Dry skin is more common in the winter than in the warmer days. The changes in humidity, as well as temperature at this time of the year, can irritate the skin.

Dry skin may affect many people during the winter, and the severity of the symptoms can vary significantly. Various treatments can refill the moisture of the skin and relieve the symptoms. People can also take multiple steps to prevent the skin from becoming dry.

This article shows you dry winter skin in more detail, including its causes, symptoms, and various tips to take care of it.

What causes winter dry skin?

Winter brings different changes in humidity and temperature that create perfect conditions for dry skin, also known as Xerosis.

The outermost layer of our skin is called the epidermis. The thin outer surface of the epidermis is called the stratum corneum, also known as the skin barrier.

A combination of lipids as well as dying or dead skin cells make up the skin barrier. The skin barrier creates a layer of protection that protects us from harmful toxins entering the body. When the skin barrier help damaged, the skin appears dry or irritated.

Moisture your skin is essential for the skin barrier to perform well.

It has shown that there is less moisture in the skin during winter than in the summer and fewer lipids in the skin barrier. These differences in dryness and irritation.

During the winter months, we often turn their indoor heating up high, which reduces humidity and affects how much moisture is available to the skin.

At the same time, the cold outdoor weather, and harsh winds with rain can strip the skin of its natural, moisturizing oils.

Taking hot baths or showers may also damage the surface of the skin, leading to dryness. Using harsh soaps and rubbing the skin vigorously when drying and contribute to skin damage.

The level of moisture in our skin also varies with age, gender, ethnicity, and environmental factors.

Various symptoms of winter dry skin

The dryness that results from damage to the skin barrier during winter shows:

  • flaking

  • rough patches

  • redness 

  • lighter skin tones

  • itching

  • cracks

  • stinging

  • Sensitivity with touch feeling

Sometimes, people may experience several of these symptoms at the same time. The right treatment should reduce their strength.

Treatment for winter dry skin

Dry and damaged skin required moisture for nourishment. It is best to keep a skin care regimen as simple as possible when treating your dry skin. A simple regimen avoids overloading the skin with unnecessary skin products, such as toners, serums, as well as heavy makeup.

Using a moisturizer is the best way to rehydrate the skin layer i.e. epidermis and prevent water loss from the skin. Thick, greasy moisturizers without perfumes are generally the best option. Thinner gels, creams, and lotions can cause stinging when a person uses them on irritated skin.

Moisturizers containing emollients include linoleic, linolenic, and lauric acids which smoothen the surface of the skin. They fill up the spaces between skin cells where there has been a loss of moisture.

Winter skin care tips are important to anyone looking to see through the harsh, cold weather with their skin unharmed. While we all love a stroll in the cool winter air, it comes at the price of skin damage during winter.

Cold air with low humidity and moisture makes the skin dry and irritating. Exposure to this cold air, along with indoor heating, depletes the skin of moisture as well as makes it drier and itchier.

Follow these important tips to protect your skin this winter: 

1. Moisturizer

The cold air degrades the skin of moisture. Therefore, moisturizing often is the key to keeping the skin so hydrated and soft. Instead of lotions, cream-based as well as petroleum-based products are better for normal to dry skin. It’s best to apply moisturizer simply on damp skin as it traps surface moisture. Even people with oily skin should use a light weighted unscented moisturizer.

2. Avoid using soaps

Harsh soaps are chemically treated that irritate the skin and dry it out. To keep this dryness at bay, soaps with gentle, non-scented ingredients should be used.  Apart from this non-soap cleansers can be used to wash the skin. Washing the face, hands, as well as feet once a day is sufficient, as too much washing removes the natural moisture barrier of the skin.

3. Prevent your skin from the sun

Winters may mean darker days, but the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation can penetrate the clouds to cause damage to the skin. Therefore, a sunblock with an SPF of about 15 should be applied before heading outdoors. Exposure to UV radiation contributes to high skin damage, risk of cancer, and photoaging.

4. Protect your lips

Like the skin, the lips need protection from so harsh elements. During the winter, select a lip balm or moisturizer with SPF 30 or higher to smoothen your lips and prevent them from drying and cracking. A good option to protect your lips can be a petroleum-based lip balm.

5. Don’t stay too close to the heat

While curling up close to the heater is the classic way to get warm on a cold day, leading to a way to dry out the skin. For individuals with dry skin, it can worsen the condition and even causes so dry patches to appear. It’s best, therefore, to limit the time in front of the heater and layer up with so much warm clothing instead.

6. Use a humidifier

Dry air just pulls the moisture from the skin and this is compounded by indoor heating. Room humidifiers are therefore best for the skin in the winter. They are devices that add moisture to the air as well as prevent the skin from drying up due to indoor heating.

Conclusion

Dry winter skin is not an inevitable consequence of this coldest season. Being conscious of the skin barrier and what it needs to stay healthy can help people take the necessary steps to prevent this uncomfortable skin condition.


Note: Fabonaturals skin care products for winter