How to Treat Dry Skin in Men? The Best Guide
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We agree that as a man, dry and flaky skin can be a huge blow to your self-confidence. It's not only annoying, but it's also embarrassing to constantly scratch your skin!
Imagine you're on a date with that girl you know from the coffee shop, you're in a crucial sales presentation, or you're in an important job interview, and your mind is racing with how dry your skin is. Dry skin is unsightly, itchy, and annoying. It can also be extremely uncomfortable - as anyone who's struggled with chapped lips this winter will know!
When it comes to dry, flaky skin, too many men think the best they can do is smile and hope no one notices. Fortunately, help is at hand. In this article, you'll learn how to treat dry skin for men for good. Let's start with the basics.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DRY, flaky SKIN?
Dry and flaky skin in men can be a temporary or lifelong problem that can affect any part of their body. Symptoms depend on where you live, your age, genetics, diet, and how much time you spend outdoors.
Symptoms of dry skin may include the following, or a combination of them:
- Your skin feels tight after showering or swimming.
- Your skin looks rough and dry
- Your skin is constantly itchy.
- Skin is peeling, scaly or peeling.
- Fine lines or cracks in your skin that may bleed.
- Redness on your skin.
Here's the good news: Most of the time, dry skin isn't a sign of a serious condition. Plus, it's easy to treat at home without making many changes to your weekly skincare routine.
If any of the following occur:
- Your skin isn't improving no matter what you try.
- Your dry skin is disturbing your sleep.
- Your skin is infected.
- Large areas of peeling, flaking, or scaly skin.
Buy products for dry skin.
WHAT CAUSES VERY DRY, flaky SKIN IN MEN?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of treating dry skin in men, you need to know what causes it. Dry, flaky skin often develops due to one or a combination of the following factors:
Weather - Skin is usually at its driest in the winter, when temperatures and humidity drop sharply (which is another reason why winter is bad). The season of the year doesn't necessarily matter if you live in a desert area.
Heat - Central heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and fireplaces all reduce humidity and dry out your skin.
Hot baths and showers - While a long, hot shower or bath can be wonderfully relaxing at the end of the day, it unfortunately strips your skin of moisture and natural oils, leaving behind dry and flaky skin.
Swimming - Chlorine is great at killing bacteria, but it has been proven to dry out your skin.
Soap - Many soaps, detergents, and shampoos remove moisture from your skin.
Underlying skin problems - Those who have skin conditions like atopic dermatitis (eczema) or psoriasis are prone to dry skin.
- Weather
When it's cold outside, the humidity in the air drops. This causes your skin to dry out quickly - there's no moisture in the air to help hydrate your skin.
In winter, your skin loses more than 25% of its natural moisturizing ability, which makes the water in your skin evaporate faster and results in dry, flaky skin.
On the other hand, hot weather makes you sweat, which leads to dehydration and irritation of your skin.
- Hot baths and showers
While a long, hot shower or bath may feel good after a long day at work, it’s not so good for your skin. So, be careful with showers that are too hot! The outermost layer of your skin protects the inner layers of your skin from harmful effects and prevents water loss through evaporation. This oil protects your skin and acts as a waterproof barrier. Hot water strips away the top layer of your skin, leaving behind dry, flaky, and irritated skin.
- Swimming
As well as killing bacteria – and leaving your eyes red – chlorine strips away the top layer of your skin. This can lead to dry, itchy skin, especially for those with sensitive skin. Some chlorine particles can remain on your skin, even if you shower after you leave the pool. Regular exposure to chlorine can cause a nasty condition known as “chlorine rash.” In this case, your skin will need to be treated with over-the-counter medication, such as hydrocortisone.
- Soap
Although we associate soap with cleanliness and hygiene, it's not really good for your skin. Long-term soap use can even be bad for your health. Here's why:
Soap kills bacteria – good bacteria kill bad bacteria and protect you from germs that can cause illness. While soap is great at killing bad bacteria, it also kills the good stuff.
Soap strips away the lipids in your skin – The lipids (otherwise known as fats) in your skin have three functions. They keep your skin soft and moisturized, help protect against disease, and provide protection between the spaces between your cells. Soap strips away these lipids, weakening your defenses against organisms that can cause disease.
Soap contains chemicals – The typical shelf-stable soap can contain any number of chemicals that can be dangerous. For example, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a known “mutagen” of cellular materials, benzyl acetate is a carcinogen that has been linked to certain types of cancer, and benzaldehyde is a depressant to your central nervous system.
- Subcutaneous skin problems
Remember to consult a dermatologist if nothing you try works.
As a man, here are some things you can do to treat dry, flaky skin:
- Stay hydrated
- Cover it
- Get a dehumidifier
- Learn to shower properly
- Exfoliation (2-3 times a week)
- Use a sea salt body scrub
- Hydrate daily
- Throw away the soap!
How to treat dry skin in men
Stay hydrated
Did you know that 70% of the body is water? It's no wonder that drinking water is the answer to many of our body problems.
Dry and flaky skin is mainly a problem that is caused by water loss from your skin. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day will ensure that your body has enough fluids to hydrate your skin after the water loss.
If the weather is particularly cold, a scarf and hat will protect your face from the cold wind. You should also make sure to protect yourself from the sun's extreme heat. While you may love sunbathing, sun damage can make you look older. And not only does it make your skin dry and wrinkled, it can also lead to skin cancer.
Get a dehumidifier
A simple dehumidifier in your room or office can make a huge difference in getting rid of dry, flaky skin. The extra moisture in the air slows down the evaporation of water from your skin, keeping your skin healthy and hydrated.
Learn to shower properly
Try to avoid ultra-hot water when showering. Instead, use lukewarm water and try to limit the duration of your shower. Warm water is less likely to strip your skin of its natural oils.
Exfoliation (2-3 times a week)
If you don't exfoliate your skin regularly, it's time to up your skincare game. Exfoliating is the best way to remove flaky skin from your body. This process allows your skin to absorb nutrients that increase blood circulation, giving you a healthy, radiant complexion.
Avoid exfoliators that use plastic microbeads (they are harmful to the skin and the environment) and choose a natural men's facial cleanser that contains natural ingredients, such as finely ground walnut shells and bamboo powder, to gently remove rough skin and dead skin cells.
Use a sea salt body scrub
Salt has natural exfoliating properties to get rid of dry, flaky skin, as well as the oils and sebum that cause acne. You can even look younger! Sea Salt Body Scrubs contain minerals like calcium and magnesium that gently exfoliate your skin. These trace minerals help relax muscles, reduce inflammation, and promote blood circulation.
Hydrate daily
Moisturizers restore the moisture in the outer layer of the skin, preventing water from evaporating. The best time to apply moisturizer for men's dry skin is right after a shower. Applying moisturizer at this time makes your skin more receptive to the hydration needed by most moisturizers, keeping your skin healthy and hydrated.
Throw away the soap!
If there's one thing we take away from this article - throw away that soap. Seriously, it does so much more than just your skin.
What can I use instead of soap on my skin?
To avoid the harmful chemicals found in regular soaps, use a natural face and body cleanser.
What are the benefits of natural products?
To treat dry, flaky skin, don't make the problem worse. Unfortunately, many products you find at your local grocery store do exactly that!
Before making a final purchase, check the ingredient list to make sure you are choosing products that contain natural ingredients.
What ingredients are bad in skincare?
- Mineral oil
- Polyethylene glycol
- Propylene glycol
- Aluminum
- Alcohol
Avoid these potentially harmful ingredients in most men's skincare products at all costs.
Learn about the foods to avoid
You should try to avoid certain foods to avoid making your skin condition worse than it already is. Here are some foods to avoid:
Sugar – Sugar quickly raises blood sugar levels, which can cause inflammation and damage skin care products.
Processed Foods – While not sweets, processed foods can always add extra sugar and fat, which can be bad for your skin.
Dairy products – Milk can cause allergies, diarrhea, and acne on your skin.
Alcohol – Too much alcohol can cause dry skin, which you may have noticed before.
Soy – Soy is what causes this, especially dry, damaged skin.
Add more potassium to your diet
Skin foods such as bananas, cucumbers, strawberries, beets, raspberries, and oranges help maintain moisture in your skin. Other foods containing potassium include cottage cheese, carrots, and spinach.
Knowing that you have potassium in your diet will help keep your skin hydrated and prevent dry, flaky skin.
Remember to avoid certain substances
Another part of your lifestyle that you should avoid to avoid disturbing your skin.
Smoking - Smoking ages your skin. It also increases your risk of skin cancer.
Sun Exposure – Getting plenty of sun exposure can help you look and feel youthful and healthy. However, if you don’t use sunscreen, your risk of cancer increases.
