Why is my skin so dry?

Symptoms:

Your skin is dry, worse in hot weather, with coin-shaped areas of red, scaly skin, worst on your hands, face, elbows and behind your knees. All your skin feels very dry. You work in a centrally-heated environment, and when you get home from work you soak in a long hot bath. Your skin is very dry. Your hair is getting thinner. You’re putting on weight and you feel the cold. Your mother had hypothyroidism.

It could be:

Eczema, an inflammation in the skin that runs in families alongside hay fever and asthma. It’s made worse by stress and viral infections. Dryness of the air, plus the drying effect of prolonged exposure to water which can wash away the natural oils that protect your skin. Hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid which is not producing enough thyroid hormone.

Stop it:

Use a moisturiser three to four times a day and at night. Apply moisturiser to damp skin so then the cream will hold water in your skin for longer. Use 0.1% hydrocortisone cream sparingly and not on the face. See your doctor if eczema is severe. Use quick showers, not baths, and moisturising shower cream, not soap. A humidifier in your bedroom will keep the air moist overnight. Turn down the central heating during the winter. Use a moisturiser that is thick enough not to run or drip. See your doctor for thyroid tests and medication with thyroid hormone which you will have to take for the rest of your life.