Health-The Facts About Moisturizers and Dry Skin

What is fact and what is fiction about skin moisturizers? It may surprise you to know that some of the alleged facts you believe about moisturizers are not true. Here are a few facts you may not know about skin moisturizers.

1. Did you know that not everyone needs a moisturizer? This may be a shocking statement to some people because we are surrounded by information that contradicts this fact. What is true is that regardless of what you hear from cosmeticians, product ads, fashion magazines and dermatologists, everyone doesn't need a moisturizer. Moisturizers are used to help the skin keep the moisturizer it already has and preserve it.

Dry skin such as eczema and dermatitis are often a problem that comes and goes. Factors such as the environment, general health, genetics, and sun damage can cause a flare up of transient skin conditions. Using harsh bar soaps, cleansers, and toners that contain ingredients that irritate the skin can irritate these conditions. If we use products that mask the problem and don't treat it, these problems are made worse.

2. Moisturizers are not for giving skin moisture but help the skin save its natural moisture. Dry skin can feel uncomfortable; make your face and body feel tight. Your skin can have a rough feel and skin loses its elasticity, tone, and makes it look older. New skin cells replace old cells routinely and if those cells build up they cause red and itchy patches on your skin.

3. Moisturizers can often cause more problems for the skin. If the moisturizers contain irritating ingredients, they make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage, pollution, and other conditions. The water content of your skin is important to how it feels and its elasticity. Water content in the skin should not drop below the 30 percent concentration level. If it does, it causes dry skin and other problematic skin conditions. Avoid drying out your skin by avoiding long showers or long soaks in a tub. These actions cause a disruption in the skin's outer layer and can mean redness, irritation and dryness. It can also cause problems with a damaged immune response.

4. Everyone needs ingredients in their skin care products that promote the function of the skin and prevent dryness. Some ingredients that promote skin structure, smoothness, and tone are amino acids, ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids and many other essential nutrients. They keep the intercellular matrix strong and form a protective barrier that keeps the moisture content in your skin at a high-level. If you don't preserve your skin's natural barrier it allows your skin cells to lose water and other substances that are essential in keeping your skin healthy and supple.

5. The packaging of the product can make a difference in how effective the product will be. Products that have antioxidants need to be in a container that is airtight, such as a squeeze bottle and one that will not allow the light to filter in. If the products are not packaged correctly, the products will have a shorter shelf life.