The Winter Flare Phenomenon: Why Your Skin Suffers in the Cold

For many of us, the first cold snap of winter does not just bring frosty mornings and cosy jumpers. It brings dry, tight and often itchy skin. You might notice that your usual moisturiser suddenly is not enough and if you are dealing with conditions conditions such as eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis a flare up is happening.

It is easy to put it down to winter skin, but what is happening runs much deeper than you might think.

The Skin Barrier: Your Body’s First Line of Defence

Living on the skin surface are trillions of microscopic organisms including bacteria, fungi and other microbes collectively known as the skin microbiome.

A healthy skin microbiome works together with your immune system. They produce natural antimicrobials when needed and help to manage inflammation. This partnership maintains the integrity of your skin barrier, that thin but crucial layer that keeps moisture in and irritants out. When that barrier weakens, the results are all too familiar: dryness, redness, irritation and increased sensitivity.

How Winter Disrupts the Balance

Cold, dry air outside and central heating indoors both strip away your skin’s natural moisture. The reduced humidity means your skin loses water faster, while biting winds physically damage the outermost layer of skin cells.

However, the picture is more complex than cold air alone. Seasonal changes in stress, diet and hormones can influence how your skin functions and how its microbiome behaves. These external and internal factors affect the skin’s ability to hold moisture, repair itself and stay free from inflammation.

At the same time, winter brings shifts within the body. Heavier meals, fewer fresh fruits and vegetables, reduced physical activity and less sunlight exposure can all disrupt the balance of your gut microbiota. When the gut barrier weakens, inflammatory signals may spread more easily through the body, and this internal stress can surface on the skin as dryness, irritation or flare ups of existing conditions.

In other words, the problem is not only on the surface. It begins in the interplay between your skin, your gut, and your immune system, all of which are challenged by the colder, drier season.

What the Research Shows

Scientific studies consistently confirm what so many people experience. Winter takes a toll on the skin.

• In adults aged 22 to 41 with a history of atopic dermatitis, between one third and 88 per cent reported deterioration of their condition during autumn and winter months.
• Among healthcare workers followed for six months, the cold season was independently associated with nearly three times higher rates of irritant hand dermatitis episodes.
• In a large Danish population study, for every one degree Celsius drop in monthly temperature, there were two additional clinic or hospital visits and eighteen more topical corticosteroid prescriptions among adults with atopic dermatitis.

Nourishing Your Skin From the Inside Out

Skin health in winter is not only about what you put on it. It is equally about what you put in your body.

1. Support with Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects skin cells from oxidative stress and supports collagen production, which helps your skin hold on to moisture, counteracting the dehydration common in winter.

2. Keep Up Your Vitamin D

Low vitamin D has been linked to dry, itchy skin and may worsen conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Research shows that vitamin D supports both gut and skin barrier integrity and modulates immune function. Therefore, it can be helpful to choose a supplement that supports both gut health and vitamin D levels in winter months, as these work together to maintain barrier integrity and immune balance.

Make sure to speak with your healthcare provider before adding any new supplement to your routine.

3. Use a Synbiotic

Because the gut and skin communicate constantly, supporting your gut microbiota can help stabilise your skin microbiome. A synbiotic, which combines probiotics and prebiotics, helps replenish beneficial bacteria and provides the nourishment they need to thrive. This interaction can modulate inflammation and improve both gut and skin barrier function.

4. Increase Omega 3 Intake

Omega 3 fatty acids strengthen cell membranes so they can seal in moisture and keep out irritants. They may also help modulate inflammation and support barrier repair, improving dry or inflamed skin conditions.

Include oily fish such as salmon or mackerel, or plant sources such as flaxseeds and walnuts.

5. Stay Hydrated

Hydration is essential. Cold weather often suppresses thirst, but your skin still needs water to maintain elasticity and function. Aim for about 10 to 12 glasses of water a day and include hydrating foods such as cucumber, celery, berries and soups.

Conclusion

By understanding how the skin microbiome, the immune system and even gut health interact, we can move beyond treating symptoms and start addressing the root causes of winter flare ups. So as temperatures drop, think of your skin as a living ecosystem. Nourish it, protect it and support it from within, and it will repay you with resilience, radiance and calm.

References

Flyvholm, M. A., Bach, B., Rose, M., Jepsen, K. F., & Thomsen, S. F. (2014). Irritant hand dermatitis and the cold season: A six-month follow-up study among health-care workers. Contact Dermatitis, 71(3), 156–163. doi: 10.1111/cod.12217

Hiraiwa, T., & Yamamoto, S. (1990). Deterioration of atopic dermatitis in autumn and winter. Journal of Dermatology, 17(5), 293–298. doi: 10.1111/j.1346-8138.1990.tb01669.x

Kim, J., Kim, B. E., & Leung, D. Y. M. (2015). Pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis: Clinical implications of the skin barrier and immune dysregulation. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research, 7(1), 1–11. doi: 10.4168/aair.2015.7.1.1

Kim, J., Kim, H., Jeong, Y., Park, H., Lee, S., & Kim, Y. (2022). Synbiotics for the modulation of skin microbiota and skin health. Nutrients, 14(9), 1925. doi: 10.3390/nu14091925

Kristensen, L. E., Kjaersgaard Andersen, Y., Halling, A. S., Thyssen, J. P., Egeberg, A., & Iversen, L. (2018). Seasonal variation of health care utilization and prescription patterns in patients with atopic dermatitis: A nationwide registry-based study. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 32(10), 1764–1770. doi: 10.1111/jdv.15024

Palma, L., Marques, L. T., Buján, J., & Rodrigues, L. M. (2015). Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 8, 413–421. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S86822

Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. C. M. (2017). The roles of vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. doi: 10.3390/nu9080866

Tajik, N., Frech, M., Schulz, O., Schälter, F., Stallmach, A., & Brunner, T. (2021). The role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in skin health. Nutrients, 13(11), 3862. doi: 10.3390/nu13113862

Wimalawansa, S. J. (2022). Vitamin D and the skin: A review and implications for health. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(12), 6629. doi: 10.3390/ijms23126629