
It includes cleaning products, floor polishes, air fresheners, and laundry detergent, just to name a few. When it comes to household skin irritants, the list is practically endless. These include eczema, diabetes, and kidney disease, along with thyroid and other hormone disorders. Some people get health conditions that cause dry skin from their parents. Swimming instructors and hairstylists often have their skin in water. If your skin gets wet often during your job, it’s more likely to dry out. Your odds go up if you live in cold or dry climates without much humidity. If you’re 40 or older, your chances are higher. This can make your skin drier.Īlthough dry skin is common and can affect anyone, there are some things that make you more likely to get it. Weather: During the winter, humidity and temperature usually drop.Swimming in pools: Chlorine, a chemical that keeps some pools clean, can dry out your skin.Other skin conditions: People with certain conditions, like psoriasis or eczema, can also get dry skin.Hot showers or baths: Taking long, hot showers or soaking in a hot bath could cause your dry skin.Heat: Any heat source, from space heaters and central heating to fireplaces and wood stoves, can lower the humidity in a room and make your skin dry.That means they can also dry it out by stripping out all the moisture. Harsh detergents or soaps: Soaps, shampoos, and detergents are made to get rid of oil on your skin.Usually, dry skin happens because of things in the environmental, like the weather. Skin that feels tight, especially after you’ve been in the water (bathing, showering, or swimming).Skin that feels rough or is gray and ashy.Cracked skin (the cracks could be deep and bleed).But chances are, when you have dry skin, you’ll have symptoms like: (It’s called cradle cap when babies get it.) You might have dry, flaky skin on your arms, legs, groin, face, ears, or near your bellybutton, too.ĭry skin can be different for everyone, since the symptoms will depend on things like your health, your age, and the cause of your dry skin. Seborrheic dermatitis: When your scalp is too dry, you can get dandruff.You can get this skin condition from your parents, but things like allergens, stress, and other irritants can make it worse. Eczema ( atopic dermatitis): If you have dry, red, and itchy parts of your skin, you could have eczema.It can happen with things like makeup products, medications, detergents, or metal in jewelry (nickel). Contact dermatitis: Sometimes things that touch your skin cause an allergic reaction.This condition, which results from a fungus, can make the soles of your feet dry and flaky. Athlete’s foot: If your feet feel dry, it could actually be athlete’s foot.If your dry skin lasts a long time, it could be one of these types: Although dry skin is usually temporary, there are types of dry skin that could last year-round.
