Dry skin. Itching. Red cheeks. A tight feeling to skin. Fine lines, cracking or even scaly skin. These are all symptoms of winter skin, and while they may be normal and even expected at the onset of winter, there are solutions.
During winter, the cold temperatures and the drop in humidity rob the air of moisture, leaving your skin feeling dry. Inevitably, heaters get turned on and we have hot showers or run hot baths for the children. But this only adds to the problem of winter (dry, itchy) skin, as heating removes more moisture from the air, and the longer we sit in hot water, the more moisture leaves our skin. Certain soaps and chemicals, such as those found in cleaning products, also dry out skin, as do alcohol-based or perfumed moisturisers. And scrubbing the skin, especially with a lot of soap, doesn’t help either.
Winter skin is not to be confused with eczema, which is a type of dermatitis.
Read more about eczema.
There are a number of ways to deal with winter skin:
- Limit bath or shower time, and avoid using very hot water. If children have been inside all day, they shouldn’t be too grubby, and a quick wash down will do.
- Choose a mild oil-based, perfume-free soap for bath time, and avoid lathering up too much.
- If skin is very dry or itchy, try a soothing oatmeal bath. Grind up some oats until very fine, and sprinkle into the bath, making sure you don’t have any clumps. But be careful as this could make the bath a little slippery.
- Instead of rubbing yourself or your children dry, pat dry with a soft towel.
- Apply moisturiser straight after drying, when the skin is still a little damp. This helps the skin absorb and keep as much moisture as possible. Choose a moisturiser that doesn’t have added fragrances and if necessary, use a thicker moisturiser. Moisturise more than once a day, the more moisturiser you apply, the better. Lavish that moisture on areas prone to dryness like your hands, elbows and knees.
- Wear sunscreen, yes, even in winter! Sunscreen can protect your skin from all year round. Even in cool, overcast weather you run the risk of sunburn.
- If you’re washing dishes or using cleaning products, wear vinyl or rubber gloves.
- Replace some of the moisture in the air by using a humidifier. If you’re using this in your child’s room, look for a cool mist humidifier.
- To avoid the winter chill and the wind from giving you winter skin, use gloves, scarves and hats when venturing outside. Make sure your gloves are dry – wet gloves will irritate the skin.
- It’s also best to wear soft, natural fabrics, and avoid anything too scratchy, such as coarse wool. Also steer clear of less breathable synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester and rayon. The best fabric to opt for winter skin is cotton, consider wearing a light cotton layer under clothing of a heavier fabric.
- Eat plenty and a variety of fresh produce. Leafy greens, fruit and orange-red coloured vegetables have antioxidants to protect the skin from free radicals that damage cells and cause ageing.
- Up your hydration; the more fluids you consume, either in liquid form of by eating oranges, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, the better your hydration levels. Being well hydrated will help combat winter skin, keeping it protected and nourished.
- Dry skin can trigger an eczema flare up so make sure you thoroughly moisturise any areas prone to eczema. If dry skin or a rash persists, speak to a doctor.
What’s good for winter skin
Look for facial and skincare products that contain hydrating ingredients like:
- almond oil
- cocoa butter
- shea butter
- olive oil
- argan oil
- aloe vera
- jojoba
- avocado
- glycerine
- lanolin
