VChristmas holidays, snow time. How to take care of your skin in the mountains? Rigid temperatures, even below zero, and temperature changes put a strain on the skin, not to mention the effects of the sun, wind and cold air which dry out the lips. AND It is therefore essential to have a specific, nourishing, hydrating and protective beauty case.
Leather in the mountains, because it needs special care
Cold rhymes with dryness and dehydration. First of all, low temperatures facilitate vasoconstriction, i.e. the blood vessels reduce their diameter, to preserve body heat. This causes a less oxygenation to the tissues which causes skin dryness and paleness.
Added to this are temperature changes, which further stress the microcirculation, which is first subjected to vasoconstriction by the cold and then to vasodilation by the heat. The result? Not only is the skin dry but it becomes red, the capillaries break and episodes of rosacea may occur.
The correct beauty routine for skin in the mountains
«At high altitude, Proper skin protection begins as soon as you wake upand thanks to adequate cleansing of the face and hands done with oily, low-foaming and non-irritating detergents to safeguard the natural hydrolipidic skin film, which acts as protection against harmful external agents” explains the Dr. Andrea Giovanni Naselli, dermatologist at MioDottore.
Given the dry climate of the mountains, after cleansing it is the application of moisturized cream on both the face and body is essential. The essential ingredient ishyaluronic acid: «This molecule manages to retain a large quantity of water, restoring the necessary physiological hydration to the skin both before and after a long day in the cold and in a dry climate like that of the mountains.”
Avoid, however, «formulas with vitamin C, exfoliating acids and retinol, potentially irritating on skin subjected to many hours in the cold».
Also pay attention to the lips
Also pay attention to your lips. The Alpine climate, as the expert explains, tends to make the labial mucosa very drya, therefore chapped or worse broken with small lesions.
Never forgeticare lip balms specific for the mountains: they contain cermamides and active ingredients such as lanolin which repair and seal the mucous membranes from the effects of frost.
Sun protection, essential at high altitudes
«Ultraviolet levels in the mountains generally increase with increasing altitude: every 1000 m of altitude the levels of UV rays increase by 10-12%. Furthermore, the presence of snow or ice, due to the reflection of light, increases skin exposure to ultraviolet rays. This is why it is very important to protect the skin adequately by applying the right dose of sun protection after the moisturizing cream.” This must have at least one SPF 30, preferably SPF50+, and must be applied mainly on exposed areas, therefore face and hands.
How to keep your skin protected from the sun at altitude
«To prevent burns, but also damage from photoaging, choose water-resistant and non-irritating to the eyesespecially if you play sports and therefore sweat a lot. Always prefer global protective sunscreens against UVA and UVB. Both ultraviolet rays, type A and type B, are harmful to the skin in case of prolonged exposure.”
Also useful anti-UV clothing: «there are hats, gloves and balaclavas made with Anti-UV UPF 50+ fabric which, in addition to protecting from the cold and low temperature dermatitis, protects against sunburn».
Why does sunscreen have to be applied every two hours even in the mountains? «For the perspiration insensibilis, that is, the continuous perspiration that occurs when the skin appears dry and which slowly eliminates the sun cream applied in the previous hours, exposing us to sunburn. Not to mention the actual sweat if you ski or play sports». And you’ll be tanned again, without sun damage.
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