How to help prevent itchy skin conditions from Shine Woking nr Guildford
With the start of autumn skin can start to become very reactive. In this blog I will give some preventive measures to help reduce itchy skin.
If you have a rash and feel itchy but are unsure of the cause it is best to visit your GP who can give you a diagonise and tablets/creams to relieve the condition. If you are given steroid creams make sure you watch your hands after applying as if these get into contact with the skin around the eye area can cause swelling. Beauty therapists are not able to diagonise a skin condition (this can only be done by a doctor or dermatologist) but are trained to recognise the different types of skin conditions. Once a diagonise is given there are preventive measures that help keep your condition under control.
Below is a link which explains the types of conditions that can cause itchy skin. In summer or when going on a winter holiday put on sun cream but be careful with carrot oil as some people have an allergy to this ingredient. Exposure to the sun can in some people cause sun dermatitis where the skin presents a rash that is extremely itchy and hot. You can be able to sun bath for years and then all of a sudden you can develop a condition that a lot of people call prickly heat. You can get a temperature with this condition and will feel better if you lay in the cool with damp cloths over you. The chemist may be able to give you some tablets for this condition if you can't get to a doctor if you are still on holiday.
Preventative measures to keep skin healthy include:
Moisturisation of the skin
If you have a rash please discontinue using moisturiser until you see a doctor so he can check you do not have folliclitis (infection of the skin follicles - which can happen if bacteria enters the skin follicles. One cause could be excess sweating within 24 - 48 hours (depending on your skin) after being waxed or swimming in a chlorine or salt pool after waxing).
When you are sure you haven't got a skin infection apply a generous amount of moisturizer within three minutes of taking a shower in order to seal in skin’s moisture. Buying fragrance-free and lanolin-free products is important to avoid sensitivity to these ingredients in the first instance.
When your skin is less reactive introducing natural products like Decelor can help increase and treat the skin so it can retain more moisture. e.g. soothing facial products help strenghten the capallaries so skin is less prone to reactions.
Use more hydrating products as soon as autumn arrives as this will stop your skin getting too dry and breaking out later on.
Remember to apply lip balms and plant oils to nails and cuticles to prevent them drying out.
Use soothing conditioners and treatments on your hair and scalp.
Moisturisation of the body
By increasing the amount of water you drink you are helping the skin because it is more hydrated. If you find drinking water in winter difficult herbal and fruit teas can be substituted instead.
Bathing in warm water
Use warm water in winter when bathing as it has less chance of reacting with your skin. Bathing in hot water will cause the skin to become more itchy and even a rash to develop. Hot water removes the skin’s protective natural oils, causing irritation. Lukewarm water is better because it traps water in the skin. Adding E45 bath oil to the water can help retain your skin moisture. Pat skin dry rather than rubbing the skin as it will cause more irritation. You may also wish to consider showering instead as you lose less of your skin moisture when you shower.
Food allergies
Consider whether you may have a food intolerance - if you have a food intolerance if can cause skin rashes and even skin flushing to occur if to much of the food you have an intolerance to has been eaten. I have seen people with an allergy to orange juice, for example, turn bright red in colour and develop a skin rash all over there body within a hour of consuming juice in large quantities.
Avoid soap and check washing powder is not biological
Soap can be very drying on the skin so only use on the most vital areas of the body. Biological soap powder can also cause problems for some people prone to skin conditions. In winter as we have more clothes on we may perspire more. This means if there is resdue soap powder on your clothes your sweat reacts with the soap powder and your skin which can cause reaction and therefore a skin rash.
