5 Tips For Preparing Your Skin For Fall
With the warm air of summer slowly giving way to cooler fall temperatures, the skin care professionals at Valley View Dermatology want to help our patients smoothly transition into the new season. Despite the rainfall we typically receive in Oregon during the fall season, cooler air still brings a drop in humidity, which can potentially make skin even drier. Even though you might not feel necessarily drier when walking through wet fall and winter conditions, don’t underestimate the effect heaters and radiators can have on the air that surrounds you.
To help keep your skin looking and feeling its best as we wave goodbye to the tank tops, shorts, and skirts of summer, here are a few tips on how to avoid some of the most common skin problems brought on by fall.
Thicken Up Your Moisturizer
It’s time to say “see you in the spring” to the lighter, oil-free moisturizers you’ve been using this summer. Just like a switch to heavier clothing is needed to avoid the cold, you need to beef up your moisturizer to keep your skin healthy. Consider using a heavy cream made of ceramides, which basically act like healthy fatty acids that develop naturally in the skin. Your skin craves more of these acids during the colder months, so this type of moisturizer will give your body exactly what it needs.
Add a Body Lotion to Your Routine
Once the humidity of summer begins to recede, your skin may start to feel a little dry and itchy, as there’s far less moisture in the air to help keep you hydrated. By far the most effective and easiest way to stop any itching is to hydrate from head to toe. Moisturizers provide a protective barrier that covers the skin, enabling it to not only retain moisture but also draw hydration in to its outer layer.
Reduce Exfoliation
The cold weather also means it’s time to cut back on the amount of exfoliation ingredients – such as glycolics and retinoids – in the products you use. Instead of using your regular exfoliation routine, try using glycolic treatment pads or a mask just once a week to help remove any discoloration caused by your now fading summer tan.
Add a Supplement
The beginning of fall should also mark the start of a period where you focus on skin repair and renewal from the summer sun and heat. The antioxidants found in your skin can become depleted by all of the exposure it received during the summer. So what’s the best way to restore hydration? Try taking an internal liquid supplement, as it can work to restore all of the different areas of your skin.
Feel free to ask any of our skin care professionals for a recommendation on a supplement that would be right for you.
Buy a Humidifier
One of the most cost effective solutions for negating the dry air produced by heating units is to invest in a humidifier at home. Switch it on at the same time as you turn on the heat and you can provide your skin with some much needed protection from dry air at home. The bedroom often makes the best room to place your humidifier as that is where most of us spend the greatest amount of time.
Our Skin Care Professionals Can Help
If your daily skin care routine needs a boost of its own, our team at Valley View Dermatology can help. Our aestheticians can provide the tips needed to keep your skin looking and feeling its best. We can also provide recommendations on which fall skin care products you should add to a daily routine that works best for your skin type.
Contact our office in Salem, Wilsonville, Lincoln City, or Keizer today to schedule your next appointment.