In the first cold week of November I start hearing the same sentence at my practice: \"I haven't changed my cream, but my face feels tight.\" Winter skin dryness is a seasonal condition that appears when cold air, low humidity and hot water together upset the oil and water balance in the skin's outermost layer, and it shows itself as tightness, flaking and itching. Often a few habits need to change before any new cream.<\/p>
In this article I explain the six factors that increase dryness, the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin, what needs to change at home and which signs mean the matter should be handed over to a dermatologist.<\/p>
Winter dryness has no single cause. What strains the skin is the build-up of several separate factors that come one after another during the day. The six headings below are the triggers I come across most often in consultations.<\/p>
Cold air carries little water vapour. As the difference in moisture between the skin surface and the surroundings grows, water passes from the skin into the air faster. Even ten minutes waiting at a bus stop on a winter morning can start that familiar tightness on your cheeks.<\/p>
Wind constantly sweeps away the thin layer of moisture on the surface. Especially in my patients who walk along the coast, the cheeks and the sides of the nose start flaking before the rest of the face.<\/p>
Indoors, central heating, stoves or air conditioning lower the humidity in the air, and the skin stays in a dry atmosphere for hours. The effect of indoor environments on the skin is a topic of its own; here I will just say this: sitting right in front of a heater dries that side of the face noticeably more.<\/p>
Hot water dissolves the oil layer that protects the barrier. Coming in from the cold and jumping into a hot shower is very pleasant, I know; but the itching that starts on your legs half an hour later is most likely the price of that pleasure.<\/p>
When foaming gels chosen for oil control, alcohol-based toners and frequently used acids are carried over into winter unchanged, the barrier is worn down from two directions. The routine that works in summer does not meet the skin's needs in winter.<\/p>
In winter we feel less thirsty and drink less water throughout the day. The friction of wool jumpers and turtlenecks on the neck and arms can also increase redness and itching in sensitised skin.<\/p>
The skin barrier is the protective layer in the skin's outermost layer where cells are held together by lipids made of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. Its job is two-way: to keep irritants from outside from getting in, and to stop the water inside from evaporating.<\/p>
When this layer thins, water loss speeds up. According to the classic study by dermatologist Irvin Blank published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology in 1952, when the water content of the skin's outermost layer falls below about 10%, this layer loses its flexibility and becomes brittle. A feeling of dryness, tightness, flaking and increased sensitivity are results of the same mechanism.<\/p>
Redness and itching often accompany this picture too. Skin with a weak barrier may sting even with a fragranced cream you used without any problem before.<\/p>
There are two separate conditions that are often confused, and the right routine cannot be built without telling them apart.<\/p>
Dry skin<\/strong> is a skin type; its oil production is structurally low and it usually stays that way for life. Dehydrated skin<\/strong> , on the other hand, is a temporary condition and can occur in any skin type, even oily skin.<\/p> That is why oily skin can feel both shiny and tight in winter. The solution is not to reduce the oil but to restore the water.<\/p>