Your skin reveals the story of your life. It indicates all you’ve been through and everything you’ve “faced”. Each stage of life brings different blessings and curses to your skins. Pregnancy brings with it a gorgeous, happy glow, while age brings with it wrinkles and fine lines. Here’s our walkthrough guide to your skin, through the ages and stages of your life.
•In Your 30’s:
Teens aren’t the only ones afflicted by hormone related skin problems. The surge in progesterone and testosterone levels before your period can cause an outbreak of adult acne around your chin, mouth and nose. Hormonal stress can elevate eczema on your face and hands. Benzoyl Peroxide and Retinol are usually prescribed by your dermatologist while treating adult acne. You could also soother eczema by using a gentle, fragrance free cleanser. You could also try a homemade paste of honey, aloe vera, an antiseptic and a dab of 1% cortisone cream to soothe your break out. Consult a dermatologist if the problem persists.
•When you’re pregnant:
The abundance of estrogen in your body while you’re pregnant means you’ll have beautiful glowing skin. But pregnancy and it’s hormonal flux brings with it a range of issues like melasma, which is the appearance of dark, discoloured splotches on the face(don’t worry, it disappears after delivery). Your dermat may prescribe a skin cream with lightening agents if it bothers you. You may also develop an ailment called PUPP(prutic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy). PUPP usually surfaces during the third trimester of pregnancy and moisturizer and cold baths should alleviate the symptoms. If that doesn’t help you’ll need a prescription for an oral antihistamine or steroid cream to get your skin back to its glowing best.
•When you’re 40:
All the damage you’ve done to your skin throughout your life surfaces when you’re 40. To minimize the damage, get a prescription for a retinoid, which will minimize signs of aging like wrinkles, age spots and uneven skin tone.
This is the age when skin cancer also surfaces, so monthly checks for moles or anything unusual are the order. Stand in front of a mirror and inspect your entire body, from the soles of your feet to your scalp and look out for anything that seems out of the ordinary.
This is also the age when rosacea appears, this is a common skin condition triggered by stress, spicy food, alcohol, sun exposure and hot weather. Redness, small bumps on your face and spider like blood vessels are the symptoms of this disease that developes with age. Treat it with soothing anti inflammatory moisturizers, antioxidant rich sunscreens and gentle cleansers. We also suggest you avoid things that make you blush and use green tinted make-up as a home remedy.
If you find yourself victim to dry, flaky red spots in your cheeks, forehead or nose you might have developed actinic keratosis. Caused by sun damage, if not removed these can be cancerous.
Don’t confuse this with Seborrheic Keratosis(symptoms: warty, brownish-yellow growth on the chest and back) and skin tags(often on the underarms, groin, neck and eyelids)
•In your 50’s: The decrease of estrogen in your body causes your skin to be dry and brittle. Keep your skin hydrated by drinking lots of water and avoid taking too many baths in one day as this strips your body of its natural oils.
Spider veins and varicose veins afflict half of all women your age. Symptoms include enlarged blood vessels visible on the surface of the skin. You could seek laser treatment or sclerotherapy to fix this problem. Consult a doctor if your varicose vein is tender, red, swollen or warm. The best way to keep these troublesome varicose veins at bay is by maintaining a healthy diet, not sitting cross legged for long periods of time and exercising regularly.