How to Protect your Skin this Winter

Winter is here! Prepare correctly this winter with both sunscreen and moisturizer and save your skin from feeling dry and chapped.

Sunscreen

While most people are diligent with sunscreen in the summer months, we tend to forget to lather up during the winter. Apply SPF 30 or greater to face and body and re-apply every two hours– especially if you’re hitting the slopes. Use a more emollient sunscreen which will sooth and help combat dry, flakey skin. Winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, snow-tubing and hiking are at an increased exposure to harmful UVA/UVB rays. Snow reflects up to 80% of UV light from the sun, exposing you to the same rays twice. Additionally, for every 1,000 feet above sea level, UV radiation increases 4-5% to include UVC and up to 80% of the sun’s rays can penetrate clouds – this is because thinner atmospheres don’t block as many harmful UV-rays.

Moisturizer

Prepare your skin for the cold, winter months by using a moisturizer. During the winter, the cold, low-humidity air can dry skin out – leaving the skin chapped. This combination leads to tightness and dullness of the skin, leaving the skin with fine lines and wrinkles. A good moisturizer should be repairing and help supply the lipid barrier and other functions of the skin. During the winter, people tend to switch to a more emollient moisturizer that is better suited for these harsh winter conditions. Ingredients to look for are ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin as those ingredients help to keep skin hydrated and supple. Niacinamide also minimizes the appearance of dry or damaged skin and restores suppleness. Look for an oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer to help with oil overproduction. Ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids and salicylic acid stimulate cell turnover and also aid in anti-aging.

Don’t forget about the rest of your body, and your lips! Some people use two different types of moisturizers: one for their face and a different for the body. Use a lip balm that has at least SPF 30 and re-apply as needed to lock in moisture and keep lips hydrated.

Here at Anne Arundel Dermatology, we offer skin care products and complimentary skin care consultations to best fit your specific needs. To schedule a consultation or discuss skin care products, click here or call us at 443.351.3376.