Winter is particularly hard on everyone’s skin. It has to do with the fact that the season’s dry air constantly sucks moisture from the skin. This leads to various skin ills that, unless you head them off, become a problem the entire winter. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget what we need to do to get ahead of these issues or have genetic predispositions that make resisting particular forms of damage difficult. Spring’s arrival means that it is time to try to undo the damage that winter has done to your skin. Those with stubborn patches of dried and cracked skin inevitably want to be done with them. This is especially true when they’re in problematic places like the heels or elbows. Fortunately, we’ve got a few tips on the best ways to deal with these issues. A little work is all it will take to help your skin become healthy again.

Cracked Heels
One of the most painful things that can happen to anyone in the winter is cracked heels. These are generally deeply formed calluses or dry skin formed by the winter. For many people, they aren’t an issue as they remain solid. Others have the problem with the dry skin cracking down through the layers of dry, dead skin and all the way to the healthy skin beneath it. The cracks sometimes bleed, but are at the very least constantly painful as the shifting crack in the skin causes inflammation in the foot. You can do something about the problem though. In many cases, consistent application of a moisturizer and the uses of a pumice stone can gradually reduce the thickness of the dry skin and reduce the stress holding it apart. Wearing soft socks day and night to protect the skin is also advisable. You should put these on immediately after moisturizing the area. In truly bad cases, you should seek the help of a specialist to help remove the dried skin and close the wounds.

Calluses
Dry, hard skin is a common complaint for many people. These calluses form for a variety of reasons. In winter, it is generally a response to the dry air. Others form them over time in response to a repetitive action leading the skin to thicken in a given area. People most commonly form them on their feet from walking a lot. You can work to prevent them by wearing properly fitting shoes and good socks. This can prevent the routine rubbing that leads the skin to gradually thicken in particular areas. The winter makes these preparations a little less useful thanks to the drier air. Moisturizing your feet and using a pumice stone helps to reduce the thickness and appearance of calluses wherever they’ve formed. Good shoes are key to avoiding them. Walking barefoot, even in your own home, encourages callus formation as assuredly as wearing uncomfortable shoes. You are encouraged to moisture callused feet, put on socks and remember to wear house shoes when at home to help gradually reduce this problem.

Flaking Elbows
Flaking skin on the elbows is one of the more obvious and unsettling winter skin issues that need to be dealt with in spring. They can easily make us feel self-conscious when we finally get the chance to wear something other than long sleeves again. Fortunately, this issues seldom requires any specialist care. It, like so many other winter skin conditions, is the result of skin in need of moisturizing. You’ll want to stick with a thicker moisturizer for your elbows even as spring progresses. The thicker moisturizer will last longer and let your skin soak up the hydration as the natural skin shedding cycle happens and gradually removes the problem. You can encourage it with a body scrub, but be gentle with the area as it is sensitized due to the dry skin. Scrubbing too hard will likely cause further issues in the area that you don’t want.

Winter skin conditions can be painful physically, but they also tug at our self-esteem when they’re particularly apparent. Spring is when we get to share ourselves with the world again instead of being bundled up and away from everything. So it is time for everyone to start correcting any skin care mistakes they made in winter. It isn’t unforgivable to make a mistake, but you do need to work on fixing the issues now that you can.