Thursday, February 17, 2011

How To take care of skin in winter

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN IN WINTER
Take good care of your skin care during winter with these winter skin care tips.

As the winter months sets in, the weather turns colder, windier and drier, your skin will need some extra help and protection from the environment. Sometimes, the weather may change rapidly and you need to be prepared. Otherwise the skin on different parts of your body such as your hands, your face and your lips will begin to become dry, chapped and crusty.

Is it necessary to have a winter skin care routine?

When the temperatures change, a change in your skin care routine is necessary. Get to know your skin a little, how it works and the effects of winter conditions on the skin. Then adjust your usual skin care routine a little and it will make a difference to your complexion during winter and help to improve the overall health of your skin.

So use the following winter skin care tips to adjust your winter skin care routine as the cold weather draws near.


WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #1
TAKE A DAILY HOT SHOWER
Taking a hot shower daily is important for the hygiene of your skin. You should do so in winter too. Keep these winter skin care tips in mind when stepping into the shower:

* Avoid harsh (typically colored, fragrant or antibacterial) soaps and stick with mild non-drying soaps.

* Apply your moisturizing cream immediately after bathing and toweling dry. This will seal in the moisture. Use moisturizing creams and ointments that are more appropriate for the body than the face.




WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #2
MOISTURIZING
Choose a really good moisturizer. Without doubt, this is the most important winter skin care tip.

For your day cream, choose one that contains zinc oxide, and provides SPF30 protection. Good Moisturizers should form a protective barrier against the environment and its elements. Select preparations which are creamier and water-in-oil emulsions.

Your skin may become extremely irritated during winter. You should have some extra heavy duty moisturizing cream handy. You will need them for these problematic areas.

Do you have dry skin? The harsh winter conditions will make your skin even more dry. Watch it! Click here for more tips on dry skin care.

WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #3
TAKE CARE OF YOUR LIPS
Your lips – do not forget about them. Lips become easily chapped during winter. It is a very common and noticeable winter problem. Soften them up and pamper them throughout the winter season.

You should use a lip balm to keep the lips moisturized and prevent them from drying out. The 3 essential qualities of a good lip balm:

* Good moisturizing properties
* Provide a barrier and protects the lips against the elements
* Contains vitamin E for good elasticity



If your lips are peeling, heavy moisturizing alone will not treat the underlying problem or get rid of unwanted peeling skin. Waxes alone do not have any rejuvenation ability. They cannot help to replenish lost moisture. Choose a product that has AHA. Soften the lips nightly. It has a therapeutic effect on the lips.

Are you on Accutane or other medications that has a drying effect on your skin? It is still okay to use the above regimen. Consult your dermatologist. He may be able to prescribe an ointment that will help solve your problem. Or he may get you off your Accutane regimen temporarily.



WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #4
TAKE CARE OF YOUR HANDS AND FINGERS
One of the huge concerns of winter is dry hands and cracking fingers. It is worse if you do a lot of housework or your work requires you to come into contact water or chemicals a lot.

The dryness of the environment causes water to evaporate very quickly. As the water evaporates, it removes moisture from the skin too. So exposure to water actually dehydrates the skin faster.

After washing your hands, seal them with a towel immediately and gently pat dry. You should do the same to your body after a bath.

Such simple habits help to prevent what is commonly known as winter itch. As one age and gets older each year, the likelihood of suffering from winter itch is even higher.

Your hands and your fingers tend to suffer more due to their constant contact with the elements. Use simple hand creams to help protect them against the elements in the environment and retain moisture. Use therapeutic options when the hands are suffering from itch and cracks.

* CREAMS FOR ENIVRONMENTAL PROTECTION

These creams build a barrier between your skin and the cold, dry winter weather. Use a good, bland moisturizing cream frequently.

Use creams and not lotions. Lotions are absorbed quickly into the skin. It will form the protective barrier that is required.

Switch to a cream or ointment base during winter!


* THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS

Are you suffering from painful cracks around the fingertips? Do you have hard and dry skin on the hands?

You may need some prescription options or antibiotic ointments to treat and heal the cracks and fissured areas.

Do you have a past history of this type of condition? In this case, plan ahead and keep your regular therapeutic creams handy. Apply them before any fissures form.

Do you have psoriasis or eczemas? Consult your dermatologist and keep your prescriptions and ointments handy. Ask your doctor about the moisturizers that you should use.



WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #5
TAKE CARE OF YOUR FINGER NAILS
Keep your finger nails moist and prevent them from turning brittle.

One key winter skin care tip is to minimize exposure of your skin to water. The less contact the better.

If you have to do housework, wear protective gloves.

Applying a nail hardener will help to protect and toughen them up.

Take calcium supplements but be sure to follow the dosage given in the package. Are your prone to kidney stones? Check with your doctor before starting them.

WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #6
TAKE CARE OF YOUR SCALP AND HAIR
Do you have seborrhea commonly known as dandruff? Use non-prescription medicated shampoos will help you to keep the condition at bay. Watch out! Medicated shampoos tends to cause your hair to dry out and your hair will lose its shine.

WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #7
EXFOLIATE
During summer, we often complain about oily skin. However, this is noticeably absent during winter due to the drier weather and central heating. Therefore the skin finds it harder to retain water in the dermis layer. Premature agind and fine lines are the result. The skin may also appear grey and puffy.

The number of times that you exfoliate should be increased to twice a week. Exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells and allow the skin to absorb more moisture.



WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #8
DRINK LOTS OF WATER
Drink lots of water to prevent dehydration. Try drinking a glass of hot water with lemon. Some people believe that this herbal remedy will help to re-energize your body. It will also help to detoxify your entire system, including the liver and gall bladder. This means that your body will be able to clean the blood faster to get rid of toxins responsible for bad skin.

WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #9
GET PLENTY OF SLEEP
Get plenty of sleep! Sleep is when your body will rejuvenate itself. During sleep, the oxygen levels in your body will drop.

Lack of sleep will take a toil on your body in the long run. If you do not get sufficient sleep, your body and your cells (including the cells in your skin) will not have a chance to be renewed as quickly. Degenerative skin aging sets in.
,br> It would be ideal if you can get at least seven, if not eight or nine hours of rest a night.

WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #10
DO NOT LET UP ON SUN PROTECTION
Don’t forget your sun protection! The sun doesn’t go away just because it’s snowing or cloudy!

Continue to use your sunscreen with an SPF of 15 that protects against both UVA and UVB. This is an important step in your daily winter skin care routine. The sun ages your skin ... Prevent it!

You may want to change to a more hydrating base for your sunscreen for wintertime. Extra hydration does not mean extra oily. There are many formulations available that are oil-free. Also, wear a sun protective hat.

WINTER SKIN CARE TIP #11
OTHER WINTER SPECIFIC CONCERNS
Winter is the time of the year when skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and seborrhea flare up. You should have your prescriptions handy. Start on them early. This will cut down on flare ups and treatment time.

Some people report that their acne condition turn worse during winter time. While damaging to the skin, the ultraviolet rays of the sun could have actually help to reduce the formation of acne. So when summer sun is gone, acne may flare up. Again, the best protective action is to have your prescriptions handy. So if you are prone to acne flare-ups in winter, book an appointment early with your dermatologist. You don’t want to wait 6 weeks to get your prescriptions filled or changed.

Be careful of poison ivy! The plant resin could be carried in on logs for your fireplace. To protect yourself, wear gloves when handling the logs and wash your hands immediately after completing this task. Just in case, stash up some poison ivy medicine in your first aid kit.

Last but not least, protect yourself from frostbite. Watch out for frostbite if you are outdoors, at high elevations or in windy conditions or have wet clothings. Change your clothes immediately when coming in from skiing or other winter sports. Carry extra clothing and blankets in your car when traveling.

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