The first being sensitive skin that is due to nerve ending being closer to the surface of the skin and the three common skin diseases people deal with:
- Psoriasis (a chronic, non-contagious skin disease typically appearing red, silver scaly patches and accompanied by itching. Believed to be brought on by stress, excessive alcohol or smoking, and possibly spice food)
- Eczema (a form of dermatitis that includes itchy, dry, red, rash like, crusting or flaking, and possible cracking of the skin and brought on by medications, food, allergies, chemicals, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, smoking, viral infection, or change in seasons)
- Rosacea (a chronic condition characterized by facial redness and inflammation, usually begins across the cheeks and nose, or forehead, and can progress down the neck or up through the scalp. Believed to be brought on by extreme temperates, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, or foods high in histamine - aged cheese, yogurt, beef, bacon - and medications or allergies)
All four of these conditions must be dealt with a little TLC. (Tender Loving Care)
When cleansing your face certain products and methods (ie. manual scrubs or anti aging products) can only activate your skin problems and make them worse. So here are a few tips to help.
- Contact a professional to help diagnose and manage your condition. An Esthetician can create a skin care regiment to help minimize the effects of irritated skin but they can not diagnose medical conditions, they are however educated to know when you should be referred to a Dermatologist or Doctor.
- Stay away from the things that are believed to trigger the condition. If you just have sensitive skin take care by using lukewarm water and lighten your touch...too hard of pressure when cleaning can cause skin to become irritated.
- Do not use manual scrubs (wash cloths, loofahs, any product that has cleansing beads, sugar or sea salt scrubs). These items can be too abrasive, irritating, and can inflame conditions.
- Do not use anti aging products. These products typically are formulated to help cells turn over faster. This can do the same as in #2...irritate and inflame the conditions.
So you may be asking yourself, "How do I exfoliate then? There is so much focus on exfoliation to help keep skin young, soft, and healthy." It is call Enzymes. Previously I have posted a blog about exfoliation and the 2 types, manual and chemical. In this case enzymes fall under chemical and are recommended for sensitive skin including people who suffer from Psoriasis, Eczema, or Rosacea. Enzyme masks work only on the dead skin cells. Once the enzymes have metabolized the dead cells the process stops leaving the living cells intact and your skin looking young, soft and healthy.
**Note: There are different types of enzyme masks. Some can be more active on the skin then others. It is important to contact a professional to help you choose the correct one for your skin type.
XO's
LG
