Winter Skincare: India is known to experience harsh winters. The cold winter season has made people complain about itchy rashes and instances of undiagnosed reddening. A number of people have involuntarily resorted to suffering from skin irritation whenever there’s a drop in temperature and an increase in pollution. The cold air is depriving the skin of the much-needed moisture, and the polluted air of particles, nitrogen oxides and poisonous aerosols enters the already weakened barrier. A combination of these factors increases the sensitivity and causes inflammatory reactions which were dormant or mild before.
As the number of skin allergies has been rising marks the importance of early detection and immediate treatment to avoid permanent harm. Doctors have observed an increasing number of patients being diagnosed with contact dermatitis, urticaria and eczema attacks during the winter season. In conversation with The Daily Jagran, Dr Shraddha Kulkarni, Consultant - Chest Medicine, Jupiter Hospital, Pune, shares the causes and symptoms of skin allergies that often happen due to increased cold and pollution.
Cause Of Skin Allergies Caused By Winter Pollution
During winter, the skin barrier is extremely weakened because the humidity is lower and therefore pollutants can more easily enter deeper layers. The pollutants are attached to the surface of the skin and form oxidative stress, which interferes with natural lipids and increases the rate of moisture loss. Dr Shraddha Kulkarni states, “The result of this combination is micro-inflammation, which may be seen as dermatitis, exacerbation of eczema, contact allergies, and increased reactivity to even simple irritants.”
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It is also possible that the toxic burden of smog can increase the itching, reddening, and dryness of the skin of people prone to sensitive skin, which will lead to painful fissures in the absence of treatment. Besides, the combination of cold winds with pollution particles delays the natural process of healing the skin, prolonging the symptoms of allergy.
Winter Skincare Allergies (Image Credits: Canva)
Symptoms That Must Not Be Ignored
The continuous redness that fails to dissipate despite moisturisation, the emergence of burning or stinging pains, or the development of rashes with further spreading or further itchiness are all warning signs of a worrying reaction caused by polluted air. Dr Shraddha Kulkarni mentions, “The skin barrier is also subjected to a lot of stress as evidenced by raised bumps, hives and irregular pigmentation changes without any identifiable cause.”
In case these symptoms are accompanied by swelling in the area around the eyes, active cracking in the area around the nose and mouth, or large flakes which start bleeding, urgent dermatological assessment is necessary. These symptoms tend to depict underlying inflammation, which needs specific treatment as opposed to home remedies.
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Winter pollution exposes the skin to extreme oxidative and inflammatory conditions, which heighten the chances of flare-ups of allergic reactions. Early recognition and treatment of symptoms would help to avoid long-term sensitivity, scarring and chronic dermatitis. Increasing the skin barrier and preventing care in the colder months are also important measures towards protecting the health of the skin in general.