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.

Reducing Stress Can Help Keep Your Skin Healthy

By Kim Raynor, LPN, Phototherapist

Have you ever stopped to think about the effect that stress has on your skin? If you’re experiencing breakouts, dryness, or rashes, stress may very well be to blame.

As we go through life, dealing with stress is inevitable, but it’s how you manage this stress that can affect your skin overall. When our bodies become stressed, the level of stress hormones in the body, called cortisol, rises. This causes an increase in oil production, which can lead to acne breakouts, flare-ups of skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema and other related skin problems.

Below are some tips to curb the effects of stress and maintain healthy skin: 

• Get Ample Sleep: Getting enough sleep (7-8 hours is the recommended number of hours per night) is essential for your overall health. Sleep will help with your complexion, especially with dark circles, and leaves your body feeling refreshed.
• Eat Well Balanced Meals: Consuming well-balanced meals each day, especially foods high in antioxidants such as blueberries, beans and carrots, can help keep your skin healthy and refreshed. Foods higher in sugar may lead to breakouts and other skin related problems.
• Hydrate: Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help keep your skin moisturized and looking its best. Staying hydrated also helps prevent the skin from becoming dry and scaly.
• Exercise: Regular exercise (3-4 times a week) will help keep your body relaxed while releasing harmful toxins via your sweat glands, helping you better fight stress and illnesses.
• Do Something You Enjoy: While this doesn’t directly affect your skin’s overall health, this does help you manage your stress, which in turn affects your skin. Finding time in your day to do at least one thing that you find enjoyable, can help relax your mind and body, but also will help relieve stress and restore your skins natural glow. 

Implementing some of these suggestions into your daily routine can help boost your overall wellbeing and decrease stress while working to keep your skin healthy and looking rejuvenated. 

It’s also important to schedule regular skin screenings with your dermatologist to maintain healthy skin all year long. To schedule an appointment, visit www.windsordermatology.com or call 609-443-4500.

Here Comes Winter! Skincare Tips for the Months Ahead

Winter takes a toll on everyone’s skin, but dry indoor heated rooms, cold, wind and heavy clothing can pose special challenges when you have psoriasis. A combination of dry air, decreased sunlight exposure, colder temperatures and holiday stress can all contribute to winter psoriasis flares.

In additional to seasonal environmental and emotional factors, people who have psoriasis need to be especially cautious about contracting strep throat, which usually strikes in winter months. A strep infection will cause psoriasis to flare badly, so it is wise to pay attention for any symptoms of strep and see your dermatologist if you are experiencing any symptoms.

But instead of yearning for summer, those with psoriasis should view winter as a chance to pamper yourself and control psoriasis at the same time. Try these psoriasis care tips as the weather turns colder:

Smooth on Moisturizer: The drier your skin gets, due to less humidity in the outside and inside air, the worse the psoriasis patches can look and feel. Keep your skin moist to reduce redness and itching to help heal psoriasis patches. The thicker the cream or ointment, the better it is at locking moisture into your skin. Use moisturizing soap and a creamy lotion after you shower, bathe or wash your hands. Choose fragrance-free products to avoid allergic reactions.

Choose Soothing Baths over Hot Showers: Long showers in hot water remove moisture from your skin. Shower in warm water just long enough to soap up and rinse off. Or relax in the tub. Add bath oil, oilated oatmeal, Epsom salts, or Dead Sea salts in a warm bath. Soak for about 15 minutes to slough off psoriasis scales, soothe itching and unwind. Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing.

Use a Humidifier: To wake up with moist and smooth skin, use a humidifier. Run it in your bedroom at night to counter the drying effects of indoor heating.

Wear Soft Layers: Frosty temperatures and wind can irritate your skin, triggering psoriasis flare-ups. They can also make psoriatic arthritis more painful. Dress in layers that you can peel off to avoid getting overheated as sweating can make psoriasis worse. Avoid wool, denim and other fabrics which are more likely to irritate your skin than cotton.

Drink Water: To pump up moisture, drink plenty of water.

Ease Stress: The winter holidays are full of cheer, but they also bring stress, which can make psoriasis flare. Plan time to relax during the holidays. Try a massage or moisturizing spa treatment. Exercise is a terrific stress reliever and may help protect you from flare-ups. Anything that helps you relax―including meditative yoga, listening to music or reading a book―can help keep your stress and your psoriasis under control.

Lighten Your Mood: Psoriasis increases your risk of depression. If you also have seasonal affective disorder―depression linked to less sunlight in winter and fall―these months are an extra challenge. If you’re consistently sad or depressed, talk to your dermatologist. He or she may suggest phototherapy to lift your mood.