Pre-Santa skin SOS

30 Nov 2009 06:00 AM | Posted by bh'sOlivia

The strain of juggling a hectic work life, festive family plans and completing your Christmas shopping on time can show in your skin – think eczema or rosacea flare ups and break outs. And what with it being party season, bad skin should be the last thing on your mind. Thankfully, bh has called on expert Emma Hobson from the International Dermal Institute for some sound skin advice.

 

What’s the best way to address and calm a rosacea flare up caused by the stresses and strains of the festive season?

“Summer sun (being the worst), alcohol consumption and stress can all trigger a rosacea flare up, with stress worsening rosacea by as much as 22 per cent. When attempting to elevate the condition, seek out these skincare ingredients: aloe, butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane , octinoxate and oxybenzone SPF, allantoin, licorice, arnica, red clover, avena sativa (oatmeal), red raspberry, Canadian willowherb, mallow, coneflower, green tea, chamomile, centipeda cunninghami and sea buckthorn. 
 

“Try to avoid the following ingredients as they can irritate rosacea: soap, alcohol, witch hazel, fragrance, menthol, peppermint, eucalyptus oil, chemical sunscreens, topical steroids, rich moisturiser and comedogenic Ingredients, hairspray, benzoyl peroxide, triclosan, AHA (lactic and glycolic acids).”
 

 

The last thing we need at Christmas is a face as red as Rudolf’s nose: what is the best treatment against eczema?

“For non-prescriptive relief from eczema try applying a colloidal oatmeal masque; this will certainly help to reduce the redness and inflammation. Alternatively, soak in a bath of oatmeal or apply an oatmeal poultice to the affected area.  In addition, spraying the skin with a soothing mist containing Canadian willowherb will help relieve the irritating itch.  Ingredients that will benefit this condition and ones to avoid are almost identical to the ingredients listed above for the treatment of rosacea.

“One of the most important components of an eczema treatment routine is to prevent itching. Because eczema is usually dry and itchy, the most common treatment is the application of lotions or creams to keep the skin as moist as possible. These treatments are generally most effective when applied directly after bathing (within three minutes is a common recommendation) so that the moisture from the bath is locked in.”  


The Karaoke box is the only thing we want to break out this festive season: however, if the stress of Christmas shopping teamed with beach-season heat causes our skin to break out how can we achieve a flawless complexion fast?

“Absolutely NEVER squeeze a spot. This is an inflamed lesion filled with bacteria and if you squeeze it you can spread the infection, cause damage to the very delicate skin and end up having not only more spots but also a scar as a result. Remember a spot may last a week a scar can last a lifetime!

“I’d recommend instead using a spot-clearing product which will help heal it quickly and effectively. A great daily treatment is an active spot recovery treatment that also contains a mineral/natural concealer so it hides the spot but is non-comedogenic (won’t block pores).

“Look for products that contain the following types of active ingredients: salicylic acid – 
a beta hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates, tea tree – an extremely effective anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial essential oil, and benzoyl peroxide – a chemical that introduces oxygen into the follicle thereby killing the anaerobic bacteria.  

“Use an exfoliant but don’t overdo it – two to three times a week is sufficient as over exfoliation can sensitise and irritate the skin and cause more break outs. An ideal exfoliant for break-out prone skin is one that contains two per cent salicylic acid as it helps clear congestion from the skin.

“Ensure you become an ingredient reader; avoid ingredients like mineral oil, lanolin, ethyl alcohol, artificial colours and fragrances. Over the festive season there are countless parties and functions to attend and so we can be applying much more ‘party make-up‘ than we are used to. Many cosmetics contain comedogenic ingredients that are know and proved to clog the pores, avoid this by keeping a close eye out for non-comedogenic ingredients (look at mineral-based make-up ranges). A supplement of Zinc is also recommended to help acne skin.”