In partnership with La Roche Posay
The pandemic has affected people in so many ways?right down to the state of their skin. Even if you?ve always been committed to your skincare, the challenges of 2020 may have thrown your tried-and-true regimen off course. Frequent hand sanitizing, irritation caused by face masks and increased stress levels all call for updated strategies for taking better care of our skin.
We called in a dermatologist to help us with our most common skin irritations, either caused by or exaggerated by COVID-19.
The effects of stress on skin
If your stress levels are through the roof (trying to work while simultaneously parenting will do that), you?re not alone. One of the ways that stress can manifest itself is on your skin. ?Stress can be linked to exacerbation of various skin conditions such as rosacea and eczema,? explains Dr. Monica Li, a clinical instructor at the Department of Dermatology & Skin Science at the University of British Columbia. ?The skin and brain are connected: Stress can increase inflammation at the skin surface, which drives some of these skin conditions.? In other words, spiked cortisol levels could have a direct impact on your skin. But a solid skincare regimen can help calm your skin. While it might be tempting to enlist multiple products to minimize inflammation, less is really more. Look to skincare products that provide relief with soothing ingredients, while helping to repair and strengthen the skin barrier so it?s more ...