What should you know about really dry skin?

Dry skin, also called xerosis, loses water more readily when its outer barrier is disturbed. This may leave skin rough, flaky, tight, itchy or prone to small cracks. Cold or dry air, hot showers, frequent washing, fragranced products and friction can aggravate it. Some people have an inflammatory skin condition alongside dryness; asteatotic eczema can produce a cracked, riverbed-like pattern, while atopic dermatitis often brings itch and sensitive patches. Psoriasis may cause sharply defined, thickened, scaly areas. These conditions are possibilities rather than conclusions based on dryness alone.

The location, appearance, itch, redness and duration help a clinician work out what is happening. Widespread dryness, repeated flares or skin that does not settle with simple care deserves a closer look.

Keep showers short and comfortably warm rather than very hot. Use a mild, fragrance-free cleanser only where needed, and pat rather than rub the skin dry. Apply a thick moisturising ointment or cream soon after bathing, then reapply whenever the skin feels tight. Emollient therapy can help fill gaps in the barrier and reduce water loss. Avoid picking flakes, harsh scrubs and newly introduced scented products while the skin is irritated. Soft clothing and a humidifier may reduce friction and dry-air exposure.

Arrange a dermatology assessment if dryness is severe, widespread, repeatedly returning, intensely itchy, painful or not improving with consistent gentle care. Seek prompt medical attention for spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, fever, rapidly worsening pain or deep cracks that bleed, because broken skin can become infected. Do not delay care for foot or hand cracks if you have diabetes, reduced circulation or reduced sensation.

Ask whether the pattern fits simple dry skin, eczema, psoriasis or another cause; which cleanser and emollient texture suit you; whether any current medicine or product could be irritating your skin; and how to protect cracked areas while they heal.