Winter woes

Follow this guide to take care of hair and skin in this season

BENGALURU: The products you use during the summer months may not work for your skin during the winter season. Try these tips to keep your hair and skin healthy as temperatures dip.  

• Apply a coconut-based skin oil for dry skin as it does not leave too much of a residual feel. 
• Try hydrating masks containing ingredients like Hyaluronic acid 3-4 times a week for moisturising and combating dry skin in winter. Hyaluronic acid keeps the skin soft and supple, maintains moisture levels, smooths out fine lines and brightens skin tone while balancing the production of oil glands. It also helps in maintaining the skin’s proper balance of water and natural oils.
• To treat dry skin in winter through home remedies, include the use of a humidifier while sleeping as it helps in restoring the humidity levels in the air. This provides the skin with the moisture, even in the driest of times The damaged protective barrier of the skin causes water to escape and turning on a humidifier pulls moisture back into the air to improve dry skin and help it retain that hydration.
• Drink enough water to stay hydrated. During the winters, keeping your skin hydrated from inside and outside is essential.

Soothing brittle nails, chapped heels and lips 

• Winter weather can be harsh for your lips, nails, and heels. The combination of cold temperatures and dry air can cause nails to lose moisture and become brittle. Additionally, the frequent usage of sanitisers can also be detrimental to nails in winter. 
• Keep nails dry and clean and apply cream a few times a day to prevent the skin around the nails from cracking or splitting. 
• Home remedies for dry skin in the winter includes soaking nails in lukewarm water once a week for a few minutes and coating them with a coconut-based skin oil as this helps avoid the lipid structure break-down in the deeper layers of the skin and preserves the moisture in the skin more holistically. 
• Avoid picking at cuticles as it can cause damage to the nail bed, and cuts on the cuticle can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Use proper tools or take out some time for a manicure. 
• Reduce the use of nail paint remover to no more than once a week or use an acetone-free nail paint remover that won’t be as harsh on nails since acetone, the primary ingredient in nail paint remover, dries out nails. 
• A balanced diet is necessary to keep nails healthy and promote growth. Foods containing biotin, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, Vitamin A, and zinc are great for nail health. 
• Painful, cracked heels caused by dry skin are also a common skin condition and can lead to infections or make it painful to walk. Therefore, it is important to keep your feet healthy. Home remedies include marinating cracked heels in petroleum jelly or using coconut-based skin oil for dry skin and covering them with plastic wrap or putting on a pair of socks overnight.

(The writer is a luxury dermatologist)