Skin Types

What is dry skin?

‘Dry’ describes a skin type that produces less sebum than normal skin. As a result of the lack of sebum, dry skin lacks the lipids it needs to retain moisture and build a protective shield against external influences leading to impaired barrier function. Dry skin (Xerosis) exists in varying degrees of severity and in different forms that are not always clearly distinguishable. Skin moisture depends on the water supply in the deeper skin layers and perspiration.

Significantly more women suffer from dry skin than men; all skin gets dryer as it ages. Problems related to dry skin are a common complaint and account for 40% of visits to dermatologists.

Skin is constantly losing water via:

Perspiration: active water loss from the glands caused by heat, stress, and activity.

Trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL): the natural, passive way skin diffuses about half a liter of water daily from the deeper skin layers.