Dry skin in winter: why it itches and what helps

General information, not medical advice. If you have persistent itching, red patches or cracks that do not heal, talk to your GP.

Dry skin feels rough, itches and sometimes flakes. In winter it often bothers you more, especially as you get older. This article explains why your skin dries out in the cold season and which simple habits GPs and dermatologists recommend.

What dry skin feels like

Thuisarts, the patient website of the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG), describes dry skin as rough and itchy. Sometimes you see flakes: small bits of skin that come loose. Small, painful cracks can also appear. Dry skin also gets damaged more easily. According to Thuisarts, people with dry skin are also more likely to develop eczema, an inflammation of the skin with red, itchy patches.

Your whole body can be dry, but some areas are affected more often. Thuisarts mentions the outside of your upper arms, your back and the front of your lower legs.

Why your skin gets drier in winter

Part of it comes down to your skin itself. Everyone has a natural skin type and some people simply have drier skin. As you get older, your skin also produces less oil, so it becomes drier.

Water, soap and air also play a role. Soap, shower gel, shampoo and cleaning products dry out your skin. Long, hot showers or baths wash away your skin’s own protective oily layer. In winter the air indoors adds to this: it is drier because it is much warmer inside than outside.

The American Academy of Dermatology advises making the air at home more humid with a humidifier, for example in your bedroom at night. It does ask you to clean the device regularly to prevent mould. Too much moisture indoors encourages mould in the house.

Shorter showers with less soap

Thuisarts advises showering no more than once a day, and preferably less often. A daily shower is not necessary. Keep it short, no longer than 5 or 10 minutes, with lukewarm or warm water no hotter than 37 or 38 degrees. Use as little shower gel, soap and shampoo as possible.

The American dermatologists give similar advice: limit baths and showers to five to ten minutes in warm water. Use a gentle cleanser, only where you need it, such as your armpits and groin. Then gently pat your skin dry with a towel instead of rubbing.

Moisturising dry skin with an emollient

Thuisarts first and foremost advises applying an emollient often. That is an ointment, cream or lotion without medicine, which you can buy without a prescription at a pharmacy or chemist. Apply it to your whole body, twice a day or more: for example once after washing and once before bed. The emollient leaves an oily layer on your skin. That helps your skin hold on to moisture, so it becomes less dry and itches less. According to Thuisarts, a thin body lotion is often not greasy enough.

The American dermatologists also recommend a cream or ointment rather than a lotion, because they add more moisture. Ideally apply it right after showering, while your skin is still damp. Choose fragrance-free products, because fragrance can irritate dry, sensitive skin. They also suggest a few other habits:

• Wear gloves when washing up or gardening, and outdoors in cold, dry air.
• Choose loose cotton clothing, because tight clothes or wool and polyester directly on your skin can rub and irritate.
• Use lip balm or petroleum jelly when your lips are dry.

Gloves are therefore also part of your kit when you exercise outdoors in autumn and winter.

When to see your GP

If you follow the advice and your symptoms do not ease, or keep getting worse, make an appointment with your GP. They can check whether you have eczema. The American dermatologists also point out that skin that stays dry despite these habits can be a sign of an underlying condition, such as atopic dermatitis.

Sources

• Thuisarts, Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap (NHG). Ik heb een droge huid. 2025 (last updated 20 November 2025), in Dutch.
• American Academy of Dermatology Association. Dermatologists’ top tips for relieving dry skin. Accessed November 2026.