How to keep sensitive skin healthy

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Sensitive skin that still looks and feels good

I have had sensitive skin all my life. Mostly I manage to keep it at a bearable level. My face looks decent enough. The skin on my hands isn't too rough... These are some of the things I do to keep it that way.

I'm not a doctor 

disclaimer

I have real good experience with getting doctor's advice. Serious skin problems can benefit from their expertise. However, sometimes you have to take doctors advice and find your own way with it...

See my story about athletes foot (and I'm not even an athlete)

What the experts say.... 

Care for your sensitive skin

The experts say with sensitive skin you should really watch out what products you use on them. Try them out on a spot that's not so visible BEFORE using them on your face.

Personally I feel that less is best. I hardly use any make up (and it took me years to find that one product that I did want to put on my face daily).

The products on this lens are meant to heal, not harm. They aren't cosmetics, but basic oils with plant-extracts. My skin isn't so sensitive that these would cause any problems. But if you have skin allergies, do go with the advice of the experts:

Try a drop of these oils on the skin on your elbow first. Check 24 hours later to see if your skin reacted. If it didn't: you are probably safe to use it on your face.

Washing Soda - my secret to getting infections and fungi off my feet and hands 

Sensitive skin comes in all kinds of types. My skin is prone to getting swimmers foot. My hands have had weird small bubbles on them for years now.

Washing soda helps keep this under control. When my skin is in trouble I go on a regimen of daily (sometimes twice daily) hand or foot baths.

Just put a bit of washing soda in hot water and put in your hands or feet. If it's too hot just keep dipping them in for as long as you can manage.

After bathing the feet or hands, I will usually put St. Johns Wort oil on the affected area.

Washing soda, Cleaning soda or 'soda ash' 

So, what is it? This wonderful stuff is Na2CO3 for the chemists among you. In other words a sodium salt of carbonic acid.
It's chemically related to baking soda, but very different in it's practical properties.

Washing soda is very good for any organic stains. Like egg, chocolate, bacteria, viruses and fungi.

The fact that it breaks down biological tissues in a mild way is what makes it so good for damaged skin with any type of biologically based problem. Like warts or swimmers foot.

Again: in my experience it's the combination of washing soda with regular treatment that works magic.

You can find it in your grocery store in the detergent section.

Washing Soda 

Dri-Pak Soda Crystals (washing soda) 2.2 pounds (1kg). Multi-purpose all natural cleaner - use for laundry, to clean Kitchen and to even unblock grease from sink drain. Contains NO phosphates, enzymes, perfumes, dyes, odors or bleach. Soda Crystals dissolve grease, soften water, and loosen dirt the old-fashioned way--powerfully, simply, and without harsh chemicals.

Dri-Pak Soda Crystals (washing soda) 2.2 pounds (1kg). Multi-purpose all natural cleaner - use for laundry, to clean Kitchen and to even unblock grease from sink drain. Contains NO phosphates, enzymes, perfumes, dyes, odors or bleach. Soda Crystals dissolve grease, soften water, and loosen dirt the old-fashioned way--powerfully, simply, and without harsh chemicals.

Amazon Price: (as of 12/16/2009)Buy Now

Pure soda. Environmentally friendly and good for your skin - what more can you want?

It's also good for many stains. Soak and clean, soak and clean. It's not the fastest of stain removers, but certainly a safe one.

A rough life, rough skin... 

I've been moving house recently. With all the cleaning, painting, moving stuff and putting stuff together - my skin is more chapped and sensitive than it usually is.

In my opinion the best thing you can do - aside from just letting it heal - is to use any skin cream on your hands. Whether it's sunflower oil, or day cream or even suntanning lotion: it will do better than just letting your skin be.

With all that rough stuff going on, your skin needs some serious help - and any help you can give it is fine. (taking any allergies into account of course).

Great food - great skin

Dr. Oz hinted about this on Oprah - and I found it to be true: what you eat has a direct effect on your skin.

Those vegetable oils that we put on our skin help. But guess what: it helps to eat them too :)

In other words: put a bit of olive oil on your salad every other day and you will see your skin improve.

Or just follow the Dr's advice and put a teaspoon of olive oil on a slice of wholewheat bread before dinner daily, I promise you will see a difference (to your weight as well.)

St. John's Wort - for your skin, not just for depression! 

herbal skin care option

St. John's wort (also known as Hypericum perforatum or Flores hyperici cum folia) is well known for its anti-depressant properties.

In the alternative health scene of The Netherlands however, an oil extract of this herb is used for treating skin problems as well.

This has really worked wonders on my skin.

I've used it for:

  • upcoming and full blown acne spots

  • athletes foot

  • weird bubble type skin trouble on my hands that my doctor didn't think were a problem

Athletes foot and medicine 

I had (past tense) a big problem with athletes foot for more than a year. I tried the simple over the counter remedies. I tried the more serious stuff my doctor recommended. He also recommended St. John's Wort BTW (see above).

The problem got worse when my facial skin got infected with some bacteria and I had to use internal and external anti-biotic to clear that up.

After that I went back to what for me is common sense: I used cleaning soda in combination with the strongest anti-fungi medicine my doctor had recommended. Finally it became less. But at some point it wasn't getting better any more. There was just a bit left between my pinky toe and the second toe.

That's when I switched to cleaning soda baths in combination with St. John's Wort's Oil. And that finally got rid of the problem. I've been free of this for a year now.

Liquid St. John's Wort Extract 

herbal skin care option

Liquid St. John's Wort Extract

Liquid St. John's Wort Extract

Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 12/16/2009)Buy Now

It really really helps my skin. It's good for mild swimmers foot, for mild acne, really for any mild skin problems.

Sometimes the medicinal stuff works to lessen problems like swimmers foot - but somehow it doesn't get rid of the problem totally. This does. I use it to counter upcoming acne, and any other skin problems I may have.

Lavender, Chamomile and tea tree oil - tips from readers 

Lavender, Chamomile and tea tree oil are also great for skin problems. I run for my lavender oil with every skin element I get.

Its funny because 2 months ago, I had this strange red spot appear on my hand. My first thought was it was psoriasis. I used a mixture of lavender and tea tree oil together, and although it took a while, the spot disappeared.
WhiteOak50

Other oils that work well on the skin 

herbal skin care option

Chamomille(Morocco) Essential Oil (10mL) Brand: Karooch

Chamomille(Morocco) Essential Oil (10mL) Brand: Karooch

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $23.74 (as of 12/16/2009) Buy Now

Share your home remedies for skin problems 

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  • Reply
    cjsysreform cjsysreform Feb 7, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
    Interesting, I hadn't heard of using St. John's Wort to treat skin. I'm lensrolling this, as I too have a lens about sensitive skin. Glad I found you and your unique skin solutions.
  • Reply
    Margo_Arrowsmith Margo_Arrowsmith Oct 4, 2008 @ 4:43 am
    Hey, I see you just hit 100 lenses! Congratulations on all the hard work!

    Olive oil is not just good for your skin but also for you hear, your EYES, and helps prevent cancer! 7 Cancer Warriors

    I put it on my salad everyday and cook with it also. The bread idea is the greatest. Margarine is terrible for people, but butter isn't great, put olive oil on your bread. You can flavor it with spices to add more interest, but it is good alone.
  • Reply
    Tipi Tipi Oct 3, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
    I like to use extra virgin olive oil on my skin about once a week. It helps keep it younger looking.
  • Reply
    WhiteOak50 WhiteOak50 Jun 14, 2008 @ 7:31 am
    Lavender, Chamomile and tea tree oil are also great for skin problems. I run for my lavender oil with every skin element I get.

    Its funny because 2 months ago, I had this strange red spot appear on my hand. My first thought was it was psoriasis. I used a mixture of lavender and tea tree oil together, and although it took a while, the spot disappeared.
  • Reply
    jeffwend jeffwend Jun 11, 2008 @ 11:02 am
    What is cleaning soda and where can I buy it?
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