Many people experience rashes, skin texture changes, irritation, and a prickly feeling during cold weather. Winter can have an adverse effect on our skin. The extreme drop in temperature and lack of humidity in the air makes it difficult for our skin to lock in moisture. Prolonged use of heaters, keeping the fireplace lit the whole day, and long hot baths exacerbate the problem, triggering conditions like dry, red, and itchy skin, eczema (skin lesion), and bleeding cracks. Therefore, you must sway from your regular skincare routine and change it a bit for the upcoming winter season. While you may not have to replace every product you use, you might have to switch to denser creams to fight the cold.
Understanding the Winter Skin - What are the Common Skin Problems During Winter?
Skin health is crucial, not just for appearance but for protecting against viruses, bacteria, and harmful UV rays. Cold weather can severely compromise skin health. Common winter skin problems in India include:
Skin Chafing
Chafing occurs when the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is exposed to repeated friction. It is generally seen in the inner thighs and under the breast. Lack of moisture and too many layers of clothes rub against the skin, damaging the epidermis. The damaged epidermis exposes the inner layer. The soft and sensitive inner layer and constricted blood vessels make the skin sore.
Chapped Lips and Hands
Lips have a very thin and sensitive layer of skin, known as vermillion, which has fewer layers of cells compared to the rest of the body. Since the lips cannot be covered, they become extremely dry during winter, causing them to crack and chap. They may be extremely painful and often bleed. Chapped and dry hands are also very common during cold weather. Frequent hand washing and exposure to chemicals, like hand sanitizers, can lead to skin peeling, and sensitive and red hands.
Itchy Patches and Flareups
Skin flare-ups are sudden worsening of existing skin conditions, like psoriasis, eczema, and acne. While itchy patches are annoying, red patches on the skin are generally common in areas exposed or where we don’t apply moisturizers, like arms, back, legs, and face. Allergies, psoriasis, and eczema can also cause them.
Apart from these, windburn, chilblains, and hives are also common problems in regions where the temperature drops to single digits or below freezing.
What Causes Winter Dry Skin?
The epidermis is a skin barrier which is a combination of dead skin cells and lipid protein. It forms a layer of protection that stops harmful toxins, pollutants, bacteria, and viruses from entering our bodies. When the skin barrier is damaged, it causes redness, flare-ups, and dry skin.
Reasons for dry skin during winter include:
- Dehydration is a major cause of dry, red, and itchy skin. Reduced water intake in winter dehydrates the body, affecting the skin.
- Constant heater use lowers air humidity, stripping skin of natural oils.
- Snow, rain, and harsh winds can instantly dehydrate the skin.
- Hot baths, showers, harsh soaps, and vigorous scrubbing can damage the epidermis, causing dryness.
- Skin moisture decreases with age and varies by gender, environment, diet, medications, race, and ethnicity.
How to Avoid Getting Dry Winter Skin?
When the seasons start to change, try adjusting your skincare regimens a bit by taking the following important steps:
Switch to a Gentle Cleanser
Our skin requires a different treatment during winter, including the kind of face wash and exfoliator we use. Cutting back on face scrubs, clay-based face masks, like Multani mitti, and steam treatments will help you avoid damage to the skin barrier.
Using a gentle cleanser, which is a combination of mild soap and cleansing oil, like tea tree, can hydrate the dry areas while removing dirt, grime, dust, and makeup. When purchasing a face or body wash, look for hydrating ingredients like glycerin, ceramides, aloe vera, and hyaluronic acid. Make sure they are fragrance-free and dermatologist-tested.
Another great alternative is using deep cleansing milk or lotion, especially for dry and sensitive skin. It removes makeup and dirt while keeping your face hydrated.
You must ensure that you don’t use hot water to wash your face no matter how tempted you are – It will strip away the natural oils from your skin.
Switch to Natural Moisturizers and Body Creams
Replace your regular moisturizer and body lotion with olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or body butter, like shea, cocoa, and almond, as they are known to provide deep nourishment to dehydrated, parched skin. You can use malai (cream of milk) to fix dry skin in winter immediately. Unlike lotions and serums, these natural ingredients have a heavier base and create an effective barrier on your skin to lock hydration for at least 8 hours at one go.
Slather a thick layer of winter moisturizer right after you shower and before going to bed. For those with extreme skin problems, like cellulitis, apply paraffin oil on the affected areas for best results.
Best Hydrating Ingredients That Should be Part of Your Winter Skin Care Routine
The right ingredients can hydrate your skin and lock in moisture, improving your skin barrier function for nourished skin all winter. Here are a few ingredients that are a ‘must-add’ for your skincare routine:
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is one of the trending skincare ingredients, recently discovered for its health benefits. One of the exceptional benefits of hyaluronic acid is that it can hold 1000 times its weight in water, allowing it to provide intense hydration to the skin. When applied topically, it locks in moisture instantly, helps eliminate moisture loss, and offers a plump and supple skin tone.
Hyaluronic acid is also known to alleviate aging, reduce wrinkles, increase elasticity, and boost skin health effectively.
Glycerin
Glycerin is the most common, affordable, and highly versatile skincare ingredient used for moisturizing the skin during winter. Glycerin is a clear, non-irritating, and odorless liquid that has been used in skincare and cosmetic products for decades. As a humectant, it attracts moisture from the air, helps it to penetrate deep into the skin, and keeps the skin soft and hydrated for long hours.
Ceramides
Lipids are our first line of skin defense, and ceramides make up at least half of the lipids in the skin barrier. They not only protect our skin from multiple issues but also offer intense moisture. Ceramides in skin care products are the glue that holds the skin together during harsh weather conditions, like winter. They strengthen the skin barrier, ensuring the moisture doesn’t escape.
Tips for Keeping Your Skin Hydrated and Supple in Winter
While thirst for water comes more naturally in summer, staying hydrated in winter is tough. However, these simple and effective tips will ensure your skin stays hydrated in winter.
- Drink Enough Water
- Even when you are not sweating in winter, water is lost through your skin. A healthy person requires 2 – 3 liters of water daily. In winter, increase your water intake by drinking warm water, green tea, flavored drinks, electrolytes, hot drinks, soups, hot chocolate, and homemade smoothies. Avoid drinking alcohol as it dehydrates your body faster.
- You can increase your water intake by consuming water-rich foods such as watermelon, cucumber, celery, tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, spinach, cauliflower, and pineapple. They will keep your body satiated and your skin moist and supple.
- Ideally, a home should have a 45% humidity level. But it dips to below 25% during winter. While you can install a humidifier in your room, you can try these natural ways to add moisture to the environment you are in without additional expense:
- Add humidity-boosting indoor plants.
- Use stovetop over microwave as stovetop ovens release steam into the air.
- Keep pans or pots of water near windows or heating vents. You can add citrus peels, essential oils, or vanilla to enhance the atmosphere.
- Hang-dry your laundry rather than using the drier.
Protective Measures to Shielding Your Skin from Harsh Winter Weather
Protective Layers of Clothing: To avoid windburn, dry or flaky skin and trench foot, wearing protective clothing is crucial. Those who live in regions where temperatures drop to zero or below must wear at least three layers of clothing, such as wool, thermal, silk, and synthetic fabrics.
Choose loose clothing to ensure adequate blood circulation to limbs. Cover your face with a knitted mask, protect your ears with earplugs or mufflers, and wear woolen gloves and socks. Opt for leather-topped shoes and covered footwear for extra warmth. Try not to be barefoot at home. Wear a soft slipper to prevent cracking.
Sunscreen with Higher SPF%: Sunscreen is as important in winter as it is in summer. Even though you may not feel the heat burning your skin, the sun still emits strong UV rays in winter. In fact, the ozone layer is the thinnest during this time of the year, making it especially important to keep your skin protected with a>30 SPF sunscreen. Ensure you apply the sunscreen 20 minutes before you step outside and reapply every four hours if your work requires constant exposure to the sun.
Taking care of your skin during winter is essential to avoid the common issues brought on by cold weather. The harsh winter conditions can lead to dehydration, dryness and irritation, affecting your skin’s overall health. By adjusting your skincare routine, using gentle cleansers, switching to natural moisturizers, and incorporating hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides, you can maintain your skin’s hydration and barrier function. Additionally, drinking enough water, consuming water-rich foods, increasing home humidity naturally, and wearing protective clothing can help shield your skin from winter’s harsh effects. With these tips, you can keep your skin hydrated, healthy, plump, and glowing throughout the winter season.
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