As a therapist, I have cared for the skin of many clients for almost 30 years.
In my experience, I have found that more than half of them have “dry skin.
Some of them have told me that they thought they had oily skin even though they have dry skin, or that they were not sure if they have dry skin or not.
In this blog, we will explain what dry skin is in simple terms.
Dry skin refers to a skin texture in which the skin lacks moisture (NMF), oil (intercellular lipids), and sebaceous film. Specifically, dry skin occurs when the moisture and oil in the stratum corneum (the surface portion of the skin) decrease and sebum secretion declines.
What is moisture (NMF)? =NMF is a water-soluble component of the stratum corneum and is composed of amino acids, urea, lactic acid, etc. NMF attracts and holds moisture from the outside and is essential for maintaining skin moisture.
What is oil (intercellular lipid)? =Intercellular lipids are lipids that connect the cells of the stratum corneum and fill in the spaces between them, with ceramide being the main component. Intercellular lipids prevent moisture from evaporating and support the skin's ability to retain moisture. When ceramide is deficient, the skin becomes dry.
What is the sebaceous film? =It is a thin film formed by a mixture of sebum and sweat secreted from the sebaceous glands that covers the skin surface. It also acts as a barrier to prevent external stimuli and bacteria from entering the skin.

If all of the above mentioned moisturizers are lacking, the skin will become dry, but if any one of them is missing, the skin will also become dry.
Sensations of dry skin:
Scaly skin
Stiff skin
Itching easily and sensitivity to external stimuli
Skin feels rough after cleansing, etc.
Normal or oily skin basically does not feel the above sensations.
Next is the sensation of skin that is actually dry, although it is difficult to understand:
Skin feels sticky during the day, but after washing the face, the skin feels tight.
Dullness of skin is noticeable.
Blackheads in pores are bothersome but do not come out when you press them with your fingers
Pimples easily appear only around the mouth (this is also attributed to organ fatigue), etc.
This is the sensation of skin that produces enough sebum but not enough moisture and oil. Therefore, it needs to be well moisturized.
Most of us do not see dryness in small children, but I will explain in another blog why they develop dry skin as they grow up!
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