The year 2020 has certainly been full of trials and tribulations for all of us. A pandemic together with a looming economic crisis has indeed put great strain on both our minds and our bodies. While plenty of focus has been on staying healthy in general, many people forget about the impact the current situation has on our skin and how we need to treat it.
According to Dr. Adalyn “Ada” Almora, aesthetic dermatologist at Ada Viva Clinic in Quezon City, there are numerous reasons why people are experiencing more frequent skin problems right now. One of them is the change in our general well-being with increased anxiety as a very common phenomena.
“We know that stress and anxiety can be a trigger for skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema. A lot of our patients are mentioning these issues when they contact us for a consultation,” Dr. Adalyn says.
Other important factors are changes in our diet and physical activities.
“When you are isolated in your home most of the day it will definitely affect how you eat and how you get physical exercise. Unnecessary snacking and long hours on the couch in front of a screen will undoubtedly also have an effect on your skin” she says.
The lockdown has also forced most people to change how they actually work and study on a daily basis. Work from home and online teachings has become a substantial part of the new normal and this too can have an effect on your skin.
“Working or studying from home leads to huge change in your everyday routines. This also goes for your skin routine. Many people might feel that it is less important to clean up and apply appropriate products in the morning since they will stay at home all day anyway."
Dr. Adalyn, who has been running Ada Viva Clinic since early 2016, is convinced that maintaining a sound skin routine can have a significant effect on how you manage to cope with a crisis like this.
“We can use this stay-at-home situation and the extra time that comes with it to allow ourselves to be a bit more pampered, beautified and spoiled. It really doesn’t have to be complicated. Even such a small thing as touching up your morning routine or applying a facial mask at night can help. Whatever you can do to gain confidence by looking and feeling better is definitely worth the effort,” she says.
Dr Adalyn’s 5 tips for a healthy skin during lockdown:
1. Keep up with your cleansing routine It is important to maintain a good cleansing routine. Even if staying at home often means wearing less makeup as well as less exposure to skin-damaging pollutants, you should clean your skin at least twice per day. This will make sure that you remove sweat, sebum and any other toxins you may have produced.
2. Hydrate your skin regularly If your face feels tight immediately after a shower, it means your skin is dehydrated. Make sure to always apply a moisturizer with hydrating ingredients after cleansing. A hydrating facemask at night is always a good choice. Also, don’t forget to drink plenty of water as it helps to hydrate your skin from the inside. 3. Observe what you eat
Staying indoors will reduce exposure to UV light and lessen sun damage. However, this also means that the vitamin D activation in your skin will reduce. Vitamin D is an antioxidant and plays a key role in skin rejuvenation and protection. Therefore you should make sure to include supplements in your diet or eat foods that are rich in vitamin D, such as tuna, orange juice and soy milk.
4. Limit your stress Do the best you can to limit stress and anxiety. We know that these are factors that can have a huge impact on your skin and easily trigger unwanted flare-ups. Exercise, meditation and mindfulness are all great ways to relax and refocus. Getting your metabolism going will also increase the circulation of antioxidants, which helps battle damaging free radicals.
5. Don’t forget your beauty sleep Studies have shown that poor sleepers have increased signs of premature skin-aging and a decreased ability for their skin to repair itself at night from environmental stress factors. During deep sleep, your body enters repair mode and regenerates skin, muscles, and blood and brain cells. Without enough sleep, your body is unable to produce vital proteins and hormones such as collagen and melatonin.
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