Protecting your skin from winter weather

Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the impact winter weather can have on our skin.

“Low temperatures, low humidity and strong, harsh winds can deplete skin of its natural lipid layer, which keeps it from drying out. Skin can also lose moisture from the dry air from furnaces and other heating sources,” said Dr. Sophie Hofstader, a dermatologist at The Scarborough Hospital.

Dr. Hofstader offers the following advice to avoid cracked, peeling skin and lips:

• Use lukewarm water for showering and washing your hands. Hot water can rob your skin of moisture.
• Ensure you moisturize your skin after showering or hand washing.
• Apply moisturizer before putting on gloves when you go outside in winter.
• Use lip balm regularly, as lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body and tend to dry out more quickly.
• Invest in a humidifier to keep the air moist in your home.
• Get enough omega-3 fatty acids by eating fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod, tuna, sardines and herring. The beneficial oils work at the cell level for skin.
• Be sure to wear a sunblock with an SPF of at least 30 if you’re going to be outside in the snow for more than 30 minutes, and re-apply it every two hours.

“As unusual as it may sound, the goal is not so much to add moisture to the skin, but to keep moisture in,” explains Dr. Hofstader.

Seven tips for treating bedbug bites

The cautionary bedtime rhyme may be more easily said than done: Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.

Toronto Public Health has had an increase in calls about bedbugs in the past few years, suggesting the small, nocturnal blood-suckers have increased in numbers. And recent media attention has put bedbugs in the headlines.

“I have seen an increase in the number of patients with bedbug bites,” says Dr. Sophie Hofstader, a dermatologist who has been with The Scarborough Hospital for over 50 years. “I see at least one or two cases a week.”

Not everyone reacts to bedbug bites, says Dr. Hofstader, and reactions can look different from person to person.

What should you do if you are battling a reaction to bedbug bites? Dr. Hofstader shares some tips:

1. Get rid of the bedbugs. If you are unsure if they are in your home, use a flashlight at night and shine on your mattress. Bedbugs are difficult to find in daylight. If they are present, you will likely see them trying to escape the sudden light.
2. Try to avoid scratching the bites.
3. Apply ice to the bites.
4. Take antihistamines to reduce the desire to scratch.
5. Apply an over-the-counter anti-itch lotion.
6. If you have bites, stay covered up when sleeping to avoid getting more. Clothing with elastic around the waist, ankles and wrists will help keep them off your skin.
7. For more information about bedbugs, what they look like and how to rid your home of them, visit the Toronto Public Health website. Fact sheets are available in many different languages.