{"id":1046,"date":"2016-11-03T16:34:15","date_gmt":"2011-11-03T16:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.edrugstore.md\/blog\/?p=1046"},"modified":"2011-11-03T16:34:15","modified_gmt":"2011-11-03T16:34:15","slug":"preparing-for-dry-winter-skin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/current-health-news\/preparing-for-dry-winter-skin\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing for dry winter skin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>As the temperatures begin to drop, those in the north know winter is about to roll in.\u00a0 Frigid temps and snow can wreak havoc on a person\u2019s skin.\u00a0 As many as eight million people are plagued by dry, itchy skin<\/a> that arrives with Old Man Winter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWinter is no friend to the skin any more than summer is,\u201d says Rebecca A. Kazin, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology and director of the Johns Hopkins Cosmetic Center.\u00a0 \u201cKeeping warm is a priority, but it sucks the moisture out of your skin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Winter skin tips<\/strong>
\n\u2022\u00a0Proper moisturizing is job one, Kazin says. \u201cSwitch to an oil-based cream or lotion and apply it often. \u201cThe more oil the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Use a humidifier at home and in the office and bag the long hot showers, however tempting. Take warm short ones, and slather on the moisturizer while skin is still damp to keep water in the upper layers of skin and decrease dryness and itching.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Because frequent hand washing is recommended to prevent winter colds and flu, in winter \u201cuse hand soap that contains moisturizing ingredients or an alcohol-free hand sanitizer,\u201d says Kazin.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u2022\u00a0Don\u2019t\u2019 forget the sunscreen<\/a>, the fruit and the water if you are outdoors even for brief periods, and especially if you\u2019re skiing. \u201cSunscreen belongs not just on your face, but also your hands and lips. And because snow reflects 80 percent of sunlight, use SPF 15 or higher all winter,\u201d Kazin says.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Promote healthy skin with a diet of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and plums, and foods with essential fatty acids, such as salmon, walnuts and canola oil.\u00a0 Drink water and green tea in sufficient quantities to hydrate body cells and increase anti-inflammatory chemistry.\u00a0 If you are exercising, you need more fluid.<\/p>\n