"It's gotten cold here and all of a sudden my cheeks are super dry and flaking. Foundation powder looks horrid! I moisturise at night and in the morning with my regular product but it's not healing it. Should I switch moisturisers for winter?

Absolutely. We have our patients switch from lotion and gels to heavier creams and even ointments in the winter. It's also important to exfoliate the flaky skin several times a week in addition to using moisturizer twice a day. You can look for an over-the-counter cream containing ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to work along the same principles.

I get these little tiny bumps on the backs of my thighs that get so itchy at night and it drives me crazy! I even

use organic soap and lotions every day! What else can I do?

That dreaded winter itch that is sometimes associated with irritations of the hair follicles on the backs of the legs. First, change to a fragrance-free soap and always make sure that you apply moisturiser within three minutes after showering while your skin is still moist. If that doesn't help, use an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream on the area twice a day until the itching subsides.

My knuckles crack and bleed every winter when the air gets cold and dry. I'm a healthcare worker and wash my hands [often] and this makes it worse. Another problem is that I can't stand the greasy feel of thick lotions, so I need a lotion that works well but that will also soak in instead of sitting on top of my skin.

The first step is to stop washing your hands with soap and to start using antibacterial liquid. Frequent hand washing can dry the skin and makes it more prone to irritation. Lotions containing dimethicone are rapidly absorbed into the skin, but you must use greasy ointments containing petrolatum, panthenol and glycerin at night. For really severe dryness, we recommend wearing cotton gloves over the ointment to increase its penetration into the skin.

What's the best facial cleanser for very dry, very sensitive flakey skin that's mostly on my forehead?

Dry, flaky skin on the forehead is usually not dry skin and more likely a skin disease known as seborrhea dermatitis. Seborrhea dermatitis is caused by the body's reaction to yeasts that naturally live in the skin and is best treated with dandruff shampoo or anti-fungal creams. We would recommend first using a dandruff shampoo in the shower twice a week [leave it on your scalp] for five minutes, making sure to [also] treat your forehead.