Simple Steps To Help Your Skin Weather The Winter Season - University Of The Sciences In Philadelphia

Main Category: Dermatology
Article Date: 18 Nov 2008 - 4:00 PST

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Cracking, chaffing, dry patches, and itchiness - all are unpleasant symptoms of dry and irritated skin that often comes with winter. As temperatures drop, the wind howls, and humidity levels hit an all-year low, our skin requires extra attention and care to stay healthy.

"Further into winter, conditions get dryer and you have to be careful because when skin is dry like that, there is a lot of weakness to it," said Jeff Moore, an instructor of pharmaceutics in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. "During cold spells, your skin is constantly bombarded, dried out, and increasingly susceptible to infection."

To be sure you're effectively treating and protecting your skin during the harsh winter season, Moore has provided the following skin care tips:

• Moisturize from the inside out: When we're properly hydrated, our skin lubricates itself from the inside, and that moisture works itself up from the lower dermal layers to the upper dermal layers at the surface. By drinking the recommended six-to-eight glasses of water daily, you can help keep dry skin at bay.

• Take shorter, cooler showers: Despite how soothing a long, hot shower feels when it's chilly outside, the steam and heat can do skin more harm than good by drawing out moisture that is on the skin and causing dryness. Instead, keep the water temperature comfortably warm and take shorter showers.

• Create a barrier with moisturizers: When applying lotions and crèmes, you are creating a barrier to protect your skin against dryness. This barrier allows time for hydration and healing to occur from the inside. For best results, regularly apply a product with ingredients like shea butter and petrolatum immediately following a bath or shower, when the skin is still moist.

• Exfoliate regularly: Exfoliation not only removes rough dry patches, but it promotes new cell growth by exposing more hydrated levels of the skin and bringing them up to the surface. Exfoliation also enhances the absorption of skin care products, so it's best to apply a moisturizer after exfoliating to ensure that the moisture brought up to the surface of the skin doesn't evaporate right away.

• Avoid harsh soaps and cleansers: Pay special attention when picking your soap, as certain seemingly-mild cleansers actually contain chemicals that strip water from the skin. Generally, products containing preservatives, fragrances, and lye are harsher and more irritating to the skin. Instead, look for products that contain glycerin, a humectant that traps and maintains moisture.

• Use a humidifier: The use of heaters and furnaces in the winter can greatly reduce the humidity level inside your house and suck moisture out of the air. Using a small bedside humidifier, especially at night while sleeping, can help combat dry skin and keep moisture in the bedroom.

While the worst of winter weather is still to come, Moore recommends treating your skin early in the season, before dryness has a chance to set in.

"The earlier you incorporate these tips into your daily routine, the greater improvement you'll see," he said. "While we often neglect our skin, or only treat it for cosmetic reasons, it's important to remember that our skin is an organ, part of the body just like anything else, and requires consistent care."

At University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, students embark on a challenging learning experience in a proving ground for successful professionals in the healthcare-related fields. A private, coeducational institution dedicated to education, research, and service, and distinguished as the nation's first college of pharmacy, the University has produced leaders in the healthcare marketplace since its founding in 1821, including founders of six of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world. With undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in such disciplines as pharmacy, bioinformatics, physical therapy, healthcare business, and health policy, the 2,800 students in the University of the Sciences' five colleges learn to excel in scientific analysis and to apply their skills to improving healthcare in their communities and in the lives of people worldwide.

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
http://www.usp.edu