With more and more people suffering from dry skin, Deirdre O'Shaughnessy looks at the potential remedies to exhaust before seeking medical intervention.

If you've ever been asked what skin type you have and your immediate response has been a sigh, and a direction to the questioner to just look at the flakes on your skin, chances are you have consistently dry skin.

Problem dry skin can manifest itself with itching, soreness, redness, flakiness and even sores, in some cases. It can have a number of causes, including stress, weather conditions, air conditioning, central heating, diet, natural disposition and even things like showering too frequently.

If you have tried everything and cannot shake the problem, a consultation with a dermatologist is the next step. Your skin could then be treated with a steroid cream or other medical remedy.

However, there are plenty of steps to be taken before medical intervention is necessary.

Firstly, try to identify the source of your problem. If you have always had dry skin, then it may be something that runs in your family, or there may be a lack of oils or fats in your diet. Foods containing essential fatty acids, such as oily fish (salmon, mackerel) or even vegetable products oils such as olive oil or avocadoes, seeds and nuts should be included in the diet for overall health, but do have a significant impact on skin health. A healthy diet is important for the whole system, but eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and drinking plenty of water is essential for helping solve dry skin conditions.

Next, check out your environment. Do you keep the central heating on all the time? Does your workplace have constant air conditioning? Both of these things will seriously aggravate your skin. Try turning down, or turning off, the heating and wearing more clothes (natural fabrics are best for people with skin problems) if you're cold. If it's too warm, try taking a natural approach and opening a window! Air conditioning is not just bad for the skin, it means everyone in your environment is breathing the same, recycled air, and if one person is sick you can guarantee they won't be alone for long.

After this, inspect the products you use on your skin. If they are scented or very brightly coloured, chances are they are not going to be ideal for your skin type. With vulnerable, sometimes raw, dry skin, you need to be kind to your skin and use products designed very specifically for that skin type.

Haircare products and makeup can also aggravate your skin, so if you find switching skin care products has not made a difference, try changing these too.

There are a number of skincare ranges designed for people with sensitive and problem dry skin. Eucerin and E45 are two of the better-known brands. Both of these are either clear in appearance or white, and both contain emollients designed to soothe your skin and stop it cracking or flaking. While you may miss the lather of soap-based products, bear in mind that the lack of lather shows the basic emollience of the product and the benefits for your skin.