Don’t let dry skin get the better of you as you try to navigate the side effects of hay fever this summer.
After what felt like a particularly long, arduous winter – we are finally on the cusp of summer. With the clocks having sprung forward and the days now feeling longer, it won’t be long before every day is t-shirt weather – meaning you’ll probably be spending a lot more time outdoors.
Of course, with that, comes hay fever – the dreaded summertime cold that plagues sunbathing sessions and keeps pharmacy queues booming each summer, without fail. One of the most commonly complained about side effects associated with hay fever is dry skin – so with the help of advice from wellness experts Fresha, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help hay fever sufferers prevent dry skin over the next few months.
Tip 1 for combating dry skin in hay fever season: hydration
If you’re prone to dry skin, the chances are your skin is sensitive and will react badly to fragranced hygiene products – many of which contain sulfates, which can be particularly irritating.
As a general rule of thumb, the fewer ingredients a product contains, the less dehydrating it should be. According to Fresha, these are ingredients that you can count on to promote skin hydration while battling hay fever:
- Water
- Oat or Shea butter
- Aloe
- Glycerin
- Hyaluronic acid
- Petrolatum
- Vitamin E
- Humectants
- Niacinamide
Tip 2: Cleansing
Secondly, those with dry skin should look to cleanse their skin every day throughout the summer – ideally once in the morning and once in the evening.
It’s important to note that your cleansing products do not need to be expensive. Rather, It’s key that you look for a cleanser that is mild and won’t leave your skin more irritated than it was in the first place.
Try to cleanse with cold or lukewarm water, as doing so with scalding hot water can rob your face of its necessary natural oils.
Tip 3: washing and drying your bedding doors
Of course, as always, you should continue to wash your bedding as regularly as possible.
But crucially, try to avoid drying your bedding outdoors when possible – instead, hang your sheets up inside.
While it is usually great to take advantage of the warm weather by leaving your washing outside to dry, the benefit of doing it inside is that hay fever sufferers are less likely to be affected by pollen particles which tend to hang around in the air – and can stick to your sheets.
Tip 4: Stress
As Fresha correctly points out, this is easier said than done. But, wherever possible, try to minimize your stress levels as best you can.
When stressed, your body can react to the negative hormones it produces in a number of ways – including via the skin, which can flare up in bouts of rashes or redness.
Of course, everybody’s circumstances differ, but, hopefully, the summer months will provide at least some rest bite from the stress you may encounter during the rest of the year – so fingers crossed that this isn’t a big problem for most readers.
Tip 5: take good reactive measures
Finally, if these preventative measures have failed to stop your dry skin from acting up when your hay fever is bad – here are a few things you can do to help counteract it:
- Antihistamines: If you haven’t already, speak to your pharmacist about which allergy pill is best suited to your needs, and begin to take it on a daily basis if needed.
- Cooling Compress: A simple trick, but applying a cold cloth, perhaps with a sensitive-skin-friendly lotion, to your affected area(s) can make a world of difference.
- Topical steroid creams: If your dry skin is particularly bad, it may be worth speaking to a doctor about using a slightly stronger cream – though remember to avoid using such products on or around your face.
