Don’t be flaky | SIU Healthy Dose

Written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine

Baby, it’s cold outside, and that dry, crisp air is not forgiving to the skin. If your skin is dry, flaky,
tight or chapped, SIU dermatologist Dr. Stephen Stone shares how you can give your skin a little break.

There’s more than one type of humidifier, but at the most basic level, the device emits water vapor into a space to increase the level of humidity. When used correctly, humidifiers can help to alleviate dry skin, chapped lips, nose bleeds and other pesky cold-weather conditions. They can even help to reduce some snoring!

Humidify – “When it gets dry enough, the moisture on our skin evaporates into the air,” says Dr. Stone. “Any way you can add humidity to the air in an environment in which you spend a lot of time is going to be helpful.” Dry air can lead to dry skin, chapped lips and nose bleeds. If you have a whole-house humidifier installed on your furnace, turn it up a bit in the winter time. Invest in a humidifier for your bedroom to increase the moisture while you sleep.

Cool it off – Though you might be tempted to bask in the humidity created by a scorching hot shower, Dr. Stone warns that although the heat of the water feels good at the moment, it actually damages the skin by taking away the body’s natural oils. This is especially damaging to older people because their oil glands produce less than when they were younger. He also recommends keeping your bath routine short; staying in the water for too long can also dry out the skin.

Keep it mild – Use mild cleansers on your face and body. You may need to invest in a gentler product during the winter. There are many new moisturizing body washes available, which may be more moisturizing to the skin than bar soaps. Deodorant soaps and products with alcohol or fragrance can irritate skin.

Moisturize – Dr. Stone recommends consistently applying a moisturizer after bathing to seal in moisture. Creams and ointments usually alleviate dry skin better than lotions, and ingredients such as lactic acid, urea, lanolin, glycerin and alpha hydroxy acids have been known to help soothe dry skin. Dr. Stone also recommends using a small amount of petroleum jelly on your hands before bed if your hands are especially dry or chapped.

Watch what you wear – When it’s cold, cover up! Exposure to cold wind can chafe and dry skin. As you layer, keep in mind that wool and itchy fabrics will irritate the skin. Use mild detergents on the clothing that is close to the skin.

Don’t forget the lips – Keep lips from drying and cracking by using a lip balm, preferably one with SPF 30, throughout the day. Before bed, put on a little petroleum jelly.

Be hands on – Treat your hands as well as the rest of your body. Wear gloves when you’re outside and apply hand cream after each hand washing. Wear waterproof gloves if your hands will be submerged in water or you work with harsh cleaning products. Petroleum jelly before bed can help too.