's natural oils, causing itchiness, dryness and flaking skin. Hair strands, composed of 3 percent moisture and 97 percent protein, can dry out when they're coated with styling products--the very products that claim to moisturize your hair can often create a buildup that prevents any moisture from reaching the inner fiber, called the cortex. Other culprits include the naturally drying elements of an arid or cold environment.
Prevention
Akbari recommends treating an itchy, flaky scalp with oil to restore the natural moisture that shampoo and styling products remove. Oil your scalp after washing your hair, before you dry or style it. While you're shampooing, massage your scalp to increase natural blood flow to the skin surface. As for your individual strands, air dry them instead of blow drying them. Use a deep conditioner once a week, along with a daily dollop of moisturizing product, preferably water-based as oil-based products can leave a moisture-blocking buildup.
Warning
If your dry skin and hair don't respond to preventive measures, see a doctor. According to MayoClinic.com, you may need to be tested for eczema, psoriasis or ichthyosis vulgaris. These conditions result in dry, scaly skin, sometimes with painful cracking and bleeding. They are usually treatable with a combination of the regimen changes described above and prescription creams.
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