Sweaters, pumpkin spice everything, and the approaching holidays are fun signs that winter is almost here. Unfortunately, some less than welcome signs also come in the form of cold, dry temperatures that can be harsh on your skin.
November is National Healthy Skin Month. Skin is the body’s largest organ and taking care of it properly will help you reap the benefits of hydration, radiance, and regeneration.
Water in your skin evaporates more quickly in the winter, but temperature isn’t the only threat. Exposure to indoor heaters, winds, and humidity changes can all exacerbate skin sensitivity, dryness, itchiness, and redness.
In honor of National Healthy Skin Month, here are three tips for winter skincare that can keep your skin healthy and glowing 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
1- Moisturizer is your fake friend.
You may have been told to moisturize religiously, but conventional moisturizers damage your skin barrier’s function. A good skin care regimen is founded on biomimicry or retraining your skin how to behave and care for itself on its own. Moisturizers cause skin cells to get lazy because they form a dependency on the moisturizer and this prevents them from functioning at optimal levels. Conventional moisturizers are also not designed to penetrate the various layers of the skin, ultimately impeding true health restoration.
A healthy alternative to conventional moisturizer is functional hydrators. At Dorner Plastic Surgery we are big fans of ZO Skin Health by Dr. Zein Obagi products. ZO products are different from products you would find on the shelf of the grocery store. ZO products are full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, peptides, and functional hydrators to protect the skin barriers, allowing healthy skin function. We have a ZO Skin Health store in our office where you can purchase any of the ZO line products, or you can order them online on our website.
2- Sunscreen is Your Best Friend.
As the temperature drops outside it is easy to forget that your skin is still vulnerable to the sun. Harmful UVA, UVB rays can speed up skin’s aging and increase your risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen is not just for the summer and you should wear it every day, all year round.
ZO Sunscreen is our personal favorite because it contains fractionated melanin, which forms a direct barrier between your skin and the sun by blocking high- energy visible (HEV) light and harmful infrared (IR-A) rays, which stimulates aging. ZO Sunscreen is also available at the beauty bar in the lobby of our office and on our website’s online store.
3- Visit our Medical Aesthetician.
Our Medical Aesthetician, Christine, has 21 years of experience in year-round skincare and maintenance. Exfoliation treatments become more imperative in winter as skin gets stagnant and helps to refine the surface to help skin create more of its own natural moisturizing factors. Christine specializes in microneedling, chemical peels, and dermaplaning and highly recommends these exfoliation and rejuvenation treatments this November.
Taking care of your skin is an ongoing, lifelong process. You will not see results if your skincare regimen is not routine or a priority.
If you have questions about skincare our aesthetician and skin care guru, Christine, can create a customized treatment plan tailored specifically to meet your skin’s needs and goals. Call to schedule a consultation to improve your skin!
