How To Combat Winter Skin

Do you suffer from dry itchy flaky skin in the winter?

Would you like some help to overcome dry skin problems?

Are you currently using active skincare products and would like to understand how to tweak your routine for the colder months?

As the clocks go back tonight and we enjoy an extra hour in bed it is time to think about how to protect your skin from the colder weather to come.

Winter brings seasonal changes, lower temperatures, overindulgence all of which affect the skin and leads to dry flaky skin problems. Even oily skin can suffer from winter sensitivity, red itchy skin patches as the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) tends to reflect it’s surroundings.

A few simple tweaks to your daily skincare routine can alleviate winter skin symptoms and we can do more with collagen supplements and in clinic treatments too.

There are so many ways in which we can help prevent dry flaky irritated winter skin and cure it too!

1) First we recommend switching from an abrasive physical exfoliator to a gentle cleanser.

This helps the skin adjust to the cooler drier weather. Try one with antioxidants, botanical extracts along with the ability to remove dead skin cells, sebum (oil) and dirt while maintaining healthy lipid balance and retain the epidermis natural moisture levels.

Recommendation Zo Skin Health Gentle Cleanser

2) Our second tip is to switch to non retinol serums.

Yes, we know, retinol is a gold standard ingredient treating all signs of skin ageing, inflammatory conditions (acne,  rosacea). However in the dry winter months skin is more prone to irritation. After consulting with your prescribing doctor we recommend to reduce the frequency of retinol application or decreasing the strength of the retinol. We often switch patients who are able to onto antioxidant serums and growth factor serums to continue skin treatment without the use of retinol over the cold winter months. 

Recommendation Zo Skin Health Growth Factor Serum

Growth factor serum is retinol free yet delivers DNA repair, antioxidant protection and slows and corrects the signs of ageing through ZPRO exclusive antioxidant biomimetic protein complex. Growth Factor Serum can stimulate collagen production as well as Hyaluronic Acid to protect skin cells and DNA from damage.

Zo Skin health self activating Vitamin C 10%

Zo Skin Health Brightalive

We are also really excited to announce the NEW GROWTH FACTOR EYE SERUM is in stock. Growth factor eye serum is designed to improve the appearance of expression lines and wrinkles while plumping and encouraging healthy skin for a visibly revived look. It’s so new we have not even written our webpage for it yet, but the serum can be purchased in clinic.

3) Next, our third tip, is to remember that Enzymes are key.

Sloughing away dry patches of skin with mechanical exfoliating devices or brushes delivers a short term fix which may exacerbate dry skin and cause irritation.

So instead start using Ceramides (enzymes) found naturally in the upper most layers of skin which help shed dead skin cells and limit moisture loss.

Our recommendation is Zo Skin Health Recovery Cream containing ceramide to help restore hydration, nourish severely dry and dehydrated skin. Complementing your skins own natural. recovery process while also helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Recovery cream reinforces your skin’s barrier function and restores healthy hydration levels too.

If you are prone to acne and congestion we would suggest Zo Skin Health Renewal Cream and for those needing extensive hydration or with. very irritated skin the ZO Skin Health Hydrating Cream.

4) Tip number 4 – Never forget to wear your SPF suncream.

Our fourth tip can often be forgotten in the winter months however,  just because the days are shorter it doesn’t mean our skin is automatically protected from he sun.

True, in winter months sunlight contains less UVB (causing less sun burn) however long w ave UVA is present all year around and penetrated deeper into your skin causing oxidative stress and premature ageing. HEV rays in visible blue light and harmful rays in the InfraRed light spectrum also harm your skin throughout winter.

Over the winter months make sure you protect your skin with an SPF broad spectrum sunscreen over SPF30 and higher at altitude where snow reflects more than 8-% UV rays (vs 10-15% with sand and water).

We recommend testing our Broadspectrum SPF products in clinic to see how

they feel. Our recommendations are

Zo Skin Health SPF 30+ Primer, Zo Skin Health Smart Tone SPF 50 and Zo Skin Health Daily Sheer SPF50.

5) Our final tip is all about hydration.

Your body need water to process many cellular exchanges, to keep your cells functioning and prevent dehydration on all levels. If you wait until your body is thirsty it is already dehydrated. Keep on top of your water intake and try to. reduce dehydrating fluids (coffee, sugary drinks).

We recommend having a glass of water on your desk, a refillable filtered water jug in the fridge or a ZIP tap! At home you can reduce the thermostat temperature, avoid hot showers and limit shower time. Humidifiers help increase moisture in the air and it is sensible to make sure you and your children wear the right clothing too, breathable and not too hot!

In clinic we offer many hydrating treatments. From nutraceuticals to stimulate collagen production and strengthen the skin with Skinade and Totally Derma (both in stock in clinic) to the bespoke skin health, hydrating facials.

Our favourite hydrating clinic treatments our HydraFacial Genesis Thames Facial. Combining the hydrating and calming effects of the world renoun HydraFacial with rejuvenation of Dermalux LED phototherapy with the fabulous relaxing Cutera Laser Genesis skin rejuvenation treatments. This really is the best facial in the world.

Finally we have a unique treatment which delivers the highest dose of hyaluronic acid into the dermis through patented technology within Profhilo. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, this means that the molecule attracts water. Creating hydration where you need it most within your skin, in addition hyaluronic acid fuels your fibroblasts to create collagen, delivering skin hydration and tightening in one treatment. Injected by the skilled hands of Dr Anna Hemming who has over 20 years medical experience Profhilo is a fabulous treatment at this time of year.