Crisp, cool air is one of the most refreshing parts of winter outdoor workouts. One of the worst? The wind burn on your face that can pop up after exercising outside during especially breezy days.
Any activity that exposes you to the wind can increase your risk for wind burn, including skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, running, cycling, or even just walking outdoors for a long time in the wind and cold, Rajani Katta, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and voluntary clinical faculty member at the Baylor College of Medicine and the McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Houston, tells SELF.
But activities with quicker speed—think skiing or snowboarding versus walking—tend to bring on more severe wind burn, Melissa Piliang, M.D., a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF.
But what exactly is wind burn, and how can you ease that raw tenderness? Here’s what you need to know.
What exactly is that wind burn on your face?
Wind burn is damage to your outer layer of skin, says Dr. Piliang. The outermost layer of your epidermis acts as a protective barrier for the rest of your skin, but when it’s exposed to cold and windy conditions, the fatty lipids can wear away, leaving it vulnerable to damage.
This causes irritation and inflammation of your skin, says Dr. Katta. As a result, you may experience redness, sensitivity, and peeling of the skin on your face. The central part of your face, including your cheeks and nose (which tend to protrude more), are the areas most likely to be affected by wind burn, says Dr. Piliang.
While some people think wind burn is the same as sunburn (which, yes, you absolutely can get in the winter), there are actually a few differences. In many cases, it can look similar to sunburn, but it tends to feel a little different.
“While sunburned skin feels hot and swollen, wind burned skin feels prickly and chafed,” says Dr. Piliang.
There’s another important difference too: Wind burn, while uncomfortable, is temporary, and the discomfort will slowly start to subside over a few days. But because sunburn can affect the outermost and the deepest layers of the skin (depending on severity), it can result in permanent damage on a cellular level, says Dr. Katta. This includes an increased risk of skin cancer.
You absolutely can get sunburn and wind burn at the same time. In fact, because wind burn breaks down that protective barrier of your skin, experiencing it may actually increase your risk of sunburn, Jill Cotseones, D.O., a dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, tells SELF. That’s why it’s important to protect against both before heading out for your outdoor workout.
How to prevent wind burn on your face
First, playing the preventive game is important to make sure the outermost layer of your skin is protected and intact. That means sticking to ultra-gentle cleansers (like Dove Beauty Bar, $10 for four, amazon.com) and going easy on the exfoliation during the colder months since it can make your skin more sensitive to environmental factors like cold and wind, Joshua Zeichner, M.D., an associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, tells SELF. You may also want to avoid potentially irritating products with fragrances or those that are alcohol-based, says Dr. Katta.
