How often should you take a bath in winter? What is the best way to keep your skin moisturized?

Winter brings not only cold weather but also some troubles! For example, my hands are prone to peeling and there are always white flakes on my clothes. My mother always complains that I take too many showers every day, which is bad for my skin.

The skin troubles brought by winter start from the fact that the skin becomes dry in winter!

01 Why does skin become dry easily in winter?

The skin is the largest organ in the body, consisting of the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue, which protect the body from external damage. There are sebaceous glands around the hair follicles in the dermis, which secrete oil to help the hair maintain its luster and make the skin softer.

Image source: Pixabay

Our skin peels periodically. During this process, new cells gradually move upward, just like a coin pusher in an arcade, pushing old cells toward the epidermis. These old cells will form a protective stratum corneum in the epidermis. Over time, the cells in the stratum corneum become dry and fragile, and eventually fall off the surface of the skin.

Sebum secreted by sebaceous glands is a natural moisturizer that maintains the moisture balance of the skin. The hydration of the stratum corneum (the stratum corneum combines with water to bring water directly or indirectly into the skin tissue to replenish moisture) and the integrity of the sebum membrane are the key to preventing dry skin. These natural moisturizing ingredients form a protective film on the skin surface, improving the water retention capacity of skin cells and preventing water loss.

In the cold winter, the cold air will mercilessly suck away the moisture in the skin. What's worse, the cold temperature will cause the capillaries on the surface of the skin to shrink, and the blood circulation will become slow, thus reducing the nourishment to the skin. The lack of sufficient blood supply will cause the skin to lack nutrients and be more prone to peeling.

At the same time, people tend to take hotter showers in the winter, and hot water (plus some active ingredients in facial cleansers) strips the skin of its natural oils, making it drier. If you wash your face frequently when your skin is very dry, you lose even more oil.

In addition, although winter is cold, ultraviolet rays still exist. High-intensity ultraviolet radiation can damage the stratum corneum on the surface of the skin, impair the skin barrier function, and make it easier to lose moisture. As we age, the skin's metabolic function and sebaceous gland secretion function decline, making the skin more prone to water loss.

02 How often should you take a bath in winter?

How often you shower in the winter can depend on the temperature, humidity and bathing style of your location, your lifestyle, activity level, skin type and personal preference.

Some people bathe every day, especially after physical exercise, when they feel dirty or when they sweat a lot. This helps to keep their skin clean and comfortable. For others, bathing every two days is enough, especially in winter, bathing less frequently can help prevent excessive drying of the skin.

However, the frequency of bathing should be adjusted according to personal needs. If your skin is prone to dryness or is sensitive to detergents, you may consider bathing less frequently. On the contrary, if you are very busy, like to exercise, or work and live in a polluted environment, you may need to bathe more frequently.

Image source: Pixabay

A person's habits also determine the frequency of bathing. If you need 40 minutes to bathe each time, then you obviously need to bathe less frequently. If you just rinse yourself off each time, then bathing every day is not a bad thing.

In general, when bathing in winter, you should pay attention to properly controlling the water temperature and frequency, choosing mild cleaning products, and doing a good job of moisturizing to maintain the health of your skin. If your skin is particularly prone to dryness or has other skin problems, it is recommended to consult a professional dermatologist.

03 How to moisturize your skin in winter?

Of course, no matter how often you bathe, you should pay attention to your toiletries and moisturizing products used after bathing to avoid over-cleansing. Over-cleansing refers to the use of too strong a cleanser or frequent washing of the skin, which leads to excessive removal of the skin's natural oils and damage to the stratum corneum, causing dry, sensitive, tight skin and other problems.

Choosing the right toiletries is important for maintaining healthy skin. Some products contain overly strong cleansers that effectively remove oils from the skin's surface, including natural sebum. This over-cleansing can damage the skin's natural barrier and cause moisture loss. For example, common degreasing ingredients such as alcohol, soap, sulfates, etc., can help remove excess oil, but excessive use may cause oil loss and lead to excessive dryness of the skin.

Use gentle, non-irritating body washes and shampoos. Avoid products with strong soaps, sulfates, or alcohol, which can dry out your skin. Take shorter showers, use warm water, avoid using harsh scrubs, and avoid over-rubbing your skin. Gentle massage can help improve circulation, but over-rubbing can damage your skin.

After taking a shower, you can apply moisturizer on your slightly damp skin to better lock in moisture. Choosing a moisturizer containing moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and allantoin can also prevent your skin from becoming too dry.

For exposed skin, you can choose to cover it up outdoors. For example, the sebaceous glands on the hands are not as abundant as on the face, so in cold weather, you should be sure to apply hand cream and wear warm and windproof gloves.

Try to avoid cosmetics that contain alcohol, strong fragrances, or irritating ingredients, which may irritate your skin and increase the risk of dryness.

When there is air conditioning or heating, a humidifier can be used indoors to maintain indoor humidity, prevent the air from being too dry, and slow down the evaporation of moisture from the skin.

Staying hydrated helps balance the moisture of the skin inside and outside. According to the latest "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)", we need to drink enough water every day to stay healthy. For less active adults, men need to drink about 1700 ml of water a day, while women need to drink 1500 ml. Another tip: don't wait until you are thirsty to drink, but take the initiative to drink water, in small amounts and multiple times, which can help the body absorb water better.

In terms of diet, you can eat more foods rich in vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, etc., which can help maintain skin health and moisturize.

By taking these moisturizing measures, we can effectively maintain the moisture balance of the skin in winter and reduce problems such as dryness and dehydration. If skin problems persist or worsen, you should still go to a regular hospital for advice from a dermatologist.

Source: Chongqing Science and Technology Museum

Author: Tan Hao, dermatologist

Audit expert: Li Chunli

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