As the weather starts to cool, you may notice that your summer skin care regimen isn’t producing the results it once was. Chances are, you don’t need to overhaul your routine. Instead, you can adapt to the biggest seasonal challenges presented by winter: dehydration and dryness.
Dermatologist Dr. Clement Banda and the team at MD Vein & Skin Specialists in Columbia, Maryland, are ready to help with our top seven tips for healthy, glowing skin all winter long. Take a look at our suggestions and choose the ones that fill the voids that you’re experiencing.
When skin problems go beyond home care measures, contact Dr. Banda and the team for a professional dermatologic evaluation.
Though these sound like the same problem, they’re actually two different issues, each with its own solution, even when they appear to share symptoms.
The primary difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin is the source of deficiency. Dry skin is running low on skin oils, while dehydration stems from a lack of water in your body.
Dry skin happens when the oil-producing glands in your skin fall short in maintaining the oil barrier that’s usually your skin’s first line of defence. This often presents as dull and flaky skin with a rougher texture.
Dehydration occurs when your natural water replenishment falls short or when environmental conditions rob your body of water.
Sometimes, your skin may experience both dryness and dehydration, since a weak oil layer may hasten water loss from your body. Our seven tips address both dryness and dehydration to achieve healthy-looking skin.
Let’s take a look at boosting support for both hydration and body oils. A few small changes can add up to dramatic improvements in your skin’s appearance.
While soaking in a hot bath may seem like a great way to boost hydration, hot water opens pores and actually speeds the loss of hydration. Couple this with body scrubs and soaps, which strip away skin oils, and you double the problem.
Lower the temperature of baths and showers to the lowest comfortable setting on the “warm” range. You’ll preserve more of your precious hydration.
Pat yourself dry after a bath or shower and moisturize immediately to help draw moisture back into your skin.
While you need to be clean, you also need the natural oil barrier your skin provides. Powerful soaps and washes may be doing more harm than good. Skip products with exfoliating agents like alpha hydroxy or glycolic acid.
Opt for gentle cleansers. If your skin gets oily, you can always wash again, but you can’t add back natural skin oils on demand.
Your light summertime moisturizers may not be up to the demands of winter weather. Switch to a heavier cream or lotion. Hyaluronic acid-based products don’t exfoliate the same way other acid-based products do.
Choose cosmetics with ingredients that draw water in, such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Do triple duty by choosing cosmetics with SPF values, too.
Yep, we know, you’ve heard that one before from a wide range of sources. While increasing water intake alone won’t solve your skin problems, it will provide a hydration foundation that your body draws from for healthy skin.
Sure, sunscreen is a must-have at the beach in the summer. It’s a must-have every day of the year, even when you don’t feel the warming effects of the sun. Ultraviolet light exposure is cumulative over your lifetime, so every bit of protection counts.
Contact MD Vein & Skin Specialists when you need additional help getting over the dull skin of winter. Call or click to book your visit today.
