Why Cold Weather Drys Out Your Skin

Winter weather can be harsh on the skin, often leading to dryness and irritation. This is because as temperatures drop, the air loses its natural moisture, resulting in lower humidity levels both outdoors and indoors. Specifically, the cold, dry air strips the skin of its natural oils, which are important for you to be able to retain moisture. So, the lack of humidity, combined with exposure to chilling air or winds, weakens your skin’s protective barrier, causing it to lose hydration more quickly.

To worsen the situation, your indoor heating systems, while necessary during the winter, further dry out the air, creating an environment that pulls moisture from the skin, leaving it feeling tight, flaky, and more prone to conditions like eczema and chapping. Moreover, if you take frequent hot showers or unknowingly use harsh soap, you can also strip your skin of its natural oils, compounding the effects of winter dryness. With all of these factors working together, your skin can become increasingly sensitive, leading us to ask, how can we avoid dry skin despite all of these components? Well we have an answer…with air purifiers!

How Air Purifiers Can Help

An air purifier can be a key step in your skincare routine this upcoming fall and winter. Air purifiers work continuously to cleanse the air of minute particles and other pollutants that exist in your space. In essence, they eliminate the unseen factors that contribute to your dry, irritated skin during the colder months. Let’s look at the key ways that air purifiers help you with dry skin.

Eliminates Air Pollutants That Cause Skin Issues

An air purifier, well, purifies the air. Beyond just eczema and psoriasis, let’s take a look at the individual pollutants targeted by air purifiers that can irritate your skin.

• Allergens: An increase in allergens are to be expected with a change in seasons, which according to Dermatology at Mohs Surgery Institute, which is likely to increase dry, itchy, and irritated skin. When your body ingests an allergen, it is recognized by your immune system which then releases histamine, an inflammatory neurotransmitter that triggers this response, making it best to avoid these irritants.
• VOCs and Chemicals: Research has suggested that these pollutants, which are common and naturally occuring in indoor settings like your home, can compromise the structural integrity of your skin and “induce or exacerbate various skin diseases” such as “atopic dermatitis (AD), airborne contact dermatitis (ABCD), allergic contact dermatitis, and psoriasis”.
• Mold Spores: During fall and winter, indoor humidity can lead to mold growth, which can worsen skin conditions like eczema or atopic dermatitis if you have a mold allergy and your skin comes into contact with airborne spores. Recall that air purifiers remove mold spores from the air, helping to minimize skin flare-ups.
• Dust: Dust accumulation is common in sealed homes during colder months. Dust is made up of a mixture of things including dust mites, dead skin cells, pollen, animal dander, clothing fibers, bacteria, hair, and more, all of which can clog your pores and dry out your skin. For instance, dust can cause eczema flare-ups, contact dermatitis if you find you are allergic to a component of dust, and even skin rashes as dust can contain dead animal cells from insects such as cockroaches and mites.
• Smoke: Smoke from a fireplace or cooking stove indoors leads to pollutants that can damage your skin’s barrier and make it more sensitive and prone to losing water, leading to dry, scaly skin. It can also cause inflammation by activating oxidative stress pathways according to research, which also observed an increase in eczema and psoriasis flare-ups with wildfire pollution.
• Odors: Odor can come from a variety of sources and impact your skin differently. For instance, odors including perfumes, household products, and essential oils can irritate your skin and cause redness, itchiness, or even hives in bad cases according to dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes in a report by Garnier. Air purifiers with activated carbon filters can remove strong odors (cooking, cleaning products, etc.), but skin reactions to fragrances could also occur if you’re allergic to the formula, says the FDA.

Helps with Eczema and Psoriasis

Common skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis are often triggered or worsened by exposure to airborne irritants such as dust mites, pet dander, and mold spores as we discussed, which tend to accumulate indoors during the colder months. Air purifiers can help, according to the National Eczema Association. By filtering out these particles, air purifiers can help to reduce skin inflammation and irritation, promoting healing and maintenance of the skin’s natural barrier. While not a cure, it’s a start, and an air purifier can create an environment for you to help minimize flare-ups and soothe your existing skin conditions.

Maintains Moisture and Removes Irritants

In general, clean air and consistent moisture are important aspects of maintaining skin hydration, preventing dryness, and minimizing issues like eczema and breakouts. When we talk about air purifiers, it is important to clarify that they are not humidifiers which function to add moisture to the air. Remember that air purifiers’ primary function is to remove pollutants, allergens, and particulates from the air, not to alter humidity levels and do not make indoor air any dryer. Instead, it’s typically indoor heating that reduces moisture, creating drier air that can lead to skin issues. So, a typical air purifier effectively cleans the air without influencing moisture levels. Creating clean air, free from irritants and allowing your skin to retain its natural moisture.

If you are worried about humidity levels in your home however, some air purifiers are equipped with a built-in humidifier function, such as the Sharp KC-850U Plasmacluster or the Dyson Pure Humidify+Cool model, offering a two-in-one solution for indoor air quality and moisture control. You are also able to buy an air purifier separately if you choose. However, know that humidity is only an issue if it consistently falls below 30-50% in your home. In this case, having both devices can help support your skin health this season.

Skin Care With an Air Purifier

We’ve talked a lot about phrases such as moisture and hydration in relation to skin care and dryness. What does that really mean though? Well, having a good skin care routine often involves both moisturizing and hydrating your skin, as each impacts different aspects of skin health. Hydration is the water content in the skin that keeps skin cells plump. While moisturizing involves sealing in the hydration to prevent water loss. Different types of skin care products target these different functions, so be sure to read the labels of your products!

Choosing the Best Air Purifier for Your Skin

Now that you know the benefits of an air purifier, here’s how to pick the best one for your skin and overall needs. First, be sure to look for air purifiers with HEPA and activated carbon filters. HEPA air purifiers are highly effective at trapping fine particles like dust, pollen, and pet dander that can irritate the skin. Activated carbon filters add another layer of protection by absorbing odors, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and chemical pollutants that may exacerbate skin dryness as discussed.

Recall that if you are specifically concerned about skin hydration, certain air purifier models come with built-in humidifiers. These hybrid units not only purify the air but can come with features like adjustable humidistat settings that allow you to control the level of moisture, creating a more comfortable environment for your individual skin.

Lastly, knowing how to optimize your air purifier settings is important for maximizing its skin benefits. For most units, setting the fan speed to medium or high can improve air circulation, ensuring that allergens and particles are effectively removed. Additionally, looking for purification modes designed to target allergens and pollutants—like “allergy” or “sleep” modes—can be beneficial in protecting your skin health while minimizing any potential negative impact on indoor humidity levels.

Here are our top three recommendations for air purifiers for this fall and winter:

Other Tips for Maintaining Happy Skin

Along with an air purifier, here are some top tips and tricks to keep your skin moisturized and healthy during the colder months:

• Use a Humidifier: Increase indoor humidity by using a humidifier, especially in bedrooms and common areas, to help skin retain moisture.
• Choose a Gentle, Hydrating Cleanser: Switch to mild, soap-free cleansers that don’t strip away natural oils. Look for ones containing hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Brands like Yuka+Face are deeply hydrating and organic.
• Apply Moisturizer Immediately After Bathing: Lock in moisture by applying a thick, emollient-rich moisturizer within a few minutes of showering or washing your face.
• Opt for Thicker Creams or Ointments: Use a heavier moisturizer during winter, such as a cream or ointment, which provides a stronger barrier against moisture loss compared to lotions.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated from the inside out.
• Take Short, Lukewarm Showers: Limit showers to 5-10 minutes and use lukewarm, not hot, water to avoid drying out your skin.
• Avoid Harsh Soaps: Use gentle, fragrance-free soaps and avoid products containing alcohol, which can further dry out the skin.
• Exfoliate Gently: Use a gentle moisturizing exfoliator 1-2 times a week to remove dead skin cells, allowing moisturizers to absorb better.
• Wear Gloves and Scarves: Protect your skin from harsh winds by covering up with gloves, scarves, and hat’s when going outside as the leaves start to fall.
• Use Sunscreen Daily: Winter sun can still damage your skin, so apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen to protect and prevent dehydration.
• Avoid Alcohol-Based Skincare Products: Steer clear of toners and other products with alcohol, as they can strip moisture from the skin.

Other Factors to Consider When Running Your Air Purifier

We want to give you a few more tips and things to consider so that you can ensure that your air purifier runs optimally while minimizing potential skin irritants. First, we recommend running your air purifier continuously during the colder months, especially in the rooms where you spend the most time, such as the bedroom and living area. Setting the purifier on a medium or high setting during the day and adjusting to a lower, quieter setting at night is also a good practice to ensure that allergens, dust, and other irritants are constantly being filtered out, reducing the triggers that can lead to skin dryness.

However, when using an air purifier in winter, there is a risk of overuse without adequate humidity. If you want to run your air purifier continuously, be sure to monitor indoor moisture levels to prevent exacerbating dry skin, especially if combined with indoor heating. Remember that using a humidifier alongside your air purifier is best. Additionally, avoid ionizing or ozone-producing air purifiers, as they can generate small amounts of ozone that may irritate sensitive skin. These are just some simple tips to ensure your air purifier enhances skin health rather than contributing to dryness.

Moreover, we want to mention how some air purifiers are compatible with essential oils, as it can be a double-edged sword. While this feature is used to change the atmosphere of your space, note that essential oils can be strong and, if overused, may cause irritation or dryness in sensitive skin. So be sure to use these sparingly and only with essential oils known to be skin-friendly.

Regardless of your purifier’s features, make sure you conduct regular filter maintenance. Dirty filters reduce the purifier’s efficiency, allowing more irritants to circulate, which can worsen skin issues. Replacing or cleaning filters as recommended by the manufacturer is a simple yet essential practice to keep the air—and your skin—in its best condition.

Final Thought

Air purifiers are effective in protecting skin health during winter by removing allergens, dust, and pollutants that can trigger dryness, eczema, and other skin issues. While they don’t add moisture to the air, purifiers help maintain a cleaner environment, allowing the skin’s natural barrier to retain hydration. Choosing the right model—preferably one with HEPA and carbon filters, or even a built-in humidifier—is important to get the most out of it. Lastly, remember that maintaining indoor humidity between 30-50% and keeping filters clean ensures the purifier works effectively. By incorporating air quality into your skincare routine, you can significantly improve your skin’s hydration during the colder months and continue to look flawless.