Transcription:

Bill Klaproth (Host):  In the winter, cold, dry air can leave your skin itchy, scratchy, red, irritated. Plus indoor heat can rob the moisture from the air and your skin making things worse. We’ve all been there. It’s not very fun. So let’s get some winter care tips to help you maintain a glowing and healthy skin this winter season with Dr. Johanna D’Agostino, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at UPMC in Mechanicsburg. This is Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle Health. I'm Bill Klaproth. Well, Dr. D’Agostino let’s start with this. Why does our skin get so dry in the winter?

Johanna D'Agostino, MD (Guest):  Well, our skin feels and becomes dry due to multiple factors. The cold air during the winter has much less moisture because the humidity levels decrease. The strong winds can also strip our skin of moisture, and at home both the heat and the hot water are drying, which in turns worsens the textures of our skin.

Host:  You're right. It’s kind of like a one two punch. You’ve got the cold outside and then the drying warm air on the inside. So let’s talk about moisturizing the skin. The shelves are full of moisturizers. Help us, how do we know which one to use?

Dr. D’Agostino:  We can narrow our options by defining our type of skin into oily, normal, or dry. In general, there are three main types of products which are lotions, creams, and ointments.

Host:  Well, that’s a great way to look at it. So let’s discuss all three of these, and let’s start with the moisturizing lotion.

Dr. D’Agostino:  A moisturizing lotion has a greater percentage of water making it thinner in consistency. It is easy to spread, it is quickly absorbed, and it feels very light on the skin. Lotions are reasonably hydrating without feeling heavy and work well for those with oily skin. A moisturizing cream is typically formulated with half water and half oil. It is heavier than a lotion and tends to be less greasy than an ointment. A cream helps moisturizing dry skin without leaving it too heavy, and it’s better for those with normal and dry skin. Some of us may need to step up our moisturizer lotion to a cream during the winter for additional skin hydration. Lastly a skin ointment is the heaviest of the moisturizers because it’s made primarily with oil. Ointments form a barrier that helps seal the moisture into the skin. It is best for extremely dry skin or areas susceptible to increased dryness such as your hair, your elbows, and your feet. So because they're typically greasy, they are probably not appropriate for those with oily skin. In other words, if you’ve got itchy or dry skin, you’ll probably want to lock in your moisture with a thick ointment. Creams are thinner, help hydrate, and are good for normal skin. Lotions are the lightest and are good match for oily skin.

Host:  Wow, that’s really interesting. Alright.

Dr. D’Agostino:  Yes, Bill, and in addition to moisturizing, we need to make sure to add a sun protection factor to our daily routine. This can be containing the moisturizer itself or it can be added as an additional product. I recommend an SPF 30 or higher, especially for the face. Even during the winter, the sun combined with the snow glare can still damage our skin. If you are outside for extended periods of time, you should reapply frequently just as you do during your vacation.

Host:  Well, that is very interesting. I didn’t know that about sunscreen in the winter. I love how you started this out with saying that we all have to understand our skin type first whether that be oily, normal, and--

Dr. D’Agostino:  And dry. Exactly.  

Host:  Dry, right. So how should we use these moisturizers? Is there a best time to use these?

Dr. D’Agostino:  Well, the moisturizers should be used continuously throughout the day, especially on your hands and lips because they're exposed. In general, the best time to apply this moisturizer is after a bath or a shower. It’s also good to put it on at night before you go to bed.

Host:  Okay. Really good tip. So I guess after the bath or the shower when it helps lock that moisture in. Is that right?

Dr. D’Agostino: Exactly, exactly.  

Host:  Very good. Okay, so let’s turn to lip care because that is a problem during the winter months as well. So one of the most common complaints are sore and cracked lips during winter. So what can we do?

Dr. D’Agostino:  So as I told you before, Bill, our lips are always exposed. They're particularly sensitive to the cold weather. So the first thing we all do when our lips are dry—I don’t know if you’ve experience that, but I do it all the time—is to lick them to make them feel moist, but when we do this actually we’re making our lips even dryer. So to prevent it we should use a lip balm, preferably an ointment base that should lock in the moisture and help heal any cracks.

Host:  Okay.

Dr. D’Agostino:  If you tend to be a mouth breather, make sure you apply lip balm before you go to bed because breathing in and out through your mouth for a long period of time can definitely dry your lips.

Host:  Okay. So help us out again. There are a lot of lip balms at the store. What should we be looking for?

Dr. D’Agostino:  So just look for an ointment that contains either petroleum, essential oils, or glycerin. Obviously don’t forget your sunscreen. Avoid lip balms containing camphor, eucalyptus, or menthol. I really think these substances could actually dry out your lips even more.

Host:  Okay. Well, I didn’t know that. So make sure you avoid lip balms containing eucalyptus, menthol, and camphor I think is what you said.

Dr. D’Agostino:  You got it.

Host:  Okay. Very good. Okay, alright. So let’s turn to hand care now. Boy, I’ll tell you what. My hands crack during the winter. It’s crazy.

Dr. D’Agostino:  Mine too.

Host:  It’s not good. So our hands are really effected during the winter months. Why do our hands get so effected?

Dr. D’Agostino:  Well, in addition to the weather factors that we discussed before, our hands like our lips are exposed to the cold more in contrast to the rest of our body, which you know we’re usually covered by clothing. Well, on top of the cold weather we’re constantly washing our hands with multiple products and with hot water. These products sometimes tend to be strong soaps and don’t forget the hand sanitizers which are really popular now. These too can increase the dryness even more.

Host:  Yeah. Good for the germs but not so much the hands in the winter. Speaking of hands, let’s talk about hands. What can we do to keep our hands from becoming dry and cracking in the wintertime?

Dr. D’Agostino:  Well, so some tips to keep your hands feeling good include a good maintenance. So what that means. Well, start moisturizing before there's a problem. I know we get lazy about that and we just put on lotion when we really have a problem but using a moisturizer once a day is really not enough. Five or even six applications a day will provide around the clock protection. So for the hands it’s better to use thicker products such as one containing petroleum jelly, dimethicone, shea butter, or bees wax. All of those are great to keep up our hands healthy and hydrated. Also you can apply a large amount of moisturizer on your hands at bedtime and you can wear a pair of cotton gloves over night because this is a great way to maintain the moisture in your hands. Then in the morning you're going to have beautiful hands and they're not going to have any dry areas. Obviously wear gloves when you're outside. When washing your hands I know sometimes you want to have the hot water on you, but a warm water will be better.  

Host:  Okay.

Dr. D’Agostino:  I know at home you have the choice to choose a mild soap instead of something rough for your hands.

Host:  For sure.

Dr. D’Agostino:  Again, don’t forget to apply moisturizer right away after you wash your hands. That’s the best way to do it.

Host:  Yeah, that makes sense. I think your suggestion of wearing the cotton gloves overnight after your put the moisturizer or petroleum jelly on, I know that has worked for me in the past. So that is a really, really good tip.

Dr. D’Agostino: Oh, that’s great.

Host:  Well Dr. D’Agostino thank you for your time today. So lastly, do you have any other tips for us?

Dr. D’Agostino:  Well, other things that come to mind for the wintertime is if possible use an air humidifier at home or in the office. I know sometimes this is not easy, but there are multiple options in the store that you can help with the air at home. We can also obviously protect our skin from the cold and the winds by covering up. So wear gloves, a hat, and a coat when you go outside. Something that some people do, and they find very popular is the tanning beds. So I definitely say avoid tanning beds. There is no healthy tan. Tanning beds are not safer than laying in the sun because both the sun and UV damage to the skin account for up to 90% of aging marks such as wrinkles and discoloration. Also not to forget, it’s very important, UV damage is a leading cause of skin cancer. Lastly avoid smoking. Nicotine as we all know have adverse effects on the skin for several reasons. They mainly constrict the blood vessels, especially the smaller ones that apply our skin. When they constrict, the skin is deprived from oxygen and nutrients required for good skin health. So smoking is also in the long run will cause the skin to look dry and leathery. So definitely want to keep healthy skin looking young for a longer time. Those are kinds of things we could add as well.

Host:  Well, we all want healthier younger looking skin. That is for sure. Well, thank you for the great tips. We covered a lot of ground here. Skin care, lip care, and hand care. Great tips Dr. D’Agostino. Thank you so much for your time today.

Dr. D’Agostino:  Thank you Bill. Anytime. Okay, bye-bye.

Host:  That’s Dr. Johanna D’Agostino. For more information or if you’d like to schedule an appointment, just call 717-988-8020. That’s 717-988-8020. You can also visit pinnaclehealth.org. If you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is A Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC Pinnacle Health. I'm Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.