Dull, Dry Skin Management

The skin naturally produces an oil called sebum which is important for keeping it hydrated and for protecting the skin's cells from infection. Impaired skin that is not creating or replenishing enough sebum will become dry. Dry skin can be itchy, and it may look flaky and bumpy or have red patches. Dehydrated skin lacks water and appears dull or rough. Some potential causes of dry, dehydrated, flaky skin include cold weather, dry air from heaters like occurs with our Bathurst winters, exposure to harsh chemicals in soaps or other products, washing the skin excessively, unbalanced skin pH, skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, smoking or spending too much time in direct sunlight.

The best treatment option will depend firstly, on managing the underlying cause and at the same time very gently managing the impaired skin with quality medical-grade skincare including topical retinoids, isoflavones for post-menopausal women, aloe vera and vitamins B3 and B5 as first-line topicals. Best results are seen with a multi-treatment approach.