New Year’s Eve is almost upon us which means a jam-packed social calendar and a lot of travelling for many, which could lead to grumpy skin at a time when we want it to be glowing.
Cold, dry winter air can be a recipe for irritated skin but the one thing we do to try to combat this could actually be making it worse.
The UK’s No.1 vitamin company, Vitabiotics has spoken exclusively with Dr. Hamdan Abdullah Hamed MBChB, a US board-certified dermatologist based in the UAE and a Co-founder of Power Your Curls.
He has given unique insights into the common skincare mistakes that could flare your skin and how to replenish your skin this winter.
Over-hydrating the skin could make it become ‘lazy’.
While Dr. Hamed suggests regularly moisturising with a good quality product, he advises that over moisturising or over-hydrating could lead to “clogged pores, acne breakouts, rashes, excess oil production, small bumps (millia) and dry skin.”
He adds: “One sign you’re using too much is that your moisturiser lasted for weeks instead of months. Moisturiser seeps into the skin but if you use too much it ends up clogging your pores, which can lead to blackheads and acne.
Acne breakouts, meanwhile, happen when excess moisturiser gets bacteria.
Over-hydrating can also make the skin too lazy. This means the skin will produce less natural moisture than it produces on its own.”
The biggest myth about skin health during winter.
Dr. Hamed says the most important step you can take to protect your skin is to use an SPF, even in the winter.
He explains: “The most common myth is skipping SPF procedure since there is not much
sun exposure during the winter. Wrong. The ozone layer is thinning and this means the harmful sun exposure can still be around.
It is still advised to use SPF creams or sunscreen when going out to protect the skin from harmful sun exposure even in the colder months.”
Simple, cost-effective ways to boost skin vitality.
“Bring the glow back into your skin despite the gloomy weather by getting 20 minutes of direct sunlight a day”, says Dr. Hamed, as this will help boost vitamin D and serotonin levels.
Skin exfoliation will also help to remove dirt from the skin and can be done a few minutes before showering. Baths with Epsom salts, sea salt, and baking soda can also improve skin detoxification, But make sure you bathe in warm water as this “will not draw the moisture away from the skin.”
Dr. Hamed adds: “Another way [to boost skin vitality] is observing a balanced diet that is beneficial to the skin such as drinking water and lemon for rehydration or eating a nutrient-rich diet with plant foods. Doing outdoor activities will also help rejuvenate the skin as there are revitalising effects from natural exposure.”
What type of skin issues do people typically experience over the winter months?
According to Dr. Hamed, one of the most common skin concerns in winter is dryness as the air extracts moisture from the skin and it varies on different parts of the body. It’s particularly exacerbated for people with pre-existing skin conditions such as Rosacea and Psoriasis.
Dr. Hamed says: “The lips will be extra dry, splitting and exfoliating that will look like crusts. Lip balms, moisturisers, and petroleum jelly are your friends this season.
The scalp also suffers from dryness and becomes flaky during colder months because of lack of moisture and dry air. It also worsens due to taking hot showers.”
Winter Rash is also common for the colder months, which means it will generate dry, itchy, red, flaky skin, usually on the hands and arms and could result in cracked skin on the palms or around the nails and the sides of the fingers.
Sunburn and windburn can also occur due to cooler temperatures and the presence of the sun’s UV rays.
Dr. Hamed advises: “People tend to have sunburn and windburn due to the temperature dropping, and the sun’s UV rays are still existent during the colder months. More so if you don’t wear proper UV skin protection, you can suffer from sunburn. Windburn will also cause redness, soreness and dry patches on the face.
