While many of us love the warm, balmy days of summer sitting with iced tea watching the sun go down, many of us prefer the cold snowy days of winter. Winter sees many of us wrapping up in warm woolies while drinking hot chocolate cuddled up in front of the fire. But we also pay the toll with regards to our skin. This is why appropriate skincare for winter should be right at the top of our winter ‘to do’ list.
When you take into consideration the cold, dry conditions experienced outside causing dry, irritated skin, and you combine it with the warm, dry conditions in your home, you have a situation that leaves your skin dry and waiting for infections to crop up. Too warm showers or baths also add to the problem because they tend to strip your skin of its natural, protective oils.
But the adage stands: protection is better than cure. And while you cannot do much to change temperatures, you can do much to protect your skin from harsh environmental factors both inside and outside your home.
When looking at skincare for winter, you need to go beyond the surface. You need to start on the inside. By taking care of both internal and external skin issues causing dry, itchy winter skin, you can protect your skin while supporting your overall health as well.
Many of us are tempted to take a long, warm soak or shower during winter. Not only does this relax us, but heats us as well.
Warm water, however, tends to dry out the skin. So, taking a 10-minute shower or bath in lukewarm water may stop this from happening. However, when drying off, rather pat yourself than opt for a hard rubdown. The latter tends to irritate already compromised skin while patting does the job as effectively. Also, it does not cause any friction that adds to the conundrum.
The same applies when washing your hands. So, skincare for winter should ideally see you use cooler water instead of hot. It gets rid of germs just as well.
There is nothing like a thick, lush moisturizer to lock in water during winter. Afford yourself this luxury each time after taking a bath or shower. The same applies when washing your hands. Moisturize your hands each time after washing them. This will not only keep them soft but stop them from chapping as well. Remember, constantly washing your hands during the winter means they take a beating. Taking care of them to prevent redness, itching, and chapping will prevent any infections from developing. It may also keep them looking younger for longer.
Consider wearing gloves when washing dishes or when using cleaning products. Chemicals also tend to dry out the skin. Some may even pass your skin barrier and enter your bloodstream. While this could increase your body’s toxic load and worsen adrenal fatigue if suffering from the condition, taking the necessary precautions could prevent this.
Furthermore, you could also opt for environmentally friendly cleaning products that carry less harmful ingredients. This could decrease your toxic exposure while limiting your negative effect on the environment.
As far as personal hygiene is concerned, your skincare for winter should see you try opting for fragrance-free soaps, gels, and moisturizers. Most fragrances have an alcohol base which tends to have a drying effect. When looking for a product, make sure it says fragrance-free and not ‘unscented’. This is because even although labeled ‘unscented’, these products may still contain a fragrance.
Although most people have a facial care routine, your skincare for winter should differ from your summer one. Remember, most toners and astringents tend to strip your skin of its natural oils. Furthermore, most astringents contain alcohol, further encouraging drying.
As to your nightly routine, consider opting for a richer moisturizer. In so doing, you provide your face some much-needed moisture to repair the damage from the day. And while on the topic of skin damage, do not forget your lips. Chapped lips and winter tend to be synonyms. To keep your lips healthy, make the regular application of a moisturizing balm part of your skincare for winter routine.
This leads to the next pointer regarding the subject – sunscreen.
Many people believe sunscreen is only for the warmer, sunnier summer months. But this is not so. You should also apply sunscreen during the winter, especially during the brighter winter days when the snow reflects the sun’s rays. But do not think that you are safe on cloudy days. The sun’s UV rays infiltrate through clouds and could still cause damage.
A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 and higher applied to all exposed areas is ideal.
You might think that talking about appropriate clothing is silly, but certain fabrics could aggravate already dry winter skin. So, before pulling on your chunky wool sweater, opt for something made of a soft, light, breathable material underneath that does not cause any skin irritation. And while you are at it, do not forget about your hands. While you want to protect your hands from the harsh winter weather, choose gloves or mittens that do not irritate your skin. You could also consider wearing cotton gloves under your warmer woolen ones.
Another point to remember is that wet clothing could cause skin irritations. So, if you have been outside and your clothing is wet, please change clothes as soon as possible to stop this from happening.
While plummeting outdoor temperatures may result in dry skin issues, turning up the heat in your home is not necessarily the answer. Central heating or using a heater also tends to dry out your skin. So rather opt to turn your thermostat down and keep a cool, comfortable indoor setting. This makes up one of the most important elements regarding your skincare for winter.
Running a humidifier will keep add moisture to your home’s air and is equally helpful during the summer if living in warm, dry areas. So, running a humidifier in those rooms in your home used more often like your bedroom or family room improves your air quality and helps to prevent your skin from drying out.
Many people forget that your diet plays a large role in skin health. A diet rich in antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables and healthy fats like those from oily fish and nuts may help address various skin issues. This includes dry skin. They also help your body with its natural detoxification process and fight inflammation. Your skin is your body’s largest detoxification surface, so proper skincare for winter is thus essential in maintaining skin health and its detoxification ability.
On the other hand, processed foods, unhealthy fats, and eating large amounts of sugary foods have the opposite effect. They encourage collagen and elastin degradation that leaves your skin dry, less elastic, and prematurely aged. Please consider appropriate dietary changes or following the adrenal fatigue diet as part of your skincare for winter -and beyond – regime.
Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day may not miraculously cure your winter skin problem, but it will hydrate your body and, together with a healthy diet, help it function correctly. It is also an important element in your detoxification process. While moisturizing your skin and keeping the various tips regarding skincare for winter in mind, do remember to drink your water.
Having moisturized, healthy skin may be your main priority during the winter months, but proper skincare for winter has more benefits than that. You see, your skin covers your entire body and fulfills numerous functions. One of these is its role in your body’s detoxification process. Also, healthy skin protects your body from infections. Dry, irritable skin often sees the rise of sore, raw areas that allow various germs and toxins to enter your body. By taking care of your skin, you prevent this from happening.
Dry, itchy, red skin points towards inflammation. Inflammation is your immune system’s response to stress and is part of your body’s NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response. In this case, the stress experienced due to harsh winter conditions.
Long-term exposure to such weather conditions could result in a prolonged immune response and its corresponding inflammation if you do not take proper care of your skin. This is especially true if you have adrenal fatigue or one or more of its multiple associated health issues or symptoms. As a matter of interest, dry skin and other inflammatory skin disorders have a compromised adrenal component linked to each of them. So, by taking our skincare for winter tips seriously, you could help limit your body’s inflammatory load and support adrenal health.
Your skin is your body’s largest elimination organ and helps your kidneys and other organs involved in detoxification get rid of toxins. Most noticeably, those found in your blood. This it does when you sweat. Keeping hydrated is thus important not only for your body in general but for your skin in particular.
Your main detoxification organs, however, are your kidneys and liver. Both these rely on adequate hydration and, just like your body’s immune system and corresponding inflammatory response, proper nutrition to work effectively.
We are constantly bombarded by toxins. They are in the foods we eat, our environment, and even in our home. These toxins do not only enter our bodies via our mouths but also from the air we breathe, as well as via our skin, more so when dealing with compromised skin. Besides our body’s inflammatory circuit working hard to fight these toxins, our body’s detoxification circuit also has to work harder to get rid of them. And very often, our bodies show a variety of symptoms that result from overworked adrenal glands striving to meet the demand for more cortisol needed in addressing these issues. But this constant, increased cortisol production could, over time, have an unhealthy effect on the adrenals. The result, depending on your level of adrenal fatigue, could be disastrous.
A healthy diet plan could help combat this state of affairs. Various literature on the subject suggests that by cutting out sugary and processed foods and opting for organic fruits, vegetables, and protein sources, we could give our bodies with the vitamins and minerals it needs to provide adrenal support while addressing inflammatory issues and promoting proper detoxification function.
If you suffer from dry, itchy, inflamed skin during the winter, here are a few things you can do to help alleviate the situation.
By following the appropriate skincare for winter, you help limit your body’s inflammatory response and help boost your body’s detoxification process.
If you would like to know more about or need assistance with skincare for winter, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1-626-571-1234 where we will privately discuss your various options. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
© Copyright 2020 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ and is impacted by adrenal fatigue. Proper skincare for winter, that's aimed at improving your skin’s structural integrity, also helps support your inflammatory response and Detoxification Circuit. These are linked to adrenal health. So, the answer is yes, it does.
