How quarantine may be negatively impacting your skin & what to do about it
Written by Holistic Health Coach, Lisa Horgan
So we’re stuck indoors, the parties have been postponed, holidays canceled. You may have thought that this social break would lend itself quite well to a more fresh, glowing complexion. Especially if you’ve ramped up the self-care in this time.
Sadly, and if you’re anything like myself (prone to badly behaving skin!) then you could be experiencing the opposite.
Here are three main factors as to why this may be happening
1. Stress
Even if you don’t think you’re stressed, you may be stressed. Nothing like a pandemic to raise your cortisone levels. Cortisol is the stress hormone, and when raised, our sebaceous glands produce more oil. More oil leads to our pores getting blocked and can lead to breakouts.
There are many tools you can reach for to help manage stress. Moving your body is a great way to get out of your head, this can help to break up those thoughts that are generating anxiety.
How much movement you need is personal to each individual but breaking a sweat certainly helps to release those endorphins!
Meditation & mindfulness practice can also be highly beneficial. If this sounds rather daunting then I suggest downloading the Headspace app or something similar. This will guide you into a meditation practice and help support you. Perfect for beginners.
Stress can also lead to eating more processed comfort foods, which leads me to my next point.
2. Diet
Diet plays a huge role in how your skin looks and feels. In fact, anything you consume. As tempting as it is to order your third take out this week or pour that extra glass of wine, try to resist. Obviously, every now and again is fine but during quarantine, this can become a bit of a nasty habit.
In times like this when stress & anxiety are high, we must try to make healthier choices.
A nutrient-dense, whole food plant-based diet not only supports your physical health but can also have a positive impact on your emotional health too.
The high sugar, salt & fat content of takeaway food can often hijack our hormones and make us feel worse. Whereas getting all of our nutritional needs met lends itself well to a calmer, more satiated state of being.
This also goes for alcohol, increased alcohol consumption leads to dehydration and increased inflammation which crates that puffy effect in our skin. Best to limit your amount or cut it out completely. Focus on lots of hydrating foods and remember to drink enough water!
3. Vitamin D (are you getting enough?!)
Being inside more often than normal means less exposure to sunshine which means lower vitamin D levels. And it turns out, Vitamin D is super important.
Along with other many essential roles it plays in the body It helps in skin cell growth, repair, and metabolism.
To optimize your intake try to get outside whilst practicing social distancing. Perhaps choose to do your exercise outdoors, any opportunity to get that exposure.
If you think you're not getting enough you can always invest in a good quality supplement just to be sure.
Some more healthy skin solutions
If you’re still having trouble then its also a good idea to look at your cleansing routine & what products you’re using. If you struggle with oily skin then we recommend using a salicylic acid-based product
Salicylic acid is really effective at flushing out the dirt and debris that can cause pores to dilate and become more visible
– Shari Marchbein, MD.
(Assistant clinical professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine)
For dry skin, we recommend serums and moisturizers that contain antioxidants and no nasties.
You should be able to recognize the ingredients on the label. BeeFriendly Face and eye cream contains Organic Raw Honey which is an antibiotic and very hydrating for your skin.
It also stimulates collagen helping skin cell regeneration.
In Conclusion
No matter what your skin type, we are all human beings. Skin health is connected to overall health so It's important to take a holistic view. Unwanted skin conditions are your body’s way of communicating with you, to highlight something that needs attention, it's your responsibility to listen and take note.
Self-care in this time is paramount, and that can look different for many people. It might just simply be a case of setting the intention to relax more and let go of things we cannot control.
We are, after all in the midst of a global pandemic.
Lisa Horgan
Lisa is a contributing writer for Bee-friendly. A certified holistic health coach, blogger & yoga teacher for 10 years. Passionate about health and wellness, natural remedies and plant-based nutrition. You can find her on Instagram @livesimplylisa
