In the winter season, safeguard yourself against dry and dehydrated skin. Give yourself oil massages, use cream-based products and apply cold cream before sleeping, says an expert.

Madhuri Aggarwal, Dermatologist at Yavana Aesthetic Clinic here, has shared few tips:

• Turn to cream-based products early: If winter is approaching, it's time to turn to skincare products that have cream-based thick moisturizers. So, your light water-based moisturizer will pave way for a heavy and thick cream. 

Switch over to a milder facewash and use a sunscreen that has moisturiser. While removing make-up too, use moisturizing cleansers and toners. 

• Give yourself oil massages: Just when you wake up in the morning, give yourself 15 minutes to apply warm oil all over the body, including on the face and the scalp. Leave it for an hour as you finish your morning chores.

Then take a bath as usual and proceed for the day. This will go a long way in keeping your skin healthy, not just for the winter, but for a long time.

• Exfoliate and steam: As we apply more creams, more oil and more products to stave off the dehydrating winter chill, the skin pores sometimes get blocked. For this purpose, exfoliating skin once or twice every ten days is recommended. 

Use a gentle scrub in circular motions on the skin to remove dead cells and clean up the skin. Once a month, also take recourse to steaming therapy. This will help soften the skin, open pores, and remove white heads and acne. 

• Nourishing skin procedures: Visit a dermatologist just before the onset of winters and seek a good solution for skin dryness. Deep moisturizing hydra facials once a month can be of much help in treating, even preventing excessive dryness. 
• Drink water: The icy cold weather often discourages us from drinking sufficient water and we tend to increase our skin dehydration due to this reason. Keep heated water in a thermostat. But keep drinking water to keep skin hydrated and prevent lips from cracking.
• Feet care: Cracked heels, irritated soles, and itchy and swollen feet can be a major irritant, but feet are often at the lowest end of our priority. Apply cold cream to feet every night before going to bed. 

Use an exfoliating agent to remove jagged and hard skin from the heels once every fortnight. It is extremely important to wear warm, preferably woollen socks in winters.

• Diet is important too: It is important to take a good intake of vitamin and minerals rich foods during winters to boost immunity and health. Consume a lot of fruits and vegetables, and take diet rich in Omega 3 fatty acids like fish to boost skin health and nourishment.