We all know to bundle up in winter, layering on coats, scarves, hats and gloves. But when it comes to our skin, what is the best way to protect it against the harsh cold?
If you find your complexion breaks out in irritated dry patches or turns dull in the winter months, you're not alone. Dr. Rosemary Coleman, Consultant Dermatologist at Blackrock Clinic, joined Today with David McCullagh to share her tips for protecting your skin this winter.
The main culprit for dry and irritated skin in winter is the dry cold, which dehydrates our skin, Coleman said. "Being out in that cold air and then coming into central heating and much higher temperatures inside can result in dehydration."
Hydrated skin, meanwhile, "looks plumper and reflects the light and looks more radiant", she added.
So how can we bolster our skin for the months ahead? Coleman said it's all about layering the right kinds of protection, starting with SPF.
Just because the weather is duller doesn't mean you start skimping on your sunscreen, of course. The recommended amount is three fingers of SPF per day, regardless of how sunny it is outside, as harmful UV rays can still filter down through clouds and damage our skin.
A richer moisturiser can help nourish skin, she added, or a serum containing hyaluronic acid to draw more moisture to the skin and promote hydration and plumpness.
Another tip she shared was to place a saucer of water on the radiator indoors to help hydrate the room and counteract the drying effects of central heating.
All the same, she cautioned, "Don't overdo it".
"You don't need a complete overhaul of your skincare regime in the winter. You don't need to change everything, but you might like a moisturising mask once a week if you find you're drier, or if your hands are dry. I say last thing at night, always put a layer of lip balm or Vasaline or a lip balm of your choice on your lips and a hand cream going to bed, if you've got dry hands."
Chapped lips are one of the most irritating symptoms of winter dehydration, from painful cuts that can develop on them to unpleasant flaking skin. How can we prevent them?
Coleman said that the "most common cause will be people who mouth breathe because we are meant to be breathing through our nose". The skin on the lips is much thinner, she added, so hydration will evaporate much faster from this area in cold, dry weather.
"People get chapped lips if they get in the habit of lip-licking or lip-smacking or picking at their lips", she added, noting as well that some medications like the acne treatment Roaccutane will make skin more prone to dryness overall.
If your lips are persistently dry, she added, there could be allergies or irritations at play that a GP could shed more light on.
If you are prone to developing deep cuts in your lips due to excessive chapped lips, Coleman suggested looking into an antibiotic cream, "because that fissure is teeming with bacteria. If they get a simple antibiotic ointment like Fucidin and put it on three times a day for a week, and put it on every time it starts, they should be able to nip that in the bud because they can be very painful."
Some people - including McCullahg himself, he said - find that using lip balms in winter can further dry out your lips, requiring more and more intensive balms. Is there a 'Big Lip Balm' at play here, he joked?
"To be honest, I think that's probably a bit of a myth", Coleman said. "When we start using lip balm people can often become more conscious of that nice, hydrated feeling, they can then notice when the lip isn't feeling very richly hydrated. Relative to that, they may feel that it's dry, but the lip shouldn't actually be drying out."
To listen back to the full interview, click above.
