W i n t e r T i m e T i p s Fo r
HEALTHY SKIN
DERMATOLOGY
As we begin to approach the colder fall and winter months, I feel that this is a
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good time to share with our neighbors my thoughts on cold weather and how it can affect your skin.
et al) and particularly something that says “for faces,” “oil free,” or “non-
In our area of the country, warmer
only causes discomfort but also
temperatures and high humidity are the
opens the skin up to allergens and
norm, and our skin becomes used to
microorganisms which can cause
this warm, moist environment. When
rashes and infections. Not to mention
the weather turns cooler, however,
that dry skin can be quite itchy!
there is significantly less humidity, meaning less moisture in the air. Our skin often finds it difficult to adjust to this dramatic change, causing it to become dry in these colder months. Under normal conditions, the
Well, what to do then? The answer is simple……moisturize!! While this seems to be a pretty obvious solution, how and what to do can sometimes be confusing, especially with so much information out there and so many
skin maintains proper hydration
choices. I like to keep it simple. First,
and suppleness from the oil glands
understand that the face is a “special”
contained within our pores. Even in
place and needs a moisturizer designed
those with normally oily skin, cold
specifically for this area. Choosing
and dry winter weather essentially
a moisturizer (or other product) not
overwhelms the oil glands such
designed especially for faces can
that our skin has trouble remaining
lead to blocked pores and acne, so
moist and supple and begins to
choose wisely for this area. I generally
harden and make cracks. This not
recommend a well-known brand
LAKE WORTH DIRECTORY
name (Olay, Neutrogena, Cetaphil,
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2020
comedogenic.” For the rest of the body, it is much less complicated and in general, ANY moisturizer will help – but only if you use it, and use it often enough. Some of my favorite body moisturizers are Cetaphil, CeraVe, Eucerin, Aquaphor (especially hands and lips), and Neutrogena. It is helpful to understand that moisturizers come in different forms, each with varying potential to help hydrate your skin. The most common forms are: ointments, creams, lotions, gels, and solutions. Overall, each is essentially a mixture of oil and water, with the thickest being mostly oil and little water (= ointment – think vaseline), medium thickness with less oil (=creams – think Noxema), and the thinnest being more water and less oil
