How to Care for your Sensitive Skin

These are some tips and advice on how to care for your sensitive skin.

Face

a. Don't ever ever prick a pimple or an acne.

A lot of people do this, they can't stand seeing the white pus on their pimple/acne. If you need to go out (partying or socializing) and you need to have that pus out of your skin, use the proper pricking tool which dermatologists often use during facial cleansing treatment. They are also available over the counter, just cleanse it with alcohol before use. Just never never prick a pimple/acne with your hands because even if you cleanse your hands with an alcohol, you can never be sure if it's 100% clean and germ free. Tendency is, once you push the pus out with your hands, your pores will break open and it will be susceptible to infections caused by the germs/bacteria in your hands. Another possible effect of having an acne or pimple pricked by hand is to leave a deep and dark scar on your face.

Leave the deed to dermatologists as they know well enough to treat them. It is also better to regularly have your facial treatment once a month so the white heads, black heads and dead skin cells will also be removed. This will keep your skin looking young and fresh.

b. Wash your face 2-3 times a day and every after travel. Do not sleep with make up on no matter how tired you could be or you will regret it the morning after.

Our skin naturally secretes oils to moisturize itself, most in our forehead and scalp area. But keeping the oils for a long time will encourage dirt and bacteria to stick on your face. Ideally, we should wash our face in the morning, in the afternoon and at night. Do not overwash your face or it would lose its natural moisture. Keep your face clean and moisturized. You may use a gentle moisturizer after every wash. Don't forget to moisturize your lips too using a lip balm (Nivea recommended)

When we travel especially if we've ride on a top-down car or a public vehicle, our skin absorbs the dirts & pollutants in the air making it prone to irritations and rashes. Always bring a cleansing foam/gel to clean your face. Wash your face immediately after travel.

May I suggest you to use VMV ID Facial Cleanser and Shaving Creme, it's a gentle facial cleanser that contains salicylic acid for anti-acne, anti-inflammatory and exfoliating action. VMV's ID supple creme is light and smooth not thick and heavy, it doesn't clog pores and it clear bumps on skin. Men can use it as a shaving creme at the same time because it has skin-safe lubricants.

I am not promoting any products here just so that you would buy it. I personally recommend their products because I have tried it myself and it's effective and safe for people like us with sensitive skin.

c. Use safe cosmetics products

Every weekdays we usually put make up on our faces to be presentable in our workplace. We do the same when we go out with friends during weekends. So for women, putting make up on is a regular routine but we have to be cautious on the products we apply on our faces.

Let me just share my experiences on the use of cosmetic products. I've been using Avon cosmetic products for years but I have encountered one face powder (loose) that irritated my face so I'd stop using it. I tried using Maybelline face powder and Mary Kay cosmetics instead and I'm pleased with the change. Yes they cost more but I'd rather spend more on my safety than to suffer. Moreover, Mary Kay cosmetics makes you look elegant, one thing I have not seen on some other products because MK products is of good quality. Some cosmetics are cheaper because of lower production cost that sometimes equates to low quality.

On top of all, it's best to use mineral make-up (though they are more expensive) instead of those usually made up of chemicals.

Underarm/Armpit/Axilla

The skin under our arms are super thin so it's also very important to take extra caution when removing hairs from it. Based on experience, plucking hurt a sensitive skin causing it to darken. Also, based on experience and research, shaving makes an underarm prone to in-grown hairs. You may also observe that your underarm skin turns red after waxing, this is a sign of skin trauma due to constant pulling of the unwanted hairs.

As for my opinion, the best way to remove unwanted underarm hairs without hurting the skin is through the use of depillatory creams like those of Sally Hansen products. I've tried it even on my bikini area and it has no harmful effects. Though it cannot remove the hair 100% at one application but you may re-apply it after 24 hours of last use to remove the remaining ones.

Their product contains natural ingredients like honey, lavender etc. and has moisturizers too. You have many choices from gels, creams, lotions and spray on and there are some specially formulated for sensitive skin. They also have post removal medicated cremes/pads and other skin care products.

Body

Observe your skin's sensitivity to the products you're applying on your entire body. As an example, I rarely use talc powder on my chest and back area because it causes me skin rashes.

Check the ingredients and compare the difference of other brands to the brand causing you rashes or allergies. Sometimes our skin can be sensitive to a certain kind of chemical ingredient which might not be present to all brands of the product. So practically you would use the one without it.

Hands

Some cleaning detergents/cleansers whether in the form of soap, powder, liquid or gel, may have chemical ingredients that can harm the skin. It is advisable to wear gloves when using these products. If you might observe, some detergent soaps and powders feels hot on the skin, this is because their pH is acidic. Use products that are basic and are environment friendly.

Just in case you come in contact with these products, wash affected area thoroughly and apply lotion or moisturizer so it won't dry your skin.

I used to wash my clothes and the dishes but because I'm having several small watery rash-like thing on the sides of my fingers and palms whenever I used detergent products, my mother would have to do those chores for me.

Bikini area

Don't wear panties, bikinis or briefs with garter on the groin area. It suffocates the thin skin of our groin, making it irritated and eventually darken. As much as you can, wear boylegs or boxers instead of the usual gartered panties, bikinis and briefs.

Additional advice

Drink water as often as you could, it's good for flashing out toxins inside our body and it hydrates the skin.

Apply sunblock when to be exposed in the sun between 10 am to 4 pm. Sunlight is also a good source of Vitamin D but there is only a good ray of sunlight during early morning, come out noontime and you'll burn your skin.

Do not cross your legs for a long time, do not stand or sit for a long time and stay overweight because all these encourage the growth of varicose veins which is visible to the skin. Do take my word because I have it.

When buying skin care products, give weight on the product's reputation/quality not on saving money from a low-priced product or it will defeat your purpose which is skin care. I'm not saying that all low-priced products has low quality, it's just that quality products have expensive ingredients making it costly to buy and some companies do not invest much on quality but on quantity.

I know that it's hard to live nowadays that's why you have to be more careful and practical in choosing skin care products because spending money on treating rashes, allergies and other skin diseases can be more expensive.