Who Else Hates Dry Skin?

Dry Skin Remedies to Beat the Winter Blues

The cold dry air outdoors combined with the heated air indoors basically means a season of terror for your skin. The winter months can lead to dryness, flaking, and itching, but you don’t have to spend your whole snowy season miserable. We’ve collaborated some winter skin care tips for you to follow to get glowing skin all year long.

What Are the Signs of Dry Skin?

Dry skin can be a very uncomfortable condition, and it can affect every part of the body. The symptoms of dry skin will not be the same for everyone, but this list is the most common signs:

• Skin that feels tight, especially after bathing or swimming.
• Skin that feels rough.
• Skin that itches.
• Skin that flakes or peels.
• Skin that has fine lines or cracks in it.
• Skin that looks gray or ashy.
• Skin that looks red and chapped.
• Skin that cracks or even bleeds.

While all of these symptoms can be fairly uncomfortable, if they become very severe or painful, it may be time to see a doctor. Also, if you notice that you are developing open sores, if your skin looks infected, large areas of your skin is peeling, or if the itching is so severe that you cannot sleep, these are also signs that you need to see a doctor.

What Causes Dry Skin?

There are a lot of things that can cause the skin to dry out including the winter weather conditions. Things like hot water, harsh chemicals, diet, and underlying medical conditions can all be the cause of dry skin.

Dermatitis is a medical term used to describe extremely dry skin, and it can be narrowed down into three different types: contact, seborrheic, and atopic. Contact dermatitis is caused by something coming into contact with your skin like a chemical or something that you are allergic to. Seborrheic is caused because the body produces too much oil, and it is the most common type found in infants. Atopic is a chronic condition that is also called eczema.

There are a few risk factors that can increase your chances of developing dry skin issues, although dry skin can and does affect everyone.

1. Age. As people age, their bodies produce less and less oil which makes them more likely to develop dry skin.
2. Health. Certain health conditions make dry skin more likely. Also, if you suffer from many allergies, it is more likely that you will develop eczema or even contact dermatitis.
3. Hygiene. Taking showers or baths using extremely hot water increases your chances of developing dry skin.

Winter Skin Care Tips

There are a few simple lifestyle changes that you can make to help alleviate the issue of dry skin. While you obviously can’t do anything about the weather or the lack of humidity in the winter, these simple tricks are things that you can do.

• No hot showers. Waking up to a freezing cold house tends to make you want to stand under a shower of scalding water just to warm up your bones, and while it may feel awesome, your skin will not thank you. Opt for a water temp that is a little closer to lukewarm to prevent additional dryness from occurring post-shower.
• Avoid showering every day if at all possible. Instead, opt for a shower or bath every other day.
• Limit the amount of time you are in the shower to under ten minutes.
• Use a high-quality moisturizing soap or body wash.
• Use a high-quality moisturizer or lotion post-shower. It is absolutely crucial that you keep your skin moisturized during the long, cold winter months. Look for something that is thicker and will stay in the skin longer, thus protecting it from the harsh outdoor weather. If you really want to amp up the moisture, try slathering the skin with a coconut oil before your shower and letting it sit for a few minutes before washing off.
• Use lotion while you are still damp. Don’t towel off completely when you are finished with your shower. Instead, add your moisturizers when you are still a little…moist.
• Instead of rubbing the skin with the towel, dry yourself with a patting motion.
• Run a humidifier in your home or bedroom.
• Increase your water intake.
• On those long winter nights, you may want to switch to a heavier face cream to be used at bedtime. If you are suffering from a wind-chapped face, this heavy face cream can also be used during the day.
• Save your harsher, drying cleaners for the summer months when excess oil is a problem. Try a gentle cleanser during the winter months instead.

Related: Winter Skincare 101 – Is it Really Necessary?

Is it Winter or is it Something Else?

Your skin is the largest organ, and it can actually show you a lot about your health and what is going on inside. Sometimes, it is hard to know if the issues you are having are just typical winter weather dry skin or if it is something that is a little more worrisome.

Rashes – If you notice that your skin is covered in a rash, it is likely that something else is going on besides just dry winter air. It could be as simple as an allergic reaction to a new laundry detergent, but if it gets really bad or is accompanied by a fever, you should see a doctor right away.

Extreme Itching – Dry skin is often itchy and uncomfortable, but if you find that you are itching so terribly that you can’t sleep, or you are scratching yourself bloody, maybe have a doctor take a look. There are some serious medical conditions that cause extreme itching, so it is a good idea to get checked out.

Tender Red Bumps – If you find that you have painful red bumps under your skin, it could have something to do with your gut. These nodules often accompany a flare-up of IBD.

Swelling in Your Legs – If the lower part of your legs are red or swollen, it could be a sign of heart issues. While this is generally a problem that affects the elderly, it is still something that should be seen by a doctor.

Diet and Dry Skin

Skin care experts stress that there is a direct link between what goes in your belly and the health of your skin. Choosing a diet that is rich in healthy fats can help combat the effects of dry skin, especially in the winter time. There are plenty of healthy foods that you can eat that contain these good fats, like walnuts, avocados, and olive oil.

Also, if you are suffering from particularly dry skin this winter season, there are a few things you may want to cut out of your diet as well. Things like alcohol and caffeine are diuretics, and excessive amounts of wine or coffee could cause the body to become dehydrated thus leading to even drier skin. Opt for a refreshing glass of water instead.

DIY Winter Skin Care Tips

There are so many skin care products on the market, and you probably already have a small cart’s worth taking up space under your sink. However, if you don’t have the exact product you are looking for, you can probably make what you need with ingredients that are already in your kitchen.

Milk: Milk can be used to soothe itchy skin. So, when the winter wind has your skin feeling raw and itchy, pour a bowl of milk from the fridge. Then you can simply soak a rag in the milk and apply it to the irritated area for 3-5 minutes. The anti-inflammatory properties in the milk with have you itch-free in a jiffy.

Honey & Olive Oil: Make a moisturizing body mask with equal parts honey and olive oil. Smooth it on the driest areas of your body and let sit for twenty minutes. Afterward, you can wash it away with a warm washcloth. Your skin will feel much smoother and silkier.

Banana & Sugar: If your skin is dry and flaking, the best thing to do is exfoliate, and you can make a very natural exfoliant with a banana and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Mash the two ingredients together in a bowl until it is a smearable consistency, and then simply scrub the flaky areas with it. This scrub is only recommended for the body because it may be too harsh for the sensitive skin of the face.

Avocado: Make a hydrating and nourishing mask out of coconut oil and avocado. The ingredients will blend together into a smooth consistency which can be spread across the skin on your face. Leave in place for 15 minutes then wash away thoroughly with warm water.

Related: Stipple! The Answer to Acneic and Dry Skin

Vitamins for Dry Skin

The single best thing you can do for your skin is to wear sunscreen, but there are a lot of other smaller things that can be done to make sure your skin is healthy and glowing. Taking vitamins is one of them. These four vitamins are essential to finding your optimal skin health.

1. Vitamin D: When your skin absorbs sunlight, it produces vitamin D. However, since the UV rays are also very bad for the skin, and most of us wear plenty of sunscreen to protect ourselves, we often don’t get quite enough vitamin D. Plenty of foods come fortified with D including orange juices, certain cereals, and yogurts. Plus, there are several foods that naturally have vitamin D like salmon, tuna, and cod.
2. Vitamin C: This vitamin can be found in high levels in the inner and outer layers of skin, and it has important cancer-fighting properties. It is generally a key ingredient in anti-aging skin care products as well. The recommended amount of vitamin C is 1,000 mg per day. You can achieve this goal by eating citrus foods, broccoli, spinach, and strawberries.
3. Vitamin E: This vitamin is essential to protect the skin from sun damage as it absorbs UV light. Plus, it goes a long way towards eliminating dark spots and wrinkles. You can increase your vitamin E intake to the recommended 15 mg by making sure your diet contains almonds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts.
4. Vitamin K: This vitamin helps the blood clot and the skin to heal. It is also beneficial in helping the skin repair stretch marks and scars. There are plenty of topical creams that contain vitamin K, but you can add it to your diet by eating green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, or lettuce.

Winter Skin Care No-Nos

To fight off the effects of dry winter skin, you will want to stay clear of these skin mistakes:

• Steer clear of products that contain sulphates because they are used to combat oil. In the summer months when the hot weather has you sweating and producing excess oil, sulphates may not be a problem. However, when your skin is already on the drier side, you want all those healthy oils to stay in the skin where they belong.
• When tucking in at night, opt for pajamas made of cotton instead of synthetic fibers. A soft cotton flannel nightshirt will be much more soothing to the dry winter skin.
• Drinking lots of toasty hot coffee may seem like a good way to warm up on a chilly winter day, but you will probably want to switch to decaf. Excessive amounts of caffeine will only make your skin more dehydrated than it already is.
• Make sure that your skin is dry before you go outside into the cold air to prevent chapping. If you run out right after you have washed your hands, and you haven’t dried them thoroughly, the cold air will make the damp skin chap much more quickly than it would dry skin.

Getting amazing skin in the winter is not done in the same way as getting amazing skin in the summer. The differences in clothing choices, the weather, and the quality of the air indoors make the skin care routine in the winter a whole new ballgame, but with the winter skin care tips in this article, you will be sure to have skin that is perfect and glowing all year long.

More Great Winter Skin Care Tips Resourses:

9 natural remedies for dry skin

7 Ways To Get Super Moisturized Skin Overnight & Achieve A Glowing Complexion

9 All-Natural Moisturizers You Can Find In The Kitchen