Cith the arrival of the great cold, the skin enters a phase of greater vulnerability. Rigid temperatures, wind, high humidity and continuous temperature changes put the hydrolipidic film under stress, reducing skin hydration and altering microcirculation. How to take care of it? With one targeted skincare routinewhich starts from cleansing and extends to sunscreens, to prevent redness, flaking and irritation.
Skin in the cold: how to protect it
«In winter, the skin tends to be drier and more fragile: the cold narrows the peripheral vessels, decreasing the nutritional intake and reducing the water content of the stratum corneum”, explains Carolina Bussoletti, AIDECO dermatologist. This leads to that feeling of “tight skin”, dullness, flaking and a greater predisposition to redness And irritations.
The temperature drop, often sudden, acts as a real trauma for the skin and its appendages. As Benedetta Basso, AIDECO cosmetologist, also points out, this season the skin «enters a sort of hibernation functional: produces less lipids, loses elasticity and becomes more vulnerable to external stress.” This is why it is essential to build one routine cosmetology adequateaimed at support the skin barrier And prevent dehydration.
Dry or sensitive skin? Double attention
The dry, delicate and sensitive skin is the first to be affected by low temperatures. «Sensitive skin is a multifactorial condition that reacts to temperature changes with burning, tingling and itching» recalls dermatologist Carolina Bussoletti.
Also those suffering from rosacea, atopic dermatitis or seborrheic dermatitis may experience a worsening of symptoms during the winterwhen relapses become more frequent. There rosaceain particular, is often influenced by Freddo. «In mild cases it is essential to dermocosmetic support with soothing, protective and vasoprotective products, often enriched with green pigments which help to optically neutralize redness”, continues the dermatologist, underlining “the importance of always using the sun protection even in the winter months” he continues.
Also pay attention to those who do the work physical activity external: in the colder hours you should pay more attention to your skin, which tends to dehydrate quickly. The suggestion is carefully protect your face with ad hoc sunscreensbut also the lip and the hands with barrier creams, before training, and to apply restorative and emollient products after the shower, to counteract dehydration and restore skin softness and comfort.
The fundamental steps of skincare in winter
The key words of the season are hydration And protectionto be pursued through small daily measures.
The first step is the cleansingwhich must be extremely delicate so as not to further damage the hydrolipidic film, already stressed by the cold. It is important to choose eudermic cleanserscapable of delicately cleansing the skin without attacking the hydrolipidic film, ed avoid too hot water or prolonged immersions in the bathtub, which would favor skin dehydration. The use of milks or oils is recommended detergentsfree from foaming surfactants and enriched with soothing ingredients which help reduce redness and burning sensations.
Nourishing oils and butters
After cleansing it is essential to apply rich and nourishing emulsions. «It is useful to choose emollient and fuller creams, with a higher lipid content», explains dermatologist Carolina Bussoletti, because the lipid component helps to strengthen the hydrolipidic film and the structure of the stratum corneum itself, and therefore to support the skin barrier, which is increasingly vulnerable in the cold months.
«The role of products containing jojoba oil, argan oil, shea butter, macadamia or sweet almond oil”underlines cosmetologist Benedetta Basso, «which can be combined with antioxidant vitamins (C and E), hyaluronic acid, collagen and other hydrating and humectant substances capable of restoring hydration, elasticity and softness» concludes the dermatologist.
Finally, during the winter they are particularly useful the active ingredients that restore the skin barriersuch as ceramides, squalane and omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, while flavonoids and other vasoprotective ingredients help limit redness.