6 Things That Will Probably Happen to Your Face This Winter—and How to Deal

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

We've been through this before, but the sudden onset of winter skin woes never loses its shock value. One minute we're happily sipping a chilled glass of riesling in August with our skin on its best behavior, and the next we're panic-ordering parkas from Zara and examining our complexions one inch from our mirror. Dryness, flaking, chapping, redness, breakouts… What worrisome skin symptom doesn't haunt us the second winter arrives?

The good news is that we're all in this together, and we've rounded up a couple of the best dermatologists in the business (one East Coast–based and one West Coast!) to help sort, explain, and solve our winter skin issues. Ahead, Jennifer Herrmann, MD, FAAD, of Moy Fincher Chips Facial Plastics & Dermatology in Beverly Hills, and Joshua Zeichner, MD, FAAD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, explain six common things that might just happen to your face this winter—and how to solve them. Keep scrolling!

Problem #1: Dryness

"Cold, dry winter weather takes a toll on our outer skin layer," explains Zeichner. "Unfortunately, the skin may not be able to naturally compensate for extreme cold, and microscopic cracks in the skin barrier may develop, which can lead to the loss of hydration and inflammation." Additionally, Zeichner tells us things we do to compensate (like long, hot showers) can exacerbate the problem by stripping the skin of the essential oils that normally maintain our healthy skin barrier—eek.

How to Deal

1. Apply Your Moisturizer at the Right Time

2. Try Oatmeal

Problem #2: Dullness

According to Zeichner, when the skin becomes dry and irritated, dead cells may accumulate on the surface of the skin, leading to a duller complexion than we're used to. As he explains, if light cannot adequately reflect off the surface of the skin, it will look far less radiant.

How to Deal…

1. Invest In an Exfoliating Cleanser

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"In the office, my most popular procedure during the wintertime is the Clear + Brilliant laser," says Zeichner. "This laser helps brighten the skin and improve tone, and works by punching microscopic holes into the outer skin layer and allowing the skin to heal in a more cosmetically pleasing manner. Patients can actually go right back to work immediately after the treatment with virtually no downtime."

Problem #3: Chapped Lips

"Chronic lip-licking combined with cold weather and wind can strain the skin on the lips, leading to dryness, cracking, and irritation," Zeichner tells us.

How to Deal

1. Apply Your Lip Balm BEFORE You Notice Chapping

Problem #3: Brown Spots 

As Herrmann tells us, brown spots that become more noticeable is another common winter skin symptom that can be both confusing and frustrating. "Most people have slightly darker skin during warmer months because of increased sun exposure," she explains. "Then as we move back into colder weather, this baseline color fades, which can expose brown spots making them more obvious."

How to Deal

1. Wear SPF Every Single Day

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"The winter is an ideal time to do in-office treatments that help remove unwanted discoloration because it's easier to protect skin under clothing as it heals," explains Herrmann. "My go-tos are the Clear + Brilliant laser, our PiQo4 Pigmentation laser, and fractionated ablative laser resurfacing with either our CO2 or Erbium lasers."

Problem #5: Acne

"The holiday season often means indulging in more sugar and alcohol, which in addition to causing dull skin and puffy eyes can also lead to breakouts by stimulating hormones to induce more oil production," warns Herrmann.

How to deal...

1. Choose Oil-Free Face Creams and Foundation

Problem #6: Redness

"Because of dryness, many people suffer from periods of skin redness during the winter," Herrmann shares. "Because dry skin often looks more wrinkled and dull, many overcompensate by using products that contain alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids to help brighten the skin, but usually they just end up making redness and irritation worse."

How to deal...

1. Don't Abuse Acids

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.