You Need More Than Just Moisturizer To Fight Dry Skin During Winter

Skin reacts differently in the winter for different individuals, but usually, most of us experience skin becoming extra sensitive, dry, and scaly. During the months of winter, your skin loses its natural moisture which makes it look dry and dull, at times, pigmented too.

In the winter season, we usually look around in the market for good cold creams or moisturizers to moisturize our dry skin. But, just moisturizing the skin by applying moisturizers is not enough to fight dry skin in the cold months of winter. In fact, moisturizing your skin is not only what you apply to your skin externally but also how you hydrate yourself internally. Your skin is crucial an organ, so what you eat and drink can affect it significantly.

So, this winter season, besides selecting the right moisturizer for your skin, tries out following helpful tips to keep your skin hydrated, radiant, and healthy.

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5 Tips To Keep Your Skin Hydrated And Healthy Naturally:

1) Drink Adequate Fluids: No matter how much you moisturize your skin externally, you may still have dehydrated skin in the internal areas, if you are not drinking an adequate amount of water. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily to maintain proper hydration. Drink plenty of water and healthy fluids, such as buttermilk, vegetable soups, coconut water, yellow fruits, and juices, as they are equally important. If you do not hydrate adequately, your skin will remain dry.

2) Add Lipids & Proteins To Your Diet: Dry skin needs essential fatty acids in order to protect your skin’s outer lipid layer, but make sure you are eating or cooking with the right fats. Healthy fats include those found in fish oil (for Omega-3 fatty acid), coconut oil, olive oil, mustard oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, nuts, and other healthy foods and oils. Proteins help in promoting quick healing.

3) Eat Fruits & Green Vegetables: Eating fruits and vegetables which are high in water content can help hydrate your skin internally as well as externally. Eat fresh watermelon, apples, oranges, kiwi, and watery veggies like celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots etc.

Make sure your diet contains adequate fiber. Fiber flushes out toxic chemicals from the body that can cause dry skin.

Vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit and dark, leafy greens, can help boost your body’s production of collagen, a protein that maintains skin and other connective tissues.

4) Short Baths With Luke Warm WaterLimit yourself to just 5 to 10 minutes of bath or shower. If you bathe more than that, it can wash away natural oils from the upper layer of skin. Use lukewarm rather instead of hot water. A warm massage with oil prior to a bath can prevent your skin from turning dry. After taking a bath, use moisturizer or coconut oil and dry your skin with a soft cloth.

5) Lifestyle Changes: Getting regular quality sleep and performing exercises are other effective ways to maintain healthy skin. Exercises promote blood circulation, which transports nutrients to various body parts including the skin. Your body repairs itself and recovers while you sleep and that helps in maintaining healthy skin. Avoid stress to keep your skin healthy.

Healthy eating, following healthy lifestyle changes along with good skin care, can help you to fight dry skin during the winter. Enjoy this winter season with healthy and glowing skin.

– Written by Dr. Aparna, Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah

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