The key to hydrated skin during Winter, you ask? Prevention! Prevent dry skin by keeping your moisture locked in using these tips; because who doesn’t want hydrated, soft skin year ‘round?
Turn down the heat!
As tempting as it is, avoid cranking the heater! Hot air dries out your skin as it causes your blood vessels to dilate, which dries out your skin and stimulates itchiness. Cool air is more friendly so just layer up.
Also avoid hot water in your showers and baths. Hot water removes the natural oils your skin is hard at work creating. Having long, hot baths or showers deplete the skin of its natural moisture and can leave you extremely dry. Use warm water instead, and reduce the time spent in the bath or shower to a maximum of 10-15 minutes.
Choose skin friendly detergents & products
Avoid products that dry your skin out. Consider using detergents and products that are for sensitive skin. The main products to focus on are hand soaps, dish washing liquids as well as washing machine detergent. The gentler the ingredients, the gentler it’ll be on your skin this Winter.
Moisturise!
After bathing, pat your skin dry (as opposed to rubbing) so that it retains some dampness. Moisturise within 3 minutes of stepping out of the shower. Moisturising while the skin is still slightly wet traps the moisture in and helps to reduce water lost through evaporation.
Moisturisers that are in an ointment form consist of an emulsion of 80% oil and 20% water and are the most protective. Such water-in-oil emulsions form a protective layer on the skin, making it more effective than a cream or lotion. Lotions contain about 50% water, so are not the best at preventing moisture loss. They need to be reapplied more frequently.
Hydrate from the inside
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and consider food you can eat that contribute to healthy skin such as berries, and foods with essential fatty acids such as salmon, avocado, and nuts.
Slip, slop, slap
Just like heat damages your skin’s hydration – too much sun is detrimental to skin health. Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat!
If you have any questions about skin health, or if you can’t get skin flare ups under control, be sure to get in contact with your GP here at Family Doctors Plus. Give our friendly receptionist a call on (07) 3357 8192 or make a booking online.
