Protecting your Skin in Cold and Dry Winter Season

Extreme winter season may disrupt our day-to-day lives, but there’s also an impact at a more personal level.

Whipping winds, chilly temperature and dry air may play havoc with your soft hair, delicate skin and nails. Central heat indoors and cold air outside, strips the moisture from strands and pores from your skin and hair making it rough itchy and dry.

But winter is not the only culprit, your skin, hair and nails also take the beatings from use of harsh soaps, detergents, chemicals and excessive exposure to sun, which can all trigger dry skin.

Fortunately you don’t have to live with cracked hands and rough skin and hair anymore. Few small changes in your daily skin care regime will leave your skin, hair and nails looking fresh, soft and supple.

Here is how you can protect your skin in cold and dry winter season

  • Limit your shower time to no more than 10 minutes since hot water strips essential oils from your skin, leaving them dry and flaky.

  • Select your soap carefully. Prefer unscented, soap free or mild soap and body washes. This will least likely irritate and exacerbate dry skin problem.

  • After shower, dry your damp skin by pat drying it. Apply moisture immediately after you dry your skin. Your skin is more receptive to lotions and moisturizers within 3-to-5 minutes after washing or shower.

    Precautions you should take while selecting creams and lotions

  • You don’t have to spend a fortune on maintaining your skin in winter. Expensive doesn’t always mean quality. When you buy skin care products, make sure they contain below ingredients that helps keep your skin safe, soft and moisturized.

  • Read the label carefully when buying skin care products. Look for certain ingredients such as ceramides found in (Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore) or synthetic ceramides. This helps retain skin water and sooth dry skin.

  • Dimethicone glycerin helps draw water to your skin and keeps it there.

  • Hyaluronic acid, such as ceramides also helps retain skin moisture.

  • Ingredients such as Lanolin, mineral and petroleum jelly help skin hold on to skin moisture during bath or shower.

    Skin care when you are out and about

  • Excessive sun exposure is not just harmful in summer. It can damage your skin even in winter, especially because your skin is already dry and flaky due to cold weather. Here are few tips to protect your skin when you are outside your house.

  • Don’t forget to apply sunscreen whenever you leave your house.

  • Apply broad spectrum sunscreen an all exposed parts of your body.

  • Choose sunscreen with SPF30 or higher, for example Skincueticals Physical Fusion SPF30. The higher the quantity, the better it is for your skin.

  • You should also reapply sunscreen if you are out for a prolonged period of time.

  • Regular application of sunscreen not only keeps your skin moisturized, but it also prevents aging.

    Protecting your skin indoors

  • Central heating system can leave the air dry inside your house during winter season. Here are some precautions you can take to ensure your skin remains hydrated during winter months.

  • Use humidifier at home to keep your skin hydrated at all times to protect it from dry indoor air.

  • Drink plenty of water and green tea.

  • Include plenty of foods in your diet that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Foods that supply essential fatty acids include cold water fish like salmon and halibut, walnuts, safflower oil and flax. Essential fatty acids help fortify skin’s natural oil-retaining barriers.

  • Apply cool compress or a hydrocortisone cream, if your skin feels itchy or inflamed during winter season. But if you still observe redness or irritation, you should immediately seek dermatologist advice.