Many of us neglect to take care of the skin on our body despite the fact that it ages just like everything else. Sometimes we don’t realize how important the skin hiding underneath our clothes really is until there is a major issue. When bodily skincare concerns arise they can be somewhat more alarming than what is on the face as it can make us feel like we can’t go out in public or wear certain clothes. Here are some common skincare issues and how to deal with them.
Eczema – It is the umbrella term for skin inflammation. There are several different types but dry, flaky red patches of skin characterize them all. Some of them can be hyperpigmented or hypopigmented depending on your skin tone. Treatment usually starts with avoiding any potential triggers. For patches, it may seem best to reach for petrolatum-based ointments but these are mostly just act as an occlusive barrier. Rather try a dollop of more natural products made without petroleum.
Psoriasis – This is a chronic skin condition that causes skin cells to build up rapidly on the surface of the skin, which results in red patches with thick silvery white scales. The tricky thing is that there is still so much to be learned about this skin condition. Patches occur on many parts of the body and come in all sizes. Many things can be used to help treat it including topical steroids and moisturizers. Here are some resources for how to treat this skincare condition from the National Psoriasis Foundation.
Stretch marks – Stretch marks appear as lines of thinned skin and represent scars in the dermal layer literally caused by skin stretching which leads to breaks in the connective tissue. However, stretch marks are a part of your body’s history and a fact of life. Getting rid of them can be like trying to get rid of cellulite- it can be a total rat race. There is a new fractional microneedling device called EndyMed Intensif if you are looking to get serious, but part of “solving” this particular skincare issue for me has been simply embracing them. Even celebrities like model Chrissy Teigenn have embraced their stretch marks, showing them off with pride.
Images: via Instagram.
