Classic Winter Conditions
As you update your clothes with the seasonal shifts, think about the way your skin needs increased protection as well. When winter is coming, we gear up with thick jackets, warm boots, and scarves that match our beanies and gloves. No matter where you are in the world, your winter is likely to be a cold one. However, this isn’t a holiday for the skin. The extremely low temperatures cause a slew of cold weather skin problems. But what about the humidity levels? Regardless of whether there’s snow or rain, the air tends to be very dry. The loss of moisture in the air isn’t easy for skin because average levels of humidity promote a proper balance in hydration. The sudden decrease in moisture leads to dehydrated skin that becomes red, inflamed, dry, and irritated. This also has damaging effects on skin barrier function, which can lead to premature aging. It’s natural in winter to gravitate toward thicker, heavier moisturizers since the climate causes skin to become excessively dry. However, these moisturizers aren’t tailored to the climate and don’t account for other factors, such as heating, rain, frost, and pollution. [Keep reading: How is External Aging Different from Biological Aging?]
Low Temperature, Humidity, and Air Quality
When the temperature drops, so does the quality of the air around us. Due to the increase in gas emissions (from firewood, ovens, and idling cars), pollution levels actually rise in the winter. Along with the increase in pollution due to human activity, the temperature inversion from the shifting climate causes pollutants to become trapped in the lower levels of the atmosphere. Skin-damaging free radicals are let loose in skin cells when pollution levels are heightened, so this is bad news for trying to keep skin youthful for as long as possible. Fortunately, you don’t have to let the climate — geographical or seasonal — dictate the appearance of your skin any longer…
