Dry skin: causes, treatment and what helps

Dry skin is skin that has lost moisture. It can feel tight after washing, look rough or scaly and, in some people, become itchy or cracked. The NHS describes itching caused by dry, cracked or irritated skin as something simple self-care can often ease, and says itchy skin is not usually a sign of anything serious.

Dry skin is a symptom rather than a single disease. It can be a feature of long-term skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and ichthyosis, which the NHS says emollients are often used to manage, or it can simply reflect everyday things such as washing with soap.

The NHS describes moisturising treatments called emollients as the main treatment. They cover the skin with a protective film that traps in moisture and can be used to replace lost moisture whenever your skin feels dry or tight. You can buy them from a pharmacy without a prescription, and the NHS says they are very safe and you cannot overuse them.

The NHS advises using a clean spoon or spatula to take emollient from a tub, and smoothing, not rubbing, it into the skin in the direction of hair growth to help prevent blocked hair follicles. It is best applied straight after washing, a bath or a shower, as soon as you have patted the skin dry.

If you use a steroid cream or another treatment, the NHS says to wait 20 to 30 minutes between the emollient and the other treatment and to ask a doctor which to use first.

The NHS advice on itchy skin gives a simple routine that also helps dry skin and may stop it coming back.

• Use an unperfumed moisturiser or emollient regularly.

• Have cool or lukewarm baths or showers, and do not spend a long time in the bath or shower.

• Do not use perfumed soaps, deodorants or moisturisers.

• Wear loose cotton or silk clothing, and avoid tight clothes and wool or synthetic fabrics.

• Use laundry liquid or powder made for sensitive skin.

• Keep nails clean, short and smooth, and pat or tap rather than scratch.

The NHS says it is especially important to apply an emollient regularly to your hands and face, because they are exposed to the elements more than any other part of your body. Applying an emollient before gardening or before and after swimming may also help, leaving enough time for it to be absorbed before you swim.

Some emollients can cause a reaction such as stinging or burning that does not settle after a few days. The NHS says to talk to a GP, nurse or pharmacist if that happens, and that if your skin stings after using an emollient wash product and does not settle after rinsing, a pharmacist can recommend a different product.

Dry skin has many possible causes and the NHS asks people not to diagnose themselves if they are worried. For itchy skin, which often goes with dry skin, it lists common groups of causes.

The NHS lists dry skin, dry hair or hair loss among the common symptoms of an underactive thyroid, alongside tiredness, feeling cold, weight gain and low mood, and says these symptoms usually develop slowly. Ichthyosis, a group of rare skin conditions that cause dry, scaly skin, is usually something you are born with, but the NHS says it can sometimes appear later in life because of another health condition or from taking certain medicines.

The NHS says that if ichthyosis-type symptoms are caused by another health condition or a medicine, treating the condition or changing the medicine can improve them. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without advice: speak to your GP or pharmacist.

Itchy skin is also common after the menopause, according to the NHS, and usually gets better over time.

The NHS says atopic eczema usually starts in babies and young children and can make the skin itchy, dry, cracked, crusty, scaly or thickened. Its advice includes applying emollients as often as possible (at least 2 times a day), continuing even if the eczema improves, washing with an emollient instead of soap, keeping cool, keeping nails short and putting anti-scratch mittens on babies.

On emollients in general, the NHS says it is a good idea to protect babies' hands and cheeks with an emollient before mealtimes to stop them getting sore from food and drink. If a child's skin condition is severe, the NHS says to talk to a GP, nurse or health visitor, as stronger treatment may be needed.

The NHS says to call 111 for children under 5 if you want to check symptoms, or use 111 online for anyone aged 5 and over.

The NHS says itching in pregnancy is common and can be caused by changes in hormone levels and the skin stretching as your baby grows. It usually stops after the baby is born. A pharmacist can suggest creams, lotions and antihistamines that are safe to use in pregnancy, so tell them you are pregnant.

Itching can sometimes be caused by a liver condition called intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). The NHS says to get urgent medical help if you are pregnant and have very itchy skin (for example it keeps you awake at night), itchy palms of the hands or soles of the feet, or itching that is worse at night. Call your maternity unit, or 111 if you cannot reach them.

The NHS also says to see a GP if you are pregnant and itchy skin affects your daily life, does not get better after treatment from a pharmacist, keeps coming back, or you have eczema (which can get worse in pregnancy) or a new rash, lump or swelling.

The NHS says to see a GP if itchy skin is affecting your daily life, does not get better with self care or keeps coming back, is caused by a new rash, lump or swelling that you are worried about, is all over your body, is severe or happens during pregnancy.

A GP may prescribe creams, lotions or tablets depending on the cause, may arrange a blood test to help find the cause and may refer you to a dermatologist. A pharmacist can also advise on products and tell you whether you need a GP.

Most dry skin is managed through self-care and advice from a pharmacist. A GP is the route to prescribed treatments and to NHS skin specialists (dermatologists) if the skin is severe or the cause is unclear.

Some people choose to see a dermatologist privately, usually after a GP referral letter. Whichever route, a regular emollient routine is the foundation of treatment for most people.