Important Skincare Tips for Winter Climates

Aging changes the skin in several ways. Collagen production decreases. Older adults don’t sweat as much and oil gland production also slows. All of that can lead to dry, itchy skin. In the winter, the dry air adds to the problem. These winter skincare tips help your mom keep her skin from drying out.

Stop Smoking

Smokers tend to have drier skin. Nicotine shrinks blood vessels, which impacts blood flow to the skin cells. If your mom smokes, she needs to stop smoking.

Talk to her doctor about smoking cessation products like nicotine patches or nicotine gum. It will take time, but once she stops, the quality of her skin will improve.

Drink Plenty of Water

Proper hydration is important when it comes to healthy skin. Guidelines used to be eight glasses per day, which was 64 ounces or half a gallon. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine boosted that to 92 ounces (11.5 cups) for women, which is almost three-quarters of a gallon.

While the foods your mom eats provide about 20 percent of the water she needs, if she’s not drinking about two liters of water each day, she’s not staying properly hydrated. Try to get her to drink more or eat foods that have a higher water content like oranges, melon, and grapes.

Use a Moisturizer

As you heat air in the house during the winter, the air dries out. Moisture leaves the surface of the skin at a faster pace than on a humid day. A humidifier helps, but moisturizer is very important.

After a shower, your mom needs to apply moisturizer. Ideally, she should apply the moisturizer first and then dry off. This way, she’s trapping more moisture from the shower. Some lotions are designed to be applied to wet skin. Those are great for trapping moisture in the skin.

When choosing the moisturizer, look for one that is hypo-allergenic and unscented. Natural ingredients like olive oil or coconut oil are soothing and moisturize well.

Choose Soaps Wisely

When your mom washes her skin, a gentle soap that doesn’t contain chemicals is best. Goat milk soap, shea butter soap, or coconut oil soaps are ideal. Perfumes dry the skin so avoid scented products.

Is your mom having a harder time with personal care? If she has a hard time rinsing soap from all of her body, drying her skin, and applying lotion, senior care aides are happy to help. Ask a senior care representative about personal care and hygiene services.

Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#