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How to Enjoy Winter Sports and Help Your Skin

Picture this: you lay awake all night thinking about the weather and your upcoming run. You’ve chosen the most fashionable sportswear for the most beautiful season of the year. This is one of those feelings you wish would last forever. The harsh weather conditions of winter, on the other hand, harm your skin. Your skin is dehydrated by the combination of cold weather and dry air outdoors as well as inside heating. You’re more prone to age prematurely when your skin gets more sensitive.

What a way to mess up your winter sports fun, right?

Not to worry; we’ll give you tips to keep your skin fresh this winter so you can focus on crushing your competition.

The Golden Rule: Don’t Forget Your Sunscreen

At a lower altitude, exposing your skin to the sun’s UV rays should be a major boycott, but it’s even worse if you’re skiing or snowboarding in the mountains. The sun’s UV rays are more powerful the higher you are in the sky. Due to how snow and ice bounce UV rays throughout the environment, they also enhance UV exposure. Sun damage on skin causes inflammation, exacerbating inflammatory skin disorders including acne, psoriasis, and rosacea. Premature aging is also accelerated by destroying the skin’s protein fibers, which would otherwise keep the skin smooth and firm. The damage stimulates the skin to produce too much melanin, resulting in dark patches and discoloration, creating a harsh, leathery feel on the skin.

Keep Your Lips Moisturized

Sore and cracked lips can be triggered by exposure to the sun. Before you go out, use a lip balm that contains zinc oxide or petroleum. This will keep your lips from drying out, and most importantly, keep you from feeling like you have to lick them. As you’re most likely aware, licking your lips in cold weather is one of the worst things you can do. Saliva has enzymes that break down proteins, so when you repeatedly apply it to your lips that are also being blasted by frigid, dry air, your lips are guaranteed to crack and become sore.

Stay Hydrated

High altitude, sun, and activity all increase the risk of dehydration, which can directly influence your skin’s moisture. Drink plenty of water throughout the day—and drink more than you think you should, because all of these variables deplete your H2O storage faster than usual.

Wear Protective Clothing and Gear

Wearing protective gear that is closely woven to screen against UV radiation is the greatest approach to avoid sunburn and windburn. For lengthy days out, use a balaclava with a nose cover or at the very least a scarf to further conceal your face. Goggles are also preferable to sunglasses because they wrap around the face and block the sun from the sides. While you’re at it, look for a pair that offers UV protection to keep your eyes healthy.

Follow Your Daily Skincare Routine

That faithful routine you have done every day should not be abandoned now. Cleanse, moisturize, and exfoliate as regularly as possible. Also, remember to change your moisturizer with the new season, especially if you have eczema and hives.

Winter can be quite harsh on your skin, so having a preventive skincare routine in place is essential. If you happen to be in Cincinnati, Ohio and need more expert advice or assistance, our experts at The Dermatology Group can do that for you. Book a consultation with us today!

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