We all know that the winter is not exactly great for our skin primarily because of the amount of time that we spend around central heating as our body is just not designed for such a thing. Often this will lead to dry skin all over our body, chapped hands, cracked heels.However, we do not have to just sit back and accept that this is the way it is supposed to be. Instead, we can be proactive when it comes to getting our skin healthier once more, although we must stress that there is a real need for it to be you putting in the work. It can be tough moving from warm to cold and back to warm, so it is no surprise that our body puts up such a fight and starts to apparently fall apart. So, how do you stop it?
1. Add moisture
The first thing that you must do is to add moisture and do so on a regular basis. This is going to drastically reduce the amount of dry skin that you are then going to develop as it stops the problem at the very beginning. However, it is not as easy as picking up your favorite product and slapping it on because you should be searching for something that is an oil-based ointment rather than something lighter that is more for the spring or summer.
This means that it is going to be thicker and provide an extra layer of protection for longer, meaning it will reduce the chances of you developing dry skin. Keep in mind that most of the night creams tend to be oil-based, so look out for those and check their ingredients.
2. Wear gloves
Your hands are often the part of your body that are most affected by the cold as the skin on them tends to be thinner. However, apart from applying hand cream on a more regular basis, it is also best to wear gloves as often as possible to stop them from being so exposed to the cold weather. We are even talking about a thin pair of cotton gloves making all the difference because it creates that extra layer that will then be enough to keep your hands slightly warmer and prevent the skin from cracking.
3. Remove wet clothing as soon as possible
If your socks or gloves are wet, then remove them as quickly as possible. The reason for this is because the wet material mixed with the cold will often lead to your skin becoming irritated, itchy, and potentially cracked.
4. Use a humidifier
As your heating system is what is responsible for drying out the air and your skin, it makes sense that you should then try to make the air less dry to prevent the problem occurring in the first place. To do that, think about using a humidifier because the moisture that is created by them will be enough to just stop your skin from drying out or at least give you a chance to add that moisture by using creams before it gets to the point of requiring some kind of medication to get on top of your skin condition.
5. Drink water
Now, drinking water in order to help your skin is not new, but people often make the mistake of thinking that this is only something that applies in the summer when the temperatures are warmer. However, that is the wrong thing to do because it is essential that you keep yourself hydrated.
6. Add lotion to your feet
You should never forget the health of your feet, especially in the winter and for that it is important that you add some special foot creams to your daily routine. Focus on the creams that have glycerine in their ingredients as they are stronger and will be able to keep tough skin moist and supple. As a result, you should be able to stop cracking of your heels.
7. Avoid hot baths
If you love a good soak in the bath, then make sure that it is not too hot because that is only going to lead to a number of problems for your skin. What actually happens is that the hot water is going to break down those protective barriers that are designed to keep moisture in your skin and thanks to that it makes it more likely that your skin is going to dry out quicker than ever before. Try a lukewarm bath which is warm enough to be comfortable, but without irritating your skin.
8. Gently exfoliate
It is important that you gently exfoliate in order to remove those dead skin cells which can often be a source of irritation. However, the important point here is the word 'gentle' as you do not want to damage your skin in any way whatsoever but remove the dead skin cells to allow the newer cells to flourish and to then absorb the moisture that you should be adding.
So, as you can see there are various things that you can do in order to help keep your skin healthier in the winter. It is important that you stay on top of the problem before it can spiral out of control because, after all, prevention is the best cure and that certainly does apply even with something such as this. By following these tips at least those days of suffering from dry, itchy skin during the winter will hopefully then become a thing of the past.