Dry Itchy Skin Causes

• Whether it’s due to frigid or sweltering temperatures, the often resulting drop in humidity is what causes dry skin
• The cause for itchiness associated with dry skin irritation is not specifically known, though it may be attributed to stress or depression
• The most affordable of all dry skin remedies is a good dry skin lotion or skin moisturizer. Also try to avoid lengthy hot showers because they tend to cause dry itchy skin

As winter rolls into full swing, more people will be turning on their heaters to shut out the cold. That simple mixture of actions seems to increase complaints about dry skin. Although dry skin is usually not a serious condition, it can make you feel uncomfortable and can lead to skin itching. To help combat this problem, it’s helpful to understand the causes of dry skin and to know about effective treatment methods.

Basic Dry Skin Causes

If you’ve ever wondered why your skin gets dry in the winter, there’s a simple reason. Basically, the moisture gets sucked away in the dry air. Here’s how it works, simply put. When your body heats up you sweat in order keep your body cooled. During the humid months of summer that sweat can’t go anywhere because the air contains a lot of water vapor, making it difficult for the moisture on your skin to evaporate. That un-evaporated sweat makes you feel sticky and sweaty, and definitely not dry. Thus we experience much sweating problem. The opposite problem occurs in the winter; the air itself is usually so dry it absorbs most of the moisture on your skin, which leaves it dried out.

How Itching Works

One of the most annoying consequences of dry skin is itching. What is interesting about this is that the reason for itching is not entirely known. What research has found is that the chemical messengers that travel between our skin and our brain that tell us we are itchy use a different path than our signals for pain. Science also shows that stress and strong negative emotions make us need to scratch more often. Because the winter months are often a time for worries about money, stress over dealing with crowds, and even depression, this might also help explain why dry skin causes itching, especially in the winter months.

Treating Dry Skin

Regardless of what dry skin causes, you need to know how to treat the problem. The most affordable option is to use moisturizers. You can purchase these products anywhere. Just remember to use them at least three times a day, especially after you bathe. Taking a bath depletes the moisture in your skin, so replenishing it with moisturizer can help your skin feel better. However, taking too much bath may result in dry itchy skin.

Another way is to add more moisture into the air in your home. Invest in a humidifier and have it run during the day. The moist air will be good for your skin.

Other Concerns

Of course just because dry skin causes itching, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your need to scratch is caused by a lack of moisture in your skin. Chronic dry skin can also be a symptom of other problems, including allergic reactions to certain products, some types of internal diseases (anemia, kidney failure, and others), or skin ailments including scabies or dermatitis. Sometimes being overly itchy can be a sign of pregnancy, too. The bottom line is that if your itchy skin continues to get worse, or if you need more than a moisturizer to improve the problem, you should talk to your physician.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.