Fighting Winter Dry Skin

Dry skin is a very common skin problem and is often worse during the winter when environmental humidity is low (it is also called “winter itch”). It can occur at all ages and in people with or without other skin problems. A common cause is the way we keep our houses warm. When it gets cold, we naturally want to raise our homes temperature.
The problem is, unless you add humidity to your surroundings, a heated room has only about 15 percent relative humidity. And that turns our skin dry, flaky, scaly and usually itchy (in other words, unbearable). Also, wind, soaps, water (which dries skin when it evaporates), and stress can contribute to destroy our skin natural moisture.
Dry skin and winter itch share a lot of symptoms with eczema and dermatitis, and some of the remedies for those problems can bring relief. But besides that there are several tips that will help you pass through the most dreadful season of the year without skin problems.

Here’s how you can do it:

Place a bowl of water or damp towel on a radiator, this will put water back into the atmosphere. A towel will need re-damping two or three times a day, but notice how much water has evaporated from the bowl at the end of the day, it’s quite unnerving.
Avoid using central heating when you can - snuggle up at night with a hot water bottle instead!
Drink plenty of water. The body needs water to keep going and if it doesn’t have enough will take it from your skin’s water reservoir. Six to eight glasses of water a day is the recommended amount.
Help skin hold onto moisture by using a mild cleanser in the shower or bath.
Keep bathing time short: Five to ten minutes per day is enough to cleanse and hydrate without losing your body’s natural oils. And don’t use hot water. Although the hot water may feel great, it can aggravate already dry skin. So stick with warm water, nothing that’s going to turn your skin red.
Moisturize within three minutes of getting out of the shower, after this time your skin starts to lose its moisture.
Dab your body with a towel, rather than rubbing it, to keep some of the water on your skin.

Also, Before Going Outside in Winter, remember:

Apply a heavy layer of moisturizing broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to the face, hands, and any other skin that may be exposed. This will act as a barrier to help protect against the harsh elements and is especially important if you will be outside for any length of time. Sunscreen is important in winter as the sun’s reflective powers are great year round - 17% on the sand and 80% on the snow. Today, several products are available that combine oily, moisturizing cream with sunscreen. If you are unsure of which product to use, ask a dermatologist.
Grab those gloves. Protecting hands from the cold air and low humidity plays an important role in preventing flare-ups. Make sure the gloves are made from material that does not irritate your skin. Some patients find that wearing a cotton mitten next to the skin and a woolen mitten over the cotton one, keeps hands warm and dry.
Dress in layers. The most common triggers of the scratch/itch cycle are sweating and overheating. Wearing layers allows you to remove clothing as needed to prevent overheating. Be sure to wear loose-fitting cotton fabrics next to your skin.
Shed wet clothes and shoes immediately. These can irritate the skin and cause a flare-up.

And if you want to stop scratching:

Lotions are good for most parts of your body, but creams are best for the really rough areas such as elbows, knees, hands and feet.
Try not to use bath oils because they don’t stay on the skin very long and make the tub slippery and more dangerous.

Enjoy the benefits of winter without dry skin

Sources: Mothernature, University of Iowa