Healthy skin is full of vitality and elasticity. Yet it is in winter that its moisture balance can fall out of kilter. When it is cold, the sebaceous glands produce less oil and, without this protective lipid layer, it is harder to maintain the moisture levels in the skin. What’s more, the blood vessels under the skin contract and so the supply of oxygen decreases.
The result is that the skin feels taut and scaly and becomes red. The thin areas of the skin or areas without subcutaneous (fatty) tissue and sebaceous glands such as shins, elbows and knees are at particular risk.