Tips for Flaky, Dry skin in winters
By: BonebrakeTotal Views: 198, Word Count: 576,
While for some of us, oily skin can cause a constant reason of worry, for others, extremely dry and flaky skin makes life very difficult. Come winters, and it becomes even more terrible. The dry winter air takes away the remaining oil from the skin and makes it very rough and flaky. Since winters tend to make even the oiliest skin dry as compared to their texture during summers, the ones who already have a dry skin definitely face more problems.
Tips to deal with dry, flaky skin
Lower the temperature of the thermostat: It is normal to want to get warm during winters, but overheated rooms not only make the body warmer but also drier. This is done by a process called vasodilation in which, blood is brought to the surface of the skin by dilating the blood vessels. To avoid excessive drying of your skin, lower your thermostat to around 68-degrees. This will keep the room warm while not overheating or drying your body.
Make use of a humidifie: During winters, dry skin not only needs moisture, but it needs that in excess. One excellent way to keep your skin moisturized at all times is to keep the air surrounding you, full of moisture. The moisture in the air actually does a lot of good to your skin, especially if you live in a low-humidity climate. To do this, you must have a humidifier in your home. These days, you can get some low-cost humidifiers as well, which server the purpose equally well.
Control your alcohol and caffeine intake: Alcohol and caffeinated beverages both are vasodilators, which dilate the blood vessels of the skin surface and make it dry and flaky. Since in winters, the intake of both these products tends to increase, it adds to the woes of dry skin. Hence, always remember not to increase the intake so much that it dries and damages your skin.
Take only warm bath: Water, when consumed, works wonders for all skin types. However, the same water, when retained for too long on the skin, can dry it too much. Therefore, short and tepid baths or showers are better for your skin in winters than hot and long ones.
Avoid soap: It is well known to everybody that soap causes the skin to dehydrate and also takes away its natural oils. The dry skin needs not only to be replenished with the lost oil, but it also needs to be extra moisturized. To avoid the flakiness and drying of the skin, make use of mild, soap-less, hydrating cleanser that not only cleans but hydrates your skin as well.
Use a moisturizer: After you are done with your bath, remember to apply a cream or oil-based moisturizer while your skin is still damp. The pores of the damp skin are open and hence the moisturizer seeps deep into the skin. Not only this, the dampness of the skin locks the moisture and prevents it from evaporating, thus making the skin smooth, soft and supple. For extremely dry skin, use a moisturizer that contains glycerin or other oils and for dry, flaky skin, use a moisturizer containing lactic acid.
Following these simple tips will help you get a smooth and silk-soft skin even in winters. However, remember that these tips are only meant for simple dry and flaky skin. Make sure to consult a dermatologist if you suffer from any severe skin problems.
About the Author
Bone brake is a well known allergist. His practice encompasses naturopathy, herbal medicine and nutrition. Skin conditions treated include eczema, psoriasis and acne. He explored the treatment of allergies and allergic based conditions such as asthma, eczema and hayfever are by using different diets and techniques such as blood type diet, rotation diet, exclusion diet and kinesiology.
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