Why Do I Have Dry Skin-What is Causing Chronic Dry Skin for Me

Most everyone has dealt with dry skin before. Some people, however, suffer from chronic dry skin and don't know why. Oftentimes the cause of your dry skin is not just due to the harsh weather; such as blistering winters with low humidity, but due to other factors. The cause of your dry skin may have little to nothing to do with the weather. You know how most people have some occasional dry skin in the winter; some have chronic dry skin year round in any type of weather.

What Causes Chronic Dry Skin

Dry skin; that often rough, flaky, scaling and sometimes itchy condition most often appears on the arms, hands, shins, the back and sides of the abdomen. Dry skin, for most, is most common in the winter because the humidity is low-but, cold weather is not the main cause of chronic dry skin.

Genetics and Age as Causes of Chronic Dry Skin

Dry skin can be genetic. Elderly people are prone to dry skin due to how the aging process affects not only the outer skin but also the deeper layers of the dermis, as well as the decrease in collagen and the ability for specific skin essential vitamins and nutrients to reach the outer skin area. The elderly are also more prone to dehydrate and most of us are aware that a hydrated body is a moist body.

Hypothyroidism and Diabetes can Cause Dry Skin

But, other than winter weather, genetics, and the aging process-what else could be causing dry skin? Sometimes an underlying medical condition such as hypothyroidism could be the case. If you are diagnosed as having hypothyroidism, then you should be aware that this medical condition can cause dry skin. Diabetes is also a medical condition that may cause chronic dry skin.

Dry Skin Due to Poor Diet

Dry skin can also be caused by the foods we eat or more so, the lack of foods we eat. It is important to maintain a healthy and well balanced diet. Eating foods that are high in certain vitamins and nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables, can help prevent and treat chronic dry skin. Vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables are a good place to start. By not having a healthy diet you could be aiding your skin to be dry. Chronic dry skin can be caused by a poor diet.

Lack of Sleep Leads to Chronic Dry Skin

Chronic dry skin can also be caused by lack of sleep. Our body repairs itself the most when we are at rest. When we sleep our body digests foods better, we aren't up running errands and bending over backwards for our boss at work, we aren't stressed, we are at "rest" and so our body has the time to do "damage control" on us from the inside out. While you sleep your body is able to produce new skin cells and send the proper vitamins, nutrients, hormones, fluids to the dermis and help heal chronic dry skin.

Emotional Stress as a Cause of Dry Skin

Extreme emotional stress can cause dry skin as it makes its way from your mind to your body and acts like a bull in a Fine China store through your body.

Preventing Dry Skin by Changing Some Old Habits

What causes chronic dry skin can be anything from low humidity environments, genetics, age, underlying medical issues, lack of sleep, stress, and many other factors such as hygiene and even too much hygiene. Sometimes it isn't necessary to bathe every single day (soaps can dry out the skin) and it also is drying to the skin to take really hot shower; a hot shower can suck the hydration right out of your skin and lead to dry skin.

Once you figure out what causes dry skin for you, then you can implement a prevention and treatment plan for yourself. You don't have to go out and buy the most expensive moisturizing creams available when sometimes the cause of your chronic dry skin can quickly be eliminated by taking some precautionary measures and some natural preventive measures to get rid of dry skin.

Sources:

Natural Skin Care Dry Skin Treatment Dermatology | National Skin Care Institute
http://www.skincarenet.org/

Dry Skin Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - What are signs and symptoms of dry skin on MedicineNet
http://www.medicinenet.com/dry_skin/page3.htm#symptoms

Dry Skin - Dry Skin Description - Dry Skin Symptoms - Dry Skin Prevention - Dry Skin Treatment
http://symptomchecker.about.com/od/Diagnoses/dry-skin.htm

11 Causes of Dry Skin Problems
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/dry-skin-causes

Your Favorite Dry Skin Fixes
http://beauty.about.com/u/ua/beautybyageteensto50/dryskinfixes.htm

Dry Skin Care - WebMD
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/cosmetic-procedures-skin-care-dry-skin