Many individuals need to take care of dry skin on a year round basis. This skin condition can vary from being simply bothersome to a serious disorder that can result in the disconfiguration of the skin. Normally this skin condition will produce symptoms ranging from irritation to redness to itchiness. The issue is usually worse in fall and winter. On one's body it usually turns up in the face, hands, legs and arms. To keep your skin healthy and balanced, it should be treated immediately to avoid any worsening of the condition. Dry skin can go from bad to worse very quickly.

First, let's review some of the causes that produce dry skin.

-The skin glands do not produce enough oil to then effectively lubricate the skin. This leaves the skin prone to becoming easily dehydrated.

-The weather elements from the dry and cold winter months.

-There could be a genetic disposition for getting dry skin that is passed down hereditarily.

-The lack of a nutritional diet. If one has a poor diet, they might have nutritional deficiencies of vitamin A and B vitamins which could contribute to dry skin.

-The skin's exposure to detrimental chemicals, cosmetics and harsh soaps.

-Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or dermatitis.

So these are the majority of causes. What are some ways to eliminate dry skin once one has it. Here we list the best practices:

As much as it will hurt to read this, it must be stated. Long, hot showers are a big cause of dry skin and should be avoided. The hot water and steam evaporate the large part of your skin's moisture out of the epidermis layer. Make the attempt to keep the water at levels of cool temperature, and shower for only short durations of time.

And also within the realm of showering, keep the soap you use at a skin friendly pH value so as to prevent the harsher soaps from weakening your skin's resistance to outside factors that produce dry skin. After showering, pat yourself dry without 'rubbing in' the towel. While your skin is still damp from the shower, apply your skin moisturizer so it locks in moisture.

Additional tips are avoid close proximity to fires and electric heaters and do not overdo it with the sunbathing.

The dry skin moisturizers you will want to use depend on how dry your skin is. Use a relatively thin moisturizing lotion or cream in the hotter summer months. When the weather gets cooler as the year approaches winter, a thicker, oilier moisturizer is recommended.

Most important is for the soaps, gels and creams you use to not be overly harsh as this will strip the skin of its natural oils. And this is why natural skin care products hold such an advantage for healthy, moisturized skin.