Causes of Dry Skin
Synonyms in a broader sense
dry skin,
Medical: Xerosis cutis
English: dry skin cause
Causes of Dry Skin
There are a great many different causes too dry skin being able to lead. Generally speaking, the reason is that the sebum glands in the skin are not producing enough of fat deliver and the moisture regulation is disturbed. On the one hand, genetic predispositions, external and internal factors, other diseases, age and hygiene play important roles.
There are people who just tend to have one dry skin to develop. Why exactly is difficult to say, we only know so much that the regulation of fat and moisture does not work properly in them due to their constitution.
As you get older, the risk of getting dry skin increases for several reasons:
- On the one hand, sebum production decreases continuously from around the age of 25. As a result, the older you get, the lower your fat production naturally. In addition, the epidermis binds (epidermis) less fluid and aggravating is added that also the Sweat glands show losses in their functionality and less Sweat to produce.
A very important and common trigger of the dry skin is the wrong care and hygiene. It is of course extremely important to ensure that your skin is cleaned thoroughly and regularly. However, if you wash and / or shower too often, the skin tends to dehydrate it and it can dry out. Too hot water intensifies this effect even more. Excessive use of detergents also promotes the development of dry skin, especially if they contain alcohol.
Another cause of dry skin is a wrong one nutrition, often in the context of excessive alcohol consumption. They go with you Vitamin mfishing rod hand in hand. Especially that Vitamins A and the vitamins of the B group are important for healthy skin; if they are not supplied enough to the body, dry skin can be the result.
As a side effect, some drugs have an increased risk of dry skin with regular use, including, for example Birth control pills.
Since our skin is our barrier to the outside world, it naturally also reacts strongly to the environment. Because of this, many external factors lead to dry skin. It is characteristic that many people tend to have dry skin, especially in the cold winter months. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the cold air outside irritates the skin and, on the other hand, many rooms are heated (sometimes inappropriately strong), with the heating air also damaging the skin due to the resulting low humidity. Sun exposure can also cause or worsen dry skin.
In addition, there are many other external factors that promote the development of dry skin, for example many chemical substances in perfumes or lotions, but also radiation.
There are a number of diseases that lead to dry skin. The most important are Neurodermatitis, the psoriasis, Diabetes mellitus (Diabetes), various Allergies, one Hypothyroidism (Hypothyroidism), Inflammation of the Gastric mucosa and many more.
Diseases that cause dry skin
One of the most common causes of dry skin and the resulting eczema is neurodermatitis.
This disease is closely related to allergic diseases and can occur either permanently or in bursts. Typical positions are:
- face
- neck
- Elbows and
- Back of the knees
The predisposition for neurodermatitis is genetic, so there is no actual cure.
However, the severity and frequency of the symptoms vary greatly from person to person. Also allergic or irritative eczema can lead to the appearance of dry skin, but then the hands are usually affected.
Often only after contact with certain substances.
Another skin disease that can initially appear as dry skin is psoriasis, colloquially known as psoriasis designated.
However, the skin markings in this case are usually significantly different than with dry skin due to the weather or the like. Usually the dry skin areas appear like a plateau. Here especially on the extensor sides of the arms and legs.
Psoriasis is also usually a chronic disease, but it can also be caused by taking certain medications.
Another group of diseases are the so-called ichthyoses.
This is a group of diseases in which the Cornification Mechanisms the skin are disturbed. This leads to the formation of too many and severely hardened skin flakes, which are also difficult to loosen.
These form a herringbone-like pattern on the skin. Ichthyosis is also mostly genetic and not contagious. However, it can also occur as a symptom as a result of other diseases, such as lupus erythematosus. Ichthyosis can also occur with forms of lymph node cancer or an underactive thyroid.
It is much less common to develop due to xeroderma pigmentosa, a serious skin disease. In the area of the mouth, the so-called mouth rose, which occurs directly around the mouth and can be attributed to excessive care.
Finally, internal diseases are also possible. These include, for example, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, chronic intestinal diseases, or allergies and intolerances. In these cases, however, the exact pattern of the eczema usually differs significantly from the skin diseases mentioned above.
Dry skin due to deficiencies
Despite the actual oversupply in the industrialized countries, deficiencies in certain substances are also possible in this country.
These are also often expressed in the skin area. Even with a generally unhealthy lifestyle, or the heavy consumption of alcohol or nicotine, the complexion deteriorates. Of course, a deficiency occurs especially when there are special circumstances.
This can be the case, for example, with loss of appetite in old age, during pregnancy, or with eating disorders. But intestinal diseases and intolerance can also lead to insufficient vitamins being absorbed from food.
Read more on the topic: Dry skin during pregnancy
Before attempting to replace the missing vitamins on your own, a doctor should clarify possible causes. Last but not least, psychological causes and severe stress can also lead to certain substances being absorbed less well, leading to deficiency symptoms. Because as a healthy person with a reasonably balanced diet, you shouldn't really get a deficiency.
If a serious deficiency is found, the underlying cause is often an illness that requires treatment. Vitamin C is an important substance for the general function of the skin and connective tissue.
It is needed for the formation of collagen, which gives the skin its structure and hold. The hair usually reacts with it, or is affected even earlier than the skin. Vitamin A is also held responsible for smooth and healthy skin. In the case of a zinc deficiency, the skin often not only becomes dry, but tends to form cracks and minor injuries, especially around the corners of the mouth.
The group of B vitamins, especially vitamin B2, also ensures a better complexion.
Read more on the topic: Dry corners of the mouth
Vitamin E, selenium and magnesium are also said to have a positive effect on the complexion. Copper and biotin are said to help increase skin firmness. Last but not least, the unsaturated fatty acids are also involved in the stability of the membranes in the body and thus also the skin. Accordingly, many of the nutritional supplements for skin and hair also contain certain mixtures of different oils.
In principle, however, these also occur in normal food. An often overlooked deficiency is the lack of fluids. The complexion can also be damaged by a constant lack of water. If the subcutaneous tissue lacks fluid, it not only results in increased and more visible wrinkles. The protective function and firmness of the skin in general can also be limited in the event of a lack of fluids or losses.
Diet as a cause of dry skin
Diet also has a significant influence on the complexion.
In addition to the various deficiency situations that have a negative effect on the skin, too much also plays a role here. Most of the time, the need for important vitamins is well covered by a reasonably balanced diet in this country. What many people do not consider is that certain substances in food can also lead to dry skin.
This is mostly due to an allergic disposition or an intolerance. Allergy sufferers react to allergens in food not only through their gastrointestinal tract, but often also with their skin, up to and including triggering a neurodermatitis attack.
Even if there is no specific allergy, sensitivity or intolerance can occur. Substances such as lactose, gluten but also Fructose.
Many people can in principle digest these substances, which is why they do not notice any strong symptoms after consumption. However, it can still be a bit irritating to the digestive tract. This irritation of the gastrointestinal system can on the one hand be transferred to the skin, on the other hand, the constant intestinal irritation can prevent the absorption of important vitamins.
So if you have intestinal problems in addition to bad skin from time to time after consuming certain foods, it can be worthwhile to simply leave them out and see whether the skin improves as well.
Also read our topic: Diet for dry skin
