With the frigid temperatures of the moment, but also when preparing to go down the slopes to winter sports, it is important to adapt its skin care to protect it from the cold. We asked Dr Elisabeth Berrissoul, an EPIDERM dermatologist, for advice on preserving our precious skin barrier and making it comfortable in the coldest of times.

Great cold: prepare your skin before falling temperatures

"Before entering the coldest periods, good practices should be adopted to strengthen her immune defenses and prepare her skin for cold, temperature variations and lack of light," explains Elisabeth Berrissoul.

A balanced, healthy diet with more vitamin A (found in butter, eggs, liver, meat, fish, red and yellow fruits and vegetables), omega-3 and omega -6 (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds ...). It is also essential to get enough sleep, to limit alcohol and tobacco, to drink at least 1 liter of water per day and to increase physical activity.

What specific treatments to protect your skin from the cold?

To properly take care of your skin during cold weather, you can identify your skin type (oily, dry or mixed). Then, you can adapt your moisturizing and nourishing treatments. "In winter, it is necessary to rely on a texture richer and more moisturizing than usual, advises Elisabeth Berrissoul.

"The scrubs must be gentle and rarer: no more than once a week if the skin is oily and every 15 days if the skin is normal to dry," says the dermatologist. Of course, we do not ignore make-up every night, then we finish with a spray of thermal water, while drying his skin well, without rubbing.

"At night, you can apply a very moisturizing cream or enrich its care with a few drops of a moisturizing serum," to boost its effects.

Sun care, essential for winter sports

In winter sports, the sun is particularly aggressive, as it is reflected in the bright white of the snow. It is therefore essential to adopt effective sun protection. "In the morning, you apply your moisturizing cream, then a sunscreen to the SPF 50 index, to be renewed every two hours," advises Dr. Berrissoul, while advocating creams with fluid gels.

The lips are also to be protected during a very cold weather: a moisturizing stick with an SPF 50 UV filter is provided. It is also necessary to repeat the application very regularly and avoid to pass his tongue on his lips. This bad reflex drives them more dry. As for the hands, it is avoided to wash them under too hot water and they are coated with specific moisturizing cream at least once a day, at bedtime for example.

Bonus: a sunscreen repair cream

"If, despite all these precautions, you are sunburned on your face, the best solution is not to expose yourself on the following days, and to apply a repairing and healing cream several times a day" blows Elisabeth Berrissoul. Of course, if blisters appear, it is urgent to consult a specialist!