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One of the strangest things about fibromyalgia is how it seems to affect the skin. Just ask anyone who suffers from the condition and they can tell you horror stories about strange skin conditions and chronic itching. And one of the most common things that people with fibromyalgia experience is xeroderma. Xeroderma describes any condition that leaves you with chronically dry skin.
And, of course, we all know how miserable it can be to have dry, cracked skin. It can be embarrassing and leave you self-conscious about your appearance. And it can often lead to intense itching that can make it difficult to focus on anything else. But what exactly causes this dry skin? And what can you do about it?
What Causes Xeroderma?
There are actually a lot of different reasons that someone might suffer from dry skin. You see, the skin is actually an organ, the largest one in the body. And like any organ, it relies on a complex system of interactions with the rest of your body to stay healthy.
The skin is made up of three layers. The first layer is called the epidermis. It’s made up of the same tough substance found in your hair and fingernails. It serves to protect the more vulnerable layers of the skin and is a constant process of renewing itself. Every five weeks, all of the cells in your skin are replaced by new cells as they flake off and die.
The second layer is the dermis, which is filled with collagen and elastin, proteins that your skin stay stretchy and strong. This is also the layer where your body naturally regulates your internal temperature through a network of blood vessels.
The final layer is the subcutis. It essentially buffers the skin against the rest of the body, allowing moisture to escape and storing a base layer of fat to use as an emergency energy reserve.
When it comes to dry skin, the problem typically lies in one of these layers. As your body cycles through cells and performs the basic tasks it needs to do, it uses up water through your body. This water does many things like nourishing the brain and helping to flush toxins out of your organs. Your body naturally releases this moisture up through the skin where it leaves the body in the form of perspiration.
The skin normally serves as a barrier, keeping enough moisture to nourish itself while releasing enough to help remove excess water from the body. But sometimes, the layers of the skin can release too much water, which is the cause of dry skin.
There are a lot of different reasons that this can happen. Cold, dry weather can naturally wick away moisture from the skin faster than your body can replenish it, which leads to dry skin. And taking frequent hot showers and using strong soap can upset the delicate balance of oils on your skin that helps to seal in moisture.
Finally, there are a number of different medical conditions, like dermatitis or vitamin deficiencies that break down your skins ability to retain moisture.
Luckily, in most cases, treating dry skin is fairly easy.
What Can You Do To Treat It?
The easiest way to treat dry skin is with moisturizing cream. But there actually are a few different kinds to choose from depending on your needs.
The first is humectants. Humectants work by pulling moisture out of the air and trapping it against the skin. This can help with dry skin caused by the environment, like when it is too cold or you’re in an area with very low humidity.
The second kind are emollients. Emollients work by blocking the pores between the skin so that water can’t escape. The disadvantage is that these types of creams tend to be heavier and oily, which can make them annoying to use.
Then there are ceramides. Ceramides help to repair the natural structure of the epidermis. This helps your body retain its moisture more effectively. But these typically are only effective for people with mildly dry skin. For drier skin, it’s usually better to use a humectant or emollient.
Finally, there are occlusives, which are very heavy creams that prevent moisture from leaving through the surface of the skin. But the heavy nature of the cream means that they usually leave behind an oily residue, so it’s best to give them time to dry out before putting clothes on over them.
So, what do you think? Do you have dry skin? What works for you? Let us know in the comments.
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