If you are suffering from dry skin, you know the itch, the scratching and then the pain of having raw skin is uncomfortable. You know that it is something that has happened for a reason, but for most, that reason is not understood. Why do you have dry skin? What is happening to the skin anyway? When you understand what dry skin actually is, you can actually learn how to prevent it and how to get through a dry skin spell, too.

What is Dry Skin?

Dry skin is just what it sounds like. For some reason, the moisture that is in your skin is no longer there. For most people, the body produces a number of different natural oils that keep the skin moist and soft. It does this not only so that your skin is soft but so that it is less likely to be injured. When you are suffering from dry skin, for some reason, your body has reduced the amount of oils that it is producing. Alternatively, you are washing away those oils so often that your body cannot compensate and your skin is left feeling dry, itchy and perhaps even painful.

There are several ways that this can happen. Most commonly, it is how you are taking care of your skin, or rather neglecting to do so. First of all, exposure to the weather elements can cause damage to the skin. For example, during the winter many people get dry skin because the wind, cold air and the lowered temperatures have caused their bodies to lose those all important natural oils.

If the air in your home is dry, this too can cause your skin to become dry. Air pulls moisture from any place it can and if your skin is moister than the air around it, the moisture is naturally pulled out. Another common reason for dry skin is bathing is water that is very hot and doing so often. This too can cause your skin to lose those natural oils that are helping to keep the skin moist.

All of these conditions can be prevented by behaviour modification and/or environmental control. However, for some, medical conditions are to blame for their dry skin. When that is the case, it is even more important to seek out the help of your doctor. Often, there is help available for your condition whether it is just applying lotions or taking better care of your skin in the first place.