During the time of winter your hair and skin are going to take a great deal of punishment. They will need to put up with icy winds and even sub zero temperatures, and all this can cause your hair and skin to become very dry and dull looking.

Winter can really bring on skin that is dry and flaky as well as sore and this is normally referred to as Winters Itch. It simply causes a red itchy rash and very dry skin on the face.

One of the reasons why Winters Itch does develop is because of the hearing. With very cold temperatures on the outside, then as soon as we step inside the heating is turned on full. It is this rapid and extreme change in temperatures that causes the skin to become dry.

So in order to stop this from happening you should begin by turning down the heating and even consider buying a humidifier as those will keep some moisture in the air.

Also there are chemical ingredients that are used in detergents and as the weather becomes more and more cold we tend to cover ourselves up more. As the clothing rubs against the skin, there is some friction and it is this rubbing that can lead to winters itch.

Be careful if taking hot showers during the winter months as this simply strips away from the skin any essential oils that the skin needs in order to stay moisturised. You should also use warm water and maybe even consider washing your hair with cold water. This should help to prevent dandruff and itching developing on the scalp.

Winters Itch can happen to anyone at any age, and is not confined to those that may be working outside during the winter months. You could also be indoors and have the heating turned on full blast and still develop the condition.

If you do get winters itch then there are some things that you can do to help it. Some of these steps include:

Moisturise the skin very well –every opportunity that you can take you should moisturise and this even means after taking a bath or a shower. You need to help the body to retain moisture. It is easy to lose moisture when you are bathing so applying a body lotion afterwards is always a great idea.

Be careful when drying the skin – you should only pat dry your skin with a soft towel and never rub the skin too hard. You should never aim to dry the skin but to leave it damp and then apply a body lotion in order to keep some of that moisture locked into the skin.

Stay away from harsh products at all times – you may think that your shower gel is gentle to your skin but the opposite is the case. Many products do contain harsh ingredients and are not added to help with cleaning of the skin, but are there to add a fragrance or to help preserve the products for a very long time. Be aware of the ingredients that you are applying to your skin and opt for products that are organic based.