MONDAY Dec. 26, 2011 -- Cold weather is drier and can have damaging or negative effects on skin, but there are steps people can take to look and feel better, according to Dr. Amy McMichael, a dermatologist at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.

McMichael offered the following tips for protecting skin during the winter months:

• Switch to a thicker facial and body moisturizer.
• Do not use indoor tanning beds.
• Limit alcohol consumption and avoid hot beverages to minimize rosacea flare-ups. Laser and chemical procedures are available that can help treat rosacea, melasma (a kind of skin discoloration) and other skin problems.
• Take advantage of off-season or post-holiday sales on sun-protective clothing to help protect your skin all year long.

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health provides more information on dry skin.

Posted: December 2011