Derma Topics…Is Dry Skin A Problem?

Jennifer had the kind of skin most women envy. Dewy and firm and without a trace of dryness,her skin radiated good health.  Her friends assumed that she must be spending thousands of dollars on plastic surgery or wonder creams to keep it that way.  But Jennifer had learned from her dermatologist that it isn’t expensive ingredients or surgery that keeps skin supple.  She had learned some simple routines and life-style habits that had as their sole purpose the preservation and enhancement of her skin’s water content,even in a high,dry desert climate or the cold days of winter. 

Dry skin can be a skin problem all its own,but it can also trigger or aggravate other skin diseases.  When your skin is dry,for example,it is more vulnerable to certain skin infections and rash flare-ups.  Now,as winter approaches,dry skin can become an even greater problem.  For years,skin experts have advised regular exfoliation (removal of surface skin) as a way to keep skin young and healthy looking.  Now scientists have discovered that alpha-hydroxy acid compounds,especially glycolic acid formulations,help relieve the dryness that plagues so many of us. 

It is true that skin cells slough off naturally on their own. Cells born at the bottom of the epidermis travel up to the skin’s surface in about a month and are flaked off when they reach the top layer of sin.  But as we get older,or if we have too much skin oil,this sloughing process becomes irregular.  This causes the formation of dry,dull or dead cells into a tough outer crust,or cells get trapped in excess oil and can’t flake away.  Fine lines deepen as the crust thickens and discoloration darkens as pigment is concentrated into cell layers.  The thickened crust begins to form tiny cracks which allows excess loss of moisture from the skin. 

Jennifer has learned how to keep moisture sealed in the lower layers of the skin by applying a 10% glycolic acid preparation to her face,hands,and arms each morning after bathing.  She followed this with a generous application of a moisturizer with SPF sunscreen containing titanium dioxide to give her broad-spectrum protection from the harmful rays of the sun.  This simple life style change has made all the difference in the world in the appearance and health of her skin. 

K L. Perrins is a Registered Pharmacist with over 40 years experience and creator of Desert Bloom products. Visit his website at www.desert-bloom.net