Causes of Dry Skin

Causes of Dry Skin

A dry skin problem can be uncomfortable and even maddening.  Your skin might feel tight and painful; it might look dull or red or flaky.  Worst of all is the itchiness -- the sort of overwhelming itchiness that makes you feel like you're infested with fleas, that keeps you awake at night, miserably raking your skin with a back scratcher.

"Dry skin is extremely common," says Barney Kenet, MD, a dermatologist from New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center.  "There are probably close to 100 million dried out, itchy people in this country right now." And if the itching weren't bad enough, a dry skin problem can be more than just a superficial issue, experts say.

"Your intact, healthy skin is your body's primary defense against infection," says Claude Burton MD, professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine.  If you let your skin get dried out and cracked, you could be giving all sorts of nasty bacteria a way in.  That can lead to more serious problems.
There are lots of good reasons to do something about your dry, itchy skin -- your looks, your health, and your sanity.  So it's time to put down the back scratcher and really figure out what's really causing your dry skin problem.

For many, dry skin is not a sign of a skin condition or disease, but is simply caused by harsh soaps, itchy clothing, misusing moisturizer, and long, hot showers. But the medications you take -- and even medical conditions such as diabetes, psoriasis, hypothyroidism, and malnutrition -- can also cause severe dry skin. Read on to understand how and why these problems dry out your skin.