Keeping skin healthy during the Winter

Kayla Olds a provider at Twin Ports Dermatology stopped by The Lift to explain why many of us experience dry and itchy skin during the Winter: “So as the colder temperatures come in and the furnaces come on, we loose some the humidity in the air. This can directly impact the barrier of our skin, which is the outermost layer.”

When protecting your skin, the first thought that comes to mind for many is to moisturize: “I like to touch on the fact that all moisturizers are not created equal. When you grab a lotion- it has a higher alcohol content so it can actually dry the skin,” Olds tells us that’s why she recommends the use of CeraVe Moisturizing Cream several times throughout the day. “This will help repair the barrier of the skin.” Another a good option is an Aquaphor. However, this is a just a barrier. “It will only lock in the moisture that you have.”

There are other things to consider too like water intake and using a humidifier in the room. Twin Ports Dermatology recommends dividing your weight in half and using that amount in ounces as how much water you should get in a day.

“Sunscreen is huge for us. We recommend using a 30 SPF or higher on a daily basis.” Olds shares something that we might not realize about sun, “It’s cumulative. So if you think about a bucket filled up overtime- It’s little incidental exposures even in the Winter. Little instances like walking to the grocery store and walking to your car- They all add up and eventually it can spill over into problematic issues with our skin.”