Happy Holidays
Every year, as the temperatures drop and things get more cozy, our skin goes through a period of dryness, sensitivity, and maybe even irritation. Why does this happen? It is a multifactorial issue, with small changes needed as solutions!
During the winter months, the air is drier. This dry air pulls moisture from our skin. During this time, we all use heat to keep warm—whether that’s central air in high rises, radiators in our gorgeous prewars, or tabletop space heaters at our WFH stations. These dry heaters are pulling moisture from our skin.
Hot showers are the only thing that get us out of bed in the cold mornings, and it feels Oh so good to take a nice, long, hot shower or bath. But yup, you guessed it. That hot water is drying out our skin.
Why is moisture necessary for skin anyway? Our skin has a function – to serve as a barrier. The topmost layer of our skin, called the epidermis, serves as protection from potential allergens and irritants from entering deeper into the dermis, where they can trigger inflammatory reactions. Made up of lipids, cholesterols, proteins, and WATER, without proper hydration, this barrier cannot function. Our skin gets compromised, and more easily irritated.
So, what can we do? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
Here’s a few tips to retain that H2O in our skin during the winter:
Shorten your showers, and use lukewarm water
Pat dry, and apply moisturizer as soon as you come out of the shower
Switch out your summertime lotions for heavier, more emollient creams. I like Eucerin and Cera Ve
Layer your moisturizers at night! I especially like this for hands before bedtime
Don’t sit directly in front of heat sources
Get a humidifier for your bedroom! This will add moisture to the dry air so it doesn’t pull it from your skin
Wear gloves and scarves to protect your skin from harsh winter air
Stay hydrated! We tend to not drink as much water in the winter as compared to summertime. Keep a water bottle next to your desk to make staying quenched easier.
