December 7, 2024
MetroDerm’s very own Dr. Pearl Rimtepathip was interviewed on The Weather Channel for tips on winter skin care. The video of the interview is located at the bottom of the transcript.
Winter is just getting started which means a lot more cold is on the way but all that cold can take a toll on your skin if we’re not careful. For ways to keep our skin moisturized and protected we welcome in dermatologist Dr. Pearl. Thank you so much for being with us this morning.
And there’s a lot that goes into skin care year round, but winter certainly is one of those trying times. We’ve seen some colder air this week, extremely dry air. How do we take care of our skin and make sure that it’s the best that it can be in these kind of conditions?
Dr. Pearl:
Yes, of course.
I always tell my patients, what we used in the summer or the spring may not be as effective as the winter months, so we wanna make sure that our moisturizers are thick, or creamy, something that you can squeeze from a tube, you know, or like scoop from a tub, and they’re very good for the skin.
Host: Okay, so let’s talk about that, because I know my go to is this baby right here (Vaseline Petroleum Jelly). Because I’m so dry. Let me just tell you, so I was out walking, my sister was in town and I guess the dry air kind of makes you itch and so I was scratching and I actually got bruises on me.
So I need some of these products.
Dr. Pearl:
So Vaseline is also our go to. It has a petroleum jelly and is very thick and it’s very moisturizing, especially if you apply right after your bath.
Host: But not on your face, of course, right?
Dr. Pearl:
Yes. But on your lips, it works amazing, especially for this extreme wet weather.
Host: What about some of the things for our face? Because, you know, we tend this time of year, we cover up our arms and our legs and our head, but then it’s this part (face) that is left exposed.
So how do we take care of that in the cold and dry air?
Dr. Pearl:
Yeah, so usually we recommend more of a moisturizing cream, especially with the sunscreen.
We want to make sure that we apply that before we leave the house and also wear more protective gear to cover our face..
Host: So, you know, what do we use, like, if you have eczema or psoriasis, what’s good for that?
Dr. Pearl:
So, thicker moisturizer for sure, like the vaseline, the Aquaphor or the La Roche-Posay, and make sure that the body wash that we use is not so antiberial. We recommend fragrance-free products – we want to make sure that we retain the moisture in the skin.
And if that doesn’t work, you we recommend you see your Board-Certified Dermatologist.
Host: I know this this time of year, you know, because everything is so dry, some of the products that you might use, like, I know some of the ones that I use for wrinkles, anti-aging, they can be kind of drying on their own, and then you combine that with the dry air. That that can make things kind of difficult to counteract.
Dr. Pearl:
Yes, of course, a lot of people use the tretanoin, you know that’s our go-to to for anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, but that can be very drying for the skin.
So we want to make sure that we use maybe less amount of it, only maybe three times a week or we wanna mix it with the moisturizer before we apply.
And we want to make make sure that we use our retinol products only at night time, because if you use it during the daytime, they can get deactivated by the sun as well, and it will make you very sun sensitive.
Host: Okay, and so, you know, we’re talking about the cold season. I know I like to take hot showers and like just stay in there, but that can be bad for the skin too, right?
Dr. Pearl:
Yes. Very hot showers can be very bad for the skin and can be very drying, so we recommend more lukewarm water and we recommend you moisture right after you step out of the shower.
Host: So skin care obviously great, but there are some other things we can do. What about humidifiers during those dry winter months? Are those helpful indoors?
Dr. Pearl:
Yes, we love our humidifier. At my house we turn it on every day. That can help retain the moisture in the skin.
Host: And so you you had mentioned, because I love the lotions that smell good because people are like, “Oh, you smell so good.”
I’m like, that’s just me.
It’s really not.
Okay, so the fragrance takes out moisture – makes you dry out?
Is that what’s going on?
Dr. Pearl:
It’s also irritating to the skin, unfortunately. If you have a background of dry skin and you’re using a lot of fragrance products, they make the skin even more irritated.
Host: Okay. That makes sense.
I know this time of year, you know, we’re trying to stay hydrated and everything, you know, everyone’s got their fancy water bottles that they have this time of year.
Is is that helpful when it comes to, you know, translating to our skin looking healthy this time of year?
Dr. Pearl:
Yes, I always tell people, you know, we have to heal us in from inside out, so drinking plenty of water will keep you looking young.
Host: And Dr. Pearl, last question, what is your favorite product? Like it’s your go-to, if you had to choose one, which one would it be?
Dr. Pearl:
That would be my Vaseline. I use every night, especially on my son as well.
Host: Which is funny, because that’s probably one of the cheaper ones. Sometimes that just does the trick, right?
Dr. Pearl, thank you so much for being thank you for being with us this morning and we appreciate the tips.