With the arrival of winter, the number of patients with dry skin problems in dermatology clinics has increased significantly. The main reason why many people see a doctor is: “Doctor, my skin is dry, peeling, and itchy. I haven’t slept well for several days. Please give me a cure!”
Dry skin with itching in winter is a It is a very common problem. Firstly, the skin is dry. In mild cases, the scales will fall off and stick to the clothes and bedding, making people feel uncomfortable. In severe cases, small red rashes will appear, and even patches of itchy skin will appear. Red bumps; secondly, these rashes can cause itching and scratching, and over time, skin scratches, pigmentation, skin thickening, and even erosion and ulcers may appear.
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and it has multiple functions such as barrier protection, temperature regulation, and participation in immunity. The skin barrier can prevent damage to the skin by chemical, physical, mechanical, biological and other factors externally, and can prevent the loss of water and nutrients internally. Various internal and external factors lead to the insufficiency of the skin epidermis and skin appendages, resulting in increased water loss, reduced oil secretion, damaged skin barrier, immune disorders, dry and itchy skin and other mild or severe problems.
Dry skin in winter is more obvious than in summer, but most people can tolerate it. Patients with dry skin that seriously affects their lives and have to go to the clinic may have the following conditions.
bad living habits
Some people like to take frequent baths, or take hot baths with high water temperature, or soak in baths or scrub for a long time. Taking a bath frequently is indeed a good hygienic habit, and taking a hot bath in winter can really relieve fatigue. However, these living habits may aggravate the loss of oil and water on the skin surface, or cause damage to the surface keratinocytes, which accelerates the destruction of the skin barrier, resulting in dry and itchy skin. This is especially true in dry winters.
For patients with such incentives, appropriate changes in living habits can effectively alleviate dry skin problems. We suggest:
1. Reduce the number of baths, try to wash with warm water for a short time, 5 to 10 minutes each time, avoid using soap or bath liquid with too much soap base, avoid soaking and scrubbing.
2. After taking a bath, apply body lotion or moisturizer all over the body to strengthen the protection of the skin surface.
3. Cotton or silk is the best choice for underwear. Avoid wearing rough clothing such as wool and chemical fiber next to the skin, so as not to aggravate skin irritation.
As we grow older, our skin will gradually become thinner, more fragile, less tolerant, less oil secreted, and more water lost. We need to strengthen external care, and even take some measures, such as adjusting the temperature and humidity of the environment To improve skin comfort and promote skin health. In terms of diet, you can choose vitamin-rich, light and nutritionally balanced foods, avoid unhealthy foods such as high oil, high sugar, and high fat, ensure adequate sleep, develop good work and rest habits, and avoid high-intensity emotional stress.
The above-mentioned measures not only help to supplement the nutrients of the skin, but also promote the metabolism of the skin, and since these patients have no underlying skin diseases or internal organ system diseases, if they develop good living and eating habits, dry skin or Itching symptoms will be greatly improved.
Suffering from skin diseases and other diseases
Some patients themselves suffer from common chronic skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and ichthyosis. For example, atopic dermatitis, which is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affected by the environment and related to genetics, is mainly manifested by dry skin, rash, severe itching and chronic recurrence. Ichthyosis is a hereditary disease, often with large scales on the skin, and the incidence of ichthyosis vulgaris is as high as 1/250 to 1/100. Therefore, if you suffer from ichthyosis, you need to strengthen the use of emollients, moisturizers or keratolytics. In short, for patients with basic skin diseases, it is necessary to actively treat the underlying primary diseases. On this basis, strengthening skin care and avoiding disease incentives can avoid troubles caused by skin discomfort.
Some patients suffer from systemic diseases such as abnormal liver and kidney function. Dry skin with itching is a common symptom in patients with chronic renal insufficiency, especially in hemodialysis patients. Such itching may be related to toxin accumulation, endocrine disorders, and peripheral neuropathy. Patients with cholestasis often have itching symptoms in the tight parts of the clothes, which is more obvious at night. In addition, blood diseases, malignant tumors, endocrine diseases, infectious diseases, etc. may cause dry skin or itching. For patients whose long-term symptoms cannot be relieved, appropriate screening is required to confirm the diagnosis and active treatment. Relief of the primary disease treatment is fundamental to the relief of skin symptoms.
In short, if you are also troubled by dry skin and itching in autumn and winter, you must first examine whether you have bad living habits, and at the same time pay attention to the use of emollients. If you suffer from skin diseases, you can use external hormone-containing ointments, oral antihistamines to relieve itching, antibiotics to remove infection foci, etc. under the guidance of a doctor, depending on the severity of the disease. May we be farther and farther away from troubles, have healthier skin, and enjoy autumn and winter with peace of mind and comfort.
