As the bleak sun sets, chances are it’s more than just your body clock taking a knock. Tight skin, rough knuckles and chapped lips are all a sign of the times and nightmarish for a friend in crisis on this week’s episode of Sisters Without Shame. Cape Town-based specialist dermatologist, Prof Carol Hlela, comes to their rescue with some practical tips for caring for your skin this winter.
Caring for your skin in winter is going to take a little extra time and effort because the weather conditions can get extreme for our supple barriers. “It is a given that during winter, our skin dries more compared to summer,” says Hlela.
“One way is to include a little bit of bath oil, or a lid full of *liquid paraffin, for example. Mix it with your water, and then still use soap. The preferred soap should be liquid as opposed to a bar of bath soap.
“Bar soaps are not great to wash with and it doesn’t matter what brand it is,” she says.
Hlela clarifies that both can be effective, but liquid soaps tend to be less drying as they contain moisturisers. “Generally, it is a better soap to use.”
Hlela, who hails from KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal, is one of only two specialist paediatric dermatologists in the country and is the head of the dermatology department in the paediatric unit at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
Protect your barrier
We might sound like a broken record or a bit clichéd, but your wardrobe isn’t the only thing that needs changing this season. Those lightweight moisturisers should be replaced by gentle cleansers and richer moisturisers, says Hlela.
“Your skin does change according to the seasons. Your skin attempts to adapt itself, so you cannot expect the products that were helpful in summer to help you the same way in winter.”
In this episode Hlela also unpacks:
- General hygiene and the frequency of showers/baths. And get this, it’s totally up to you, but do it for the sake of humanity!
- What are skin acids and how you can benefit from them.
- Tips for how to moisturise your skin thoroughly. Winter skin is more fragile!
Listen to the full interview on Sisters Without Shame
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