Whether we love winter or hate it, one thing is clear. The cold months are a big challenge for our skin. While outside it has to face gusts of wind, frost and other bad weather, inside it copes with warm dry air. Let’s make this difficult task easier for her.
Although the winter season brings with it picturesque scenery, it represents one of the most demanding endurance tests for our largest organ, i.e. the skin. It is mainly about impaired hydration, which many people perceive only as an aesthetic nuisance. However, if a mild form of the mentioned problem turns into a scaly texture of the skin, it will not be a situation that a cheap cream from the drugstore would solve. The situation may soon come when the skin starts to feel uncomfortable, redden or even crack. At that moment we are already exposing ourselves to a great risk when pathogens enter the body through an open gate. The infection does not take long.
Important skin care rules should be observed not only in winter:
The skin loses water
In this case, what is the key to understanding winter skin distress? It’s perception skin barriers as invisible “walls” made up of special substances, especially lipids and ceramides. If this barrier is disturbed, so-called transepidermal water loss occurs, a process that causes severe itching and irritation in people with sensitive skin or eczema. So it is not surprising that dermatologists sound the alarm and emphasize that winter care must be consistent and correct, and not just haphazard.
We can do without hot baths
The basic rule, which is also the most frequently violated, is limitations . Even though hot water is incredibly tempting after a freezing day spent on the slopes, it unfortunately degreases the surface of the body with great force and strips it of protective oils. A much gentler alternative is a lukewarm shower and subsequent hydration of the skin of the entire body with a suitable cream or body lotion. This ritual when apply moisturizer to still damp skin within three minutes of dryingcan lock the necessary water molecules in the skin and create a replacement protective film. Did you know about it?
When the skin itches…
As already mentioned, a big problem with dry skin is its susceptibility to infections. Among the biggest scarecrows is the duke Staphylococcus aureus. What starts as a minor itch can turn into an unsightly and, most importantly, dangerous pus deposit as a result of scratching. Prevention in this direction does not only consist in lubrication, but also in strict personal hygiene. It is important to note that any disruption of the skin, even small cracks on the joints of the hands, increases the risk of being commonly present they get into deeper layers. There they can then cause extensive complications, which already require the intervention of a doctor and, with a high probability, also treatment with antibiotics.
Proper layering of clothing
To make matters worse, our own wardrobe often attacks us in winter. Natural materials such as wool, which so wonderfully protect the body from the cold, can cause mechanical irritation to the already strained body surface in sensitive individuals. Therefore, it is a suitable solution layering of clothes, when for example fine cotton comes directly to the skinwhich does not cause such a degree of friction and allows the body to breathe. Equally important is choice of detergents; in winter, it is recommended to choose variants without fragrances and dyesto minimize the risk of skin irritation.
Take care of your own home
In winter, we also enjoy the comfort of our own home more, and therefore we should also take good care of it in our own interest. Among the basic rules that will help take care of our skin are: maintaining the correct air humidity. Don’t be afraid to use it air humidifiers that ensure optimal humidity around fifty percent. If you do not want to invest in such helpers, it will be appropriate to complement the interior with enough indoor plants. Through them, we will also achieve an environment in which our skin will be happy and we will be healthy.
