Although most of us relax at home with Netflix and our favorite food, our skin doesn’t find it easy if you have also noticed sudden breakouts and dull skin (as if you had just returned from a free beach), congratulations, because you are now part of the quarantined skin care group!
And if you’re not sure why your skin behaves even though you stay inside without exposure to pollution and sunlight, and outside of food, we need to know a lot more about skin dynamics.
We all know the possible reasons for these skin problems: no or less physical activity increased carbohydrate and fat intake (hey, all of your master chefs!), Increased screen time, stress, and irregular sleep patterns. However, we are still asking an expert, Dr. Rashmi Shetty, an internationally known dermatologist, to find out about our changed skin activity.
Tips for Skin Care in Quarantine
Every time I’m home alone and not distracted enough, I think of this quote from Charlotte York’s Sex and the City: “Before I got married, I would examine my pores for an hour every night in a magnifying mirror. It’s what Carrie Bradshaw describes as “secret individual behavior,” the weird habit you turn to when no one is around, and obviously when you quarantined.
The first day, when I was working from home after Trudeau’s social distance request, the second hour, and the natural light fell on my face without makeup, I had analyzed every brand, line, and pore, and his arrival, hers. Purpose and possible duration of the stay in question. Until the third hour, I had a virtual appointment with Dr. Julia Carroll, a dermatologist at Compass Dermatology in Toronto, reserved for the following day.
“As we speak here, I see this long line of text messages from patients texting directly to our office,” says Dr. Carroll when asked if she saw an increase in appointment requests. “Begin to.” Charlotte and I are hardly alone with our obsession. And that’s not a surprise. As Jia Tolentino wrote in an article for The New Yorker in 2016, skin care has become a coping mechanism. If we focus on that and focus on our mistakes, we may not feel good, but if we believe that we can solve our skin problems, we will feel better and in control.
That is why I asked Dr. Carroll to give him some tips for taking care of his quarantined skin. How can we use this downtime to address skin problems and make our skin the best version? Here are eight things to do if you’re home alone with your magnifying mirror for the foreseeable future for better skin.
The Face Mask Causes Breakouts
We strongly recommend putting the mask on every time you leave the house. However, this can be one of the reasons that lead to sudden outbreaks. Dr. Shetty explains: “If you apply your natural skin care products with a mask on, your skin will break. The area of the skin covered by the mask becomes hotter because there is no airflow in this area. And this is the T zone of the face that has the highest activity of the sebaceous glands. “As a result, oil production in this area is increasing.” You also breathe the mask. Therefore, its skincare product, together with the secretion of sweat and oil and without airflow, can irritate the skin. It can also cause an infection if you wear the mask repeatedly and for an extended period, “he adds.
In addition to changing the season and increasing humidity, Dr. Shetty also points out other problems that can lead to dull skin. “Most of us don’t exfoliate our skin and don’t wash our face two or three times a day, which can lead to dull skin. Lack of exercise and fresh air also affect the skin,” he explains.
What You Can Do
Dr. Shetty suggests switching skincare to light products. “If you need to use a moisturizer and your skin is dry, choose a light product. Use a sunscreen, but only on the exposed areas of the face, “he explains. She also recommends wearing a disposable mask. “When you put the mask on, be sure to wear a new one. Even if you reuse the cloth mask, have three or four masks ready to put on a new mask every time,” he adds.
According to Dr. Shetty, we also need to add some supplements to our diet. Ironically, although we can have the healthiest food at home, we can more satisfy our taste buds, which are not always healthy or balanced. “Although we eat at home, it may or may not be healthy. Some of us are too lazy to prepare a proper meal. A good set of supplements could help treat acne and blunt skin conditions. Antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and vitamin C highly recommended, “explains Dr. Shetty.