Harvard Health Content API

Dry skin isn’t just a winter problem. Sun exposure, aging, and seasonal extremes can leave skin thinner, less oily, and prone to scaling and itching year-round.

It’s never too late to protect your skin: choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and water resistance to guard against UV damage, premature aging, and skin cancer risk.

If your diet lacks calcium, your body pulls it from your bones, so in addition to dairy, add foods like tofu, white beans, canned salmon, fortified plant milks, almonds, and dried figs, and be sure you’re getting enough vitamin D to absorb it.

To strengthen and protect your bones, do at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise daily such as brisk walking, running, hiking, stair climbing, or jumping. Add strength training two to three times a week with rest days in between.

Excess earwax can cause pain, infection, hearing loss, and even coughing, but instead of using cotton swabs that push wax deeper, gently loosen it with water, saline, or hydrogen peroxide and let it drain out naturally.

Melanoma is deadly and awareness is high, but since about 80% of people may only need a skin check every two to three years, it’s worth asking your doctor whether you’re among the 20% who truly benefit from annual screenings.

In this video, learn what researchers are discovering about who gets migraines, exploring such factors as genetics, the role of hormones, and related conditions.