Ashy describes skin that looks dull, grayish, and flaky, like a thin layer of ash has settled on it. This happens when skin gets very dry and dead skin cells build up on the surface. On darker skin tones, ashiness shows up more clearly as a grayish or whitish cast, though anyone's skin can become ashy.

You might notice your knees, elbows, or legs looking ashy in winter when cold air dries out your skin, or after swimming when chlorine strips away your skin's natural moisture. Athletes sometimes get ashy legs after practice when sweat evaporates and leaves their skin parched.

The solution is moisturizing: lotion or cream helps restore moisture and makes the ashiness disappear. Many people keep lotion handy specifically to prevent or fix ashy skin. While being ashy isn't harmful, it can be uncomfortable and make skin feel tight and rough rather than smooth and healthy.