Australian Winter Scar Care: Dry Skin, Clothing Friction and Sun Protection
Australian Winter Scar Care: Dry Skin, Clothing Friction and Sun Protection
Winter brings cooler weather, heavier clothing, indoor heating and fewer obviously sunny days. For someone managing a new or developing scar, these seasonal changes can introduce a few unexpected challenges.
Skin around a healed scar may feel drier or itchier. Multiple layers of clothing can rub against sensitive areas. And although the temperature has dropped, Australia’s ultraviolet radiation has not packed its bags and gone on holiday.
Here are three practical ways to care for your scar during winter.
1. Help manage dry, uncomfortable skin
Cold air, hot showers and indoor heating can all contribute to dry-feeling skin. Newly healed skin may be particularly sensitive and prone to dryness or itching.
Regular moisturising can support skin hydration and help keep the area comfortable. NSW scar-care guidance recommends using a simple water-based moisturiser as tolerated. Thicker creams may be helpful for particularly dry areas.
Winter moisturising tips
- Choose a gentle, non-perfumed moisturiser.
- Apply it to clean, healed skin.
- Use a small amount and massage it in gently.
- Avoid vigorous rubbing on a new or sensitive scar.
- Allow moisturiser to absorb completely before dressing.
- Avoid placing standard skincare products over an open or weeping wound.
Scintera’s Rejuvaskin Skin Recovery Cream may provide additional moisturising support for dry, compromised-looking skin once the area has properly healed.
If you are also using a silicone scar sheet, the skin generally needs to be clean and dry before the sheet is applied. Moisturiser residue may affect how comfortably the sheet sits or adheres.
Follow the individual product instructions and use moisturiser and silicone treatments at separate times when required.
2. Watch for friction from winter clothing
Winter wardrobes introduce scarves, compression garments, thick waistbands, thermal layers, bras, stockings and heavier fabrics.
These garments may repeatedly move across a sensitive scar. Rough fabric, seams, tight elastic and poorly positioned clothing can cause rubbing or pressure.
This can be especially relevant for scars following:
- Breast surgery
- Caesarean delivery
- Tummy tuck surgery
- Cardiothoracic surgery
- Neck or thyroid surgery
- Knee and other orthopaedic procedures
NSW guidance notes that rubbing or pressure from rough clothing can affect fragile, newly healed skin.
How to reduce clothing friction
- Choose soft, breathable layers closest to the skin.
- Check where seams, fasteners and waistbands sit.
- Avoid clothing that repeatedly catches on the scar.
- Make sure bras and compression garments fit correctly.
- Change damp clothing promptly.
- Check the skin daily for persistent redness or irritation.
- Consider whether a silicone sheet can provide comfortable coverage.
A properly selected Scar Fx Silicone Scar Sheet can provide a soft physical layer over a fully healed scar. Scintera offers multiple sheet shapes and sizes for different surgical areas.
However, a sheet should not be used as padding for an actively irritated, damaged or open area. Stop using it if you develop persistent redness, a rash, broken skin or worsening discomfort.
3. Do not forget winter UV protection
One of the easiest winter mistakes is assuming that cool or cloudy weather means ultraviolet radiation is no longer a concern.
UV cannot be judged by temperature. Cancer Council Australia warns that UV can remain high on cool and overcast days.
The sensible approach is to check the UV Index, rather than relying on how warm or sunny it feels.
Cancer Council recommends sun protection when the UV Index reaches 3 or above, or when spending an extended period outdoors. Requirements vary across Australia, with northern regions generally experiencing higher winter UV than southern regions.
Protecting a scar from winter UV
When sun protection is recommended:
- Cover the scar with suitable clothing where practical.
- Apply an appropriate broad-spectrum SPF50 or SPF50+ sunscreen to exposed skin.
- Follow the sunscreen’s application directions.
- Reapply as directed, particularly during extended outdoor activity.
- Use shade and a suitable hat where relevant.
- Remember that silicone gel and silicone sheets do not automatically replace sun protection.
Scintera’s Rejuvaskin Mineral Facial Sunscreen SPF50 can help protect exposed facial, neck and décolletage areas as part of a broader sun-protection routine.
Check the daily UV level using the Bureau of Meteorology, your weather service or the free SunSmart Global UV app.
Should I continue silicone treatment in winter?
Silicone scar treatment does not need to stop simply because the season has changed.
Both silicone gel and silicone sheets can remain useful during winter, provided the scar is completely closed and your skin is tolerating the product.
Silicone gel may be convenient when:
- The scar is on a curved or moving area.
- Heavy clothing makes a sheet difficult to position.
- You want a clear and discreet treatment.
- Your skin does not tolerate adhesive products.
Silicone sheets may be convenient when:
- Clothing repeatedly passes over the scar.
- The scar is long, flat or relatively straight.
- You want continuous physical coverage.
- The sheet remains securely and comfortably positioned.
Scintera also offers procedure-specific Scar Heal Kits containing Scar Fx Silicone Scar Sheets and ScarSil Silicone Scar Gel. These provide flexibility for different scar areas and daily routines.
A simple Australian winter routine
Morning
- Check that the scar and surrounding skin are comfortable.
- Apply your chosen silicone product as directed.
- Check the daily UV Index.
- Protect exposed skin when the UV Index is 3 or above.
- Choose soft clothing that does not rub against the scar.
Evening
- Remove and clean reusable silicone sheets as directed.
- Gently cleanse and dry the skin.
- Check for redness, irritation or skin breakdown.
- Apply a suitable moisturiser at a separate time from silicone treatment.
- Allow the skin and any products to dry before dressing or reapplying silicone.
When to seek advice
Speak with your surgeon, doctor or another qualified healthcare professional if:
- The wound has reopened.
- The area is increasingly painful, hot or swollen.
- You notice discharge, bleeding or signs of infection.
- A persistent rash develops.
- Clothing or a compression garment is causing significant pressure.
- You are uncertain whether the scar is ready for silicone treatment.
Winter scar care made simple
Australian winter scar care comes down to three important habits:
- Keep healed skin comfortably moisturised.
- Reduce unnecessary rubbing from clothing.
- Check the UV Index before assuming sun protection is unnecessary.
Small seasonal adjustments can make scar care more comfortable and easier to maintain.
Explore Scintera’s silicone scar treatments, Skin Recovery Cream and sun-protection products at scintera.com.au.
This article provides general information and is not a substitute for personalised advice from your surgeon, doctor or other qualified healthcare professional.
