Posts Tagged ‘peeling skin’

After sun skin care in 3 steps

I’ve just returned from spring break in Cancun, Mexico and even though I used sun protection, my skin needs some serious TLC!  I feel for those people who were laying out covered in oil every day (yes, there were many).  I can just imagine the long-term damage they have now done to their skin.  I want to share with you 3 steps in caring for your skin after it’s been over-exposed to the sun.

Your skin is probably flaky, dry, tight, and maybe even peeling.  Your first thought may be that you want to exfoliate to remove that dead skin, but it’s not a good idea in the beginning as your skin has probably burned and will need to recover before you can give it a good scrub.

Step 1: Hydrate and Soothe

Your first priority is healing the burn and re-hydrating the skin.  When your skin is dehydrated or dry it is lacking the lipid shield which prevents outside aggressors from entering your skin and causing damage – even infection.  Use healing, calming, and hydrating products in the beginning until your skin recovers from the redness and sensitivity.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Once your skin has healed from burn damage, you can begin to exfoliate to remove the built up layer of dead skin cells.  Your skin may feel thicker, look dull and tired, and show signs of pigmentation (freckles).  I like to use 2 different types of exfoliators interchangeably for my face: physical and enzymatic.  A physical exfoliator is your typical ‘scrub’ type exfoliator that uses abrasion to polish the surface of the skin.  An enzyme exfoliator can be a plant enzyme-based or hydroxy acid-based ‘peel’ type exfoliator.  For the body you can choose a scrub, an exfoliating glove, or a loofa.  Be sure to apply a moisturizer afterward as it will now be able to penetrate the skin more readily.

Step 3: Even Out Skin Tone

If you notice dark spots or irregular freckles on your skin you’ve probably experienced some pigmentation damage called hyperpigmentation (light spots are called hypopigmentation).  This is a result of UV exposure and unfortunately can be very stubborn to treat.  For mild pigmentation you may begin a skincare regime that involves a gentle (probably plant-based) skin brightener.  Vitamin C in some forms is also said to be a great skin brightener (among other things).  For more noticeable and hard to treat pigmentation you may want to use a skincare regime using stronger skin brightening ingredients such as arbutin or hydroquinone.  For best results you will also incorporate an appropriate exfoliation routine.  When using any skin brightening products it is very much recommended to avoid sun exposure and use broad spectrum SPF religeously.  Always check with your dermatologist or esthetician before beginning any intensive skincare regime.

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