There are a number of reasons, both external and internal, why the skin gets dry and itchy during winter.
With the approach of winter most people experience dryness of skin, cracked lips and feet etc. Those who suffer from eczema, a type of itchy allergic disease of the skin, has severe flare ups during winter. Hence it is clear that during winter and cold seasons the skin requires special care.
Why Does the Skin Get Dry in the Winter?
There are a number of reasons, both external and internal, why the skin gets dry and itchy during cold weather.
- External Causes: Low humidity during winter, both outside and inside the house, enhances the drying effect on the skin. Exposure to dry wind, cold water or drying soaps further increase the skin dryness.
- Internal Causes: When the skin becomes cold, the blood vessels supplying the skin become constricted. This reduces blood flow to the skin and sweat glands and oil producing glands in the body. When the water content of the skin diminishes both inside and outside, the skin cells become shrunken and dry. This produces flaking of the superficial skin cells. This irritates the nerves beneath and produces itching. Most people, because they do not feel thirsty during winter, do not drink enough water or fruit juices during winter. This produces low volume of the circulating blood causing dehydration, another cause for skin dryness.
What Should I Do to Keep the Skin From Drying Up in Winter?
Here are a few skincare tips to keep your skin smooth and supple during winter:
- Drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water
- Take a balanced food containing all nutrients. Include vegetables, fruits, and fresh fish in your daily food intake.
- Avoid chocolates, red meats, spicy fried food and fast foods. These will irritate the dry skin.
- Avoid alcohol and coffee. Both will dehydrate the skin and predispose to more drying and itching.
- People with dry skin should not use normal soaps. Soap free detergents and cleansers containing moisturizers are safe choices.
- Using a humidifier inside the house will help keep the skin moist even during winter.
- Exercise will help produce sweat and increase blood flow to the skin, which will improve the hydration of the skin.
- Colloidal oat meal baths, in addition to their action of preventing water loss, also soothe the skin.
- While taking a shower in winter, alternate moderately hot water with cold water for a few seconds in between. This will provide an internal massaging effect with improved circulation and better hydration of the skin.
- Apply a good moisturizing cream or lotion immediately after bath, before the body dries up. This will trap the moisture inside and enhance the healing process.
- If the dryness is more, you should be using moisturizing creams containing urea 10%, lactic acid, aloe vera etc.
What is the Best Way to Apply a Moisturizer?
- Apply a moisturizer only after wetting the skin, to increase its effectiveness
- Rub the moisturizer on both palms, and then apply it lightly along the direction of the hair follicles. If the moisturizer is rubbed into the hair follicle, this can cause infected bumps called oil acne.
- In severe dryness, use newer products which contain liposomal delivery systems and those containing alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid, which have been shown to structurally alter dry skin.
Can Oil be Applied to the Skin Before Bath?
No, the oil will form a film over the skin and prevent the superficial skin layer from absorbing the moisture. This will actually increase the skin dryness in the winter. Oils or moisturizing creams should be applied only after wetting the skin, not before that.
Reference
- Satish S Savant, Radha A Shah. Moisturizers. Textbook and Atlas of Dermatosurgery and Cosmetology, Ascad Publishers, Mumbai; 1998.
The copyright of the article Why Does the Skin Get Dry in the Winter? in Skin Disease is owned by Hanish Babu. Permission to republish Why Does the Skin Get Dry in the Winter? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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