How does cold weather age the skin?

With autumn in full flow, and the cold and wet weather already here, now is a good time to explore the effect winter weather can have on your skin. During the autumn and winter months, an increasing number of people report that they feel that their skin looks older, and no longer glows. But why is this? And how does cold weather age the skin? Well, here at The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic, we are Preston’s leading aesthetic practitioners. From anti-wrinkle injections to dermal fillers, we provide a range of aesthetic procedures to tackle the signs of ageing, as well as a variety of skin complaints. And this is our guide to how the cold weather can effect the skin, and what you can do about it.

So, how exactly can the cold, wet weather increase the signs of ageing? Well, there are a number of things that can occur during the winter months, including:

• Dry, flaky skin
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Increased visibility of frown lines and wrinkles

Cold weather and dry skin

Long spells of cold weather can withdraw the moisture from your skin, especially on the face. In fact, your skin loses more than 25 percent of its ability to hold moisture in the winter. This is because when the humidity drops outside, the moisture in your skin will evaporate more quickly, reducing the elasticity of your skin, and leaving dry, flaky patches of skin behind. In terms of ageing, youthful skin is often radiant and glowing, but dry, chapped skin has the opposite effect. This makes your skin appear dark, dull and tired.

To tackle the dry skin caused by cold weather, you could consider a dermaplaning treatment. This will involve using a specialist scalpel tool to remove facial hair, just like a razor, as well as layers of dead skin. This will trigger deep exfoliation, replacing the dead skin cells, with new healthy cells, and leaving your skin fresh and glowing.

You could also opt for a chemical peel, which involves applying an acidic substance to the face, and then removing this, to take away areas of dry and flaky skin, and help your skin look younger and more radiant.

Cold weather and dark circles under the eye

One study has found that dark circles under the eyes become significantly darker during the colder months of the year, with 82 percent of women reporting this issue, as opposed to just 38 percent in the summer. This is because during the autumn and winter months, the skin is not exposed to as much vitamin D and vitamin K, and this can make your skin look darker and more dull, increasing the darkness and puffiness of circles under the eyes.

Tear trough dermal filler injections can be a good option for tackling dark circles under the eye, if this is accompanied by a loss of volume, or a hollow area. The dermal filler injections can replace lost volume, and add structure to the skin. This will help reduce the appearance of dark circles because your skin will not be as thin.

Cold weather and frown lines

During the autumn and winter months, walking anywhere becomes difficult. From rain and sleet blowing in your face, to cold, biting winds, the weather can be a real challenge. And this can lead to an increased prominence in frown lines. This is because, mostly subconsciously, as we walk in these conditions we naturally squint or frown to protect our eyes from the elements, more frequently than we do in warmer months. This repeated expression forming, coupled with dry, flaky skin, leads to an increase in lines and wrinkles.

Anti-wrinkle injections can be a great option to tackle frown lines caused by the cold weather. These will allow your facial muscles to rest, so that your skin can then rest and reset too, reducing the appearance of any lines and wrinkles.

For more information or to book a consultation, get in touch with the team today, here at The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic. Proudly treating clients from Preston, Leyland, Blackburn, and Chorley.