How to deal with dry skin

SKIN IS THE MAIN PROTECTION OF OUR BODY FROM EXTERNAL INFLUENCES. BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS SAVING SHELL IS VERY VULNERABLE AND REQUIRES CAREFUL CARE. ESPECIALLY DURING THE COLD TIME OF THE YEAR. YOU WILL FIND OUT WHY YOUR SKIN DRYS AND HOW TO COMBAT DRYNESS RIGHT NOW!

As soon as the first cold weather arrives, our skin instantly becomes dry, peeling and redness appear on it. However, it should be noted that the cause of dry skin and the occurrence of similar symptoms can be not only bad weather.

WHY DOES SKIN DRY? AND WHO IS TO BLAME?

  1. WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY. These factors contribute to skin dehydration. In winter, dry air in rooms with air conditioners and heaters causes additional damage to the skin.
  2. BAD HABITS . Even children know about the dangers of smoking and alcohol on the body in general and the condition of the skin in particular.
  3. CHEMICAL IRRITANTS. Frequent use of household chemicals leads to the fact that the substances they contain destroy the water-lipid mantle of the skin.
  4. ULTRAVIOLET. By exposing the skin to the sun's rays, we subject it to serious tests - even in winter: the process of cell renewal slows down, the surface layer of the epidermis thickens and its nutrition is disrupted, and the manifestations of photoaging intensify.
  5. VITAMINS DEFICIENCY. This problem is especially acute in the autumn-winter period, when our body lacks fat-soluble vitamins A, E and group B.
  6. AGE . Over the years, the skin loses moisture and becomes less elastic and flabby.
  7. HORMONES. Dry skin is one of the characteristic signs of menopause. During menopause, the skin begins to age more quickly, becomes flabby, thinner, and pronounced wrinkles appear.
  8. DIABETES . For people with this disease, the problem of dry skin is extremely important. Moreover, the skin with diabetes becomes not just dry, but also thin, easily damaged and requires constant care, especially in the foot area.
  9. THYROID . Symptoms of some thyroid diseases include dry skin on the knees and elbows. Thyroid hormones affect the metabolic rate throughout the body. With their deficiency, absolutely all processes slow down, including skin regeneration.
  10. GENETIC PRESPOSITION. Dry skin - general or in specific areas of the body - can be inherited.

HOW TO COMBAT DRY SKIN? CONSERVING MOISTURE

A doctor will help you determine the cause of dry skin and eliminate it. But it’s easy to take care of the elasticity of the skin on your own. Here are the main principles of such care.

  1. HYDRATION. Procedures should be carried out in the evening or an hour before going outside. Use products that contain lecithin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, propolis and vitamins. By the way, you can overdo it with moisturizing. The fact is that using moisturizers too often can weaken the skin's ability to retain moisture. Please note: if within 20-30 minutes after applying the cream an unpleasant feeling of dryness and tightness appears, it is most likely due to a violation of the hydrolipid barrier. In this case, choose a different cream after consulting a cosmetologist.
  2. CAREFUL ATTITUDE. Dry skin requires special care: replace aggressive scrubs with soft milk or gentle cream. After a shower, be sure to apply a rich cream to your body. When choosing a cream for the winter, pay attention to its composition: it is advisable that it includes shea or avocado butters.
  3. EXFOLIATION. Mandatory removal of dead particles must be carried out with great care. Since dry skin is thinner and more delicate, choose cream or oil-based products.
  4. ADDITIONAL NUTRITION. During the cold season, the skin must be provided with plenty of useful substances. Please note that the caring cosmetic product includes vitamins A and E, as well as essential oils: jojoba and cedar.
  5. DEAD SEA SALT is a non-drug treatment method. There is a product on the Russian market that contains an extremely high level of sea water minerals in a gel form - this is TM Crystals Health liquid sea salt-gel (Crystals Health). The effect of using this remedy is many times greater than the healing effect of taking a bath with salt or swimming in sea water. To experience all the benefits of this unique product, simply apply this silky-soft gel to damp skin and massage for 2-3 minutes to enhance the effect. By choosing a ready-made salt-gel solution TM Crystals Health, you will feel the therapeutic effect of sea spa procedures at home!

Dry facial skin (xerosis) causes a feeling of tightness and discomfort, especially in winter. On such dermis, irritation and peeling often appear, causing itching. Although dry skin is not a symptom of a serious disease, it still requires special care, without which the condition of the dermis will rapidly deteriorate. The skin will become dull and early wrinkles will appear. Having studied the main causes of xerosis, you can choose an effective treatment for the epidermis.

There are many reasons for dry facial skin: from heredity to dry air in the office. The main ones include the following:

  1. Poor nutrition.
  2. Lack of fluid in the body.
  3. Taking frequent hot baths or showers.
  4. Dry air (due to air conditioning or heating).
  5. Climate change, frequent moving.
  6. Body weight deficiency, vitamin deficiency.
  7. Smoking, alcohol.
  8. Sunbathing in the active sun, visiting a solarium.
  9. Frequent use of a computer (exposure to electromagnetic radiation harms the skin).
  10. Low-quality decorative cosmetics.
  11. Impaired metabolism.
  12. Hereditary factor.
  13. Tendency to allergies and dermatitis.
  14. Stress, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression.
  15. Kidney diseases.
  16. Hormonal changes in the body (pregnancy, adolescence).
  17. Using soap.
  18. Disturbances in the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
  19. Diabetes mellitus and diseases of the digestive system.

In some cases, drying out of the epidermis on the face and the appearance of flaky areas, redness and inflammation indicate a lack of vitamin A in the body. This substance is extremely important for protecting the entire skin from aggressive environmental influences. Mostly women are susceptible to xerosis and peeling of the dermis, but in men, the skin has amazing properties of restoring dry skin.

Cosmetologists consider very dry dermis of the face to be a rather serious problem and advise moisturizing it with professional products and using home recipes for auxiliary treatment.

In cosmetology for xerosis, various cosmetic procedures are used, among which are:

  1. salt cleaning;
  2. hot compress;
  3. masks with collagen;
  4. peeling;
  5. cosmetic massage;
  6. biorevitalization.

During the consultation, the cosmetologist will individually select the necessary procedures and medications for the treatment of dry facial dermis.

Dry skin of the face and body can be moisturized using various gels, serums and creams with a moisturizing effect.

The most popular are products containing hyaluronic acid, which can intensively moisturize the skin, for example, Novosvit Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid cream (deeply moisturizes the epidermis and smoothes out fine wrinkles).

Preparations with ceramides, fatty acids and phospholipids also have excellent moisturizing properties. By creating a lipid barrier, such products retain moisture in the skin and ensure its renewal. Such products include, for example, Anne Marie Borlind Ceramide Fluid cream with ceramides (increases the ability of the dermis to retain moisture, smoothes wrinkles, suitable for all types of epidermis), Dado Sens soothing cream for emergency measures (soothes the skin, fights redness and irritation).

If redness and irritation occur on the skin, it is necessary to use soothing, moisturizing and relieving products. In this case, cleansing should only be gentle using special products (milk, foam) for dry skin. It is recommended to avoid lotions and tonics containing alcohol during treatment; they dry out the skin even more.

You can get rid of dry skin using the following cosmetics:

  1. 1. Nutritious cream. We need a high-quality product that combines natural ingredients with new techniques; only it can effectively remove the symptoms of overdrying of the epidermis. It should contain the following specific components: vitamins A, B and E, natural oils, honey (a natural moisturizer) and potassium (an important component for dry skin), for example, Librederm Aevit nourishing cream.
  2. 2. Collagen-based masks for the face, décolleté and neck. A placental-collagen mask is a napkin soaked in liquid with holes for the lips and eyes. Keep it for no more than 20 minutes; at the end of the beauty session, wash the face and neck with warm water, for example, Floralis from the Placental Skin renew Age figting series.
  3. 3. Moisturizingoil. These extracts from natural plants effectively moisturize the skin, giving it elasticity. For girls under 25 years old, this is an excellent alternative to creams. Some of the popular oils are: rose (contained in the Roseof Bulgaria series of cosmetics), mango (contained, for example, in the Miya Cosmetics My Wonder Balm Hello Yellow Face Cream series).

For excessive dryness, using jojoba oil is effective. It is rich in amino acids, beta-keratins and vitamins. With regular use, it normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands, moisturizes dry skin, creating a protective film on it. Cosmetologists recommend using it instead of cream, applying it to flaky areas of the epidermis before bed until the symptoms of dryness and flaking completely disappear.

Before going to bed, be sure to apply a moisturizing cream with vitamins to the epidermis of the face, preferably with a cell restoration effect.

For local application to particularly dry areas of the skin, it is recommended to use Bepanten cream. It increases the regenerative abilities of the skin, healing it from damage, and restores the integrity of the epidermis.

If during the warm season many men may neglect skin care, considering it a frivolous matter, then winter turns this activity from desirable to necessary. Cold air and wind outside, combined with hot radiators indoors, incredibly dry the skin, everyone has felt this more than once. If you don't want to have flaky, red skin, especially on your face and hands, you should get into the habit of a few simple self-care rules during the winter. Try using them daily and you will quickly see the difference!

Content:

How to deal with dry skin in winter

So, here are 10 tips for men on how to easily and painlessly avoid excessive dry skin during the winter.

1. Take a warm shower (not hot!)

Please note that in winter you should take a warm shower, avoiding too hot water. If you choose a temperature as close to boiling water as possible, you wash away the natural moisturizing layer from your body, which helps withstand the cold air outside.

It’s not obvious, but it’s a fact: in winter it’s better not to overdo it with a hot shower

In addition, experts say that warm or cool showers are better for your muscles, which is especially important if you exercise actively during the winter.

2. Reduce the time and number of showers

In winter, it is generally better not to overdo it with water procedures: taking a shower once a day is ideal.

Of course, if you play sports and lead an active lifestyle, one shower a day may not be enough. In this case, try to wash quickly, as a long shower, like a very hot one, washes away too much of our natural protective sebum, leaving the skin defenseless against the cold air outside, which makes it dry and chapped.

3. Use a moisturizing shower and wash gel

If you have dry skin that suffers from cold temperatures, regular soap can make the problem significantly worse. Dermatologists unanimously say that alcohol and alkalis contained in most common body and hand washes cause skin irritation, which is especially noticeable in winter.

To reduce the risk of dry skin, read shower gel labels

If you want to reduce the risk of problems with flaky and red skin, pay attention to the type and composition of the bottles that you buy at the supermarket or pharmacy. In winter, it is best to choose a moisturizing gel or cream-gel. In addition, pay attention to the ingredients: the less fragrances, antibacterial, deodorizing and other difficult-to-read components they contain, the better. It makes sense to take a closer look at natural cosmetics, which have a much less aggressive effect on the skin.

4. Skip the sponge and washcloth.

Many men regularly use a washcloth, as their grandmother once taught them in childhood. In fact, unless you have previously rolled in the dirt, this detail in the shower is completely unnecessary! Instead of non-existent contaminants, you wash away the same protective layer of skin, which leads to dryness and redness. And, by the way, sponges lying around in the bathroom for months are a real breeding ground for bacteria.

What to do without a washcloth? Just apply the shower gel with your hand, that will be enough.

5. Lather only certain parts of your body.

We all want to be clean, but we shouldn’t go overboard in this matter, especially in winter. Excessive use of soap or shower gel leads to dry skin, especially if you shower several times a day.

Instead of lathering yourself completely, focus on those areas where it is really necessary: ​​armpits, legs, etc. This way, the skin of the rest of the body will not once again be exposed to the aggressive effects of alkalis contained in soaps and gels. You'll still be clean and smelling great, but you'll also avoid issues with dryness and irritation. By the way, this approach will also save on shower gel; you won’t have to worry about buying a new bottle for much longer.

6. Use a facial moisturizer

Hygiene and personal care have long ceased to be considered an “unmanly” activity. If some other procedures can still be avoided, then moisturizing your facial skin in winter is a truly necessary process, especially if you notice signs of dryness and flaking.

In addition to a softening aftershave cream, dermatologists recommend using a regular moisturizer every day. Apply a thin layer of it in the morning or before bed, and the winter wind will bring you much less problems and troubles.

7. Use chapstick

Lips are one of the areas that suffer most from dryness and flaking in cold weather. It’s easy to deal with this: buy hygienic lipstick or lip balm. Stores offer products created specifically for men, but in fact, you can easily buy regular chapstick from popular brands. To avoid getting a colored or strange-smelling option, choose blue or white packages, preferably indicating that they are designed to protect against the cold.

This is what hygienic lipstick looks like without taste, smell or shine

8. Wear gloves

Hands are another weak link, prone to dryness and redness. In fact, the secret here is quite simple: wear gloves.

Everything ingenious is simple: if you don’t want chapped skin on your hands, wear gloves

Yes, it may seem to you that it’s not that cold outside, but you have gloves in your pocket/car and don’t want to take them out... This is a mistake! It is much easier to wear gloves than to suffer from chapped skin later on and treat it with creams and oils.

9. Humidify the air in your home

In our climate, skin irritation is caused not only by frost and wind outside, but also by too dry air in the house due to constantly hot radiators. To maintain humidity at the desired level (experts say it is 45-55%), you can purchase an air humidifier; models for rooms of different sizes and at different prices can be found at any electronics store. There is another, simpler secret! Place small containers of water on the batteries; it will gradually evaporate and combat excessive dry air.

10. Drink plenty of water

And finally, one last piece of advice. It's no secret that the skin does not exist on its own, it is only the outer shell of our body, so everything actually comes from the inside. To avoid excessive dry skin in winter, you need to... drink more!

Water is the way to combat dry skin from the inside, not the outside

According to doctors, the optimal norm for a man of average build is approximately 8 glasses of water per day. It is not necessary to calculate milliliters, just remember to drink water from time to time and at least sometimes replace coffee and tea with it. In just a few weeks you will notice how the condition of your skin improves without unnecessary effort and cosmetic procedures.

Conclusion

Winter frosts are a big stress for the skin, so during the cold season it makes sense to pay a little more attention to self-care. Moreover, avoiding dry skin is not at all difficult if you follow simple rules. Don't freeze!