If you have sensitive or problematic skin, then you’ll know too well that flare-ups can happen at any given time and can be most inconvenient. Whilst you may use medication or natural remedies to alleviate and soothe the pain or irritation, wouldn’t it be great if you knew some tips and tricks on how to minimise the chance of a flare-up?

Now we’re not saying skin problems can be avoided altogether, but by understanding the different types of skin flare-up triggers and tips on how to combat them, hopefully, your skin flare-ups will be less common.

From skin rashes or psoriasis, to severe eczema or acne, having problematic skin not only causes you pain, frustration and irritation but it can also cause embarrassment.

Triggers are the things that cause your skin to react and become dry, flaky, itchy or red. These can be internal or external and some people may not be lucky enough to find out what causes their skin reaction. Therefore, we wanted to outline for you, the most common triggers and some that you may not be aware of to help you in combating skin flare-ups.

Physical irritants

Did you know that some common household items and substances from your environment can trigger your flare-ups? Such irritants include:

• Wool
• Synthetic fibres
• Synthetic soap and detergents
• Chemical-based cleaning products
• Dust and sand
• Cigarette smoke

If you haven’t already considered one of these irritants, then next time you have a flare-up, think about your recent environment. For instance, if you stay at a hotel that uses harsh detergent on their linen or if you come across old items covered in dust, you may experience a flare-up. If this occurs, then you’ll know moving forward to protect your skin from these physical irritants.

Allergens

There’s a whole list of allergens that people may experience reactions to. Common allergens to be wary of include:

• Pollen
• Pets and animals
• Mould
• Dust mites

By keeping your living space and work environment as clean and free from allergens as possible, this  will help reduce how often you experience flare-ups. This may require increased housework such as vacuuming and washing your clothes and bed sheets more often to help prevent allergens affecting your skin.

Heat

Unfortunately, heat, humidity and temperature changes can be hard to avoid but they can be a reason for your skin irritation. Examples can be:

• Hot baths and showers
• Overheating outside
• Increased body temperature when exercising
• Sunburn

To help reduce skin irritation due to heat, take cool baths and showers, when outside keep in the shade as much as possible, wear sun-protective clothing and apply sun cream. After taking a bath or shower, your skin’s oil can be prone to break down faster and cause loss of moisture, therefore apply moisturising lotion afterwards – our Hydrating Cream is perfect for this. Additionally, if you do experience sunburn, our Neem Cream is very effective for soothing the pain and reducing the inflammation.

Food triggers

Specific allergies aren’t skin flare-up triggers, however for some people if their skin comes into contact with certain foods then their skin can become irritated. Common foods to be cautious of include:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soy
• Seafood

If you suspect that food may be a trigger for you, we recommend keeping a food diary for a month. Take note of the foods you come in contact with and your skin reactions. On the occasion that you can not identify a food trigger, ask your GP for help.

Stress

It is common for those with sensitive skin to notice skin flare-ups during times of stress. When someone feels frustrated, embarrassed, anxious or angry, their problematic skin areas become more irritable. What’s worse is that during these moments, you may find yourself scratching or upsetting the area further. Therefore, in these circumstances, it is important that you can recognise your stressors but try to combat stress as best you can. Yoga and meditation can help.

Remember, all of the itreatskin product range are made with only natural ingredients, perfect for people with sensitive or problematic skin and also good for people who want to use organic ingredients as part of their skin health regime. We have products suitable for oily, dry and combination skin type. If you have any questions about our products or would like some more advice on combating skin triggers, then please do get in contact with our team of skin experts. You can do so by email info@itreatskin.com or by messaging us on social media Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn.