Wrinkles? It's just dry skin!

Alarmed by the appearance of wrinkles so early on? You may be suffering from a severe form of skin dryness, suggests Dr Karuna Malhotra.

Xerosis cutis is the new medical term for abnormal dryness of the skin. Xeros comes from Greek and means dry.

Xerosis cutis also known as xerotic dermatitis or pronounced skin dryness, defining the condition of dehydrated skin with redness of the skin (erythema), intense itching, fine cracking of the skin and dry scaling.

It occurs mainly during periods of very low humidity such as fall and winter. Unless it is treated, it may develop into asteatotic eczema, a condition characterised by a reduction of free fatty acids in the top layer of the skin (stratum corneum), reduction of skin elasticity and development of fissures.

Dry skin (xerosis) and wrinkles are bound to appear as you grow older. However, you can hold off the ageing process, thereby putting off the onset of wrinkles. You have to start looking after your skin while you’re still young. When you do, your skin won’t have early wrinkles.

Our skin, as we get older, becomes increasingly prone to dryness and sagging and thus, ending up in dry skin (Xerosis).

This can be caused by a number of reasons, but the typical ones include moisture loss, elasticity loss, cell membrane damage, skin regrowth retardation, and excessive exposure to the sun. These elements combined can turn the skin wrinkly.

Symptoms and signs

Typical indications of xerosis cutis begin  once the transepidermal loss of water exceeds normal levels. When referring to the loss of water, I mean the loss of water through the epidermis, which is the top layer of the skin. This loss occurs usually through evaporation or diffusion of water.

The all-natural skin oils which lubricate the epidermis behave as a buffer, and minimise the amount of water loss.

Nevertheless, the creation of skin oils could possibly diminish the human body’s capacity to preserve humidity. This can negatively impact the condition of your skin  as you get older. This is why dry skin (xerosis cutis) is widespread in older people.

Apart from the medical ailments that cause xerosis cutis, there are several additional factors which can result in dry, scaly skin.

Ecological factors such as air pollution, cold temperature as well as contact with sunshine for a lengthy period of time can also result in xerosis cutis.

Typically, the skin will begin to show a variety of little, white-coloured, flaky, dead skin cells within a region that could furthermore, display a red-coloured break out.

Other places almost certainly to be affected include the facial area but especially round the nose and mouth, hands and fingers, arms and lower part of the leg. However, the problem can impact any kind of area of the human body.

The good news is that you don’t need to be afraid of seeing untimely wrinkles if you take the right steps to prevent them.

The most important of these measures is keeping your skin adequately hydrated with an effective moisturising product.

Cure

*Drink plenty of water

*Moisturise properly. If you expect to be staying outdoors for quite a while, remember to put on some sunscreen lotion which has natural moisturisers. Such products will certainly protect your skin not just from wrinkles but from various other signs of ageing as well.

*Improve your skin care routine - A typical skincare routine for most people involves only soap and water. This won’t put a stop to premature wrinkling of the skin. On top of cleansing your face with a gentle face cleaner, you need to exfoliate your skin.

*Deep cleansing. As you exfoliate, the trapped particles will get dislodged. Exfoliating can even get rid of dead skin cells.

*Use natural products. Opt for natural moisturising products that contain natural ingredients like emu oil, which is readily absorbed by the skin. This helps the skin moisturised for a longer time. Yet another useful component is the essential oil from the Linden Blossom

*Eat a healthy diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables

*Individual hygiene is essential. Many take this particular statement literally and take a hot bath and wash with non-moisturising shower gel. This will undoubtedly dry out the epidermis.

*Choose anti-ageing products wisely

The indisputable remains that every time you shower, the fat coating of your skin is actually wiped clean, thus leading to a significant decrease of moisture?

This is why moisturising the epidermis right after baths, with dry skin lotions and creams is essential and should become a  habit.

(The author is a homoeopathy physician and cosmetologist in New Delhi.)