Keep skin healthy this winter

A simple regimen will help your epidermis survive the cold months.

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By Susan Dalzell, Contributing Writer 11:25 AM Saturday, January 14, 2012

There’s nothing quite like cracked, scaly hands to let you know that winter has truly arrived. This year, why not be a little bit proactive and show your skin some love before it begins to resemble crocodile leather?

For tips on how to keep skin healthy, we spoke with Dr. Julian Trevino, chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Wright State’s Boonshoft School of Medicine. He advised a simple regimen that should help your skin survive the winter, scale-free.

Cover up

Limit your skin’s exposure to dry, cold air. When you go outside, wear a scarf and hat, and throw on a pair of gloves. Inside, avoid putting irritating fabrics like wool directly on your skin. “Instead, wear something nice and soft, like cotton,” Trevino said.

Bathe wisely

A hot, steamy shower or bath feels great, in the short-term, but what you’re actually doing is drying out your skin. “You should shorten your shower or bath to five to 10 minutes, comfortably warm, but not super hot,” Trevino said. “If you’re steaming up mirrors, it’s probably too hot and your skin may be losing essential oils.”

While you’re in the bathroom, take a look at the soap you’re using. If it has a lot of scents and dyes, it may be irritating to your skin. Instead, try a gentle, moisturizing bar, something like the unscented Dove Beauty Bar, which Trevino said has tested well in studies.

After you shower, gently pat yourself dry. Then, when your skin is still damp, apply a good moisturizer. More on what makes a moisturizer ‘good’ in a second.

Moisturize

Not all moisturizers are the same. Many of us may slather on lotions, only to find that our skin still ends up dry and scratchy.

Try switching to a cream, Trevino said. “Lotions spread easily, but they are too thin and not really effective.” He recommended a few products that can be easily found over-the-counter at larger pharmacies, including creams under the brand names of Aquaphor, Eucerin, Cetephil and CeraVe. Try a small amount first, and if you like it, go back for the economy size.

You can also try the inexpensive option of Vaseline. It might be a bit greasy for daytime, but Trevino said it works really well to soothe dry skin.

Whatever cream you choose to use, you should apply it at least twice a day.

Humidify

When heaters kick on, all that dry air can really damage your skin. If you have really dry skin, putting a little extra humidity in the air can help, so try plugging in a humidifier at home.

Avoid smoke

Be wary of smoke filled rooms, either from cigarettes or even from wood burning fireplaces. All that smoke can be an irritant to skin.

Use sunscreen

Most of us think of sunscreen when we go swimming, but you should also think of it if you are going skiing, or doing any other outdoor winter activity. In the winter, you not only have to worry about direct exposure to sunlight, but also from light reflected by snow. Trevino recommends using a facial moisturizer that includes a sunscreen, just to be sure you’re always covered. Sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 30.

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