How to care skin in winter

For so many people, the cold clear days of winter bring more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. The winter brings uncomfortable dryness to the skin of the face, hands, and feet. For so many people, the difficulty is worse than just a general tight, dry feeling: They get skin so dry it results in flaking, cracking, even eczema.

"As quickly as you turn the heat on indoors, the skin starts to dry out," Bonnie LaPlante, an esthetician with the Canyon Ranch resort in Lenox, Mass. "It doesn't matter if you heat your home using oil, wood, or electricity. The skin gets dry."

Top 8 tips for boosting your winter skin care schedule, so that your skin stays moist and healthy through the winter sessions.



1. Look for a Specialist

If you go to your local medical store, you'll be hard put to find a seller who can give you good advice. That's why going to a dermatologist even once is a good investment. Such a consultant can analyze your skin type, troubleshoot your current skin care regimen, and give you advice on the skin care products you should be using.
2. Moisturize extra

You need a moisturizer that works just fine in spring and summer.  But as weather situation change, so, too, should your skin care habit.  Find an "ointment" moisturizer that's oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a defensive layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion.

3. Slather on the Sunscreen

No, sunscreen is not just for summertime. Winter sun combined with snow glare can still harm your skin. Try applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your face and your hands if they're exposed about 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply repeatedly if you stay outside a long time.

4. Give Your Hands a Hand

The hand skin is thinner than on most parts of the body and has fewer oil glands. That means it's harder to keep your hands moist, particularly in cold, dry weather. This can lead to skin complaint and cracking. Wear gloves when you go outside; if you need to wear wool to keep your hands warm, slip on a thin cotton glove first, to avoid any irritation the wool might reason.

5. Do not wear Wet Gloves and Socks

Wet gloves and socks can irritate your skin and cause itch, cracking, sores, or even a flare-up of eczema.

6. Hook up the Humidifier

Central heating systems as well as space heaters blast hot dry air throughout our homes and offices. Humidifiers get more moisture in the air, which helps stop your skin from drying out. Place several small humidifiers all through your home; they help disperse the moisture more regularly.

7. Hydrate for Your good Health, Not for Skin

If you have heard it once, you have heard it a thousand times: Drinking water helps your skin stay young looking. In fact, it's a myth. Water is good for your overall health and "the skin of someone who is severely dehydrated will benefit from water. But the average people skin does not reflect the amount of water being drunk," Kenneth Bielinski, MD, a dermatologist in Oak Lawn, Ill., said "It's a very ordinary misconception."
LaPlante agrees. "I see customers at the spa who drink their 10 to 12 glasses of water a day and still have super dry skin. It just doesn't do that much."

8. Lubricate Your Feet

Yes, those minty foot lotions are very good in the hot summer months, but during the winter, your feet need stronger stuff. Try finding lotions that include petroleum jelly or glycerine instead. And use exfoliants to get the dead skin off occasionally; that helps any moisturizers you use to sink in faster and deeper.