When temperatures dip lower and you feel that familiar winter chill in the air, it’s time to think about protecting your skin from the elements. Dr. Bruce Saal, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist, and his skilled team at Los Gatos Dermatology, in Los Gatos, California, share some effective skin care tips for keeping your skin looking and feeling healthy this winter.
Drier air, windy conditions, and colder temperatures mean your skin dries out more easily than in summer months. When there’s less humidity in the air outside and you’re going inside to a cozy, heated environment, your skin rapidly loses moisture. It’s important to adjust your skin care routine to compensate and rehydrate your skin more regularly.
Dr. Saal recommends moisturizing your skin after every bath or shower, from head to toe, or perhaps both morning and night if your skin is extra parched. Use prescription pharmaceuticals that help create a correct barrier to retain moisture.
Winter weather can dry and chap your hands faster than the rest of your body, especially after washing them several times a day. Apply skin barrier after each wash then apply an added layer of repair cream while you sleep to keep hands soft and hydrated.
It’s easy to forget to protect your skin from the sun during winter months, UV penetrates through clouds. California gets more sun than many other states, so even though it may be chilly outside, it’s still important to protect your face or any other part of your body that is exposed to the sun’s rays.
Remember your lips! The skin barrier repair lip applicator is helpful during the cold air months.
Winter is an ideal time to start or continue your routine to repair any sun damage you may have incurred over the years. Dr. Saal and his team agree that winter months are a great time for many different gentle no downtime laser treatments. IPL treatments are a noninvasive light therapy that smooths and evens skin tone while diminishing dark spots, age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles. Continue your skin care regiment. The results will give you a healthier, more youthful glow in the middle of the coldest season.
During the hotter summer months, you may need a facial cleanser that effectively removes oil, but in the winter, you might choose a gentler cleanser that won’t over dry your skin. In the shower, use warm water instead of hot because it has less of a drying effect on your skin.
Wintertime is the best time to start planning for the summer with laser hair removal and leg vein treatments. Since you’ll need to stop shaving a few weeks before your laser hair removal procedure, winter months are the best time to schedule treatments.
Laser hair removal is a great way to eliminate the need to shave once those warmer days arrive and you’re ready for shorts and bathing suits. And, since hair grows in cycles, you can plan ahead for multiple laser treatments and be hair-free just in time to head to the beach. Also, wearing leg covering is a good time to manage the mild bruising that usually accompanies the leg vein treatment.
If you’re not sure which products you should be using to care for your skin this winter, or you have questions about treatments, the Los Gatos Dermatology team can help. With a specialty in dermatology and aesthetics and more than 42 years of experience, Dr. Saal offers state-of-the-art treatment options and expertise that’s second to none. Call today to schedule a consultation, or send questions using the online messaging system.
