Winter Weather Advisory – Dry Skin Ahead!
This dry, frigid winter pattern has us itching for warmer weather! What’s happening to our baby soft skin?
It’s really a combination of problems working against us….cold air which holds less moisture than warm air and low humidity compounded by that blast of warm air from your furnace or space heater. And to make things worse, as we get older our skin’s natural production of moisture dips like the reading on our thermometer. All this adds up to skin that is dry, scaly and itchy – day and night. But good news! You can put the moisture back in your skin well before the first blossom pops up in the Spring thaw. Here are a few tips from the American Academy of Dermatology to restore the softness to your weathered surface:
Prevent baths and showers from making dry skin worse. When your skin is dry, be sure to:
• Close the bathroom door
• Limit your time in the shower or bath to 5 or 10 minutes
• Use warm rather than hot water
• Wash with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser
• Apply enough cleanser to remove dirt and oil, but avoid using so much that you see a thick lather
• Blot your skin gently dry with a towel
• Slather on the moisturizer immediately after drying your skin
Apply moisturizer immediately after washing. Ointments, creams, and lotions (moisturizers) work by trapping existing moisture in your skin. To trap this much-needed moisture, you need to apply a moisturizer within few minutes of:
• Drying off after a shower or bath
• Washing your face or hands
And adding a hint of our own here….some great products for adding moisture include Elta MD Moisture Rich Body Crème for the body and Barrier Renewal Complex for your face. Both products are rich in ingredients that restore softness to your skin and are available for you to buy at any of our office locations.
Wear lip balm. Choose a lip balm that feels good on your lips. Some healing lip balms can irritate your lips. If your lips sting or tingle after you apply the lip balm, switch to one that does not cause this reaction.
Wear gloves. Our hands are often the first place we notice dry skin. You can reduce dry, raw skin by wearing gloves. Be sure to put gloves on before you:
• Go outdoors in winter
• Perform tasks that require you to get your hands wet
• Get chemicals, greases, and other substances on your hands
Choose non-irritating clothes and laundry detergent. When our skin is dry and raw even clothes and laundry detergent can be irritating. To avoid this:
• Wear cotton or silk under your clothing made of wool or another material that feels rough
• Use laundry detergent labeled “hypoallergenic”
Stay warm without cozying up to a fireplace or other heat source. Sitting in front of an open flame or other heat source can dry your skin.
Add moisture to the air. Plug in a humidifier. If you can check your home heating system, find out if you have a humidifier on the system — and whether it’s working.
Another thought from us…..consider adding hyaluronic acid to your daily regimen. We like HA Intensifier, a serum containing a high concentration of pure hyaluronic acid to support the skins natural hydration level. Daily use will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth without the feel of a lotion. You won’t believe how a few drops will change how you feel in your own skin this winter! Shop here or pick up HA Intensifier at an office in Omaha or Norfolk.