There are a couple things that your skin may need during this time: more moisturizing products and possibly a change in products you’re using. “A common complaint I hear from patients is that they’ve been using a particular product for 20 years and their skin is reacting to it, but [they think] they can’t possibly have a problem with it now. I explain that their body has developed a sensitivity to it,” says Aleksandra Brown, DO, board certified dermatologist at River Ridge Dermatology in Blacksburg, Virginia. If that sounds like you, here’s how to start making skin-healthy changes.
Step 1: Change Your Cleanser (Maybe)
If you use a foaming cleanser, switch to more hydrating cream or oil-based body and face washes, says Dr. Brown. In addition, avoid products, including laundry detergent, that contain fragrance, a common irritant. Look for those labeled “fragrance-free” and rinse with lukewarm, not hot, water, Matthews adds.
Step 2: Barrier Protection
Apply thick moisturizers to damp skin twice a day, recommends Brown. For example, moisturize within a few minutes of getting out of the shower, she says. That may mean upgrading from a lotion to a cream or ointment, as well as choosing products that contain hydrating, barrier-repair ingredients like ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol, recommends Monique Chheda, MD, a board certified dermatologist in McLean, Virginia.
Step 3: Examine Your Actives
Similarly, if you’ve been using glycolic acid for exfoliation, you might switch to a more gentle lactic acid or use it every other week, Brown says. “We want to exfoliate, but we need to be gentle about it,” she says. Finally, remember that less is more. Using multiple products that encourage skin cell turnover can cause more flares of irritation and redness.