How do I protect my face from windburn?

How do I protect my skin from cold wind?

1. 1Wash with warm rather than hot water and use gentle, fragrance free skincare.
2. 2Apply a cream or ointment immediately after washing to trap existing moisture. These are more effective and less irritating for dry skin than lotions.
3. 3Before going outside, apply extra moisturizer or choose a greasier emollient, a moisturizer that softens skin and helps retain water.
4. 4Cover your face with a scarf or face mask in bitter cold, and wear a wool or fleece hat to protect your ears and head. Keep as little skin exposed as possible.

Covering your face limits exposure to the elements, rather than asking a jar to do the job of clothing.2

Can moisturizer prevent windburn?

Moisturizer helps prevent dryness by keeping water in the skin, but it is not a tiny indoor climate for your face. Use it alongside protection from the cold. Apply emollients daily, with more frequent applications when skin is drier. A cream can suit daytime use; a greasier ointment can suit nighttime use. Skin can feel softer and less rough as soon as you begin using enough emollient regularly.3

What does windburn look like?

Cold weather can leave skin dry, itchy, irritated, rough or cracked. Redness and burning after cold exposure should not automatically be dismissed as windburn: early frostbite can cause redness, stinging, burning, throbbing or prickling followed by numbness. Head indoors immediately if these symptoms occur. Frostbite means skin, and sometimes deeper tissue, has frozen.12

How do I soothe windburn on my face?

For cold weather dryness, continue gentle washing and moisturizing. Cut back on alpha hydroxy acid and beta hydroxy acid products, which can irritate skin in winter even with moisturizer. If skin is raw, choose soft fabrics such as cotton or silk and fragrance free laundry detergent. A filtered, cool mist bedroom humidifier can help treat and prevent dryness.2

If moisturizer repeatedly stings or causes a rash, ask a healthcare professional for an alternative. For prescribed skin creams, leave 20 to 30 minutes between them and emollients, following the prescribed order. See a dermatologist if home care is not improving the dryness. For suspected frostbite, never rub the skin; warm it gently with a warm washcloth. Go to an emergency room immediately if sensation does not return or skin turns gray.123