Dealing With Dry Skin

The cause

Dry skin problems usually comes from underactive sebaceous glands, which may be due to hormone imbalance of vitamin or mineral deficiencies and therefore don’t produce enough important oily fluid to lubricate the skin and protect it from water loss.

Another reason may be the result of being exposed to excessively drying weather conditions, central heating, or air-conditioning, or from a diet too low in essential fatty acids.

Sometimes dried out skin is due to an incorrect water balance in the horny cells as a result of their being exposed to water for too long causing the cells to swell and burst, or on the other hand from being deprived of water for too long and as a consequence the cells gradually desiccate.

Excessive dryness of the skin also occurs in people who are suffering from subclinical deficiencies of Vit. A or C or one of several of the B-Complex group or of linoleic acid.

A dry skin incidence is also increasing, probably as a result of air pollution, the use of drugs, or the overuse of detergents and soaps on the skin of the face and body. skin conditions such as neuro-dermatitis, fungus infections, contact dermatitis, psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis are often confused with dry skin.

Prevention and cure

Use a water-in-oil emulsion on your face night and day to protect against excessive water loss by trapping the water in the outer layer of the skin, preventing it from being released. Ensure sufficient essential fatty acids in your diet. Good sources are olive oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil.

You may also want to consider taking supplements of Vit. A and D in the form of fish liver oil. Vit. E taken internally or rubbed on the skin is often helpful too.

Other helpers include a humidifier, a weekly steaming of the skin followed by an oil massage, and mineral water sprayed onto the skin before applying moisturiser or treatment products. Avoid using soap on your face, avoid skincare products containing alcohol and apply a mask at least once a week.

Useful aromatherapy oils to use which you can mix yourself that contain the essence most useful for dry skin are geranium, camomile, rose, sandalwood, lavender, and ylang-ylang.