Cold-Weather Skin Solutions

Now that winter is in full swing, hot showers, dry weather, and whipping winds are wreaking havoc on skin. To complicate matters, skin naturally produces less oil during the winter, when even normally supple skin can become cracked and irritated.

"The vast majority of people do need to change their skin care regimen during the winter months," a Manhattan-based dermatologist, Marsha Gordon, said.

The basics of a skin care routine — cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing — remain the same in the winter; but other changes may be necessary. First, skip the hot shower, which strips away the skin's oils, Dr. Gordon, who is a consultant for the skin care brand St. Ives, said. "I'm mindful of the fact that it's almost impossible to get people to do that, because they're cold!" she said, but noted that a brief, lukewarm shower is better for your skin.

While in the shower, use a small amount of a moisturizing body wash in place of soap, the Manhattan dermatologist who founded the MD Skincare line, Dennis Gross, advised. Once out of the shower, "close the door, trap the steam in the bathroom, towel dry, and immediately put on a moisturizer," Dr. Gross said. "That's a good way to improve skin's overall hydration."

Thick, rich moisturizers, such as creams and body butters — applied twice a day — are also a good bet, dermatologists said. "Look for products with moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and petrolatum," a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine, Elizabeth Hale, said. "Although you may find these ingredients too heavy for your skin year-round, in the winter you need topical products that seal in moisture and prevent flaky, itchy skin."

For the face, the doctors advised switching to a gentle, non-soap cleanser, and reducing the use of toners and exfoliants to one or two times a week. Add a heavier moisturizer — Dr. Gross suggests switching to a non oil-free formulation — and don't forget the sunscreen.