Winter can be a beautiful and fun time of year. There are the holidays and and a host of different outdoor activities to replace the warm sunny days of summer.
Many people believe that because most of our skin is covered by warm clothing in the winter months, that we no longer need to use sun screen. You won't need to cover yourself with sunscreen the way you do in summer, but you should continue to use a sunscreen on exposed areas throughout the winter months. For general purposes every day, use an SPF 15 on your face, and a lip balm with sunscreen on your lips. If you are outdoors for any length of time, a high-SPF sunscreen should be used. This is especially true if you like to ski.
When you are indoors, you may notice that the air is much dryer. Increasing the humidity in your home with a room humidifier or whole house humidifier will help prevent dry skin and dry nasal passages. To help eliminate dryness or minor bleeding in your nose, use Vaseline to soothe and moisturize the area.
During the cold winter months, long hot showers or baths may sound great, but they can strip your skin of its natural oils. Taking a warm showers or baths, rather than hot and patting your skin dry rather than rubbing will help retain moisture. When bathing, use mild soaps like Dove, and avoid using deodorant soaps this time of year. Deodorant soaps tend to be more drying to the skin. It is also best to use a good moisturizer immediately after you shower while your skin is still damp. For best results, you may need to apply your lotion two or three times a day.
Four lotions that are dermatologist recommended, that I have tried and like are:
Keri Moisture Therapy Lotion $8.99/20 oz.,
Lubriderm, Advanced Therapy Lotion $6.39/16 oz.,
Aveeno Moisturizing Lotion, Skin Relief $7.99/12 oz.
Eucerin Moisturizing Lotion $11.99/16 oz.
I especially like to use the Aveeno SkinRelief Body Wash $7.99/18 oz.
Keri Lotions help to retain moisture in the skin by preventing evaporation of water from the surface of the skin. Because Keri lotions are water soluble, the lotion can be easily washed or rubbed off, you may need to apply the lotion several times a day for best results.
Aveeno Moisturizing Lotion contains colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, and allantoin. The Glycerin is absorbed into the skin, helping to retain water in the skin surface, while the allantoin can soften and improve the appearance of hardened and thickened skin that can form on elbows and knees.
Eucerin contains 10% urea and other moisturizing agents. Urea, a healing agent, penetrates the skin and the other moisturizing agents hold in the moisture. Eucerin can help calm mild cases of eczema and winter rashes.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggest that you don't overuse products that contain alpha-hydroxy acids. These products exfoliate the top layer of skin, which is good for dry skin, but leave a new layer of skin that has no protection against bitter winter weather.
While outdoors, especially in extreme cold, be sure to cover as much of your body as possible with gloves, scarves, hats, etc.
Not protecting your skin in extreme cold can lead to conditions like frostnip and frostbite. Frostnip results from prolonged exposure to sub-freezing temperatures and wind chill. The skin, usually on the face, ears, and fingertips, tries to reduce heat loss by constricting small blood vessels. When re-warmed (areas should be re-warmed gradually), the skin may swell and turn red, itchy and painful. When re-warming, do not rub or apply any ointment to the areas, as this may cause further damage or irritation.
Frostnip is less severe than frostbite, and does not result in permanent damage. With frostnip, the skin initially becomes white and numb and is followed by a loss of feeling and blistering. Frostbite, on the other hand, can result in permanent damage because it involves deeper layers of the skin. Ice crystals can actually form between cells, causing the affected areas to become white, hard and numb. When re-warmed, those areas become red, swollen and possibly blistery, and may lead to tissue death. If you suspect frostbite don't take it lightly. Seek medical attention immediately.
Source: NHIC
