You don’t need to sit back and accept your skin’s fate until you re-enter the land of feeling well, though. Dr Perry has some helpful tips for looking after your skin until that time:

Apply moisturiser liberally and use it frequently throughout the day.
A home humidifier may help alleviate especially dry skin.
Wear soft layers to avoid irritating the skin and keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Choose soothing baths over hot showers as long showers in hot water remove moisture from your skin. It’s better to shower in warm water just long enough to soap up and rinse off.
Soak in Epsom salts, or dead sea salts in a warm bath for around 15 minutes to slough off dry skin scales, soothe itching, and unwind. Apply moisturising cream or lotion right after to lock the water in.
Try to exercise when the weather is OK in order to get some vitamin D.

This is the reason your skin is so dry when you have a cold – here’s how to remedy it