By: Jennifer Lonergan
November is National Healthy Skin Month! Now that we are near the end of the month, time to run a check!
I am an American of Irish descent living in New England. For me, summertime was the only time I paid attention to my skin. Lobsters are definitely popular in New England but not what you strive to look like during the summer months. Now we know better. SPF face creams are a year-round must.
Worrying about my other areas in the winter time was mainly just worrying about chapped lips, and boy would they get chapped! I do have one memory of having awful dry, chapped skin on my hands. I was about nine or 10 years old, my hands were chapped because I couldn’t find my mittens and I was afraid to tell my dad as he was always after me about losing my mittens.
All that changed once I became a mom. Not only was I second-generation Irish, I married a true Irishman. All of our children are fair skinned but my second son seemed to inherit the worst that Irish skin has to offer. He would get severely chapped in the winter time as an infant along with touches of eczema. I started researching skin care because of him.
Bathe and Moisturize
One of the things I discovered was not to bathe him that often, especially in the winter months. This was somewhat difficult as I liked to give him a bath nightly. I just made it a quick, cool bath and as always, finished the routine with moisturizer.
Humidify
Humidifiers also help with keeping moisture in the air. Having one in your bedroom not only helps you sleep better in dry air, but it also has the benefit of providing healthier skin.
Hydrate
And finally, HYDRATE. Water isn’t only for the warmer months. The eight glasses a day recommendation applies to all year round.
Our Favorite Brand
As far as moisturizer, we had the best luck with Sudocrem, a skin product from Ireland that we would pick up when visiting my in-laws. It helps with everything from diaper rash to eczema. Developed in Ireland, it has been around for more than 80 years. To learn more about the product, click here.
Motherhood, and the resulting discovery of our favorite skincare regimen, started about 12 years ago. I can’t get over how much information we have now, compared to back then. Any internet search can give you lots of information about dry skin, best moisturizers, and overall healthier skin care. Self-care with your skin should not be considered an indulgent luxury. It is a necessity that prevents cancer, permanent scarring, and other forms of skin damage.
For a more detailed list on maintaining healthy skin during the winter, click here.
Community Voices for Health 