How to Protect Your Skin in the Dry, Cold Months

by Barbara Hey

Winter can be tough on skin, but there's much you can do to defend against the assaults of the season. The skin's primary role -- to protect the body -- is ever more important in extreme weather, and in most locations, that means extreme cold outside and dry, over-heated air inside during the winter. Your epidermis must "weather" these drastic fluctuations in temperature, and often the result is chapped, scaly, flaky skin.

Facing the Frost

The biggest wintertime concern is dehydration. In colder climates, you definitely need to increase the protection quotient. "You must over-treat skin to keep it hydrated," says Barbara Schumann-Ortega, vice president of Wilma Schumann Skin Care in Coral Gables, Florida. That means a shift to winter-weight products, such as thicker, cream-based cleansers and moisturizers, to provide stronger barriers against the environment. This is especially important for the face. And if much time is spent outdoors skiing, snowboarding, or walking, for example, your complexion needs heavy-duty protection from brisk wind and winter sun as well.

"People often forget about sunscreen in the winter," says Schumann-Ortega. For regular outdoor time -- a few hours a day -- a sunscreen with an SPF of 20 should be sufficient. But if a winter trip on the slopes or shore is part of the plan, sunscreen with a higher protective factor is needed, even if your time is spent beneath an umbrella. "Both snow and sand reflect the sun," she says, so don't be caught unprepared. Double your efforts to protect the parts of the face particularly prone to display the effects of dryness: The lips and the area around the eyes need a continual shield against the elements. Ask your skin care professional which products are appropriate for your skin type and effective, seasonal moisturizers and sunscreens.

"When it's cold, you lose blood flow to the skin," says Schumann-Ortega. The result is a dry, dull tone. Facial treatments can increase circulation and rejuvenate a healthy glow. But, Schumann-Ortega cautions, be careful with peels and resurfacing treatments during the winter, as they can do more damage than good with skin that's already taxed from the harsh environmental conditions.

Winterizing the Body

It's not just the face that suffers in the winter. Skin everywhere dries out, and gets that flaky look and uncomfortable winter itch. Hot baths -- a delightful antidote to the chill -- can further exacerbate dry skin. The solution? Add 10 drops of an aromatic essential oil to the bath to moisturize as you soak. (Lavender is particularly soothing to dry skin.) Then apply an emollient moisturizer -- a product that feels particularly thick and creamy to the touch, like a body butter -- geared for extra dry, rough, chapped, or cracked skin. Apply it immediately after drying off, when the skin can most readily absorb the lotion and restore its barrier. If dryness is still bothersome, indulge in a salt rub and full-body conditioning wrap to remoisturize.

And don't forget feet and hands. The feet, hidden by socks and boots all winter long, often go neglected this time of year and need attention, but the most obvious casualties of winter are the hands. Exposed to the elements and the subject of frequent hand-washing during the cold and flu season, hands can turn to rawhide just as holiday parties go into full swing -- not an elegant look for holding onto a champagne flute.

This is the season to slather hands (and feet) with heavy, oil-rich cream at night and cover them with gloves (or socks). In the morning, your feet and hands will feel soft and moisturized. Your skin care professional can recommend appropriate gloves, socks, and a home-care routine for this process. In addition, treat hands and feet to regular spa treatments to exfoliate dead skin cells, and paraffin treatments to replenish and moisturize.

Relax and Enjoy It

In winter, and all seasons, stress can disrupt even the best skin. "We always ask clients what's going on in life, since adrenaline, holiday pressures, and even joy can have an effect on body chemistry," says Schumann-Ortega. The skin reflects it all. "Some clients may come in after four weeks and they look like a train wreck," she says. So do your best to minimize the effects of stress with exercise, meditation, and proper diet. And don't skimp on the self-care. Schedule time for pampering, relaxing treatments.

Some final tips:

- Drink water. Even when there's a chill in the air and thirst isn't overwhelming, water consumption needs to be high to combat the dry air.- Avoid products with a high percentage of synthetic ingredients (propylene glycol, petroleum), chemical detergents (sodium laurel sulfates), and artificial colors and fragrances.- Employ quality skin care products suited to your skin type.

- Check your medications. Illness and ongoing pharmaceuticals can upset pH balance.- Incorporate nutritional supplements into your skin health regimen, such as essential fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, vitamin A, and B vitamins.

Ask your skin care professional about hydrating products and circulation- enhancing treatments to ease the long, dry months of winter and maintain healthy skin. After all, spring is just around the corner.

MORE TIPS Source: Dukehealth.org

Winter is hard on skin. Dry air and harsh wind can sap moisture from the skin, causing cracking, chapping, and irritation. And even though it's not blazing hot, your skin is still vulnerable to damage from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Luckily, you can take action to minimize winter skin problems. Here are some tips to help you keep your skin as youthful-looking and healthy as possible throughout the winter months:

Continue to protect your skin from sun damage. Since you're usually bundled up when outside in the wintertime, you don't need to slather sunscreen all over yourself, but try to wear a makeup or moisturizer with SPF 15 on your face throughout the winter. Do wear a high-SPF sunscreen if you'll be skiing; some of the most severe sunburns may occur on the slopes, since the snow reflects the sunlight. If you'll be on a cruise, be sure to wear a good sunscreen just as you would during the summertime. Don't forget your lips; wear lip balm or lipstick with sunscreen.

 Examine your skin-care regimen. If you are using a product with tretinoin, such as Retin-A or Renova, be especially vigilant about wearing sunscreen; you are more liable to sustain a sunburn. If you have sensitive skin, you may need to cut back on using sloughing products such as alpha-hydroxy acids, as they may exacerbate dry, irritated skin.

 Don't take long, hot showers. They may sound appealing, but they strip skin of its natural moisturizing lipids. Instead, take a short, warm shower; pat your skin almost dry, then put on a good moisturizer while skin is still damp. You will need a super-emollient lotion for hands, heels, or anywhere else you experience especially dry, cracked skin.

 Humidify indoor air. If you don't have a humidifying system within your heating ducts, consider buying a humidifier. These will help keep skin and nasal passages from drying out. (If you do experience dryness or minor bleeding in your nose, you can use Vaseline to soothe and moisturize the area.)

Source: Dukehealth.org

THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER

You've heard it from your personal trainer,massage therapist, you'veheard it from your mother, and every summer during a heat wave, youprobably heard it repeatedly from various media outlets: youneed to drink more water. As much fun as it is to debunk myths,this particular maxim is all too true.

Your body is composed of over 70% water, and it constantlyneeds to refill its supply. "But," you say to yourself, "I drinkenough water to keep from getting too thirsty. Isn't thatenough?" Not necessarily. If you are serious about your fitnessgoals & health, you should be conscious of how much water you drink for a number of reasons.

For those looking to lose fat, proper water intake can actuallyhelp you metabolize fat better. If you are chronicallydehydrated, you body will actually work to keep fat in to to drawon its moisture. When there's plenty of water to go aroundinside your body, your fats cells are more likely to be burnedoff, because your body doesn't have any more use for them.This might seem counter-intuitive, but not drinking enoughwater can actually lead to water retention.

When your body sensesthat too little water is coming in, it works to store and conserveevery last millimeter that it can. When your body gets in thisstate drinking some water immediately saved as much as possiblein your body. To break your system of this, you should down asmuch water as possible, causing your body to evacuate all excesswater.Dehydration is also a major culprit in causing your internalorgans to not work at their peak level. The kidneys and liver inparticular need a great deal of water to function properly.

Burning off fat is one of the liver's main jobs, and if thekidneys aren't doing what they are supposed to do, the liver hasto do some of their work for them. So when either of theseorgans are not properly performing, it makes is significantlymore difficult to lose fat.When you drink water, it's important that you actually drinkwater, not just any fluid. Coffee is a diuretic, meaning itactually steals water from the body, and soft drinks should beavoided whenever possible.The high sugar content (17 tsp each can)of most soft drinks means your body has to work extra hard to process it, which might actually takewater out of your body. In fact, you actually have to down a fewglasses of water to replace the fluid lost from drinking asingle can of soda. Soft drinks can even interfere with yourdigestive system, making digestion more difficult and lessefficient.

So exactly how much water should you drink? Generally, menshould consume about three liters a day and women shouldconsumer 2.2 liters a day or 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water. On days you exercise and/ or get a massage, you should drink a couple of cups more than this. If you happen to live in a particularly hot part of the country (like Southern California) or are fighting a cold, you should up your intake even more.

FENG-SHUI: For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of a Gua number here's a simple guide: The Gua Number is essential for you to be able to apply the Eight Mansion School of Feng Shui. There are 8 different Gua numbers and these are calculated based on your date of birth. And in accordance with your personal Gua number, we will present you with your 4 Cardinal Positive directions and 4 Negative directions. Also there are recommendations on how best to improve your 4 Positive directions while reducing the effects of the 4 Negative directions. Enjoy!

Making Massage a New Year's Resolution

by Kathryn Feather, managing editor

We all know the drill. For some, it's become a tradition. Before the ball is finished descending in Times Square and the confetti has yet to hit the floor, most of us already have made our New Year's resolutions and possibly broken them. But, let's give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. Every December, as we indulge in various holiday treats, we promise ourselves that once the New Year arrives, we will take better care of our bodies, minds and spirits.

The reasons behind these resolutions vary from person to person, but invariably, they are a reaction to the differing stresses that play such a major part in our daily lives. Job stress, family issues and a host of other outside factors provide the motivation to get in shape and learn to cope. And according to a recent study, many Americans are making massage one of their top New Year's resolutions.

The "New Year, New You" study, a telephone survey of 1,000 U.S. adults sponsored by Brookstone, found that a majority of Americans said they experienced more stress in 2005 than the previous year (56 percent), and that they are seeking new methods to deal with that increased stress methods such as massage therapy.

Three out of four Americans (75 percent) claim their New Year's resolution is to focus on taking better care of themselves and achieving a more complete work/life balance. The study found that a majority of Americans believe massage is an effective way to relieve stress and a great way to relax as compared to other methods such as drinking a glass of wine or another alcoholic beverage or even exercising.

The study revealed that 76 percent of respondents believe relaxation is very important to health and wellness, with 73 percent of respondents rating massage as either extremely relaxing or very relaxing, compared to 51 percent who said exercise was extremely relaxing and 29 percent who opted for a glass of wine or a cocktail to relax. Sixty-nine percent of respondents agreed that regular massage therapy is an important part of overall physical health and well-being, and 52 percent said they would like to receive a massage product or service as a gift.

With 11 more months in 2006 and the New Year's hype already dying down, are Americans sticking to their resolutions? Many employers are helping to make sure their employees keep to these health and fitness goals by instituting incentives, offering nutritional seminars and discounted or free memberships to local gyms and fitness clubs. And as the study shows, many Americans are embracing the concept of massage therapy as a means of improving their health.

"Massage is no longer viewed as an indulgence, but as a significant component to achieving overall health and wellness and relaxation," said Roger Padgett, a spokesperson for Brookstone. "People are beginning to recognize that massage helps to improve circulation, alleviate tension and contribute to a more comfortable and stress-free lifestyle."

So, when the ball drops in Times Square at the end of 2006, will Americans have something to show for their health and wellness efforts? If the results of the Brookstone study hold true, the answer is a resounding "yes." Will massage become the popular choice for people looking for ways to relax and reduce stress? Massage therapists certainly hope so.

The benefits of massage therapy are well-known, and are enjoyed by millions of Americans each year. If the research from the Brookstone study proves correct, the massage therapy profession can look forward to having an even more successful year, with therapists' appointment books filled by countless new clients, not only in 2006, but well into 2007 and beyond.

Resources

1. "National Survey: Americans More Stressed in 2005 than 2004" press release www.prnewswire.com. December 27, 2005.
2. "Some Looking for R&R in 2006. www.insidebayarea.com. January 6, 2006.
3. "For Many, the New Year is Time for a New Body," Times Leader, January 6, 2006. www.timesleader.com.
Massage Today - February, 2006, Volume 06, Issue 02

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