Winter is just around the corner and it’s this time of year when we most want healthy skin and hair, but that’s when hair, skin and nails need extra care. The combination of cold air outside and central heat indoors can strip needed moisture from strands and pores, making hair rough and skin dry and itchy.
Healthy skin and hair
Healthy skin and hair – Tips
- Even though a 20-minute long hot shower might feel great on a cold day, limit showers to 10 minutes or less using lukewarm water. Excessive exposure to hot water can strip moisture from hair and skin.
- Always dress according to the weather, during the winter use a hat, scarf and gloves to avoid windburn and prolonged exposure to cold air outside.
- While at the market, stock up on vitamin C-rich produce like citrus fruit and dark leafy greens. Vitamin C can help boost the body’s production of collagen.
- Drink plenty of water during winter, everyone knows that’s the #1 rule for healthy skin and hair.
Hair and Scalp
Shampooing strips necessary moisture from scalp and hair, so wash hair every other day. Don’t skip conditioning, it help hair stay moisturized. To avoid hair breakage or damage, don’t blow dry or brush hair when it’s wet. Hair tends to be more delicate after showers.
Hands
Cracked skin can be very painful, to prevent hands from drying out, apply moisturizer throughout the day and after hand washing. If hands are very dry, use cream instead of lotion . Wear rubber gloves while washing dishes, this prevent hands from getting dried out due to excess contact with hot water. To really help the skin on hands, use a thick hand cream right before going to bed and use cotton gloves, this helps the skin absorb moisturizer.
Lips
Use a lip balm that contains lanolin or beeswax and keep reapply throughout the day. If lips are flaky, take a clean toothbrush and gently exfoliate the skin to remove excess skin. For extra dry lips, apply honey or Vaseline to the lips for 15 minutes and remove.
Nails
Dry air strip moisture out of nails to, which leaves them delicate and susceptible to breaks and tears. You can also apply thin coat of clear nail polish, this protects brittle nails from the environment. Use olive oil or lotion containing lanolin to nails before bed and sleep with gloves on to help aid absorption.
Feet
Rough and cracked feet are not very pleasant, exfoliate and moisturize at home. Moisturize feet, especially the heels, every day with thick creams or lotions containing lactic acid. To help lock in moisture wear cotton socks to bed. Scrub calluses with a pumice stone in the shower once per week to slough off rough, dead skin.
Humidifier
Central heating systems (as well as space heaters) blast hot dry air throughout our homes . Humidifiers get more moisture in the air, which helps prevent your skin from drying out. Place several small humidifiers throughout your home which help disperse moisture more evenly.
Healthy skin and hair is not always possible, skin may become cracked, flaky, irritated or inflamed during the winter. If red, scaly, itchy skin lingers or is causing discomfort, be sure to visit your doctor; it might be a more serious dermatological condition like dermatitis, eczema or athlete’s foot.
