Risk factors

Anyone can develop dry skin. But you may be more likely to develop the condition if you:

• Are in your 40s or older. The risk increases with age — more than 50 percent of older adults have dry skin.
• Live in dry, cold or low-humidity climates.
• Have a job that requires you to immerse your skin in water, such as nursing and hairstyling.
• Swim frequently in chlorinated pools.