January 28, 2012

Some things just seem to go hand in hand and unfortunately winter weather and dry, itchy skin are on the list. But even the most mild winter weather can still cause the dreaded winter itch. Dermatology Physician Assistant Tim Weide says it's not the cold air that dries out skin, it's the low humidity.

"I do think people kind of drop their guard a little bit when it's nice outside they go outside but you can't tell by look there's no moisture in the air,” Weide said.

In our area, a warm sunny day can quickly turn into a cold windy night and some of things most people do to try to warm up can actually dry out skin even faster.

“We tend to heat up the heaters in our houses and cars with dries out our houses even further we tend to take long hot showers get in the hot tub which strips oils off our skin and causes even further skin problems,” Weide said.

But you don't have to freeze just to avoid the winter itch; if you want to crank up the heat in your home, invest in a humidifier too. And when it's shower time, turn down the hot water a little and adopt a new post-shower routine.

“I always tell people that they should just pat dry after they take a shower or bath and try to apply a good moisturizer within two minutes of drying off and that will help trap the moisture you do have in your skin,” Weide said.

If you're skin woes are minor, Weide says you can probably clear the problem up on your own. But if your dry skin becomes a constant pain, he suggests checking in with a medical provider before a little winter itch, leads to a more serious skin condition.

Some of the warning signs you need to see a medical provider include if your dry skin is also red or you see large areas of scaling or peeling skin. Dry skin can also cause existing skin issues like eczema and psoriasis to flare up. Anti-bacterial soaps, hand sanitizers , and frequent hand washing can dry out hands quickly.