Quick Tips for Healthier Skin This Winter

By Elizabeth Schulze
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Viewed 731 times.

Winter might mean snowmen and hot chocolate, but for many it also means dry, itchy and irritated skin.

"Usually what happens is the tips of my fingers get really dry, like right below my fingernails and my fingers start bleeding," sophomore Max Moline said.

"I am from California and back home I didn't get dry skin as much because it's just the climate is so different but here in the winter time I get very dry skin," sophomore Stephanie Leetham said.

Dr. Peter Lio is an assistant professor of dermatology at Northwestern Medical School. He said there are two types of skin problems in the winter: short-term problems like goosebumps and redness and long-term problems.

"We know that the cold air is not as good at holding moisture so that cold and dry air in combination with the wind whipping across our skin can create dry skin. Eventually if it's left to go too far it can create cracking, fissuring and inflamation that we would call eczema," Dr. Lio said.

Dr. Lio said the university is researching a cure for eczema. In the meantime, he recommends a couple of quick tips for relieving dry skin.

"The most important quick-fix of all is moisturization and we are lucky that there is a huge range of different moisturizers out there," he said.

And when you're out in the elements, make sure to bundle up in a scarf and gloves to keep your skin protected.

"By protecting it from windburn and just the exposure to cold air it's probably a good thing," Dr. Lio said.

He said some of the best moisturizers can be found at your nearest drugstore.

Elizabeth Schulze...Northwestern News Network.

DR. LIO'S 4 TIPS TO HEALTHY SKIN:
1. Wear oily moisturizer to prevent dryness.
2. Take short lukewarm, not hot, showers.
3. Apply moisturizer when your skin is still damp.
4. Wear layers to prevent windburn.