What You Should Know About Dry Skin

Health & Medical Blog

If you have noticed that you reach for moisturizer more often than your friends, you probably have dry skin. You might even notice that your skin is drier during certain times of the month. If you have dry skin, it is important that you take good care of it and always apply moisturizer when needed. Here is more information about having dry skin.

Signs of Dry Skin

You may suspect that you have dry skin, but it helps to know for sure. Every skin type, including dry, oily, and combination skin, requires a slightly different care regimen. By narrowing down what skin type you have, you are able to determine the best care regimen for your own skin. With dry skin, it often feels dehydrated and tight. This is especially true after you have cleansed your skin. You will also have smaller pores than other skin types and often flaky or overly-sensitive skin. These are the main signs of having dry skin, though you may only have dry skin during certain times of the month or during certain seasons.

Dry Skin Can Occur as an Older Adult

You might be under the impression that the skin you are born with is the skin you have for a lifetime, but this isn't the case. You might have had oily skin as a teenager that turned to combination skin as a young adult, and dry skin as an older adult. Some people have dry skin starting at puberty, while others don't notice the need for extra moisturizer until they start aging. Dry skin is essentially caused by the top layers of skin not having an adequate amount of moisture. Aside from genetics and the natural aging process, this can also be caused by hormones, sun damage, cleansing too much, or using saunas and steam rooms.

Basic Skin Care is Important

With dry skin, you need to make sure you are taking good care of your skin and using the right products. When selecting a facial cleanser, only use moisturizing cleansers. These include additional moisture that your dehydrated skin craves. Make sure the cleanser is gentle, and doesn't contain any alcohol, and go for a cream-based cleanser.

Exfoliating cleansers are okay to use for dry skin, but be careful which ones you choose. If they are too harsh, your skin might appear drier. However, gentle exfoliating cleansers are great for removing dead skin cells that cause flakiness.

Moisturizers are Crucial

After cleansing your face, apply a good moisturizer. You want a lotion consistency that isn't too runny, but not too thick either. Your face should still be able to shed dead skin cells, so don't get one that is too thick in consistency. You may need to apply the moisturizer multiple times a day if it is a dry day or your hormones are spiked. Also, use a night cream before bed to give your skin an extra boost of hydration. You can also get a tinted moisturizer if you find foundation dries out your skin. To learn more, contact a company like Desert Dermatology.

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23 April 2015

Staying in Great Health Requires Exercise

My parents taught me healthy eating habits and I played outside a lot as a kid. Once I was old enough to work, I got a job as a waiter at a restaurant and kept waiting tables throughout high school and college. After college, I got my very first desk job, and my health started declining. I soon realized that even though I had never stepped foot in a gym, I was living a sedentary lifestyle for the first time in my life. I wasn't getting exercise playing outside or running around at work, so I decided to commit to going to the gym. My health began to improve and I now greatly enjoy bodybuilding. I know many other people are in ill health and can't figure out why, so I decided to start a blog to share my health tips and inspire everyone improve their health!