Dry skin can be rough, scaly and itchy and eventually crack allowing the barrier or defence function to be broken. If the skin cracks too much and bacteria or other irritants get in then it can become red and sore, potentially resulting in infection and other associated skin problems.

To prevent this occurring emollient therapy should be utilised to avoid drying out. However, once this has occurred, emollients with a high fat content can be utilised to restore the barrier function.