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Strong winds and freezing temperatures are all too common as the seasons transition to autumn and winter. The weather, along with dry indoor air, can wreak havoc on your skin. In addition, frequent hand washing and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer may leave hands more cracked and dehydrated than normal.
“During the winter, you lose water through your skin and then your skin is less of a barrier to bacteria in the environment,” says Margaret “Miggs” Muldrow, MD, a dermatologist in Denver, Colorado. Your skin can become dry, inflamed, itchy, or splotchy—and people with eczema can even have a flare-up.
With that in mind, here's how to treat dry skin, chapped lips, and other cold-weather skin issues.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic. How To Prevent Dry Ski... + 12
- Cleveland Clinic. How To Prevent Dry Skin This Winter. August 25, 2026.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Dry skin relief from handwashing. December 18, 2024.
- University of Rochester Medical Center. Best Eczema Treatments for Winter. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin. January 2, 2026.
- Mayo Clinic. Humidifiers: Ease skin, breathing symptoms. July 12, 2026.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Cold weather and your skin. January 31, 2023.
- Schoch JJ, Anderson KR, et al. Atopic Dermatitis: Update on Skin-Directed Management: Clinical Report. Pediatrics. 2025 Jun 1;155(6):e2025071812.
- Cleveland Clinic. Should You Use Coconut Oil on Your Skin? December 29, 2022.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Weight and Growth: About Water and Healthier Drinks. March 5, 2026.
- Mayo Clinic. Water: How much should you drink every day? January 21, 2026.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. How Much Water Do You Need? May 17, 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Chapped Lips. February 16, 2024.
- Brizuela M, Daley JO. Angular Cheilitis. 2025 Nov 30. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–.
