Isolation skin is something that is becoming more and more common the longer we are in our current situation. We have regular clients, who have been on maintenance skin programs, all of a sudden experiencing random breakouts, and brand new clients reaching out as their usually ‘normal’ skin is now becoming tight, dry and itchy.

We quickly think that it’s our skincare that has decided to stop working, and maybe we start looking for other solutions – when in fact, it’s a far deeper issue than the topical creams we apply daily.

Do I have have #ISOskin? Some of the ways that your skin may be responding to isolation are by showing signs of:

  • Breakouts and inflammation
  • Redness
  • Irritation or itchy skin
  • Dryness and flaky skin
  • Dull skin
  • Flare up of eczema or dermatitis

What is the cause?

Now this is the BIG question! And most of the time, the answer isn’t just one factor, nor is there a simple solution. There are however definitely things that you can do to help your skin, once you’re aware of the possible causes.

Below are a few of the most common causes:

Stress: As always one of the main factors that causes our skin to change is stress. No matter how you are responding to our current climate, it would be fair to say that at one point or another, we have felt stressed. And rightfully so. Stress impacts not just the skin, but the entire body, and when things start to go out of whack internally, like our gut and hormone health, our skin is where we are going to visually SEE that stress. Stress slows down digestion which alters your gut bacteria, which can lead to a lot of inflammation in the body. This internal inflammation can then show up on your skin as eczema, dermatitis, general redness, flushing, and acne flare ups. We also have a tendency to turn to high sugar, high carb foods when we are feeling stressed. Again these foods cause internal inflammation, therefore also affecting the skin.

Lack of moving around and less water intake: Maybe you are sitting more than usual without even realising it. Possibly drinking less water while at home in isolation because you aren’t in your usual routine. Body movement and water are both essential for our lymphatic system to be able to detoxify our body of unwanted toxins. If this system is not functioning correctly, you can be sure to see the affect of this displayed on your skin. It can show up as a breakout or acne flare up, dull in appearance, and flakiness.

Being indoors: UV exposure (in the right doses) contributes to a healthy skin, especially when we are talking about the skins immunity. It plays an essential role with hormone regulation, Vitamin D production, and your mood. Being in isolation, inside the walls of our home, means we are not getting the sunlight our bodies require and this impairs our immune system, in turn messing with the skin – and so many more systems of our body. Your skins barrier can become compromised as a result, which can lead to some common skin conditions. You can begin to feel dry and tight, and breakouts may occur.

Season change: So whilst we have been in isolation, the seasons have begun to change. Getting into the cooler months, our heaters are on more, which straight away sucks the moisture out of our skin. We aren’t going outside as much (above point about less UV exposure), and maybe you’re not feeling as thirsty, so again – you’re not drinking as much water. Usually during a season change, you’d be coming into the salon and your therapist would be reassessing your skins needs – most likely swapping and adding some extra nourishing products into your routine to help your skin combat the cooler weather. So then the question has to be asked – is your skin care prescription out of date? With this in mind, your skin may be feeling dry, tight and dehydrated. This can cause our skin barrier to be open to foreign substances getting in and can cause havoc to our skin, including inflammation and breakouts as a result.

So, what to do?

We want to help your skin settle down and start behaving again. As you can see with #ISOskin there are many factors that can be causing skin conditions to appear. Here are a few simple suggestions that can assist in alleviating some of those symptoms and aid in bringing your skin back to normal function and health.

  • Acknowledge your stress. Take deep breaths when you feel your heart start to race.
  • Download a mindfulness app and do a 5 minute meditation when needed.
  • Take a bath. Even just 5 minutes to yourself can do your stress levels a world of good.
  • Go for a walk where possible to get your body moving.
  • Get outside, especially if homeschooling or working from home.
  • Drink more water.
  • Take your Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) – speak to us about this to find out more – yep! we are a stockist of the best fish oil!
  • Eat nutritious foods to give your body all the goodness that it needs. Supplement with gut health powders if necessary.
  • Chat to us – we can organise an online skin consultation and check in on your skin. We will assess your current prescription and from there can provide you with some home care skin solutions that can assist the health of your skin during isolation. Use our online booking form on our homepage to book your appointment.

Please reach out to us at any point if you have any questions as we are here to help! It’s what we love to do x