Cold weather can be especially harsh on your skin. During the fall and winter seasons, the combination of cold temperatures and low humidity pulls moisture from your skin. It is this loss of moisture that causes our skin to become dry, red, and scaly. But not to worry - here are 6 simple cold weather tips to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.

1. Turning up the heat? Turn on the humidifier! Air inside your home becomes very dry in winter, especially if your windows are closed and the heat is on. A humidifier will replace moisture in the air. Keep indoor air moisture levels at 40 to 50 percent.

2. Switch your moisturizer from lotions to thicker creams or ointments and use them often. Moisturizers protect your skin from the elements. Think of moisturizers as a daily barrier between your skin and the air. Even if you have oily skin, you still may need a moisturizer in the winter.

3. Use mild soaps, and avoid deodorant, fragranced, antibacterial or abrasive soaps, as these are more drying for your skin. Instead look for a milky textured cleanser like kaplanMD Cleansing Lotion, which features a gentle amino acid based surfactant obtained from apples along with soothing, anti-inflammatory actives like Soy, Panthenol and Chamomile.

4. Remember to use sun protection. Even though it is cold and overcast, your skin is still vulnerable to damage from the sun’s UV rays. Apply a moisturizing broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 on any part of your skin that is exposed to the elements. This will not only protect your skin from chafing and drying, but also protect against the winter sun, which can still cause sun damage and burns. Remember, even on overcast days, 80% of UV rays still filter thru. Use a moisturizer plus SPF daily, such as the kaplanMD Day Cream SPF 15, which is an ultra hydrating, lightweight moisturizer, anti-wrinkle cream and sun protectant- All in One. Also look for sunscreens with physical, rather than chemical sunscreens, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Physical sunscreens are more effective, and less irritating to skin.

5. Remember to use a lip balm that also has at least SPF 15. This will protect against chapped lips, as well as sun damage, which the thin skin on the lips is extra vulnerable to. The lips are often the first place to exhibit signs of aging, so they must not be neglected! For excellent protection that features the added skincare benefits of 10 active ingredients plus a touch of color and shine, try kaplanMD Lip 20 Treatment or kaplanMD Lip 20 Treatment Gloss, both with a sun protection factor of 20.

6. Review your skin care regimen. If you are using products with tretinoin, such as Retin-A or Renova, or are using alpha-hydroxy acids or glycolic acids, you may want to use these less frequently, as they may cause your skin to exfoliate and become more sensitive and dry. Avoid microdermabrasion and abrasive skin treatments, as these exfoliate the top layer of the skin, and leave the new layer of skin unprotected to the harsh elements. If you do use an exfoliant, remember to always apply a moisturizer immediately after rinsing your face to help seal in moisture and prevent skin from chafing.

A new study reported that people who fail to brush their teeth at least twice a day are at increased risk of developing heart disease. Inflammation in the body, including in the mouth and gums, plays an important role in developing clogged arteries, which can lead to heart attacks. Researchers suggest that this may be why they found that those with poor oral hygiene had a 70 percent higher risk of heart disease than those who brushed at least twice a day.

This week, the Environment Working Group (EWG) released their annual report, and found that only 39 of 500 sunscreen products examined were considered safe and effective to use. The report cites several problems with sunscreens, namely:

1. High SPF sunscreen products are often meaningless and dangerous.
2. The chemical sunscreen, Oxybenzone, can penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone systems.
3. Vitamin A (retinol) and retinyl palmitate in sunscreen products may accelerate skin cancer

Higher SPFs Do Not Necessarily Mean Better Protection

This is a statement I have been explaining to patients for the past 25 years. However, it seems every summer, I see higher and higher SPF products on drugstore shelves, and I constantly have to educate patients that higher SPF numbers, such as SPF 45, 80 and 100, are often meaningless and dangerous because it gives people a false sense of security, or a license to stay out longer in the sun.

The new EWG report states, “People don’t get the high SPF they pay for. We apply about a quarter of the recommended amount. So in everyday practice, a product labeled SPF 100 really performs like SPF 3.2, an SPF 30 rating equates to a 2.3 and an SPF 15 translates to 2.”

In 2007, the FDA published proposed regulations that would prohibit manufacturers from labeling sunscreens with high SPFs because it would be “inherently misleading,” given that “there is no assurance that the specific values themselves are in fact truthful.”

In the end, stick with the basics: At least 30 minutes before going outdoors, apply sunscreen. The correct amount to use is approximately 1 oz (a shot glass full) of sunscreen for your face, neck, chest and arms. Apply more sunscreen for if other parts of your body are exposed, such as your back, legs and stomach. Also wear a wide brim hat and sunglasses that cover your entire orbital region. Remember to reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours.

Oxybenzone Can Disrupt Body’s Hormone Systems

There are two groups of sunscreens: Chemical and Physical. Ingredients such as Oxybenzone and Avobenzone are chemical sunscreens, while Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide are physical sunscreens.

Researchers have found that Oxybenzone (from the Benzophenone group of chemical sunscreens) can penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone systems.  Physical sunscreens have proven to be more effective in blocking UVA and UVB rays, namely because they are actually physical particles that sit on the surface of your skin and deflect light away.  However, there is new cosmetic trend which tries to incorporate nanotechnology in skincare formulas.  A growing number of researchers believe that in particular, “nanosized” titanium dioxide may have serious health implications.

Vitamin A In Sunscreen Formulations Can Accelerate Skin Cancer Tumors

There are numerous sunscreen products that include Vitamin A, otherwise known as Retinol or Retinyl Palmitate, in their products for anti-aging benefits. However, EWG researchers found the initial findings of an FDA study of vitamin A’s photocarcinogenic properties, meaning the possibility that it results in cancerous tumors when used on skin exposed to sunlight.

“In that yearlong study, tumors and lesions developed up to 21 percent faster in lab animals coated in a vitamin A-laced cream than animals treated with a vitamin-free cream,” the report said.

The conclusion came from EWG’s analysis of initial findings released last fall by the FDA and the National Toxicology Program, the federal government’s principle evaluator of substances that raise public health concerns.

There is currently controversy on why the FDA did not caution consumers against the use of Vitamin A in sunscreens when it appears there was enough evidence 10 years ago.