Constant Dry Skin Around Your Nose? Here's What's What

A dry, red, painful nose can happen when you’ve had a cold and have been blowing into tissues for days, but if you’re experiencing it all the time there may be something else going on. You guessed it… the hormones are back in town. Let’s take a look at why this may be the case for you, why snout to worry about (get it?), and how you can keep skin hydrated. 

What are the possible causes of dry skin around the nose?

In day-to-day life, anyone can experience dry skin around the nose due to changes in weather, irritation caused by sweat, nursing a cold, skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, having a shower or bath that’s too hot, using the wrong skincare products, and more. 

Could hormones be to blame?  

Hormones can be to blame for just about anything! And in this case, they can even be the cause of dry skin around the nose. Although the nose is known for being part of the oily T-zone and having a lot of sebum-producing pores, this can also be part of the problem. 

Sebum production increases at certain points in your menstrual cycle, and when this happens around the nose it can, in some cases, turn into inflammatory conditions like dermatitis and rosacea, which lead to dry, itchy and sometimes painful skin. 

Another reason is often the drop in estrogen that occurs during your cycle. Estrogen helps stimulate the ideal amount of oil production in order to keep skin healthy and hydrated. Without it, skin can become dry and itchy - not fun if you’re also dealing with hormonal acne, painful periods, mood swings or one of many other possible PMS symptoms!

When am I most likely to experience this? 

If you want to plan ahead for the dry nose days, they will typically fall around the first few days of your period when estrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest. This is part of the reason for hormonal acne on your period, as dryness causes pores to overcompensate and produce more oil, leading to acne breakouts - just what you need right now! 

The low estrogen level can last until the week after your period, so you may find dry skin (and in particular a dry nose) hangs around until then, when - in the second week of your cycle - hormones start to rise and your skin will likely return to its healthy self around the time of ovulation. Phewf. 

What about menopause?  

Just like when estrogen decreases during your cycle, estrogen also begins to decrease permanently when you reach perimenopause and beyond, meaning this hormone is no longer available in the body to help stimulate the formation of collagen and oil. The result? You guessed it; dry, itchy skin. 

Due to those changing hormones, the lack of estrogen doesn’t just reduce the skin’s oil production, it may also reduce the body's ability to retain moisture. The first places you will likely notice this are along your T-zone, on your elbows, or elsewhere, but eventually skin becomes drier all over the body and things like the hair and nails can lack moisture too. Damn, another point to dry skin!

How can I stop this happening? 

Time for a little positivity! Don’t worry, whether it’s your monthly cycle drying up that nose of yours, or it’s menopause calling the shots, there are ways to regain the dewy skin you love and keep it topped up with hydration at all times. Here’s what to do about dry skin:

• Always wash your face with a gentle cleanser, and avoid products containing harsh soaps, detergents, alcohol or fragrance. If you’re prone to dry skin on one area (the nose, for example!) try to only wash this area once a day.
• Find a moisturiser that works for you and apply it while skin is still damp from the shower or bath. Moisturising products like this act as a barrier to trap existing moisture into dry skin and encourage hydration. 
• Try not to over-exfoliate, as scrubbing away dry, flaky skin can be tempting but could cause more damage later down the line. 
• A 2017 study found that sun damage is a cause of thin, dry skin, so wear sunscreen to protect your nose from damage and prevent dry, flaky skin. 
• Use a humidifier in rooms where you spend a lot of time, to keep skin hydrated.
• Take warm showers, not hot. Experts say doing this, and limiting your shower time to 5-10 minutes, could help skin retain moisture instead of losing it. 
• Try the Yoppie Winter Revival Hydrating Face Mask. Designed for week 1 of your cycle when skin is at its driest, it contains sodium hyaluronate which can hold up to 1000x its own weight in water - a hydrating miracle when you need it most. 

Concerned about dry skin on your nose? It’s quite a common skin woe, but you should always reach out to a doctor if your skin starts to hurt, there’s an unusual change in the colour/texture of the skin, or the dryness is getting worse over weeks, even with treatment. It’s usually nothing to fret over, but your GP can check everything is as it should be.

Let us know how you handle dry skin around your nose in our private Facebook group or on Insta @itsyoppie. Don't forget that our personalised period box can get menstrual cycle care from organic tampons to hormonal supplements and even skincare delivered easily and regularly through your letterbox so you've got one less thing to worry about during your cycle.