Tips for Keeping Your Skin Healthy During the Winter

The cold temperatures, wind, and other winter weather can wreak havoc on your skin. Low humidity, wind chill, and switching from the outdoors to indoor heating can dry out the skin and deplete its natural oils. Winter is even more challenging for people with chronic conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

But getting through winter doesn’t have to mean your skin suffers. Understanding winter’s effects on the skin can help you take steps to protect it until spring returns.

Winter’s Effects on Your Skin

There is no such thing as caring too much about your skin, especially as seasonal temperatures drop. That’s because your body’s largest organ does so much to protect you from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. It also supports your immune system against viruses and infections and alerts you to pain and pressure that require medical attention.

We already mentioned low humidity as a prominent characteristic of winter. Add to that cold winds that blow at high speeds, rapid temperature swings, and high UV reflectivity off the ground when there’s snow. Any of these factors alone or in combination can have adverse effects, including

• Enhancement of fine lines and wrinkles
• Increased acne
• Itchiness or triggering of xerosis (dry skin) or eczema (itchy, red patches or lesions)
• Rawness and windburn
• Flakiness and tightness
• Frostbite (loss of color)
• Chilblains (painful red bumps)
• Premature aging
• Redness and irritation
• Sunburn

If winter proves to be challenging for your skin’s health, your local medical spa in West Chester can offer therapies and advice to restore balance. You can also take the following steps to protect and support your skin health during the colder months:

Don’t Overdo the Cleansing

Excessive cleaning can strip your skin of its natural oils, which are essential moisturizers. You can still wash your hands after using the restroom, before cooking or eating, or whenever you come into contact with germs. But cleaning your face, feet, and skin folds once a day with soap and water will suffice. Your torso, arms, and legs can use a rinse, but soap or cleanser isn’t necessary every day.

Moisturize Every Day

Your body produces natural oils to hydrate and protect your skin, but it needs extra support during the winter. At this time of year, consider switching to a hydrating cleanser to help prevent your skin from drying out. If you have normal to dry skin, try a petroleum- or cream-based moisturizer. For sensitive skin, avoid cleansers with lanolin and fragrance.

For optimal protection, apply moisturizer to your wet skin immediately after your shower or bath. This helps lock in surface moisture.

Get Plenty of Vitamin D

We all need vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, to regulate calcium and phosphate in our bodies. This process helps strengthen our bones and muscles.

About 35 percent of adults are already deficient in vitamin D, and that’s not counting the dips most people experience in the colder months. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, your body’s vitamin D production decreases in the winter because you get less sun.

You can take vitamin D supplements to ensure you get the recommended daily amount: 600 international units (IU) for most adults and 800 IU if you’re over 70. Year-round supplementation can help you counter the effects of low vitamin D in the winter.

Limit Alcohol Consumption and Drink More Water

It’s common for many people to indulge in adult beverages during the holidays, but these drinks can dry you out. When your body metabolizes alcohol, it releases acetaldehyde, a substance that can cause your skin and tissues to lose moisture.

Consider reducing your alcohol intake if you don’t want to give it up completely. Also, keep water on hand, whether you’re at your office party or relaxing at home.

Take Cover from the Wind

Not only is that wintry wind uncomfortable and annoying, but it also dehydrates your skin, weakening its protective outer layer. The result is windburn, characterized by cracking, redness, irritation, and flaking. Windburn can make you more susceptible to premature aging, inflammation, and even infection.

Cover your face whenever you’re out in extreme cold and wind. Also, apply petroleum-based lip balm to prevent chapping. Use creams containing ceramides, waxy molecules that naturally occur in the skin and are great at locking in moisture.

Use a Humidifier

Cranking up your indoor heater usually leads to dry air, which pulls moisture from your skin and leaves you susceptible to colds and flu when you go in and out of doors. Running a humidifier for a few hours each day can replenish your air—and your skin—with much-needed moisture. Be sure to change the water and filter as needed and keep the humidifier clean so you’re not also breathing in mold and fungi.

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen

Sunscreen is needed all year, not just in summer. The winter sun can cause enough damage to your face, neck, and other exposed areas. Exposure to UV rays can increase your risk of skin cancer and prematurely age your skin.

Therefore, keep sunscreen out and use SPF 30 or higher. If you use a moisturizer with sunscreen, it’s unlikely to provide complete protection. It’s best to apply an SPF 30 or higher sunscreen on top of your moisturizer. You can also get UV protection from hats, gloves, and sunglasses.

Choose Your Skincare Products Carefully

Not all skincare products are necessarily good for your skin during the cold months, even if they’re marketed as high-end. For example, some facial moisturizers dry out your skin more than hydrate it. Also, some products have harsh chemicals that may irritate more sensitive skin.

For rejuvenating products that won’t dry you out in the winter, take a look at our Circadia line. Known for harnessing the body’s natural healing properties, Circadia skincare is medical-grade and includes products that address specific issues, from acne to signs of aging.

Winter Skin Care from Your West Chester Medical Spa

For most people, winter can be a memorable, magical time—as long as skin problems don’t interfere with their enjoyment. If these winter tips aren’t enough to address skin issues such as irritation, dryness, or signs of premature aging, the qualified professionals at Everglow Medical Spa can help.

Use our online contact form to schedule a rejuvenating treatment, such as an affordable HydroFacial at our West Chester location. Our consultants are available to discuss your skincare needs, no matter what time of year.