How To Keep Your Skin Hydrated This Winter

The winter can be an especially challenging time of the year to keep your skin hydrated. Dry skin is a product of an increase in hand-washing (to protect against germs), freezing temperatures, brutal wind and dry indoor heat.

Your skin, when healthy, has a natural barrier of fat which is responsible for keeping skin moist and smooth. However, due to environmental exposure to dry and cold air, cosmetics, chlorinated water and certain fabrics, your skin may lose these oils. While external exposure to harsh conditions can be the cause of dry skin, especially in the winter, there are other less known causes of dry skin. These include conditions such as genetics, age, certain medications, diabetes, psoriasis, hypothyroidism, malnutrition, and more.

Keeping your skin hydrated takes a dual approach; you need to provide moisture from the inside out. Your diet can play a key role in maintaining your skins moisture levels. Drinking water to maintain skin moisture is controversial, however, adding fruits and vegetables with a high-water content helps. Consider trying to add foods like melon, apple and cucumbers to your diet. You can even add them to a pitcher of water! Avoid drinks like tea, coffee and alcohol, as these can have a diuretic effect and be counterproductive in your quest for hydration.

Other food and nutrition based options include adding:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Getting your daily dose of Omega-3 fatty acids can be easily achieved. You can opt for an Omega-3 supplement, adding Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods into your diet by eating cold water fatty fish (salmon and tuna) or by adding certain oils into your diet like flaxseed oil, avocados and walnuts.
2. Get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals: Vitamins and minerals are responsible for carrying out many normal body functions but are vital in maintaining healthy skin.

• To promote collagen production, make sure you are getting enough vitamin C.
• Need skin repair? Vitamin A is a great way to repair the effects of damaged skin and can be easily found in green leafy vegetables. You can also add in sources of carotene to encourage skin repair in the form of pumpkin, sweet potato or carrots.
• Vitamin E is responsible for moisturizing and healing and can be found in foods like nuts, seeds, avocado, wheat germ, flaxseed oil and broccoli.
• Don’t forget your minerals! Zinc aids in healing wounds and skin cracks, so be sure to add crab, oyster, lean turkey, beef and beans into your diet to give your body a boost in this healing mineral.

Protecting your skin from the outside is also vital to maintaining your body’s number one defense system. Below are some tips on keeping your skin healthy and moisturized from the outside.

1. Shower wisely: Ditch the hot water! Shower and bathe in lukewarm water instead and later up with a moisturizing product right after you dry off; hot water can strip the body of essential oils which provide a protective barrier to your skin. Moisturizing immediately after showering seals in the moisture.
2. Go natural: Use natural oils like jojoba, grapeseed, olive and almond oil to provide your skin with a soothing source of moisture; lavender and chamomile can also soothe skin itching. Avoid moisturizing products containing petroleum as they can make a bad situation worse.
3. Shea butter: Shea butter has deep historical roots in treating dry skin. It’s an easily absorbed fat, which in its purist form, can provide intense dry skin relief.
4. Exfoliate: Don’t block moisture - exfoliate to remove the dead skin cells on your body, face, feet, hands and lips. Moisturize immediately after exfoliation of the most intensive moisturizing effect.
5. Use a humidifier: The harsh effects of dry air can lead to dry, cracked skin. Be sure to provide moisture in your home’s air by using a humidifier.

Your skin is your largest organ. Keep it healthy!

References:

Treating Dry Skin From the Inside Out
12 Tip to Keep Skin Soft and Glowing in Winter
5 Natural Ways to Keep Your Skin Moisturized in the Winter