JENNA RHONDELLA OKAY, MICHAEL, THANK YOU. WINTER IS ON THE DOORSTEP AND THAT MEANS DRY SKIN SEASON. PLENTY OF PEOPLE ARE ALREADY FEELING IT. HERE WITH SOME HELPFUL ADVICE. IS DR. SHADI KOUROSH, A DERMATOLOGIST WITH MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. DR. KOUROSH, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. I ALREADY GRABBED THE LOTION TWICE TODAY. THIS MORNING. I’M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. GOOD JOB. WELL, WE ALL KNOW WINTER CAN BE HARSH AROUND HERE. SO WHAT’S THE SECRET TO PROTECTING OUR SKIN AND AVOIDING THE DRYNESS THAT JUST COMES WITH LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND THIS TIME OF YEAR? AND ALSO, IF THERE ARE ANY TIPS FOR LIPS AND HANDS, WHICH ALWAYS SEEM TO BE TROUBLE SPOTS, WELL, YOU’RE ALREADY ON THE RIGHT TRACK WHEN YOU MENTION AVOIDING DRYING OUT THE SKIN BECAUSE THE FIRST STEP IS REALLY TO PROTECT OUR SKIN BARRIER AND PRESERVE THE MOISTURE THAT IS IN OUR SKIN BY AVOIDING THE THINGS THAT REMOVE IT. AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS SOMETHING THAT MANY FOLKS LOVE IN NEW ENGLAND, WHICH IS LONG, HOT SHOWERS. BUT EXPOSURE TO VERY HOT WATER FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME CAN ACTUALLY DISRUPT THE SKIN BARRIER AND REMOVE OUR NATURAL MOISTURE AND HYDRATION OF THE SKIN. SO IT’S IMPORTANT TO SHORTEN OUR SHOWERS AND TURN THE WATER DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT TO LUKEWARM TO AVOID DRYING OUT THE SKIN. AND THEN, AS YOU MENTIONED, FOLLOW THAT WITH A GREAT REGIMEN OF MOISTURIZERS AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE FRAGRANCE FREE HYPOALLERGENIC MOISTURIZERS FOR THE FACE, THE BODY. AND AS YOU MENTIONED, ALSO THE LIPS AND HANDS. AND IT’S ALSO BECAUSE WHEN OUR SKIN IS DRY AND HAS TINY CRACKS IN IT, IT’S MORE PRONE TO IRRITATION AND SO IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE AVOID THINGS THAT HAVE FRAGRANCE OR THINGS THAT MIGHT BE IRRITATING AND CHOOSE FRAGRANCE FREE HYPOALLERGENIC MOISTURIZERS. OH, I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT. THANK YOU. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE JUST GETTING OUTSIDE, ENJOYING THE WINTER SPORTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SNOW FALLS. HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR SKIN AT THE SAME TIME WHILE YOU’RE DOING THAT? I’M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THAT THEY GET A LOT OF SUN EXPOSURE OUT THERE ON THE SKI SLOPES AND THAT AT HIGH ALTITUDES, FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE EXPOSED TO MORE UV RADIATION THAN WE WOULD AT LOWER ALTITUDES OR AT SEA LEVEL. AND I’VE HAD PATIENTS ACTUALLY GET SUNBURNED WHEN THEY’RE OUT ON THE SLOPES. SO IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER YOUR SUNSCREEN AND MINERAL SUNSCREENS CAN BE MORE HELPFUL THAN CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS AND MINERAL SUNSCREENS ARE THOSE THAT HAVE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS LIKE ZINC OR TITANIUM, BECAUSE THEY PROTECT YOU AGAINST A BROADER ARRAY OF RAYS OF THE SUN, BUT ALSO THEY’RE MORE HYPOALLERGENIC, WHICH AS WE DESCRIBED, PEOPLE IN THE WINTERTIME MIGHT BE MORE SENSITIVE. SO HAVING A ZINC OR TITANIUM BASED SUNSCREEN CAN BE HELPFUL TO PREVENT DAMAGE WHEN YOU’RE SKIING OR SNOWBOARDING AND ALSO GETTING RADIATION OFF OF THE REFLECTION FROM THE SNOW. GOOD TO KNOW. WELL, THE WINTER MONTHS CAN BE DARK AS YOU KNOW. WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS TO HELPING OUR SKIN KEEP THAT NICE GLOW EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE A LITTLE GLOOMY OUTSIDE? WELL, PRESERVING THAT GLOW IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE HELPED BY HAVING A MOISTURIZER REGIMEN BECAUSE THE DULLNESS THAT WE SEE ON THE SKIN ARISES FROM HAVING A DRY, ROUGH TEXTURE. SO MOISTURIZING CAN ACTUALLY HELP TO PREVENT THAT. AND FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR THE GLOW ON THEIR FACE, HAVING A NIGHTTIME CREAM THAT HAS RETINOL EITHER IN A SERUM OR NIGHT CREAM CAN HELP TO IMPROVE THE TEXTURE AND THE GLOW OF THE SKIN. BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT RETINOLS CAN ALSO MAKE YOU MORE PRONE TO DRYNESS. SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THAT WITH A MOISTURIZING REGIMEN AND SUNSCREEN IN THE MORNING. OKAY. DR. KOUROSH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THI
Cold weather skin care: A dermatologist provides tips to keep your skin healthy
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Updated: 9:27 PM EST Nov 16, 2024
Cold weather. It can be detrimental to our overall health if we don’t take care of ourselves, but aside from the flu viruses we need to be mindful of, there’s another thing health experts urge you to pay attention to. Dermatologists say our skin could have a difficult time during cold periods, which can lead to itchy, dry skin and even cracked lips. Related video above: Dermatologist's tips on fighting dry skin during winterThe American Academy of Dermatology Association has some tips that they shared from Dr. Elizabeth Kiracofe, who is in a private practice in Chicago, which we shared below along with some product recommendations to help you keep your skin healthy. Hands, feet and face need protectionWe know that being bundled up during cold days is good for our physical health to keep our body temperature warm, but Kiracofe says it’s also important for our skin health.“Keeping our hands, feet and face protected from the cold weather is an essential part of preventing dry skin as well as stopping it from worsening,” Kiracofe said. “We can’t hibernate inside all winter, so when you’re out and about, make sure that as little skin as possible is exposed to the elements and you protect your lips by wearing lip balm.” That means socks, hats, gloves are essential to keeping our skin safe. Here are some recommendations from our partners over at Good Housekeeping.Socks: Heat Holders crew sock was rated as the best overall warm socks by Good Housekeeping. Shop Men’s / Shop Women’sHats: Columbia’s trail shaker beanie was rated as the best winter hat for women by Good Housekeeping in 2022. For men, consider the Carhartt men’s knit cuffed beanie, which has over 90,000 five-star ratings from Amazon customers. Gloves: Good Housekeeping rated these thermal gloves as the best value heated glove you could find.Oh, how could we forget? Lip balm is essential. Here are some recommendations below, which include two Advent calendar options to capture the holiday spirit.Heavy cream is the hackSkin care routines need to fit with the season you’re in, so when it comes to colder months, dermatologists actually recommend being mindful of not using the same products you were using during the summer. “You don’t need to change every product you use, but you should switch to heavier creams when it’s cold,” said Dr. Kiracofe. “I recommend that my patients cut back on products that have alpha hydroxy acid or beta hydroxy acid. In the winter months, these products can be irritating for the skin even when combined with moisturizing creams.”Curel is a brand recommended by our friends over at Good Housekeeping. Curel’s hand cream is under $5 and is rated by Good Housekeeping as the best overall hand cream. The brand’s “ultra healing” lotion is rated as the best fragrance-free body lotion by Good Housekeeping. A humidifier can help Sleep is important, but did you know it’s also essential for maintaining healthy skin? Dr. Kiracofe says that time when we go to bed is a great opportunity for skin to recover. “(During the) winter, I recommend patients consider adding a filtered, cool-mist humidifier in their bedrooms,” Kiracofe said. “Not only can this help treat dryness, but it can be an effective tool for prevention.” Our partners at Good Housekeeping recommend the LEVOIT Classic 300S smart humidifier, but if you want year-round usage from your humidifier, they also recommend the LEVOIT OasisMist 450S smart humidifier as it’s not only a cool-mist humidifier, but can also provide a warm-mist. Bottom line: Hydration is essentialThe tips above can help maintain and relieve dry skin, but the American Academy of Dermatology also has the following tips:Apply moisturizer immediately after washing, which traps existing moisture in your skin.Use an ointment or cream because they are more effective and less irritating than lotions.Use warm water instead of hot water during baths and showers to prevent dry skin from worsening.Use only gentle, fragrance-free skin care products. Some skin care products, such as antibacterial, deodorant, or scented soaps, are too harsh for dry, sensitive skin.
Cold weather. It can be detrimental to our overall health if we don’t take care of ourselves, but aside from the flu viruses we need to be mindful of, there’s another thing health experts urge you to pay attention to.
Dermatologists say our skin could have a difficult time during cold periods, which can lead to itchy, dry skin and even cracked lips.
Related video above: Dermatologist's tips on fighting dry skin during winter
The American Academy of Dermatology Association has some tips that they shared from Dr. Elizabeth Kiracofe, who is in a private practice in Chicago, which we shared below along with some product recommendations to help you keep your skin healthy.
Hands, feet and face need protection
We know that being bundled up during cold days is good for our physical health to keep our body temperature warm, but Kiracofe says it’s also important for our skin health.
“Keeping our hands, feet and face protected from the cold weather is an essential part of preventing dry skin as well as stopping it from worsening,” Kiracofe said. “We can’t hibernate inside all winter, so when you’re out and about, make sure that as little skin as possible is exposed to the elements and you protect your lips by wearing lip balm.”
That means socks, hats, gloves are essential to keeping our skin safe. Here are some recommendations from our partners over at Good Housekeeping.
Columbia Unisex Trail Shaker Beanie
Carhartt Men's Knit Cuffed Beanie
Autocastle Battery Heated Gloves
Oh, how could we forget? Lip balm is essential. Here are some recommendations below, which include two Advent calendar options to capture the holiday spirit.
Burt's Bees Lip Balm Pack
Blistex Medicated Lip Balm
ChapStick Holiday 12 Day Advent Calendar
Burt's Bees 12 Days of Joy Lip Balm Advent Calendar
Heavy cream is the hack
Skin care routines need to fit with the season you’re in, so when it comes to colder months, dermatologists actually recommend being mindful of not using the same products you were using during the summer.
“You don’t need to change every product you use, but you should switch to heavier creams when it’s cold,” said Dr. Kiracofe. “I recommend that my patients cut back on products that have alpha hydroxy acid or beta hydroxy acid. In the winter months, these products can be irritating for the skin even when combined with moisturizing creams.”
Curel is a brand recommended by our friends over at Good Housekeeping. Curel’s hand cream is under $5 and is rated by Good Housekeeping as the best overall hand cream. The brand’s “ultra healing” lotion is rated as the best fragrance-free body lotion by Good Housekeeping.
A humidifier can help
Sleep is important, but did you know it’s also essential for maintaining healthy skin? Dr. Kiracofe says that time when we go to bed is a great opportunity for skin to recover.
“(During the) winter, I recommend patients consider adding a filtered, cool-mist humidifier in their bedrooms,” Kiracofe said. “Not only can this help treat dryness, but it can be an effective tool for prevention.”
Our partners at Good Housekeeping recommend the LEVOIT Classic 300S smart humidifier, but if you want year-round usage from your humidifier, they also recommend the LEVOIT OasisMist 450S smart humidifier as it’s not only a cool-mist humidifier, but can also provide a warm-mist.
Levoit Classic 300S Smart Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
Levoit OasisMist 450S Smart Humidifer
Bottom line: Hydration is essential
The tips above can help maintain and relieve dry skin, but the American Academy of Dermatology also has the following tips:
- Apply moisturizer immediately after washing, which traps existing moisture in your skin.
- Use an ointment or cream because they are more effective and less irritating than lotions.
- Use warm water instead of hot water during baths and showers to prevent dry skin from worsening.
- Use only gentle, fragrance-free skin care products. Some skin care products, such as antibacterial, deodorant, or scented soaps, are too harsh for dry, sensitive skin.
Kiehl's Open For Advent-Ure Gift Set
Elemis Ultimate Skincare Advent Calendar
Skincare Advent Calendar Gift Set
