Get the Skinny on Winter Skin Care

by

Living near Lake Superior, we naturally know how to handle winter. We never venture out without the basic protection package: toque, choppers and swampers (i.e. a tassel cap, long-sleeved mittens and boots with rubber bottoms and leather tops). We’re also smart enough to know we never leave home without good snow tires and a stash of kitty litter in the trunk.

But even the hardiest winter warriors sometimes disregard the special care needed for our body’s first line of defense – our skin. On average, we wear 20 yards of epidermis, and winter, particularly long stretches of sub-zero temperatures, takes a toll on our body’s largest organ.

The problems basically circle around water. Our skin needs water to work. Unfortunately, cold air can’t hold much water vapor. The colder the air, the drier it is. To make matters worse, inside heating only makes air drier, causing humidity levels to drop into the red, itchy skin and nosebleed range.

Trained at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Jennifer Baldwin now lives and works at Forefront Dermatology in Marquette. Accustomed to the Up North climate, she thinks of winter skin care in three general categories: protection from the drying effects of wind and temperature, protection from the sun and the special care required for pre-existing skin conditions that can be inflamed by cold weather.

Jennifer’s advice starts with that water problem. “Think hydration and daily moisturizing, while avoiding oversoaping. Use mild, fragrance-free cleansers such as Dove for Sensitive Skin, Cetaphil, Vanicream or CeraVe, and limit use of soap to face and skin folds when possible. People with sensitive skin may also need to avoid irritating and drying scrubs or astringents.” Do not use a washcloth on your face, Jennifer adds.

“The best time to apply moisturizer is within one minute after a bath or shower to seal in the moisture. If moisturizer is not applied right after bathing, the skin will actually be drier than prior to the bath or shower.” Her moisturizing rule also applies to taking a sauna – get that moisturizer on right away.

Moisturizing is key, Jennifer says, because aside from being uncomfortable, dry skin that becomes red, peels or scales may itch, burn or sting. Severely dry skin that becomes cracked or chapped can be prone to infections such as impetigo, a contagious infection that can produce blisters and sores. Other skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea often flare up when exposed to the drying effects of cold and wind. Jennifer also cautions that many acne medications lead to increased skin sensitivity, making moisturizing as well as the daily application of sun protection – at least SPF 30 – more important.

“Even though the angle of the sun is lower, reflection off the snow doubles the intensity of the UV exposure, increasing the potential for sun burn, sun damage and skin cancer. This risk markedly increases in the spring months, when we are still on snow but the angle of the sun changes.”

Generally in winter you only apply sunscreen from the neck up, so Jennifer suggests finding a water-resistant brand made specifically for the face. Such sunscreen is less likely to clog pores and cause acne breakouts. Bottom line, it has to be a product you are willing to use consistently because sun damage accumulates with UV exposure any time of the year.

When temperatures dip to single digits or below, many people shy from heading outdoors because of frostbite. An avid runner who enjoys snowshoeing, skiing and skijoring in the winter, Jennifer doesn’t let the cold keep her, or her children, indoors.

Frost nip, the first sign of skin damage from the cold, looks red. Frostbite looks different; the skin turns white and waxy. Don’t count on feeling the problem as it arises, Jennifer warns. “It’s usually difficult to tell when nip has become bite while you’re outside because everything becomes numb.”

Quizzed about the dangers of frostbite, she admits that after nearly a decade of seeing patients in the upper Great Lakes, she hasn’t treated many cases. “Minor cases need only ointments and protection with light dressings until healed. More serious cases are typically seen by a plastic surgeon or burn specialist.”

Cheeks, ears and nose are the most prone to frostbite because they are often the body parts left exposed. “Covering up is the best way to protect vulnerable, exposed skin,” says Jennifer. On the coldest days, and especially at higher altitudes, she encourages wearing a neck gaiter or face mask. A fur ruff around a hood also protects from cold and wind burn.

One final tip when heading out on a cold day – leave earrings at home.

“It may seem funny, but earrings can contribute to ear lobe problems since the metal gets cold quickly. I have treated frostbite related to an earring and an inadequately covered ear.”

Keeping your 20 yards of skin healthy in winter comes down to just a few pointers then – cover up, moisturize, but still get outside and enjoy.

Warming Up to Winter

In my book, nothing pinks up your cheeks like a dash down a ski run. It must be my Scandihoovian blood, but winter air feels good to me. That doesn’t mean I don’t apply a moisturizer and sunscreen, particularly to my nose and lips.

Warm Skin ranks as my favorite cold-weather protection. Used by Minnesota’s Ann Bancroft when she skied to both the geographic North and South poles, the cream makes a protective barrier to trap your skin’s natural defenses without layering water, which can freeze your face in the coldest temperatures.

Out on the trail, I’m also a fan of Zinka SPF 50 face stick, with 5 percent zinc oxide. Easy to apply with gloved hands, it can be used on face and lips and applies clear without the traditional white zinc “clown face.”

Frida Waara has skied to or at both geographic poles. Only Africa and Australia remain on her goal of skiing all seven continents. With all those hours in the cold, she has never suffered frostbite, but has been sunburned. “Must be my Finnish heritage,” she jokes.