What Causes Dry Patches On Your Face?

Xeroderma (dry skin) can appear as dry, white, purple, or red flaky patches on your skin. Skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis can make you more prone to experiencing dry skin patches. Certain medications and an allergy to a skincare product can also cause dry skin. Although dry skin can affect anyone, it is most common in older adults.1

A dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin conditions) can help you determine what is causing your dry skin and how to best treat it. Chronic (long-term) dry skin may require additional visits with your dermatologist to monitor your treatment progress.1

What Do Dry Patches on Your Face Look Like?

Dry patches of skin will look different on everyone based on your skin type. Generally, dryness makes your skin appear rough, flaky, and scaly.2

On lighter skin tones, some people may also notice red, pink, or white coloring on dry patches of skin. Dry patches can appear red, purple, or white on darker skin tones. Your skin may also look cracked. The size of dry patches of skin on your body may vary. Your skin may also feel more irritated or itchy when you touch it.2

Causes

There are many potential reasons why your skin may suddenly change in texture or appearance. Dry skin can be a temporary reaction to a change in your environment, a response to aging, or a symptom of an acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) health condition.3

Environmental Exposure

Drastic weather changes are a common cause of dry skin. Extremely cold weather can make it more difficult for your skin to retain moisture. Low humidity in the air creates dry heat indoors and outdoors.4 Extremely hot weather and overexposure to the sun can also dry out your skin.3

If you start using new skincare products or have recently exposed your skin to certain chemicals, it can cause inflammation. For example, using harsh soaps or recently going into a chlorinated pool can cause your skin to feel dry.1

Coming into contact with substances you may have an allergy to can trigger allergic contact dermatitis. For substances that simply irritate your skin, you may experience irritant contact dermatitis.3

Protect your skin when using cleaning products, tending to plants, or using antibiotics that may be harsh on your skin. Chemicals, poisonous plants, metals, and antibiotics like neomycin are all common causes of contact dermatitis.3

Aging

Although dry skin affects people of all ages, it becomes more common as you get older. As you age, your skin naturally produces less sebum (oil). Sebum is what keeps your skin soft and moisturized. As you produce less sebum, wrinkles, and fine lines may become more apparent on your face as you age because of less moisture retention.56

Lechner A, Lahmann N, Lichterfeld‐Kottner A, et al. Dry skin and the use of leave‐on products in nursing care: A prevalence study in nursing homes and hospitals. Nurs Open. 2018;6(1):189-196. doi:10.1002/nop2.204

Several studies suggest that dry skin is more prevalent in elderly adults, especially people living in nursing homes or community care facilities.65 Older adults are more likely to have chronic or coexisting medical conditions that require medications that can increase your risk of dry skin.7

Eczema

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition that alters the protective layer of your skin. The main cause of eczema is still unknown, but researchers know it can be passed on genetically, triggered by stress and environmental factors, or may be due to the skin not producing enough of filaggrin (a protein that helps your skin stay moisturized).8

Symptoms typically include itching, dryness, redness, and rashes that may ooze or crust over. Eczema flare-ups (short bouts where symptoms appear) can show up as dry patches anywhere on your body at any time.8

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease caused by an overactive immune system. Researchers don’t know exactly what triggers this overactive immune response. Psoriasis causes skin cells to grow rapidly on top of each other.9

This causes red, white, or purple raised patches of inflamed dry skin. Depending on the severity of your psoriasis, some patches may crack or bleed. People with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) may also experience stiffness or pain in their joints.9

Hormonal Changes

Your hormonal balance has a big influence on the appearance and overall health of your skin. A hormonal imbalance can change the amount of collagen (a protein that helps form tissue) and sebum your skin produces. Pregnancy, menopause, and thyroid health conditions can all cause a hormonal imbalance.10

Lower estrogen levels can also reduce sebum in your skin. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can cause dryness, rashes, and skin discoloration.11

Less Common Causes

There are many other potential causes of dry patches of skin on your face that are less common. If none of the most common causes are the source of the dry skin on your face, a dermatologist may also consider the following potential causes:1

Chronic health conditions: Many health conditions, like diabetes, kidney disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and liver disease, can cause inflammation on your skin, sometimes resulting in dry patches.

Dietary changes: Not getting enough nutrients (malnutrition) or fluid (dehydration) can cause dry patches of skin. An eating disorder like anorexia nervosa (AN) can also affect your skin.1 AN is characterized by symptoms like extreme food restriction.

Precancerous cells: In rare cases, potentially cancerous cells can cause inflammation that shows up as dry patches of skin.12 Some people may have a precancerous skin growth called actinic keratosis—which can look like a dry, chapped, or irritated patch of skin from overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.13

When To See a Healthcare Provider

If a specific product causes your dry skin, symptoms will usually go away once you stop using the product. However, see a dermatologist if irritation continues and dry patches spread to other parts of your body. Seek emergency help if you are also experiencing fever, rash, or swelling.1415

A dermatologist or healthcare provider can help you make a treatment plan for your skin dryness. This usually involves soothing discomfort, replacing lost moisture, and protecting your skin so it can heal.16

A dermatologist can use a lighted, magnifying tool called a dermatoscope to examine your skin more closely. They may also remove a small sample of your skin (a biopsy) and send it to a lab for examination under a microscope.17

If you can’t see a dermatologist right away, your primary healthcare provider can examine your skin and refer you to a dermatologist or prescribe a topical medication to relieve symptoms.18

A healthcare provider will also ask about your medical history and any preexisting health conditions you may have. To treat itching and inflammation, dermatologists often prescribe topical corticosteroids.16

Treatments

You can minimize or even eliminate symptoms with a regular skincare routine that restores and maintains moisture on your skin. However, if an underlying health condition—like eczema, psoriasis, or a hormonal imbalance—is causing your dry skin, you may need to work with a healthcare provider to manage your condition.1

Taking certain medications can also increase the risk of dry skin on your face. Some topical and oral medications, like diuretics, can dry out your skin. Diuretics flush excess fluid from your body. Statins, commonly used to treat high cholesterol, can reduce moisture in your skin as well.1

Some prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) topical medications, such as acne treatments and retinoids, can disrupt your skin barrier, causing irritation and dryness.19 Certain medical treatments, like dialysis, chemotherapy, and radiation used for chronic health conditions, can also cause dry skin.20

Lifestyle Changes

There are many things you can do daily to relieve your dry skin symptoms, and most of them require only small changes to your routine.21

As soon as you shower or exfoliate your skin, moisturize it immediately with an occlusive (moisture-locking) ointment or cream. Common ingredients in moisturizing products include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides.21

Everyday strategies to retain moisture in your skin include the following:21

Keep showers or baths under 10 minutes

Switch to fragrance-free and dye-free soaps, laundry detergents, and skincare

Avoid extreme heat and dry air

Wear moisturizing sunscreen

Use a humidifier during the winter22

Prevention

If you have an underlying health condition that causes dry skin, it may be hard to eliminate it completely, but you can take steps to prevent dry skin patches in the future.14

In the winter and summer, it’s important to protect your skin from harsh elements. This includes covering your skin in extremely cold weather and wearing sunscreen when outside for extended periods of time.14

Apply moisturizer at least once daily, even when your skin doesn’t feel dry. After seeing a dermatologist, you may notice dry patches starting to disappear completely. Even if symptoms appear managed, maintain your treatment plan for as long as your provider suggests. At your follow-up appointment, your dermatologist can determine whether or not you need to continue treatment.22

Complications

Leaving extremely dry skin untreated for too long can cause it to break down over time. If you are experiencing excessive itchiness, cracks or openings can begin to form, making your skin more vulnerable to skin infections.1

If your skin becomes infected, a dermatologist may prescribe a topical medication or antibiotic to treat the infection. People with other health conditions like diabetes or compromised immune systems are more likely to develop skin infections.23

A Quick Review

Dry skin is a common skin condition. Causes of dry skin can vary and may include an allergy to certain chemicals, fabrics, or metals. Chronic health conditions like eczema and psoriasis can also cause dry skin patches on your skin.

If you notice patches of dry skin appearing on your face, consult a dermatologist on how to best treat it. A dermatologist can provide you with a treatment plan and advice on how to best keep your skin moisturized.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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