Health Tips - Winter Care

The winter brings relief from the sweltering summer days, but can wreak havoc on your skin. One of the common skin problems in the winter are fungal infections. This is obvious as the humidity will be more and fungal activity will be at its peak! To prevent it, avoid wearing damp clothing and socks as this can predispose you to fungal infections.Those who are prone to fungal infections should keep clean and dry, use an anti fungal soap, and use a prophylactic anti fungal dusting powder in the groin areas and feet. Carry an extra set of clothing or keep a spare change at your workplace to avoid staying in damp clothing for prolonged periods of time as this can lead to fungal infections.

Basic Skin Care

Your skin tends to be oily in this humid season and basic skin care products may need to be modified to suit the season.
Use a medicated face wash suited for oily skin as it is beneficial to prevent acne break-outs

1. Use oil-free moisturizers as your skin still needs hydration, but avoid heavy, oily creams in this humid season
2. Use oil-free sunscreens
3. If your skin tends to be too oily, use an astringent or toner
4. A mild exfoliating scrub may be done gently once or twice a week

Excessive sweating can also occur in the rainy season.This can promote the growth of fungus and often can cause a seat rash or prickly heat. Synthetic fabrics are avoidable and cool cotton fabrics that allow the skin to breathe are ideally suited for this climate. For some, the skin may still appear dry and shriveled in this season and often needs moisturising with a light moisturising lotion. If you are using a cream, consider changing to a lotion-based product in this season. Peeling of the skin, especially over the palms and soles, can occur in this season. Avoid prolonged or excessive water contact to prevent this.

For any persistent skin problems, it is always advisable to consult your dermatologist who will treat your complaint and also advise you on the best skin care products suited to your individual skin type.You can then take care of your skin and enjoy the rainy season.

Sunscreen

Even though the sky will be overcast, the UV rays are still penetrating and can affect your skin. Therefore, you must still use a sunscreen.Your sunscreen may need to be modified to an oil-free or gel-based one to avoid a sticky feeling. Regular application 2-3 times a day needs to be continued despite the fact that the sun may not be as visible.

Hair care

Make sure your hair is cleansed and dried thoroughly.Those whose dandruff increases in this season need to take extra care to keep the hair clean and dry. A medicated anti dandruff shampoo needs to be used regularly through this season.

Skin Care in Winter - Health Tips

As the cold season is already here, temperature decreases, the wind blows with increasing intensity, air gets drier and our skin suffers from all these changes thus needing extra-attention and care, otherwise risking losing its natural glow and suppleness and becoming cracked and rough.

For successfully caring skin in the winter, health experts offer some simple but extremely effective steps to be taken, here they are below:

1.      Take a hot shower every day

Contrary to popular thinking, hot showers taken daily don’t dry or damage your skin in the winter. Instead, this routine should be maintained throughout all year so you can effectively remove dirt and sweat accumulated during the day. However, this time of the year harsh cleaning products like alcohol should be avoided, otherwise there is a high risk that they will dry your skin too much. After each bath apply a lotion with moisturizing effect and dry the skin with a soft towel.

2.      Make sure your skin is hydrated

Choosing a quality moisturizer that meets your needs is probably the most important step to maintain your skin tone in the winter. If you use day cream, try to choose a product with SPF 30 that provides an effective barrier against weather and strong winter winds. Also, use lots of water-based lotions for better skin hydration.

3.      Do not neglect your lips care

In winter, lips are the most exposed parts of your body to harsh conditions and therefore leading to crack and easy peeling. To prevent these problems health experts recommend using lip balms with moisturizing effect that include the following properties: rich in vitamin E for elasticity, acts as a barrier against winter and offer a high degree of hydration. Great product to use: lip balm based on alpha hydro acids – fantastic for eliminating dead cells and facilitating skin regeneration.

4.      Hands and fingers care

Along with lips, hands and fingers’ peeling skin is one of the most acute problems in winter, this phenomenon being aggravated by long exposure to water and cleaning products. To prevent these problems you should use rubber gloves when performing house-work and also wash immediately after work. In terms of protecting your hands, a simple cream or glycerin soap for hands should do the job.

5.      Nail care

Calcium treatments, nail polish with feeding nail structure effect and restorative effect – simple and effective.

6.      Hair and scalp protection

Use a silk scarf instead of traditional hats and also do not neglect your dandruff problems (if any).

7.      Water water water

Hydration during the winter should not be done only for the skin, but also for the body. Extremely effective is daily consumption of a glass with hot water and lemon which eliminates the toxins from your body.

8.      Sleep more

Sleep is the main factor to recover the body. Lack of sleep, especially in cold winter can decisively affect the overall health condition on long term.

9.      Sunscreen in winter

You might ask why it is necessarily to use sunscreen in the winter. Just because the sun is not visible on the sky and outside is snowing, this does not mean ultraviolet rays are not there. Use products containing SPF 15 to prevent UVA and UVB to affect on your skin. 

10.  Skin exfoliating products – two times a week

Due to dry air and strong winds the skin becomes pale, with little to no shining. Prevent this occurring by exfoliating your skin two times a week.

What other tricks are you using for keeping your skin healthy during winter?