Dry skin is often a temporary or seasonal problem — one that you experience only in winter or summer, for example — but the problem may remain a lifelong concern. Although your skin is often driest on your hands, arms, lower legs and sides of your abdomen, the locations where these dry patches form can vary considerably from one person to the next.

Signs and symptoms of the condition will depend on your age, health status, living environment, the amount of time you spend outdoors and the specific cause of your problem. With dry skin, you may have one or more of the following:

- Sensation of skin tightness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming

- Skin that appears shrunken or dehydrated

- Skin that feels loose and rough rather than smooth

- Itching that sometimes may be intense

- Slight to severe flaking, scaling or peeling skin

- Fine lines or cracks in the skin

- Redness

Dry skin often has an environmental cause. Certain diseases also can significantly affect your skin. Potential causes include:

- Weather. Skin tends to be driest in winter, when temperatures and humidity levels plummet. But the season may not matter as much if you live in desert regions.

- Heat. Central heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all reduce humidity and dry your skin.

- Hot baths and showers. Taking long, hot showers or baths can dry your skin. So can frequent swimming, particularly in heavily chlorinated pools.

- Harsh soaps and detergents. Many popular soaps, detergents and shampoos strip moisture from your skin as they are formulated to remove oil.

- Other skin conditions. People with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis (eczema) or psoriasis are prone to dry skin.

These steps can help keep your skin moist and healthy:

- Moisturize. Moisturizers provide a seal over your skin to keep water from escaping. Apply moisturizer several times a day and after bathing.

- Use warm water and limit bath time. Long showers or baths and hot water remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower to five to 10 minutes and use warm, not hot, water.

- Avoid harsh, drying soaps. Choose mild soaps that have added oils and fats. Avoid deodorant and antibacterial detergents, fragrance and alcohol.

- Wear rubber gloves. If you have to immerse your hands in water or are using harsh cleansers, wearing gloves can help protect your skin.

- Use a humidifier. Hot, dry, indoor air can parch sensitive skin and worsen itching and flaking. A portable home humidifier or one attached to your furnace adds moisture to the air inside your home. Be sure to keep your humidifier clean to ward off bacteria and fungi.