As the temperature continues to drop, it can have a significant impact on your skin whether you have a pre-existing condition or not.
It’s the season of dry skin, and if you’re feeling the itch, you’re not alone.
Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, says “We have the heat running inside and then the humidity levels also drop, leaving the air and skin pretty parched.” She says eczema can flare up in the winter time, but your skin can feel dry whether you have a pre-existing condition or not.
Dr. Khetarpal says the first line of defense is a humidifier. “You want to set it to at least 50% or higher and that could push some of the moisture back to the skin.”
Ditch the long, hot showers that can add to dryness, and opt for shorter lukewarm ones instead. Also use mild, fragrance-free soap that moisturizes.
“After you shower, you want to pat dry instead of rubbing your skin. By rubbing, it increases friction and then friction is going to strip the skin of that moisture and also increase dryness,” says Dr. Khetarpal.
Within five minutes of drying off, Khetarpal says you should moisturize to help keep skin healthy and hydrated. “You want to look for fragrance-free lotions that contain an ingredient called ceramide. Ceramide is what’s going to help to repair the skin barrier and trap that water in the skin.”
Finally, be mindful of how you wash your clothes. Khetarpal says to buy detergents and fabric softeners that are fragrance free. “A lot of that fragrance can be trapped in the skin and if that’s touching us daily that can lead to more irritation and make eczema worse” says Dr. Khetarpal.
If your winter dryness turns into a visible rash, or if you have areas of red, scaly and itchy skin that are not getting better, it’s time to see a dermatologist who can prescribe medications to help.
