Herein lies a true account of what happened to me, on the FIRST DAY of CNY, of all days.
Chinese New Year Eve: my dress was steam-ironed, my heels were at the ready, as I anticipated the day I actually get to mingle and catch up with my relatives and grandparents, something I needed to do more of.
I had this incessant itch on my face during the course of my reunion dinner with my family, but I didn’t think much of it… until I woke up on day one of CNY.
As I proceeded to shower and get ready for the big day, I thought my mirror was playing tricks on me. Angry red rashes have broken out on the bottom half of my face, right down to my chin. The skin was dry and bordering on flaking – it really wanted me to flake on going out of the house altogether.
I knew instantly what was the cause of all of these ugly rashes that even makeup might not even be able to salvage… it had to be the face mask I was wearing. I spent the rest of the day very ironically with a face mask on (a new one, OF COURSE), even in the various houses I visited.
This was definitely NOT a Happy New Year for me.
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Start From Scratch
Leaving your little mask-inflicted rash to ‘go away’ by itself is a very risky move, because rashes spread very easily. It can be exacerbated into a full-blown skin condition with different names, but equally unsightly and uncomfortable for you.
There is eczema, rosacea, and contact dermatitis, just to name a few.
It would be a welcome consolation if these skin conditions were to occur on the more concealed parts of your body, of course. But all these rashes do not stay concealed for long, because they spread – like wildfire.
With scratching being only second nature when you itch, your fingernails are the carriers of bacteria from the infected areas. All it takes is for your hands to make contact with your face… you know the rash. I mean rest.
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Sense and Sensitivity
All sufferers of the aforementioned skin conditions have the same type of sensitive skin.
Different people have different skin types, and due to hugely environmental factors, the nerve endings in the top layer of the skin become increasingly irritated, because of its weakened natural barrier.
Sensitive skin is usually dry and flaky if affected by rashes, and the first step to really dealing with this is to moisturize.
Point to note though: make sure you look for a moisturizer that is suitable for sensitive skin – certain moisturizers bring an extra sting to your rashes and might worsen your condition.
Showering with water that is too high in temperature might also break down that natural barrier of your skin against the spoils of the environment. Don’t shower in hot water if you don’t want to be in hot water.
Some lesser-known home remedies that you may use to soothe irritated, sensitive skin include honey, oatmeal, milk, and petroleum jelly.
Take heed of the cosmetics you have used on your skin too – anything that contains fragrances can easily launch you into an itching fit and worsen your skin condition.
Essential oils, especially the ones that contain citrus in their composition are NOT essential for anyone with sensitive skin, and must be avoided at all costs. This might be news to you, but it’s very much scientifically substantiated.
You can find more chemicals to avoid here.
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From Redness to Greatness
Eczema, rosacea, and dermatitis are so pesky to contain because they spread so easily.
If you’ve already had the misfortune of being affected in multiple areas, a complete recovery by way of home remedies or topical creams is a very lengthy and arduous journey.
You might be doing better on one part of your body, but find another part itching more than ever.
Fortunately, the advent of technology means we can actually call upon the machines to provide a more holistic alleviation to this very itchy solution.
All-encompassing treatment packages specifically designed to deal with pigmentation and various skin conditions like the Harmony Skin Program are methodical in their approach in dealing with all conditions pertaining to sensitive skin.
From acne to pigmentation, rosacea to dermatitis, this multi-tiered program combines acne-eliminating pulsed laser technology, deep cleansing via ultrasonic waves, and a skin brightening nutrient-rich spa-powered treatment, to effectively deal with all these skin conditions.
After you close the chapter on your dry, reddened, and sensitive skin, a little bit of touching up is in order, to return your skin to peak condition.
Restore the long-lost glow and accentuate your much-improved complexion by getting a shade fairer with the Deep Red, a 5-step cell enhancing procedure that will stimulate lymphatic flow and boost cell metabolism, whitening and brightening your skin.
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