Dry skin around Nose – What are the reasons? & How to Cure it?

Dry skin around the nose is a common condition mostly characterized by lack of hydration and moisture in the outmost layer of the skin known as epidermis. As annoying as it can be, Dry skin condition is easy to cure, by figuring out the cause and then knowing how to fix it.

Let’s know all the causes of Dry skin around your nose.

Reasons for Dry skin around the nose

• Skin type- People who have dry skin or combination (oily T zone) skin or skin conditions like Psoriasis, Eczema & type-2 diabetes, are more prone to having dry skin around the nose.

• Weather- Cold air and dry air, a bad combination of weather in winters mostly leads to dry skin problems.

• Hot water- Long hot water showers lead to dry skin and weekend stratum corneum. 

• Dehydration – not to mention, we all know drinking less water has countless drawbacks for our bodies, including skin dryness.

• Skincare products- Over-exfoliation, wrong products for the skin type and alcohol-based harsh ingredients create dry problematic skin.

• Allergies and cold- Allergy which can make you sneeze a lot and cold, where you must wipe and rub your nose constantly, both conditions can lead to a peeled red nose.

• Nutritional Deficiency- Severe dry skin can be caused by some nutritional deficiencies of Biotin, Zinc, protein, fatty acids, B3, and B6.

• Age- Older age leads to thinner skin and no moisture. 8/10 aged people complain about having itchy flaky skin esp. in winter.

• Medicinal side effects- Dry skin could sometimes be a side effect of a few medicines you are taking like oral acne retinoids called Isotretinoin, cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, or blood pressure drugs known as Diuretics, etc.

• Washing your face too much can contribute a lot towards dry dehydrated skin.

Tips for preventing Dry skin around the nose

• Gentle facial cleansers- Avoid harsh cleansers with alcohol, fragrance, or sulfate. If you have dry itchy skin, wash your face once a day, preferably at night with a non-comedogenic cleanser.

• Moisturize- Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, oatmeal or ceramides. Apply your moisturizer or cream on slightly damp skin for better absorption.

• Sun Block- Sun exposure and harsh UV rays can make that dry patchy nose worse, always wear sunscreen when stepping in daylight.

• Humidifier- If you live in a dry cold place, invest in a humidifier for moist hydrated air around you. Low humidity can make your skin chapped and sinuses dry.

• Noncomedogenic makeup- Buy cosmetics that don’t block your pores or look for hypoallergenic products that are best suited for people with sensitive skin.

• Hydration level – Drinking adequate amounts of water every day, around 2-3 liters at least has enormous health benefits.

• Warm showers- Not hot! Warm showers, around 5 minutes add moisture to the skin and exfoliates dead skin cells.

• Diet – add loads of antioxidant rich foods, omega 3 and hydrating food to your everyday diet. Like blueberries and all kinds of berries, watermelons, oranges, cucumbers, kidney beans, carrots, dark chocolate, pecans, kale, spinach, artichoke, etc.

• Don’t pick the flaky skin- You’d have this utmost urge of picking your flaky dried skin around the nose, don’t do that & spread the fungus.

• Natural Remedies- Natural ingredients to keep the skin hydrated are: Coconut oil, vitamin E, mineral oil, glycerin, cica, jojoba oil shea butter, petroleum jelly, Oatmeal, rosewater, honey, avocado face mask.

• Oily skin – Wash your face twice a day, Dry skin- wash your face once a day

• Blood test- Serious nutritional deficiencies mentioned above or any underlying skin conditions can be known only by getting blood work done. It is an important diagnostic tool and can lead to appropriate treatment.

• Don’t rub your face after washing, rather gently pat it dry with facial tissues.

• Use a small amount of petroleum jelly with the help of a Q-tip & apply it on the outer linings of your nose to prevent that annoying flaky skin.

• Nasal Spray- Saline nasal spray can help a lot with any nasal congestion and can moisturize inside while cleaning dust, dirt and pollen.

• Cold Showers- Cold showers help maintain the natural oils and moisture of the skin. They seal the pores, strengthen the skin barrier and improve overall skin health. 

• Exfoliation- Don’t over-exfoliate the skin by vigorously scrubbing away dry flaky skin at once, will do serious damage and compromise your skin’s natural protective barrier. Rather see the following methods to exfoliate safely: 2 kinds- Manual & Chemical Exfoliation

Manual Exfoliation – Uses a tool, brush, or scrub to remove dead skin cells physically.

• Washcloth- Very safe method esp. for sensitive skin types. Use a muslin, cotton cloth, or soft towel, dip it in lukewarm water & gently wipe your face in small circles to remove the debris.

• Charcoal or a natural sponge- Dip the sponge in lukewarm water and apply light strokes on your face, especially around the dry skin around your nose in a circular motion. It will loosen up all the dirt, sebum and clogged pores. Though, don’t put too much pressure on the skin. Keep the strokes light. 

• Face scrubs- They are a temporary solution to remove flakiness and can rather be damaging. There are scrubs containing microbeads that are too damaging and can cause micro tears on the skin surface which weakens the skin barrier and invites more skin troubles. Common culprits are fruit pit scrubs, like the apricot ones we all have used! Ugh, grain & gritty materials like grounded nuts. Personal suggestion- stay away from physical scrubs.

Chemical Exfoliation- Exfoliates by dissolving the bonds between skin cells, revealing fresh, smooth skin cells underneath. Oily skin type can take the maximum benefits from this exfoliant.

• AHA’s- Best for Dry skin. Glycolic acid, Lactic acid, Mandelic acid. The most popular is Glycolic acid. It comes in peels, face washes and masks. It dissolves the top layer of the skin containing all the debris & reveals young skin cells underneath. It has shown beautiful results.

• BHA’s- Best for Oily skin. Salicylic acid is the most common form of BHA. It penetrates the pores, breaks all the blockages and unclogs the pores.

• Retinol- Derivative of Vitamin A, it’s a strong exfoliator that can penetrate deep within the layers of the skin, exfoliates the dead cells & generates new ones. Not for people with Rosacea, or eczema conditions.

• PHA- For sensitive skin types, the Mildest form of chemical exfoliation. Exfoliates the same way as AHA, just less irritating & does not increase the photosensitivity of the skin, unlike AHA & BHA & Retinol.

Natural face masks for Dry and Flaky skin

• Almond face mask- make a paste of soaked almond, yogurt, honey, oats and apply for 20 mins on the face. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Do it 4 times a week. Your dry skin will thank you. 

• Gram flour face mask- mix gram flour & Greek yogurt. Apply for 15 min. Wash it off. It is very mild & brightening. You can even use it every day. Gram flour takes off all the dead skin cells, sun damage and yogurt nourish the skin from within. 

• Neem face mask- mix neem powder (or best if you have fresh neem paste) & turmeric. It is antibacterial & will leave your skin very fresh and clean. Neem has anti- fungal and anti-microbial properties to kill the bacteria causing dermatitis. 

• Avocado face Mask- Avocados are one of the very hydrating natural ingredients to treat dry and flaky skin. Take ½ avocado, 1 tsp honey & some yogurt, mix them & apply. It’s a pure hydration bomb for your skin & will relax your itchy skin.

• Oatmeal- Heal dry skin with this moisturizing oatmeal mask. Oatmeal calms irritated skin. You can make a face mask of it by simply mixing oatmeal with rosewater and a few drops of olive oil or you can put some oat powder in the bathtub and soak your body in it completely for 20 minutes. Then Pat dry and seal your skin with hypoallergenic moisturizer.

• Vitamin E face mask- One capsule of vitamin E, few drops of coconut oil, a pinch of turmeric, 1 tsp greek yogurt and a few threads of saffron. Apply for 20 mins and rinse. Vitamin E is anti-aging and nourishing to the skin and greek yogurt adds a bomb of moisture to the itchy dry skin. 

• Banana face mask- Add ½ banana mashed, 2 tablespoons of plain cottage cheese, and 1 t-spoon of honey. It’s a very creamy hydrating mask. This mask will soothe any skin irritation and will hydrate dry skin generously. 

• Wheatgrass mask- It’s a cooling hydrating mask, add ¼ cup plain yogurt with 3 tsp of aloe vera gel and 2 tsp of wheatgrass juice. Mix them together and leave it on for 20 mins. Rinse off with warm water.

Types of Dry Skin

Extremely Dry skin is medically termed Dermatitis. There are several types of Dermatitis:

• Seborrheic Dermatitis- It is a chronic skin condition when the skin produces excess oil. It primarily affects the scalp but it can also occur on other oily areas of the body like face, nose, eyebrows, and ears. It’s characterized by flaking, itchiness, redness on the face, white-yellowish greasy scales form on sebaceous glands. There is no cure for this condition but it can be managed by using topical anti-fungal creams or using medicated shampoos like Ketoconazole as a face wash prescribed by a board-certified dermatologist.

• Atopic Dermatitis- Known as Eczema, it’s a chronic skin condition causing dry, inflamed and scaly patches on the skin. It is a common skin problem that affects people of all ages, but it is especially predominant in children. 

• Contact Dermatitis- It happens when your skin reacts to something it touches, resulting in inflammation. There are 2 types

1.  Irritant Contact Dermatitis- When skin gets irritated from harsh chemical agents like bleach, detergents, soaps, solvents, and acids. 
2. Allergic Contact Dermatitis- Itchy rash develops when you are in contact with a substance, you’re allergic to, things like nickel, metal, latex, fragrances, cosmetics, junk jewelry, and plants (poison ivy).

How much time will it take to treat Dry skin around nose?

While everybody has different skin and conditions, Results should start seeing in less than 2 weeks, but if nothing cures your condition. You should see a Board-Certified Dermatologist to find any underlying causes.

What are the symptoms of Dry skin?

• Peeling skin
• Flaky skin
• Weird tightness of the skin
• Cracked skin
• Skin burns
• Stings
• Rough skin

Is Dry skin around the nose a serious symptom?

Apart from looking physically unhygienic, uncomforting, or dry feeling with mild irritation, Dry skin around the nose is rarely a serious problem. Excess dryness can sometimes cause the skin to crack and bleed, but that’s not something to worry about. Your skin will be healed in a few weeks, just follow the above-mentioned tips.

A Few Skincare Products Suggestions to heal the Dry skin condition

• Cereve healing ointment is a great emollient
• Hyaluronic acid – The Ordinary
• Cereve – Hydrating facial cleanser
• Cetaphil moisturizing cream
• Aveeno Eczema relief balm with oatmeal
• Eucerin advanced repair cream
  

Have healthy plump skin guys, Love ~ Beauty Stroll