Dry and peeling skin around the nose can occur due to a variety of reasons, ranging from cold weather and allergies to underlying skin conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Altering certain skincare habits and pampering your skin can often help alleviate dryness. However, in some instances, medical attention may be required.
Causes
Dry and flaky skin near the nose can result from either external or internal factors, leading to a rough feel of the nose. In some cases, dry skin may also be accompanied by redness and itching.
1. Dry and Cold Weather
Cold, dry weather decreases humidity, which results in lower moisture levels in the air. As a result, moisture from our skin readily evaporates, potentially leading to dryness and flaky skin around the nose.
2. Harsh Cleansers
Our skin’s pH plays a crucial role in the synthesis of skin barrier lipids, their proper arrangement, and the shedding of dead skin cells. Bar soaps and high-pH cleansers can drastically alter the skin’s pH, affecting our skin’s barrier over time.
A damaged skin barrier can lead to dry and irritated skin. Additionally, if our skin cells don’t shed properly, this can result in dry and flaky skin.
3. Over-exfoliation
Exfoliation can be an effective way to get rid of dead skin cells and give the skin a smooth appearance.
This can be achieved through physical exfoliants like scrubs and washcloths or by using acids like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid.
Physical exfoliants can cause trauma and irritate the skin, leading to dryness and irritation. Chemical exfoliants (acids), when used at a very high concentration or too frequently, can result in over-exfoliation.
The skin may become dry, irritated, and sensitive, and skincare products that your skin tolerated before may start causing a burning sensation. The area around the nose, especially the nose crease, is particularly sensitive to exfoliants and may become dry and flaky.
4. Nasal Congestion due to Allergies and Sinusitis
If you’ve ever experienced allergies, you’re probably familiar with bouts of sneezing, often followed by a runny nose. Repeatedly blowing or cleaning your nose with rough tissue can damage the skin on and around your nose, leading to flakiness and dryness.
Similarly, sinusitis (an infection of the hollow air spaces in the face bones) can cause nasal discharge, and blowing the nose can irritate the skin, leading to dryness.
5. Hot Water
If you live in a harsh, cold climate, you might prefer using hot water for washing your face or taking a bath. However, hot water can remove part of our skin barrier lipids, causing dry and flaky skin around your nose.
6. Long Showers
The pH of water is usually neutral or higher, depending on the area. Extended exposure to water, as during long showers, can damage our skin barrier, leading to dry skin.
7. Skin Type
People with dry skin types are more likely to have patches of dryness on their skin, especially on the cheeks and around the nose.
8. Aging
As we age, our skin undergoes significant changes. It becomes thinner and loses moisture much more easily. The amount of sebum or oil produced by our skin decreases, especially during menopause. This can lead to flaky skin near the nose.
9. Prolonged Sun Exposure
Prolonged, unprotected sun exposure can lead to sunburn, which in turn can cause peeling and dry skin.
Exposure to the sun can also cause DNA damage that leads to a precancerous skin lesion called actinic keratosis. This can present as a crusty and scaly patch, often affecting areas around the nose. As such, if a scaly patch fails to heal, it is important to consult a doctor to determine the underlying cause.
10. Topical Treatments
There are a variety of topical treatments for skin conditions like acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and more. Some of these treatments can cause dryness as a side effect. Common offenders include:
- Retinoids like adapalene, retinol, and prescription tretinoin: These can lead to retinoid burn or uglies
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Salicylic acid
- Azelaic acid
Similarly, procedures like chemical peels can lead to peeling skin as a late effect of treatment.
11. Dehydration
Long-term dehydration can affect our skin, leading to dryness. A systematic review of multiple studies suggests that water intake may increase the hydration of the top layer of the skin. However, more research in this area is needed.
12. Insufficient Moisturizing
A common misconception is that people with oily skin do not need a moisturizer. People with oily skin who treat their acne with harsh topical treatments without properly moisturizing their skin can suffer from dry skin, especially in sensitive areas around the nose.
13. Skin Conditions
Several skin conditions can lead to red, flaky skin around the nose.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Crusty dry skin around the nose is often caused by a skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis. The redness and flaky patches often extend to the nasolabial folds.
These patches occur due to the accumulation of dead skin cells in the nose creases, which is associated with the increased cell turnover that occurs in seborrheic dermatitis.
Seborrheic dermatitis may cause your nose to peel despite the skin being oily. This condition is caused by an interplay of multiple factors, including oily skin, skin barrier dysfunction, and overgrowth of the Malassezia fungus.
Read more: Seborrheic dermatitis on the nose
Rosacea
This skin condition is characterized by blushing and flushing and can lead to dryness around the nose. It is thought to occur due to our immune system reacting to Demodex mites. Common triggers include sun exposure, stress, spicy food, and extremes of temperature.
Psoriasis
This autoimmune skin condition can lead to areas of redness covered with silvery white scales, causing rough patches on the skin on the nose and surrounding areas.
Perioral Dermatitis
Perioral dermatitis often leads to a rash around the mouth, presenting with dry, scaly skin and red bumps. It is often seen in young females (aged 20 to 45). The rash can extend to areas around the nose and is often linked to prolonged use of topical steroids.
Atopic Dermatitis
This is an eczema that can lead to dry, scaly, cracked, and red spots on the skin. It is usually triggered by common irritants like detergents and soaps.
Allergic or Irritant Contact Dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is a rash that can occur when our skin comes in contact with an irritant or allergen. It can present with redness, scaliness, and flaky skin.
Treatment
There are several ways to heal the dryness around the nose. This involves both skincare habits and lifestyle changes.
1. Low pH Cleanser
Gentle cleansing is the first step in treating dry skin. Switch to a low pH or pH-balanced cleanser. If you have dry skin, choose a creamy cleanser.
Our skin’s pH is acidic, so using a cleanser close to our skin pH can minimize the alteration in our skin pH. As already mentioned above, an acidic pH is required for the proper functioning of our skin barrier.
Better skin barrier = hydrated healthy skin
If you have dry skin or your skin doesn’t have patches of oiliness in the morning, you can skip washing your face.
2. Moisturizer
Instead of a gel or lotion-type moisturizer, use a thick creamy moisturizer.
Regardless of your skin type, a moisturizer can help your skin in multiple ways:
- It replenishes our skin barrier lipids.
- It hydrates our skin, which facilitates the normal shedding of dead skin cells or exfoliation.
- It can decrease itching.
All of the above can help heal dry skin on the face. Use a moisturizer with a combination of humectant, emollient, and occlusive.
Humectants add moisture to the skin, emollients smooth out any rough edges, and an occlusive forms a barrier on top to prevent loss of water from our skin.
Look for ingredients like urea, lactic acid, and niacinamide to hydrate your skin and improve the skin barrier.
Remember to apply moisturizer to damp skin to lock in all the moisture.
3. Use an Occlusive
While a moisturizer can do wonders for healing our dry skin, sometimes it’s not enough. Use an occlusive like Vaseline or Aquaphor to seal in all the moisture.
“Slugging” does work!
4. Protect Skin from Harsh Topical Treatments
For treating certain skin conditions, it’s crucial to use topical treatments, though some can be harsh and lead to dryness.
To heal your skin:
- Take a break for a few days (if it’s a prescription medication, talk to your doctor).
- Use a cream version instead of a gel version.
- Add a layer of moisturizer on sensitive areas before applying any harsh topicals, especially around your nose. This will heal the dryness and prevent future dryness in that area.
5. Be Conservative with Exfoliation
If you’ve gone overboard with exfoliation, it’s best to take a step back. Let your skin heal and introduce exfoliants back into your routine slowly.
Avoid using high-strength peels too often. Instead, opt for acids like mandelic acid, which can be less irritating than other acids.
You can also choose a face wash based on glycolic acid or salicylic acid. These can be a gentle way of exfoliating without side effects.
6. Sun Protection
Make sure to protect your skin from sun rays. This will protect your skin barrier and help your skin heal faster.
If you find that your chemical sunscreen is burning or stinging your skin, use a mineral or physical sunscreen.
Mineral sunscreen can also dry out our skin, so make sure to moisturize your skin before using sunscreen or use a rich moisturizing sunscreen.
Remember to apply enough sunscreen, especially on areas around the nose that are often missed. You can also protect your skin from the sun by using protective clothing like broad-brimmed hats or gaiters.
7. Avoid Powder Forms of Skincare and Makeup Products
Most powder sunscreens and makeup products have absorbents in them which can absorb excess moisture or oil.
These products might be beneficial for someone with oily skin, but if you’re already dealing with dryness around the nose, avoid using these products in the affected areas.
8. Use a Humidifier
Humidifiers can be a great way to add moisture to our environment, which can help hydrate our skin. Additionally, they can benefit our allergies by decreasing the dryness of nasal mucosa.
However, ensure the humidity level is below 60%, as an overly humid environment can become a breeding ground for mold. Use a humidifier with a humidistat to adjust the moisture level in a room.
9. Get an Air Purifier
If you often suffer from allergies, an air purifier can be a great investment. It can remove allergens and dust, improving your indoor space’s air quality.
Fewer allergens mean fewer allergies and less nose-blowing, thus reducing the chance of dry skin around the nose.
10. Use a Nasal Spray or Antiallergic
A simple saline spray can thin the nasal mucus and relieve stuffiness.
Over-the-counter antihistamines can help with symptoms of allergies like a runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing.
11. Use a Soft Tissue or Towel to Blow Your Nose
If you have nasal discharge, use a soft tissue or cloth to blow your nose. This will minimize damage to your skin.
12. Protect from Cold and Wind
Cold, windy weather can dehydrate our skin, so protect your skin using a scarf or face covering.
13. Take Short Warm Showers
Keep your showers short, around 5-10 minutes, and use warm water instead of hot water to prevent further damage to the skin barrier.
14. Eat a Healthy Diet Rich in Antioxidants and Essential Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that our bodies cannot make, so we have to obtain these from our diet. They can help not only our skin but also our body by reducing inflammation.
Some sources include:
- Fish like salmon, tuna
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Walnuts
- Avocados
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Additionally, include antioxidant-rich foods like green tea, berries, and dark chocolate in your diet.
15. Treatment of Underlying Skin Condition
If the dryness is not going away or improving by using simple measures at home or it is getting worse, it’s best to see a doctor. They can help you in treating any underlying skin condition.
In some cases, they may take a skin sample/biopsy and send it to a pathologist for diagnosis.
Depending on the skin condition, the treatment will vary.
- Seborrheic dermatitis: This condition is often treated with products containing antifungals and keratolytics, such as zinc pyrithione, sulfur, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, or salicylic acid.
- Psoriasis: Topicals containing salicylic acid and coal tar are common treatments. More severe cases might require prescription medications, which can include topical steroids, vitamin D analogs, retinoids, or systemic medications such as methotrexate, cyclosporine, biologic drugs, or phototherapy.
- Rosacea: Treatment usually involves skincare and prescription treatments to control the redness, bumps, and other symptoms. Topical medications often used include metronidazole, azelaic acid, and ivermectin. Oral antibiotics like doxycycline are also used, and for persistent redness, laser treatments may be recommended.
- Atopic dermatitis: Treatment generally involves emollients and topical treatments to reduce inflammation and itching. These may include corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors.
- Perioral dermatitis: This condition is often treated with oral and/or topical antibiotics. In addition, one should avoid the use of topical steroids on the face, unless directed by a doctor.
- Contact dermatitis: The main treatment is to identify and avoid irritants or allergens. Topical steroids may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and itching.
How Long Does It Take to Heal?
It usually takes a week to 10 days to see signs of improvement. If the dry skin around your nose is not improving, an underlying skin condition may be causing it.
In such a case, see a doctor or specialist to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
How to Cover It?
Do you have a big day but you are dealing with flaky skin around your nose? Here are a few tips to cover it:
- Use an occlusive like petroleum jelly on the flaky areas.
- Then apply your foundation or makeup products (use creamy makeup products instead of powder).
- If redness accompanies the dryness, use a creamy concealer with a green tint.
The occlusive will form a barrier on the dry areas and protect them from further damage.
Prevention
- Use lukewarm water instead of hot water.
- Limit your shower time to 5-10 minutes.
- Use a low-pH cleanser.
- Moisturize regularly.
- Use sunscreen every day.
- Don’t overdo exfoliation.
- Stay away from physical scrubs.
- Protect your face from cold and wind.
- Use a humidifier.
- Keep your carpets and bed sheets clean if you are prone to allergies. For severe allergies, consider hardwood floors.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Stay hydrated.
- If you are diagnosed with a skin condition, use your medication regularly.
When to See a Doctor
- If the dry skin persists despite changing skincare habits.
- If the condition gets worse.
- If there is pus or visible discharge.
- If there is intense pain.
- If you see a change in color or there is any growth in the area.
Summary
Dry skin around the nose is common due to several external factors or an underlying skin condition. You might be tempted to scrub away the dead dry skin cells, but treating the underlying cause is important, or the dryness will return.
Using a gentle skincare regimen and making some lifestyle modifications can help alleviate this dryness.
References
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- Akdeniz M, Tomova-Simitchieva T, Dobos G, Blume-Peytavi U, Kottner J. Does dietary fluid intake affect skin hydration in healthy humans? A systematic literature review. Skin Res Technol. 2018 Aug;24(3):459-465. doi: 10.1111/srt.12454. Epub 2018 Feb 2. PMID: 29392767.
- Sand M, Sand D, Thrandorf C, Paech V, Altmeyer P, Bechara FG. Cutaneous lesions of the nose. Head Face Med. 2010 Jun 4;6:7. doi: 10.1186/1746-160X-6-7. PMID: 20525327; PMCID: PMC2903548.
- Schagen SK, Zampeli VA, Makrantonaki E, Zouboulis CC. Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012 Jul 1;4(3):298-307. doi: 10.4161/derm.22876. PMID: 23467449; PMCID: PMC3583891.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for information purposes only and does not replace medical advice.