Protect your skin because your skin protects you

Our ski slopes are teeming with skiers, snowboarders and other winter sports enthusiasts. We hear a wide variety of languages, see a wide variety of group compositions and winter friends in all age groups. But they all have one thing in common – everyone makes sure that they and their loved ones are doing well.

In addition to classic ski clothing, there are special protective clothing, helmets and back protectors on the market, for example.

In addition to taking care of the different parts of the body, we must not forget about our skin, because it also has a particularly important protective function for us. It is the largest organ in our body, protects our interior by separating it from the outside and, last but not least, is very sensitive. In winter in particular, people tend to forget about their appropriate protection, although the weather conditions, as in the other seasons, bring with them extremes. Especially at the start of the winter season it is often freezing cold. Towards the end we often enjoy the bright sun at higher altitudes. Both situations are a challenge for our skin and that is why we should take good care of them, especially when it comes to our children.

Dr. Christian Seer, dermatologist in Altenmarkt im Pongau, says: "The skin is particularly stressed when skiing in winter. The cold, dry air and strong sunlight can cause skin irritation. In order to protect it from these influences, it is important to apply lotion to the skin regularly and to shield it from the sun. Sunglasses and a ski mask can protect the skin of the eyes and face from harmful UV rays. It is also advisable to use warming and moisturizing care products to strengthen and soothe the skin barrier."

Cold, wind and weather

When the temperature drops, the skin stops producing sebum. This causes it to dry out faster. Rough skin, rashes and eczema can be the result. For this reason, we should protect our skin, and especially our children's skin, well in winter.

Fatty creams are particularly suitable for this, for example with beeswax. These form a protective film on the skin, which imitates the natural skin protection, the sebum. Creams with a high water content should be avoided when staying outdoors for long periods of time in cold temperatures. In addition to the cold temperatures, the dry, heated air indoors is also a challenge for our skin. In the evening we can counteract this with moisturizing products.

Sun

The winter in Salzburg is long, which means that you can still enjoy great white slopes at the beginning of spring, especially in the higher areas. But not only when it is obviously getting warmer does the sun cause problems for our skin. The UV rays are present all year round and are also present when you cannot see the sun. In addition, we often underestimate that the white snow reflects harmful UV rays onto our skin.

You should also take into account that the strength of the radiation intensifies with increasing sea level in the mountains. That is why creams with a sun protection factor should also be part of the care routine in winter. You can either use wind and weather creams with an integrated sun protection factor, or simply apply sun protection before protecting against the cold. Again, care should be taken to ensure that the sunscreen has the lowest possible moisture content and that it has absorbed before the cold protection is spread over it.

Those who take care of their skin in this way get more out of their day on the slopes, also in the medium and long term. Protect your skin because your skin protects you.