You may cover yourself up with all the woollens during the winter season; it is hard to battle the effect of cold weather on your skin. The dry and flaky skin causes itchiness and irritation and creates the most comfortable feeling. The winter months are harsh on your skin, especially if you live in an area with extreme seasonal changes.
Here is what you need to know about the causes of winter skin problems.
- Dry skin is a more common occurrence during the winter than in the summer.
- The changes in temperature and humidity levels can irritate the skin.
- Dry skin affects many people during the winter season, and the intensity of the symptoms may vary.
- The skin barrier or the thin and outer surface of the skin prevents the entry of harmful toxins, but moisture is essential for the barrier to perform.
- The skin has less moisture during the winter and causes dryness and irritation on the skin.
- During the winter months, the indoors are more heated and humid than the outer environment, but it may eventually affect the availability of moisture on the skin.
- The harsh and cold winds also make the skin devoid of its natural moisture content.
- The level of moisture on the skin may vary based on gender, age, and environmental factors.
- Drying out of the skin is one of the most typical conditions most people face during the cold season.
- The itchiness on the skin occurs when the skin dries out completely and may worsen with woollen or flannel clothing.
Winter skin – are you prepared for the battle?
The winter season is not skin-friendly, and the following symptoms commonly occur during this season:
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Dryness and irritation on the nose
You may have the urge to scratch the skin and nose around the winter season, and the best you can do to prevent dryness is to apply moisturizer.
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Skin rash
Winter rash is common and occurs when the skin becomes red, irritated, scaly, and patchy due to cold and dry air. Usually, the symptoms are itching, red rash, scaly, cracked or dry skin, blisters, bumps, and tenderness or burning sensation on the skin.
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Cold urticaria
The allergic reactions appearing on the skin due to the cold air or cold urticaria causes hives on the affected and exposed areas. Furthermore, the hands may swell on touching cold objects, and the lips swell after cold food or drinks.
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Chafing
Chafing occurs due to rubbing the inner thighs and is common during the winter season when the air is dry. The condition occurs when regular friction surfaces on the outer layer of the skin, resulting in damage. When the dermis becomes exposed to the cold and dry air outside, chafing may occur.
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Breakout of winter acne
When oils clog the skin’s pores and cause the bacteria and dead skin to accumulate, acne breakout is common. However, the dryness of your skin during the winter may also trigger acne development, and you may find them on the chest, face, back, neck, and arms.
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Eczema
Eczema is common during the winter and makes the skin itchy, dry, and irritated.
Several other skin conditions may occur due to dryness of the skin. With the winter knocking on the doors, you need to prepare ahead of a long battle.
Winter skincare tips for beautiful skin:
The harshness of the cold seasons and the dry air prevailing indoors may leave the skin in bad shape. Therefore, caring for the skin during the winter season may require more effort and time as the skin barrier cannot comply with the extreme cold and dryness. Read the points below and understand the winter skincare tips to follow.
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Moisturizing the skin
One of the significant efforts to make during the winter season is keeping the skin moisturized from outside. Applying moisturizer on the skin makes it hydrated and ensures that it does not lose its natural oil. You can choose from coconut oil and shea butter moisturizers to keep the skin hydrated all the time.
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Drinking water
Most people tend to drink less water during the winter, making the body dehydrated. The human body loses water in several different ways. Therefore, you need to load the water content during the days of winter. The more you drink water, the better the glow on your skin.
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Moisturizing the skin at night
If you want healthy and glowing skin during the winter season, it is necessary to replenish it at night when your body rests for about six to eight hours. The skin needs to indulge in a deep moisturizing effect at night and stay soft and nice during the winter.
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Avoid washing the face with cold water.
Although a hot shower during the winter helps your muscles relax, it may dehydrate the skin badly. People with sensitive skin must avoid using hot water instead of lukewarm water during showers or when washing their face.
A skincare centre near me will have specialists to guide you about the winter skincare regime.
How to get rid of dry and itchy winter skin:
The cold season spells havoc on the skin, and the impact is less than pleasant. The winter chills or the loss of natural oils during the winter, dryness and an itchy feeling on the skin are some of the commonest experiences. Here is how you get rid of dry and itchy skin in the winter.
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Change your diet
There is a deep connection between your diet during the winter and the health of your skin. Therefore, you may increase your daily fat intake during this season and drink lots of water to prevent your body from becoming dehydrated.
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Apply a heavy cream
The moisturizer you apply to the skin is one of the most important choices you need to make during the winter season, although a lot depends on the skin’s sensitivity. Ideally, you need to choose a heavy moisturizing cream during the winter. The creams containing hyaluronic acid and ceramides prevent breaking the skin’s barrier and keep it soft during the winter.
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Avoid harsh cleaning agents.
You must follow a regular face cleansing schedule during the winter but stick to gentle cleansers that will not rob the skin of its natural oil content.
A skin care doctor near me can suggest better winter skincare products that clean and moisturize your skin and keep it looking young and beautiful.
Dry and itchy skin causes prevention and cure:
Dry skin may turn severe during the winter, and the cold air leaves the skin dry and itchy.
- People over the age of forty make less oil and tend to become dry.
- The jobs that require people to wash their hands frequently may have dry skin during the winter.
- If you live in an extremely cold climate, your skin may turn dry and itchy.
- Those who have skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, and other problems, are more likely to have dry and itchy skin during the cold season.
The best way to prevent dryness of the skin during the winter season is to keep the skin covered, especially the exposed parts. You need to moisturize the skin regularly and deeply, reduce the duration of showers, apply less soap or mild cleansing agents. Besides, you need to avoid wearing rough and scratchy fabrics and avoid using colognes, body mist, and aftershave as the alcohol content in these products may make your skin drier than usual.
To cure dry and itchy skin problems during the winter, you need to visit the best skin clinic near me for effective solutions.
How to prevent aging skin problems in winter:
The aging skin tends to feel drier during the winter and also turn flaky and itchy. To prevent the aging skin problems from getting worse during the winter, you need to make the following efforts.
- Follow a moisturizing regime during the day and night to replenish the skin
- Clean the skin but do not use a gentle cleanser during the winter
- Avoid going outdoors to prevent the cold winds from affecting the skin badly or move out only when you need it the most
- When staying outdoors for long hours in the sun during the winter, do not forget to apply sunscreen.
- Picking the right skincare products for the winter is the key to moisturizing your skin.
Also Read : Tips For Choosing Best Facial Treatments For All Skin Type
Winter skin ailments that are effectively treated by dermatologists:
When the weather turns cold during the winter, your skin may respond to it in several different ways and develop specific ailments. The following are some of the commonest winter skin ailments that dermatologists treat effectively.
- Winter rash is when the skin turns red, dry, and scaly with bumps and blisters.
- Cold urticaria is when the skin develops allergic reactions due to the cold and results in hives on the exposed areas.
- Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that makes the skin turn red, itchy, and dry, and the situation turns worse during the winter.
- Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes dry, scaly, and red patches to appear on the skin, and the situation exacerbates during the winter.
The weather changes can cause us to act negatively and differently. Therefore, you need to follow a different skincare routine during the winter and visit specialists to get proper skin conditions treatment.