Read Full Article HereSkin Dry and Cracked? Could be Our Chaotic Central Texas Winter Weather
We might think of skin damage in the summer months, but winter can be harsh on skin, too.
When the air is colder, it doesn’t hold as much moisture, and it dries out the skin, says Dr. Chad Hartmann of U.S. Dermatology Partners in Cedar Park.
In Central Texas, the up and down temperatures, like we’re expecting this week, also can be hard on skin. Often when a cold front comes in, wind arrives with it and our skin can take a beating.
Indoor heaters also dry out the air inside our homes and offices.
Certain common skin conditions can become more apparent in winter. These include eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, which causes red, itchy patches; ichthyosis vulgaris, which causes your skin to look like fish scales; and keratosis pilaris, also known as strawberry skin, which looks like little white bumps typically on the back of arms and legs.
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These are all conditions in which the skin barrier is weakened and needs help to keep the skin hydrated.
Whether you have these conditions or just notice your skin is more dry right now, here are Hartmann’s tips on keeping skin healthy this winter:
- Avoid hot showers or baths. Those dry out the skin. Instead bathe with lukewarm water.
- Avoid direct skin contact with heat sources. Don’t sit too close to fires, air vents and space heaters. Also, avoiding constant use of heating pads and heated blankets.
- Use a gentle cleanser that is fragrance-free. Fragrances smell great but dry out the skin.
- Use a good moisturizer. “The thicker, the better,” Hartmann says, or as thick a moisturizer as a person is willing to use. It should be fragrance-free and more like an ointment such as Vaseline rather than a cream or lotion. It also should be the right moisturizer for that body part.
Look for ingredients like glycerin, petrolatum, ceramides and, for hands, dimethicone. These ingredients help fill in the cracks in the skin barrier. Hartmann describes our skin cells like bricks. Moisturizer fills in the mortar between the bricks to help the skin not be so dry and repair the skin barrier.
Some good, relatively inexpensive brands include Eucerin, CeraVe, Aveeno and Cetaphil.
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- Use at least SPF 15 sunscreen every day. Sun damage and skin cancer does happen in winter.
If your sunscreen is in your makeup, that doesn’t really count, Hartmann says, because you’re not as likely to get it thick enough to create a protective barrier. It can work if it’s part of your moisturizer, and you can apply a thick, even layer.
If you’re going to be outside, especially around reflective surfaces such as ice, snow and water, up your game to at least SPF 30 and look for a sunscreen with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They create more of a physical barrier than other ingredients.
- Use a good lip balm for your lips. Some actually dry out your lips. Look for one that is fragrance-free and has petroleum or ceramides but not acids. Acids can worsen your chapped lips.
- Protect yourself from the wind. Wear a scarf, long sleeves, pants and gloves to create a physical barrier.
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Austin’s winter allergy season fueled by cedar fever also can damage the skin. Constant nose blowing can cause the skin around the nose to become raw. Use more moisturizer or a petroleum jelly around that area.
Hartmann also has seen dry skin patches on the face because of face mask use. Moisturizer can help those.
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If your dry or chapped skin does not get better after using a moisturizer, or if there is pus, redness or pain, see a doctor. You could have a bacterial infection that needs antibiotics to improve.
Constant dry skin that doesn’t improve with moisturizer also could be a sign of a thyroid problem or another disease that needs a prescription medication.
