A dry cough is a cough that is accompanied with phlegm or mucous. Most dry coughs are a reaction to an environmental allergen, pollutant or toxin. The body attempts to expel the irritant from the respiratory system by coughing it out.

Dry skin, also known as xerosis, is usually a temporary problem that can easily be treated from home. The hands are often a complaint of dry skin for children since they are regularly exposed to factors that influence the skin’s hydration.

The University of Maryland Medical Center describes folliculitis as the inflammation of one or more hair follicles caused by irritation, shaving of the head, or blockage.

The appearance of skin growths or lesions can be frightening because they may look like skin cancer. Not all skin problems are cancerous, however. Some, such as seborrheic keratosis, are benign. Even the precancerous skin lesions, such as actinic keratosis, can be treated before they progress to cancer.

Excessive dryness of the skin on your feet or anywhere on your body is referred to as xerosis. It’s more common in winter and leaves your feet flaky, itchy and irritated. In severe cases, your skin may also develop cracks or fissures, according to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine.

Painfully dry and cracked hands can be the result of frequent hand washing, sensitive skin or a dry winter climate. Whatever the cause, cracking skin hurts and requires gentle care to prevent and heal damage. Finding lotions that work well for your skin can be challenging.

If your face feels taught, rough and uncomfortable, then you may have dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin poses a unique set of challenges which is best managed on two fronts: internal and external. Differing in symptoms from dry skin, the signs of dehydration are relatively easy to diagnose.

Although it's possible to have lovely skin at any age, skin care becomes a bit more challenging when you reach the age of 50. Natural oil production decreases after menopause, and the skin becomes drier and more fragile, states Dr. Rosemarie Ingleton, New York dermatologist, on the MSNBC Today Style website.

The skin on the palms of your hands is some of the most sensitive on the body, yet it is also subject to some of the heaviest use. You use your hands constantly, and if the skin on the palms of your hands is itchy or inflamed, this can have a serious effect on your ability to go about your daily activities.

Several factors can contribute to redness around your nose. These include cold or windy weather, rosacea, blemishes, broken blood vessels, irritation or simply having a fair-toned complexion.

Whether the harsh winter weather has given your skin a beating or the hot summer months are exposing your skin to too much sunshine, dry skin patches are uncomfortable and unappealing to look at. You can slather on lotions and creams all day long, but sometimes you have to be a little more aggressive to fight dryness.

An itchy skin rash can indicate an underlying health condition or disease, or can simply be a response to contact with an irritating substance. Determining the cause is important, because treatments differ for the various types of itchy rash. Further, certain illnesses and conditions that cause rash are contagious.