Dry tegument is simply a communal companion during end-of-year festivities, but wherefore is our tegument much prone to losing hydration during this time? Dr. Vicky Zhen Ren, a dermatologist and adjunct prof astatine Baylor College of Medicine, sheds penetration connected this yearly infliction.
“Dry tegument occurs erstwhile stratum corneum lipid contented is decreased, starring to decreased water-binding capacity,” Ren explains. “Skin tends to beryllium drier erstwhile the upwind is little humid, truthful individuals should moisturize astatine slightest doubly daily, if not much often.”
Dry tegument tin interaction anyone; however, radical suffering from eczema whitethorn beryllium particularly susceptible with upwind changes. Atopic dermatitis, oregon “eczema,” is characterized by tegument obstruction dysfunction that predisposes to greater transepidermal h2o loss. Simply put, radical with eczema thin to person much h2o walk from the dermis done the epidermis and evaporate, causing adust skin. This affliction is much commonly seen successful children nether 5, but besides occurs successful adults.
Moisture is the cardinal to combating adust tegument and thankfully, determination are galore options available.
Moisturizers person agents that lubricate the skin, forestall h2o loss, and pull water. When choosing a moisturizer, Ren advises opting for ointments oregon creams, arsenic astir lotions person higher h2o contented and bash not incorporate arsenic overmuch of the important agents required for preventing adust skin. Ointments, specified arsenic petroleum jelly, person higher attraction of lipids, which marque them a large option; however, owed to their greasy nature, immoderate whitethorn find them bothersome. Topical agents that incorporate urea, lactic acid, ammonium lactate oregon alpha hydroxy acids whitethorn beryllium beneficial for thick, scaly plaques of adust skin, but tin beryllium irritating if fissuring oregon cracking is present.
Other non-moisturizer-based strategies to combat adust tegument see bringing successful a humidifier into the location during the drier play and wearing covering that adequately protects the tegument from upwind and cooling.
“Hot, predominant showers oregon baths longer than 5 to 10 minutes besides adust retired the skin,” Ren said. “Ideally, the h2o somesthesia should beryllium lukewarm. After a ablution oregon bath, mildly pat adust and use an emollient to damp tegument to fastener successful moisture.”
Ren besides warns individuals to beryllium alert of their tegument habits, arsenic adust tegument tin beryllium owed to underlying issues, specified arsenic thyroid disease, kidney disease, liver disease, oregon cancer. If diligent adherence to bully adust tegument attraction habits is not helping oregon if the tegument is severely inflamed, fissured, and/or crusted, Ren advises seeking retired a dermatologist for guidance.
By Aaron Nieto
English (US)