Windburn – Causes & Care

Windburn is a common skin concern, particularly in cold, dry weather. Read on to learn all about windburn – what it is, what causes it, and how to help soothe windburned skin with Aquaphor®.

Windburn is skin irritation that can occur when skin is exposed to harsh weather like cold, dry, windy air. Windburn can happen anywhere that your skin is exposed to the elements, but it’s common to experience windburn on the face, particularly during outdoor winter activities like skiing or other cold-weather sports.

Exposure to cold, dry air can contribute to dry skin which can then display redness or irritation from dryness1. Thankfully, there are ways that you can help protect your skin from dryness and help reduce the likelihood and severity of windburn.

If you’re experiencing dry, chapped skin from windburn, you will want to help soothe your irritated skin while also focusing on replenishing your skin’s moisture. The skin’s moisture barrier can become compromised and cause skin to struggle to maintain moisture, so keeping skin hydrated and protected from further dryness can help restore your dry skin to a smoother, healthier-looking state. Here are some tips for helping soothe your skin if you’re experiencing signs of windburn.

Apply a moisturizer to your skin throughout the day or any time that you notice your skin is feeling dry, particularly right after bathing to help your skin replenish and retain its natural moisture.

Exposure to hot water can strip the skin of its natural oils and compromise the skin’s moisture barrier2. If your skin is dry or irritated from windburn, aim to keep your bathing time to 5-10 minutes, use gentle cleansers as opposed to harsh soaps, and use lukewarm water instead of hot water to help prevent further drying of the skin3.

Soothe windburned skin by applying a skin protectant ointment like Aquaphor Healing Ointment® to the affected area. This skin protectant ointment with Panthenol and Glycerin helps to moisturize, nourish, and protect skin to enhance healing.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment® can also help protect the skin from the drying effects of wind and cold weather and is uniquely formulated to restore smooth, healthy skin. Aquaphor Healing Ointment® is preservative- and fragrance-free and comes in several convenient size and packaging options so that you can get on with your day comfortably.

The lips are a sensitive area of the body and are vulnerable to getting windburn and becoming dry and chapped due to cold weather, wind, and sun exposure. It’s important to protect lips from the drying effects of wind and sun, and Aquaphor® Lip Repair Stick + Sunscreen provides double duty by helping to relieve dryness and soothe chapped, cracked lips, and also delivering broad spectrum SPF 30 to help protect lips from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Great for hydrating lips in cold, dry, or windy conditions, this lip balm is formulated with nourishing vitamins and Shea butter and immediately relieves dryness and soothes so that lips look and feel healthier.

Since windburn can be caused by exposing skin to dry, windy air combined with sun exposure, the simplest way to avoid windburn would be to not go outside at all, but that isn’t a logical or fun choice, especially for those who love outdoor winter sports. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to help avoid windburn symptoms while still being able to experience fun outdoors regardless of the weather.

Since windburn can affect skin that’s exposed to the elements, take care to cover areas more commonly exposed like your face, lips, and hands. If you’re going skiing, for example, you may want to wear a ski mask or pull a scarf up to help protect your face, and wear protective gloves during outdoor cold-weather activities4.

If you are venturing outdoors in the cold, windy air, even on a cloudy day, be sure to take proper sun protection precautions by applying (and regularly reapplying) a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding direct sun exposure during peak hours of the day when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest. Don’t forget to also apply a lip balm with sunscreen to your lips.

Protect your skin from the drying effects of wind and cold weather and help skin retain its moisture by applying a skin protectant ointment like Aquaphor Healing Ointment® before you go outdoors.

Windburn is a common skin concern, particularly during the wintertime, but with Aquaphor®, you don’t have to let the fear of windburn stop you from enjoying the great outdoors. With Aquaphor Healing Ointment® and Aquaphor® Lip Repair + SPF, you can help protect skin from the effects of cold, windy weather and also help soothe skin irritation from windburn to help maintain smooth, healthy-looking skin no matter the weather.

The information provided herein is not intended to be medical advice. Nor is it intended to treat the underlying skin disease or condition. The information is provided solely to:

1. Moisturize, soften and smooth dry skin
   
2. Improve the appearance of the skin
   
3. Achieve healthier-looking skin