Wednesday, 22 April 2020

[Skin Concerns] Skincare in the Time of Coronavirus: tips for face and hand care (acne, irritation, dryness)

Beauty Tips For Body Care
Even in the best of times skincare can be real fricken frustrating, but due to the pandemic most of us are dealing with some extra skin concerns. Mask wearing and frequent hand washing are the main culprits, leaving us with dry skin, acne, and irritation.This is intended to be a mega-list of recommendations from around the subreddit. It'll cover:acne due to mask wearingirritation, pressure injuries, and friction injuries due to mask wearingdry/irritated skin due to masksdry, cracked hands from frequent hand washingPlease leave your recommendations in the comments so I can add them to the list :) AcneFrequent and prolonged mask wearing can lead to an increase in acne due to moisture, bacteria, and fabric.Treating and preventing acne will focus on those factors: minimizing the effects of humidity on the skin, ideally using treatments with antibacterial properties, and removing sweat/moisture buildup as often as possible. Cleanse or wipe face throughout the day.If feasible, cleansing the skin throughout the day can help remove buildup of moisture, sweat, etc. It may be a bit of a balancing act, as increased cleansing can also cause irritation or dryness. But if you can find a product or frequency that works for you, this can be very helpful in preventing acne!Cleansing wipesCeraVe Cleansing WipesSimple Micellar WipesCetaphil Gentle Cleansing WipesPaula's Choice Cleansing ClothsGermicidal Prep Wipes (anyone have a link? I have this saved but no further context)Micellar waterSimple Kind To Skin Micellar WaterBioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar WaterEucerin Micellar WaterAvene Micellar LotionDamp paper towelWaterPaper towel!!! If your current cleanser is very gentle, using a cleanser with a little more oomph may be helpful.Very gentle cleansers include ones like CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser and Stratia Velvet Cleansing Milk. Great for dry or sensitive skin, but may not have the cleansing power needed to deal with long periods of mask wearing.Vanicream Gentle CleanserCeraVe Foaming CleanserCetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily SkinHada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Cleansing FoamFull list in the cleanser wiki (probably looking more at gels and foaming, not so much lotions and creams) Use a skin sealant.Applying these before using a mask may help protect the skin from excess moisture/humidity. These are also useful for protecting from pressure and friction injuries.No Sting Barrier FilmSafe n' Simple No-Sting Skin Barrier Film Spray & WipesList of skin sealants/protectants Use an acne treatment, or adjust your current acne treatment (increased frequency, trying a stronger treatment, etc.).See the overviews below for more information on introducing and using specific treatments.Topical antibioticsIf possible, talk to a doctor or derm about topical antibiotics. These will likely be most effective in treating acne caused by masks!Online derm services like Apostrophe, FirstDerm, and Curology/Dermatica may be more easily accessibleBHAsA very common and easily accessible acne treatment, BHAs can help treat acne and 'degunk' the stuff in pores. While they're typically very well tolerated, they can be a bit drying! BHAs include salicylic acid and betaine salicylate.Stridex Maximum Strength PadsPaula's Choice BHAsCeraVe SA CleanserCosRx BHA Liquid (gentle, suitable for sensitive skin)Full list in the BHA wikiBenzoyl peroxideBenzoyl peroxide is a powerful acne treatment, but can be quite drying and may bleach fabric or hair. Start by using 2.5% benzoyl peroxide as a rinse-off mask, as this may be as effective as stronger leave-on treatments without causing as much irritation.Acne.org TreatmentNeutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Daily Leave-On MaskPaula's Choice Clear Daily Skin Clearing Treatment - Regular StrengthFull list in the benzoyl peroxide wikiAzelaic acidThe best of both worlds, azelaic acid is an effective acne treatment that is generally well tolerated, even by those with sensitive or irritated skin.The Ordinary Azelaic Acid SuspensionPaula's Choice Azelaic Acid BoosterGarden of Wisdom 10% Azelaic Acid SerumFull list in the azelaic acid wikiRetinoidsRetinoids like retinol, adapalene/Differin, and tretinoin/Retin-A are powerful treatments that can help prevent acne from forming. Retinoids can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, and depending on the strength, they can be quite irritating and drying.There are many different types of retinoids, so check out the retinoids wiki for recommendations.Differin/adapalene is most commonly used for acne treatment, but may not be available OTC in your country. It can also be quite drying, so it's important to do your research first! Spot treatments.Spot treatments are used on individual acne bumps/lesions, and can help them heal faster.Hydrocolloid bandagesHydrocolloid bandages ('acne patches') are small adhesive bandages that help absorb moisture and protect acne spots. This can help flatten out acne bumps, and can provide an ideal environment for spots to heal quickly. They're a great non-irritating spot treatment that can help improve the appearance of acne overnight!CosRx Acne PatchesNexcare Acne PatchesGeneric hydrocolloid/blister bandage cut to sizeSulfurSulfur is an excellent treatment, but it can be a bit drying and (depending on the product) may smell.De La Cruz Sulfur Ointment Pressure and Friction InjuriesConstant pressure and friction from PPE can cause irritation and pressure injuries. These can look like red sore spots, abrasions/scrapes, or pressure ulcers. They are most common in areas where the mask directly touches the skin, especially along the nose bridge.The National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel released a set of guideline for preventing and treating pressure and fritction injuries, which will be detailed below.For a full rundown, check out: [Skin Concerns] Protecting facial skin from mask irritation/injuries - guidelines from NPIAP Prep the skinUse non-drying pH balanced cleansers to gently clean the skin without irritation.Vanicream Gentle Facial CleanserEucerin Redness Relief Cleansing GelCerave Hydrating Facial CleanserFull list in the cleanser wikiUse liquid skin sealants/protectants where the mask touches.No Sting Barrier FilmSafe n' Simple No-Sting Skin Barrier Film Spray & WipesList of skin sealants/protectants Remove pressureRemove mask as often as is safely possible. The NPIAP says that 5-15 minutes every 2 hours is ideal, but that any pressure relief is helpful! Safety first!Don't use dressings that impact the seal of N95 masks. Thin prophylactic dressings can be used with other PPE as long as the function of the device is not impaired. Check out the NPIAP guidelines (pdf) for more information. Treating irritation and injuriesDeep or severe injuries should be referred for professional wound care.Minor abrasions and irritation can be treated with:Topical moisturizersBiafine Emulsion CreamCeraVe Moisturizing CreamAveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing CreamFull list in the moisturizer wikiLiquid skin protectants/sealantsNo Sting Barrier FilmSafe n' Simple No-Sting Skin Barrier Film Spray & WipesList of skin sealants/protectantsCyanoacrylatesNo Sting Cyanoacrylate Skin ProtectantThin occlusive dressingsthese can protect wounds if they do not interfere with the function of PPESKIN-PREP Protective Dressing Dry, Irritated Facial SkinEven people with normal or oily skin may find their skin becoming sensitive, irritated, or dry due to mask wearing, changing routines, etc. Those already prone to dryness will likely find these issues exacerbated.If you're trying to tackle acne and dry skin, it can be quite the balancing act! Figuring out how often you can cleanse without irritating your skin or which acne treatments are suitable can be a lot of trial and error.Pick and choose which suggestions are best suited for your skin (this is true regardless of specific skin concerns, but especially true for those with acne and sensitive skin). Gentle cleansingUse cleansers that do not leave your skin feeling dry, tight, squeaky clean, or rubbery. The gentlest cleansers are typically cream or lotion cleansers, although there are certainly gentle gel and foaming cleansers too! Hydrating Serums & TonersMost people find the greatest benefit from layering multiple moisturizing products, rather than relying on a single moisturizer or cream. Thin products like hydrating serums and toners aren't enough on their own, but may provide enough oomph to bring your moisturizing routine up a level.The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid SerumHada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (Toner)Paula's Choice Enriched Calming TonerFull list in the toners wiki Lotions & CreamsDon't overlook the benefit of traditional lotions and creams! Use one that you find soothing, moisturizing, and non-irritating.CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ("in the tub")CosRx Honey Ceramide Full Moisture CreamBioderma Sensibio RichAveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing CreamReal Barrier Extreme CreamMore in the moisturizer wiki BalmsThese are ultra-healing products that are holy grails for many people dealing with dry and irritated skin.La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+ & Cicaplast Baume B5Eucerin Original Healing CreamReal Barrier Cicarelief Gel BalmThick occlusive products like Aquaphor, Vaseline, and CeraVe Healing Ointment OilsOils can be applied before or after moisturizer, or mixed in with your moisturizer.These include carrier oils like: jojoba oil, squalane, rosehip seed oil, marula oil, argan oil, etc.You can often find them at your local grocery store, and here are some online retailers:Desert EssenceNOW FoodsGarden of WisdomLotion CrafterTimelessThe OrdinaryFace Theory Avoiding irritationEven if you can't address the direct cause of dryness/irritation, you can make sure that your routine doesn't contain anything that could exacerbate the issue. Avoiding the following can help your skin feel at least a little better :)Harsh productsCleansers that leave your skin feeling dry, tight, or squeaky cleanActive treatments like BHAs, AHAs, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, etc.Rough physical exfoliation like scrubsIrritating detergentsIf using cloth masks, the laundry detergent or fabric softener you use could cause irritation. Look for gentle, dermatologist-approved detergentsFriction from masksA skin protectant (listed here) can help prevent friction Hand WashingPainfully dry, irritated, cracked skin. Hand dermatitis. Dinosaur claws. Whatever you wanna call it, we're all dealing with it right now.If you want to check out a thorough overview, read Problems in food handlers and the catering industry (DermNet NZ). It focuses heavily on irritation due to frequent hand washing. Gentle soaps & sanitizersDr. Bronner's Baby Unscented SoapAveeno Baby WashThe Body Shop Coconut Hand Sanitiser GelsAloe veraCorn Huskers LotionNeutrogena Hydro Boost Hand Gel Cream Lotions and creamsO’Keeffe's Working HandsEucerin Eczema Relief Cream & Advanced Repair Cream & Intensive Repair Lotion (anything Eucerin apparently!)Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand CreamNursem Caring Hand CreamCeraVe Moisturizing CreamQueen Helene’s Cocoa ButterVaseline Aloe Hand Cream BalmsBag BalmAquaphorVaselineCeraVe Healing Ointment Cotton glovesUsed over moisturizer.Moisturizing Eczema Cotton Gloves 
Girls Blog 2015
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