Winter Skincare

Jeffrey Sassmannshausen, MD

With the summer coming to an end, and hopefully with it the COVID virus, it is time to look to the future and get a game plan for the winter months. This month, I want to make sure you and your skin are ready for cold temperatures, snow and the dry season.

What is the most important thing to remember in the colder months? Well yes, Sparkle and Shine is November 4-17, but even more important is that the sun still shines in the wintertime! Don’t forget your sunscreen! Make sure it a part of your morning routine. If you go on vacation, take it with you. The Colorescience Sunforgettable powder sunscreen is easy to apply (and re-apply) and fits in the pocket of your ski jacket.

As the environment changes from hot and humid to cold and dry, your moisturizer may need to evolve as well. Look at using something a bit thicker and more moisturizing such as SkinMedica’s Replenish Hydrating cream or Dermal Repair Cream. Or, for very dry skin, use the TNS Ceramide Treatment Cream. This time of year, trying HA5 for extra hydration would be a great idea. The unique delivery of water deep into the skin will keep your face smooth and supple.

With the cold comes dry, painful, cracked fingertips. I recommend CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream. This product contains the great moisturizing efficacy of CeraVe with the added benefit of a sealant which holds the moisture in and keeps out any irritants. Sometimes, however, more is needed. This winter, several new steroid-free prescription medications will be approved for the pesky fissures.

While some have bad heels in the summer as they are continuously barefoot or in sandals, others find their cracked heels get worse in the winter. Before the heels get thick enough to crack, start treatment with Baby Foot. This foot peel will thin down the skin though a peeling process leaving behind a softer skin that will inhibit cracks. Keeping the feet moisturized with the salicylic acid-containing CeraVe SA can help maintain the softness. If needed, there are prescription compounded medications that will exfoliate the feet even better.

At the end of the summer, faces will have quite a bit of the summer hyperpigmentation. This pigment is from too much sun and not enough sunscreen. It can also be driven by hormones in many women. The winter months are an ideal time to attack. Windy Ridge Skin Care Centre has an entire spectrum of products and procedures for treating pigmentation. Lytera 2.0 which actively inhibits multiple pigment pathways leading to a more even, brighter complexion, is a great way to begin treating the face. Add a Retinol and a sunscreen, and your home care routine is set. Combining facial chemical peels to your home care is a great idea. Chemical peels are minimally invasive treatments done in the office that will enhance the home products. Want to do more? Diamond Glow is a dermalinfusion treatment that will exfoliate, decongest and infuse a serum specifically designed for evening pigmentation.

What else can be done? Microneedling is a procedure where tiny holes are made in the skin with fine needles. This will allow the pigment to be pushed out the small holes and then when they heal, the skin tightens, smoothing fine lines and sun damage. Healing is very quick—2-3 days. If you want the crème de le crème, fractionated resurfacing of the face with the DOT laser can give a WOW result with one treatment. Using a laser, tiny holes are made in the skin. These allow for the pigment to escape from under the skin and also causes repair and tightening to the skin. It is a commitment as healing takes about 2 weeks, but it will make you look several years younger.

Sparkle and Shine, our holiday event is bigger and better than ever. Beginning November 4th with an open house in the office with hors d’oeuvres, early access to event specials, access to me, my three incredible PA’s and the outstanding team that makes Three Rivers Dermatology and Windy Ridge Skin Care Centre the ultimate location for your skin care. This year, following our open house, savings continue for an extended 2-week sales event! I certainly hope you can participate in person or over the phone.

Wow, that was a lot. I would recommend stopping by Windy Ridge and talking with one of the skin care specialists. These incredibly knowledgeable young women have been trained by me. I trust them to assess your skin’s needs and make the most appropriate recommendations.