What is Xerosis
Xerosis is a pathological variant of dry skin, which occurs first of all with excessive dryness of the skin. However, xerosis does not only affect the skin: it is a disorder that can also occur at the level of the nasal, oral and ocular mucosa.
Skin Xerosis
Skin Xerosis is the technical term that indicates the progressive drying up of the skin: when the quantity of water in the stratum corneum falls below 20%, the skin appears dry, dry and dehydrated.
Skin xerosis is not dangerous in itself, but it can become dangerous when it is related to a series of factors that can aggravate the initial situation.
In the case of xerosis, the TEWL ( trans epidermal water loss ), ie the natural barrier that prevents the excessive loss of trans-epidermal water, appears altered; consequently the water lost in the form of steam is too high and increases the suffering at the level of the skin.
Cutaneous xerosis is not a contagious disease, nor can it develop into serious pathological forms; however, skin xerosis could result in various disorders such as, for example, atopic dermatitis.
Symptoms
The skin responds to the lack of water with excessive flaking, cracks, cracks and small cracks: these are the typical signs with which skin xerosis occurs.
If the condition worsens, and the amount of water drops below 10%, the affected person may complain of other problems, such as discomfort, itching and, in the most serious cases, even pain.
Scales and fissures are two morphological aspects that occur whenever there is xerosis of the skin; the scales represent an accumulation of dead corneal cells, laced to the surface of the skin, determined by the local inflammation that stimulates excessive cellular turnover. Therefore, a chain process is established that could favor the emergence of allergies or other irritations.
Causes and Risk Factors
As mentioned, xerosis is characterized by excessive skin dehydration which leads to a series of rather annoying symptoms. The causes of this dehydration can be different.
Feeding can significantly affect the appearance of xerosis: in fact, a diet devoid of fruit and vegetables, with a low water intake, can have a negative reflection also in the skin.
Similarly, climatic factors also greatly affect the appearance and possible worsening of xerosis. In general, in fact, xerosis tends to increase when the climate is cold and humidity is very low (a condition that occurs in winter, but also in particularly hot and dry summers).
Even age, frequency of exposure to the sun and genetic predisposition are factors that enhance xerosis: in fact, the skin of elderly people tends to be always drier than that of young people, just as tanned skin appears much more dry compared to the skin of subjects who do not expose themselves to the sun.
Other risk factors predisposing to the development or worsening of xerosis can be:
- Excessive or too frequent contact with water, or short but repeated contacts followed by frequent drying;
- Use of excessively aggressive detergents that damage the skin barrier;
- Dry and windy climate;
- Frequent contact with chemicals, solvents or irritating and aggressive products.
Treatment
The cutaneous manifestations of xerosis can be alleviated by applying some cosmetic or herbal products in the injured area. Vaseline is perhaps the most suitable substance to counteract skin xerosis, thanks to its emollient properties and its ability to create an occlusive film that protects the skin from external insults while at the same time hampering water loss.
More generally, however, anti-xerosis products should be formulated with lipids (preferring ceramides and sterols), moisturizing substances and hydrophilic polymers such as collagen, hyaluronic acid and gums. Furthermore, the preparation should contain molecules capable of smoothing the skin (eg allantoin) and alpha-hydroxy acids. It is fundamental to prefer moisturizing, nourishing and emollient products, which must be chosen with care and attention, as irritating substances can aggravate the xerosis of the skin. In this regard, it is important to remember that - in addition to moisturizing, nourishing and emollient creams and cosmetics - in order to facilitate the healing process and restore normal skin conditions, it is very important to carefully choose cleansing products as well. These products must necessarily be of quality and delicate and must not be excessively degreasing. It has been shown, in fact, that the use of aggressive detergents tends to remove a part of the hydrolipidic film that nourishes and protects the skin; consequently, soaps and irritants alter the protective barrier.
In the most severe cases of xerosis, accompanied by cracking, cracking and bleeding fissures, it may be necessary for the doctor to indicate the most appropriate therapy
Useful tips
In addition to skin care performed daily by cleansing and applying moisturizing and nourishing products, to promote the healing of skin affected by xerosis, or to prevent its appearance, it may be useful to take some small steps:
- Avoid environments that are too dry and, if necessary, use a humidifier.
- If the climate is very cold, or hot and dry, try to limit the hours spent outdoors and - when possible - use special protective clothing (such as, for example, gloves in cold weather).
- Avoid cleaning with too hot water and prefer it instead, warm.
- Wear clothes made of natural fibers, such as cotton or silk, avoiding those made of synthetic fibers.
- Avoid using laundry detergents rich in dyes or perfumes as these substances may irritate the skin, remaining on the garments for a long time even after washing.
Ocular xerosis
The ocular xerosis is certainly the most severe form of xerosis, due to the disturbances that can result from it at the level of the eye: we speak more precisely of conjunctival xerosis, a degenerative pathology of the conjunctiva which is connoted by the superficial keratinization of the same, which appears white and dry. The conjunctiva does not secrete mucus and the tears are unable to maintain a certain moisture inside the eye.
Causes and Risk Factors
For example, conjunctival xerosis is a clinical evidence of vitamin A deficiency, but is also observed in sarcoidosis and lupus erythematosus.
Additional possible causes that favor the onset of ocular xerosis are:
- Alterations in the lacrimal glands;
- Bacterial infections;
- Disorders of the thyroid gland;
- Diabetes;
- Scleroderma;
- Eye surgery;
- Sjögren syndrome.
Among the risk factors of ocular xerosis, however, we find:
- Environmental pollution;
- Aging;
- Taking certain types of drugs;
- Smoking habit.
Symptoms
Usually, the ocular xerosis - in addition to the characteristic dryness - manifests itself with symptoms such as discomfort, itching, and inflammation. The disorder, then, continues to degenerate leading to the appearance of symptoms such as burning, visual fatigue, photophobia, thickening of the area affected by the disorder which also shows an evident loss of luster and pigmentation, with consequent formation of grayish spots called Bitot spots.
Many patients also complain of feeling the sensation of a foreign body inside the eye, which is associated with the production of very dense secretions.
Evolution
Ocular xerosis is the first stage of xerophthalmia (dry eye due to vitamin A deficiency): the conjunctiva is white and keratinized. If conjunctival xerosis is not treated, the disorder can progress and also expand to the cornea ( corneal xerosis ); the disease, again, could degenerate more and lead to keratomalacia .
But that's not all: conjunctival xerosis is a subtle disease, which can favor more or less serious infections. The most dangerous infections, such as trachoma, could cause the appearance of dry plaques and scars affecting both the conjunctiva and the cornea: in this case, however, conjunctival xerosis is not the cause, but the consequence, because the Trachoma infects the main structures of the eye (cornea and conjunctiva) and causes dryness and dryness of the same, which can degenerate into blindness if not treated.
Treatment
To learn more: Drugs for the treatment of Xerosis Ocular
The treatment of ocular xerosis depends substantially on the cause that triggered it.
For example, if xerosis is caused by bacterial infections, it will be necessary to apply eye drops or ophthalmic ointments based on active antibiotic ingredients which must be prescribed by the doctor.
In any case, in general, eye drops and ophthalmic ointments are the most commonly used drugs for the treatment of conjunctival xerosis. Oral therapy, instead, is usually reserved for the most serious cases.
In order to restore the normal conditions of ocular hydration, the use of artificial tears can also be useful.
In any case, when ocular xerosis occurs, before proceeding with any type of treatment, it is necessary to seek the advice of the doctor or ophthalmologist.
