Many of us suffer from skin issues and conditions all year round but these can become worse over the winter months. Our clinical research physician, Dr. Kirstin Taylor has outlined some top tips to help care for your skin and promote skin health during winter.

Tip 1: Moisturise skin regularly

Cold weather can dry the skin. Moisturising regularly can help prevent dry skin. If you have oily skin, avoid oil-based products and choose water-based moisturisers instead.

Tip 2: Turn heating down!

Central heating can also dry the skin. Try wearing layers and turning your central heating down. This may improve your skin and save you money on energy bills at the same time!

Tip 3: Stop smoking

There are many health benefits to stopping smoking and one of them is to improve your skin health. Smoking reduces blood flow to your skin, so it gets fewer nutrients and less oxygen. This leads to early aging of the skin.

Tip 4: Keep hydrated

Drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol helps your skin stay hydrated, preventing it from drying out.

Tip 5: Avoid hot showers and baths

Hot water can cause the skin to dry out. Limit time in hot showers and baths and moisturise your skin after drying.

Tip 6: Get fresh air

Get out in the natural daylight as much as possible. You can protect your skin from sun damage by wearing daily sunscreen, not just in the summer months.

Tip 7: Eat healthily

When it is cold and dark outside it is tempting to fill up on unhealthy foods. It is important to ensure you still have a healthy diet and include at least 5 portions of fruit and veg each day. If you find yourself craving sugary treats, try a juicy orange or apple instead.

Tip 8: Get a good sleep

We’ve all heard the saying “beauty sleep” but there is scientific evidence to support getting a night of good sleep and your body’s ability to restore damaged cells. While we sleep our bodies go into repair mode, fixing and restoring damaged cells, including skin cells. Getting the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep a night can help bolster skin renewal.

More information on skin and general health and wellbeing can be found on NHS inform website.

We’re always looking for feedback on how our community manages their health so we can better support them.