How winter health affects your skin barrier and acne
Illnesses like colds and flu, combined with stress, poor sleep, and dietary changes, exacerbate acne by promoting inflammation and excess oil production.
Dr Mamello Ntsele advises adapting skincare routines to the season with hydrating products and SPF, emphasising personalised care to maintain healthy, radiant skin.
As the winter days get colder, the dry air can lead to dehydrated skin and a weakened skin barrier. This makes it more vulnerable to irritation, sensitivity and breakouts. Maintaining a healthy skin barrier is vital to comfort and confidence, whether you have oily, normal, dry or combination skin.
But it's not just the weather. Your physical health, including illnesses like colds and flu, plays a significant role in skin health.
How winter illnesses like colds and flu trigger acne
Common winter illnesses, such as colds or flu, can stress the body, leading to a pro-inflammatory state. Since acne is an inflammatory condition, it often flares up under high stress.
'Any illness that causes stress on the body can lead to a pro-inflammatory state,' explains Dr Mamello Ntsele, a dermatologist. 'Acne is an inflammatory condition that flares up in the setting of high-stress levels.'
Winter also disrupts sleep patterns, and people drink less water during colder months. Poor sleep increases stress, inflammation and hormonal imbalances, while dehydration weakens the skin barrier and triggers excess oil production.
Why acne worsens in winter
Acne behaves differently in winter because the skin's barrier dries out more easily.
When skin loses moisture, it overcompensates by producing more oil (sebum). Excess sebum causes skin cells to stick together and clog pores, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin), where oil glands are most active.
Diet also plays a role. 'Dietary shifts in winter, when people tend to eat more comfort foods, can contribute to breakouts as high-glycaemic foods are linked to more severe acne,' says Dr Ntsele.
Common winter skincare mistakes
Summer skincare routines don't work in winter, and not changing routines to suit the weather is a common mistake. Others include:
- Over-cleansing, which strips natural oils
- Using gel or foaming cleansers in dry seasons
- Skipping moisturiser or sunscreen (UV rays still damage skin in winter)
Dr Ntsele recommends switching to richer creams with ceramides, glycerine and hyaluronic acid and always using SPF.
How to adapt your skincare routine
A consistent routine is key. Dr Ntsele's winter skincare steps:
1. Hydrating cleanser
2. Hydrating serum
3. Hydrating moisturiser
4. Non-comedogenic sunscreen
She also suggests gentle exfoliation, such as Eucerin's DermoPurifyer Scrub, one to two times weekly to remove dead skin cells and prevent clogged pores.
'It's not about making your skin adapt; it's about adapting to your skin,' says Dr Ntsele. Factors like age, hormones and environment affect skin needs, so she advises tailoring your routine accordingly.
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