Healthy Skin Starts With You

By Dr. Brian Keegan

As the cooler fall weather sets in and winter weather approaches, Windsor Dermatology encourages our patients to be mindful of changes in their skin during this time. The cold, dry weather can aggravate certain skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Changes in the weather also means it’s a perfect time to schedule a skin screening with your dermatologist to ensure your skin stays healthy, especially as the holiday season approaches. In honor of National Healthy Skin Month, consider these five skin care tips:

• Wear sunscreen. Even though it’s cold out, UV rays are present year round. Your skin can absorb reflective light during outdoor winter activities such as skiing or snowboarding, which makes the sun just as intense. Even though it’s not hot outside, you should still think about wearing sunscreen. 
• Moisturize. Skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis are more common during this time of year due to the colder weather and the decrease of humidity in the air. Moisturize your skin consistently to ensure it stays hydrated. 
• Reduce stress. The holiday season can be stressful and stress can exacerbate people’s underlying skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. Try to limit the unnecessary holiday stress to help keep your skin under control and reaction-free. 
• Eat healthy. Everyone likes to indulge during the holidays, but this type of behavior can lead to a skin outbreak. Drinking alcohol and straying from a healthy diet can leave the skin swollen and create bags under the eyes. Eating healthy foods will leave your skin happy and healthy for the holiday season. 
• Quit smoking. Smoking damages your skin by causing wrinkles, premature skin aging and staining of the fingers and nails. With the new year approaching, make a resolution to quit smoking. Seek help from your primary care physician if you don’t think you can do this on your own.

These five skin care tips will help you maintain healthy skin while setting you up for success as the weather changes and the holidays get closer.

To schedule an appointment with a dermatologist at Windsor Dermatology, call +1-609-443-4500 or visit Windsor Dermatology.