Cold weather and wind can quickly dry out your skin and lips. Here are a few helpful ways to avoid dry, cracking skin this winter:

Dry Hands?
Try soaking your hands in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes (enough time for your skin to absorb the water). Pat your hands dry and immediately apply a thick layer of an occlusive moisturizer to seal in the water. An occlusive moisturizer has an ointment or cream base rather than the thinner lotion base, such as petrolatum (more well-known as Vaseline).

You may want to try wearing a pair of light cotton gloves to bed after you moisturize. This will help reduce water loss.

Tips to Prevent Dry Cracked Lips:

Do not lick or bite them. When lips start drying out, your first instinct is usually to add moisture to them by licking them. Don’t! Licking actually enhances the drying, and biting your lips makes them even worse.

Do apply lip balm (or lipstick) before going out into the elements. Reapply it several times while outside.

Use a lip balm with sunscreen in it.

Make sure your diet includes enough vitamin B and iron, as a deficiency of these vitamins can play a part in the scaling on your lips and the cracking at the corners of your mouth.

And don’t forget to drink your 6-8 glasses of water a day.

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