Dry Skin—That’s How the Keratin Crumbles
Keratin is the strong protein in skin. It needs water to keep it pliable and healthy. When there isn’t enough water, or there isn’t enough sebum (oil produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands) to keep the water trapped in the skin, keratin crumbles. This affects the skin’s texture, flexibility and luminosity. You probably recognize the tight, rough feel and dull, flaky, dehydrated appearance of crumbly keratin as the signs of dry skin.

Genetics is a major contributor to dry skin, so you may be able to blame your ancestors for some of your problems. Aging and decreasing hormone levels can cause skin to dry out; dry skin is the number one skin problem associated with menopause. Dry skin can also be a sign of an underactive thyroid. Smoking; too much sun, wind or cold; dehydration, stress and poor diet will all contribute to dry skin problems.

Dry Skin Home Treatment—The Don’ts and the Dos
Dry skin problems usually respond well to lifestyle and at-home treatments.

Don’t:

• Smoke.
• Overexpose your skin to wind, cold or sunlight without adequate protection.
• Wash with harsh cleansers which can strip sebum and water from your skin.
• Leave a film of soap on your skin, which can be drying.
• Scrub with a washcloth; irritation can increase dryness.
• Apply perfumes, dyes or harsh chemicals that can also cause irritation.

Do:

• Cleanse your face with a gentle product which helps protect the moisture in your skin.
• Apply a moisturizer to protect skin from moisture loss. Plant extract oils and phospholipids help do the job of the skin’s natural sebum.
• Topically apply vitamins, especially Vitamin E which has been shown to help correct dry skin.
• Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water—at least 6-8 glasses per day.
• Stay out of all stressful situations. (Just kidding! Of course, that’s impossible but it doesn’t hurt to boost your coping skills through exercise, meditation, etc.)
• Mist your face with water to set makeup or soothe skin, but don’t use unfiltered tap or spring water because they can leave drying deposits on the skin. Try Deuterium Oxide, also known as heavy water. It has a higher resistance than ordinary water to vaporization.

Skin RX Clinic Treatments Follow the Science
Our gentle Glyco-Lactic Gel Cleanser is good for all skin types, and contains moisturizing coconut oil soap and healing aloe vera which are especially soothing for dry skin. The Herbal Moisture Cream is a richly hydrating cream with natural ingredients including aloe, soy, vitamins, squalane and maximum hydrator hyaluronic acid. For maximum all-day dry skin relief, this cream can be followed up by an application of Liquid Silk. This dry skin serum is high in Vitamin E and has a variety of plant oils and phospholipids which form a protective barrier against moisture loss.

Use our Skin RX Clinic D2O Heavy Water Moisture Mist to set our non-irritating mineral makeup or to soothe dry skin (including laser-treated skin) anytime. It resists vaporization, has a higher viscosity than regular water, helps protect against UVA rays and even fights acne bacteria.

External Links—For More Information
“Condition: Dry Skin”. Diagnose-me
“Menopause and Skin Problems”. Menopause A to Z
“Dry Skin”. Holistic-online
“Dry Skin”. Mayo Clinic