Dry Skin on Face, Forehead, Causes, Treatment & Home Remedies

Dry skin on face, also called Xerosis, can be very irritating. Dryness on face especially on forehead is a common problem that most people will experience at some point in time. Some common causes of skin dryness will include sunburn caused by harmful UV rays from the sun, winters or windy weathers. Here is an insight on how to treat dry facial skin with home remedies.

Your face is likely to get dry when it loses its natural moisture and oils. When your skin lacks moisture, it becomes dehydrated, it loses its flexibility and can become cracked, scaly and itchy. Dry skin should be treated as soon as possible. When left untreated, it could give way for a bacterial or fungal infection that could eventually cause dermatitis.

Dry skin on face and scalp

From Dry skin on face and scalp is a common symptom in winter. In winter the environment is in most cases filled with cold dry air. The cold dry air will suck moisture and some natural oils from the hair follicles occurring on skin.

Apart from winter, other factors might contribute to the dry skin on face and scalp. This will include factors such as aging, vitamin deficiency, genetic predisposition just to name a few. To manage and take care of dry skin in this areas, there are many lotion and moisturizers. The best and most recommended way to manage this would have a dermatologist examine your skin and prescribe the right treatment.

Dry skin is in most cases, not a serious health issue. While this might be the case, dry skin can be a serious inconvenience that involves flaking, itching, irritation, and embarrassment. A dermatologist will be able to observe the condition and find out the reasons that caused the dry skin to occur when that is done when the underlying cause of dryness is known, your dermatologist will be able to prescribe the best products and techniques to restore your skin’s natural moisture.

Dry skin on forehead and hairline

Skin is the largest organ in the body. The skin is also the first line of defense against bacterial, pollution sun damage and other irritants. These and many other functions of the skin are the reasons you should strive to keep your skin soft and supple.

Dry skin on forehead and hairline can be very annoying. With dry skin, the forehead may dry out, becoming rough, cracked, and very itchy. The dryness can be caused by a number of factors ranging from the shower you take, the soap you use on face to the climatic condition of where you live in.

Dry skin on face, forehead, and hairline can be prevented, the condition can also easily be treated. With simple skin moisturizer, you can improve the skin condition, if you’re already using one that does not seem to work, then you will first need to seek medical attention, depending on other factors such as what the actual underlying cause of the dryness, your dermatologist will be able to prescribe the right treatment option to manage the dryness.

Dry skin on face symptoms

For most people, dry skin is not a condition or disease. Dry skin could be a simple reaction to harsh soaps and cosmetic product, wearing itchy clothes for long, misusing your moisturizer, and in most cases long hot shower that rid your skin of the natural oils and moisture.

Dry skin can also be caused by medical conditions such as diabetes, psoriasis, hypothyroidism and malnutrition. With itchy dry skin that persist for more than a week, you need to have it checked out as soon as possible. Dry skin according to Mayo clinic is often temporary. It can, however, be a lifelong condition depending on what the underlying cause is.

The signs and symptoms of dry skin will vary from person to person depending on age, health, the environment you live in, the amount of time you spent outdoors and the actual cause of the dryness. Dry skin on the face will have the following symptoms:

• Mild to severe itching of the skin
• Flaking, scaling or peeling of the skin on forehead, face, hands and other parts of the body
• Some people may observe fine lines or crack on face
• You likely to have gray ashy skin
• Redness on face, hands, forehead and along hairline
• With severe dryness you are likely to have deep cracks that may bleed
• Rough skin especially in young adults and children
• Your skin may fell tight, this is common especially after bathing.

Dry skin on forehead causes

Dry skin on the forehead, on the face and other parts of the body, can be caused by any of the following conditions.

Eczema

Eczema also is known as atopic dermatitis is a common skin marked itching and inflamed red patches on the skin. The condition is more common in babies and young children. It often occurs on the face but could also happen on other body parts. It could affect the inside of the elbow and behind the knee.

The condition is often characterized by itching, dryness, rough, flaky, inflamed and irritated skin. The condition can flare up, subside then flare up again. The actual cause of this condition is unknown, it is however believed to be triggered by the immune system.

Psoriasis

This is another skin condition marked by redness, itching, and scaly patches. Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes a rapid build-up of skin cells. The scaling on the skin is caused by this rapid buildup of skin cells.

Other common symptoms of this condition will include:

• Red raised inflamed patches
• Panful swollen joints
• Severe itching and a burning sensation
• Dry skin that cracks and bleeds

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body is an able to produce enough insulin, this may result in abnormal metabolism. The America Academy of Dermatology list the following as the warning signs of diabetes:

• Yellow, reddish or brown patches on skin
• Darker area of skin that feels like velvet
• Hard thickened skin
• Painful blisters on skin
• Shin spots
• Extremely, dry itchy skin
• Yellow scaly patches on and around eyelids

Hypothyroidism

This is a condition in which there is an abnormally low activity of the thyroid gland. The sign and symptom of the condition will vary depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency. Dry skin and painful joint are common symptoms of this condition.

Rosacea

With rosacea, apart from the face becoming dry and red, the facial blood vessels enlarge giving the cheeks and nose a flushed appearance.

Dry skin on face in winter

Whether or environmental factors contribute to the dryness of skin.  In winter for instance, when the temperatures and humidity level plummet, your body will lose the naturally occurring moisture causing dry skin.

The freezing temperatures, low humidity, and furnace blasted dry air can leave your skin dry, flaky and itchy, [WebMD]. You need to protect yourself during winter. If you have an underlying medical condition that could be causing the dryness, then you will need to have your doctor look into it as soon as possible.

To keep your skin moist and hydrated in winter, you could try the tips:

1. Add a humidifier to your home to keep the air checked and under control
2. Make sure to use an oil-based moisturizer, ointment and heavy creams will help seal water in the skin thus preventing it from drying
3. Before heading  out in the sun, slather on some sunscreen, this will help protect against sun’s harmful UV rays
4. Avoid frequent hot bathing and shower as they could strip your skin of natural oils. With dry skin, you will also need to avoid deodorant bars and perfumed soaps, and other skin care products containing alcohol.

Dry skin on face baby

Just like adults, babies too can get dry skin. Baby skin is a more delicate than that of an average adult that make a child more susceptible to having a dry skin on face and other parts of the body. For most toddlers, cold, dry outdoor air and indoor heating can rob the skin of the natural moistures.

Dry skin on face and other parts of the body can be more serious in babies than in adults, to make the itching and cracking caused by dry skin, you need to:

1. Cut back on bath time, instead of using 30 minutes, cut to 10 minutes. Bathing dries the skin by removing the naturally occurring skin oils together with the dirt.
2. Within minutes of taking the bath, pat the baby dry with a towel and apply a moisturizer immediately, this helps seal in moisture in the skin preventing dryness
3. After activity like swimming or exercises, don’t let the salt or chlorine dry on the skin. Salt water can be very drying. After such activities, rinse your child with clear tap water, pat him dry and apply some moisturizer
4. In winter or dry hair, make sure to use a cool mist humidifier in your child’s room
5. You also need to keep your child well hydrated by feeding him plenty of fluids, juice and clean drinking water
6. Avoid excessive exposure to the sun
7. Keep away from drying or aggravating ingredients

Please seek immediate medical attention if the dry skin on baby:

• Fails to improve within 3 days
• Causes large patches of scaling and peeling on face
• The dryness is accompanied by redness
• Causes severe pain, itching or is accompanied by lots of discomforts
• Causes your baby to not to sleep
• Causes open sores or infection as a result of continued scratching.

Dry skin on face during pregnancy

Women experience a lot of changes during pregnancy.  These changes are what is often called the pregnancy glow. Pregnancy glow is one of the skin changes caused by changes and increase of hormones during pregnancy.

While most of the changes occurring during pregnancy occur on the inside, along with the growing bump, you are likely to notice other changes on your skin. some of these changes will include, stretch marks, skin color changes, cracked skin, and a darker area on the face and other parts of the body just to name a few.

Dry skin on the face during pregnancy is caused by hormonal changes. When that is the case, then you do not need to worry as the dryness will clear on its own after delivery of your baby. The red dry skin on the face during pregnancy can be caused by:

• The increased volume of blood in the body
• An onset of rosacea or
• Eczema also called contact dermatitis.

Very dry skin on face peeling

It is common for a very dry skin on the face to peel off or become flaky. The severity of dryness will vary from one person to the other. Skin peeling off common in older people than it is in children and young people.

The most likely cause a very dry, itchy and peeling skin is scabies. Scabies is a contagious skin disease marked by itching and small raised red spots. Peeling or the loss of upper layers of your skin may also occur as a result of direct damage to the skin such as from sunburn especially in children.

Our skin, through the sebaceous glands, secretes oil, called sebum that moisturizes the skin and help keep moisture intact to prevent the skin from drying. Your skin will become dry when it continues to lose this oil without replenishing. Dry skin on the face will cause the skin to become itchy and scaly.

To control and manage a peeling skin, you could try the following:

• Over the counter topical emollients
• Avoid scrubbing or scratching dry skin
• Avoid hot baths or steamy shower
• Keep away from harsh cosmetic and skin care products

Dry skin on face red patches

Dry skin on the face with red patches is a clear sign of a skin infection or damage of the epidermis (dermatitis). The redness can be caused by rosacea, psoriasis or eczema. With severe redness on the face or when the redness lasts for more than a week, you will need to have the condition checked by a dermatologist.

Understanding the underlying cause of the dryness is key in treating and getting rid of the patches. Although the underlying condition causing the red patches on the face might not be life-threating, the condition could cause itching, irritation, and inflammation which can cause a lot of discomforts.

Dry skin on face treatment

The most effective way to treat dry skin on the face is by treating the underlying cause of the dryness. When you visit a dermatologist, they will be able to diagnose and prescribe the best way to keep your skin soft, oily and hydrated.

In most cases, dry skin will respond well to lifestyle measure. That is to say, you do not necessarily need chemicals to treat dry skin. If you have to use chemical creams, then you may try those containing lactic acid or lactic acid and urea.  Simple cases can be resolved by applying moisturizers and avoiding long, hot shower and baths.

Dry skin on face cream

To manage dry skin on face and other parts of your body, there are different creams and lotion you might use to keep your skin moist and hydrated. Face and body creams can be effective in preventing and managing dry skin especially in winter.

The creams can be used for both children and adults. When using an over the counter cream for dry face, please discontinue its use and seek medical attention if you notice any side effects, such as the dryness persisting, or your skin becoming very irritated or inflamed.

Most of this creams will help in:

• Dehydrating the skin
• Nourishing the skin
• Strengthening the skin to prevent infection
• Softening the skin
• Moisturizing the face skin

How to Get Rid of Dry skin on face with home remedies

To rehydrate dry skin, you will need an effective lubricant. The treatment of mild to extreme cases can be done at home with simple home remedies and essential oils. Unlike over the counter skin care products, home remedies are natural nourishing skin care products with no side effects. Here are some of the simple, natural home remedies you can try for dry skin on the face.

a) Coconut oil

Dry skin as mentioned occurs when your skin loses moisture or the oil. To replenish them, you may try applying coconut oil on the dry skin on the face. Coconut oil can be very good for treating dry skin. It contains a good amount of fatty acid that makes up for the lost one.

b) Castor oil

Castor oil is another great essential oil you can use on dry skin. Castor oil is rich in therapeutic powers of ricinoleic acid and vitamin E that helps protect your skin against soap, warm water, and winter dryness.

c) Egg yolk and olive oil mask 

You can also manage dry skin on the face by using a mixture of olive oil and egg yolk face mask. Olive oil can be used as a great remedy for flaky, cracked or peeling skin. You can prepare and even better remedy by mixing olive oil with egg yolk.

d) Banana and yogurt natural face mask

Yogurt can be used as an excellent skin hydrating agent. It is rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that will help soothe dry and itchy skin. Another benefit of yogurt is that it contain lactic acid that will help get rid of germs and bacteria.

You can apply the yogurt directly on your face or mix with a blended banana to make an even better remedy.

e) Papaya and avocado for dry skin

Papaya and avocado are packed with fatty acids, vitamin, and antioxidants that help improve your skin from the inside. The high vitamin A content in avocado helps maintain and repair to restore smooth and silky skin.

Sources and references.

• How to deal with dry skin patches on the face: http://www.vaseline.us/skin-health-care/dry-patches-on-the-face.html
• Dry skin on face: http://www.eucerin.co.uk/skin-concerns/dry-skin/dry-and-verydry-facial-skin
• Fighting back against dry skin: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/dry-skin-13/dry-skin-causes
• Dermatologists’ top tip for relieving dry skin: https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/skin-care/dry-skin
• Healthy skin and hair guide: http://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-skin/guide/causes-dry-skin