Save your skin this winter
Dry winter weather can cause serious havoc to our skin. To prevent dry skin, use these simple everyday tricks and homemade treatments to keep your skin smooth and glowing all year round
As winter settles in, many individuals experience the discomfort of dry, flaky skin due to the cold weather, low humidity and indoor heating.
However, combating this seasonal skin woe is possible with an arsenal of effective solutions that focus on hydration, protection and nourishment.
"To fight this cold weather is really to create a barrier with thicker moisturizers and ointments every single day," Dr. Anne Chapas, a board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology told Fox News Digital in 2013, "Heavier creams actually seal the skin to prevent water loss and add needed moisture to our skin."
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Don’t let all the chapped lips, cracked skin and itchy scalp stop you. Instead, use these simple everyday tricks to keep your skin smooth and glowing all year round.
- Use hydrating cleansers
- Moisturize regularly
- Try humidifiers
- Exfoliate gently
- Apply sunscreen
- Remember lip care
- Go for hand care
- Avoid harsh products
- Use hydrating hair masks and serums
- Stay hydrated
1. Use hydrating cleansers
It's reccommended that you choose mild cleansers that won't remove your skin's natural oils. Seeking products containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or ceramides can maintain moisture and prevent excessive dryness.
Moisturizing skin is recommended for overall skin health, regardless of whether a person has acne or not. (iStock)
While dry skin on the face can lead to normal winter flakes, it can also cause eczema and a more wrinkled appearance.
Dermatology Resident, Dr. Avalon Regalbuto, from Trinity Health Hospital in Michigan, shared her expert insights with Fox News Digital in 2024 on choosing the perfect hydrating cleanser tailored to individual skin types.
"An overarching rule in dermatology is to find a cleanser that is gentle and fragrance-free. Brands that I commonly recommend to my patient population include La Roche Posay, Aveeno, Cerave, or Cetaphil. They're also cost-friendly, which increases my patients satisfaction and compliance!," she said.
2. Moisturize regularly
Moisturizing is key to combating dryness. Use thicker, cream-based moisturizers that provide a barrier against moisture loss. By applying immediately after showering, you are able to lock in moisture.
Dr. Chapas advises that her patients use a heavier night cream to repair dry skin on the face.
"You want to look at a night cream that has moisturizing ingredients such as high hyaluronic acid and dimethicone, plus look for one that has an antioxidant to repair the damage that happened throughout the day and even one with a light retinol to start repairing those fine lines," she said.
3. Try humidifiers
You can combat the dry indoor air by using humidifiers.
They add moisture to the air, preventing the skin from becoming excessively dry.
According to Dr. Regalbuto, a key takeaway for patients is the practice of taking short, lukewarm showers – typically lasting less than 7-10 minutes. "Using non-fragrant body products during showers, followed by daily moisturizers, helps in maintaining the skin's lipid barrier."
4. Exfoliate gently
Preventing dry skin on our body is all about bringing back the moisture, but before lathering up with creams and lotions, try using an exfoliating body scrub to remove dead skin cells.
Exfoliation not only speeds up your skin's natural renewal process, but it also helps your moisturizer penetrate deeper into the skin.
Cleansing your face helps remove impurities and dead skin cells that can accumulate, potentially worsening dryness. Using a gentle, hydrating cleanser aids in maintaining the skin's natural oils while effectively cleansing without stripping away moisture. (iStock)
"The Brown Sugar Body Scrub is definitely one of my favorites to make. It works just as well as any scrub that you buy in the drug store, and it literally costs less than a dollar," Erika Katz, a beauty expert and author of "Bonding over Beauty" told Fox News Digital in 2013.
The Brown Sugar Body Scrub is inexpensive and made with brown sugar, olive oil and honey.
"Brown sugar is great because it's the perfect exfoliant and it's really gentle on your skin. The oil is going to moisturize your skin and the honey, which is an all-natural humectant, helps attract and retain skin moisture," Katz added.
5. Apply sunscreen
The use of broad-spectrum sunscreen is paramount as it provides comprehensive protection by blocking a wide range of ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun.
Dr. Regalbuto emphasizes the need for year-round application, a key aspect that she believes is often misunderstood. Ultraviolet rays can still harm your skin even in colder weather. It's reccommended to use broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from damage.
"UV-A is an ultraviolet light that induces accelerated aging while UV-B can cause sunburn and skin cancer. To effectively counteract these potential risks, it is crucial to select a sunscreen that provides protection against both UV-A and UV-B rays," Regalbuto says.
Using sunscreen consistently is essential for maintaining optimal skin health and safeguarding against the long-term effects of UV exposure.
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6. Remember lip care
When your lips are exposed to extremely cold air and wind, the protective layer of skin on our lips gets damaged and chapped. Plus, licking your lips also dries out the skin when the saliva evaporates.
To protect the lips, use a lip balm with moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil or beeswax to keep lips hydrated.
"A straightforward yet highly effective solution for skin care is petroleum jelly. Personally, I favor Aquaphor's Advanced Therapy healing ointment for its nourishing properties," Dr. Regalbuto says. "For individuals experiencing severe chapped lips accompanied by discomfort, I often recommend Dr. Dan's CortiBalm. This specialized lip balm includes a low-potency corticosteroid, providing relief and aiding in the healing process."
"You want to use your lip balm regularly, a couple of times a day, and look for ones that have SPF 30. Remember, sun damage occurs on the lips as well as the rest of our body all year round," Chapas said.
7. Go for hand care
Hands are one of the thickest areas of skin on our body, but that thick layer doesn’t mean more protection. Thicker skin tends to dry out more quickly because the cells in them are dead and dehydrated.
Moisturizing regularly with a rich hand cream or ointment, particularly after washing your hands, helps maintain hydration. Opt for gentle hand cleansers to avoid stripping natural oils from the skin. (iStock)
"I like to add thicker ointments to the hands, ones with lanolin or petrolatum are quite affective," Chapas said.
Activities like washing your hands excessively and playing in the snow can also worsen dry hands. Chapas suggests trying to limit how much you submerse your hands in water throughout the day by using hand-washing lotions or sanitizers to clean your hands.
Experts also recommend putting lotion on your hands at night and covering them to lock in moisture.
"Take your favorite hand cream (I like creams with Shea butter) and rub a thick layer on your hands. Then take a pair of clean socks and run them under water. Squeeze out the excess water and warm them up in a microwave for 30 seconds before putting them over your hands," Katz said.
8. Avoid harsh products
Stay away from harsh skincare products containing alcohol, fragrances or certain acids, as they can further irritate and dry out the skin.
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9. Use hydrating hair masks and serums
Since the scalp is just another part of your skin, dandruff issues can be a common problem during the winter.
Integrate hydrating hair masks or serums into your routine to provide an extra boost of moisture to the skin. Look for products containing ingredients like aloe vera or vitamin E.
"Seborrheic dermatitis, or dandruff, is actually a reaction to yeast that lives in our skin, so treating that with an over the counter dandruff shampoo is a lot of the times quite successful," Dr. Chapas said.
Katz suggests using your regular shampoo with a little bit of tea tree oil added.
"The tea tree oil is going to calm down the scalp and relieve some of that painful itching and burning. It's a wonderful way to just get rid of an itchy, flaky scalp," Katz said.
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10. Stay hydrated
Ensure proper hydration from within by drinking enough water throughout the day. Hydrated skin starts from the inside out.
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