Has COVID-19 Affected Your Skin? There' a Reason Why.

I've received so many messages from friends and clients saying "omg my skin is freaking out", "idk why I've been getting so many pimples recently". This has to be a coincidence right, since everyone is home wearing less makeup & doing their 10 steps? Well I think not.

It may be because you’re not exfoliating enough or you should change your products, but lets dig deeper. Here are some major factors that could be contributing to the changes in your skin:⁣

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𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒. Our bodies are currently in flight or fight mode due to this pandemic, which is raising hormone levels. Cortisol (our primary stress hormone) affects the micro biome of the skin — if this is spiking, levels of sebum production (oil) increase as well. It then becomes a magnet for bacteria to harbor. This is also relevant to hair loss, which many of you will experience this during this time. ⁣

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: Take a course of action to increase those endorphins-- you can meditate, read a book, color, whatever makes you happy . Stay active and move your body for at least a few minutes a day which will help you release hormones and detox. Work that sweat up! ⁣Also the more you stress about the fact that your skin isn’t doing well doesn’t help. Let it take its course and DON’T PICK!!

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Stress then leads to...⁣

𝐆𝐔𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐇 & 𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐓. I know right now it's hard to keep away from all the snacks and goodies stocked up in the fridge and pantry, but remember your gut is a heavy contributor to skin health. ⁣

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: Minimize the intake of dairy, sugar, and alcohol because it creates inflammation within the body which causes inflammation on the skin itself. Take your probiotics and check in with your adrenals. 

We also have...

PPE. Having to constantly wear masks, and sadly for my medical professionals that are having to re-wear them for hours and days on end, this can contribute to skin conditions like acne and contact dermatitis. In 2003 there was an interesting study done by the Division of Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town in regards to the prevalence of adverse skin reactions to PPE among healthcare workers in Singapore during the SARS outbreak. It was found that 109 (35.5%) of the 307 staff who used masks regularly reported acne (59.6%), facial itch (51.4%), and rash (35.8%) from N95 mask use.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: for those wearing it for extensive periods of time, apply some Aquaphor in the areas where the mask sits, it'll create a barrier to protect your skin and cause less friction. Use more gentle ingredients and products during this time. '