Love the skin you're in ..
I do not suffer from extreme cases of eczema or psoriasis but when I have flare up's, it causes me a lot of frustration and stress. Stress which then makes my skin worse!!
I'm sick of people thinking I'm just trying to get out of 'doing the dishes' or looking for something to complaint about. It is hard for people to understand how ANNOYING this can be if they have not experienced it themselves.
I never had any problems with my skin when I was younger, except from the odd chapped lips break out in winter. I never suffered from spots or acne whilst at High School. I have to admit, I am a bit vain and I do like to take pride in my personal appearance. This is why, when I first started to get patches of eczema I struggled to deal with it.
When I was 15 I started working in a hairdressers. This was the career I had chosen when deciding to leave school, most my friends were doing it and I decided to try it as well. At first it was great, I was loving working in such a glamorous work place, getting dressed up to go to work every day and working with glamorous people. However, it wasn't so glamorous when I started to develop dermatitis and eczema on my hands from washing hair every day. At first I thought it would be fine, it would go away, once I became a fully qualified hairdresser I wouldn't need to wash as much hair anymore. This was not the case, it started to get worse, it spread up my arms and then on to my face. I tried using barrier creams, wearing gloves, drying my hands properly but it would not go away and I had to give hairdressing up.
My dermatitis did get better, after I gave up the hairdressing career but since then I have experienced other problems with my skin. The hairdressing might have triggered these problems or they might not have, who knows? I will probably never know but the one thing I had to do is learn to deal with it. OK, so I couldn't smother my body in glitter sun shimmer without going patchy but I have still managed to rebuild my confidence and feel glamorous. There are times where my skin is so bad I literally cry and start to feel negative but there are also periods of time where my skin looks great. You just have to take the good with the bad, I suppose and learn how to keep the flare up's to a minimum.
SOAPS: A lot of people who have sensitive skin tend to use Simple soap and body wash. I have spoken to people who really love these products. I have tried the Simple soap , I used if for a few months but felt it made my skin feel really dry, to be honest. It might just be my skin though, so it may be worth trying it to see if it works for you.
I use DOVE soap every day. I always make sure I am stocked up so I am not tempted to use other soaps when I have ran out. I have never had any problems with DOVE and would definitely recommend this to anyone with dry and sensitive skin. This can be purchased from most supermarkets and shops.
Another soap I love is the Dr Organic Manuka Honey soap from Holland and Barrett. This contains Manuka Honey which is known as a natural healer and is used by many people who suffer from eczema and psoriasis. Also smells great!
TANNING: When I am not going through a flare up I tend to use moisturising tanning lotions. These are still not great for sensitive skin but as they contain moisturiser they are a lot better than normal tanning products. Sometimes I can use this tanning lotion and be completely fine and other times it can itch my skin. I normally take an anti histamine after applying this just in case my skin decides to play up.
My favourite from all the moisturising tanning lotions is the 'Garnier Summer Body' one. I have used this over the top of eczema on my hands and arms , it did not cover the patches up BUT it didn't make them stand out like other tanners do. You can buy this from most supermarkets and from Superdrug and Boots.
This is a photo of me from a photo shoot I done. I am wearing the Sally Hansen Instant Tan (Airbrush Legs) all over my body. If you look really close you can see the white patches (on my wrists and elbows) that are not completely covered but from a distance, is barely noticeable. This photo has been edited but you can still see the colour difference on my skin.
* When I lived in London I felt the harsh water really had an affect on my skin. If you live in a city where the water is quite harsh it may be worth your while looking into getting your water filtered *
TOP TIPS
- Moisturise as SOON as you come out of a bath or shower to keep skin soft and minimise flare ups ( I use Doublebase, prescribed by my doctor)
- Put a drop of baby oil in your bath to soften your skin (not too much or it may irritate affected areas)
- Try to use as many natural products as possible and stay away from perfumed products
- Carry anti histamine with you always, check if your doctor can prescribe you with these as they are quite expensive to buy, if you are using regularly
- Always wear gloves when cleaning, latex sometimes irritates skin so maybe try and stay away from latex gloves
- Do not use cheap soap powder / fabric condition. I recommend Surf soap powder and the white Comfort fabric conditioner. I have never had any trouble with these
- Try not to wear make up when ever you do not need to
- Wash your towels after one use, always dry with clean towels
- Regularly wash your bed sheets
Thanks for reading, I am still searching for other products and remedies and will keep you updated on anything that works for me. If anyone has any recommendation please share on comments <3
Kerri
<3
