Do You Have Allergy Prone Skin

Allergy or skin disorder

Prevent Allergy Reaction To Your Skin

At some point of your life, you might have had a reaction to a skincare product somewhere on your face or body, regardless if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin. Recognizing the offending product that trigger the problem and discontinuing its use is enough to improve the appearance of skin within a day or two. For others, even after you've stopped using that product(s), your skin can remain irritated for days or even months. Here are a few simple things you can do to help or minimize your skin from any irritations.

Recognize that you have an allergy or sensitizing reaction to a product and not a skin disorder. Many skin conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea, eczema, folliculitis and reactions to food cause irritated, swollen, red, itchy, flaky or rashy skin. If you need help in identifying the problem, visit www.Medscape.com.

Find what product(s) or ingredient(s) are causing the problem and stop using them. If you started using a new product like moisturizer, and within a few hours your face or body became red, itchy, and swollen, it is obvious that you are having an allergy or sensitizing reaction to that product. This is an easy way to identifying the problem. However, things are not as easy as it seems to be because many skin reactions don't happen quickly. It can take anywhere between several weeks or even months and years after you've been using a product before your skin has a negative reaction to it.

Furthermore, pinning down the offending ingredient or product that is causing the problem can be a challenge. Just imagine the number of products we use daily that range from cleansers to exfoliant to sunscreen and moisturizer. To make things even more complex, it may not be a single product but the combination of products that caused the problem, i.e. the moisturizer isn't the problem, but the combination of toner, moisturizer and sunscreen that caused the reaction. The objective is to be patient and diligence, experimenting with the product or products you suspect and then see how your skin responds when you discontinue use.

Whether or not you've been able to identify the problem product, an over-the-counter cortisone cream can be your savior. Cortisone creams work as anti-inflammatories and when you apply these to irritated, inflamed skin they can turn off the reaction that is causing the problem. Once the skin irritation shows up, apply the cortisone cream over the affected area for several days, even after everything seems back to normal. Remember that the skin can hold on to a sensitizing or allergic reaction for a long period of time. And don't be afraid about the short-term use of cortisone creams. It is the long-term (more than two or three months of consistent use) usage of such creams that can damage collagen and elastin in the skin.

While you are combating the allergic or sensitizing reaction, avoid any other skin irritants of any kind over the affected area. Fragrances, scrubs, washcloths, AHAs, Retin-A, Renova, benzoyl peroxide, skin lighteners or other skincare products with active ingredients can trigger irritation and only add to the problem.

Keep away from saunas, steam, sweating (if possible) or rubbing the affected area, all of which can help re-trigger the reaction. If matters aren't improving after four to six weeks, you should seek professional help. See your dermatologist for an evaluation.

If you suspect that you are having a serious allergic reaction like hives, extremely swollen skin and eyes or red patches over the skin that feel warm or tingle, consult with your dermatologist to discuss the option of taking an oral antihistamine such as Benadryl to stop the condition.

Do Men Have Sensitive Skin

All Men Have Sensitive Skin

Most men, to one degree or another, have sensitive or easily irritated skin. Regardless of your skin type, racial background, or age, minor or major irritating skin conditions can be present, even those you can't feel. The skin can burn, chafe, or crack, and you may have patchy areas of dry, flaky skin related to weather conditions, skincare products you use, or sun exposure. Skin can also break out in small bumps that look like a diaper rash. Skin can itch, swell, blotch, redden, and develop allergic reactions to cosmetics, animals, dust, or pollen.

Just imagine a man using several different skincare and hair care products a day, with each one, on average, containing about twenty different ingredients. That means his skin is exposed to about 200 different cosmetic ingredients on any given day. The fact that any of us have skin left is a testimony to the skin's resiliency and the talent of cosmetics chemists. Whether we like it or not, most of us will react to something along the way, perhaps even daily.

Your skin is the protective armor that keeps the elements and other invaders from entering the body. We protect most of our anatomy with clothing, but our faces are left painfully exposed to everything. It's no wonder the skin on our faces acts up now and then. Sensitive skin is probably the most "normal" type of skin around.

Everyone, men and women, has the potential to develop sensitive skin, so people of every skin type should heed the precautions for sensitive skin. What are the precautions? There is really only one and it goes for all skin types: Treat your skin as gently as you possibly can. Whether you think of your face as oily, dry, or mature, you still need to be gentle with your skin and avoid things that cause irritation.

The operative word is gentle. Preventing skin irritation, regardless of your skin type, is the most important. Of course, some skin types can and should try to tolerate certain irritating ingredients because of the potential to help skin look better. A topical disinfectant (i.e. benzoyl peroxide) is helpful for men with acne-prone skin, while a BHA solution (a salicylic acid exfoliant) is good for men with blackheads and acne-prone skin. Likewise, an AHA (an alpha hydroxy acid product used to exfoliate) or Retin-A (to improve cell formation) is beneficial for men with sun-damaged skin. Hydroquinone is a well-researched ingredient that can lighten skin discolorations. Aside from these types of exceptions to the gentleness rule, if something is irritating it can be detrimental for all skin types. If it is bad for sensitive skin, it is probably bad for oily skin, acne-prone skin, combination skin, or dry skin. As you incorporate this belief into your skincare regime, you will slowly solve many of the skin problems you have been experiencing.

In the next update, we’ll learn that men’s skin type has nothing to do with age!