Cold winter air often leaves skin dry, flaky, and itchy. For some, this is temporary; for others, it’s a lifelong challenge. Dryness is usually worst on hands, arms, or legs, but it depends on factors like age, health, and outdoor exposure. While saving money post-holiday, check out these tips to soothe your dry skin before heading to Walmart for a humidifier or skincare products.
Visit any of our AFC clinics for treatment!
Why Does My Skin Get Dry During Winter?
Dry skin, or xerosis, happens for many reasons, like aging, cold weather, or overuse of harsh soaps. Winter air is particularly drying, pulling moisture from your skin and leaving it flaky and tight.
What Else Causes Dry Skin?
Dry skin doesn’t just come from cold weather—your washing and bathing habits can be equally to blame. Regular handwashing, especially during cold and flu season, is crucial for staying healthy, but over-washing with warm water and soap can strip your skin of its natural oils. This leaves it dry, itchy, and more prone to irritation. Long, hot showers or harsh soaps can also worsen the problem, especially in winter’s already dry air. To keep your skin healthy, try switching to gentle soaps, lukewarm water, and applying a moisturizer right after washing.
Dry Skin Symptoms:
Dry skin is likely to cause symptoms, including:
- A feeling of skin tightness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming
- Deep cracks that may bleed
- Fine lines or cracks
- Gray, ashy skin in people with dark skin
- Itching, also known as pruritus
- Redness
- Skin that feels and looks rough
- Slight to severe flaking, scaling or peeling
If you’re unsure about your symptoms, stop by an AFC clinic for expert care.
Tips to Protect Your Skin:
- Stay adequately hydrated throughout the day.
- Incorporate more healthy fats into your diet.
- Don’t over-wash your skin.
- Get an adequate amount of exercise every week.
- Don’t smoke.
For more detailed dermatology care, visit the skilled team at our Chapman Hwy clinic.
Tips to Keep Moisturized:
Take these steps to help your skin retain moisture and decrease dryness:
- Limit showers to every other day and keep them short, using warm water instead of hot.
- Stick to moisturizing, hypoallergenic soaps free from alcohol and fragrances.
- After bathing, pat skin dry and apply a thick cream or oil-based moisturizer immediately.
- Use SPF 30+ sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF, reapplying every two hours outdoors.
- Add moisture to indoor air with a humidifier and follow cleaning guidelines.
- Choose breathable fabrics like cotton and avoid scratchy materials like wool.
- Avoid over-scrubbing or scratching dry areas to prevent further damage.
For itchy dry skin, apply a cool compress to calm the area. A 1% hydrocortisone cream or ointment can also help reduce redness and inflammation.
When to Visit an Urgent Care Clinic?
At AFC Urgent Care Centennial, we know how important healthy skin is to your overall well-being. If your dry skin persists despite home remedies and starts to disrupt your daily life, let us help. Whether it’s inflammation, discomfort, or unhealed sores, we’re here to provide quick, reliable care. Stop by today for an evaluation and treatment!
