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It’s that time of the year again, and all across the country, people are starting to feel that autumn chill in the air. While it’s still reasonably warm in most areas, winter is coming, and with that in mind, it’s important to consider how the cold air might affect your skin.

The effects of climate on your skin are unavoidable — whether it’s hot or cold air, your skin is a complex organ that reacts differently to its surroundings. Cold air isn’t necessarily better or worse than the alternative, but it’s still useful to know the best skincare tips. At Progen Probe, we manufacture high-quality skin cameras that can help anyone and everyone understand what’s going on with their epidermal health, so you can bet we know a thing or two about skincare. 

Here are seven tips and tricks to remember for the upcoming winter:

1. Don’t Forget to Wear Sunscreen

One common misunderstanding that people have about winter is that the sun isn’t as dangerous. Wrong! In fact, you could potentially be more at risk of being sunburned depending on the conditions. 

The biggest factor is snow. Did you know that the sun can reflect off the snow, effectively doubling your UV exposure? Be wary when the sun’s out in a snow-glazed landscape — without proper sunscreen application, you’ll get roasted faster than Frosty the Snowman in a hot desert.

2. Switch Up Your Skincare Products

In cold weather, most of the changes to your skin are the result of drier air. Cold air is less humid than warm air, and it has a tendency to strip away more moisture from your skin than you might be used to. That means, during the cold months, your usual skincare products might not cut it.

It’s best to seek out products that account for the reduced moisture during the winter months. Unfortunately, everybody’s skin is so different that it’s impossible to recommend a universal solution in this post. This is one area where skin analysis machines can be a huge benefit — by knowing what’s happening to your skin on a microscopic level, skincare professionals can recommend a product that’s perfect for your unique needs.

3. Say No to Hot Showers

This one is probably the most painful to read, because who doesn’t love a hot steamy shower during a freezing snowfall? As amazing as it feels, however, it doesn’t do any favors for your skin. Hot water can tear away important natural oils from your skin, leaving it more vulnerable afterward when you’re out and about. This isn’t as much of a problem in warmer seasons when there’s more humidity in the air, but in such dry weather, hot showers can work against you.

Fortunately, there’s no need to freeze yourself like a popsicle when you shower. Warm water will do just fine. As long as you’re not roasting yourself alive, your skin will probably make it out okay.

4. Resist Itching

Ever notice you start feeling a lot itchier during the fall and winter months? It’s not just you; this is a condition called asteatotic eczema, and it’s relatively common when the air starts cooling down. Your skin will become a lot drier, and maybe even begin to crack. Apart from that, there’s a telltale itchiness that never seems to go away.

As tempting as it is, do not itch! This will only damage your skin more and exacerbate the problem. Eczema is often a result of your skin not getting enough moisture, so instead of giving in to the itches, find a way to moisturize yourself ASAP.

5. Change Your Diet 

We don’t care what the haters say: pumpkin spice coffee IS amazing, and you can’t convince us otherwise. The bad news? Your skin might be suffering because of it. Caffeinated drinks have a diuretic effect and tend to dehydrate the body, tasty as they are. This is a problem in all seasons, but its effects are more noticeable in the cold climate where there’s not as much moisture around to compensate.

Be sure to drink more fluids, especially water. As for your food, do research on how your favorite meals affect your moisture levels. Depending on your diet, you may need to make drastic changes, or almost none at all. When in doubt, don’t be afraid to schedule a skin analysis appointment to get professional recommendations from a skincare expert.

6. Be Careful With Your Clothing

Because your skin is drier in cold weather, it’s only natural that it often feels irritated. But you may be making lifestyle choices that are contributing to this, and clothing is a big offender. While everyone loves a good ugly sweater party, the harsh wools may be damaging your skin. Winter clothing covers us up completely, and many sweaters and jackets are made of abrasive materials.

If you want to protect your skin in these perilous occasions, consider wearing a thin layer underneath your sweaters made of a smooth material such as cotton or silk. 

7. Go In For a Skin Analysis Appointment

Finally, there’s no better way to treat your skin than to have a customized blueprint that reveals every problem area. That’s exactly what our skin analysis devices do at Progen Probe. Used across the country in countless medical practices and skin salons, our skin cameras can examine your epidermal layer at a level that far surpasses the naked eye. Skin analysis can show the goings-on of your skin at an extremely detailed level, allowing for a professional to provide custom-tailored solutions for your skin problems. 

Are you interested in what you can learn from skin analysis machines? Click here to check out our products and learn more. If you’re a professional in the medical industry, be sure to ask us about implementing our skin cameras into your practice. By providing skin analysis services, you can expand your clientele and keep them coming back with personalized, effective solutions. There’s nothing better than knowing exactly what’s happening with your body, and our skin cameras will help. Happy holidays!