Dry skin suffers from a lack of natural moisture — there’s little oil to act as a surface barrier and lock in moisture. People with dry skin feel tightness about their face, and their skin is often irritated. Flaking is another symptom, but it’s not always a sure sign of dry skin.
Sometimes, severely dry skin can become itchy and painful, leading to a condition called eczema. Treatment of certain medical conditions can sometimes lead to dry skin.
For example, breast cancer treatment may stop hormone production which could in turn affect the quality of your skin.
It might throw people into a menopausal situation at an early age as the oil production stops prematurely. Naturally-occurring menopause can have the same effect; most women begin to experience drier skin as they hit their late forties.