Winter weather often causes dry skin, which can range from mild flaking to more severe itching and roughness. Areas like your hands and legs are commonly affected, depending on your health, age, or lifestyle. Stretch your post-holiday budget by trying these dry skin remedies at home, before stopping by Walmart for a humidifier or skincare items.
Visit AFC Monroe Rd for treatment!
Why Does My Skin Get Dry During Winter?
Dry skin, often called xerosis, is caused by aging, weather, or environmental factors. Winter’s cold air can strip your skin of moisture, leaving it tight, flaky, and uncomfortable.
What Else Causes Dry Skin?
Dry skin during winter isn’t just about the cold air—it’s also about how often and how you wash. Handwashing is vital for staying healthy, particularly in flu season, but overdoing it with warm water and soap can dry out your skin by removing its natural oils. Combine this with the harsh effects of hot showers or prolonged baths, and your skin can become flaky and irritated. Choosing mild soaps, using lukewarm water, and moisturizing regularly can go a long way toward keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Dry Skin Symptoms:
Dry skin is likely to cause symptoms, including:
- A feeling of skin tightness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming
- Deep cracks that may bleed
- Fine lines or cracks
- Gray, ashy skin in people with dark skin
- Itching, also known as pruritus
- Redness
- Skin that feels and looks rough
- Slight to severe flaking, scaling or peeling
Have questions about your symptoms? Let AFC Monroe Rd provide the care you need.
Tips to Protect Your Skin:
- Stay adequately hydrated throughout the day.
- Incorporate more healthy fats into your diet.
- Don’t over-wash your skin.
- Get an adequate amount of exercise every week.
- Don’t smoke.
Our Monroe Rd clinic team can offer more in-depth dermatology care during your visit.
Tips to Keep Moisturized:
Take these steps to help your skin retain moisture and decrease dryness:
- Take short, warm showers or baths every other day to avoid drying out skin.
- Choose gentle, moisturizing soap and avoid alcohol-based or heavily scented products.
- Always moisturize after bathing while skin is damp to lock in hydration.
- Protect skin from sun damage with SPF 30+ sunscreen or moisturizer daily.
- Keep indoor air hydrated with a humidifier, cleaning it frequently to prevent buildup.
- Stick to breathable fabrics like cotton or silk, avoiding scratchy materials like wool.
- Resist the urge to scratch or scrub dry, flaky patches of skin.
For itchy dry skin, apply a cool compress to calm the area. A 1% hydrocortisone cream or ointment can also help reduce redness and inflammation.
When to Visit an Urgent Care Clinic?
Healthy skin shouldn’t be out of reach, and AFC Urgent Care Monroe Rd is here to make sure it’s not. If your dry skin isn’t improving and causes pain, inflammation, or sores, come see us. Our clinic offers quick, expert care to help you manage your skin health and get back to feeling your best.
