Xerosis (patient information)

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Assosciate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Prashanth Saddala M.B.B.S

Xerosis
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Xerosis?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
Xerosis On the Web
Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov
Images of Xerosis
Videos on Xerosis
FDA on Xerosis
CDC on Xerosis
Xerosis in the news
Blogs on Xerosis
Directions to Hospitals Treating Xerosis
Risk calculators and risk factors for Xerosis

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here.

Overview

Xerosis is an abnormal dryness of the skin or mucus membranes.

Who is at highest risk?

Dry skin usually gets worse during the winter.

Older people are usually affected more by this condition

Diagnosis

The skin is dry, scaly, itchy, and red. Fine cracks may appear on the skin.

The arms and legs are usually affected most.

Treatment options

Treatments include:

• Moisturizers, especially those that contain urea and lactic acid
• Topical steroids -- for areas that get very inflamed and itchy

Prevention of Xerosis

• Avoid excess exposure to water
• Keep the bath water relatively cool
• Use gentle skin cleansers that do not contain dyes and fragrances

Sources

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001838/