[Perspectives of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine]Skin is tight and red, eczema relapses, external application or internal use to combat dryness

[ad_1]

Text: Zhang Shumei, “Ming Pao”

(Hong Kong News) Whenever the weather is dry, the skin condition will become unstable and prone to redness, itchiness and dryness. Liu Yanming, a dermatology and venereal disease doctor, pointed out that when the temperature and humidity decrease, the blood vessels around the skin shrink, worsening the blood circulation, reducing the skin barrier function, and the water and oil are easily lost, resulting in dry skin, peeling, and even degeneration of the skin. inflammation.

“For example, dry eczema, atopic dermatitis, cheilitis, etc. are all common skin problems in autumn and winter, and people with these medical histories are prone to worsening of the condition during the dry season.”

Apply facial cream while your skin is hydrated

The skin is the largest organ of the body. Generally speaking, the calves, forearms, back, etc. are particularly prone to dryness. The face, hands and feet of patients with eczema are also more likely to be dry. During the day, the skin is driest in the morning and night. “Because the temperature is lower and the temperature difference is larger, the skin cannot adapt for a while and becomes dry.”

Liu Yanming said that patients often say that their skin is particularly itchy when they get up in the morning and at night, and this is the reason. If you use very high temperature water when taking a bath, your skin will dry out more easily, so you need to pay attention to moisturizing.

Because facial skin has more oil secretion, it is not too dry compared to other parts. However, the skin is thinner and more susceptible to irritation by foreign substances, so you need to pay more attention when moisturizing. Liu Yanming pointed out that after washing the face, the skin has better absorption capacity, which is the best time to moisturize. You can use a towel to dry the face gently, and apply the cream while the skin is still moist. If the face is not too dry, applying it in the morning and evening is enough. On dry days, you should moisturize diligently and apply 3 or 4 times a day.

How to choose a facial cream? Liu Yanming advises you to pay attention to 3 types of moisturizing ingredients, including:

◆Moisturizing agents such as glycerin and urea help the stratum corneum absorb moisture from the dermis.

◆Softeners such as vegetable oil and shea butter can fill gaps in skin cells and smooth the skin surface

◆Sealants such as petrolatum and mineral oil form a thin film on the skin surface to reduce water loss, but the texture is greasy.

You should choose according to your skin type. Dry skin and sensitive skin should choose products with higher oil content, that is, higher sealant ingredients to enhance the water-locking effect; oily skin should use products with lower oil content to avoid clogging pores or causing acne problems. worsen.

If the mask is left on for too long, it will absorb moisture.

Is it effective to apply a facial mask tightly during dry autumn and winter to replenish the skin first aid? Liu Yanming pointed out that the mask uses the sealing principle to “seal” moisturizing ingredients into the skin, reducing water loss and helping absorption. “The effect is equivalent to applying moisturizer densely, but the mask achieves the hydrating effect faster.”

The mask is full of essence. In order to absorb all the moisturizing ingredients, some people will apply the essence in the bag to other parts of the body. She said that the essence of the mask cannot easily penetrate the stratum corneum of the skin and can only provide a short-term moisturizing effect. If the remaining essence is directly applied Applying essence to skin such as hands and feet will have limited moisturizing effect, so it is not recommended.

As for whether the longer you wear the mask, the better?

“Face masks may contain ingredients that irritate the skin.

Applying it for too long can cause sensitivity.

It may also absorb moisture from the skin, making it drier the more you apply it.

It is not recommended to leave it on overnight.

Applying the mask for 15 to 20 minutes is enough, and you don’t need to apply it every day.

If your skin is dry, apply it once a week.

After applying the mask, your skin is “full of water”.

Excess essence should be washed away to avoid clogging pores;

If applied before going to bed,

After washing off the essence, moisturizer should be applied. “

Licking your lips hydrates them and makes them dryer

In addition, lips tend to dry out and peel in autumn and winter. Liu Yanming also noticed that many people have a bad habit of licking their lips to “hydrate” them. “Saliva has irritating ingredients, and the more you lick your lips, the drier they will become.” You should also avoid tearing off your lips. Peel off the skin to avoid causing wounds.

“If your lips are dry, you can use lip balm to moisturize your lips and soften the dead skin on your lips. It is not recommended to use lip scrubs. Excessive friction can easily induce cheilitis, and scrubs will take away oil and make them dryer.”

Dry weather makes it easy to get angry, dry mouth, cough and nosebleeds

Dry weather not only causes tight skin, but also dry throats and itchy noses. Chinese medicine practitioner Xiao Lixun pointed out that the number of consultations has increased recently.

“In addition to patients with skin diseases such as eczema and urticaria, there are also more patients with coughs. They are not necessarily related to colds. They are purely caused by dry cough, itchy throat, and dry mouth. These respiratory discomforts are all related to dry weather.”

Symptoms of virtual fire and actual fire are different

When the moisture in the air decreases, if you often eat fried and spicy food, the dryness in the body will be too strong, which will damage the function of the spleen and stomach. The body will not be able to use the absorbed water normally, and it will not be able to effectively metabolize the water in the body. The mouth and nasal cavity will be damaged. It may become dry, even to the point of nosebleeds, and the skin may become dry to the point of cracking, peeling, etc.

Dry weather can easily cause people to get internal heat, which can be divided into “virtual fire” and “real fire”, each with different symptoms.Patients with deficient fire have dry mouth, especially at night, and even in severe cases

Body heat affects sleep. “When the deficiency fire rises, it is easy to wake up in the middle of the night due to dry mouth. Sometimes you cannot calm down and have a good rest. You don’t notice it for a night and a half, but gradually you will find that the number of insomnia is getting worse and worse.” many.”

After waking up in the morning, my mouth is not only dry, but also feels like it is stuck with glue; at the same time, oral ulcers are prone to occur. Patients with excessive fire feel dry mouth and throat all the time. Even if they drink a lot of water, they still cannot relieve their thirst. They also like cold drinks, have a peculiar smell in their mouth, have constipation or dry stools, and have acne on their face. When the weather is dry and the humidity drops even lower, the above symptoms are more obvious.

White foods are mostly cold

Nosebleeds are another common condition in autumn and winter. Xiao Lixun pointed out that to prevent nosebleeds, you need to prescribe the right medicine. For example, patients with nasal allergies often blow their noses and bleed after blowing too hard. They need to deal with the source of the nasal sensitivity. If the resistance is insufficient, they can start three-nine-day moxibustion at the end of December. Through heavenly moxibustion, they can increase their righteousness, enhance their resistance, and reduce their nasal sensitivity. Symptoms.

“Some people are used to cleaning the nasal cavity with their fingers, but nails can easily scratch the nasal mucosa and cause bleeding, so you should avoid touching your nose with your fingers. In addition to external factors, excessive internal fire and drying of the nasal mucosa will easily lead to nosebleeds. It is recommended to drink refreshing drinks to replenish the nasal cavity. “It is suitable for most people to drink the yin-nourishing and dry-nourishing Adenophora ginseng and Polygonatum odorifera mixed with pork in a pot.”

“If bloodshot eyes appear after blowing your nose, the nasal mucosa is likely to be damaged, and nosebleeds will occur in the next step. Avoid blowing your nose forcefully. In addition, pay attention to whether there are symptoms such as dry mouth and sore throat. If so, it indicates the onset of dryness. If it rises, it is advisable to reduce inflammatory foods such as barbecues and hot pots.”

Diet can moisturize dryness. It is advisable to eat more white foods, such as cabbage, white fungus, white radish, broccoli flowers, etc. “Traditional Chinese medicine believes that among the five colors, white nourishes the lungs, and the lungs govern the fur. If the skin is dry, it can be relieved.”

She pointed out that, however, most white foods are relatively cold, so people with weak constitutions should consult a doctor first. In terms of tea therapy, Adenophora ginseng, American ginseng, etc. can reduce phlegm, nourish yin, and replenish qi, which can help improve the body’s resistance and reduce respiratory discomfort. Sydney also has the effect of moisturizing dryness, but its properties are relatively cool. It can be boiled into Sydney water (see “Diet Therapy”) to reduce the coolness, and apples can also be added to make it milder.

As for people with insomnia, they should reduce contact with mobile phones and computers before going to bed; they can also start with diet. “Lily can clear away heat, moisturize dryness, and soothe the mind, while lotus seeds can nourish the spleen, clear the heart, and nourish the mind. Both can help reduce deficiency fire and relieve symptoms.”

[ad_2]

Source link