Roses For Friends

Oh My Dear, Forget ur Fear, Let all ur Dreams be Clear, Never put Tear, Please Hear, I want to tell one thing in ur Ear Wishing u a very Happy "NEW YEAR"!

New is the Year, New are the Hopes and the Ispirations, New is the Resolution, New are the Spirits and Forever My Warm Wishes are for You. Have a Promising and Fulfilling New Year.

Lets Welcome the Year which is Fresh and New, Lets Cherish each Moment it Beholds, Lets Celebrate this Blissful New year.

Years Come n Go,but this Year, I Specially wish 4 u a Double Dose of Health n Happiness Topped with Loadsof Good Fortune. Have a gr8 Year ahead! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Wishing U a Wndrful,Super- duper,Zabardast,Xtrabdhiy a,Xtraspecial, ekdum mast n happy, Bole to ekdum Jkaas....... 'HAPPY NEW YEAR'


Keep the Smile, Leave the Tear, Think of Joy, Forget the Fear... Hold the Laugh, leave the Pain, Be joyous , Coz its New Year!HAPPY NEW YEAR
May this Year be a Colourful array of Good Times, Good Luck and good Cheer. *

*Happy New

May the warmth and Splendor, that are a part of this Auspicious Occasion, Fill your Life with Happiness and Bright Cheer, and bring to you Joy and Prosperity, for the Whole Year.


Everybody wants some1 Special, Some1 Nice, Some1 Loving, Some1 Honest, Some1 Cute, Some1 Perfect and Some1 Attractive.. .BUT WHY ALWAYS "ME" YAAR !!!

Oh My Dear, Forget ur Fear, let all ur Dreams be Clear, Never put Tear, Please Hear, I want to tell one thing in ur Ear, which is very Rear, and that thing is wishing u a very rich and Prosperous New Year which is very Near.

Lovely as a Crystal Stream, Tranquil as a Gentle Breeze, Bright as Blossoms in the Sun--Tommorrows Possibilities! May u have a HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!


With all the Rose's Perfume & with all the lights in the world & with all the children's Smiles...I Wish U that ur all dreams comes True..

*HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007*

Nights are Dark but Days are Light, Wish your Life will always be Bright.So my Dear don't get FearCoz, God Gift us a "BRAND NEW YEAR".* HAPPY NEW YEAR *

Fresh Air....

Fresh Idea....

Fresh Talent....

Fresh Energy....

I wish U to have a .....

Sweetest Sunday,

Marvellous Monday,

Tasty Tuesday,

Wonderful Wednesday,

Thankful Thursday,

Friendly Friday,

Successful Saturday.

Have a great Year. HAPPY NEW YEAR

When the mid-nite bell rings tonight...

Let it signify new and better things for you,

let it signify a realisation of all things you wish for,

Let it signify a year of courage and believes,

Wishing you a very...very. ..very prosperious 2007

My wishes for you,

Great start for Jan,

Love for Feb,

Peace for march,

No worries for April,

Fun for May,

Joy for June to Nov,

Happiness for Dec,

Have a lucky and wonderful 2007.

Kindle light in dark homes

Kindle light in dark homes

Your life is not determined by the outward conditions and circumstances but by the thoughts that habitually occupy your mind. It is really not only interesting but exciting to know how a young widow thought to light a candle, where it would have extinguished and brought hope, where despair would have existed.

Shanty Ranganathan lost her husband at a very young age. Her husband died because he was an alcoholic. For a while the future appeared to be dim, dark, uncertain and hopeless, but again she thought, there may be many women who have lost their husbands or may have lost the bread earner of their family because of drinking habit, “It was a challenge and she accepted the challenge an atmosphere where people could be discouraged and stopped taking to alcohol.

Determined to drive away the habit of drinking, she went to the Huston Institute of the United States of America with the financial support of her in-laws to learn how the habit of drinking can be stopped. On return from the United States, she started TT Ranganathan Clinical Research Foundation with the help of her father-in-law and mother-in-law. The clinic, which she started in the year 1980, has taken the shape of a big hospital with 60 beds. It has become a hospital for the rehabilitation of alcoholics.

Shanti Devi’s believes that alcohol and drugs are the two dangerous diseases which affect not only the alcoholic but also his whole family. If a man and his family accept the fact that there is a positive side of giving up alcohol, then only a solution can be found out. On an average, it takes a month’s time for the rehabilitation of the individual. The patient is required to stay in the hospital where he is psychologically treated and efforts are made to cure diseases generated due to consumption of alcohol.

Shanti Devi’s dream institute is today recognized by the world health organizations are generously helping for the consolidation and growth of the institution. Shanti Ranganathan was honoured by the United Nations Vienna Civil Society in the year 1999. Shanti Devi’s story tells us that through imagination and visualisations, one can achieve anything in life.

Pulsar DTS-Fi 225 cc

Pulsar DTS-Fi 225 cc

225cc Engine
21 bhp
Oil cooled
DTS-FI (Digital Twin Spark Fuel Injection)
Rear Disc
Clip On handlebars
Digital Instrumentation
New exhaust system
Longer swing arm
LED Tail lamps
Protector Beam Headlamp
Fairing mounted mirrors
New body panels

Price: Around 85000

And its fuel-injected. Thats a big first for an indigenous bike. Fuel injection means quicker throttle response and better mileage

science behind the web......informative story

science behind the web

Today's kids cannot think of a world without
orkut, yahoo messenger or google.
That is the extent of the influence of the
World Wide Web (www) on our lives.

'' Tim Berners who invented the www
would also never have dreamt how
big his creation would turn out to be,''
''By using the web, people are changing
it constantly.
Look at blogging for example.
Who would have thought of a blogosphere
where people pour out details of their entire life on the Net?"

According to me, the web is constantly changing
and has opened up new businesses and
hence there is a need to understand
web technology and also to study human behaviour.

''The web is experiencing many changes all the time.
Currently, the web is made of documents
but in the future,
there would be the semantic web.
This means the web would be made of data,''

So what is the semantic web?
How will it work?

''It's all about science.
Imagine software where you need to ask a question like,
"Which hotels in city have swimming pools
and are nearer to the airport?"

"The software will quickly scan all the data
on the web and provide you the right answers
within seconds, without you having to surf
through individual websites.
This is the future of www,''

''The entire web will become people-oriented.
The history of what individuals buy
will be available and also social
networking over the net will become more intense,''

''We should focus on web science.
We need to study how web changes and how
people change the web.
Hence, we are now working on starting
a new course of study.
Here, we are developing bachelors,
masters and PhD Courses for web science, ''

Questioning her on if they were not being
too premature about starting the
course given the fact that the semantic web is still far away,
''Computer science programme started 20 years ago
after the first computer was made.
We need to start planning now.''

''Web science is not computer science
or social science but is a combination of both.
It is the science of decentralised information.''

The web science research called
The Web Science Research Initiative (WSRI)
is a joint effort between the Computer Science
and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL),
MIT and the School of Electronics and Computer Science,
University of Southampton.

web regulations enforced by different governments
like the Chinese, for example.
''The web is open and that is why it is successful.
If you apply too many restrictions,
then it will break down.

''we sees more avenues for the web.
''Now we have the e-governance which is becoming big.
Soon, we will have e-voting too which
means sitting at home we can choose what
the next government would be''

South Pole Telescope.

South Pole Telescope

The largest telescope ever is up at the South Pole, funded by the National Science Foundation. The South Pole Telescope is designed to measure the properties of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) light that was originally created billions of years ago in the infant universe. It will search for galaxy clusters in order to try to confirm the existence of Dark Energy and find out something about its properties. Scientists hope this may lead to new understanding of the age, nature, and future of the universe.

Why put a telescope at the South Pole? Because 1. the dry conditions make the atmosphere extremely clear, 2. the altitude is two miles high, putting the South Pole above the sea’s vapor level, and 3. the lack of sunlight in the polar winter makes it easier to search the sky.

Types of kiss

- 1 - ICE KISS
Celebrate the first day of winter with an ice kiss. Put an ice cube in your mouth until your mouth becomes cold. Remove the cube, track down your love and plant a kiss that will send chills!

- 2 - ELECTRIC SHOCK KISS
The two of you shuffle your feet furiously on carpet. When you both have an electric charge, lean over and slowly aim for each other's lips. With your lips about one-half inch apart, move in even slower until a spark jumps between the two of you. Instantly after this happens, kiss one another...the please us the kiss right after the shock!

- 3 - CAMPING KISS
On a beautiful cool night, you and your love crawl into a sleeping bag outside. Cuddle and kiss.

- 4 - REWARD KISS
Next time your love performs some disliked home chore like cleaning the bathroom, mowing the lawn, or taking out the garbage, show your appreciation by tucking a candy kiss in a strategic location.

- 5 - POST-IT KISS
Use 3M Post-It notes to make a trail through your house that leads to your lips. Put a lipstick print or lip symbol on each note with an arrow pointing to the next note. You, of course, are at the end of the trail with a Post-It note over your lips that says, "LIFT FOR KISS"

- 6 - KISSING IN THE RAIN
The next time it rains, grab an umbrella, rain coats, and your love. Then go outside and kiss in the rain. If the spirit of the kiss moves you, remove the umbrella and kiss 'till the two of you are soaked.

- 7 - HERSHEY`S KISSES
Prepare a small bag of Hershey`s kisses and slip it into your love's purse, briefcase, or lunchbox. Attach a note that reads "SORRY, I CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON, BUT THINK OF ME AND DO THE FOLLOWING: Close your eyes and place the candy between your lips. Drop the candy in your mouth and roll it on your tongue until it melts.

- 8 - TRACY AND HEPBURN KISS
Make flash cards, and the two of you re-enact the following kissing scene from WOMAN OF THE YEAR (1942): (Reclining face to face on a couch, woman on top.) SAM: Something I've got to get off my chest. TESS: I'm too heavy? SAM: I love you. TESS: Me, too. SAM: Positive. TESS: That's nice. Even when I'm sober? SAM: Even when you're brilliant. (The two of you kiss.)

- 9 - KISSES IN A BALLOON
Cut out small red tissue lips, and place them inside an opaque balloon filled with helium (any party store could do this for you) Tie the balloon to your love's chair at dinner. Desert is a shower of kisses delivered by a sharp pin. - 10 - TOLL KISS Next time you are driving your love somewhere, stop the car before crossing a bridge or going through a tunnel, and say the toll must be paid before you can go any further. Of course, the toll cost in one kiss.

- 11 - MORSE CODE KISS
I f you know Morse code, great, If not, this is a great way to learn. Find a Morse Code chart. Using long and short kisses, spell out a message to your love and have him or her try to decipher them. - 12 - KISSING METER KISSES We have parking meters, so why not kissing meters? Turn a box into your own kissing meter and wear it around your neck. Give your love kissing tokens to start your kissing meter. Have an "expired" sign appear when you need another kiss.

- 13 - AUDIO STIMULATION
Make a cassette of kissing noises and place in your love's cassette player (walkman, car or home) with a note attached.

- 14 - BREAKFAST IN BED KISS
Slip out of bed early and prepare a special "Kissing" breakfast to serve to your love in bed. Pick foods that you can easily pick up and feed to your love. Kiss between bites!

-15 - STAIRWELL KISS
This kiss is to be done at a party or at a gathering with your love. Steal away to a private location like behind a door or tree, or on the stairwell and passionately kiss each other. The risk of being discovered in the act is the key element.

- 16 - SCUBA KISSING
Wearing a diving mask and fins, simulate swimming underwater. Snorkel across the room to your love and kiss him or her.

- 17 - EYE TEST KISS
Make an eye chart like the ones that you see in a doctor's office where the letters get progressively smaller. Have the chart read, "IF you can read this you are standing close enough to kiss me." Now find your love and give an eye exam.

- 18 - THYMELY KISS
Thyme, according to the Greeks, is the herb which makes one irresistible kissable. Prepare a meal for your love using the herb. Moments after the first bite, rush to your love's lips with a passionate kiss. Come up for air, announce the Greeks were right, then rush back with another passionate kiss.

- 19 - SHOPPING LIST KISSES
Turn your shopping list into a scorecard the next time the two of you go shopping. The one who finds the item gets credit toward one kiss. Kisses are collected either on delivery to the grocery cart, or later at home. - 20 - BAD HABIT KISS Offer to stop a bad habit if your love will pay you kisses. For instance, a kiss for each cigarette not smoked, putting the toilet seat down, and/or every phone call kept under three minutes is rewarded with a kiss.

- 21 - CLOUD SHAPE KISS
Take your love to the backyard or out in a field: lie down on a blanket, and together inspect cloud formations. When both of you see the same thing, reward each other with a kiss.

- 22 - CHECK KISS
With your personal check, make a check out to your love for 1,000 kisses. Tell your love he or she can cash it in any time

- 23 - TOE KISS
Prepare a foot bath for your love at the end of a long day. After the good soak, you towel dry his or her feet, give a massage and seal each toe with a kiss.

- 24 - CHOCOLATE HEART KISSES
several boxes of little chocolate hearts that have sayings on them. Pick out all the "KISS ME" hearts and put them in a heart shaped box with the note "REDEEMABLE ANYTIME, day or night!"

- 25 - RENDEZVOUS KISS
With a note or phone call, tell your love to meet you at a certain place and time (e.g. park bench, street corner, ice cream stand) for a present. When your love arrives, have a bow stick to your lips

- 26 - BATH KISS
Surprise your love with a kiss while he/she is showering or in the tub. (WARNING: Prepare to get wet)

- 27 - MACHINE GUN KISS
In rapid succession, plant 12 quick ones on your lover's lips.

- 28 - KISS-A-THON
Passionately kiss your love for at least five minute longer than usual.

- 29 - PINK PANTHER KISS
Humming the Pink Panther theme, prowl toward your partner. On the high note, pounce and pucker. Suggestion-wear only pink!

- 30 - THIRST QUENCHER KISS
For no reason, stare at your love's mouth while licking your lips as though dying of thirst. Inevitably, your love will ask what you're doing. ANSWER: I want them! I have to have them! I yearn to drink from them! Then ask for a kiss to quench your thirst!

- 31 - GREAT EXPECTATIONS KISS
Inform your love one morning that he or she will soon receive a fabulous kiss. Later, call you love with a reminder. When next you see your love, pull out the stops and plant a long, hot, passionate kiss.

- 32 - GOODBYE *
2 KISS Send off your love in the morning with a quick kiss. As your love turns to leave, pull him or her back for a second, more passionate kiss

- 33 - RIDDLE KISS
Ask you love to solve the following riddle: I am just two and two I am warm, I am cold, I am lawful, unlawful A duty, a fault I am often sold dear, Good for nothing when bought; an extraordinary boon, and a matter of course, and yielding with pleasure When taken by force. If your love solves it, ask for a demonstration as proof. If he or she cannot show the answer, of course, the answer is a kiss.

- 34 - KISS MANDATE
Command your love to kiss you. Elaborate on the technique you expect (e.g. long and wet, or the way Rhett kissed Scarlett) and where and when you will get it.

- 35 - UNEXPECTED KISS
When the two of you are doing the usual, lean over and give your love a sweet kiss on the cheek for no good reason and whisper...I LOVE YOU!

- 36 - POST OFFICE KISS
Notify your love you have personal mail to deliver. Pull your love into the nearest dark closet; close the door and play POST OFFICE: No instructions included!

- 37 - KNOCK-KNOCK KISS
Stage the following knock-knock joke with your love: KNOCK KNOCK Who is there? Kiss Kiss who? Kiss who? Why me, of course!

- 38 - BEGGAR`S KISS
That's right, on your knees with your hands clasped, plead for any kiss you love is humbly willing to give you!

- 39 - TOOTHPASTE KISS
Brush your teeth together. When your love's mouth is all sudsy, plant a big wet one on the lips. WARNING: MAKE SURE TOOTHBRUSHES ARE OUT OF THE WAY!

- 40 - PALM KISS
Holding your love's chin with your palm, smile and deliver a sweet kiss to his or her lips!

- 41 - 30 KISSES
Inform your love that in honor of the 30th of the month, you will kiss him or her 30 times during the day! -

42 - CAT KISS
Rub against your love's legs while meowing and purring. Now that you have your love's attention, touch noses. Playfully paw your love while moving in for a kiss.

- 43 - EYELID KISS
While kissing your love, watch for his or her eyes to close. Sweetly place a light kiss on each eyelid. Note: Be careful!

44 - EAR KISS
to your love how special he or she is to you, and then seal your message with an ear kiss!

- 45 - VALENTINE KISS
Celebrate Valentine's Day with kisses in the shape of a "V" on the face of your lover.

- 46 - FOOTBALL KISS
a pass during a football game, kiss your love.

- 47 - SLEEPING BEAUTY KISS
Awaken your love from slumber with a tender kiss on the lips!

- 48 - No-Cal Kiss
After dinner, give your love a no-calorie desert...your lips.

Cause and solution for Dry skin

Dry skin

Introduction

Few things are more beautiful than healthy human skin. And few things are more burdened by symbolism or more wrapped up with people's identities. Qualities people attribute to skin � sensuality, youthfulness, vitality, beauty, even goodness � are also qualities they see in themselves. That skin often seems the outer reflection of the inner being may explain, at least in part, why problem skin is so distressing and why Americans spend billions of dollars a year on moisturizers and other cosmetics.
Ordinary dry skin (xerosis) usually isn't serious, but it can be uncomfortable and unsightly, turning plump cells into shriveled ones and creating fine lines and wrinkles long before you're due. More serious dry skin conditions, such as the inherited group of disorders called ichthyosis, can sometimes be disfiguring and may cause psychological distress to people living with them.
Fortunately, most dry skin results from environmental factors that can be wholly or partially controlled. These include exposure to hot or cold weather with low humidity levels and to wind, long-term use of air conditioning or central heating, excessive bathing, especially tub baths, and the use of strong soaps or detergents. Metabolic changes that occur with normal aging or with certain medical conditions also can affect the moisture content of your skin.

Chronic or severe dry skin problems may require a dermatologist's advice. But you can do a lot on your own to improve your skin, including drinking more water, showering less, and above all, moisturizing, moisturizing, moisturizing.

Signs and symptoms

Dry skin can be a temporary problem � one you experience only in winter, for example � or a lifelong concern. And although skin is often driest on your arms, lower legs and the sides of your abdomen, this pattern can vary considerably from person to person. What's more, signs and symptoms of dry skin depend on your age, your health status, your locale, the amount of time you spend outdoors, and the cause of the problem.
If you have dry skin due to environmental factors or normal aging, you're likely to experience one or more of the following:
A feeling of tightness or tautness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming
A loss of plumpness � your skin appears shrunken or dehydrated
Skin that feels and looks rough rather than smooth
Itching (pruritus) that sometimes may be intense
Slight to severe flaking or scaling
Fine lines or cracks
Severe redness
Deep fissures that may bleed
Specific dry skin conditions Certain medical or age-related conditions can lead to dry skin problems that have unique signs and symptoms.

These include:
Ichthyosis vulgaris. Sometimes called fishscale disease or fish skin disease, ichthyosis vulgaris develops when skin cells fail to shed normally and instead accumulate in thick, dry scales. The scales are small, polygonal in shape and range in color from white to brown. They're most common on the lower legs and may be especially thick and dark over your shins. Ichthyosis vulgaris may also cause scalp flaking and deep, painful fissures on your palms and soles. Children with the inherited form of the disorder usually have normal skin at birth but develop scaling and roughness in the first few years of life. At times, ichthyosis vulgaris may disappear during the adult years, only to return as you age.
Lamellar ichthyosis. This severe form of the disease is present at birth and lasts throughout life. Infants with lamellar ichthyosis are born encased in a filmy membrane that's shed after 10 to 14 days, revealing skin that's covered in scales. The scales can range from fine and white to thick and dark and generally occur over the entire body, although they may be larger on the legs. Lamellar ichthyosis can be extremely disfiguring and may cause great psychological suffering for children and adults with the disease.
Asteatotic eczema (eczema craquele). This condition causes dry, scaly, deeply fissured skin that some doctors have described as resembling cracked porcelain or a dry riverbed. The affected skin may become inflamed, itchy and may bleed. Although asteatotic eczema can affect anyone, it's especially common in older adults, occurring primarily on the shins and sometimes on the thighs, hands and trunk.
Psoriasis. A frustrating and sometimes disfiguring skin condition, psoriasis is marked by reddened skin with dry, silvery scales that sometimes resemble dandruff. In severe cases, your skin may crack, bleed and form pus-filled blisters. Psoriasis is a persistent, chronic disease that tends to flare periodically, and although it may go into remission, it usually remains active for years. It can occur at any age, but the onset is usually gradual and the diagnosis is commonly made between the ages of 15 and 35.

Causes

Because skin is so closely associated with beauty and sensuality, it's easy to forget the crucial role it plays in maintaining health. Although only about a tenth of an inch thick, your skin performs a number of essential functions, including protecting you from viruses, bacteria and environmental assaults, maintaining adequate hydration, and helping regulate body temperature.

Your skin consists of three layers:
Epidermis. This outer layer, no thicker than a sheet of paper, both shields you from the world and presents you to it.
Dermis. This thick middle layer makes up most of your skin. It contains collagen and elastin � fibers that give your skin strength, structure and elasticity.
Subcutaneous layer. This layer, which is mainly fat, is the source of your skin's nerves and blood vessels as well as the roots of your hair follicles, oil glands and sweat glands.
Basal cells make up the base of the epidermis. They divide to form squamous cells that produce keratin, a hard protein that protects your skin from harmful substances and infection. As the basal cells divide, they push new squamous cells toward the surface of the epidermis, where they eventually shrink, flatten and die. These dead cells make up the stratum corneum, the outermost portion of the epidermis. Stratum corneum cells flake off every day and are continuously replaced by more cells. It usually takes about a month for skin cells to move from the basal layer to the stratum corneum.
But the stratum corneum is far more than a place where cells go to die. Instead, it's a dynamic structure that affects not only your skin's appearance but also its health. That's because the part of the stratum corneum between the cells is composed mainly of fats (lipids) such as ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. These fats form a strong, protective barrier that preserves the moisture in your body. Strip away the barrier and your skin cells lose the water they need to stay healthy and supple. Although many of the characteristics of dry skin are subjective � roughness, lack of radiance, tightness � scientists define dry skin based on specific, measurable changes in water and lipids in the stratum corneum.
A healthy stratum corneum is about 30 percent water, giving your skin resilience and elasticity. Most of the water is in the interior of the stratum corneum � in the outer layers, the water level depends on the amount of humidity in the air. The drier the air, the drier the outermost layer of skin.
Environmental factors Most cases of ordinary dry skin are due to environmental causes, such as:
Weather. In general, your skin is driest in winter when temperatures and humidity levels plummet. Winter conditions also tend to make existing skin conditions worse. But the reverse may be true if you live in desert regions, where summer temperatures can top 110 F and humidity levels sink to 10 percent or less.
Central heating and air conditioning. These may be technological marvels, but they're dermatological disasters. Central air and heating, wood burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all draw moisture out of the air and out of your skin.
Too much 'cleanliness is next to godliness.' When it comes to your skin, water is a double-edged sword. Inside your skin, it keeps the cells plump and moist, but it has the opposite effect when you're immersed in it. Frequent showering or bathing, especially if you like your showers hot and your baths long, breaks down the lipid barriers in your skin. So does frequent swimming, particularly in heavily chlorinated pools.
Harsh soaps and detergents. Many popular soaps and detergents strip lipids and water from your skin. Products containing fragrances and lauryl sulfates are harsher and more irritating than unscented products with sarcosinates, sulfosuccinates and cocoamphodiacetates . Deodorant and antibacterial soaps are usually the most damaging, as are many shampoos, which can dry out your scalp.
Other factors Certain diseases, metabolic problems and nutritional deficiencies can significantly alter the function and appearance of your skin:
Ichthyosis. This group of inherited disorders occurs either because skin cells don't shed quickly enough or because they shed too quickly. Although the different forms of ichthyosis vary in their pattern of inheritance, the genes in which mutations occur, the age when they first appear and their physical manifestations, all cause dry, rough, scaly skin. In rare cases, ichthyosis may be acquired in adulthood rather than inherited, usually as a result of a systemic disease such as cancer or HIV infection. Certain drugs also may cause acquired ichthyosis.
Asteatotic eczema. Several factors can contribute to asteatotic eczema, including certain neurologic disorders and exposure to harsh soaps, to chemicals or to cold, dry air. Older adults are especially prone to the condition because their skin may be compromised by dehydration, malnutrition or aging.
Psoriasis. This skin condition is marked by a rapid buildup of rough, dry, dead skin cells that form thick scales. Normally, it takes about a month for new skin cells to move from the lowest layer of your skin, where they first form, to the stratum corneum, but in psoriasis the life cycle of skin cells speeds up. Although a defective gene for the disorder hasn't been discovered, most scientists believe psoriasis is an inherited condition that may be triggered or exacerbated by infections, skin injuries, a reaction to a vaccine or medication, stress, alcohol or long-time exposure to the sun or chemicals.
Thyroid disorders. Hypothyroidism, a condition that occurs when your thyroid produces too few hormones, reduces the activity of your sweat and oil glands, leading to rough, dry skin.
Alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and caffeine can visibly dry your skin. Prescription drugs such as diuretics, antihistamines and isotretinoin (Accutane) also have a drying effect.
Nutritional deficiencies. A long-term lack of essential lipids, especially omega-3 fatty acids, can affect the integrity of your skin. So can a deficiency of the mineral zinc, which plays a key role in wound healing and in the metabolism of fatty acids and vitamin A.
Dehydration. Severe diarrhea and vomiting, a high fever, profuse sweating during exercise or simply not drinking enough liquids can cause your body to lose more fluid than you take in. One of the first signs of dehydration is skin that has lost its elasticity.

Your skin has three layers: the epidermis, the dermis and a layer of subcutaneous tissue, which is mainly fat. Within these layers are millions of cells, nerve endings, capillaries, oil glands, hair follicles and sweat glands. But it's the outermost layer of keratinized squamous cells that both protects you from the world and presents you to it.

Risk factors

Dry skin is a nearly universal problem, but certain factors make you more likely to develop tightness, flakiness and fine lines. These factors include:
Your age. A healthy diet, consistent exercise and stress reduction can help you stay younger longer. Yet in spite of your best efforts, your skin is likely to change over time. As you age, your skin tends to become drier because your oil-producing glands are less active. And because cells move more slowly from the basal layer of the epidermis to the stratum corneum, your complexion can appear rough and dull. The slowed sloughing also causes cells to clump together in flakes or scales. Eventually, as the epidermis becomes thinner and more fragile and the subcutaneous layer of fat diminishes, your skin loses its strong protective function along with its youthful contours.
Sun exposure. Like all types of heat, the sun dries your skin. Yet damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation penetrates far beyond the epidermis. The most significant damage occurs deep in the dermis, where collagen and elastin fibers break down much more quickly than they should, leading to deep wrinkles and loose, sagging skin (solar elastosis).
Your sex. Although everyone's skin changes with age, a man's skin tends to stay moist longer than a woman's does. Men experience a relatively small decrease in oil production until well into their 80s, whereas women's skin tends to become much drier after menopause.
Diabetes. Diabetes can damage small blood vessels and nerves, increasing the likelihood of dry skin and of serious complications such as infection, cellulitis and gangrene.
Winter weather. The combination of cold outdoor temperatures and dry indoor air takes a tremendous toll on your skin. Windy conditions and high altitudes only add to the problem.
Hot baths and showers. Many people find long, hot showers and baths luxurious, but there's nothing glamorous about what they do to your skin. Strong soaps or soap-based cleansers, no matter how expensive or beautifully packaged, strip away even more oil and moisture.
Smoking. Tobacco use doesn't cause dry skin per se, but it does accelerate wrinkling, especially around your eyes and upper lip. People who smoke tend to have more wrinkles than do nonsmokers who are the same age and have similar histories of sun exposure. The amount of skin damage increases with the number of years and cigarettes smoked.

When to seek medical advice
Most cases of dry skin respond well to self-care measures. See your doctor if:
Your skin doesn't improve in spite of your best efforts
Dryness and itching keep you from sleeping
You have open sores or an infection from scratching
You have large areas of scaling or peeling skin

Screening and diagnosis
Your doctor is likely to conduct a thorough physical exam and to question you about your medical history, including when your dry skin started, what factors make it better or worse, your bathing habits, your diet and how you care for your skin.
You may have certain diagnostic tests if your doctor suspects that your dry skin is the result of an underlying medical condition such as hypothyroidism or diabetes. In addition, genetic tests can help identify some, but not all, of the more than 20 types of ichthyosis. If tests reveal a more serious condition, you may be referred to other doctors, including a dermatologist, who specializes in skin disorders.

Complications
Dry skin that's not cared for can lead to:
Eczema. This condition causes redness, cracking and inflammation.
Folliculitis. This is an inflammation of your hair follicles.
Cellulitis. This is a potentially serious bacterial infection of the skin's underlying tissues.
These complications are most likely to occur when your skin's normal protective mechanisms are severely compromised. For example, you might scratch an itchy patch of skin until it cracks and bleeds, opening the way for invading bacteria. But your skin can also crack and bleed without you ever lifting a finger.
In that case, the process might work something like this: You take a long, hot bath every evening, but don't apply a moisturizer afterward. As a result, the stratum corneum loses water and the cells shrink, losing their normal plumpness. This stretches your skin, decreasing its elasticity and eventually causing severe cracks or fissures. Deep fissures rupture tiny blood vessels in your skin, which leads to bleeding. Meanwhile, loss of tone in the top layer of skin creates fluid buildup in the dermis, putting additional stress on the epidermis and setting the stage for inflammation and infection.

Treatment
In most cases, dry skin problems respond well to self-care measures. If you have more serious diseases such as ichthyosis or psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe prescription creams and ointments or other treatments in addition to home care.

Self-care
Although it may not be possible to achieve flawless skin, the following measures can help keep your skin moist and healthy:
Wash 'n' go. For most people, a once-daily bath or shower is enough to maintain good hygiene. If your skin is very dry, bathing every other day may be best. Keep in mind that the longer you're in water, the more protective oils you lose. For that reason, and because it takes just a few minutes to wash thoroughly, limit baths and showers to 15 minutes or less. And use warm, rather than hot, water. Less is more when it comes to washing your face, too. Although it may be difficult to break the habit of cleansing your face morning and evening, once a day should be enough to remove dirt and oil. If your skin doesn't feel fresh on this abbreviated schedule, try rinsing with cool water in the morning and using a cleanser only at night.
Avoid harsh, drying soaps. If you have dry skin, it's best to use cleansing creams or gentle skin cleansers and bath or shower gels with added moisturizers. These don't have to be expensive, celebrity-endorsed brands. Many dermatologists recommend Cetaphil and Aveeno cleansers, for instance, which are reasonably priced and available in most drugstores. Department store cleansers are considerably pricier, but most cosmetics companies offer free samples that you can try. If you just don't feel clean without soap, choose mild soaps that have added oils and fats, such as Neutrogena, Basis or Dove. Avoid deodorant and antibacterial detergents, which are especially harsh. You might want to experiment with several brands until you find one that works particularly well for you. A good rule of thumb is that your skin should feel soft and smooth after cleansing, never tight or dry. Try to use soaps and cleansers of any type only on your face, underarms, genital area, and your hands and feet.
Don't scrub, rub or soak in the tub. You've heard that last one before, but it bears repeating. As for the first two, it's best to use your hands or a cleansing sponge on your face instead of a washcloth. Although a cloth can help remove (exfoliate) dead cells, it may be too irritating for very dry skin. After washing, pat or blot your skin until it's just barely dry, then moisturize immediately to help trap water in the surface cells.
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Nearly 9,000 cosmetic, hair, and skin care products were introduced in the United States in 2003 alone. Many of these were moisturizers of one sort or another. And it's not only baby boomer women with lots of disposable income who are driving this trend � men, teens and even children account for an increasingly large share of the skin care market. What's more, most contemporary moisturizers bear little resemblance to your mother's cold cream. Instead, they're highly sophisticated products that tread the fine line between cosmetics and drugs. Many contain ingredients that claim to boost your body's production of collagen and elastin, plump up wrinkles and fill in lines, paralyze muscles, unblock pores, and exfoliate dead skin cells.
All about moisturizers Given the array of products, the broad audience to which they're targeted, and the even broader price range � moisturizers can cost from less than $10 to more than $500 � how do you choose the right one?
The best place to start may be to understand the different types of moisturizing agents and what they do. On the most basic level, moisturizers hold water in the stratum corneum. They also act as a temporary barrier, allowing damaged surface cells time to repair themselves. Many moisturizers contain some combination of humectants and emollients, as well as other ingredients:
Humectants.These are substances such as urea and glycerin that attract water when you apply them to your skin. But humectants need high humidity levels to be effective, and even then, any water added to the surface of your skin tends to evaporate quickly.
Emollients. These fill in the spaces between the cells in the stratum corneum, helping replace lipids and thus smoothing and lubricating rough skin. Emollients are water-in-oil emulsions, which means that a small amount of water is dissolved in an occlusive oil, such as petrolatum, mineral oil or natural plant oils. If you have mature or very dry skin, your best choice may be a water-in-oil moisturizer, which will be tend to be heavier and richer than other moisturizers. Most creams labeled night creams have water-in-oil formulations. Oil-in-water moisturizers, on the other hand, are primarily water and have a light, nongreasy feel. These may be a better option if you are younger, your skin tends to break out, or you have mild or occasional dryness.
Vitamin A. Retinol and retinyl palmitate are forms of vitamin A that may be converted in the skin into retinoic acid, the active ingredient in the prescription creams Retin-A, Renova and Tazorac. Retinoic acid helps keep pores clear and has been shown to improve some of the damage caused by sun exposure.
Alpha hydroxy acids. These encourage skin cells to exfoliate properly and have proved effective in treating some forms of ichthyosis.
Antioxidants. Vitamins such as C and E can help protect and repair skin exposed to pollutants and UV rays.
Keep in mind that many of these ingredients can be drying and irritating to your skin, and you may want to talk to your dermatologist before trying products that contain them. Preservatives and fragrances also can dry and irritate sensitive skin, so it's best to look for creams that are fragrance-free and contain as few preservatives as possible. Preservatives that seem to cause problems for many people include quaternium-15, imidazolidinyl urea and propylene glycol.
Many moisturizers also contain sunscreen, hydrating your skin and protecting it from UVA and UVB radiation in one easy step. But combination creams may not always moisturize or protect against sun damage as well as individual products do. In addition, some companies make extra-rich moisturizers that claim to shield you from the elements better than ordinary creams do. With names like flight cream and high-altitude cream, they may or may not offer extra protection against cold, dry air.
Apply any moisturizer as often as needed, especially after bathing, showering or washing your face, before exercising outdoors in cold weather, and every time you wash your hands. Although often ignored, your hands are more exposed to the elements, to soaps and to chemicals than is any other part of your body.
These other measures may also help keep your skin healthy:
Moisturize your house. With your home thermostat set high and your central heat blasting, your home may stay warm and cozy. But hot, dry indoor air can parch sensitive skin and worsen itching and flaking. As a rule of thumb, keep your house between 68 and 75 F and use a humidifier to maintain moisture levels at 40 percent to 50 percent. Tabletop humidifiers usually moisturize the air in a single room and require frequent fillings, sometimes several times a day. They also need careful cleaning to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in the tank. The bedroom may be the best place for this type of humidifier � your skin is hydrated as you sleep. Although it's a more costly option, you may want to consider a humidifier that's built into your forced air heating and cooling system, especially if you have severely dehydrated skin or live in a climate that's dry year-round.
Choose fabrics your skin loves. Natural fibers such as cotton and silk feel wonderful and allow your skin to breathe. But wool, although it certainly qualifies as natural, can irritate even normal skin. If your skin is already sensitive and dry, you may need to forgo cashmere sweaters and pashmina scarves and choose other fabrics for winter. And when you wash your clothes, try to use detergents without dyes or perfumes, both of which can irritate your skin. Look for these products in the grocery store or choose fragrance-free detergents in natural foods stores. __._,_.___