Dry Skin on the Face: Common Causes and Proven Remedies
What is dry skin?
When your skin is dehydrated due to a lack of moisture, it becomes dry and, while it's typically not serious, although it may be annoying. You should consult a doctor if your dry skin is severe and you feel that it's because of a skin condition or an underlying issue.
What causes dry skin on the face?
Sebum is a natural oil secreted by your skin, which keeps your skin moisturized and protects your skin cells from infection. Your skin might become dry and dull if it doesn't generate enough sebum. The following are some of the probable reasons for dry skin:
- Reaction to fragrance - Avoid skin-care products that include fragrance since it tends to irritate or aggravate dry skin. Because fragrance is a prevalent cause of allergic contact dermatitis, it's important to be aware of it. The skin may react after a few exposures, or it may react right away.
- Using harsh soaps - Using strong soaps on your face might dry up your skin by removing its natural hydration and oil.
- Your genetics may be to blame - According to studies, dry skin can be inherited to a great extent. Several skin diseases can be caused by mutations in genes that affect the synthesis of the protein filaggrin, which plays a role in building the skin barrier and keeping it moist. People with these mutations, which account for around 10% of the population, have drier skin and are more likely to develop eczema.
- Using acne medications and retinol - Salicylic acid is effective in treating acne, but it might dry up your skin when used for the first time. Dryness is another typical retinol side effect, and it occurs because retinol loosens the bonds between cells on the skin's surface.
- Washing your face too many times - Washing your face too frequently might deplete your skin's natural oils and leave it feeling dry. To avoid dryness, it is advised that you wash your face twice a day, and no more.
- Taking long, hot showers - Taking lengthy, steamy showers or baths might cause your skin to lose moisture, and might cause your skin to become flaky and irritated.
- Exposure to dry air - The air indoors may be just as harsh on your skin as the air outdoors at times. Humidity levels may be drained by forced air, especially heat, leaving skin feeling dry and uncomfortable.
- It can be ageing - As individuals get older, dry skin becomes more of a problem. Your skin generates less oil and becomes drier as you age. It might also be attributed to the hormonal changes that accompany menopause in women.
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Certain medical conditions - Psoriasis, contact dermatitis, and eczema are all skin conditions that can leave your skin dry. However, dry skin can signal a variety of conditions, including malnutrition, diabetes, renal failure, hypothyroidism, and Sjögren's disease. Inflamed regions, acute irritation, hyperpigmentation, crusting, and rough, scaly, or flaky spots on the skin are all signs that you should see a doctor.
How can you treat a dry face?
In most cases, dry skin isn’t a result of anything serious. If it’s restricted to being a topical issue, there are several things you can do to treat a dry face:
- Moisturize your face every day - Moisturizers in the form of lotions, creams or ointments aid in the improvement of your skin's natural barrier function. This helps the skin retain water and keeps it from drying out. Applying moisturizer before going to bed and then washing your face with a soft cleanser in the morning can provide further benefits. If you have acne-prone skin, you should use a moisturizer that hydrates your skin without aggravating it. For optimum hydration without feeling greasy, use the Carmesi Soothing Moisturizer. It contains wonderful ingredients like salicylic acid, Shatavari, green tea, niacinamide, and others that keep your skin moisturised while treating acne.
- Bathe in lukewarm water instead - If possible, use lukewarm showers instead of hot ones. Hot water can cause your skin to dry out by eliminating natural oils. You could also find that reducing your shower time to five to ten minutes is useful. This reduces your skin's exposure to water, which might make it drier than before you entered the shower. Showering or bathing more than once a day might make dry skin worse.
- Wash your face gently and less frequently - Avoid soaps and cleansers that include harsh substances like retinoids, alcohol, or alpha-hydroxy acids when choosing a face wash. These needless substances may cause your skin to become dry, irritated, or inflamed. To keep your skin clean and fresh all day, use a gentle cleanser like Carmesi Foaming Face Wash. Also, don't wash your face more than once a day. If you have dry skin, you might want to wash your face solely at night. This purifies your face after a long day of accumulating grime and prevents the skin from losing its essential oils.
- Spend on a humidifier - Low humidity might cause your skin to dry out. In rooms where you tend to spend a lot of time, use a humidifier. It's possible that adding moisture to the air will keep your skin from drying out. Ensure that your humidifier is simple to clean so you can minimize bacteria growth.
- See a doctor for any skin condition - If you’re dealing with skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, you will probably need medication to heal your dry patches. See a doctor for proper guidance in such cases.
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