Minnesota winters are not for wimps. Yesterday our outdoor thermometer read 32 degrees below zero. The wind chill was 40-50 degrees below. When it gets dangerously cold like this, radio and television stations remind parents to cover their childrens' faces.
Adults reach in the back of their closets for coats they have almost forgotten. Nobody comments about the storm coat that is decades old, the hat with ear flaps, or obsolute military gear. Staying warm is the only thing on our minds. I wear so many layers of clothing I can hardly walk.
But layering did not prevent winter itch -- rough, dry, cracked skin, and bleeding fingers. Winter itch happens because skin has dried out. Your skin scales if winter itch is untreated. The Medical News Today website tells how to combat winter itch in its article, "Tired of Scratching? How to Weather 'Winter Itch.'" According to the article, "Cold weather wreaks havoc on our skin."
The Northwestern health Sciences University has posted tips for treating winter itch on its website. In the article, "Winter Itch and Other Serious Skin Conditions," the University says the skin condition affects people of all ages, even those without skin problems. "Dry skin can also activate more serious skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis," the site points out. Nobody wants winter itch and these steps help to prevent it.
* Limit hot water. Long showers and baths remove natural oils from your skin. Taking shorter showers or baths will help your skin retain these oils.
* Use soap with lotion. Rather than using the deodorant soap you used in the summer, use soap with lotion in it.
* Add bath oil. According to a Mayo Clinic article, "Relief for Itchy Winter Skin," a little bath oil may help to replenish natural oils.
* Pat yourself dry. When you step out of the shower or tub, pat yourself dry gently. Rubbing your skin may activate itching again and make winter itch worse.
* Humidify the house. Buy a humidifier and put it in the driest part of your house. To reduce mold formation and build-up, clean it regularly, according to the manufacturer's directions.
* Wear rubber gloves. Cracked fingers hurt and can take a long time to heal. Wearing rubber gloves when you do the dishes or clean the bathroom keeps your fingers from getting cracked.
* Use food preparation gloves. Have you ever counted how many times you wash your hands when preparing food? Every wash wash chaps your hands more. Wearing gloves helps to prevent this.
* Get long underwear. In Minnesota, long underwear is a stable and most people have several sets. Buy at least two, one to wear and one to wash.
* Layer clothing. Wearing several layers of clothing -- long underwear, long sleeved shirt, and sweater -- helps you stay warm and chap-free.
* Cover your face. Wearing a scarf or ski mask over your face in sub-zero weather helps to prevent facial chapping.
* Moisturize, moisturize. Before you go to bed, moisturize your skin with nonalcohol lotion. Rub it into your heels, hands, and other chapped parts of your body.
Despite winter itch, I love living in Minnesota. When the first snow falls and covers dirty places, I am amazed. When ice coats the trees and makes them look like glass, I gasp. When moonlight reflects off the snow and turns the dark night bright, I am in awe. Winter itch is nothing compared to nature's beauty.
Labels: Winter
