It is generally accepted that we get cold in winter. This is obviously more of an issue in some countries than others, but generally speaking winter means cold weather.
The most unfortunate thing about winter for many is that we, as human beings, do not hibernate, and as such we have to carry on with our day to day existence in the cold conditions.
Many people will simply add more layers of clothing and try to carry on, but there are some wider considerations that you should make this year when the weather turns cold.
You should always look after your biggest organ very carefully, which sadly many people fail to do, and having your skin exposed during winter can lead to a range of problems.
It varies depending on the location of the skin
This may sound a bit obvious, but it is meant to indicate that the skin on your lips is very different from the skin on your cheeks and the skin on your hands.
Each of these areas has a different density and toughness of skin and you need to make sure that they are all treated as individual problems to be tackled and protected.
Your cheeks for example are unlikely to suffer any long term damage from casual exposure to the cold.
They will probably turn red and you risk a bit of chill burn when the blood vessels near the surface can rupture slightly, but this is little more than another form of bruising so nothing much to concern you.
You’re most vulnerable areas
Your lips and hands are definitely the most at risk areas you have when it comes to withstanding the cold, but this is for two very different reasons.
Your lips will dry and crack very easily due to the fact they are in constant contact with the moisture in your mouth. Your saliva will make them damp and then the cold air will cause this to dry out and it pulls the moisture from the skin as well, leading to cracking.
Your hands meanwhile might stay dry, but they are also the most involved part of you. You will regularly have them exposed and interacting with a variety of things in your day to day life, including damp things, all of which can lead to them weathering and drying out.
Why moisturising is important
Preventing dry skin by moisturising is the key to protecting your skin and your health. Your lips and hands will require different products to moisturise them, but this is pretty straight forward, the reason for doing so might not be as clear.
A crack in your skin is a break in your bodies protective outer layer so it can allow bacteria and infections to get into your system where they otherwise would have been unable to.
Think about all of the things you touch with your hands on a daily basis and how unsanitary a lot of them can be. You can’t spend your life wearing a resilient polyethylene glove on the hand you use to open doors, so protecting your skin, especially during the winter when infections are at a high, is the next best thing you can do along with adequate hand washing.
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