Winter'
s answer to sunburn. During the winter, low temperatures and high winds can cause
skin to dry out excessively, losing the
top layer of oil that normally protects it. The
skin swells up slightly, turns
red, and stings like sunburn.
Windburn can be treated fairly easily by applying vaseline or chap
stick (to ease the burning sensation), using aloe moisturizers, and treating the skin with care for a few days. It can be prevented by covering and protecting exposed skin (especially ears, lips, and nose), switching to mild soaps and cleansers (preferably moisturizing soaps), and avoiding long stretches of exposure when the wind chill is particularly strong.