OSF HealthCare Newsroom

From cracks to wounds: Winter skin care is important

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Dry, cold weather can be a nuisance in many ways. It’s no fun to drive in. It can bring your mood down.

But Becki Walz, PA, a primary care provider at OSF HealthCare, has another thing you need to consider: winter weather can lead to cracks and other skin issues that, if not treated, can lead to serious wounds.

Cold weather basics

“In the winter, the air becomes cool and dry. It pulls all the moisture out of the air, which then pulls moisture out of your skin. That can disrupt the skin barrier. When your skin gets really dry, it can become flaky and itchy,” Walz explains. “As this gets worse, you can develop cracks that are painful and can bleed. More importantly when your skin starts to crack, it creates an opening for bacteria. It can lead to infections.”

If you scratch itchy skin, a wound can develop. Eczema (also called atopic dermatitis), which brings itchy, scaly patches, and psoriasis, which brings red, inflamed areas, can also occur.

Diagnosis and treatment

Walz says if your skin condition isn’t getting better at home through moisturizers and ointments (like Neosporin), see a health care provider.

“The wound is causing pain or has drainage. You notice swelling, redness or warmth. Those are all signs you could possibly have an infection,” Walz adds as more reasons to get medical attention right away.

A provider will ask when symptoms started and what you were doing at the time. For example, were you traveling? Were you around others with the same skin problem? Did you change your perfume or cologne?

“I’m also going to want to know how the skin changed from when you first started having symptoms to now,” Walz adds. “Did the skin just look dry before, and now you have redness or an open wound? Was it itchy, and now it’s just painful?”

A trick that providers love: come to your appointment with photos of what the skin looked like as the issue progressed. This gives providers a clear picture of things.

“Different diseases have different courses [in other words, how they progress]. Once you start itching the skin or putting things on it, it can change how the wound looks. So it’s important we know what it looked like at the beginning before anything else happened to the area,” Walz says.

Walz says for mild issues, a provider might recommend you just change your moisturizer and/or add a topical steroid like hydrocortisone. For infections, a provider might give you an oral or topical antibiotic.

Prevention

The top way to keep your skin healthy, Walz says, is to moisturize. Talk with your primary care provider or a dermatologist about what product is best for you. But generally, Walz says a thicker cream is better in the winter. For really dry skin, petroleum jelly can help. Chapstick is good for the lips. Walz says to moisturize from head to toe at least once a day. It can be after your morning or evening shower. If your skin is particularly dry, moisturize multiple times per day.

It’s also tempting to escape cold conditions with a hot shower. Don’t turn the lever all the way up, Walz cautions. Hot water pulls moisture out of the skin. Instead, take a warm shower for no more than 15 minutes.

“When you get out of the shower, you want to pat your skin dry. Don’t rub it dry,” Walz says. This lessens skin irritation. “Then while your skin is still a little bit damp, that’s the best time to put on the moisturizer. It will help lock in that moisture to your skin. If you let your skin completely dry, it lets all the moisture evaporate.”

A humidifier can also bring some moisture back into the air in your home. Just make sure to clean it regularly. And drinking water keeps your skin healthy, too.

“Prevention is so much easier than treating a serious wound,” Walz says. When in doubt, see a provider, she says.

A word about diabetes

For people with diabetes, winter skin and wound care is especially important.

“The elevation in blood sugar causes damage to the blood vessels, and that causes decreased circulation. There are less oxygen and nutrients being delivered to a wound. Those are things the wound needs to heal and fight off infections,” Walz says. “People with diabetes can develop neuropathy [which brings decreased sensation], especially in the feet. If they were to step on something and injure their foot or develop a wound, they might not always feel it. Sometimes by the time they notice, it’s already progressing and getting a lot worse.”

Serious wounds can lead to amputations. So people with diabetes should check their skin, especially their feet, at least once a day. Check the top and bottom of the feet and between the toes. And resist the urge to walk around with no or minimal footwear. If you just need to take Fido out for a quick bathroom break, put socks and sneakers on anyway. In fact, Walz says people should bundle up as much as possible when outside in the cold. Make use of those hats and gloves.

“If you’re outside for a long period and your feet feel cold, it’s really important that when you come inside, you’re careful about how you warm your feet,” Walz adds. “We don’t want to use a heating pad, a space heater or really hot water because of the possible reduced sensation. So it’s possible they could be burning their feet, and they wouldn’t know.”

Instead, put on socks and move your feet around (toe curls or a light walk, for example).

Learn more

Read more about how to keep your skin healthy on the OSF HealthCare website. OSF OnCall also offers virtual dermatology for quick access to skin care at home.

Interview clips

Frequently asked questions

OSF OnCall Virtual Dermatology offers faster access to skin care

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:34:43 -0500

After months of dealing with red, itchy and scaly skin around her eyelids, Susan Scott of Groveland, Illinois decided it was time to stop trying to diagnose and treat the problem herself.

She turned to a new virtual dermatology service from OSF OnCall and within hours, she had a diagnosis and a prescription.

Since the beginning of the summer, Scott had itching and redness around her eyelids and tried to treat it with over-the-counter ointments and it did not clear up. A busy mom who was tied up with medical appointments for her children, Scott didn’t want to take time away from work for what she viewed as a minor issue.

“I didn’t want another appointment in my life and so I just figured I would treat myself … It wasn’t worth the time and effort to go see a doctor and so the virtual solution was a great solution for me,” Scott shares.

Rather than scheduling an in-person appointment with a dermatologist, she went to her OSF MyChart account, found the virtual dermatology link and submitted information and photos about her condition.

The process took about five minutes, Scott says. She completed basic medical information, photographed the affected area and submitted the request for review.

Her experience came on Labor Day, when she happened to be home and had time to address the problem.

Received a diagnosis on Labor Day

“Much to my surprise, that same day, on Labor Day, I got an email back from a doctor telling me that the condition was eczema and that they had called in prescription to Walmart in Morton (her pharmacy) to pick up my ointment.”

By the following weekend, the condition had cleared.

OSF OnCall Virtual Dermatology allows people to submit information about a skin concern and upload photos for review by a board-certified dermatologist. The patient receives a personalized treatment plan within three business days or less, and prescriptions may be provided when appropriate.

The digital option is available for common conditions including acne, eczema, rosacea, rashes, psoriasis, warts, hives, ringworm and pediatric skin concerns.

Susan Wolf, DNP, MBA, APRN, clinical director of digital care for OSF OnCall says skin issues can be uncomfortable, frustrating and sometimes embarrassing and yet the wait time for an in-person dermatology appointment was an average of five weeks.

“When we looked into dermatology access across the state, we were noticing at least a month to two months for a wait time for non-urgent concerns. We thought that wait time was too long, especially with frontline providers wanting answers, along with patients, sooner than later to determine is this more benign or is this more serious and concerning that we need to address sooner than later?”

Popular with all ages

Wolf says the virtual dermatology option has been helpful to people with transportation issues or limited access to providers in rural areas. And so far, it has a wide range of users.

“We’re seeing anybody from one year or less up to 90 plus that are using the service. We’re also noticing that family members are using the service for their loved ones as well, rather than just the patient themselves using the service.”

That has included older adults who have complex medical conditions that otherwise would require emergency medical transport to get them to an appointment.

For Susan Scott, it was a revelation that OSF OnCall Virtual Dermatology lived up to its promise of being quick and easy.

“Filling out the form, providing my medical history, describing my condition and issues I was dealing with was quick and really didn’t take much time at all. So, it really was as quick and easy as they say it is.”

The care costs a flat $60 self-pay fee and is not billed to insurance. Scott says she used an easy option.

“I was able to use my HSA (health savings account) card so that way it was somewhat discounted because I was using tax-free dollars to pay for the appointment so that was good.”

The experience changed Susan Scott’s view of how quickly a persistent skin problem could be addressed. She regrets letting her condition persist through the summer when she had an easy solution.

If a person’s condition requires an in-person evaluation, the care team can help coordinate follow-up with an OSF primary care provider or specialist.

The virtual option is not appropriate for a changing mole, irregular borders or colors, full body skin exams or bleeding or non-healing lesions which often require a dermoscopy or biopsy.

Here is more information about OSF OnCall virtual dermatology services.

Video clips with Susan Scott

Video clips with Susan Wolf

B-roll-Virtual dermatology

Skin care is not skin deep

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0500

As a longtime health care provider, Amber Oberheim, APRN, always thought she was taking good care of her skin. She’s counseled patients on the topic and even spoke about it at a community forum. But a recent trip to the spa reminded her of what’s true for all our health care: there’s room to do better.

“The worker asked what I used to wash my face. I said I use a bar of antibacterial Dial soap. She did not like that response,” Oberheim chuckles. “So I did a little bit of research. I found that product is extremely drying [for the skin].”

Now, Oberheim, a family nurse practitioner at OSF HealthCare, is reminding you about what happens to aging skin, what you can do to maintain your skin and the serious consequences if you don’t.

Aging skin

Oberheim says it’s natural for your skin to dry and thin with age.

“It tends to lose collagen and elastin. Some of the oil and sweat glands that provide natural moisture, especially on our face, start to decline,” she says. “That leads to more lines and wrinkles.” Sagging skin is also possible.

Some of the changes may be genetic (in other words, passed down from family). But Oberheim says sun exposure plays a big role. If you have a long career working outside, for example, your skin may change faster. Smoking can also accelerate skin breakdown.

Consequences

Some people may see skin care as purely cosmetic. If I’m not a model or television news anchor, I’ll just do the bare minimum.

That’s not the right approach, Oberheim says. Poor skin care, especially in older adults, can lead to persistent bruises and skin tears leading to wounds.

“Sometimes it doesn’t take much. I’ll see patients who have small dogs that jump on them. Even just the clawing from the dog will put a tear in the skin because the skin is so thin and fragile,” Oberheim recalls. “When that happens, we have to make sure to keep the skin clean and dry. If we end up with an infection, that can lead to cellulitis. Cellulitis can lead to other things, including sepsis [a possibly deadly condition where your body responds improperly to an infection]. So we’d need to take precautions and fix the infection with maybe some antibiotics.”

The bottom line, Oberheim says, is if your skin problem isn’t responding to at-home treatment after a few days, see your primary care provider or a dermatologist.

Other conditions

Other skin conditions to be aware of:

Eczema (also called atopic dermatitis): This causes dry, itchy scaly skin patches. Experts don’t know exactly what causes it. But Oberheim says allergies, asthma and even stress can play a role, and it’s often worse in the winter. She says eczema can affect all ages and appear anywhere on your body.
Rosacea: This causes redness, pimples, broken blood vessels and, in severe cases, a misshapen nose. It most often affects the face and eyes.
Age spots (also called liver spots): Oberheim says these look like “big freckles.” They’re often flat and dark-colored. They’re associated with sun exposure, and so they’re often seen on the head and face.

“They’re usually not super problematic, but they’re not cosmetically appealing,” Oberheim says.
Psoriasis: This causes inflamed, red raised areas of skin that can itch and be painful. This is often seen on the scalp, elbows, knees and lower back.
Poison ivy and oak: Oberheim says she sees these issues often in her clinic. When someone rubs up against the plant or an object that’s touched the plant, they can get a red, bumpy itchy rash with fluid-filled blisters.

Prevention

So, what should your daily skin care routine be? Should you be getting facials at the spa regularly? That’s probably not necessary, Oberheim says. But daily washing and moisturizing is. Look from certain things on skin care product labels: retinol (helps with skin firmness and reducing wrinkles), vitamin C (helps brighten age spots), hyaluronic acid (helps with moisturizing), niacinamide (helps reduce redness), collagen and peptides.

Other things to consider:

Wear sunscreen of 30 SPF [sun protection factor] or higher when outside, and reapply it every few hours.
Wear protective clothing like a wide brimmed hat, long sleeves and long pants when outside. Wash clothes right away when you get home. Also, know which plants are in your area to avoid the pesky ones.
Don’t smoke.
Drink plenty of water all the time, not just during outdoor activities.
Don’t bathe or shower in very hot water. This can dry the skin.
Try not to itch any skin lesion. You don’t want a wound to open and risk an infection.
Know your body. Watch for suspicious moles or lesions that might be a sign of skin cancer. Experts say you can remember the ABCDEs: if the mole is asymmetric, has an irregular border, has an odd color, has a big diameter or is evolving, see a provider.

Learn more

Read more about how to keep your skin healthy on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

More than moles

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Summer means outdoor activities and a reminder to watch for suspicious moles, a possible sign of skin cancer. But doctors say skin lesions come in many forms, and you should know when to get an expert opinion.

What is and isn’t a skin lesion? Raman Kumar, MD, a colorectal and general surgeon at OSF HealthCare, has your checklist:

YES: moles, blisters, bumps, acne, boils, peeling skin from a sunburn, rashes, poison ivy or similar skin reactions, warts, skin tags and bug bites
YES, BUT: Dr. Kumar says freckles and birthmarks are lesions, but they are not harmful.

In other words: “A skin lesion is any type of abnormal growth. It can happen anywhere on the body. If it doesn’t look like normal skin, it’s considered a growth,” Dr. Kumar says.

Causes for each of these lesions vary. We know acne is due to bacteria, and warts are from a virus, for example. Medications, lifestyle choices (like eating certain food that doesn’t agree with you) and medical conditions (such as diabetes and liver failure) are other culprits. But when the cause is unexplained, health care providers might need to investigate.

“We look at the lesion. The majority of the time, we can tell if something is benign or malignant. If we have questions, we err on the side of caution and do a biopsy,” Dr. Kumar explains. That involves cutting out part of the lesion and sending it off to a lab for analysis. “Biopsies can be done in the office. If it’s a bigger procedure, we have to go to the operating room.”

If the biopsy confirms evidence of a problem, such as cancer, the doctor will remove the rest of the bad tissue. Or, Dr. Kumar says some people come to him with a cosmetic or practical reason. They have a large birthmark or cyst on their face, are self-conscious about their appearance and would like it removed, for example. Or, they wear a hard hat for work, and the hat rubs against a lesion on their forehead, causing discomfort.

Dr. Kumar outlines how he would remove a lesion: “Let’s say it’s on your arm. We clean up the arm. We inject some lidocaine, which is a numbing agent. Then with a knife or other instrument, I’m able to cut it all out. Depending on how deep it is and the size of the lesion, we can glue it back together or put stitches in.” Regardless of the method, Dr. Kumar says most of these procedures are routine for providers with minimal aftereffects for the patient. In complex cases, like if the lesion goes down into a muscle, a plastic surgeon might be consulted.

Prevention

We can’t control if we have things like freckles or moles. But there are plenty of things you can do to help prevent problematic lesions.

Limit your exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun or by tanning. In fact, Dr. Kumar would not recommend tanning at all. For outdoor activities, use waterproof sunscreen of 50 sun protection factor (SPF) or higher, and reapply every few hours. Wear long sleeves and a wide brimmed hat.
Wear bug spray when doing outdoor activities, such as hiking, where insects are present.
Wash your body regularly.

“Don’t overclean,” Dr. Kumar warns. “If you scratch your skin, that allows bacteria and other things to get into your skin and cause infections.”
Don’t smoke. Dr. Kumar says smoking changes your skin for the worse, such as developing wrinkles and lesions.
Find the right skincare products. If you use a lotion and it causes a rash, for example, don’t use that product again. Dr. Kumar adds that Vaselines and petroleum jellies are good for moisturizing your skin. But they’re thick and can clog pores.

“Keep it simple. The $100 face cream is going to work the same as the $10 one,” Dr. Kumar says.
Know the ABCDEs of suspicious moles.

o A is for asymmetry. One half of the spot is not like the other half.

o B is for border. The mole has an irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border.

o C is for color. The spot has varying colors, like tan, brown, black, white, red or blue.

o D is for diameter. Dermatologists say melanoma skin cancers are usually greater than six millimeters, or about the width of a pencil eraser. But they can be smaller, so don’t consider diameter alone.

o E is for evolving. The mole looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color. Dr. Kumar says you can take pictures to show your provider how the mole has changed.

If your lesion has any of the ABCDE red flags or you just have a concern, see a provider.