Neighbor News
8 Simple Steps to Healthy Winter Skin
When it comes to dry winter skin, no one is immune. Chapped lips, cracked heels and sore hands all can result from the cold weather.
Older adults are particularly susceptible to winter skin problems. Over time, our skin becomes thinner, drier and more fragile, which means protecting skin becomes even more important as we age.
Without a trip to a tropical paradise, there’s no escaping the effects of winter. But a little extra TLC can help us all weather the wait for spring. Here are a few things to try.
1. Moisturize. Moisturize.
What winter has taken away, we must replace. Apply a heavy cream or body butter just after showering or bathing. Then immediately get dressed. The clothing helps to “hold in” the moisture.
2. Drink!
Hydrate your dry skin by hydrating your body with at least eight glasses of water or
other healthy beverages every day. Try hot herbal tea to warm you on the inside while helping to moisturize you on the outside.
3. Short but sweet
This is the rule for winter showers. That warm water might feel like a welcome escape from the cold, but it’s no friend to your skin. Hot water strips the skin of moisture. Instead of a long, hot shower, stick to a short, warm one, and be sure to follow immediately with moisturizer.
4. Crank up the humidity
You skin isn’t the only think lacking moisture in winter. The air around us, especially the air inside our climate-controlled homes and offices, is dry, too. Add moisture to the air by investing in a full-room humidifier. The extra moisture will cut down on static, too – another annoying side effect of dry winter air.
5. Keep lips kissable
The delicate skin on our lips is especially susceptible to the effects of winter. Fight chapped lips with moisturizing lip balm, beeswax or petroleum jelly. Drink plenty of water, and resist the urge to lick your lips. Just like your mother always told you, it only makes it worse.
6. Heal those heels
Painful, cracked heels are more than just ugly and uncomfortable. They also can lead to infection. You can help soften heels by applying petroleum jelly at bedtime and covering up with a pair of socks.
7. Keep lotion on hand(s)
You’re constantly told how important it is to wash your hands. But while washing away those cold and flu germs, you also are washing away your hands’ natural moisture. Keep a glycerin-based moisturizer handy and apply throughout the day – when you wake up, after hand washing, before you go to bed and whenever your hands feel dry. Keep a bottle in your purse, in your car, in your desk.
8. Calm the itch
Dry winter skin can be incredibly itchy, but scratching only worsens the problem. Try a lukewarm bath with oatmeal or baking soda, and reapply moisturizer frequently. Stick to soft clothing that doesn’t irritate the skin.
Mary Doepke, RN, is president and co-owner of Home Helpers of Hinsdale, expert providers of in-home care and assistance to elders and others in need of help. Home Helpers of Hinsdale is the first home care agency in the Chicago area to earn an A+ rating from the Home Care Standards Bureau. Mary and the company’s full staff of caring professionals can be reached at (630) 323-7231 or at HomeHelpers1@comcast.net.
