You’ve turned on the heat and you’ve closed all the windows. You should be fine now that you’re all warmed up right? But what’s this? Your skins become all cracked and itchy, a sure sign of drying.

The reason there are humidifiers sold is that they help maintain the moisture in the air. One need not go to the trouble to install highly expensive humidifying systems just to invest in their skin care. A small inexpensive one obtained from the local drug store will do. 2 or 3 of these just around the house will go a long way to helping humidify the air, banishing away the itchiness of eczema and the dryness of the skin.

Keeping skin protected is probably one of the things people usually ignore during winter. What people don’t realize is that the sun’s rays are practically the same in the winter as they are in the summer. The chances of exposure is greater because of the snow reflection during winter. Sunblock is still as important in winter as they are during summer especially if you like going outdoors and like doing winter outdoor activities.

For people having sensitive skin, winter clothing should be chosen wisely. Now how can clothing be connected to having unhealthy skin? Skin that is prone to dryness and itchiness will be more vulnerable during the winter months. Changing clothing made of wool to cotton will help your skin become less prone from dryness and itch. Wool can become uncomfortable and can make skin irritated aside from the fact that it is already itchy.

• Starch fights sandpapery skin: dissolve 1 tbs. of starch in water (1 l.), keep your hands in the solution for 15 min. and rinse it off with warm water.

• Sea salt beats wet palms: dissolve 1 tsp. of sea salt in warm water (1 l.), keep your hands in the solution for 5-10 min. every day (for about 7 days in a row depending on how bad the problem is).

• Eggs and oil help weather-beaten hands: thoroughly mix 1 egg yellow with 1 tbs. of olive oil and 1 tsp. of natural honey, cover and leave it on for 15-20 min.

It starts around November. Winds pick up, temperatures creep down. Furnaces kick on making the inside of our homes crackle with dry air.

That’s when the itching begins. Some people live with dry, scratchy skin all winter, until spring when the furnace clicks off. For others, it’s a year-round penance of living in a desert.

“Dry skin is worse in winter. Here, (there’s) no humidity,” said Dr. Julia Ai of Bella Dermatology in Sparks. “It’s worse in winter here because homes have dry heat.”

Itching and dryness are exacerbated by daily bathing or showering and sun damage — a skin worry that many people forget about during the winter.

Skin creams, moisturizing soaps, changes in bathing habits and the prodigeous use of sunscreens all can help take the itch and scratch out of a cold, dry, windy winter, local dermatologists say.

Americans have developed the habit of showering or bathing every day, Ai said. In winter, she said, it’s best to limit that daily exposure of skin to soap and water to just the “stinky parts” — feet, underarms, private parts.

And when you do shower or bathe, take precautions and shop around for skin products.

Use warm, not hot, water, Ai said. Hot water dries skin. Use a moisturizing soap. Liquid soaps and body washes often contain perfumes or sudsing ingredients that can be harsh, Ai said.

“Keep it simple,” she said. “Use a moisturizing bar soap, like Dove.”

After bathing, pat the skin dry, Ai said. Don’t rub. Leave the skin a little damp and apply a moisturizing cream right away.

Winter-dry skin can demand even more care. For very dry skin, Dr. Cindy Lamerson of the Nevada Center for Dermatology suggested a regimen of mineral or baby oil applied immediately after showering or bathing, while still in the shower or tub, being careful not to slip.

“Put it on when still wet in the shower, get out and, while you’re still a little wet, put moisturizer on top,” Lamerson said.

Use something heavy-duty, such as Eucerin cream or DML Forte cream, she said.

Winter itch and dry skin are exceedingly common in this area, Lamerson said, with probably 75 percent of the population suffering from them.

Once the itching is under control, Lamerson said, it’s OK to drop the mineral oil part of the regimen, but keep up the moisture cream use, she said.

Lamerson also prefers moisturizing creams to thinner lotions.

“You can notice the difference between moisturizers,” Ai said. “Do one on each arm. See how thick, goopy moisturizer (seals in moisture) better.”

A heavier cream takes more effort to rub into the skin, Ai said, but it seals in moisture well.

Men typically don’t like greasy creams on their skin, Lamerson said. If they suffer with dry, itchy skin, they should try different products to find one that feels comfortable on their skin.

Once a body is bathed and moisturized, there’s more work to do to ward off winter skin troubles.

In the winter, outdoor activity puts people out in the sunlight, and if there’s snow, about 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays reflect off that snow, Lamerson said.

“You’re getting almost two-fold (sunlight),” she said. “That’s where the huge blistering sunburns on the ski slopes come in.

“Also protect you face,” she said. “Wearing one of those little neoprene masks physically protects you from the sun.”

Ai also suggested using a humidifier in the bedroom.

Cindy Ainsworth of Reno follows a skin regimen all year long. She moisturizes regularly, deals with dry skin patches as they crop up, washes with a liquid moisturizing soap and drinks lots of water.

“Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. It makes a difference,” she said. “We don’t drink as much water in winter. We forget to drink as much and I think drinking water really helps.”

Ainsworth, of the Historic Reno Preservation Society, also remembers to pack the sunblock for winter outdoor activities.

“You really have to use sunblock all year round,” she said. “Any (skin) products you use, make sure they have sunblock.”

Kathy Berry, a Truckee Meadows Community College publicist, is a big moisturizer advocate. She first applies baby oil, then follows it with a lotion.

“I tend to use more night cream in the winter on my face,” she said. “And I can’t live without lip balm.”

By: Susan Skuropa
Source: rgj.com

Women know that a change in season means a change in skin care regime. But it is important to keep in mind that men have special winter skin care concerns that should not be overlooked.

Most people are unaware of how much sun damage they can sustain during the winter, and men especially need to take extra care of their skin during the cold season. Even during the wintry weather, the sun plays a significant role in causing skin damage. It is therefore just as vital to protect skin from the sun during the winter as it is in the summer.

According to Kathy Jones, President-Elect of the Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists (SPSSCS) and a Registered Nurse certified in plastic surgical nursing in Fort Wright, KY, men are less likely to notice changes to their skin than women. She says that even if men notice changes, they tend to ignore them and put off going to the doctor.

Continue reading in emaxhealth.com

While autumn brings piles of red-orange leaves and coats are dusted off for the upcoming winter weather, thoughts of sunscreen and bathing suits are quickly forgotten.

And so is skin cancer.

Health Education Coordinator Kathryn Steward said the chances of developing skin damage or skin cancer can still exist during colder months.

“Many people do forget about sunscreen and skin cancer when it’s cold because they are not out as much,” she said. “Although the sun rays aren’t as strong, UV (ultaviolet) rays can still hurt your skin, even when the heat is not felt.”

The Skin Cancer Foundation reported that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

Some of the most common skin damage occurs when one comes in contact with intense UV rays, such as rays from tanning beds and excessive sun exposure.

The chance of skin damage is the same all year, said Patricia Blewett, a Health Services staff physician.

Continue reading from wkuherald.com

Soak in the tub: Keep the water lukewarm. The temperature shouldn’t be above 90 F. Adding bath oil to the water may help retain and replenish the oil in your skin.

Use soap sparingly: If possible, limit soap use to your face, armpits, genitals, hands and feet. Avoid antibacterial and deodorant soaps. Mild cleaners such as Cetaphil, Dove or Vanicream are less drying. Avoid products with fragrances and lauryl sulfates, which can be irritating.

Pat skin dry: Avoid rubbing or wiping your skin. Instead, leave it moist by gently patting or blotting with your towel.

Moisturize: Immediately after drying off, apply a thick moisturizing cream or ointment. Avoid creams or lotions that contain alcohol.

Use a humidifier: Keep indoor air moisture levels at 40 to 50 percent. Keep your house on the cool side; between 68 F and 75 F is reasonable.

Source: medicalnewstoday.com

Dry skin very commonly produces itching, which can be severe and interfere with sleep and other daily activities. Repeated rubbing and scratching can produce areas of thickened, rough skin (lichenification). Dry, thickened skin can crack, especially in areas subject to chronic trauma (e.g., hands and feet), causing painful cracks in the skin (fissures). Dry skin and scratching may result in a dermatitis when the skin becomes red (inflamed) in addition to dry and scaly. Round, scaly, itchy, red patches scattered over the legs, arms and trunk (nummular eczema) may also appear. The appearance of yellow crusts or pus in these areas indicates that a bacterial infection is developing. This would require specific antibiotic therapy from your dermatologist or family physician.

If your skin is very dry, or if you have an associated red dermatitis, it is a good idea to seek the advice of your dermatologist or family physician. Severe dry skin is a feature of certain genetic diseases such as atopic dermatitis and ichthyosis (fish scale-like skin). In addition, people with hormone imbalances such as underactivity of the thyroid gland can also experience severe skin dryness (there are other changes in the body that accompany dry skin in this setting that helps doctors recognize this problem). On occasion red, dry skin rashes can be confused with other skin problems such as a ringworm infection or allergic contact dermatitis (i.e., a poison ivy-like skin rash), which would need different forms of treatment.

Source: uihealthcare.com

The low humidity common in many parts of the United States during winter can cause dry, irritated skin. When skin becomes dry and irritated, eczema can flare. Here are some tips to help skin feel more comfortable during winter or anytime the air is dry:

1. Use a humidifier. With the heat on and the windows closed, the air inside can become very dry in the winter, making the dryness and itching of eczema even worse. Use a humidifier to place moisture in the air. If you don’t want to invest in an expensive humidifying system, smaller, relatively inexpensive humidifiers can be obtained at a local drug store. Placing two or three of these around your home will help to humidify the dry air. This can keep skin from drying and becoming cracked and itchy.

2. Switch to an oil-based moisturizer and moisturize frequently. The more oil a moisturizer contains the more effectively it protects against moisture loss. Moisturizers that come in ointment form contain the most oil because an ointment, by definition, consists of 80% oil and 20% water. This water-in-oil emulsion forms a protective layer on the skin and makes it more ‘moisturizing’ than creams and lotions. Ointments are especially beneficial when humidity is low. Ointments should not be used on areas of the body that tend to get hot and sweaty.

3. Before Going Outside in Winter:

Apply a heavy layer of moisturizing broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to the face, hands, and any other skin that may be exposed. This will act as a barrier to help protect against the harsh elements and is especially important if you will be outside for any length of time. Sunscreen is important in winter as the sun’s reflective powers are great year round – 17% on the sand and 80% on the snow. Today, several products are available that combine oily, moisturizing cream with sunscreen. If you are unsure of which product to use, ask a dermatologist.

Grab those gloves. Protecting hands from the cold air and low humidity plays an important role in preventing flare-ups. Make sure the gloves are made from material that does not irritate your skin. Some patients find that wearing a cotton mitten next to the skin and a woolen mitten over the cotton one, keeps hands warm and dry.

4. Dress in layers. The most common triggers of the scratch/itch cycle are sweating and overheating. Wearing layers allows you to remove clothing as needed to prevent overheating. Be sure to wear loose-fitting cotton fabrics next to your skin.

5. Shed wet clothes and shoes immediately. These can irritate the skin and cause a flare-up.

Source: skincarephysicians.com