Whether you hunker down in your home or head to the ski slopes and backyard rinks, it’s important to keep your skin healthy and protected from crisp, cold weather and dry indoor air during the winter months.

“While we protect our skin from the sun and UV rays in summer, winter weather brings on a different set of skin-care challenges for many people,” says Dr. Christine Palmay, a family physician and contributor to digital health-care platform Care to Know. “It’s important to be sensitive to how your skin feels in winter and adjust your skin care routine to avoid irritation, flakiness and redness caused by dry air, both inside and outside.”

Tips to keep your skin healthy and radiant during winter months

• Use more moisturizer according to your skin type. For normal and dry skin types, use a rich, thicker lotion; for oily skin, a light lotion won’t block pores or cause blackheads.
• Gently exfoliate to remove dirt and dead skin, allowing moisturizers to better penetrate dry skin.
• Limit hot showers and gently pat yourself dry to help you avoid losing moisture in your skin.
• Moisturize your entire body after you shower.
• Use a sunscreen every day to protect your exposed skin from harmful UV rays, which do damage during any weather and every season.
• Drink water to help maintain the natural moisture in your skin that can be compromised by indoor heating, harsh winds and frequent hand washing.
• Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air which otherwise can be removed by indoor heating systems.
• Wear lip balm to moisturize and protect your lips from the elements.
• Apply lotion to your hands frequently after washing them and wear gloves outside to protect them.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle with a good diet, exercise and adequate sleep to keep your skin glowing.

Find free information and updates on many health-related topics including how to maintain healthy skin at caretoknow.ca