Why does my skin feel bad in the winter? Ask The Expert

The winter months can wreak havoc on our skin. From drying it out to causing breakouts and broken capillaries. As a skin expert in all aspects of skin conditions and skin concerns, I am always being asked why the winter can cause such a myriad of problems for the complexion and skin comfort.

Dry Skin

If your skin doesn’t contain enough protective oils, the moisture within it can escape. When this happens and there isn’t enough water in the outer layers of your skin, it can become dry. The effects of this can intensify during the winter months when the environmental humidity is low. Over-use of soap and hot water, exposure to harsh chemicals, certain skin diseases and the effects of ageing can all have a detrimental effect on the skin’s hydration. Sitting in front of the fire or using intense central heating can also cause dry skin, so be mindful of this when the weather gets colder outside. Dry skin might not be considered that much of a problem, but you may not realise that dry skin can be associated with several health issues that could interfere with your everyday activities, these include:

• Itching and aggravated skin
• Areas of thickness or a rough texture
• Painful cracks in the skin which can lead to infection
• Dermatitis which involves red, inflamed and scaly skin
• Eczema, which can be highly itchy and appear as round, scaly or red patches
• Bacterial infections

At Skin Perfection, we offer several treatments for dry skin, including laser skin resurfacing, LED light therapy, medical microdermabrasion, medical microneedling, skin peels and photo-facial rejuvenation. In a no obligation consultation, we will assess your skin and determine the treatments that would best address your specific concerns. We can also recommend treatments and protocols to follow at home every day, to maintain the results we achieve in-clinic.

Acne and congested skin

Acne happens as a result of hair follicles becoming blocked with sebum, dead skin, dirt and debris. A bacterial infection occurs and this results in the appearance of small, cyst-like pimples. As the sebaceous oil that protects the skin is reduced in the winter months, the bacteria enters the pores more easily, which can result in further outbreaks and increased skin irritation, inflammation and infection. Even if you don’t suffer from acne, you can fall foul of congested skin which can suffer with spots, pimples, black heads and white heads.

We an address acne, oily and congested skins with a variety of treatments here at Skin Perfection, London, including chemical peels, laser photo rejuvenation, LED light therapy, medical microdermabrasion and medical microneedling. It’s important to take a holistic approach with conditions such as acne, as active acne will require a specific programme of treatments to get it under control, then to maintain results, we will select a course of skin improvement procedures.

Broken capillaries (thread veins)

Broken capillaries or thread veins can occur when the skin is exposed to extreme elements and temperatures. It usually happens when the skin is already dry or sensitive. Tiny, red and curly spider veins can appear in areas such as the cheeks, nose and the chin and can be a nuisance, even though they are usually quite harmless.

We address broken capillaries with either laser photo-facial skin rejuvenation or laser thread vein removal. Both treatments are non-invasive, virtually painless and fast and effective.

Winter can be a challenge when it comes to maintaining healthy, clear and youthful-looking skin, but I believe that at Skin Perfection London, we have an armoury of solutions to keep you looking and feeling your very best, at what is the harshest time of year for your skin.