If The Winter = Dry Skin, It’s Time to Rethink Your Skincare Routine

You can be vigilant about avoiding hot showers, slathering on moisturizer right out of the shower, and sleeping with a humidifier next to your bed and dry skin can still sneak up on you at some point this winter. To better combat this seasonal dryness, here are a few tweaks you can make to your routine that should leave your skin feeling nourished through the dark days ahead.

Add another step to your hand-washing routine

Aside from the cold and blustery conditions outside, winter is also cold and flu season, which means you’re probably washing your hands more than normal. That’s a sound strategy for avoiding getting sick, but it can also strip your skin of natural moisturizing factors. To counter this effect, massage an emollient into your hands right after washing them.

Change your moisturizer for the season

A lightweight lotion is a great ally in the warm-weather months. In the winter, reach for a cream instead because its higher oil content and thicker texture will do a better job of locking in moisture and shielding your sensitive skin from the elements.

… As well as your cleanser

If you’re prone to flaking skin during the winter, your cleanser may be the next culprit. True soaps often have an alkaline pH and can irritate the skin, preventing it from being able to retain hydration. Try a hydrating skin cleanser, which is gentler on the skin barrier.

For severely dry skin, use a cortisone cream

Up to this point, the recommendations shared here should be thought of as a first line of defense. Severely dry skin, on the other hand, warrants a more significant intervention because it can lead to microscopic cracks in the outer skin layer, which can open the door to redness, inflammation, itching, and even more hydration loss.

In this instance, you may need an over-the-counter cortisone cream to help reduce inflammation. There are plenty of options. Whichever one you choose, avoid using it for more than two weeks straight because it can thin the skin. If you’re skin’s still irritated at that point, see a board-certified dermatologist, who will be able to provide you with more effective treatment options.

Consider the possibility that it’s more than dry skin

It may be possible that a troublesome patch (or patches) of skin isn’t seasonal dryness. Winter’s low humidity can trigger or even worsen eczema by weakening the skin’s moisture barrier, leaving it more susceptible to irritants and allergens, which can lead to the inflammation, redness, and itchiness associated with an eczema flare-up.

Avoiding irritants (easier said than done, I know) and regularly applying a heavy moisturizer are key to managing eczema during the winter. 

One last tip: Be sure to continue doing all the things that normally comprise your skincare routine, like the stuff mentioned at the top of this blog post. Think of them as the foundation; without them, none of these seasonal adaptations will be as effective.