With winter approaching quickly, you may be planning holiday gatherings and updating your wardrobe for the upcoming cold weather. While these are great tasks to accomplish, focusing on the health and look of your skin is also important. The cold temperatures, snow and ice, strong wind gusts, and heat from your home and car that are common during the winter season will wreak havoc on your skin. You may experience uneven skin texture, excessive dryness, and even redness that affect the underlying health and overall look of your skin. Fortunately, help is available. With these simple solutions, you can prepare your skin for the harsh winter season.
Cleanse
Washing your face will still be important during the winter, even though you may not sweat as much through the colder season. Since soap dries out the skin, cleanse your face with a gentle facial wash that does not contain soap.
Cleansers that contain oil are great for ridding the skin of harmful bacteria without stripping the skin of essential oils and vitamins. If your skin is naturally dry, an oil-based cleanser is ideal. If you skin is naturally oily, opt for a cleanser designed for combination skin.
Moisturize
During the winter, the colder temperatures, possible wintry precipitation, and use of heat in your home and vehicle will also affect your skin. Your skin will feel dry and chapped, decreasing collagen production and increasing your risk of fine lines and wrinkles. As a matter of fact, your skin will lose an estimated 25 percent of its ability to hold in moisture during the winter.
To ensure your skin remains healthy and youthful, make sure to moisturize your skin daily throughout the winter season. Use a moisturizer that offers SPF protection, since the sun will still affect your skin during the winter. Also, consider a moisturizer with hydroquinone, which brightens a dull winter complexion. Moisturizers that contain collagen and elastin are also helpful for reducing fine lines that occur when the skin becomes too dry.
The cold, dry weather also causes lips to become chapped and dry. This chapping is not only uncomfortable, but it can also cause lips to bleed. To keep your lips moisturized and healthy, apply a lip balm each day during the winter season.
Hydrate
You probably understand the importance of drinking water in the summer, but hydration is also essential in the winter season.
The winter weather will leave skin dry, cracked, and flaky. Hydrating your body by drinking enough water will improve blood circulation to the skin, improving its underlying health and appearance.
Most people believe drinking 8 glasses of water a day is enough, but that is not the case. Today, experts recommend drinking half of your body's total weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water each day. If you exercise or participate in strenuous activity, you should drink even more fluid each day.
Exfoliate
Cleansing and moisturizing your face may seem simple enough, but you should also exfoliate your skin during the winter season, especially if your skin is dry and flaky.
Dry skin will appear dull and lifeless, decreasing the youthful, bright appearance of the skin. Most people with dry skin also have issues with acne, since pores clog up with dead skin cells and bacteria. Exfoliating the skin every few days will help reduce the residue and buildup on the skin.
Your skin is your body's largest organ, so the importance of proper skincare is easy to see. With these tips, you will know how to care for your skin during the harsh winter season. Contact a dermatology office in your area for more information.
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