By admin 
It’s winter in Northeast Ohio. The snow piles up and days of dull gray skies are often reflected in the cold, dry, stressed, lackluster skin poking out from our parka hoods. It can be a challenging time of year for health overall, especially skin health since our skin most directly encounters these challenging cold, dry conditions.
“Vitamin D is considered a hidden ally because its absence may not cause immediate skin issues,” explains Wilcox. “But, over time, deficiencies can lead to dryness, inflammation, and other problems. Addressing winter-specific challenges and maintaining adequate vitamin D levels ensures your skin stays healthy, hydrated, and resilient during the colder months.”
So, settle in as we explain why one of our biggest winter skincare tips is to get vitamin D deficiency treatment right away to get that healthy, radiant skin while possibly treating several other health concerns! We can get you in for a same-day appointment if you have an urgent skin need at one of our 14 Apex Skin dermatology clinics throughout Northeast Ohio.
Your body needs vitamin D for several essential functions. Your bones can only absorb calcium with vitamin D’s help. Vitamin D also regulates several cellular functions in the skin, immune system, brain, muscles, and so much more. It’s a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent too. In short, your whole body needs it, but if you’re deficient the symptoms will often appear in your skin first.
Vitamin D is crucial for overall health and specifically for skin health, right down to its cellular regeneration, inflammation regulation, immune, and repair functions. Wilcox shares a long list of exactly what vitamin D does for skin health:
At least half of the world’s population experiences some level of vitamin D deficiency due to factors like limited sun exposure, certain medical conditions, or environmental influences. Here in Northeast Ohio, our northern latitude and long, cloudy winters make it even harder to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.
The lack of consistent sunlight during Northeast Ohio winters is compounded by other factors such as dry indoor air and the necessity of bundling up in heavy layers to stay warm.
“During winter, the cold, dry air in Northeast Ohio can strip moisture from your skin, leading to several skin health issues including dry cracked skin, chapped lips, flare-ups of eczema and psoriasis or other skin conditions,” says Wilcox. “Since it’s so cold outside we spend more time indoors with the heat on,” says Wilcox. “While indoor heating helps keep homes warm in the winter, it also lowers the humidity, further drying out skin. The combination of heated indoor air and outdoor cold air can lead to the skin feeling tight, itchy, and irritated.”
This combination of low sunlight, skin discomfort, and vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other complications. “Lack of sunlight is also linked to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which can affect mood and overall well-being,” says Wilcox.
In addition to the challenges of winter in Northeast Ohio, certain medical conditions can exacerbate vitamin D deficiency. Obesity, Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, kidney and liver diseases, as well as some medications and weight loss surgeries, can hinder the body’s ability to absorb or synthesize vitamin D. Biological and environmental factors also play a role: people over age 65, those with darker-toned skin, or individuals who are home-bound are at higher risk.
Vitamin D and skin health are intricately linked. Although it’s true that some sun exposure prompts the skin to generate vitamin D, it’s important to understand that extended sun exposure or relying on tanning beds to get vitamin D is incredibly dangerous.
And it’s not only skin cancer—as if that wasn’t bad enough. Excessive sun exposure can add years to your face through premature aging, explains Wilcox: “Prolonged exposure to UV radiation leads to DNA damage, which can result in cancer. Excessive UV exposure accelerates the breakdown of collagen and elastin, causing premature wrinkles, sagging, and other signs of aging (photoaging).”
Tanning beds should be avoided. Wilcox explains that they are not a safe alternative to natural sunlight as they primarily emit UVA radiation, which can accelerate skin damage and increase skin cancer risks, even without visible signs of a sunburn.
So, what is the healthy balance of sunlight for vitamin D generation without causing skin damage? “Brief, controlled sun exposure—around 10-30 minutes a few times a week—is generally enough for your body to produce vitamin D without risking skin damage. This can be combined with other methods, such as diet and supplementation, to ensure healthy vitamin D levels.” And, as always, wear an SPF 30+ sunscreen every day to keep your skin safe, even during the darker winter months.
Signs of general vitamin D deficiency often manifest differently in people of different ages. For children, it often shows up as “rickets”, which is rare, but often includes symptoms like incorrect bone growth patterns (bowed bones), bone pain, weak muscles, and joint deformities.
For adults, vitamin D deficiency can also include bone and muscle pain and weakness, but it can also manifest through muscle cramps, fatigue, and depression. Increased pain sensitivity and pins-and-needles tingly feelings in the hands and feet might also result.
While those are some pretty stark vitamin D deficiency symptoms, clues often first show up on the skin. “Dryness, eczema, psoriasis flare-ups, slow wound healing, and an increased risk of infections are all common signs that may point to a vitamin D deficiency,” says Wilcox. If you already have a chronic skin condition like the ones below, a vitamin D deficiency can make the condition worse:
Science continues to find more and more connections between vitamin D and skin health. “While normal winter dryness is often seasonal and resolves with a proper winter skincare routine, vitamin D deficiency can manifest as more persistent, widespread dryness accompanied by systemic symptoms,” explains Wilcox. “Systemic symptoms often associated with vitamin D deficiency include fatigue, bone or muscle pain, frequent infections, mood changes (depression or irritability), hair loss, and poor wound healing. Addressing both with a combination of lifestyle adjustments and medical advice ensures optimal skin and overall health during the winter months.”
You can treat vitamin D deficiency at home by following your dermatologist’s recommendations on brief sun exposure, nutrition, and supplementation.
Wilcox suggests the following simple things you can start doing today to boost your vitamin D levels:
Apex Skin is located right here in Northeast Ohio, so all of us understand what it’s like to endure these gray, dark, freezing, dry skin days. And we often recommend, as part of our winter skincare tips protocol, investigating vitamin D as a systemic help for winter skin problems. At all of our 14 Apex Skin locations, we provide expert consultations and dermatologist-recommended skin treatments, which often include some extra vitamin D to help. These solutions include:
Navigating a Northeast Ohio winter with healthy skin is tricky, but Madysen Wilcox, PA-C, as well as other Apex Skin providers, can help you navigate whether you need vitamin D deficiency treatment or other skin health treatments to get you through the winter with smooth, vibrant, comfortable skin. So, if your regular skincare regimen has not improved persistent dry, flaky skin, or if your eczema or psoriasis symptoms have flared up, we can help evaluate your vitamin D levels. Even simple changes like increasing your dietary intake or adding a vitamin D supplement can support your overall health and your skin health systemically. Vitamin D may just be your secret weapon against your winter skin issues! If you’re unsure about your vitamin D levels or struggling with winter skincare issues, schedule a consultation with Apex Skin today. We have same-day appointments available, and we’re here to help you glow year-round!