Summer may be months away, but don’t overlook that sunscreen and lip balm just because it’s 30 degrees outside. Winter weather poses a dangerous threat to skin, hair and nails. Cruel winds and the sun’s reflection off snow puts us all at risk for chapped lips, cracked hands and yes, even sunburn. Follow advice from area experts on how to winter-proof your skin.

Bath time

As relaxing as a long, hot bath or shower may be when it’s below freezing outside and your heater is broken, it’s not the best idea for keeping your body soft. The hotter the water is, the drier your skin will be after washing.

Also, don’t soap up too much in the shower, warns Lee Bittenbender, dermatologist at Dermatology Center of Lawrence, 930 Iowa St. Body washes and soaps remove protective natural oils from the skin. Bittenbender recommends heavy washing only if you are truly dirty or sweaty.

When you’re finished bathing, don’t dry off completely. Simply brush off excess water with your hands and then apply baby oil or mineral oil to the entire body while the skin is still damp. This will lock in moisture and keep your skin supple and soft.

Honey lips

The skin on your lips is just as vulnerable to sun damage as the rest of your skin. Protect your pout with an SPF 15 or higher lip balm, and reapply often. Chapped lips are a common consequence of dry weather and sun exposure, Bittenbender says. Don’t lick your lips if they are irritated; as the saliva dries, so will your lips. Avoid lip balms that have no SPF unless you are using them at night.

Lindsay Breece, sales associate at Clinique inside Weavers, 901 Massachusetts St., recommends trying Clinique’s Superbalm Lip Treatment to hydrate lips overnight. The Clinique Skin Supplies for Men line offers a lip balm with SPF 15 that is 100-percent fragrance-free.

Shield out the sun

Even when it’s cold and cloudy outside, the sun’s rays can penetrate through clouds to damage your skin. Defend yourself daily with a moisturizing sunscreen of at least SPF 30.

Most people think that they can get by with an SPF 15, but this is assuming you have correctly applied enough sunscreen to all parts of the face, throat and ears, Bittenbender says. The majority of people put on only one-third the amount that they actually need to have that level of protection.

Don’t try to do simple math here: If you apply half of what you actually need of an SPF 30 sunscreen, it does not mean you are getting an SPF 15. It pans out to be about an SPF 5 1/2. Put on more than you think you need, or measure it out to a spoonful.

Women who wear foundations with SPF in them generally won’t get the printed amount of protection because of this application error. It’s better to use sunscreen under makeup, Breece says.

Don’t forget those ears, either. Bittenbender says most people end up with sunburned earlobes even though the rest of their faces were protected with sunscreen. Reapply often, as much as four times a day, especially after heavy sweating or toweling.

If you’re planning on skiing, remember that the higher the elevation, the stronger the sun’s intensity. As you go up in altitude every 1000 feet, the sun’s strength increases 4 percent.

Physical barriers

Besides applying sunscreen, lip balm and body oil, the best way to protect yourself from harsh winds and sunlight is to cover up with hats, scarves and mittens. A scarf over the face will keep chilly winds from chapping your cheeks, and a hat will shield your scalp from sun damage and your hair from static flyaway, Bittenbender says. Wear gloves or mittens over moisturized hands to prevent itchy, red skin and brittle nails.

Look into my eyes

Here is the medical defense for big, bug-eye sunglasses: If the lenses screen out ultraviolet (UV) light and cover the delicate skin around your eyes, wear them. Sunglasses are a great way to protect your eyes and the skin around them from wind damage.

If you don’t wear sunglasses on cloudy days, then pack along some artificial tears. These moisturizing eye drops will treat and prevent redness in the eyes and are available without a prescription. It’s also a good idea to start moisturizing the skin around the eyes with an eye cream packed with SPF 15. Breece recommends Clinique Advanced Stop Signs Eye Preventative Cream. It screens out both UVA and UVB rays and moisturizes the eye area to prevent premature aging.

Making these tips a daily habit doesn’t mean you have to end your love affair with the sun. Sun exposure is inevitable, as most children get 80 percent of their lifetime sun by age 18, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. But that doesn’t mean you can’t fight back.

Sunscreen is necessary during all seasons, and starting now will get you on track for a healthy life. Your skin will be soft and comfortable for the seasons to come with the moisturizers and SPF found in sunscreens.