Winter skin care

Photo credit: Linda Prebreza on Pexels

Now that winter solstice is behind us and it's officially winter, we thought that a refresher about taking care of our skin might be useful.  We have tried to keep our suggestions below easy, all the while being effective. 

The suggestions below are general ones to help prevent dry, itchy, cracked skin in winter.  A spring/summer skin routine would likely be different, with lighter moisturizers (for example, with lotions rather than creams or ointments), etc.  If you have specific questions or conditions, please be sure to consult with your doctor, dermatologist, or stop by to see one of our pharmacists.  Our pharmacists can also help to interpret ingredients lists of products or advise whether your medications could affect your skin. 

Please note that a person's medical history, conditions, medications, age, and lifestyle greatly affect what is recommended for their specific situation.  Keep in mind that what might work for one person might not be best for another person.

Why is dry skin not desirable?

Apart from being the first line of defence against bacteria, infections, etc., our skin is our largest organ and to do its job well, it needs to be properly hydrated.  Dry skin can pull, get rough, red, inflamed, chapped, itchy, and/or flaky and/or produce pus.  It can crack and lead to infections or eczema (which is a group of skin conditions that causes red, dry, bumpy, and itchy patches of skin).

A simple at-home test to see if your skin is dry is to lightly run the back of your fingernail along the area you're testing, without scratching your skin.  If your skin flakes -- you see "snowflakes" or dust, or if there's a light line mark where you ran your fingernail, it's time to re-hydrate your skin.

Tips for maintaining hydrated skin in winter

These suggestions are not presented in any order.  The more that you can implement, the better for your skin!

• Take shorter showers or baths (10 minute maximum) and use warm wather rather than hot water.  Water, especially hot, soapy water, removes the skin's natural oils and causes dryness.
  
  
• Use soap minimally and opt for gentle or moisturizing soaps without deodorants, perfumes, or alcohol products as they can also remove the skin's natural oils.
  
  
• Apply a moisturizer all over, immediately after bathing or immediately after washing your hands, to seal in the moisture.  This includes a moisturizer for the face and a moisturizer for all over the rest of your body.  More on the difference below.
  
  
• Choose face and skin moisturizers and lip balm that are free of perfumes, fragrances, or other products (natural or chemically produced) that can cause irritation or an allergic reaction.  More on moisturizers below.
  
  
• Shave after bathing when the skin is moist and use shaving cream, lotion, or gel.  Use a sharp razor and shave in the direction the hair grows, rinsing the razor after each stroke of the blade.
  
  
• Use fragrance-free laundry detergents and avoid fabric softeners, for the obvious reason that clothing is in constant contact with our skin.
  
  
• Avoid tanning beds and artifiical sunlamps as they can damage skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.  If you use self-tanners, use extra moisturizer as they tend to dry out the skin.
  
  
• Outside, protect your hands from the cold by wearing gloves.  Protect your exposed skin by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 because winter UV exposure can still lead to premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.  As well, even on cloudy days, up to 80% of the sun's harmful UV rays can penetrate your skin.
  
  
• A balanced diet and drinking enough water throughout the day can also make a difference.  More on this below.
  

Photo credit: Carolina Grabowska on Pexels

More information

Dry skin - different parts of the body

Applying moisturizer to these areas where the skin is often dry can help: hands, feet, face, elbows, around your mouth, genitals, legs. 

To note, the skin on our lips is thinner than elsewhere and is vulnerable to drying out, especially if we lick our lips, as that strips away natural oils.  It is recommended to apply nourishing lip balm with ingredients such as shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, or coconut oil.  An easy, inexpensive option is to simply apply pure petroleum jelly.

Our facial skin is thinner and more sensitive than our other skin, so face moisturizers are designed to be a bit thinner and less likely to cause acne.  Generally, in winter, creams, oils, or balms are used on the face, while ointments and creams are used on the body.  However, pay attention to your own skin to see what works best for you -- how heavy or light the moisturizers should be for you.

Ointments are great for hands and feet -- more on ointments vs other forms of moisturizers below.

Skincare products - cleansers and moisturizers

Reading the ingredients list of some products can be complicated, but here are some general guidelines:

Ingredients that are desirable (in alphabetical order):

• Ceramides, coco butter, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, lanolin, lauric acids, lecithin, linolenic, mineral oils, olive oil, petroleum jelly (or petrolatum), shea butter, silicone, sorbitol, squalane
• These ingredients work in different ways, for example:
• humectants - help to attract moisture to the skin
• occlusives - help to seal moisture in the skin
• emollients - smooth the skin by filling in the spaces between the cells

Ingredients that are to be avoided:

• Benzyl alcohol, fragrances, glycolic acid, isopropyl alcohol, retinoids, retinols, salicylic acid, sulfates

Other notes:

• Some lactic acid moisturizers can exfoliate dry, flaky skin while helping to maintain skin hydration -- check the ingredients list or ask one of our pharmacists.
• Look for products that are suitable for sensitive skin.
• Sometimes natural or chemically made molecules are added to remove fragrance.  These can still cause allergic reactions, i.e. plant extracts, essential oils, etc.
• SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), commonly found in soaps, fabric softeners, personal care products, etc., can cause irritation, but you might not have sufficient exposure to it for it to be harmful.  Alternative ingredients that serve as surfactants (cleaning agent that removes dirt) include:  fatty alcohol ethoxylate, alkyl phenol ethoxylate, fatty acid alkoxylate, etc.
• An inexpensive ointment moisturizer for the body is pure vegetable shortening.  Simply apply small amounts and rub well.
• In winter, limit the use of products containing anti-aging ingredients such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or retinol since they can contribute to drying out the skin.
  

Diet, hydration, and lifestyle

If you've been following our blog for a while, you'll already have an idea of these pointers:

• Eat a balanced diet, with lots of fiber, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins.  Limit processed foods and sugary drinks. 
• Drink enough water (check out our blog about how to know you're getting enough water here:  https://www.thepharmacyatwellington.com/back-to-basics-water)
• Keep active
• Get enough sleep and manage your stress

We'd like to specifically note that smoking or vaping can increase the formation of wrinkles.  It makes the skin look older by narrowing the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of the skin, lessing blood flow and reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients, resulting in more dull skin.  Collagen and elastin, which give the skin its strength and suppleness, are damaged.  There is also the increased risk of skin cancer on the lips (as well as other cancers).

Conclusion

It is possible to have healthy, hydrated skin throughout one's life ... it might mean making a few changes to one's routine or lifestyle, but it's definitely worth it!

References and resources

• Cleveland Clinic on dry skin - https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16940-dry-skin
  
  
• Mayo Clinic on 5 tips for healthy skin - https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/skin-care/art-20048237
  
  
• A dermatology clinic in the UK on winter skin care - https://www.stmichaelsclinic.co.uk/2024/01/08/winter-skin-care-tips-expert-advice-for-a-radiant-complexion/
  
  
• American Academy of Dermatology on winter skin survival kit - https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/winter-skin-survival-kit
  
  
• University of Cincinnati on winter skin care tips - https://www.uchealth.com/en/media-room/articles/winter-skin-care-tips-for-preventing-dry-cracking-skin
  
  
• Columbia University Irving Medical Center on healthy winter skin - https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/dermatologists-guide-healthy-winter-skin
  
  
• Iowa Health Care on winter dry skin - https://uihc.org/health-topics/winter-dry-skin
  
  
• Brown University on foods that are good for the skin in winter - https://www.brownhealth.org/be-well/top-winter-foods-your-skin
  
  
• University of Queensland on SLS - https://medicine.uq.edu.au/article/2019/12/what-sodium-lauryl-sulfate-and-it-safe-use
  
  
• Article by a water treatment company about surfactants - https://www.moleaer.com/blog/wastewater-treatment/understanding-surfactants-the-science-behind-soaps-and-detergents

• Cleveland Clinic on squalane - https://health.clevelandclinic.org/squalane
  
  
• Harvard Health Publishing on 9 ways to banish dry skin - https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/9-ways-to-banish-dry-skin