Caroline's Skincare Hints

Skin conditions can be debilitating for the sufferer, and can also affect family, friends as well as work colleagues. Finding a way to manage and control these conditions can be trial and error but were there is a will there is usually a way..

Please see some suggested tips listed below.

Diet

Diet can play a role as a trigger and an irritant to some skin conditions. Particularly foods that are acid forming such as: dairy, wheat, tomatoes, strawberries and often citrus fruit. Also foods from the nightshade family which include (potatoes, capsicum, tomatoes & tobacco) these too can exacerbate the problem.

So yes, diet can and does affect the condition of the skin. It can also be difficult to find out what the triggers and irritants are for certain skin conditions such as; eczema and dermatitis. However, particularly in children, the negative impact on the skin from foods is quite often an immediate one. In such cases it may be wise to cut out or reduce the suspected food in question, then perhaps try introducing it again when the skin problem is under control.

Some health clinics and skin specialists conduct allergy testing. More often than not the results from allergy trsting can identify the irritants then they can be avoided to help eliminate further flareups.

If the skin is broken or infected sugar should be avoided if at all possible, as sugar can feed bacteria and delay the healing process.

Water is a great tonic for the skin; try to drink plenty of water. It is very important to keep the skin well nourished and moisturised. Caroline's Cream is renowned for keeping the skin hydrated.

Lifestyle Hints

Treatments

When trying a new treatment be vigilant and consistent. We all want instant results but the skin is a complex organ and can take more time than we would like to heal. Try to be patient .

Bathing

Soap tends to strip the skin of its much needed oils causing even more dryness.

Try Caroline's All-Purpose Wash, it is a multi- tasking product which is sulphate, paraben and fragrance free. It will help to keep your skin hydrated, clean and healthy.

When washing your hair with regular shampoo, try not to let the shampoo run down your body. If you are using Caroline's All-Purpose Wash , like I do, you won't have the usual problem caused by the fragrances and parabens in some other products that can irritate the skin.

Avoid bathing too close to bedtime.

Keep the skin well moisturized with Caroline' Cream, particularly after swimming or bathing. (Always rinse off immediately after swimming in a chlorinated pool).

When showering or bathing make sure the water is not too hot. Showers and baths that are too hot can really irritate the skin. If you have a scalp or skin condition mind your showers aren't too hot, especially in winter. In this case it is particularly important not to overheat the head and face when bathing .

Scratching
Telling someone who has got a bad itch to STOP SCRATCHING is not going to help. Try to distract them by taking their focus away from their itch.

It is common to scratch in one's sleep. Keep nails short so that less damage is done to the skin when it is scratched during sleep time.

Sleeping
It is easy to overheat in bed at night making your itching worse. Try not to overdress for bed and avoid heavy doonas, electric blankets or waterbeds. Over heating can increase irritation.

Stress Management
Whatever the age stress will always make a skin problem worse. With little ones' distraction is the key. Try to find some simple stress-management techniques. Reducing your stress level is an important part of the healing process.

Fresh air, exercise and a few UV rays are simple remedies. These can help to eliminate stress as well as being a tonic for the skin. Ten minutes a day is a good start.

If you are concerned about having an allergic reaction to any product, do a simple patch test on your neck or in the crease of your elbow. Preferably on an unaffected area. If the area turns red within 24 hours it usually means that you have had an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is advisable not to use the product.