Be Skin Smart This Winter

Cold weather can zap the moisture right out of skin, leaving it dry, itchy and flaky. Your residents’ skin, just like yours, needs extra TLC during the winter to keep it soft and supple.

There are two main factors that affect skin during the winter: a lack of moisture in the air and colder temperatures. When there is less moisture in the air, the water that skin naturally produces to protect and seal itself evaporates more easily, causing skin to become dry and cracked. Skin that is exposed to the cold winter air is vulnerable to conditions like frostbite and pernio, a painful inflammation of the small blood vessels in response to sudden warming from cold temperatures.¹

Luckily, there are a number of simple steps you can take to protect your residents’ delicate skin from winter weather, including:

• Ask your supplier which products they would recommend to deliver extra moisture to skin that is battered by the elements. Some products, including Embrace Moisturizing Cleanser & Skin Protectant with Breathable Barrier, can perform multiple skin care functions, eliminating the need for multiple products.
• Moisturize resident skin frequently with a product that creates a protective layer on the skin to help retain moisture, such as Embrace Skin Repair Cream.
•  If residents will be going outside, apply sunscreen to their faces and hands and make sure they are wearing hats, mittens and scarves to protect their skin from the cold. If their clothing gets wet, change it as soon as possible. Damp clothing can lead to skin breakdown, itching, sores and eczema flare-ups.
• Consider placing several small humidifiers throughout the building. These help to put more moisture into the air, which helps prevent skin from becoming dry.

Professional Medical’s exclusive Embrace skin care line can help you provide top-notch year-round skin care to your residents. To learn more, contact your territory manager or give us a call at (800) 648-5190.

References

1 The Mayo Clinic. Simple Self-care Steps Can Ensure Healthy Skin, Even During Winter Weather. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2011/nov-25b.html. Accessed January 30, 2013.