By Chrissy Amitrano
“My skin always gets so dry around this time of the year,” said junior psychology major Jenna Falon. “I’m constantly putting on moisturizer.”
As the weather changes from hot to cold, our skin undergoes a transformation as well.
Common symptoms include dryness, itchiness and flakiness, but a few changes to your routine can help prevent the unpleasantness of winter skin.
“In the winter months, people often think that the cold air outside is what causing their skin problems,” said Mark Banross, a dermatologist in Farmingville. “This is a misconception. It is actually the hot air inside of one’s home, office and car that leads to the dryness often associated with winter.”
“I’m always cold, so I turn on the heat the second I get back from class,” Falon said. “The air starts to feel very dry, but at least I’m warm.”
Turning up the heat inside to cope with the cold outside lowers the humidity in the air, which leads to the drop in the skin’s moisture. Skin normally loses moisture through the process of evaporation or washing, but, in humid climates, the moist air helps to replenish it. When the air is dry, skin is incapable of obtaining moisture naturally, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
One way to ward off dry air is using a humidifier. This device heats up water to the point of evaporation, causing more moisture to be in the air.
Taking hot showers in the winter can also cause the skin to become irritated.
“The hot water from a shower or bath strips the epidermis, or the top layer of skin, of moisture,” Banross said. “It is recommended to apply a moisturizer immediately after getting out of the shower while the skin is still damp because it is better able to absorb.”
While many people do apply moisturizers throughout the winter, they often forget to apply sunscreen, feeling as though it is only a necessity in the summer months.
“I only wear sunscreen in the summer because I feel like I’m not outside long enough in the winter to get burnt,” said Vinnie Lambrano, a sophomore public relations major. “I’ve never gotten a sunburn in the winter.”
But just because you cannot see a sunburn, it does not mean your skin is safe from damage.
“Just because the sun doesn’t seem as bright in the winter, UVA and UVB rays are still shining and even a small amount of exposure can cause damage,” Banross said. “Every time you drive your car, walk to class or sit by a window, you are exposing yourself to these ultraviolet rays, so you must always apply sunscreen every few hours to be protected.”
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, snow can reflect more than 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays, so it is suggested to wear an SPF of 15 or higher for the maximum level of protection. It is also recommended to wear a sunscreen lip balm, since the skin on lips is generally more thin and sensitive to the elements.
Winter skin damage no longer needs to be dreaded. With just a few simple modifications, the dryness, itchiness and flakiness that can appear as a result of the temperature drop can be prevented and treated, cheaply and easily.