Winter is now officially here in the UK and the change of season doesn’t just mean we reach for sweaters and coats, but in our homes and offices most of us will be switching on our radiators and turning up the heat sometime during the next couple of weeks! But feeling warm inside can also have an affect on how our hands look and feel.

Heated air inside causes low humidity, which leads to water evaporating from our skin, this can cause skin to become dry, cracked, itchy and to look dull especially on our hands which are one of the most exposed parts of our body.

So just as you change your clothes for the new season, you should also have a good plan for your skincare routine. Its important now more than ever to massage SEAMS Hand Cream regularly into your hands to keep skin soft, supple and protected through the winter months, prevention is easier than cure!

How High Is Your Heat?
Surveys show that the average thermosat is turned up to 23 degrees which is warmer than a summer day, and one in twenty of us have it at a tropical 30 degrees!

How Hot Is Your Office?
How hot you have your office can have a significant affect on productivity as well as your skin, too hot or too cold can affect concentration. It is thought that warm environments are better for creative thinking, whilst cooler temperatures are better for mathematics. A study at The University of Technology discovered that productivity peaks in an office at around 22 degrees whilst Mark Zuckerberg of FaceBook likes to keep office temperatures at a cooler 15 degree C to keep his employees minds alert.

Dry, sore hands slow down simple things like working on a computer, excessively dry hands also increase the risk of a static electric shock when touching a door or filing cabinet, so always moisturise hands before going outside, and keep a tube of SEAMS Hand Cream on your desk.

Problems of a Drying Atmosphere
Being in the dry atmosphere can also cause problems in the sinuses and nasal passages, if the mucus in the nose gets too dry it can cause discomfort in the sinuses eventually leading to sinusitis and headaches.

Eyes too can feel uncomfortable and gritty, the eyes are made of mucus, water and oil, the oil floats to the top of the eyes to stop the water evaporating but a dry atmosphere from central heating dries out the oil anyway. Keeping a bowl of water in a room will help moisturise the air.

Why Do Women Feel The Cold More Than Men?
Although male and female body temperatures are similar, women have a higher core body temperature so when the air gets cold women can be more sensitive to the drop in temperature. Another theory is that most of our temperature sensation comes from the skin, and women’s hands are usually a few degrees colder than a mans so we feel the cold sooner, which could be why we secretly turn up the heating in a room.

Why do your hands feel the Cold first?
When your body is confronted with cold air your blood vessels constrict to conserve heat, usually in the fingers and toes which have poor circulation. When the hands are warmed too quickly blood can leak from these vessels into the surrounding tissue and cause chilblains. So as tempting as it may be don’t put hands directly on the radiator, instead gradually warm them up by rubbing them together or holding your hands over the radiator to warm gently and get the blood flowing at a steady pace.

4 Tips to keep your skin hydrated 

Moisturise – Always keep SEAMS Hand Cream on your desk, in your handbag next to the bed, use before you go out, and reapply after washing your hands and last thing at night before you go to sleep. SEAMS absorbs quickly the non-greasy formula means there will be no transfer of grease onto fabrics. The Fragonia oil and Vitamin E in SEAMS will help soothe sore skin, Shea butter will deeply moisturise, Macadamia Oil will soften whilst Beta Glucan will help keep skin looking younger.

Drink Plenty Of Water – a combination of drinking water and moisturising will help keep the natural balance of moisture in your skin.

Humidify – Keep a bowl of water, humidifier or even a plant in a room to help moisturise the air and keep your skin hydrated.

Use Your Timer – To help limit damage to your skin it is best to keep your home at a constant temperature, the best way is to make use of your timer or if you have a smart thermostat use the app on your phone to plan ahead from wherever you are, and always feel comfortable.

Keep warm this winter, and always take care of your hands.

Karen J.