No one likes to feel the cold goose bumps quickly turn skin into braille and arm hair stands upright like a layer of fur…but is there something more sinister going on? Read this blog to discover what problems can happen if you let Jack Frost get too close for too long and how to keep your skin safe from his chilly touch.
Up to now, the UK weather has been uncharacteristically warm, hasn’t it? However the cold weather is set to return, it has been said we are going to experience the coldest winter in 30 years.
So what are the dangers of the cold weather for our skin, especially if we not dressed appropriately? I am sure we have all seen young girls in rather skimpy clothing on a Friday evening in the middle of winter. Can the cold actually be harmful for our skin?
Well as unpleasant as it feels (and looks), in most cases wearing ‘skimpy clothes’ in UK winter is not a real danger to our skin, unless it’s very cold and you are staying outside for prolonged period time. However, prolonged exposure to cold has potential to cause the following skin issues:
ACROCYANOSIS: Mottled blue or red discoloration on hands and feet. This usually is short live and will resolve when skin warms up.
CHILBLAINS: Chilblains are caused by a localised cold injury to exposed skin. This mostly happens on fingers, toes and/or ears. Chilblains usually resolve within a few weeks as long as there is no further cold exposure.
FROSTBITES: Frostbites may occur due to serve cold injury at temperatures’ below freezing. Early signs might be loss of feeling and colour to your toes, fingers, ears, nose, cheeks and/or chin. That means pale, numb skin! The skin may also feel unusually ‘waxy’ or firm. In later stages you may feel ‘pins-and-needles’ and if serve you might develop blisters and ulcers.
Theses cold changes are not very common, however what is of course very common is that our skin simply becomes much drier in the winter. Your skin could even become flaky, itchy and inflamed, similar to eczema. So girls (and boys…), make sure to wear winter appropriate clothing at all times and moisturise properly before and after going out!
Part of your daily routine we can recommend Obagi’s Hydrate Facial Moisturizer hydrates skin, minimizes the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and discourages irritation and breakouts. Powered by Hydromanil, this facial moisturizer is specially designed to retain your skin’s natural moisture while continuously releasing active compounds that support skin conditioning.
Key Ingredients:
- Hydromanil: helps your skin retain its natural moisture
- Shea, Avocado and Mango Butter: cleanse and moisturize
Or perhaps you would like to try Obagi Hydrate Luxe is an ultra-moisturizing, luxurious face cream formulated to deliver deep hydration and promote skin radiance.
Benefits:
- Leaves skin feeling and looking supple and firm.
- Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Hydromanil provides hydration for up to 8 hours.
- Can be used by all skin types.