Why Your Skin is Dry in the Winter and 5 Ways to Fix It

Dry skin is one of the most common skin conditions we treat in the winter months. Most patients complain about itchiness, flakiness, cracked hands, chapped lips, or even painful red patches. Their skincare products don’t help, and they feel frustrated or embarrassed by their dry skin. This holiday gift guide has products to help keep your skin healthy during the winter.

But winter doesn’t have to present such large challenges to your skin. With a proper understanding of why your skin dries out in the winter, we can better understand how to tailor skincare to solve your issues.

By: Kaitlyn, NP

_____

Why is my skin so dry?

During the warmer months, we tend to lose water through our porous skin when we sweat. Light lotions help us retain moisture, and the humidity often protects us from losing even more water.

When temperature drop, however, so does the humidity. This – plus additional challenges like cold wind, indoor heating, and improper winter skincare – makes the water in our skin evaporate much more quickly. We then are faced with dry, chapped, red, cracked, and tight skin. For those with severe skin dryness, we could even experience bloody patches.

How can I hydrate my skin properly?

Nourished and hydrated skin is crucial to maintaining our youthful, refreshed appearance. Below are my 5 biggest tips to keep your skin in tip-top shape this winter:

• Modify your summer skincare to a wintercare. Just as summer clothes aren’t meant for snow, a light moisturizer won’t work in the winter. You will need a thick cream for proper hydration and protection. Switch out your exfoliating cleansers and toners for more soothing ones, and your serums and thin lotions for thicker lotions and creams. For women, this will help your makeup apply better as well.
• Treat your skin to a moisturizing HydraFacial. This 4-step treatment removes dead skin cells, extracts blackheads, and infuses key ingredients into your skin for maximum hydration and nourishment. It’s also great for improving age spots, sun damage, and lines and wrinkles.
• Take a warm shower instead of a hot one. Hot showers and baths are more common in winter, but this toasty water can interrupt the protecting skin barrier, causing skin dryness.
• Drink lots of water! Even if you don’t feel thirsty, you need to drink a higher amount of water in winter to keep your hydration up. Water is the best choice, but soup, decaf coffee, and tea are all suitable substitutes.
• Use a humidifier in your house for extra moisture. This will help replenish lost air moisture, especially at night.

Need a personalized winter skincare routine?

If you have questions, concerns, or just want a personalized skincare routine, please give our MedSpa a call at 513-791-9474 or fill out our online consultation form to get started. I provide complimentary consultations that include a Visia Facial Analysis to understand where your complexion currently stands. We will then partner together to develop a personalized routine for your needs. Don’t miss out on starting your 2018 with beautiful skin!