Years ago, Clinique’s marketing management team wanted a cream to protect the skin in cold weather. The cream was given to scientists participating in an expedition to the South Pole, and I was sent to Moscow to advertise the product. I told the journalists that the cream had been applied to half face, the other half serving as untreated control, and that the panelists were put in a refrigerated room at -10°C (14°F) for two hours and that the treated half of the face was in better shape than the untreated one.

A journalist raised her hand and asked: “And do you have a cream also for when it is cold?”

Indeed, one can ask: “How cold is too cold?”

In temperate regions—such as Southern Europe and Southern California—temperatures around freezing point are considered “extreme cold.” But this has nothing to do with the winter temperatures experienced in Minnesota, Siberia or in the Alps, where they can be as low as -20°C (-4°F) or less, and where the wind makes the cold sensation even harsher. The “wind chill” effect accounts for the sensation felt by the body when air temperature and wind speed are combined.

For example, when the air temperature is 40°F, and the wind speed is 35 mph, the sensation perceived by the skin is the same that is felt when the air temperature is 28°F in the absence of wind.

Cold’s Impact on Skin

The skin is kept warm by the vessels that supply blood to the skin. These blood vessels constrict in response to cold temperatures and the flow of blood can decrease up to 10 times, and so does the delivery of nutrients. The negative effect of cold on skin is two-fold. Since the rate of a chemical reaction is dependent on the temperature as well as on the concentration of the reactants, we have on one side that biochemical reactions occurring optimally around 30-37°C (85-100°F) do occur much more slowly below 10°C (40°F). On the other side, these same enzymes are deprived of the nutrients they metabolize, further reducing the rate of the reactions they catalyze. The net result of cold is that the skin produces much fewer lipids and much less Natural Moisturizing Factor, and that it differentiates, exfoliates and tackles foreign objects more slowly.

In addition, when the temperature is well below the freezing point, skin cells tend to freeze, and to break up upon thawing, and frost bites are induced. And these are probably the temperatures to which the Russian journalist referred.

The Swedish and the Finnish armies have studied the skin of soldiers in winter. Studies performed by the Swedish Army have led to the preparation of a completely water-free ointment containing beeswax, peanut oil and beef tallow. Water-free is extremely beneficial because it won’t freeze on the skin. Studies performed on several thousand soldiers in the Finnish Army indicate that the fact of using “protective” creams against cold weather does indeed increase three to six times the risk of frostbite. Some authors, though, realizing perhaps that it is impossible to determine the conditions of exposure and of cream use, point out that the results are unexpected and conclude that further studies are necessary to understand the role of creams.

 

Skin Care for Cold Climates

Urban and suburban people are not exposed to the same extreme conditions as maneuvering soldiers in the Nordic permafrost. And yet, harsh weather affects our skin’s natural protective substances, leaving us vulnerable. But with the right treatments we can winter-proof our skin and keep it in good shape.

In very cold weather, the average person is exposed to low temperatures for short times only. And yet, this might be sufficient to begin a freezing process. To reduce the risk of freezing skin, the skincare industry must provide appropriate creams. They must be W/O (water in oil) emulsions, so that they will not freeze when applied on the skin or lips, which does happen to O/W (oil in water) emulsions.

Cold temperatures slow down the biochemical processes of the skin. And when going from the cold outside to a warm inside or vice versa, the skin is subject to thermal stress. On the one hand, when outdoors in the deep cold, the skin produces fewer lipids and less Natural Moisturizing Factors, and the natural exfoliation process is slower. On the other hand, when indoors, warm dry air makes the skin more prone to irritations. Therefore it is necessary to offer deep moisturization and to stimulate exfoliation, together with the appropriate anti-inflammatory agents and ingredients able to help energy production.

This is to say that the essential ingredients for winter products are the same as the ones used in other seasons; the formula, on the other hand, must be W/O and the concentrations of the actives (vitamins, anti-inflammatory agents, antioxidants) should be higher. Exfoliation can be accompanied by applying night products that stimulate the natural process. Avoid using acid exfoliation because it might become synergistic with the irritation provoked by cold dry weather the next day! And remember: sunscreens are necessary even in winter! The reverberation from the snow constitutes a major danger for one’s skin and eyes. One should use sunglasses and remember that broad spectrum UV protection with SPF is mandatory!

Pigment and Cold Temperatures

Data gathered from the web indicate that studies from two World Wars, the Korean War, and Alaska, suggests that darker pigmented persons may be more susceptible to cold injury than more lightly pigmented persons. This conclusion is supported by many laboratory experiments and observations, and the geographical distribution of the lightest colored skins in temperate climates.

Maintaining Healthy Skin

Maintaining healthy skin depends on appropriate skin care and on many other factors such as healthy nutrition and healthy lifestyle. This is particularly true when dealing with skin care in cold weather. Cold temperatures affect biochemical reactions as well as blood circulation.

Both phenomena reduce the rate of biochemical reactions. The skin circulation (450 ml/min in an adult in thermal comfort) may increase as much as 10-fold in maximal vasodilatation and decrease to almost a standstill level 30 ml/min in extreme vasoconstriction.¹ One can fight the effects of cold on skin by using the appropriate W/O ointments and by exercising!

   It’s vital to stay active to improve circulation and to keep warm too! One can also modify the diet and eat lots of berries. Berries are said to increase blood flow and boost blood circulation. Red and purple berries are rich in anthocyanin, a compound that keeps the blood vessels flexible. Why not add some berries to a bowl of warm porridge for a healthy breakfast on cold winter mornings? 

Reference

1. Lehmuskallio E, et al (2002) The skin in the cold, International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 61:3, 277-286, DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v61i3.17475

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Paolo Giacomoni, PhD
Insight Analysis Consulting
[email protected]
516-769-6904
 
Paolo Giacomoni acts as an independent consultant to the skin care industry. He served as Executive Director of Research at Estée Lauder and was Head of the Department of Biology with L’Oréal. He has built a record of achievements through research on DNA damage and metabolic impairment induced by UV radiation as well as on the positive effects of vitamins and antioxidants. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and has more than 20 patents. He is presently Head of R&D with L.RAPHAEL—The science of beauty—Geneva, Switzerland.