It is not just in the summer that one should protect the skin. Besides the hours spent under the sun at the beach or swimming pool, other factors also have direct influence on the general condition of the skin, as for instance, stress, smoking, alcoholic beverages, poor diet, pollution and use of inadequate cosmetics. Therefore, the measures to prevent and fight skin damage should be constant. In fact, winter is the best time of the year for skin treatments with physical peelings and chemical, because after undergoing such procedures, people should avoid exposure to the sun.If possible, choose moisturizing soaps and water based body lotions, as urea, for instance. For the face, the option should be products rich in vitamin C. Those can partially revert skin damage caused by the accumulation of free radicals and damage caused by the environment such as sun, wind, dryness and stress.
The protection of the skin against ultraviolet radiation is essential. It is a mistake to think that in cold and cloudy days, it is not necessary to use sunscreen. The emission of UVA and UVB rays is continuous. Therefore, we must use sunscreen with solar protection factor (FPS) 30 even in cold, cloudy days during the winter. It is not necessary to use a higher FPS than 30; however, protection should be reapplied every two hours. The low humidity of the air and the decrease of the perspiration dry up the skin of the body. The most affected parts of the body are the extremities, as the inferior part of the legs, frequently drier, even in mild weather.
Hot water is one of the main damaging factors to the health of the skin, because, while it heats up the body and comforts it, it also removes a little of the natural fat, called hydro lipidic mantle, necessary to maintain the moisture and to give to the skin a healthy appearance. Alkaline soaps and foamy baths are also not recommended.