The right winter care

Our skin is plagued by two things in winter: cold temperatures and dry air.

At cold temperatures, the sebaceous glands are less active and at temperatures below 8 degrees (celsius) sebum production stops completely. This means that the natural hydro-lipid film on the skin’s surface gets broken up and the skin is less protected against environmental influences (UV light, bacteria, dry air).

The following problems can therefore occur during the colder times of the year: scaling, dryness, itching and eczema.

The dryness of the air, which is caused by the cold on the one hand, and by indoor heating on the other, is the second factor that strains our skin: more moisture is lost through the skin.

Therefore, skincare devised especially for winter is extremely important!

Personal hygiene:

• Avoid additional drying through frequent or long or hot showers/baths.
• Use shower gels or shower oils for dry skin when showering.
• After showering, apply a moisturizing cream: water-in-oil emulsions (W / O emulsions), which are characterized by a low water content and a high oil content, are ideal.

Face:

• Gentle cleansing with soap-free wash gel or a cleansing milk
• Do not use strong peels or alcoholic tonics
• Use a daily cream with a higher fat content (i.e. no fat-free gels; a pure serum or fluid is also not ideal)
• In cold weather or before long walks, a cold protection cream is useful: these water-free care products form a protective film so that cold and dry air cannot affect the skin’s hydro-lipid film.

Hands:

• Wash hands to a necessary minimum
• Here, too, a gentle cleansing: ph-neutral and refatting
• Apply a hand cream with high fat content after each hand wash
• A cold protection cream is also useful for the hands
• Wear gloves outdoors!

For more tips, you can listen to my radio interview! (German)

Radio Wien-Interview mit Dr. Julia Lämmerhirt anhören