Skin is the largest human body organ, and winter puts it to the test. During winter holidays, skin can face more difficulties, for example, it is often exposed to the sun while skiing, or when at a tropical beach.
- What should you pay most attention to?
- How can you prevent damages?
- How can you restore the health and the beauty of the skin?
Pay attention to UV exposure, dehydration, and dry air.
UV Exposure: sudden exposure to UV rays while on holiday can cause more damages than the typical exposure that occurs in summer. In that case, we start wearing shorter clothes even before going to the beach, stimulating the natural protection of melanin. In the mountains, the danger is even worse. Due to the altitude, UV rays are less filtered by the atmosphere.
UV rays are harmful in the short and long term. They can cause redness and itching in the short term, but they can also have effects in the long term:
- burns even with visible results over time
- melasma in predisposed individuals
- premature skin aging
- increased incidence of melanomas.
International guidelines show the importance of prevention since childhood because burns at a young age could have consequences in adulthood.
How to prevent damage from UV exposure: in the mountains as well as to the beach, use solar protection. Use sunscreen according to the phototype and current skin condition (first exposure, already tanned skin). Particularly in the mountains, it happens to underestimate the problem due to the winter environment.
Consumption of food and drinks containing protective substances, such as beta carotene, and good hydration stimulates the natural production of melanin and improves thermoregulation, reducing sun damages.
What to do when skin is burned: even if the damage has already been done, you can mitigate the symptoms of sunburn by applying appropriate products. Sunburned skin should not be stressed in an attempt to cover reddened areas with make-up: this risks increasing irritation and delaying healing.
It is always best to rely on professionals and dermatologists to choose the right products, but some basic rules always apply: focus on hydration, wear comfy clothes, preferably made of natural fabrics and without pigments.
Dehydration and dry air: dehydration affects both those who stay outdoors in the high mountains due to low humidity and those who stay outdoors in tropical areas due to high temperatures and increased sweating.
Hydration comes from within the body: therefore, the basis of good hydration is the consumption of appropriate fluids, e.g. water, non-sugary soft drinks, and drinks with added minerals.
Minerals, especially magnesium and potassium, are essential for restoring the hydro-saline balance.