I, for one, do not mind a green Christmas. Heck, it is my life-long dream to live in the warmest (not scorching hot) and winter-free cities. If you’ve experienced Montreal winter like I have for more than 20 years, you know what I am talking about.
With a temperature of -30°C and speedy winds enough to send you propelling across the streets, the winter season is a skin’s worst nightmare, especially for people with uncontrolled glycemia. Roughly 30% of people with diabetes are plagued with some sort of skin disease, and I doubt the cold weather helps with any of that.
People with diabetes who suffer from blood sugar rollercoaster and nerve damage are more likely to suffer from dry skin. High levels of blood sugar cause fluid loss and dehydration, and neuropathy cut down the sweating, resulting in dried and cracked skin. Having such a skin is an open portal to bacterial and fungal infections.
To protect your skin against the harsh winter season, here are five best tips you need to try out.
Body, Hands, and Face. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. My face and hands tend to be particularly dry during the winter season due to the harsh winds, freezing weather, and the constant use of hands sanitizer. Go crazy on hand cream (especially between washes) and put on gloves. A cream-based moisturizer works better than lotion, but they have a downside of being sticky. Avoid putting lotion between your toes since the extra moisture can encourage fungus to spur.
Controlled Blood Sugar. Need I say more?
Shower. Taking a hot shower can dry out and irritate the skin. Adjust the water temperature to warm and shorten the time of your shower. Be sure to moisturize afterward!
Humidifier. If your skin is crazy dry, you might want to invest in a humidifier. Keeping your home more humid might just be the answer to solving your dry skin problem.
Lips. If there is one thing that I cannot stand, that is chapped lips. A stupid easy solution to this problem is to slap on Vaseline. Trust me, guys, you’ll be thanking me.
