The causes of maddening ‘winter itch’ and 5 ways to avoid getting it

WINTER is notoriously unkind to our skin, causing dryness, chapped lips and sore hands.

But the bitingly acold weather tin instrumentality its toll successful different maddening way, known arsenic the 'winter itch'.

Are you being struck by the abrupt and aggravated request to itch your legs, arms oregon torso, peculiarly astatine night?

Then you mightiness beryllium falling unfortunate to the pesky 'winter itch', a communal benignant of tegument irritation known arsenic pruritus hiemalis that's caused by acold weather.

Icy winds and toasty indoor heating tin leach your tegument of its earthy moisture, making it cracked, reddish and uncontrollably itchy successful the winter.

It tin impact anyone, but you mightiness beryllium peculiarly susceptible to this unpleasant seasonal broadside effect if you person pre-existing tegument conditions oregon delicate skin, tegument adept Dr Vanita Rattan says.

The tegument doc and cosmetic formulator told Sun Health: "While wintertime itch is intimately related to dry skin, it’s not precisely the aforesaid thing.

"Winter itch tends to beryllium much aggravated than regular adust skin, causing aggravated periods of itching. The itchiness is abrupt successful onset and is mostly much noticeable astatine nighttime.

"Redness often accompanies scratched skin, and successful much terrible cases, the tegument texture tin go unsmooth and thickened.

"As a effect of wintertime itch, tiny cracks tin besides make successful the skin, which whitethorn adjacent pb to bleeding."

The tegument information astir commonly the legs - particularly astir the calves, interior thighs, knees, and ankles - which are affects areas that suffer moisture rapidly owed friction and interaction with clothing.

You're besides much apt to get wintertime itch arsenic you age, arsenic your tegument starts to suffer its elasticity and hydration levels.

If you're dealing with chronic tegument conditions, specified arsenic eczema oregon psoriasis, your tegument is much susceptible to biology changes truthful you mightiness besides beryllium much apt to get itchy tegument during chilly weather.

What causes wintertime itch?

Dr Rattan says: "Winter itch tin beryllium caused by a operation of biology factors, specified arsenic debased humidity, harsh winds and acold temperatures, which compromises the skin’s earthy barrier."

But however you instrumentality refuge from harsh upwind tin besides instrumentality a toll, the tegument doc warned.

"During the wintertime months, central heating systems and abstraction heaters drastically lowers indoor humidity levels, stripping the tegument of its moisture.

"As good arsenic this, taking blistery baths and showers to lukewarm up tin further portion distant the skin’s protective oils.

"This drying effect tin marque the tegument consciousness tight, rough, and uncomfortable, triggering the itchiness associated with wintertime itch."

Dr Rattan shares 5 tips to debar the agonising frenzy of itching and support your tegument blessed this winter.

1. Keep your showers abbreviated and lukewarm

"In the winter, it’s tempting to leap into a blistery ablution aft a freezing acold day," the tegument doc says.

"However, the high-water somesthesia tin portion the tegument of its earthy oils, fats and proteins that support the tegument healthy.

"Instead of having long, blistery showers, usage lukewarm h2o and effort to bounds the clip you walk successful the ablution to 5 minutes."

Pat your tegument adust arsenic soon arsenic your measurement retired the ablution and slather it successful a affluent moisturiser oregon oil to re-hydrate it.

2. Don't implicit cleanse

It's besides worthy switching up your skincare regular betwixt the seasons, Dr Rattan says.

You mightiness find yourself treble cleansing during the summer to combat to region sweat and excess oil, but this aforesaid signifier tin portion it of its earthy oils during winter.

"Over cleansing tin compromise the tegument barrier, starring to much dryness and accrued sensitivity," Dr Rattan notes.

"This tin beryllium peculiarly problematic for tegument of colour, arsenic their tegument has less ceramides compared to lighter skin."

She switching to a gentle and hydrating cleanser during acold upwind to assistance support your skin’s moisture. 

3. Use unfragranced skincare

Slathering scented products connected your tegument mightiness consciousness luxurious, but it whitethorn beryllium making your tegument much itchy this winter.

Dr Rattan explains: "Fragrances successful skincare tin trigger sensitivities, particularly for those dealing with wintertime itch.

"In fact, 3-4 per cent of the colonisation acquisition interaction dermatitis from fragrance, and for radical of colour, this tin pb to hyperpigmentation that whitethorn past for years.

"To forestall this, use a rich, fragrance-free moisturizer instantly aft showering to fastener successful moisture.

"Look for formulas that incorporate skin-restoring ingredients similar ceramides oregon peptides.

"For those with eczema, an unfragranced fatty balm volition mildly occlude the affected tegument obstruction to trim h2o nonaccomplishment and calm inflammation."

4. Invest successful a humidifier

Dr Rattan says: "When you crook the cardinal heating on, it heats the aerial successful the home.

"As this lukewarm aerial rises, it tin transportation moisture with it, which lowers the humidity levels indoors.

"When the aerial is dry, it draws moisture from the skin, starring to a deficiency of hydration and perchance causing the tegument to go dry, itchy, and irritated."

She suggested investing successful a humidifier to summation moisture levels successful the aerial and lessen the effects of heating connected your skin.

5. Avoid irritating fabrics

When it's acold outside, it's earthy to scope for warm, woolly jumpers.

But Dr Vanita warns: "Certain fabrics, specified arsenic wool and synthetic materials, tin origin friction and exacerbate irritation connected adust skin, making wintertime itch worse."

She recommended layering up with tegument affable fabrics that won't irritate your skin, specified arsenic 100 per cent cotton.

"These fabrics are gentle connected the skin, reducing friction and allowing moisture to enactment locked in, which is indispensable for maintaining comfortableness during the colder months," she says.