very dry everywhere

Hello, I am a twenty five year old white male. A little over a year and a half ago I started developing extremely dry skin, along with very dry mucous membranes, my eyes, nose, mouth. Its gotten to the point where I cannot bathe without intense discomfort. I am painfully itchy.  Also the amount of skin that sloughs off of my body is truly remarkable. Its like there is a constant powder everywhere. I have been losing hair too and I urinate frequently.  My penis gets so chapped(it looks terrible) and the skin splits and bleeds with any sexual activity.  Lotion does almost nothing.  Recently I've started getting splits at the corners of my mouth.  Its like my body produces no oil. I went to my family doctor who ran a comprehensive metabolic panel with egfr, tsh 3rd generation with reflex to FT4, urinalysis, cbc, anachoice specific AB cascading reflex, rpr with refl titer and cholesterol. All were normal. He sent me to a dermatologist who believed the hair loss was unrelated but was stumped on the rest. Please tell me what to do.

[Jasmina Jankicevic, MD, MSc, CCRP]

Welcome to the Dermatology Expert Forum!

Based on your post, you have been experiencing xerophtalmia – keratoconjuctivitic sicca (dry eyes), xerostomia (dry mouth), xerosis cutis (dry skin) and alopecia (hair loss) continually for over one year. In such a case it is recommended to see a dermatologist or a rheumatologist  as soon as possible to be evaluated for autoimmune disorders, first of all Sjogren Syndrome (SS).

You seem to be experiencing constellation of characteristic clinical manifestations for SS but that can be established only by detailed physical examination plus several immunology tests (anti-nuclear antibodies, anti Ro/SSA antibodies, anti La/ SSB antibodies).  

Please, if you can, keep us posted on results of your next visit to a physician.


Wishing You Optimal Health,
Dr Jasmina Jankicevic