Causes of xerosis of the skin: why the skin becomes dry

Skin xerosis is a serious dermatological problem that significantly affects the patient's quality of life. Dry, tight, dull and flaky skin not only looks ugly, but also causes significant discomfort to the patient. Etiology of skin xerosis – This is a fairly large number of factors that provoke a violation of the normal moisture content of the skin.  In this article, estet-portal.com talks in detail about the characteristic causes of skin xerosis. Knowledge of the etiological factor – it is the first step towards the correct and effective treatment of the patient.

The main causes of skin xerosis: why the disease develops

Before talking about the causes of skin xerosis, the specialist must understand the structure of its stratum corneum.

Corneous layer of the epidermis – this is the main barrier structure that protects the skin from the penetration of harmful factors from the environment.

Between rows of corneocytes – dead cells that form the stratum corneum, a variety of pathogenic microorganisms are retained, from which the skin is cleansed by exfoliating the scales of the stratum corneum. The lipids of the skin, which are between the scales, hold them together and provide the protective properties of the stratum corneum.  The main task of intercellular fats – it is the creation of a barrier to microorganisms and chemicals that can enter the body through the skin, as well as the regulation of moisture loss through the epidermis. That is why skin xerosis – it is a disease that primarily affects her stratum corneum.

Causes of skin xerosis:

• what diseases can cause skin xerosis;
• exogenous factors as causes of skin xerosis;
• xerosis of the skin – the result of the use of medications.

What diseases can cause skin xerosis

A number of exogenous and endogenous factors that provoke changes can lead to the development of skin xerosis  hydrolipid balance and violate the integrity of the stratum corneum. Excessively dry skin can be a symptom of many other diseases of the organs and structures of the body. Xerosis is observed in patients with hormonal disorders, hypovitaminosis, chronic intoxication of the body, with blood diseases and oncopathologies, as well as with pathologies of the kidneys and liver. Skin xerosis can also be caused by genetically determined dermatological diseases. Dry skin is characteristic of patients with certain dermatitis, dermatoses and other dermatological diseases.

Exogenous factors as causes of skin xerosis

Among the characteristic exogenous influences that most often cause skin keratosis, we should highlight:

• skin cleansing with products containing surfactants;
• use of lotions, tonics and other skin care products that contain alcohol;
• use of certain decorative cosmetics and certain types of skin masks that affect the state of the hydrolipidic mantle;
• certain weather conditions: dry air, low temperatures, intense and long-term solar exposure, and others.

All these factors can significantly affect the condition of the stratum corneum, provoking the development of skin keratosis.

Xerosis of the skin – the result of the use of medications

Keratosis of the skin can quite often occur as a response of the skin to the use of certain drugs. These drugs include systemic and topical retinoids,  talkers and solutions containing alcohol, benzoyl peroxide preparations and others. The use of external and systemic glucocorticoids can also provoke skin keratosis. Studies have shown that even short-term (no more than three days) use of an external corticosteroid that actively affects the skin  is necessarily accompanied by a violation of the  epidermal barrier properties. Glucocorticoids are able to inhibit the processes of differentiation and proliferation of keratinocytes, influence the formation of intercellular lipids and the connection between corneocytes. In this way, treatment of one dermatological disease can cause the development of another pathology – skin keratosis.

Knowing the causes of skin xerosis plays an important role in the effective treatment of pathology, so it is imperative to find out the etiological factor!

Timely initiation of treatment and the correct selection of a therapeutic regimen will help to permanently save the patient from skin xerosis. Estet-portal.com will be grateful for your feedback and comments.