If you have acne, which impacts as many as 50 million Americans a year, you’ve got to do everything you can to take proper care of your skin. The colder temperatures that accompany the winter season can be especially irritating for your skin. Use these tips to satisfy your skin and keep embarrassing flare-ups at bay.
1. Consider Switching Cleansers
The cleanser you use during the warmer months of the year could cause you to have pimples when temperatures start plummeting. If you notice your skin starts feeling especially dry or tight after using your current cleanser, you may need a milder option. During colder months, cream and non-foaming cleansers don’t strip away as much excess oil as foaming cleansers.
As you’re browsing your options for acne-fighting cleansers for winter, check the ingredients. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid tend to dry out the skin. That means you’ll want to stay away from them when it starts getting colder. Try out gentler cleansers to see how they work for you.
2. Moisturize Your Skin
Colder temperatures damage and dry your skin. Keeping your skin properly hydrated with moisturizers better prevents breakouts. Better yet, your skin won’t feel as tight when you step outside into the frigid air. To keep from doing more harm than good when it comes to hydrating your skin against acne, look for light moisturizers rather than heavy ones. A gel or lotion is likely to serve you well.
3. Don’t Over-Wash Your Skin
Washing your skin more than necessary can lead to the dryness you’re trying to prevent. Shoot for washing your skin before going to bed at night to get rid of all the pollutants, dirt and the like you picked up during the day.
Besides your face, you may want to watch how often you wash the rest of your body. Studies suggest people may shower more than is good for their bodies, disrupting the microbiome they need to feel their best. Rather than skipping daily showers altogether, soap up the areas prone to body odor every other day to see how that works for you and defeating acne. You may be surprised at the results.
4. Wear Sunscreen
Just because the sun isn’t cranking up the temperature doesn’t mean its rays can’t damage your skin during the winter. Put on some sunscreen before heading out into the cold air to protect yourself. Note that it’s not only sunburns you want to protect your skin from. Sunscreen also keeps your skin looking younger for longer. Your future self is sure to thank you for wearing sunscreen all year long when you don’t have wrinkled, leathery skin as a senior citizen.
5. Drink Water
Between your home’s furnace and the way cold air can pull moisture from your skin, you can feel pretty dried out at the end of the day. Drinking lots of water is essential for those with acne, and it’s even more important to do so in the winter. Setting up a humidifier in your bedroom and running it while you’re sleeping is another great idea.
Use these tips to make sure your skin doesn’t turn against you this winter. And if your acne worsens, please call our office at 609-443-4500 to schedule a consultation! The specialists at Windsor Dermatology can guide you to the best routine for your skin.
