Winter not only changes individuals mood but also brings along winter itch a visible effect that leaves skin dry and flaky. Cracked skin and peeling lips is the most common sign of winter dryness. Applying lip balm and moisturizers, drinking plenty of water, and wearing warm clothing helps prevent the symptoms.
Tips for Healthy Winter Skin:
* Protect your lips. Lips can be especially prone to dryness because the skin there does not have oil glands. Do not lick your lips to hydrate them. Instead, use a petroleum- or beeswax-based lip balm.
* Drink plenty of clean water, about eight to twelve glasses a day. Dehydration is hard on the entire body, but it shows first on the skin. Skin is constantly handling incoming bacteria and releasing toxin through perspiration. Drinking plenty of water helps the body to do the job of housecleaning. At the cellular level, plenty of water is essential for fluid balance and exchange of waste material.
* If you're breathing very dry air, get a humidifier. Indoor heating systems tend to dry the air, which dries your mucus membranes, making them more sensitive to infection. A humidifier is good for your sinuses, for your lungs, and for cold prevention. You should have one in the room you spend the most time. Always remember to keep your humidifier very clean.
* Use moisturizing lotions with vegetable oils and aloe vera, because aloe vera is loaded with healing properties. Avoid mineral oils, which may clog your pores.
* For rough, chapped skin, open a vitamin E capsule and rub directly on the affected area.
* Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids by eating fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod, tuna, sardines, herring at least twice a week, and omega-6 fatty acids by taking supplements of evening primrose oil. These beneficial oils work at the cell level to keep skin smooth and supple.
* Try lecithin to keep skin cells flexible. You can sprinkle lecithin granules on cereals or salads or eat them straight.
* Avoid hydrogenated oils and trans-fatty acids found in refined vegetable oils (not including canola oil or olive oil) and margarine, which contain toxic oxidative molecules that cause aging and compete with the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids for cell receptors.
* Wear gloves whenever it's cold out. Cold, dry air pulls moisture out of the skin, aging it faster.
* Drink alcohol in moderation. It's a vitamin robber and skin ager.
* If you're spending more than 30 minutes outside in the snow, be sure to wear a sun block with an SPF of 15 and sunglasses, because white snow is a highly reflective surface for bright sunlight.
* Take vitamin D supplement. People who live in an area where there is little sunlight are usually deprived of this vitamin. Vitamin D helps to regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Typically there is only a small amount of vitamin D that comes from dietary source, including liver, egg yolks, fresh milk, and fatty fish. More is produced when a particular kind of cholesterol is converted by the action of ultraviolet rays in sunlight on the skin.
* Moisturize daily. Cream moisturizers are better than lotions for normal to dry skin. If you have sensitive skin, choose a moisturizer without fragrance or lanolin.
* Cleanse your skin, but don”t overdo it. Too much cleansing removes skin’’s natural moisturizers. It is enough to wash your face, hands, feet, and between the folds of your skin once a day. While you can rinse your trunk, arms, and legs daily; it is not necessary to use soap or cleanser on these areas every day.
* Limit the use of hot water and soap. If you have “winter itch,” take short lukewarm showers or baths with a non-irritating, non-detergent-based cleanser. Immediately afterward, apply a mineral oil or petroleum jelly type moisturizer. Gently pat skin dry.
* Humidify. Humidifiers can be beneficial. However, be sure to clean the unit according to the manufacturer’’s instructions to reduce mold and fungi.
* Protect yourself from the wind. Cover your face and use a petroleum-based balm for your lips.
* Avoid extreme cold. Cold temperatures can cause skin disorders or frostbite in some people. See a doctor immediately if you develop color changes in your hands or feet accompanied by pain or ulceration. If you develop extreme pain followed by loss of sensation in a finger or toe, you may have frostbite.
* Protect your skin from the sun. Winter sun can be as dangerous to the skin. Even in the winter months you should use a sunscreen with a sun-protection factor of 15 or greater, if you will be outdoors for prolonged periods. Overexposure to the sun’’s rays can lead to premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.
* See your dermatologist. If you have persistent dry skin, scaling, itching, skin growths that concern you, or other rashes, see your dermatologist — not only in winter but throughout the year.
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