Are you planning to relocate to a new city or have you recently moved to the Tampa Bay area? Perhaps you travel frequently and have noticed your skin reacts to different environments. If you've recently traveled or moved you may begin to notice that your skin is suddenly more sensitive than before or worse yet it may have become itchy, dry, oily or acne-prone. Why, you wonder? Your body's not accustomed to the change in climate! The truth is water, humidity, food, pollution and stress can cause noticeable changes in your skin. Read this post and part 1 for my advice on how to stop these changes in their tracks.
Foodies Beware
New cities come with new foods! As exciting and tasty as this is, many of these foods are new to your digestive system. For example, if you find yourself suddenly eating dishes with more dairy you may notice your skin developing painful cystic acne due to the hormones that are fed to cows. These blemishes can last for weeks. My advice? Leave them alone. They need to heal on their own. Never pick at, squeeze or in any way touch them. Doing so will only delay the healing process or worse, make the blemish worse! If they don't heal on their own please see a physician, as they can be infectious.
Stress
While traveling or moving is exciting, it is also stressful on your body. This stress can take a toll on your skin, causing issues such as acne, eczema, and even psoriasis. Climates with extreme heat cause your cortisone levels to rise, leading to oily skin, resulting in, you guessed it, breakouts. If you notice your skin breaking out due to stress, try using Dermalogica's Overnight Clearing Gel. The salicylic acid will help to diminish the length and severity of your acne. Want to clear it up even faster? Take 10-20 minutes out of your day to just relax. Simply close your eyes and zone out. The effects of simply relaxing your mind daily will benefit your body (and skin) immensely.
Environmental Pollution
Cities with smog and excess air pollution (think L.A.) literally break your skin's barrier down, leaving your face looking dull and weary. Pollution attacks skin at its deepest cellular levels, damaging DNA and destroying its natural moisture barrier. This can cause not only redness but acne too. Antioxidant packed serums, like Dermalogica's Multivitamin Power Serum, will save your skin in cities with harmful pollutants. Apply it daily before your sunscreen and nightly before your moisturizer to protect your skin and prevent damage immediately.
While traveling or before or after moving to a new city, remember to take care of your skin. Stress can arise and new environments can cause numerous reactions in your skin. If you notice any of the above changes in your skin try my advice and adjust your skin care products to meet your new needs. You'll notice improvements in time, just stick to it and enjoy exploring, wherever you find yourself.
