Skin cancer and dry winter weather

12 steps to avoid the damage and moisturize your skin

From the Heart……

I freaked out because of a spot on the side of my nose that seemed to blossom. Was this spot a return of the pre-cancerous actinic keratosis, a rough, bump on my skin that my dermatologist had zapped with liquid nitrogen just a few months ago? I was not due in his office for my 6 month check-up and body scan until February. What to do? I called and his office had a spot for me two days later. Amazing. He said the spot was benign. He did not criticize me for coming in. He took his canister of Liquid nitrogen which freezes and destroys superficial skin growths, such as warts and keratoses and zapped the spot again. I am vulnerable to melanoma. It runs in the family. I don’t take chances. I mentioned that I have been hiking regularly in this unseasonably dry, sunny, cold weather (I live in the Pacific Northwest and it is supposed to be dark, gloomy, and wet in October and November.)

I said, “my nose runs all the time and I’m wiping it with my handkerchief. I’m sure there is no sun screen left after the first hour in the wilderness.”

His reply, “sun screen is one of the 10 essentials.”

How your skin signals that cold dry weather is here…

Redness: One of the earliest indicators of fall-induced skin issues is redness, often accompanied by a sensation of tightness.

Flakiness: As the skin’s moisture balance is disrupted, it may respond by flaking and shedding its outer layers.

Itchiness: Dry and irritated skin can become intensely itchy, prompting scratching that further exacerbates the problem.

Cracking: In severe cases, the skin may develop cracks, making it susceptible to infection.

Fall skincare: How to combat dryness and irritation

Fall is accompanied by a decline in humidity levels. Dryer air siphons moisture from the skin, causing irritation.

Fall also means colder temperatures, which can constrict blood vessels in the skin, reducing blood flow and limiting the skin’s ability to retain moisture.

And… with increased exposure to colder winds, the skin is often stripped of natural oils, impairing its protective barrier.

The impact fall can have on your skin health is significant:

• Compromised skin barrier. Prolonged dryness and irritation can damage the skin’s natural barrier, reducing its ability to fend off environmental aggressors and maintain hydration.
• Increased susceptibility to infections. Cracked and irritated skin provides an entry point for bacteria and pathogens.
• Accelerated aging. Chronic dryness and irritation can accelerate the aging process.

12 ways to combat dry skin that are effective if practiced consistently:

• Use a humidifier in the winter. Set it to around 60%, a level that should be sufficient to replenish the top layer of the epidermis.
• Limit yourself to one 5- to 10-minute bath or shower daily. If you bathe more than that, you may strip away much of the skin’s oily layer and cause it to lose moisture.
• Use lukewarm water rather than hot water, which can wash away natural oils.
• Minimize your use of soaps; choose to moisturize your skin with YOUTH products by Shaklee
• Steer clear of deodorant soaps, perfumed soaps, and alcohol products, which can strip away natural oils.
• Bath oils can be helpful, but use them with caution: they can make the tub slippery.
• To reduce the risk of trauma to the skin, avoid bath sponges, scrub brushes, and washcloths. If you don’t want to give them up altogether, be sure to use a light touch. For the same reason, pat or blot (don’t rub) the skin when toweling dry.
• Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing or after washing your hands. This helps plug the spaces between your skin cells and seal in moisture while your skin is still damp. Use Shaklee moisturizing skin products.
• Never, ever scratch. Most of the time, a moisturizer can control the itch. You can also use a cold pack or compress to relieve itchy spots.
• Use sunscreen in the winter as well as the summer to prevent photoaging.
• When shaving, use a shaving cream or gel and leave it on to moisturize your skin for several minutes before starting.
• Use fragrance-free laundry detergents and avoid fabric softeners.

Ultimate fall skin care

Of course, it’s YOUTH! The YOUTH Skin Care Line will protect and moisturize your skin with:

• Luminous Gel Oil Cleanser that removes impurities without stripping away moisture.
• Perfecting Skin Toner, Purifying Clay Mask and Hydrating Gel Mask… gentle exfoliants that remove dead skin cells, allowing moisturizers to penetrate.
• Age Defense Moisturizer, Moisture Lock Day Cream and Advanced Renewal Night Cream which all create a protective barrier, locking in moisture and preventing moisture loss, In short you will moisturize your skin.

The proven science of YOUTH…
A decade of aging erased

The YOUTH Advanced Anti-Aging Regimen is clinically proven to make skin look younger and shift skin to a younger decade on the Skin Age Index.

Developed by world-class skin experts, the Skin Age Index measures the appearance of key signs of aging: facial wrinkles, skin texture, pore size, hyper-pigmentation, even skin tone, radiance, firmness, and sagging.

In a clinical study of the Advanced Anti-Aging Regimen:

100% of women had younger-looking skin
2/3 shifted their skin age into a younger decade

Clinical results without compromise
You don’t have to sacrifice safety and purity for efficacy. YOUTH products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and free from 2,500+ harmful chemicals and questionable ingredients.

YOUTH products are also:
Ophthalmologist-tested
Dermatologist-tested
Hypoallergenic
Non-comedogenic (won’t block pores)

Don’t let skin worries keep you from enjoying the out-of-doors year round. Moisturize your skin.

Be well, Do well, and Keep Moving, Betsy

Betsy Bell Enterprises LLC, 4455 51 Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116 betsy@

#skin care in cold weather

#moisturize your skin