Category Archives: News

People in Minnesota know how bitterly cold and bitterly dry the air gets during the winter. It’s simple physics. Colder air is unable to hold as much moisture as warm air. This dry air can really do a number on our skin, regardless of type. Skin care is indispensable.

People who already struggle with dry skin can see chapped lips, cracked skin, and even nosebleeds. Eczema outbreaks are common. Conversely, people who struggle with oily skin can see their sebaceous glands become turbo charged by the dry air and create an outbreak of winter acne. Even people with normal, healthy-looking skin can struggle to stay ahead of the game with their skin care routine. As local CBS news affiliate WCCO says, “It’s that time of year when our best friend may as well be a full tub of moisturizing cream.”

We’re not going to disagree. Skin care products are important year-round, but a daily moisturizer is often essential during the winter.

Home Humidifiers can Help

Pumping some extra humidity into the home is no replacement for skin moisturizers, but it can provide that little extra benefit which lets skin care products really do their thing. Your skin may never be as comfortable as it is during the summer, but with a modest investment in multiple single-room humidifiers or whole-house humidifier systems, you can get through the season relatively unscathed.

Especially if you don’t have modern replacement windows, trouble with condensation in the home isn’t uncommon when using humidifiers. This story in the Star Tribune demonstrates the problem with getting the humidity level just right. Really high humidity can even allow mold and other microbes to infiltrate your home. One of the things you can do to minimize this risk is to use a vaporizer that produces steam to humidifier your home.

From the State of Minnesota Guidelines for Managing Indoor Air Quality, “When humidification is needed, it must be added in a manner that prevents the growth of microbiologicals within the ductwork and air handlers….Steam humidifiers should utilize clean steam, rather than boiler water, so that occupants are not exposed to chemicals.”

Safe, Comfortable, Healthy Humidity Levels

During the summer, an ideal relative humidity level might be as high 40-50%. In the coldest part of winter, this type of humidity level would cause serious problems. Again, colder air will naturally have lower humidity levels. This is unlikely with single-room humidifiers or properly calibrated whole-house humidifiers. So, what is the best humidity level for your home? Well, when the temperature reaches single digits, the indoor humidity level shouldn’t exceed 30 percent. When the temperature plunges lower than 10-below zero, the indoor humidity level should be as low as 20 percent. View this chart from Green Building Advisor for more complete information.

If you are worried about going too far humidifying your home, this resource guide from the University of Minnesota Extension explains the risks and signs associated with having too much moisture in your home.

Good for the Skin, Good for the Environment

If you’re willing to go for a bigger home improvement project, a new home heating system can be better for your skin and the environment. Gas furnaces produce more heat than electric ones, but along with forced-air ductwork, this is a recipe for super-dry air. A radiant heating system uses heating elements in the floor or along the baseboard and are generally more energy-efficient and comfortable at the same time.

Get Skin Care Advice Year-Round from Zel Skin and Laser Specialists

There’s no bad season to start taking your skin care seriously. We can provide personalized advice for your skin type, dermatological conditions, and skin care goals. We’ll help you figure out how to get through the winter and how to best take care of your skin year-round. Whether it’s help with an annoying skin condition, cosmetic skin treatments, or an early skin cancer screening, don’t wait any longer to schedule an appointment with our Minneapolis, Edina, or Plymouth skin care clinic location.

Whether you want a scar removed or a luxurious facial, springtime is a wonderful time for skin care. Seasonal change is an opportunity to hit the “reset” button, especially as we leave our Minnesota hibernation chambers. But if you want to plan a skin care treatment for the transition from winter to spring, you’ll want to set up your consultation soon, possibly even before the holidays are over. By holding yourself accountable and putting a date in your planner, you can get the procedure you want without feeling rushed through the planning process. Getting a jumpstart on your skin care New Year’s resolutions is as easy as making a phone call. A skin care consultation during the holidays can help you start 2020 off on the right foot.

Early Springtime Skin Care

Late winter and early spring provide an excellent opportunity for intensive skin care procedures. Exfoliating treatments, like chemical peels and microdermabrasion, are very popular in the early spring. Both physical and chemical exfoliators can help bring out the skin’s brightness, literally shedding dull, dry winter skin in the process. If you’re interested in this type of treatment, however, you don’t need to wait for winter to end. By removing old layers of skin, topical treatments, like intense winter moisturizers, are more easily absorbed into the skin, making this a wonderful time to schedule this type of treatment.

Late winter and early spring also bring short days and long, dark nights. As a result, this is a fantastic time to get more invasive skin care treatments, like laser treatments, cyst removal, and acne treatments. Typically, these treatments require patients to stay out of the sun, as the skin will be extra sensitive to light and UV radiation. This time of year is naturally dark, which can help patients stay out of the sun, expediting the healing process and reducing the risk of complications.

Navigating the Holiday Crunch

If you’re interested in a spring skin care treatment, it is better to schedule a consultation as early as possible – even before the holidays are over. December is chock-full of fun activities. Most spend time with family and celebrate the season, but the aftermath is often difficult to navigate. Between cleaning, putting away decorations, and the general post-holiday slump, you may not be as motivated to schedule the consultation. Then, many treat January as a catch-up month, rushing through missed work projects and trying to undo holiday laziness. In most cases, skin care falls by the wayside.

It can be helpful to start the consultation process before the holidays are over. While you might think planning too far in advance is unnecessary, it is helpful for both patient and doctor. Many procedures take more than a few days of planning and preparation. If you plan your consultation too close to when you want the procedure, you might not have enough time to prepare. By starting early, you ensure the ability to think through the procedure, prepare accordingly, and choose a date you want. Scheduling your consultation before or during the holidays guarantees that you will be more than ready to have your procedure in the aftermath.

Planning Your Consultation

Most of our patients like to start the new season with a fresh face. Early spring can be a busy time, especially for treatments that require more than one visit. Luckily, planning your consultation is easy. You can send us a message or schedule a virtual appointment any time. We’ll make it easy to get the skin care treatment you need.