Top winter skin care tips

Dec 20 2011

As the holiday song goes, "Baby, it's cold outside."

That cold weather can wreak havoc on your skin. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center dermatologist Amy McMichael, M.D., recommends a proactive approach to winter skin care. Here are her top tips:

• Change to a thicker moisturizer for face and body during the winter months to combat the drier climate.
• Do not use a tanning bed to get a pre-tan before going to a warm climate for the holidays. "This will increase over all sun exposure and risk for skin cancer later," McMichael said.
• If rosacea is flaring, try to limit intake of alcohol and extremely hot beverages in the winter months to minimize breakouts and redness of the face.
• Take advantage of the slow times in the winter months after the holidays to do laser and chemical procedures for rosacea, melasma, wrinkles, etc, that you may have put off doing.
• Last, look for after Christmas sales for sun protective clothing and protect your skin all year long.