Winter skin care

Keep your sun sense
While you're thinking about lotions, don't retire your sunblock just yet. Miller cautions that there is still a risk of sunburn when you're outdoors for prolonged periods. The sun is lower in the sky, and the risk is not nearly as serious as in summer, but it's still there. The sun reflects off the surface of the snow, so whether you're skiing, sledding, ice fishing or just shovelling, put on some sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. Unlike summer, if you're not spending a lot of time outdoors, you can probably skip the sunscreen. Use common sense, Miller says. And don't forget your lips. The winter sun can still chap and dry out your lips, so wear an SPF 15 balm as well.

Chilled with chilblains
Another, less common, winter skin condition is chilblains. Chilblains is an inflammation of the hands and feet caused by cold and wet conditions. Basically, if you are walking around barefoot on cool winter floors on a regular basis, you could get chilblains or sore, red and painful feet. Miller says he sees two or three cases of chilblains every winter and it's easily preventable. Just be sure to wear warm, dry socks, in addition to slippers, when walking on cold floors.

If you're prepared, you can avoid a lot of the discomfort and suffering that comes with various winter-related skin issues. Just be sure to stay aware. See a doctor for any skin reactions that appear out of the ordinary or excessive to you. Apply moisturizers, use sunscreen wisely, and for goodness sake, don't hang around in wet socks.