Utah may not have as much snow as usual this year, but it’s not lacking in cold, dry air.
Extreme temperature changes during the winter months can wreak havoc on the skin, causing dryness, chapping, cracks, windburn and even sun damage, especially in winter sports enthusiasts.
“More than anything, it’s the lack of moisture,” said Dr. Chad Tingey, a dermatologist and surgeon at the Ogden Clinic. “The dryness takes away some of the moisture that your skin secretes to protect itself.”
After a while, Tingey said, the dryness overwhelms the skin and it begins to itch, burn and turn red in response. This is easily treated by replacing the barrier on your skin with heavy moisturizer.
While some problems are easy to treat, others need the help of a physician. Those who already have eczema, dermatitis, rosacea and psoriasis can experience worsening symptoms during the winter months.
In addition, dry, cracked skin can become prone to infection because of a break in the skin.
“If the skin gets an infection, you may need to see a dermatologist to help treat it,” Tingey said. “Either topically with medicine or orally to get at it from the inside.”
During the winter months, many people forget or neglect to wear sunscreen, but Tingey said the sun can still cause damage, even on cloudy days. Exposure to harsh winter sun and sun glare, especially when skiing and snowboarding at higher altitudes, can lead to severe skin damage.
“Skin cancer is caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun that scrambles DNA in your skin,” he said. “Most of the time, your skin can fix the damage, but over time it may get overwhelmed and a cancer can result. The radiation can pass through clouds, too, and when people get a false sense of security with no protection from the UV rays, a bad burn can result.”
Tingey said it’s important to apply a UVA/UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher at least 30 minutes before venturing outdoors. Lip balm with SPF should also be applied. Health professionals also recommend wearing sunglasses and clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
Some of things you can do to protect your skin from winter damage:
• Moisturize with products such as Vaseline.
• If you are prone to acne, look for a moisturizer that states it’s non-comedogenic, which won’t clog pores.
• Exfoliate the skin, which also helps moisturizers penetrate the skin more deeply.
• Use a humidifier in your home.
• Take shorter showers.
• Switch to a mild, unscented soap containing no alcohol.
WebMD also suggests avoiding wet gloves and socks, drinking plenty of water and scaling back on skin procedures that are drying, such as chemical peels.
If you have an infection, you can splash white vinegar in a bowl of water and use a clean cloth to soak it up and lay it on the infected skin, Tingey said.
If you want to head for the salon for a pedicure, Tingey said, that’s OK, too.
“There have been a few cases of a rare infection called atypical mycobacterium after a pedicure. Most salons are careful of this now, so I don’t feel anyone needs to avoid a foot treatment,” he said.
“For bad cracks in the feet that hurt, we like to use the old-fashioned Super Glue in the crack two to three times a day. It helps with the pain and helps the crack heal.”
Applying lots of moisturizer on your feet each night, then sleeping with socks on, will help, too, he said.
