DRY SKIN – HOW DOES IT OCCURS?

Normally the stratum corneum has a water content of 30%. When this water contents comes down to less than 10%, the skin becomes dry. This leads to abnormal desquamation of corneocytes. Thus the skin feels rough, scaly and dry. Water is lost through evaporation [transepidermal water loss; TEWL] to the atmosphere under low humidity conditions and must be replenished by water form the lower layer of the skin. Xerotic skin is due to more than simply reduce water content. Electron micrographic studies of more than simply reduced water content. Electron micrographic studies of dry show a stratum corneum that is thicker, fissured and disorganised.
Skin grossly identified as dry is a mixture of different xerotic states. Most are due to over- cleansing. Others represent varying degrees of ichthyosis, mild atopic dermitis and lichen pilaris. Inadequate sweat gland and oil gland presence with abnormal keratinisation account for other xerotic designations.
Situation created by disease, injury