Winter can cause dry, itchy skin and dull, lifeless hair. But do you know the science behind the symptoms? When the humidity is low, we lose moisture.
"Dry hair is just gonna not lay as smooth, it's not going to have the shine to it," said stylist Salvador Joseph.
Stylists say cut back on daily shampoos.
"Shampoo has sulfates in it and sulfates can tend to be a little drying," said Joseph.
Deep conditioning can help. The trick is leaving it in long enough.
"Take whatever conditioner you are using at home, shampoo, put the conditioner on, get out of the shower, clip it up, let it sit 45 minutes to an hour and then go back and rinse it out," said Joseph.
Keeping your skin healthy is the other battle.
"We stop shedding the skin normally. So instead of shedding the skin in invisible, small clumps, we have larger clumps on the surface of the skin and that's what leads to the appearance of dry flaky skin," said Dr. Christine Brown.
Internal moisture is key.
"Drink plenty of water each day, that's the best way to hydrate your body," said Dr. Brown.
Otherwise your favorite moisturizers and skin creams won't work as well.
"Moisturizers don't actually draw water from the environment into your skin. They trap water in your skin that comes from the inner more viable skin layers, and that water comes from drinking water," said Dr. Brown.
For small cuts, cracks and dry cuticles, here's a surprising remedy.
"Actually super glue works. It eliminates the pain immediately and it also has anti-infective properties," said Dr. Brown.
Doctors say if you don't address your dry skin problems, it can lead to more serious issues. Severe dry skin can lead to inflammation and infection. If symptoms get worse, it's time to see a dermatologist.
Your skin is healthiest when the humidity is 60 percent or higher. With central heating, humidity drops to about 40 per cent
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