Many people have had to deal with xerosis cutis in their lives. Xerosis is the excessive dryness of the skin.
If neglected it becomes severe and can negatively affect health.
What is Xerosis Cutis?
Xerosis cutis is the medical term for severely dry skin.
Xerosis manifests itself with very dry skin in a visible and tangible way, rough and tense to the point of being extremely rough as well as flaky, cracked and itchy.
It happens when the skin is not adequately hydrated due to internal factors, especially genetic ones.
The skin's ability to regulate its own amount of water in the most superficial layers depends on two main factors:
- Hygroscopic molecules that reside in the epidermis. They are the molecules of urea, lactate, PCA (pyrrolidone carboxylic acid), salts and amino acids that attract and bind water.
- The effectiveness of the skin's lipid barrier which regulates the natural evaporation process through which the skin loses water.
A delicate system that balances the skin's need for hydration based on the external environment.
However, there are external (exogenous) factors that can alter the skin barrier and cause dryness.
Xerosis of the skin manifests itself in a serious way with the presence of all these symptoms at the same time:
- Skin tension and roughness: the amount of dead cells increases significantly and a superficial layer forms that pulls and roughens the skin.
- The skin cracks : the stratum corneum is dry and not ductile.
- The skin peels because little pieces of skin lift and peel off.
- Itching is a consequence of dryness.
- Sensitivity is directly caused by the dryness of the skin. The skin is attacked by irritants such as hot water, perfumes and chemicals.
Dry skin can occur anywhere on the body, in large or small areas.
Xerosis: the possible causes
As we said above, the two main deficiencies that lead to very dry skin are
-
Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) deficiency . NMFs attract water and bind it in the stratum corneum and the top layer of the skin, the epidermis.
-
Lipid deficiency in the protective barrier, epidermal lipids bind cells in the stratum corneum and form the water-binding barrier inside.
There are several factors that alter the physiology of the skin leading to xerosis.
Exogenous (external) factors
- Low environmental humidity increases the risk of xerosis
- Cleansing with aggressive products and too frequently
- Sun rays cause dry skin because they evaporate water.
Endogenous (internal) factors
In addition to the two main factors mentioned above:
- With age, the concentration of lipids in the stratum corneum decreases and leads to dryness.
- a suboptimal diet that does not provide essential lipids, NMF, and nutrients
- some drugs and diuretics
- Conditions such as Atopic Dermatitis , Psoriasis and Diabetes cause dry skin.
Xerosis: what can be done?
The first very important thing to do is to avoid the triggers so
- adopt a balanced diet
- get little sun or during the least hot hours
- avoid using very hot water
- reduce time in the shower or bath
- use gloves when washing dishes or clothes by hand
- use cotton clothes in contact with the skin.
Furthermore, maintaining a correct facial and body care routine starting with cleansing is very important to alleviate the symptoms of xerosis.
Mini facial routine for dry skin
Here's a tip for an essential facial routine for dry skin!
Use Cleansing Balm for cleansing, which, thanks to its hydrating, soothing ingredients, its delicate formula and its melting texture that eliminates all dirt and make-up without attacking the skin, will allow you to pamper your skin even during the cleansing step!
Dry your face by gently patting it with the towel and use the Probiotic mist as a toner, a cosmetic spray enriched with soothing, regenerating and anti-aging active ingredients, capable of protecting the skin barrier.
With your face still slightly damp, apply the Probiotic booster , a facial serum perfect for stressed skin, based on bisabolol, vitamin E and probiotics. It offers your skin an extra pampering with a soothing and regenerating action whenever your skin needs it.
CBD Multi-Active Oil is a perfect hydrating treatment for all skin types thanks to its light formula that absorbs perfectly. It offers its anti-aging, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, perfect for soothing redness, itching and inflammation, while fighting the signs of aging.
Add these products to your routine to effectively combat dry skin naturally!
Probiotics are innovative ingredients in your skincare routine that allow you to protect your skin and rebalance it. In this article we explain everything about probiotics and which are the best cosmetics that contain them!
Want to continue discovering our tips for natural skin care? Continue reading in our section dedicated to facial care !
