Dry Skin Tips for Acne & Ethnic Skin

Ethnic skin can be oily, acne prone, and either dry or dehydrated at the same time.

This is especially true as the season change. Cold, dry air, wind, low humidity, heaters, air conditioners and hard water can spell disaster for your skin, sinuses and scalp. Interior HVAC, airplane cabin pressure, space heaters, fireplaces, car heaters, hot ovens, long hot showers, hard water, decreased water intake, dehydrating beverages, cold, allergy and flu meds, antibiotics, water pills and other medications all aggravate the problem, especially on ethnic skin.

Dull skin? This common complaint is easy to correct by adding a few specialty products, tweaking your home care and making simple lifestyle changes. Modify your cleansing and skin care routine during the colder months or if you live in a dry climate or hard water area. Low-lathering cleansers, milder exfoliants, moisturizing products, enzyme peels with steam and gentle skin brightening peels can help you get that glow back.

Lower the heat at night, crack the windows, wear cotton flannel sleepwear and warm socks, and use an electric blanket, mattress warmer, extra blankets or a comforter to keep warm.

Cool mist humidifiers help hydrate the skin, scalp and sinuses. This is an inexpensive way to moisturize everything and improve your skin and breathing as you sleep.

Don’t use space heaters! They “fry” and darken ethnic skin tones and dehydrate the entire body. The same is true for fireplaces, so stay far away! Dress warmly, and only use a space heater to warm up a room before you go in, and then turn it off! Better yet, bag it up and put it in the garage.

Increase water intake dramatically, especially if you drink coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages or take any medication. Water intake hydrates the body and helps brighten skin tone and under-eye circles, soften fine lines and wrinkles, reduce puffiness and bloat, calm irritation, relieve dryness, prevent chapped lips, improve digestion, curb appetite, increase mobility and boost energy.

Puffy eyes, dark circles and dryness can be reduced by getting more sleep, elevating your upper body while you sleep, drinking more water, cutting back on alcohol, salt, take-out and processed foods, eliminating dairy from your diet, using a sinus wash twice a day, and keeping the heat low or off while you sleep.

Avoid long hot showers and baths,and don’t stand or sit close to heaters, fireplaces and hot ovens.

Hard water can be devastating to your skin, especially during the colder months. Chlorine, minerals, sulfates and other chemicals can dry you out, darken your ethnic skin tone, cause rashes and ashy skin, trash your hair, and trigger acne and eczema flare-ups. Filtered shower heads and handheld sprayers can make hard water feel like rainwater, soften your skin and hair, and eliminate those hard-to-remove limescale spots.

Water filters can be purchased online. Do some research to select appropriate filtering equipment for your skin concerns, dwelling type and geographical area.

Sunscreen and sunglasses are crucial to help preserve ethnic skin tones, prevent dark circles, brighten dark spots and beard shadowing, stop premature aging of the skin, and to prevent age spots, spider veins and skin cancer. UVA penetrates clouds and car windows, so don’t be fooled.

Sinus rinses deliver dramatic benefits by (a) hydrating sinus passages and mucus membranes, (b) relieving congestion, pressure and nasal dryness, and (c) washing out mucus, crust, bacteria, viruses, dust, pollen, pet dander, mold, debris and particulate pollutants. For maximum benefits, be consistent. Do this when you brush your teeth. Other benefits include clearer vision from clean tear ducts, brighter skin tone around the eyes, less puffiness, reduced allergy, sinus and cold symptoms, fewer headaches, decreased need for medication, deeper, more relaxed breathing, better sleep, improved sense of taste and smell and sweeter breath.

Sinus rinses and net pots are available at pharmacies and health food stores and online at NeilMed.com. Google terms like sinus rinse, nasal irrigation, neti pot, NeilMed and SinuPulse for more information. See a demo at NeilMed.com or search sinus rinse or neti pot on YouTube.

Seborrhea and seborrheic dermatitis flare up in colder weather and during stressful times. Symptoms affect the skin and scalp and include extreme sensitivity, redness, inflammation and small bumps, flaking, itching, crust on the scalp and ears, peeling on the forehead, hairline, brows, inner cheeks and sides of nose, and a light or red rash, especially on the inner cheeks and hairline. Avoid strong soaps, fragrances, and toners with alcohol. Wash your hair and ears at least once a week with a de-flaking dandruff shampoo. Don’t scratch your scalp or allow your stylist or barber to do so. This condition is easy to treat and symptoms will begin to improve almost immediately.

Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, including pipes, cigars, blunts, weed, incense and fireplace smoke, which dehydrate your skin from the inside out and cause dark circles, especially on ethnic skin, as, well as respiratory problems, dehydration, dry skin and sinuses, dull skin tone, sagging skin, fine lines, deep wrinkles, premature aging, dry mouth and bad breath, as well as severe health consequences like heart disease, high blood pressure, lung cancer, mouth and throat cancers, emphysema and stroke.

Don’t scrub your skin. Take a gentler approach to cleansing your skin. Over-scrubbing, using spa gloves, rubbing with a towel and other types of friction will lead to irritation, dryness, flaking and darkening, especially on ethnic skin.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids and vitamin E improve your health and help reduce the inflammation, dryness and flaking of seborrhea, eczema, psoriasis, itchy rashes, ichthyosis and dry skin.  Omega 3 food sources: Salmon, flax seeds, macadamia nuts, cashews, cauliflower, cabbage, halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, soybeans, tofu, kale, Brussels sprouts and collard greens. Supplement your dietary intake with flax seed oil, krill oil or enteric-coated fish oil capsules and vitamin E supplements. Take the recommended doses and check with your physician if you take other medications.

© 2016 Kat Khadija Leverette and katleverette.com

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.