As the seasons tick over into fall, the cooler weather may be refreshing to work and play in, but it can be brutal on your skin. With colder weather comes dry air, and dry air, well, dries out the skin! This can be especially challenging if you have a recent wound that looks like it may scar. How can you keep the area moisturized so it heals correctly? Let’s look at how weather changes affect skin health and scar treatment.
Wounds and Cold Weather
Lower temperatures can make your skin dry out and crack. Plus, we’re coming up on cold and flu season, where the viruses and bacteria that cause colds and flus are starting to proliferate. Your immune system will work overtime to attack and fight off the germs — great for the illness but not great for open cuts or other wounds. Why? This process can lead to infection. Here are some more fun facts:
- Colder temperatures = slower blood flow, which is necessary for the wound healing process.
- When circulation isn’t optimal, oxygenation of the wound site is not possible.
- This means you can’t guard against harmful bacteria.
- In addition, poor circulation doesn’t allow your tissue to regenerate as easily.
- You may think: well, I’ll just stay indoors and stay out of the cold…well, when you stay inside all the time, you’re less active, which also impedes healing because of the reduction in blood flow.
Here’s what you can do:
Get Outside
Proper blood circulation and wound healing need physical activity, so head outdoors whenever you can. However, keep the affected area covered, ideally with a loose dressing so circulation doesn’t get cut off. The bandage is too tight if you feel numb. This isn’t good for the wound either. Choose low-impact activities such as walking, swimming and doing yoga.
Wash Hands Often
It’s possible that your body could redirect the efforts of your immune system well away from your wound, so take all proper precautions against getting the flu, cold or other illness. You can do this by:
- Getting a flu shot.
- Washing your hands often.
- Avoiding crowded places.
Keep the Area Moist
In addition to keeping the wound properly dressed and using an antibiotic ointment, you should regularly moisturize the area to promote healing. If you fail to do this, the wound will dry out, making it nearly impossible to heal right. Use your favorite moisturizer along with silicone scar gel products like Scarfade every day. Regular application will cut down on the resulting appearance of any scars from wounds such as scrapes, cuts and burns.
Check out some FAQs about Scarfade that will enlighten you. Now go out there and enjoy the fall weather!