Glycerin for the skin
DRY skin is a common condition that can affect anyone. With symptoms such as itchiness, scaly skin and skin tightness, this condition can cause major discomfort as you go about your daily life. In very bad cases, the skin may even start to crack.
Common causes of dry skin include the environment, especially when it is too cold, genetics, certain medical conditions and medications. Another cause is, surprisingly, water. Contrary to what we think, water does not hydrate the skin, but rather it actually washes away the natural oils on the skin, leading to dry skin.
Dry skin should be addressed as this condition can lead to an even more serious one – eczema, which causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked.
Dermatologist Dr Peter Ch’ng simplified the management of atopic eczema into 5 “I” s:
1) Inherited/inborn (endogenous eczema), where patients are genetically predisposed to dry skin.
2) Inflammation of the skin that causes it to become red, itchy, dry and scaly.
3) Itchiness, which leads to a vicious cycle of scratching for relief, which then aggravates the itch.
4) Infection – eczema patients are more prone to bacterial, fungal and viral skin infections, which would need to be addressed concurrently with the eczema.
5) Irritation, which includes psychological and physical stress as well as extreme weather (hot or cold) and dust mites.
Eczema can happen to anyone at any time, but those especially prone to this condition are those who have a personal or family history of atopy – a condition that includes eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis or allergic conjunctivitis.
In today’s industrialised world, we are becoming increasingly exposed to more chemicals and potential allergens.
Therefore, there is also an increase in occurrences of skin conditions, such as dryness, eczema and various other skin infections.
As skin is the largest organ of the body that serves as a protective barrier against external aggressions, you need to take utmost care of it to ensure it remains in good health. Skin problems can affect your quality of life negatively.
Glycerin for the skin
To take care of your skin, Dr Ch’ng recommends an individualised treatment based on the skin condition that needs to be addressed. He says, “Skin is an external organ, therefore topical treatment is best as it directly targets the skin. This is provided, of course that underlying problems and diseases have been ruled out or treated.”
Glycerin is a lipid found naturally in animals and plants or it also can be synthetically manufactured. It is a humectant that functions to draw water into the skin. As such, it is an ingredient normally found in moisturisers as well as a variety of personal care products.
To address eczema, Dr Ch’ng recommends those with inherited eczema as well as eczema induced by irritation to use a moisturising bath gel followed by applying moisturiser, particularly after a bath and subsequently as often as needed.
For inflammation, anti-inflammatory cream can be used. As for itchiness, patients may need to take oral antihistamines.
As for types of moisturiser, look out for those that contain no preservatives and fragrance and if it is for the face, the moisturiser should also be non-comedogenic so that it won’t clog your pores.
This article is brought to you by Ego Pharm Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
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