Wash Your Face Gently
When selecting a face wash, avoid soaps and cleansers that contain harsh ingredients, like:
Syndets, or synthetic cleaning agents, are another beneficial soap ingredient. They often contain chemicals, such as sulphur trioxide, sulphuric acid, and ethylene oxide, which are gentle on sensitive skin.
Take care to be gentle as you apply soaps or cleansers to your face.
Use your fingertips to gently rub your face instead of using a more abrasive sponge or washcloth. Dont scrub the skin on your face, as this can cause irritation.
Milk Powder Face Pack
Mice studies show that milk consumption can improve dry skin conditions . Hence, the phospholipids in milk powder may moisturize dry skin on topical application.
You Will Need
What You Need To Do
How Often Should You Do This
Do this 2 times a week.
If Your Skin Is Red Or Sallow Or If You Have A Purple Cast Under Your Eyes
6. Use color correctors to combat the rainbow of colors that come with winter skin. In the winter, your skin tends to turn weird, unflattering shades . To hide these hues, LOréal Paris ambassador Sir John suggests blending color correctors on target areas to neutralize the shades and get your skin back to where its supposed to be: even and glowing.
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What Causes Dry Skin On The Face
Dry facial skin may result from many factors. These include exposure to changing temperature or humidity levels, using harsh soaps, and skin conditions such as eczema.
Most cases of dry, flaky skin on your face are mild and will clear up with time. However, dry patches can sometimes indicate something more serious.
Contact your dermatologist if dryness doesnt go away or is severely itchy. Seeing a doctor is especially important if you dont know whats causing the dryness.
Common conditions that can trigger dry skin include:
If your doctor rules these issues out, then a lack of moisture in your skin may be the cause of the dry skin on your face. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can try at home to get softer, smoother skin.
How To Use Exfoliators
People can use mechanical and chemical exfoliators alone or in combination.
A recent small-scale study examined the effects of combining an AHA-containing chemical peel with mechanical exfoliation. The authors observed that the combination treatment led to more significant improvements in hydration and skin elasticity than the chemical peel alone.
However, it is important to note that overusing these products can make dry skin worse. People using an exfoliator for the first time should test it on a small area of their face and wait a few days to see how their skin reacts before using it more extensively.
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How Can I Prevent Dry Skin
You can prevent dry skin at home by:
- Cleansing with a mild, fragrance-free, moisturizing non-soap cleanser.
- Taking warm baths or showers.
- Managing stress, which can aggravate eczema and other skin conditions that cause dry skin.
- Minimizing sun exposure, which evaporates oils and moisture from your skin.
- Moisturizing as soon as you finish bathing, while your skin is damp.
- Patting your skin dry with a soft towel.
- Preventing dehydration.
- Stop smoking, as nicotine dries out your skin.
- Using a humidifier to add moisture to your homes air.
A Mans Guide For Healthier Skin
We dont often question our washing routine, but thats often the source of the dry skin dilemma. Everyone just thinks the way they wash is normal. Youve probably washed the same way for years. Maybe you even learned it from your dad. But, if youre noticing dry skin, consider revamping that routine.
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Dry Skin On Your Hands
Many people have been struggling with dry hands because of increased hand washing during the pandemic. If that includes you, keep a bottle of lotion like CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion near your sink and use it often!
Other hands-on activities can strip moisture from your hands too, including gardening, washing dishes, cleaning, etc. Wearing protective gloves suited to the activity can go a long way toward preventing dryness!
Go Easy On Exfoliants And Scrubs
Exfoliation, which helps remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, can help keep your skin looking smooth and vibrant. But, its possible to overexfoliate your skin if you do it too often or use the wrong products.
If your skin looks dry or flaky, you may want to opt for a gentle chemical exfoliant rather than a physical scrub. Harsher scrubs with large particles may be more likely to break down your skins moisture barrier and cause damage.
If your skin is cracked, raw, or irritated, it may be best to avoid exfoliation until your skin has healed.
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What Does Dehydrated Skin Look Like
To the naked eye, dehydrated skin may look dull and flaky. The face may also have shadows and fine lines. Severe dehydration affects things beyond the complexion. Urine may appear darker and you may feel dizzy and weak. Symptoms such as a dry mouth may also indicate severe dehydration, which means that medical attention may be necessary.
Crank Up The Humidifier
Using an air conditioner in the summer and heat in the winter can really take a toll on our skin because they suck all of the moisture out of the air, leaving us dull and depleted. If you cant limit your use of a/c and heat, try using a humidifier. Even if you only turn it on at night while you sleep, it can do wonders for replenishing hydration and repairing dry, flaky skin.
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Dry Skin On Your Face
If youre dealing with dry skin primarily on your face, your skin care routine may be to blame. Here are some simple changes you can make for more hydrated and moisturized skin.
First, make sure youre washing your face with a gentle, hydrating cleanser. Im a big fan of my Purifying Daily Cleanser because its non-irritating and fragrance-free.
Second, exercise caution with acne treatments. Classic acne fighters like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and retinoids can be effective, but dryness is a common side effect of all of them, as they can easily strip skin of its natural oils. Ive found my Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum to be a good compromise here, because the retinol in it helps to fight wrinkles and acne, but its also hydrating rather than drying.
Third, exfoliate gently. Exfoliating can help get rid of flakes and dead skin cells, but overdoing it can make dryness and irritation worse. Skip the harsh exfoliating scrubs and use a microfiber makeup remover cloth as needed while cleansing for gentle exfoliation.
And last, but not least, use a moisturizing cream rather than a gel. Thicker moisturizers will sit on your skin longer, helping to restore moisture and aid in repair. Look for creams like my Ideal Daily Moisturizer with ingredients like aloe vera and hyaluronic acid that will attract and lock in moisture.
Pamper Your Skin With Facial Oils:
Mostly dry patches need to be spot treated and facial oils are one of the best options available. Facial oils are quite effective in treating those pesky dry patches that are the result of the seasonal change. The facial oils lock in the moisture and prevent skin from getting dry or patchy. Moreover, it makes skin smoother and softer. With the regular use of facial oils, you can see those dry patches vanishing. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, then jojoba oil is a good option because its a non-comedogenic oil that does not cause any breakouts on sensitive and acne-prone skin types.
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Can You Have Oily Dehydrated Skin
Although it sounds counter-intuitive, yes you can have oily dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin isnt necessarily dry it can be normal, combination or oily but feel tight and dry. Tight skin alone isnt necessarily an indication of dehydrated skin. Truly dehydrated skin lacks water but the body may be producing too much oil to compensate. This is why dehydrated skin can often be mistaken for oily skin. Some people with oily skin may try to handle their oily skin by over cleansing and stripping the skin, which just continues the vicious cycle.
When To See A Board
Your skin should start to feel better quickly. If these changes do not bring relief, you may want to see a dermatologist. Very dry skin can require a prescription ointment or cream. Dry skin also can be a sign of a skin condition that needs treatment. A dermatologist can examine your skin and explain what can help reduce your discomfort.
Have a skin, hair, or nail problem?
No one understands your skin better than a board-certified dermatologist. Partner with the expert for the best care.
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What Causes Dry Skin
The epidermis plays an important role in overall skin hydration. Sometimes called the skin barrier, its made up of tough skin cells glued together by lipids, which enables it to retain moisture to keep your skin hydrated.
The problems start when the skin barrier is compromised or damaged, because even the most microscopic cracks can lead to moisture loss. That moisture loss causes dry skin, but as most of know all too well, dry skin is rarely just dry.
Dry skin can feel tight, itchy, or rough to the tough, and may look inflamed, flaky, or irritated. These are all signs of skin barrier damage, but identifying the source of that damage can be tricky too.
There are a number of factors that can compromise the integrity of our skin barrier, including:
- Skin care product/ingredient intolerances
- and many others!
People with skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis are particularly prone to dry skin, but for different reasons. Eczema is a cluster of skin diseases typically triggered by irritants or allergens, resulting in flare-ups of dry skin that may be red, flaky, and itchy. Psoriasis, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disease that can manifest with patches of dry skin with a scaly and raised appearance.
What Is Dehydrated Skin
Having dehydrated skin simply means that the skin doesnt have enough water. Put another way, your body has lost more fluid than it has taken in, and the effects of dehydration are showing up on the face. It may look and feel dry and perhaps be itchy and dull. Dehydrated skin also tends to have an uneven tone, and fine lines are more easily noticeable.
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Treat The Underlying Cause
Various health conditions can cause peeling skin on the face, and each has specific symptoms and treatments.
If a fungal infection is causing the peeling, for example, antifungal medications can help. These are typically topical ointments, but some are available as pills.
If hypothyroidism is causing excessive skin dryness and peeling, it may help to adjust the dosage of thyroid hormones.
The following sections look at possible causes of peeling skin on the face.
How Is Dry Skin Treated
Treatment for dry skin focuses on rehydrating or bringing moisture back to your skin. Treatment for dry skin could include:
- Using moisturizers: Moisturizers are the main form of treatment for most types of dry skin. They smooth and soften dry skin to help prevent cracking and work to recreate your natural skin barrier. Moisturizing products come in ointments, creams, lotions and oils and include ingredients like emollients, which soothe and hydrate your skin, and hyaluronic acid, which increases moisture in your skin
- Taking medications: For extremely dry skin thats itchy or prone to cracking, your healthcare provider may prescribe a topical steroid, which acts to decrease the swelling in your skin that causes a rash and itching. In severe cases, oral or injectable medication may be appropriate.
What type of lotion or moisturizer is best for dry skin?
There are several different moisturizer options available if you have dry skin. When choosing a moisturizer for your dry skin, look for products that:
When choosing a moisturizer, remember that your skin is unique and a product that works for someone else might not be best for you and your skin. Your healthcare provider or your dermatologist can help you choose skin care products designed for you and your dry skin.
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When To See A Doctor
If your face is peeling because of a sunburn or an allergic reaction, the peeling should stop within three to seven days. If your skin is peeling often, or if it doesnt stop peeling after its been triggered by environmental exposure, you should speak with a doctor.
- blistering over large portions of your body
- fever or chills that occur alongside a sunburn or allergic reaction
- nausea, dizziness, or confusion that sets in around the same time your face began peeling
- skin that oozes a yellow liquid, smells foul, or cracks and does not stop bleeding
How Can You Get Rid Of Dry Patches
Thankfully, these dry patches wont last forever. If you think you know the cause of the patches based on the above, like a new skincare product, remove the product from your routine, stat.
No matter if you can identify the cause or not, the first step to remedying a dry patch is finding a holy grail, rich, luscious moisturizer. Try applying an effective skin barrier repairing moisturizer as soon as possible and in ample quantity, Kim says. She recommends paying attention to your skin. Some patches may only need to be moisturized twice a day and others may require hourly care. Her go-to products for over the counter hydrators are Aquaphor Healing Ointment and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Don’t shy away from heavy emollients to hydrate your skin all winter long, either. “Look for products that combine humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin with emollients like ceramides, petrolatum, and shea butter to lock in the moisture,” says Hadley King, MD, a New York-based dermatologist.
Also, consider swapping out your gel-based moisturizers and cleansers for cream-based formulations instead. If you’re acne-prone, make sure you use an oil-free moisturizer so you can apply it generously without risking a breakout. Look for labels that say non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic, which mean the product won’t clog pores or worsen acne.
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Additional reporting by Nicole Saunders and Grace Gold
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Treating And Preventing Dry Patches On The Face
When it comes to dry patches that aren’t caused by a skin condition, you can treat or prevent dry skin on your face with a good skin care regimen. That may include:
- Keeping showers under 10 minutes and using warmnot hotwater
- Washing daily with a mild, fragrance-free cleanser
- Applying cleanser gently, without scrubbing
- Patting the face dry instead of vigorously rubbing the skin
- Applying a good moisturizer immediately after bathing or showering while the skin is still damp
Other things you can do to prevent dry patches include:
- Managing stress, which can increase your risk of eczema flare-ups
- Minimizing sun exposure, as the sun dries your natural oils
- Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated
- Eating healthy fats
- Not smoking, as nicotine dries out the skin
- Using a humidifier to moisturize the air
Avoid Harsh Cleansers To Clean Skin:
The products with harsh ingredients tend to strip off the moisture from your face, leaving it dry and vulnerable. This could lead to the formation of or worsen dry patches. Also, totally avoid using soap on the face. When it comes to facial cleansers, choose the products with a soap-free formula to prevent your skin from getting dry. For toner, do not swipe the toner having alcohol as a base or meant for normal to oily skin over dry patches. Overall, keep your dry patches clear of any ingredient that can dry out your skin.
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Be Sure To Use Products For Your Skin Type
From the very start of my esthetics career, I learned that every skin is unique. The one-size-fits-all approach is simply not effective in achieving healthy, balanced and beautiful skin. Classifying skin into the standard oily, normal and dry skin types is just so limiting. Many cosmetic companies still say, this product is for all skin types but all skin types have such different needs! I believe there are nine different types of skin. My skin type quiz will let you know exactly which one you are. Take my Skin Type Quiz to find out yours.
I recommended that Tracey purchase skin care products formulated for skin type #9. She was apprehensive about purchasing the complete collection, as she has experienced so many false promises from other skin care professionals and salespeople. However, Im thankful that she trusted me because she felt that I really understood her skin and the underlying cause of her concerns. I will say that I definitely suggested she introduce the products slowly by only using one new product every few days. To start, I suggested for the first few days that she use Phytolipid Comfort Creme and add a few drops of Pro Remedy Oil to it.