Tips for the Winter – for Chronic Skin Issues

Skin disorders such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and eczema show a tendency to exacerbate in winter.

Suffering from these skin disorders you may experience symptoms that occur more frequently and get worse during winter months –   Severe itching (Can worsen at night); Dry scaly patches on the skin; Small raised bumps that could leak fluid if scratched; Thick cracked dry skin and raw and sensitive skin.

Studies that evaluated the mechanisms behind this phenomenon concluded that low humidity and low temperatures lead to a general decrease in skin barrier function and increased susceptibility towards mechanical stress. A Pro-inflammatory process increases cortisol levels and makes the skin reactive towards skin irritants and allergens and accelerates flare-up incidents.

There are several factors that affect skin disease condition and cause disease flare ups during winter. A few tips for the winter: 

• Humidity

The winter air being drier than normal combined with indoor heating systems cause low humidity and considered the first major factors for winter flare ups. Heating systems pump hot air into the indoor space that can irritate the skin.  Try to use a humidifier as a preventive move.

• Hot Baths

Taking hot baths can dry out the skin and worsen its condition. Try to avoid hot baths, use warm water and shorten shower duration. 

After showering, in order to avoid skin scratching, try to avoid rubbing the body with the towel and use gentle patting instead. Natural moisturizing soaps – free of fragrance, alcohol and dye – are mostly recommended.

• Moisturize

Against dry skin, moisturize your skin in order to alleviate the disease appearance. Make sure to apply a cream a few times a day. 

When selecting a product to apply, look for those that use only or mostly natural ingredients. Free of fragrance, paraben-free, and those that limit the use of chemicals. Our Medovie products stand for these features and can definitely help you go through an easy winter. Creams with steroids are the commonly given remedy for skin diseases. 

• Nutrition

Nutrition can be a good balance for winter dryness.  Although thirst is the most important indicator of need not everyone is in touch with his or her own thirst.  Insufficient water consumption causes toxicity of the body as well as dryness, overheating, constipation and more. Heat symptoms such as inflammation can also occur.

Those on a rich meat diet usually have insufficient body fluids but it is also common among vegetarians who eat large quantities of salty food or grains cooked in minimal water.

• Hydratation 

Drink at least 10 glasses of fluids a day in order to keep your body hydrated. Water, caffeine free herbal tea, vegetable juice, shakes can all be combined in your diet. Vegetables and fruits are often more than 90% water, grains and legumes are more than 80% water when cooked. Soups and broths are nearly all water. The amount of water in the diet will significantly influence long-term health.

• Vitamin D 

Vitamin D, also known as “The sunshine vitamin” is obtained from sun exposure, foods, and supplements.

Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and enables normal bone mineralization and bone growth, reduces inflammation, modulates processes as cell growth, immune function and glucose metabolism. Due to its role in proliferation and maturation of keratinocytes, vitamin D has become an important local therapeutic option in the treatment of skin diseases including psoriasis.

Most people can make enough vitamin D from being out in the sun daily for short periods. In the UK, sunlight doesn’t contain enough UVB radiation during autumn and winter months therefore you need to rely on getting your vitamin D from food sources and supplements. 

The UK government has been advised by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) on 10 micrograms intake per day of vitamin D during the whole year.

Significant associations between low vitamin D status and skin diseases have been systematically observed and therefore an adequate dietary intake of vitamin D or oral vitamin D supplementation daily through the whole year is highly recommended.

To sum it up, following these tips for the winter and keeping a good healthy winter skin care – making your indoor space humid, keeping your body hydrated, following bath tips, making use of the best products and avoiding extra heat factors – can make your skin disease management stable and prevent disease flare ups during winter months.