Signs You May Just Have Dry Skin (Xerosis)

 

Great question — eczema (especially atopic dermatitis) and dry skin can look and feel similar, but there are key differences that can help you tell them apart.

🔍 Signs You May Just Have Dry Skin (Xerosis):

• Skin feels rough, tight, or flaky

• Often seasonal, worse in cold/dry weather

• Usually not very itchy (or only mildly so)

• Improves quickly with moisturizers and gentle skincare

• No significant redness, swelling, or broken skin

🩺 Signs You May Have Eczema:

• Skin is very itchy — often intensely so, especially at night

• Red, inflamed patches that may ooze, crust, or crack

• Often appears in folds of skin (elbows, behind knees, neck, hands, face)

• May become thickened or leathery over time from scratching (lichenification)

• Triggered or worsened by irritants, allergens, stress, or climate

• May run in families or be linked to asthma, hay fever, or allergies

Bonus Tip: The Itch-Scratch Cycle

• Eczema tends to cause a cycle of itching and scratching, which makes the skin worse. Dry skin may itch a bit but doesn't usually lead to open or thickened skin.

What to Do:

• Try using a thick, fragrance-free moisturizer multiple times a day for a week.

• If symptoms persist, worsen, or involve oozing, cracking, or intense itching, it's best to see a dermatologist — they can diagnose and guide treatment.