We’re lucky in San Jose, California, since cool weather rarely falls below freezing in the colder months. However, with overnight lows averaging in the mid-40s through the winter, your skin’s health still faces challenges, mainly from dryness and low humidity.
Dermatologist Jennifer Baron, MD, knows that your skin needs extra attention through the cool months, and that the best solutions are based on the unique conditions of your skin. That’s why Dr. Baron recommends that your winter regimen start with a personal assessment of your dermatologic health.
Let’s look at the demands that cool weather makes on your skin, as well as five ways you can keep your skin healthy during the colder months. For professional follow-up or more advanced care, contact our San Jose office to schedule your personal consultation.
Despite our proximity to San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, local humidity isn’t always stable or high. Colder temperatures mean indoor heating. Atmospheric humidity in cool outdoor temperatures is often in the comfort zone, but when warmed for comfortable levels indoors, relative humidity plummets as temperatures climb.
Cooler temperatures also mean unsettled conditions outdoors, with high winds stripping moisture from your skin. While sunlight doesn’t feel as warm, the ultraviolet (UV) content remains, even penetrating through clouds.
The net result is your summer skin care regimen likely needs a few tweaks to handle the changes brought on by fall and winter weather.
Protecting your skin against cooler temperatures isn’t a mysterious process. In fact, you may already take steps for comfort that you might not realize are already guarding your skin.
Here are five things you can do to keep your skin happy and healthy through the fall and winter:
Gloves, hats, and scarves are more than fashion statements. They provide real protection against the weathering effects of cool weather. Staying warm against cold air has the added benefit of trapping humidity near protected areas, thereby slowing moisture loss.
Think of your moisturizing products as another layer of protection that needs a boost in the winter months. Switch to cream-based moisturizers featuring ceramides or glycerin as an extra layer between you and dryer air.
Hot baths and showers may feel luxurious against the colder air lurking outside, but hot water strips skin of protective oils that seal moisture into your body. Reduce your bath temperature to preserve your natural skin barrier layers.
Humidity is relative. Warm air stores more moisture than cold air, so as your furnace kicks in, the airborne water content drops. Use humidifiers to restore your indoor environment to skin-friendly levels, whether room-based or integrated into your heating and air conditioning system.
UV energy from the sun isn’t visible, and it surrounds you no matter what’s going on with temperature and weather conditions. UV light exposure is also cumulative over time, so even if local UV levels are lower in the winter, new exposure builds on all the sun exposure you’ve had in your life. Sunscreen is a daily part of effective skin care, 12 months of the year.
When your skin can use a pick-me-up beyond your home care efforts, contact Jennifer Baron, MD, and her team in San Jose for professional-grade products and treatments. Call our office directly or request a procedure online today.
