Dry patches of skin - What causes them and how to get rid of them.

Dry, scaly and flaky skin patches that appear on the face and the body can have numerous causes. Generally, the source of these dry patches is pretty straight forward: dehydrated skin caused by an impaired skin barrier. When your barrier is impaired this can lead to a decrease in the necessary fats & oils in the top layer of the skin that provide moisture and hydration. If you’re experiencing bouts of dry, flaky skin the good news is that its’ extremely common, and by finding the root cause of the dryness you can hopefully wave goodbye to these pesky patches of rough skin for good. Lets talk about some common culprits:

Soap cleansers

Many soap based face cleansers, body washes and detergents are designed to strip away oils from the top layer of the skin. Using harsh soap cleansers too regularly can lead to hydration issues in your skin barrier. If you have dry skin, or are experiencing symptoms of an impaired skin barrier, it’s probably best to give up with soap cleansers and swap for a gentler alternative such as an oil-based cleanser.

Dehydration

There’s nothing quite like a long day at the beach under the balmy Aussie sun. Unfortunately, even sunscreen can’t protect us from skin dehydration! spending too much time under UV rays can damage and dehydrate our outermost layer of skin leading to rough, dry patches of skin.

Skin conditions

There are a range of skin conditions that might be causing your dry itchy skin - conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis to name a few. If you have a hunch one of these conditions might be to blame, studies have proven that treating these conditions with topical probiotics can drastically reduce the size and severity of the breakout.

Nutritional deficiencies

A deficiency in vitamin D, E or calcium might be what is causing your dry, white or coloured patches of skin. If you suspect you may be deficient in one of these vitamins a trip to your GP to check on your levels is recommended. You may want to try to boost your intake of Vitamin D, E and calcium by consuming a balanced diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Fragrances

Artificial fragrances are one of the leading causes of dry, irritated skin. Allergic reactions to commonly used fragrances can result in contact dermatitis or even severe eczema. Unfortunately, the skincare industry has a long way to go when it comes to ingredient transparency. If you are suffering from dry, flaky skin it is time to start reading the ingredients lists! Even products scented with “natural fragrances” can be extremely triggering to sensitive skin. We recommend looking for plant-based products scented by natural ingredients.