A Long Dry Winter Welcomes the Summer Sun
I have to admit that this past winter was especially challenging for me having spent the last 17 years in sunny Los Angeles. So you imagine my glee with the change of weather moving closer to Spring like temperatures. Braving the frigid February temperatures was just the half of my discomfort. While the sub temperatures were not a welcomed joy the most irritating thing about the winter ordeal was the dry attack upon my skin. The dryness both inside and out had me along with so many others itching like crazy. While dryness of the air is not tracked day-to-day, meteorologist have reported that the sub zero temperatures of the coldest Chicago February on record contributed to the dryness as a result of the lack of moisture in the air and though it is not life threatening, those in the business of humidity admit that dry air as I experienced it can certainly be irritating.
The meteorological explanation regarding dry air is that moisture in the air makes us feel more comfortable and at ease in our own skin. The colder the temperatures the less moisture the air is able to hold. So when the artic air blew through Chicago, nothing melted and the air does not hold much water. This is because artic air is very much like the air of the desert.
Very dry air makes our bodies feel colder because of evaporating cooling. When air outside or the air indoors is particularly dry, moisture from the skin evaporates into the air rapidly causing a cooling sensation much like when you first step out of the shower. We qiuickly reach for the towel and welcome it warm against our skin to dry off. Of course if you use a humidifier in your residence the experience is more bearable.
I found all of that tolerable. What I thought was going to drive me senseless was the reaction my skin was having to all this. The dry air decreases the skin barrier breaking down essential components and thus creates dehydration of the skin.
The itching was at times unbearable. I just couldn’t figure it out. I drank lots of water, moisturized my body and yet my breasts and the shins of my legs drove me to scratch like crazy. One day I actually drew blood from the scatching. So I turned to my friends who were quick to explain, “It’s the weather.” That’s when I chose to do some research.
And to my surprise I discovered that the reports of itchy skin, particularly on the hands and scalp had increased from the seasons before. So diseases like eczema and psoriasis that cause inflammation of the skin reached epidemic proportions. All this can cause difficulty in sleeping and possibly infection from scratching. I knew that to be true because I had come close to causing an infection from all my uncontrollable scratching.
Also to my surprise, I had to avoid the steaming hot showers that I love and choose luke warm water instead, shun the anti-bacterial, and unscented soaps. This was hard because I love triple milled fragrantly scented soaps. But doing as instructed I immediately felt relief. The showers were followed immediately by applying a deep skin moisturizer, covering up as much of my skin and drinking at least 32 ounces of water before going out.
I am grateful that the weather has shifted and the moisture in the air has returned. Gone is the itch of a long dry winter. Thank God for the warmth of Spring is upon us as we look forward to the summer sun to shine on us and warm our skin.
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