Winter weather leaves our skin dry and itchy, and it’s a pain. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
One of the things you can do is use lotion after a shower or before bedtime. This helps because your skin’s moisture moves from the deepest part of your skin to the surface. Something like petroleum jelly or a lotion helps keep moisture in the skin.
Other tips include taking a shorter, lukewarm shower, as opposed to the long, hot ones we sometimes look forward to after a chilly day.
Keep a water bottle nearby to stay hydrated. Also, put a humidifier by your bed at night time.
“I think a lot of us just attribute dry skin to an artifact of where we live, or it’s just something we all have to go through every year, but that’s not the case at all. So I think a lot of people tend to neglect their skin,” said Melissa O’Banion, physician assistant with Guthrie Medical Group.
Also, during the COVID-19 pandemic, sanitizing hands has become more common. When possible, opt for hand-washing, rather than sanitizing, to prevent dryness as well.
Another way to keep safe is by bundling up and limiting exposed skin to prevent frostbite.
