NEW YORK (October 22, 2003) – Most people go to great lengths to winterize their house and car, yet they neglect to give the body’s largest organ the same TLC. Is it any wonder they can’t shake that dry, itchy feeling during the winter months?

No doubt the drop in temperatures, combined with low humidity and indoor heating, can strip the skin of moisture and cause dryness and cracking. However, making a few simple changes to your daily skin care routine in the winter months can help offset this problem.

Speaking today at the American Academy of Dermatology’s Derm Update 2003, dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD, Chief, Division of Cosmetic Dermatology, and Associate Professor, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Fla., discussed dermatologists’ top tips for winter skin care.

“When it comes to skin care routines, there is no such thing as ‘one size fits all,’” said Dr. Baumann. “Many people find that they must use separate skin care regimens in the summer and winter. When the relative humidity inside drops below 60 percent, your skin begins to lose moisture, causing you to feel the dryness and itching that irritates so many during the winter months. Changing your skin care regimen to address the change in humidity is an important factor for maintaining healthy winter skin.”

The skin is made up of several layers of cells. The epidermis, the top layer of the skin, along with the oil glands, produces lipids (fatty substances), and these lipids keep the skin from losing moisture and make it soft and supple. But your skin is constantly losing moisture into the air and every time you wash your skin, you strip away these lipids, letting more moisture evaporate and drying the skin.

However, in humid conditions, the skin can replenish itself by soaking up moisture from the air. When the humidity drops, as it does in many places in the winter, your skin loses another opportunity to moisturize itself. Couple that with the low humidity of indoor heating, as well as hot showers and baths, and your skin is bound to become dry and irritated.

“The most important winter skin care tip that dermatologists give patients is to moisturize properly,” said Dr. Baumann. “When choosing a moisturizer, check product labels and look for lotions and creams containing any of the following ingredients: petrolatum; mineral oil; linoleic acid; ceramides; dimethicone; or glycerin.” For best results, she recommends applying moisturizers to the skin within three minutes of stepping out of the shower or bath. This will help trap the water in the upper layers of the skin and decrease dryness and itching.

In addition to moisturizers, Dr. Baumann advises that certain cosmetic ingredients, such as antioxidants, can provide added benefits to your skin care routine in the winter. On an average day, your skin is exposed to pollution and ultraviolet rays from the sun that can cause aging and other damage. Yet during the winter, extra time spent indoors may increase your exposure to cigarette and cigar smoke, which leads to free radical formation and can increase the skin’s aging process. Antioxidants can counteract these free radicals and help to prevent aging skin, and even skin cancer.

Other cosmetic ingredients that can be beneficial for winter skin are retinoids. Although products containing retinoids can be used in the summer, you can use them in the winter with less worry of increased sun sensitivity since people tend to spend more time indoors. Retinoid products can be used to decrease acne and oiliness, reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots, and help prevent the signs of aging.

“Retinoids are a great way to reduce the appearance of sun spots that developed over the summer,” said Dr. Baumann. “However, products containing retinoids may be drying and increase the chance of skin flaking and redness, so it’s important to use them with heavy moisturizers. Also, if you are using retinoids and plan to be in the sun, you should wear a sunscreen containing an SPF of 15 or higher, regardless of the season, to combat the increased sun sensitivity that is associated with these products.”

While over-the-counter (OTC) retinoid products are becoming more widespread in the consumer marketplace, some patients may require higher levels of retinoids than what you can buy OTC to see results, and these products are available only by prescription. If you have extremely dry skin, Dr. Baumann recommends looking for a retinoid product that contains mineral oil and is therefore more hydrating.

According to Dr. Baumann, “If you are having trouble dealing with your skin, in spite of the weather, my best advice is to visit a dermatologist who can work with you to devise a personal skin care regimen.”

Press release issued by the American Academy of Dermatology