When winter weather takes its toll,
When the weather outside is frightful, chances are your skin isn't feeling too delightful. The recent cold snap and strong winds seem to have brought on a rash of dry skin.
"As patients get older, they struggle with winter rashes they never had to worry about," said Dr. Christina Steil, a board-certified dermatologist in Hinsdale and spokeswoman for the American Academy of Dermatology. "They're surprised to find themselves in our office with dry skin like they've never had before."
Blame it on your stratum corneum. That's the outer layer of skin made up of dead skin cells, proteins and lipids (otherwise known as fats and oils.) It's the layer that keeps moisture or water from escaping and peels off after a sunburn. The layer contains at least 10 percent water … 20 percent to 30 percent if it's healthy.
But as we age, (and here's the rub), we lose lipids and fats in our stratum corneum so moisture escapes from our skin. It's so unfair -- while we struggle to keep fat from piling up and take statins to keep our cholesterol levels down, those same kinds of fats flee from our skin and make us bone dry, cracked and itchy. Statin drugs, which lower cholesterol, also contribute to our dry-skin problems.
If you have it, don't ignore it. Untreated, dry skin can lead to dermatitis -- inflammation of the skin -- swelling and infection. Moisturizers really do work, reports this month's Harvard Health Letter, because they provide water, plus a greasy substance to retain that moisture. And while market-research firms report $5.8 billion-a-year spending on skin-care products, doctors say thicker and greasier (and often cheaper) products work best -- like Vaseline.
Such moisturizers are known as occlusives and contain petrolatum, mineral oil and silicones like dimethcone or simethicone, all ingredients that slow down water evaporation from your skin.
Other types of moisturizers contain humectants that pull water into the stratum corneum from the air or from your body. But when the air is so dry, all of the water is drawn from within, so the products aren't as effective.
To test your moisturizer, put some in the palm of your hand and flip it over. If the product runs or drips, it's not thick enough to soothe and heal dry skin, Dr. Vesna Petronic-Rosic, director of the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic at the University of Chicago Medical School, suggested on WebMD.com.
Topically applied lipids can repair damaged skin by replacing depleted natural lipids, said Dr. Amy E. Newburger, a dermatologist writing in Consumer Reports' ShopSmart. She advises looking for products containing lecithin, ceramides, phospholipids, sterols and aloe, as well as soybean, sunflower-seed and other plant-based oils.
Physicians and others health-care professionals are often the most challenged with dry skin since they must constantly wash their hands. What does Steil use? Aquaphor, a product containing more than 40 percent petrolatum.
"Sometimes at the end of the day my hands are cracked and bleeding," Steil said. "But a couple overnights with Aquaphor slathered on them and they're back to normal."
Here are more tips from Steil and The Harvard Health Letter.
• Turn down the thermostat. Cool air is less drying.
• Use a humidifier. But if your home is too air tight, all that moisture can be soaked up in walls or furniture.
• Take warm, not hot, baths and showers to preserve oils in the skin.
• Choose moisturizers that are scent-free, since the most common cause of allergic reactions is fragrance.
• Apply moisturizer immediately following a bath while your skin is still damp.
• Use a mild soap like Dove or cleansers like Cetaphil. Stay away from body gels because they contain alcohol.
• Bundle up, but stay away from scratchy wool that might irritate skin. Don't forget to wear mittens or gloves.
And moisturize, moisturize as often as possible. It really does heal dry skin.