When temperatures dip in Alaska, I start to carry a tube of heavy-duty moisturizer everywhere I go. The dry air makes my face tight, like I’ve just had a facelift. Slathering on cream only brings temporary relief.
On a recent, particularly dry day I wondered: Is there something else I should be doing? Do other people feel this uncomfortable?
I asked around, and it turns out a lot of people are experiencing some version of the same thing — chapped lips, flaking skin, cracked hands, the “winter itchies.”
I decided to get to the bottom of the problem. For this Alaska Survival Kit, I went to see a dermatologist. Now I have four tips — some more welcome than others — for staying comfortable in your skin when temperatures dip.
But wait. First, some important context.
Before the tips start, know this: Your skin’s winter misery is mostly written in your DNA.
Even if two people live together and have the same diet and lifestyle, they still have different skin — and different levels of dryness, according to Dr. Janine Miller, who owns Miller Dermatology in Anchorage.
My roommates, Simon and Makenzie Rose, are a good example of this. Makenzie is the dry one. She spends a lot of time putting on lotion in the winter.
“I feel like people with really dry skin live on, like, a different plane of existence,” she said.
Her husband Simon does not live on that same plane. And he does not use moisturizer. Ever.
On a recent evening, I asked Makenzie about her nighttime routine. It’s not like she has a ton of products, she said, it’s just that moisturizing takes time.
Simon weighed in.
“I wonder Makenzie,” he said, “if you were to go a week without using any of your lotions and potions, what your skin would look like?”
She grimaced.
“It would look like a desiccated, shriveled up gardening glove that was left out over winter that you've just uncovered underneath like three feet of snow,” she said.
According to Makenzie, moisturizer makes a huge difference. Simon thinks it’s a scam.
Miller, the dermatologist, said Simon probably just doesn’t need to moisturize. Everyone is different, she said, and everyone should test out what works best for them.
Ok… now let’s get back to our four takeaways.
And because I personally like to hear bad news first, I’m going to start with the bummer.
1. No hot showers
In the wintertime, Miller said, she recommends against hot showers.
“I'm not saying a cold shower,” she said. “I'm saying warm enough where you don't want to jump out of there.”
Lukewarm is best, she said.
I know. I don’t want to believe it either. But according to Miller, hot water strips moisture from your skin.
2. Lotion is not your friend
This was surprising to me: It turns out moisturizer is NOT synonymous with lotion. Lotion is a kind of moisturizer — a kind that Miller does not recommend.
“I'm not saying that every single lotion is bad,” she said. “But on average, most lotions have some type of alcohol derivative in them, and that is what tends to dry out the skin or irritate the skin in the winter.”
Instead of lotion, look for thicker, unscented creams or ointments. Or Miller’s favorite: oil in a spray bottle. She uses jojoba, which she said is the closest thing to the oils our bodies produce.
Timing is also key.
“As soon as you are done showering, while your skin is still damp, still moist, apply your moisturizer,” she said.
But, Miller said, you don’t necessarily need to throw your giant pump bottle of lotion in the trash. Remember, everyone is different. Maybe lotion is drying you out, maybe it’s just fine.
That said, if you have dry skin, she recommends experimenting to see what works best for you. And she said take a look at the ingredients — generally the shorter the list, the better.
3. Get a humidifier
One of the best things you can do, Miller said, is use a humidifier.
“I explained to my patients that it's really important to do it at night,” she said. “It's usually about eight hours where they can be in a humidified environment.”
Miller said a lot of people think they can hydrate their skin by chugging water — but that’s only going to affect your skin if you’re actually dehydrated. Otherwise, that water stays inside your body and doesn’t make it to your skin.
4. Try slugging
Our final takeaway is all about keeping your skin moist after you’ve put in all that work. You can do that by applying a petroleum-based ointment like Aquaphor or Vaseline, which acts as a barrier, Miller said.
She said it’s not necessary to goop it on — a thin layer will do. And it’s not for everyone since it can cause breakouts for acne-prone skin.
Breaking the news
At home that night, Makenzie was excited to hear what I learned from the dermatologist. But I was a little nervous. I had already checked her lotion. It had alcohol – two kinds.
I sat her down. Her husband Simon listened in, invested.
I told her that Dr. Miller does not recommend lotion for people with dry skin. I tried to be gentle.
She gasped.
I explained about the drying effects of alcohol.
A long pause. Over on the couch, Simon started to laugh. Loudly. Makenzie’s eyes were big.
“Wait!” she said. “So I’ve been drying out my skin this whole time?!”
We read the labels on Makenzie’s products, and on mine. I told her about genetics, humidifiers and hot showers. I played her bits of my conversation with Miller.
Simon wandered off to bed.
I asked Mackenzie how she was feeling.
“I feel betrayed by my lotions and potions,” she said, with a long sigh.
Still, she said, she’s also excited to do a little shopping now that she knows what she’s looking for.
She won’t be taking all the dermatologist’s advice though.
Lukewarm showers? “That’s a hard ‘no,’” Mackenzie said.
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