The condition of the skin, which is characterized by a decrease in the amount of moisture in its surface layers, is characterized as dryness. This problem is known firsthand to every fifth person in the world and can have a different degree of severity, a variety of causes. Very dry facial skin, according to estet-portal.com, delivers particularly severe subjective sensations to the patient and can even become a provoking factor for the development of skin diseases. An important role in the correction of dry skin syndrome is played by the restoration of the integrity of the stratum corneum.
Causes and manifestations of very dry facial skin
The subjective sensations of patients with very dry facial skin are characterized as a burning sensation and severe itching, a feeling of tightness. Externally, dryness is manifested by peeling of varying degrees, the skin looks covered with small cracks and is rough to the touch. If dryness persists for a long time, then the skin may thicken and become pigmented due to frequent scratching and rubbing itchy places.
Very dry facial skin can cause dermatological diseases when a bacterial infection penetrates through cracks and scratches. In this case, cracks in the skin deepen, erythema develops, pustular rashes appear.
Acquired dryness of the skin most often develops against the background of the influence of external adverse factors – improper care, changing climatic conditions, contact with substances that damage the integrity of the stratum corneum.
The causes of very dry facial skin can be:
• abuse of harsh detergents (soaps, gels);
• bad-quality cosmetics that dry out the skin;
• long exposure to cold, wind, hot sun;
• Influence of dry conditioned air.
Very dry facial skin can accompany some diseases (and sometimes become the only symptom that bothers the patient): malignant tumors, infectious pathologies, endocrine disorders, poor kidney function. Hypovitaminosis and a variety of diets, taking certain medications can lead to increased dryness of the skin.
Dry skin can also become after frequent aggressive cosmetic procedures – peels, dermabrasion, laser resurfacing.
The physiological changes that occur with age in the body have a strong effect on the condition of the skin and increase its dryness. This is due to a decrease in the level of sex hormones that stimulate the sebaceous glands, and the activation of involutive dystrophic processes in the skin.
Role of stratum corneum integrity in preventing very dry facial skin
In order for skin moisture to remain at a sufficient level, it is necessary to maintain the normal state of the epidermis – stratified squamous epithelium, which provides barrier functions. The integrity of the stratum corneum is especially important for the performance of protective functions. It is a horn plate, which are connected by special ligaments – corneodesmosomes and surrounded by lipid layers.
Schematically, the model of the stratum corneum is represented as bricks-corneocytes, which are surrounded by a kind of cement – lipids and form a dense protective wall.
The stratum corneum of the skin is closely connected with the underlying layers of the epidermis and is a metabolically active structure with adaptive functions.
When the lipid component of the stratum corneum is destroyed, its integrity is violated and the loss of skin moisture increases. It is this layer that becomes the main protection against dehydration. Here, a balance is established between the humidity of the environment and the water content in the deep layers of the skin, and the transepidermal movement of fluid is controlled. Therefore, an important task for a beautician dealing with very dry facial skin is to strengthen the epidermal lipid barrier.
Principles for correcting the condition of very dry facial skin
The main moisture-retaining factors that should be in the composition of care products for very dry skin are glycerin, urea, lactic acid. They have the ability to attract water and bind it in the superficial layers of the skin.
Reducing transepidermal water loss is facilitated by lipid compounds that are applied to the surface of the skin. They not only prevent the skin from drying out, but also soften it, smooth it, and increase elasticity.
Natural lipid compounds saturate the skin with ceramides and other substances that are able to integrate into the epidermal barrier and restore its integrity.
Natural lipid compounds include oils (primrose, grape seed, shea butter, linseed), lanolin, beeswax. Additionally, in the care of very dry skin, keratolytics – salicylic acid, propylene glycol, urea, hydroxy acids.
It is useful to use substances that stimulate the production of skin's own lipids (vitamin PP), as well as include antioxidants in the care that affect the oxidative and reduction processes in the skin.
Thus, regular care for very dry skin should be done with products that help strengthen and restore the integrity of the epidermal barrier.
Read also: Dry facial skin: where the problems come from
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