Yes, it's true: your diet could be contributing to your dry skin.

The trend of low-fat or fat-free diets can deprive our bodies of skin-friendly Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). EFAs are critical to all parts of a healthy functioning body: they help move oxygen through the bloodstream, can help stave off early aging, and keep skin healthy. They also protect against water loss within cells and throughout skin, helping to prevent dryness, keeping skin supple and hydrated.

An EFA deficiency can result in chronic itching, dryness, scaling, and thinning, and can lead to an imbalance in prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are chemical messengers that help control inflammation.