Characteristics of Dry Skin

Dry skin has a variety of internal (endogenous) and external (exogenous) causes. 

Whether your skin is dry or very dry, one thing is often common – a reduced amount of the natural moisturising factor Urea. As a result, the skin has limited capacity to retain moisture and loses increasing amounts of water.  Dry skin also contains fewer natural lipids, including ceramides, triglycerides, cholesterol and free fatty acids.  In healthy skin, a balance between lipids and moisture exists, but in dry skin this sensitive balance is disturbed. For this reason, the barrier function of the skin is less effective so dry skin is especially prone to allergic reactions, for example to fragrance. Daily skincare should contain skin-related lipids, as well as Urea.  We recommend fragrance-free Eucerin® Urea body care products. 

You can characterise skin as dry or very dry by understanding the symptoms: