Be Skin Smart This Winter

The weather outside has certainly been frightful lately – and it can do a number on the already-delicate skin of your residents. As we age, our skin is likely to become drier due to the natural loss of oil glands, which help keep skin soft. Combine this with the dry air created by indoor heating and you have the perfect recipe for dry, flaking or cracking skin.

What can you do to keep your residents – and yourself – comfortable?

Here are eight ideas:

1. Ask your supplier or a dermatologist which products they would recommend to deliver extra moisture to skin that is battered by the winter elements.
2. Moisturize resident skin more often with a product that creates a protective layer on the skin to help retain moisture, such as Embrace Skin Repair Cream.
3. If residents will be going outside, apply sunscreen to their faces and hands (if they're exposed). Winter sun, especially when combined with glare from snow, can damage skin.
4. The skin on our hands is thinner and contains fewer oil glands, which makes it harder to keep hands moisturized in the winter. When your residents go outside, make sure they're wearing gloves (and remember that wool gloves can cause irritation to the skin).
5. If residents come back into the building wearing wet socks or gloves, remove them immediately to reduce the likelihood of itching, cracking, sores or even eczema flare-ups.
6. Consider placing several small humidifiers throughout the building. These put more moisture into the air, which helps prevent skin dryness.
7. To keep residents' feet moisturized, seek out a lotion that contains petroleum jelly or glycerin, such as Embrace Moisturizing Hand & Body Cream.
8. Keep in mind that super-hot baths and showers can break down the lipid barriers in the skin, leading to moisture loss.

ProMed's exclusive Embrace skin care line is designed to provide best-in-class care to delicate skin. To learn more, contact your ProMed territory manager, give us a call at 800.648.5190 or click here.