Caring for Your Skin in the Dry Days of Winter

By Sophie Wix and Jennifer Gill, MD Ph.D.

Seasonal changes can affect our bodies in many different ways, including migraine flares, joint pain, allergies, dry skin, and even depression. The reasons for these changes are often multifaceted, commonly involving seasonal external stimuli affecting our internal biology. Cancer treatments can exacerbate these changes even further and many patients find they feel the effects of seasonal changes more intensely, particularly in relation to the development of dry skin, nails, hair, nose, and lips.

What causes skin dryness?

In the wintertime, it’s no secret that dry skin is a common problem. Xerosis, the medical term for dry skin, is often seen in older adults and those living in low-humidity, colder climates. This is often attributed to the use of home heating systems which can cause significant dryness in the air, especially in the winter. But what some people don’t know is that age itself is a common precipitant of skin dryness. As we all get older, the oil glands in our skin tend to shrink and slow down production of important skin barrier components like ceramides, hyaluronic acid and oils. Post-menopausal women or patients on hormone therapies are also at risk, as we now know that states of decreased estrogen accelerate skin dryness, fragility and wrinkling. All of this, in addition to chemotherapy and anti-cancer treatments, can exacerbate skin dryness for women living with cancer. But we have solutions to help you lock in moisture during those dry winter days and prevent skin dryness in your everyday routine.

How do I restore moisture to my skin?

added benefit, put them on immediately after showering and again right before bed underneath skin-hugging cotton pajamas (this helps keep products from rubbing off!).

Here are some more tips for keeping your skin moist during the winter.

Do Don’t

Use an air humidifier in the bedroom and common areas of the home.

Use mild cleansers (especially for hand washing)

Preferred Syndet cleansers (synthetic detergent), and Mild soaps with low pH.

Moisturizers

Ceramides

Hyaluronic acid

Vaseline/Petrolatum jelly

Use hot water to wash hands or take long, hot showers; instead, keep showers short and use warm or lukewarm water when washing or bathing.

Use aggressive scrubbing of the skin when washing or bathing. Use moisturizers in a “pump bottle,” which often contain alcohol that can ultimately worsen dry skin; instead, choose ones in a jar or tube.

Your skin naturally produces overlying oils that serve as a barrier, allowing the skin underneath to remain well-hydrated. The key to managing dry skin involves two overarching strategies:

For particularly cracked and dry hands, consider wearing moisture-locking gloves with a moisturizer of your choice during sleep overnight.

1) minimizing the loss of these natural oils, and

2) applying appropriate products that can replenish lost oils and serve as a barrier when needed.

First, to prevent the loss of your skin’s natural oils, minimize anything that targets and removes oil. This includes hot showers, strong soaps and aggressive scrubbing. Avoid topical products that contain alcohol (this includes many lotions in pump bottles), which can further exacerbate drying.

Next, to replenish your skin barrier, focus on applying moisturizing products with the right ingredients. Hyaluronic acid and ceramides are chemicals naturally produced by the body. They both work in different ways to bind water molecules and lock in hydration. Moisturizers that have these ingredients are often dermatologists’ favorite. When shopping at a pharmacy or grocery store, look for products that contain hydration-promoting ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, ceramides and glycerin. When applying these products, use them liberally and frequently to get the fastest results. For

Wear dish gloves to protect your hands when using household cleaning products.

Keep lip protection/emollient handy and use frequently.

Use fragrances or soaps/ detergents with fragrance. Use harsh soaps, strong detergents, dryer sheets, and fabric softeners

Be in the habit of “lip-licking” which can worsen chapped lips.

While these recommendations will go a long way in improving and managing dry skin, some patients still need stronger interventions. If you find you just aren’t getting to your goal, it may be time to contact a dermatologist. Do your best to get into proper skincare habits before there is a problem. Keeping skin in good, healthy, moisturized condition is much easier than “rescuing” dry, flaky skin that is already inflamed and irritated. Get into a good routine and before you know it, spring will be right around the corner!