If you forget and put on the wrong facial cream, ouch! Your face might be red for days. Sun exposure, hormonal fluctuations and hair removal methods can also irritate skin. Generally, irritated skin looks pink or red, inflamed and is sensitive to touch. Read on to find out how to care for irritated skin.
Step 1. Wash your face with a fragrance free/soap free cleanser. Get rid of all irritating products. This will ensure that anything that caused the irritation is removed from the skin. Choose a cleanser that is designed for sensitive skin types.
Step 2. Apply a moisturizer with ceramides, which repair the skin’s barrier. You can also use a hydrocortisone cream on the area. Hydrocortisone cream will help to calm irritated skin and reduce itchiness in the area. You can also use aloe vera gel, and for a more soothing solution, place the aloe vera gel in the refrigerator for half an hour before applying it.
Step 3. You will want to protect your skin with an SPF moisturizer, which is high in zinc, for sensitive skin. Remember the zinc percentage should be at least 5%.
Dr. Wright’s Tip
You should know your skin and also know what will inflame it. It is vital that you drink lots of water to moisturize your skin internally and keep it healthy. Also whatever you do, don’t overdo your products. To understand the ingredients that can irritate your skin, read our blog that we posted on April 1st , “Don’t be Fooled by your Skincare Products,” to help you decipher ingredients that may be harmful. Also, remember certain foods can cause irritation to sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin and experience redness, try to avoid caffeinated drinks and spicy foods which can dehydrate the skin and aggravate it. To decrease redness, try eating cucumbers which are high in silica. Cucumbers cool the body within and reduce inflammation. However, for those days that result in inflammation, try our ALOE CORTISONE cream. It is light weight and designed to relieve redness, inflammation and dryness to sensitive skin.