Tips for dealing with dry skin during cold weather and winter months
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As more and more people have their furnaces turned on, more things get dried out, including our skin -- but if you're not careful, you can make matters worse.
While having the heat turned on may make you more comfortable, the corresponding drying out process is harmfully drying out our skin as well.
"This is around the time of the year where we start to notice people with sensitive skin and eczema-type issues start to get itchy or more irritated skin when those kinds of complaints begin to come out," said Dr. Charles Mount.
How we wash our bodies, the temperature of the water, and the soaps we use can make it worse, especially as we age.
"A young person can take a shower three times a day with hot water and harsh soap. And that barrier will replace itself in in six or seven hours and not that they don't dry out their skin," said Dr. Melissa Piliang.
But older skin doesn't recover as quickly, says Dr. Piliang.
The same applies to everyone when it comes to the pandemic-driven amount of handwashing.
" Wash your hands for 20 to 30 seconds with lukewarm water, not scalding water because that's again, going to pull more oil out of your skin," Dr. Mount said.
Dr. Mount also says you should have a container of hand cream ready to use.
"Just after you've washed your hands, apply that liberally on all the surfaces you know, especially paying close attention around your your fingernails and those areas, and other areas that tend to crack on us," Dr. Mount said.
If your hands are cracking and bleeding, he says to avoid topical antibiotics, which can make matters worse.
"Something that's petrolatum based, honestly, is some of the best things, some of the best kind of product you could put on that kind of skin," Dr. Mount said.
Petrolatum is in a lot of products, so you can look for it on the label. it has a consistency similar to Vaseline.
He also says you can use a hydrocortisone cream, but if the cracking persists, you should see a dermatologist, because it could be something other than eczema.
