Winter Skincare Tips for the Ski Slopes
We got our first burst of snow here in Reno-Tahoe in December, which sparked a flurry of interest in skiing and riding. While enjoying the slopes is great exercise and fun, it can wreck havoc on your skin if you don’t take proper precautions. There are many factors to winter skincare that we need to consider when skiing or riding including sun, wind, and of course the colder temperatures.
Sunscreen is the most important ingredient for protecting your skin on the slopes, I recommend sunscreen with SPF greater than 40 because the sun is more intense at higher altitude. You will need to reapply every two or three hours to fully protect yourself.
For oily skin I recommend EltaMD Clear and for dry skin EltaMD Daily moisturizing sunscreen. These both have a nice non-greasy feel and are available at our Reno Dermatologist office. For a great over-the-counter option, I like Neutrogena Dry Touch or the Coppertone sport SPF 50, both have a broad spectrum of protection against UVA and UVB rays and a good high Sun protection factor.
When applying sunscreen don’t forget to apply sunscreen to the lips also. The lips are often a neglected and forgotten area especially while skiing. It is difficult to find sunscreen for lips. We carry a SPF 45 by TIZO that is zinc oxide based. This product moisturizes as well and is quite a find, as most of the over-the-counter products are only SPF 15.
Wind can have an effect on your skin by chapping and drying it out. To combat the effects of wind you should wear physical protection on the body and face with clothing or masks, but the other things that can help are keeping the skin hydrated with a good thick moisturizer and maintaining your skin barrier with gentle cleansers that are not too harsh.
For the moisturizer I like a ceramide-based moisturizer such as TNS ceramide cream or over the counter Cereve cream for a less expensive option. I also recommend using a gentle cleanser, like over-the-counter Cereve and Aveeno gentle cleanser. We also carry a nice one in our office that I use from EltaMD that does a great job of removing your make up without being too harsh.
Colder temperatures with or without wind can wreak havoc on the skin also. Especially, when the skin is repeatedly exposed. Colder temperatures with very low humidity like our ski slopes in Nevada dry out the skin and cause redness. The redness usually quickly fades once the skin is re-warmed, but the dryness remains. Good hydration and gentle cleansing is essential for both cold and windy conditions.
By taking proper winter skincare precautions with suncreen, a good moisturizer, face covers and gentle cleansers, you can enjoy your time on the slopes without worrying about damage to your skin.
~ Dr. Jennifer Janiga
