How do you know you have dry skin?

Here is my latest video on how to know if your skin could be classified as "dry" or not. I hope this helps to give you some indications. Please leave any questions below in the comment section, and I'll answer them for you.

Here is the blog post that I refer to in the video:

It might seem like an obvious question but unless it feels particularly dry and at times, sore, sometimes dry skin can go unnoticed. Earlier in the week, I briefly addressed the subject of dry skin in a video that you can watch above but I thought I'd discuss the subject in a bit more detail today. As I said in my video, dry skin is simply a condition in which the top layer of your skin lacks moisture. The symptoms associated with dry skin include cracks (both deep or just fine lines), soreness, tightness, itching and flaking. (1) Definitely not a pleasant state of skin to be in!

But what if you don't have any uncomfortable symptoms and still think you might have dry skin? There are a few very simple ways to find out. Firstly, next time you look in a mirror take the time to look closely at some of your pores. Tightly closed pores are indicative of dry skin and an easy thing to notice. Secondly, an hour after completing your morning cleansing, blot your cheek with a dry piece of tissue paper. If it comes away completely clean your skin is possibly lacking some some of the essential oils needed to keep it hydrated.

There are many causes of dry skin, from climate related causes such as cold winds or prolonged exposure to the sun to lifestyle related factors such as excessive alcohol intake, low fat diets which may 'deprive our body of skin-friendly Essential Fatty Acids' or even certain medications. (2) Our hormone levels can also massively affect the condition of our skin with oestrogen partly responsible for our skin's elasticity and GAG (glycosaminoglycans) regulation, a reduction of which can result in dehydrated itchy skin.

The good news however is that dry skin is most definitely treatable. Drinking lots of water, staying away from perfumed and alcohol based soaps and fabric softeners, limiting your time spent in water, and using a good moisturiser are key to putting moisture back into your skin. (3)

References:

1. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-skin/basics/symptoms/con-20030009
2. http://www.dermalogica.co.uk/uk/yourskin/24_article_the_top_extrinsic_causes_of_dry_skin.html
3. http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/9-ways-to-banish-dry-skin

Got a  question about dry skin? Please leave it below and I'll do my best to answer it...