A deficiency of vitamin A in the diet can cause which skin condition?

• A. Hyperkeratinisation
• B. Hypopigmentation
• C. Dehydration
• D. Increased sebum production

Answer: (A)

Vitamin A supports healthy skin by regulating how skin cells (keratinocytes) mature and shed. When dietary vitamin A is low, keratinocytes don’t differentiate properly and desquamation slows, causing excess keratin to accumulate in the epidermis. This thickening of the outer skin layer is hyperkeratinisation, which makes the skin rough, dry, and sometimes bumpy with plugged follicles. That’s why hyperkeratinisation is the correct description of the skin change linked to vitamin A deficiency. Hypopigmentation isn’t a typical outcome of low vitamin A, dehydration refers to moisture loss rather than keratin buildup, and increased sebum production isn’t caused by a deficiency in vitamin A (in fact retinoids reduce sebum).