What is the medical term for dehydrated skin?

What do xerosis and xeroderma mean?

Dry skin is also called xeroderma, because one name apparently was not enough for a lack of moisture. Another term is asteatosis, which means lack of fat. Xerosis describes dryness rather than identifying its cause. Dry skin can follow frequent washing or dry weather, but it can also occur with a skin condition or certain medicines. Knowing the name does not tell you which of those applies.12

Is dehydrated skin different from dry skin?

Water and oil have different roles, but they work together. Sebum, the skin's natural oil, helps limit water evaporation. Skin can lose moisture when there is too little sebum or when environmental conditions overwhelm that protection. Dryness is therefore not neatly divided into a water problem on one side and an oil problem on the other.3

The stratum corneum, the outermost skin layer, regulates water content and water loss, which is a substantial job description for something usually called the surface. Natural moisturizing factor is a mixture within its cells that binds and retains water. Fats between those cells also help maintain the barrier. Problems with either system can reduce hydration. Transepidermal water loss means water passing through the skin and escaping into the environment; it describes a process, not another name for xerosis.456

What does xerosis look and feel like?

Dry skin can feel rough and look dull, flaky or scaly. It can become less flexible, itchy and cracked. More severe dryness can become inflamed. Eczema is not simply a more technical word for low moisture: dermatitis means skin inflammation, and it can develop alongside dryness. Fine white scaling without redness is more typical of uncomplicated xeroderma.26

How should you care for dry skin?

1. 1Wash with lukewarm rather than hot water. Avoid unnecessary bathing, long soaks and scrubbing, and choose a gentle cleanser without dyes or perfume.
2. 2Pat your skin dry rather than rubbing. Apply moisturizer immediately after washing, while the skin is still damp, to help retain moisture.
3. 3Choose the texture for the degree of dryness. Thicker petrolatum or oil based moisturizers are more effective than water based lotions, although lotions can be more comfortable in warmer climates.
4. 4Reapply moisturizer frequently as needed through the day. If a dermatologist has prescribed a moisturizer schedule, follow that schedule rather than replacing it with a generic morning and evening routine.
5. 5Address repeated triggers. Frequent washing, harsh soaps and dry indoor air can keep dryness going. A humidifier can help when indoor air is dry.

How soon should dryness improve?

A moisturizer can make skin look softer within minutes. Flaking and itching should improve within one to two weeks of proper care. A tendency to dryness can persist, but controlling the contributing factors can improve it. Excessively dry skin sometimes needs a prescription moisturizer or treatment for an underlying skin condition, rather than more frequent applications of the same product.237

When should a doctor check dry skin?

Contact a doctor if nonprescription care does not help, itching interferes with sleep or work, or skin cracks and bleeds. Red, swollen and painful skin also needs assessment. Breaks in dry skin can allow infection. A clinician usually starts with an examination and your history; tests are considered if an undiagnosed health problem is suspected.123

Before an appointment, note when the dryness began, what worsens it and which treatments you have tried. Bring details of medicines, topical products, bathing habits and repeated water or chemical exposure at work. Mention any personal or family history of eczema, asthma, hay fever or food allergies. Those details help identify the cause and shape a treatment plan you can actually follow.27