Skin Solutions
As we look forward to cold, crisp winter days and cosy nights in by the fire, this time of year can be a stressful period for those that suffer from extremely dry skin conditions. With one in five children in Ireland suffering from eczema, not enough light is shed on the extremely dry skin conditions that many families have to deal with. From stuffy air conditioning and freezing cold temperatures to heavily fragranced soap and diffusers in your home, the list of triggers causing extremely dry skin is endless.
“Atopic eczema may be triggered by many different things,’’ believes DR NIKI
RALPH, consultant dermatologist. “Factors which may cause a flare include changes of temperature, humidity, house dust mite, stress, synthetic clothing etc. And for small children teething is also a trigger. Infection internally such as a cold/chest infection may also trigger a flare and obviously if the skin becomes infected this will lead to worsening of one’s eczema.’’ While every eczema sufferer is different, this time of year can be tough for many if not all. The outside temperature is dropping, and the central heating is on high, which can be a nightmare for those dealing with blotchy red skin. “It’s important to wear clothing in layers so that one is not too hot which may trigger one to scratch,’’ recommends Dr Ralph. “Cotton clothing against the skin is best rather than synthetic clothing.’’ A diligent daily skin care routine is essential to really soothe the skin and prevent long-term issues. “Keep it to lukewarm baths for five to seven minutes and then applying an emollient, such as La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+, €13.50, twice or three times daily as everyone’s skin is more prone to being dry during the winter months, but especially people who have atopic eczema,’’ says Dr Ralph. When it comes to make-up, it’s vital to choose light fluid formulas designed for sensitive skin. While wearing make-up over eczema is not a good idea, sometimes in can’t be avoided. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, €29.50, is a really light easy-to-blend formula, that doesn’t dry out the skin. When it comes to your base, Bobbi Brown Nude Finish Tinted
Moisturiser, €38, has come to the rescue many times for me when my skin did not want to cooperate. While it has an ultra-lightweight formula, it does cover redness when buffed gently into the skin.
Most importantly, Dr Ralph stresses that, “make-up should be removed each night with an emollient based make-up remover and never a make-up wipe, which often contains lots of chemicals, etc, which may be very drying to the skin and also result in irritation/allergy.’’