Dry Skin and the Environment

Abstract

Dry skin is estimated to be present in about 75% of people aged 75 and over. It has been known for many years that this condition is more frequent in winter, in cold and dry weather conditions. With technological progress, people are now mostly exposed to multiple indoor and outdoor pollutants and environment parameters (air-conditioning, chemicals, noise) which can interact which each other and affect human health, and particularly the skin. All these phenomena are intensified with skin aging and can be aggravated by seasons, the way of life, habits (nutrition, dust, allergens, air-conditioning, noise, smoking, unadapted cosmetic use, some treatments) and working conditions (visual display unit, stress). In fact, this environment can be defined as the whole ensemble of external factors which could have an influence on a subject’s health. This means material (climate, geography), organical (biosphere, fauna, flora), physicocultural (techniques), biocultural (nutritional habits, hygiene, medical use) and psychocultural (stress) elements. The aim of this article is to make a review in order to check which of these elements have a major impact on dry skin, in particular among seasons, working/living conditions and cosmetic or hygienic products.