April 2019
Handy Tips: How to Deal with Dry Skin in the Cold Weather
For those who suffer from extremely dry skin, the colder seasons bring a whole host of problems. Dry flaky skin on their face, cracked skin in between their fingers, chronic chapped lips can be some of the symptoms they experience. While these are completely normal, they can be very frustrating for those who experience discomfort with their symptoms, particularly when they hit the cold air outside. If you’re heading to a frosty country on holiday, or want to know how to how to get rid of dry skin during the cooler months, what can be done?
1. Limit your hot water use
If you look forward to your long, hot shower at the beginning or the end of the day, this might come as bad news. Regularly using hot water and strong soaps can have a detrimental effect on the sebum in our skin, which means our skin can become more prone to water loss, too. It’s recommended that you keep the water lukewarm and go easy on abrasive luffas and exfoliating scrubs, particularly if you’re struggling with dry patches. If you don’t have a dishwasher, then wearing rubber gloves can also help with dry skin on arms and hands.
“It’s recommended that you keep the water lukewarm and go easy on abrasive luffas and exfoliating scrubs”
2. Use a good moisturiser
Try not to let your symptoms get worse before you start layering on moisturiser in the chillier months. It’s helpful to take preventative measures as the weather gets colder and start keeping your skin well-moisturised. If you’re having a severe outbreak of dry, flaky skin this year, then using a dry skin treatment specifically designed for problem or very dry skin will help to soothe the discomfort..
3. Wrap up warm
This may seem obvious if you’re particularly sensitive to the colder weather, but wrapping up in the colder weather really does help with dry skin patches. It’s always recommended that you wear gloves, and ideally put on an intensive moisturiser underneath. Using a proven dry skin treatment that helps absorb excess moisture can also assist in improving how your skin feels.
4. Invest in a humidifier
While you can’t change the weather (without going on holiday perhaps!), you can help improve the air quality in your own abode. Purchasing a humidifier helps replenish the moisture in the air as well as counteracting the effect of the chilled air outside. Another useful tip is to keep your bathroom door closed while showering and bathing, as this temporarily traps the steam and humidity in the room.
It’s no secret that cold weather is one of the biggest dry skin causes. It can be hard to motivate yourself to fall into a routine when the colder months approach, which means that some of us inevitably end up suffering from uncomfortable dry skin problems. If you find yourself wondering ‘Why is my skin so dry?’ then it’s worth being strict with yourself and remembering to layer-up, moisturise effectively and limit your hot water use.