Soothe Winter's Dry Skin... Like a Sweaty Hippo
If you see a bright red hippo out in the wild, don't worry... It isn't bleeding.
It's sweating.
Like humans, hippos sweat clear fluids, except their sweat is thicker. And once it oozes out, the air turns it a bright red, like blood. The color comes from hipposudoric and norhipposudoric acids in the hippo's sweat, according to a Japanese study published in a 2004 issue of Nature.
While it causes the sweat to turn red, it also serves as a natural sunscreen of sorts. So the slimy layer of sweat shields hippo skin from the sun. The compounds even have antibiotic capabilities.
And it also works as a barrier to keep moisture from escaping for hydrated skin... something many of us battling dry, itchy, flaky skin in this especially chilly winter need more of.
Skin is our greatest protector. It's the physical barrier between you and the outside world. It keeps out germs, protects you from infection, and helps regulate your body temperature. And during this time of year, it's constantly fighting against the weather. So you're left with itchy, tight, tender skin that can even crack and bleed, which leaves you open to infection.
While we don't have as good a skin barrier as a hippo, here are three tips for soothing dry winter skin...
Wash This Way
It seems like bathing should rejuvenate your skin's moisture... But if you're doing it wrong, you're causing your skin more harm than good.
Those long, soothing, hot showers damage your skin cells – specifically the keratinocytes which help keep your skin barrier strong – and make your skin more prone to drying out.
Do what I do and counteract these effects by taking lukewarm or warm showers. A water temperature of roughly 98 degrees Fahrenheit is what dermatologists typically recommend.
Also, daily showering can strip the natural oils from your skin. So try showering every other day instead. And when you do, be efficient and quick – shorter, five- to 10-minute showers are key to keeping dry skin at bay. Leave the door closed, too – that way, you'll keep the humidity in the bathroom to better quench your thirsty skin.
Choose a gentle, fragrance-free, moisturizing cleanser that doesn't make your skin feel tight after you shower – which is a sign that you've gone too far and stripped it of natural oils and water.
Here's a bonus tip: Look for a cleanser with a pH around 5.5. Believe it or not, the pH of our skin is naturally on the acidic side and not neutral (a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral). The lower pH comes from the barrier, or what's called the acid mantle, which is our skin's first line of defense. So choosing a cleanser with a slightly lower pH will keep the natural bacteria that patrol our skin to fight off harmful visitors (pathogens) thriving.
Eucerin's Advanced Cleansing Body & Face Cleanser and Sebamed's Gentle Hydrating Cleanser are good examples. Plus, just as the former's name suggests, these cleansers do double duty and are fine for your body and face.
And in general, use less soap during your shower, focusing on the nooks and crannies – like the armpits, toes and feet, and groin areas – that can trap sweat and dirt. Finish up by gently patting or blotting your skin dry with a towel and, for the grand finale, moisturize right away.
Speaking of moisturizers...
Seal Everything In
Rather than water-based moisturizers like lotions, reach for rich, oil-based creams for dry, cracked winter skin. The oil will provide a thick barrier on your skin that will keep its moisture in, acting as an occlusive. Oils also contain nutrients like fatty acids that act as emollients, filling in the cracks in dry skin to soften and soothe.
If you've only got water-based lotion that you want to use up, try adding some jojoba. Jojoba oil is an excellent emollient, and its waxy character mimics our skin's natural oil, known as sebum. It also contains a lot of antioxidants like vitamin E. Adding a few drops of jojoba oil to a dollop of moisturizer works great. A lighter option is squalane oil. And if you suffer from adult acne, both jojoba and squalane are less likely to clog pores and cause breakouts than, say, coconut oil.
If you want to go even further, lock in the hydration with an ointment, Once the cream has been absorbed, apply a thin layer of an occlusive like CeraVe's Healing Ointment to prevent moisture loss. You might have heard of the term "slugging," a term coined by skin-care enthusiasts online. Well, you're doing just that: applying an ointment to lock in moisture – and creating a wet, shiny appearance.
And just like with your choice of cleanser, avoid fragrance in your moisturizers because they contain chemicals that evaporate easily and can take your skin's moisture with them.
Hydration Starts Under the Skin, Too
Of course drinking enough water is important for keeping dehydrated skin at bay. But you can bolster that hydration by consuming more of something else...
That's omega-3 fatty acids.
These healthy fats help fortify the cellular walls throughout your body. Just like putting oil on your skin locks in moisture, putting omega-3s in your body will keep you hydrated.
In fact, a study published in the Skin Pharmacology and Physiology journal found that eating half a teaspoon of flaxseed oil for 12 weeks improved participants' skin hydration by 39%.
So eat your omega-3s throughout the year in order to strengthen the cells that make up the moisture barrier in your skin, so that you're protected come winter. Here are some great sources of omega-3s...
- Fish and seafood like salmon, mussels, and shrimp
- Plant oils like olive, flaxseed, and walnut
- Nuts like walnuts, almonds, and macadamia
- Seeds like chia, pumpkin, and flax
- Vegetables like Brussels sprouts, avocados, and spinach
Take charge and protect your skin from drying out this winter. By making small changes to your bathing and moisturizing routines, and by choosing foods that will hydrate you from the inside out, you can keep your skin healthy – despite the dryness all around you.
Enjoyed these tips? Well, be sure to check out my Retirement Millionaire issue from earlier this month on my top 12 tips to keep one kind of "organ" healthy – one that's in nearly every cell of your body. And keeping these cell "organelles" in tip-top shape is key to antiaging. Get the issue here (or go here for a monthlong trial if you're not yet a subscriber).
What We're Reading...
- Something else: If you had to eat a human, which body part would you pick first?
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
January 30, 2025