Skin Care at High Altitudes

High Altitude Skin Care

High altitude skin guide from the experts at Vail Dermatology.


Download the PDF here: HA_Skin_Care_Guide_Jan_2011.pdf


Altitude has a great effect on your skin for a number of different reasons. The earth’s lower atmospheric layer contains gases and vast quantities of water and dust. These are elements that protect your skin from the sun’s radiation. The higher the elevation, the less dense the air and the less protection you have - about 4% for every 1,000 feet in altitude. While it takes 25 minutes to sunburn in New York, it can take as little as 6 minutes at 11,000 feet in Vail. You can sunburn even when it's cloudy. At high altitudes, the humidity drops with the temperatures. With the addition of forced air heat, dry, cracked and flaky skin is almost inevitable.

High altitude can wreak havoc on even the healthiest skin. 1 in 5 people develops a skin cancer in their lifetime. The following guidelines and tips are to help you cope with the changes high altitude can bring.



Sun

Wear a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF with broad spectrum ingredients like zinc, titanium, mexoryl, or helioplex. The FDA measures the sun protection factor SPF of a sunscreen using about 4 times the amount that a normal person puts on their skin? So, if you are using an SPF of 30, you are really getting an 8. Reapply every two hours. Also, the SPF (sun protection factor) only tells you how effective the sunscreen is at preventing sunburn. It is important to also protect from the UVA or aging rays by using “broad spectrum ingredients” like those mentioned above.

There is solid scientific evidence proving that using sunscreen helps to prevent skin cancer. Don't forget your lips! Using a lip sunscreen is important because sunburned lips can lead to cancer and outbreaks of herpes (the virus that causes cold sores).

Heard about the sunscreen pill? It is a fern extract (polyp odium leucotomas) that reduces sunburn. It doesn't take the place of sunscreen but it's a great extra layer of protection.

Many people mistakenly believe that they need unprotected sun exposure to get vitamin D - not true! Vitamin D may be obtained through your diet and supplements. Activities like skiing and fishing will reflect sun light and increase the risk of sunburn.


Dry skin and rashes

Drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin from the inside out. Water helps fight altitude sickness too, so drink up.

Keep showers warm, not hot, and keep your hot tub use short. Rinse off after every hot tub use.
Use a cream based moisturizer (instead of a lotion) that contains glycolic or salicylic acid to eat away flakes. Ceramides, an ingredient found in some moisturizers, and a natural component of the skin barrier are also great to repair the dry, damaged barrier of the skin.

One excellent trick for keeping skin hydrated in even the driest climate is to take your moisturizer into the shower. Once you turn the water off, put on a thin layer of moisturizer on while your skin is still wet. Stay in the warm shower for an extra minute while the moisturizer soaks in. This seals in the moisture and helps keep your skin baby soft.

Minimize soap use to face armpits, groin and feet and use a body wash with moisturizer in it. Dry skin can lead to rashes. Using an over the counter cortisone cream followed by a moisturizer can help skin get back on track.

For dry, cracked feet –soak feet in a warm bath for 10 minutes, followed by a cream that contains urea or glycolic acid and follow with socks.


Frostbite and Pernio

Wind and cold temperatures combine to create conditions that are ripe for frost bite. Frost bite is just like getting a burn from heat, and can be superficial or deep.

Prevent facial frostbite by wearing a face protector. There are versions that are neck gators, and others that are simply nose protectors. Also, a heavy coating of Vaseline on the cheeks and nose protects delicate skin. Boot warmers, hand warmers and boot gloves are excellent ways to keep your feet and fingers warm too.

Early signs of frostbite are whiteness of the skin, stinging or numbness. If you or any person in your group have these symptoms, rapid and moist re-warming is the best strategy to prevent permanent damage (warm tub or steam room but not too hot). Don't go back out the same day once skin is injured, or the injury can be compounded!

Frostbite can be treated with over-the-counter cortisone or a prescription cream. Keeping the injured area moist with Vaseline is an easy strategy to speed healing.
Pernio, or chilblains, is a condition where purple, painful, itchy bumps show up on fingers, toes, ears and nose due to cold and wet exposure. Keep your face, hands, and feet warm and dry to avoid this condition.


Aging Skin

Skin at high altitudes ages more quickly than it does at sea level due to the unique elements of our area. The lack of humidity, close proximity to the sun, and the active outdoor lifestyle enjoyed here leaves skin longing for some TLC. Keeps your skin young looking by a few easy steps:

Use sunscreen and reapply often. Protected skin fares better than unprotected skin. Wear a wide brimmed hat while gardening or walking in the sun.

Exfoliate at least twice a week. Getting rid of the top layer of dead skin allows the skin to better retain moisture and appear healthier. Exfoliation can be physical (skin care brush, beads, scrubs, microdermabrasion) or chemical (glycol, lactic, or salicylic acids). Chemical peels and exfoliating facials can also do the trick.

Apply an antioxidant under sunscreen for an added layer of protection. When used topically, vitamins c and e, phloretin, ferrulic acid, and idebenone can scavenge collagen-damaging free radicals and prevent collagen breakdown (which causes wrinkles).

Other helpful products to reduce skin aging include peptides, vitamin a (retinol or tretinoin) and growth factors (either derived from plants or humans), plus green tea extract. Redness can be minimized by using a moisturizer with prostaglandin inhibitors.


Must-have skin protection for a day in the mountains:

Winter:
Sunscreen with SPF of 30 or greater every day- SPF of 50 when skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, etc.
Lip balm with sunscreen
Sunglasses
Moisturizer with antioxidants
Plenty of water
Face, foot and hand protection for cold weather as conditions can change quickly

Summer:
Sunscreen 30 or greater or greater every day- SPF of 50 when outside, especially on the water.
Lip balm with sunscreen
Sunglasses
Moisturizer with antioxidants
Plenty of water
Broad brimmed hat and sun protective clothing
Mosquito repellant with deet
Mole skin to protect against blisters when hiking