Lotions to help soothe skin during winter

The winter season brings delicious hot cocoa, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, snow and, unfortunately, dry, itchy skin. You’ve likely noticed that your skin dries out and gets itchy whenever the temperature drops towards the end of the year. If you only experience itching in the fall and winter, you might have a condition known as the winter itch.

Here’s a look at the winter itch and musthave lotions to moisturize your skin in the colder months:

The reasons why you are so itchy in the winter

Winter itch, or pruritis hiemalis, is a form of dermatitis that can affect you during colder weather. Winter itch can occur on any body part except the hands, face, feet and scalp. People tend to experience winter itch on their legs primarily. The condition isn’t noticeable — the skin appears healthy but is moderately dry.

Winter itch primarily affects older adults, but anyone can develop this condition. However, this skin irritation is uncommon in children and adolescents and affects men and women equally.

How do you get rid of winter itch?

It’s best to seek medical care so your health care provider can give you an official diagnosis of pruritis hiemalis. Winter itch can resemble other skin conditions, so it’s crucial to have a diagnosis to get proper treatment.

Many over-the-counter medications and home remedies are available to help you deal with itchy skin in winter.

Below are some tips for relieving dry, itchy skin, according to Mayo Clinic:

Moisturize often: Apply a moisturizer to your skin several times a day and whenever your skin feels dry. The best times to moisturize are after washing your hands or bathing.

Choose moisturizers that won’t cause irritation: Opt for fragrance-free, hypoallergenic moisturizers that won’t irritate your skin. Choose the best lotion for itchy skin in winter that contains healing ingredients, such as shea butter, cocoa butter, urea, ceramides, fatty acids and glycerol.

Keep showers and baths short: The longer you spend in hot water, the less natural oil you’ll have in your skin. Limit showers and baths to under 10 minutes.

Use fragrance-free, hypoallergenic soap: Ensure your hand soap doesn’t contain fragrances or allergens. After washing your hands, apply a moisturizer while your hands are still damp.

Choose non-irritating fabrics: Certain fabrics, such as wool, can irritate your skin, causing winter itch. Cotton is a better choice, as it lets your skin breathe.

Relieve itching: Apply a damp cloth to your skin, or use an anti-itch cream or ointment with hydrocortisone to alleviate itching.