Winter Skin Woes and Their Fixes

Winter is quite demanding on our skin. From the dry and cold winds outdoors to the lack of humidity indoors, the skin demands no time to get dehydrated and irritated which causes flakiness and itching. But winter can be as beautiful as it looks if proper skincare routine is followed which will not only nourish your skin but also rejuvenate it. The tranquility of the winter can expectedly become an enemy to your skin if not cared efficiently.

Some of the common conditions that can occur from an exposure to harsh cold air during the winter season are listed below:

Acne

Excessive production of oil generally leads to clogged pores, bacterial infection and dead skin cells on your skin but winters can also cause acne without producing much oil from your skin. Perhaps winter is a season where generally the water consumption becomes lower than the other seasons which leads to dehydrated skin. Acne generally happens on your face, shoulders, chest, neck and upper arms.

Because of the chill weather outside and your dehydrated skin acts as a catalyst causing breakouts on your skin. In case your skin is naturally dry, then winters can become a barbarian on your skin. Hence, keeping yourself hydrated would be the best recommendation throughout the winters.

 

Eczema

A very common winter problem which causes mainly dryness of the skin, itching and irritation. It is a condition which gets enhanced if you come in contact with water. It generally affects the face, knees and elbows.

This condition flare-ups because of the indoor heating and the dryness outside somehow doesn’t let the skin to balance its moisture level on its own. Wearing too many layers of clothes, taking very hot baths or using many bedcovers can cause the flare-ups. It is generally caused by stress, skin irritants, exposure to dust or allergens, infections.

Chapped lips

Every pain becomes tolerable when your lips crack, bleeds, becomes red and causes pain, sometimes while consuming food it burns as well. Although not everyone comes up with a complaint of chapped lips in winters, but it is a very common problem.

Lips have a very thin layer of skin, the part of your face that’s most prone to dryness. The splitting and cracking of lips can be very painful which doesn’t really heal at a rapid speed and can be the way for infections to enter your body as well. A very common habit that can be observed is licking of the lips when outdoors in the dry and cold winter, which doesn’t help your lips at all but makes chapping worse. If the problem persists for longer, it’s best to consult a dermatologist.

 

Windburn

The chilly and cold winds in winter can cause a particular type of skin irritation that consists of dryness, redness and burning sensation, which is termed as Windburn.

This generally gets endured when you spend a long span of time outdoors in the cold. Sunburn is one of the main causes of windburn. According to the experts, it seems like applying sunscreen in winters is sometimes necessary to avoid windburns.

 

Cold Urticaria

Sun allergy is a very common term that we have heard people talking about, but allergy to cold is quite rare to be heard from the people. This allergy to cold is called Cold Urticaria.

Appearance of large red welts can be observed on your skin, it’s very itchy, uncomfortable and can be as big as an inch of diameter. The most effective way of getting a little relief from the pain is to not get exposed to the cold outside.

 

Dandruff

Dandruff is a skin condition that affects the scalp. The hallmark signs of dandruff are an itchy scalp and flakiness. Dandruff can be caused by dryness of skin, seborrheic dermatitis, sensitivity to hair care products and the growth of a peculiar type of fungus that lives only on your scalp.

Facial dandruff is also a major problem that certainly develops on the skin underlying our facial hair, it is known as Seborrheic Dermatitis. It causes itchiness, dryness and flakiness irrespective of age. Winters work as a catalyst to increase dandruff and hence causes skin irritation as well.

 

Winter is a season of recovery and preparation

Winters can be as beautiful as flowers if treated carefully. Understanding the major problems that we face in winter in the above context, let’s also look into the treatments and solutions to avoid these problems:

1. Are you moisturizing enough?

Moisturizing your skin is the most important part of your day to day skincare routine in the winter season. Don’t be careless enough to face the winter problems. The idea of applying thick and loaded cream on your skin isn’t really the solution. Moisturize your skin every alternative hour to maintain soft and smooth skin and to avoid breakouts.

2. Hydrating is important throughout the year!

At times we forget that water is essential to drink in the winters as well. Quenching our thirst is not the only purpose of drinking water. Water is essential to keep your body hydrated as it’s a fact that our body requires 70% of water in a day. Also, during winters the excessive use of hot water for baths also has a harsh effect on the skin, depriving it from its

natural oils thus making it drier. It’s recommended to use body temperature water for bath and replenish the skin immediately post bath with the right moisturizer, for a supple and hydrated skin.

3. Do you use lip balm?

Chapped lips can only be treated well and cured using good quality lip balms or natural oils which are organic. Lip balms help in balancing the required moisture for the thin layer of skin, it rejuvenates and repairs the dryness and the burning sensation. Coconut oil, grape seed oil, tea tree oil, almond oil, castor oil and jojoba oil are perfect to calm and nourish your lips.

4. Switch creams

Using the same creams throughout the year will not really help you to tackle different weathers and climatic conditions. It is best to use the correct consistencies in different weathers to get adapted to it. Use sunscreen cream whenever you step outdoors.

If your skin naturally is inclined towards dryness then you should switch to creams which consist of natural oils as well or white lilies extracts to balance the moisture level. Create a better and more nourishing skincare routine during winters. Vitamin c serum also helps! Sunscreens relieves windburns.

5. Let’s get rid of Dandruff!

Anti-dandruff shampoos are the best during winters. Product consisting of zinc pyrithione can be extremely helpful to deal with dandruff.

But is shampooing everything?

No! an oil massage will help a lot to bring changes for your scalp. Tea-tree oil, coconut oil and applying aloe-vera balances the pH level of your scalp, reduces the early death of cells leading to less chances of getting dandruff.

Maintain proper hair-hygiene, wash your hair properly, eat nutritious food which should include avocados, omega 3, spinach, fatty acids, apples, berries, flax seeds, eggs to avoid hair damage and hair fall in the winters.

6. Warmth is the need of the hour in winters!

Don’t forget to cover your body parts properly when you step out of your house. Especially if you are affected with eczema, cover your body very well with fresh clothes to maintain your hygiene. Scarves, mufflers, gloves, winter caps and gloves are essential when you go outdoors. Avoid direct contact of woolen clothes to dry irritated skin.

These tips were shared by Dr. Sanjita Tripathy, Dermatologist at MFine (Innovations & Clinical Research) Kaya Clinic.

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