Winter comes with cold air, harsh winds and indoor heating. These factors cause the skin to become susceptible to moisture loss and impaired barrier function, making the proper skincare regimen crucial.
To help your skin survive the winter months, follow these steps:
- Use a cleanser that is gentle and won't strip the skin of its oil and water.
- Exfoliating the skin is vital because it removes dead skin cells that are porous and steal moisture. Look for products with chemical exfoliants containing low concentrations or lactic of glycolic acids (AHA). They can be used two to three times weekly.
- When purchasing moisturizers, look for products containing shea butter, squalene, vitamins, CoQ10 and sodium hyaluronate, because they deliver super hydration.
- Do not forget to protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays that are present all year long. Apply an SPF of at least 30, and if outside, reapply every two hours. Exposure prematurely ages and damages skin, leading to sagging, wrinkling, spotting and depletion of the skin's overall health.
If your skin is still being affected by the winter air after following these suggestions, Mount Nittany Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery offers many nonsurgical treatments that can help you. To learn more about further steps you can take or the procedures offered to keep your skin glowing and healthy during the winter months, call the Mount Nittany Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery office at 814.231.7878, or visit cosmetic.mountnittany.org.