Your Skin in This Weather: Dry Winters

Things to watch out for in the winter that can affect your skin:

Dry hands and feet: The skin on your hands and feet tend to lose the moisture faster than other parts of the body. This means they are more prone to getting dry, rough, itchy, and flaky.

Dehydrated skin: Dehydrated skin is different from dry skin. Unlike dry skin, it is not always itchy or flaky but is completely stripped of its naturally producing sebum, resulting in greasy skin which can cause redness, irritation, and other skin problems.

Dandruff: The skin on your scalp is also affected by the winter. Dry, cold air in addition to wearing tight woolen caps can aggravate an existing problem of dandruff.  

Chapped Skin: Combine the effects of sun exposure, sun exposure, and cold winds and you can get rather painful chapped skin. Avoid staying outdoors for too long when the weather is cold.

Red Nose: The constant sniffing and rubbing of your nose when you have a common cold, rub away the moisture and damages the delicate tissues of your skin making it red.

How to look after your skin in winter:

Wash your skin in lukewarm water:

When it is cold outside, it’s always tempting to spend a lot of time under a hot shower. No matter how tempting and nice it feels, avoid taking those long hot showers. It only dehydrates your skin further. Wash your skin in lukewarm water when you can to avoid losing the essential layer of oil from your skin.

Moisturise:

Your skin constantly needs to stay moisturised all the time, especially after a shower or a wash. Apply your moisturiser liberally every time you wash your skin and at night and you will be happy to see the results of your efforts years later. Remember, to always pick a moisturiser that works according to your skin type.

Drink plenty of water:

It is often easy to forget drinking water in winter. But remember, your skin needs to stay constantly hydrated like the rest of your body if it needs to be supple and moisturised from inside out.

Always wear sunscreen:

It may be strange to wear sunscreen in winter. But remember, countries in the Middle East like Bahrain are closer to the equator and have greater sun exposure. This means, the effects of the sun can be really harsh, even though you don’t always see it. Wearing a good sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 is an absolute must every time you head out in the winter sun.

If you need any advice or are suffering from any winter-related skin conditions, check with any of our dermatologists at Derma One to find out what’s going to work best for you.