Canada MedLaser’s Effective Tips to Managing Dry Skin

There are so many articles discussing tips for managing dry skin. Here’s why that is. You see, there’s a huge premium on looking the best you can. That value has climbed up in recent times.

There is so much effort going into looking fabulous, which has led to the explosion of cosmetic technology. Indeed, no one will want to be caught still struggling with the bare minimums. In this age of significant cosmetic techniques and procedures, dry skin will definitely count as a bare minimum.

If you are struggling with dry skin and you think it’s affecting your shine, do not worry. In this article, we will explore what you need to know about dry skin. You will understand what the condition is. You will also find tips for managing your dry skin. Let’s get started.

Do I have Dry Skin?

Dry skin is essentially a lack of moisture in your skin. Although simplistic in its definition, dry skin is a cause of worry for many people. It is not without a medical connection, with xerosis being the medical name for it.

The common feature of dry skin is skin tightness. The number of dead skin cells increases, thereby forming a layer on the skin surface that is dry and tight. If this progresses, your skin may become rough because of the greater number of dead skin cells. 

The skin may be scaly and start to flake when the outer skin (epidermis) peels off. These flakes are usually observed as dust on the skin. All of these will combine to make your skin itchy. When this happens, the level of dryness determines the impulse to scratch. Of course, this is the stage of dry skin with the most discomfort.

Dry skin affects millions of people all over the world. It may occur as a random, single, acute event, that for example,  maybe due to weather change. It may also be a result of an underlying condition, spread over a long period. With the level of inconvenience it brings, it is necessary to know the tips to manage dry skin.

General Causes of Dry Skin Condition

Before getting to the tips, it is crucial to understand what generally brings about dry skin. Most commonly, two major deficiencies result in dry skin.

The first is the absence of natural moisturizing factors. Typically, these are substances found on the skin. Their function is to maintain skin hydration by attracting moisture to the stratum corneum (epidermis). By doing so, they allow the skin to retain its plasticity and facilitate the skin’s normal functions.

One of the most common of these factors is urea. Others are lactate, amino acids, pyrrolidine carboxylic acid (PCA) and some salts and sugars.

Absence of skin barrier lipids. Also present on the skin, in the epidermis are lipids. These lipids act to hold together cells in the epidermal layer. Asides from creating a protective barrier, they also keep the skin moisturized. Hence, they are essential for healthy skin.

The absence of any one of these natural substances on the skin generally leads to dry skin. Your genetics can determine the presence of these substances. However, there are environmental and behavioural factors that may also remove them from your skin.

Factors contributing to skin dryness

Where you live, and the way you care for your body have enormous effects on your chances of developing dry skin. Here, we will discuss modifiable factors that may contribute to your skin condition.

Harsh body products

No doubts, you will know by now that not all body products, fancy as they may seem, are right for you. The soaps, cleansers, creams, shampoos and other such body products may also contribute to drying up your skin. This effect is so because many of these products are manufactured with the effect of ridding the body of oil. 

Weather

Many people will have noticed how changes in the weather affect many things, their skin inclusive. Generally, extreme temperatures do no favours for the skin. But you should expect the driest skin during a hot summer, and most typically in winter. 

This is because, during this period, humidity and temperatures drop significantly. Great exposure to UV radiation in the form of sunlight can increase water evaporation from the skin. An additional effect of this is the premature ageing of the skin.

Hot showers or baths

Hot baths are implicated as one of the most significant disruptors of skin barrier lipids. The high temperature of the water washes off the lipids keeping in the moisture. Also contributing to this wash off is the length of the bath. The longer your skin stays immersed in water, the more likely these protective substances get destroyed.

There are also risk factors that may predispose you to have dry skin. Some of these are:

• Your health status. The presence of certain health conditions may leave you with skin drying out faster than usual. Skin conditions like Ichthyosis, Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema), Psoriasis may quickly leave you looking for tips for managing dry skin. Besides these, diseases like diabetes may also affect your skin.
• Your medications: Drugs, especially those you use for long periods of time, are capable of affecting many things in your body, your skin included. Diuretics, which cause loss of water from the body, may also increase your chances of developing dry skin.

Other medications that may result in this condition are statins and calcium channel blockers. These drugs have the potential effects of making your skin dry. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your pharmacist or physician.

• Your age: As you age, the production of particular substances that keep the skin in tip-top shape reduces. The reduction in collagen production, amongst other factors, causes the wrinkles you notice in old age. Just like collagen, the natural moisturizing factors and skin barrier lipids typically produced are reduced. Thus, you can expect some level of dryness of your skin.
• Your nutritional status: Certain foods you eat predispose you to dry skin. For your skin to remain healthy, it needs essential nutrients from food. The more healthy diet choices you make, the lesser your chances of developing dry skin. Furthermore, your level of general hydration will also impact how oily your skin is. If you do not consume enough fluids, you may well start learning how to cope with dry skin.

Related article: What Is The Cost Of Dry Skin Treatment In Toronto

Tips for Managing Dry Skin

Firstly, you can be rest assured that there are ways to deal with the pesky condition that is dry skin. Let’s get into it.

Tip #1: Avoid long, hot baths

As we had mentioned earlier, while a long, hot bath may be soothing, it may not always be the best for your skin. If anything, use warm water as it has a milder effect on those skin lipids. Also, you should try to keep showers and baths in a five-to-ten minute window. This tip is a recommendation from highly trained medical aestheticians.

Tip #2: Moisturize

A big part of how to manage dry skin is to moisturize. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough. A good time for this is immediately after taking a shower. You may also do so after any task involving water, doing dishes, for example.

The principle behind moisturizing shortly after touching water is to seal the moisture from the water on the skin. The technique is to pat – rather than rub – your body with a towel to allow some water to remain on your skin. Subsequently, you can then put on the moisturizer, effectively trapping the moisture on the skin.

You can apply the moisturizer several times a day. You may also decide to invest in cosmetics formulated with moisturizers. Products that contain oil or petroleum jelly are often best for this purpose. Other useful materials to look out for in your skincare products are lactic acid, urea and glycerin.

Tip #3: Do away with harmful products

This tip for managing dry skin must be emphasized. You have to be intentional when shopping for skincare products in Newmarket, especially if you have or can potentially have dry, itchy skin. With such a skin condition, it is best to avoid deodorants, fragrances, bath soaps and detergents that are harsh and have a drying effect on the skin.

Also crucial to avoid are products with alcohol content. Be careful because some moisturizers may contain alcohol to hasten the evaporation. What alcohol does is dry the skin — which doesn’t help your skin in any way.

There are bath gels with moisturizers formulated together with them. Also in the market are soaps and other products containing ceramides. The ceramides are fatty substances, and they constitute the outer surface of the skin. These molecules trap moisture on the skin. To manage dry skin, go with products that fall into this category. 

Tip #4: Use a humidifier

Remember, a significant contributor to dry skin is the environment. Hot, dry air may worsen your skin condition. So while you are indoors, you can try using a humidifier. A humidifier is an electrical appliance that increases the moisture content of the air in a room. There are portable humidifiers you can employ to help keep your skin in great state.

Tip #5: Shave with care

This tip may not be an immediately obvious one for managing dry skin. But it is worth taking a look at. When you shave, you automatically scrape the natural protective molecules on the surface of the skin. For someone with dry skin, this action can constitute some problem.

Experts suggest using a shaving cream at each shave. It is also recommended to shave shortly after a shower as the hairs are soft and more comfortable to cut. Interestingly, it is also advised to shave in the direction in which the hair is growing. And finally, make sure to use a sharp blade to avoid irritation.

Tip #6: Protect yourself

This tip for managing dry skin addresses the effects of the sun. In Newmarket, the sun can get very hot very fast. This heat can very well contribute to the feeling of dryness on your skin. You can protect yourself from sun damage by wearing sunscreen with high SPF ratings. 

Furthermore, it is essential to optimize your dressing for maximum protection. Firstly, you should wear fabrics that are easy on your skin. Then, you should try to put on loose-fitting clothes that will allow your skin to breathe. The general rule is to dress appropriately, taking the prevailing weather conditions into considerations.

These are practical tips for managing dry skin. If you live in Newmarket and are looking to get treatments for dry skin, rest assured that there are available options.

Home Remedies to Combat Dry Skin

You do not have to worry about how to get rid of dry skin. Fighting this condition requires mostly dedicated but straightforward solutions. So simple are your options that you may employ some readily available items at home. Some of these include:

Coconut oil

This is a common feature in many people’s daily facial routine. But they may not have realized that they are already preventing their skin from being dried. Coconut oil has emollient properties – this means it fills spaces between skin cells, forming a smooth surface.

Coconut oil essentially hydrates and smoothens the skin. It is also very mild and may be used on any part of the body. Another plus for coconut oil is that it can be used on its own and still produce excellent results.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants have been touted as an essential substance for healthy living. Little wonder it finds use in helping dry skin. Antioxidants essentially prevent oxidative damage to cells by a variety of factors such as toxins. 

 

Several food items are rich in antioxidants. Consuming carrots, beans, blueberries, and tomatoes rich in antioxidants will do your skin a world of good. Other foods like salmon, which is rich in omega-3s, contribute immensely to healthy skin.

Oatmeal baths

This remedy may be unconventional, but there are several reports of oatmeal baths soothing irritated skin. Oatmeal has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It is particularly useful if the skin irritation has resulted in itching. It may be helpful to apply a moisturizer after taking an oatmeal bath to lock in the effects.

 

Best Treatment for Dry Skin: Aquapure Facial

After discussing tips for managing dry skin, we are introducing a unique option. This is no other than the Aquapure Facial! 

The Aquapure Facial sports an advanced technique of microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is a procedure often used for skin rejuvenation. It is minimally invasive, and the result is a restoration of facial beauty.

The Aquapure Facial performs its function of promoting skin health in 4 different steps:

• Electroporation: In this, a small electric pulse is delivered to the skin. The purpose is to make the skin cells more absorbent.
• Aquapeel: Here, the skin is nourished using several carefully prepared solutions to mitigate ageing effects.
• Microcurrent: This involves stimulating the deeper face muscles and the production of collagen. The production of collagen will enhance skin smoothness and tighten the skin. The resultant effect of this is increased skin radiance and nourishment.
• Cooling/heating: This is the last stage of the procedure. It provides relief for hypersensitive areas of the face.

The Aquapure Facial is an innovative technology. It applies a unique formula called Aquaxyl, alongside vitamins and other substances to freshen up the skin. The Aquapure Facial works using a variety of methods to get the best effects for your face. 

Like any microdermabrasion procedure, it leaves uncommon and negligible side effects. There may be some redness and little swelling after the process. However, undergoing the procedure itself comes with minimal discomfort, certainly much less than other facial treatments.

The Aquapure Facial also comes with zero downtime. You can be on the move as soon as the procedure, which takes between 30 minutes to an hour, is done. You may even apply makeup immediately. The best part? Effects start to show after your first treatment. Multiple treatments within a prescribed period gradually produce a significant impact.

The Final Take

Whether or not your dry skin problems are acute or chronic, these tips for managing dry skin will work for you. But remember, they require dedicated efforts before you start to see results.

Here at Canada MedLaser, we provide top-notch consultation on skincare issues. Our network of seasoned, well-experienced experts is ready to provide you with the best care and advice on your skin condition. 

Our medical aestheticians are also on standby, ready to help you look younger with fantastic skin. If you need Aquapure Facial treatments in Newmarket or are merely looking for a dry skin consultation, contact us today.