6 Tips for Healthy Skin in Lockdown

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6 Tips for Healthy Skin in Lockdown

• CHROMA DERMOTOGY

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• While your daily work, study and social routine
  may have been disrupted during the COVID-19
  pandemic, your skincare routine doesnt need to
  be a victim of lockdown. In fact, lockdown is the
  perfect time to perfect your home skincare
  regimen. Read on to get tips for healthy skin at
  this time.

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1. Cleanse thy skin

• Gently wash your face with cool water and a soap
  and fragrance-free cleanser twice per day to
  remove dirt and grime. Dont forget to wash your
  face after you sweat too.
• Splash the cool water over your face then gently
  rub the cleanser in a circular motion. Dont
  forget your nose, the area under your nose and
  under your neck. Wash it off with more cool water
  and pat your skin dry with a soft towel. Using
  cleansers that contain ingredients like salicylic
  acid may irritate some kinds of skin so steer
  clear of these unless you have been advised by
  your dermatologist to use it for your skin type.

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• Some gentle skin cleansers that our patients
  love include Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser
  Lotion, CeraVe gentle cleanser, QV gentle
  cleanser, Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser.

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2. Keep active with your actives
Depending on how old you are, skin actives can be
added to your skincare regimen for anti-oxidant,
anti-wrinkle and anti-pigment effects. Topical
niacinamide serums or creams can be used from the
teenage years onward. This has been proven to
have anti-inflammatory and anti-pigmentation
effects. Our patients love supporting locals so
the Australian made and owned brand, Propaira is
a staff and patient favourite. The Ordinary also
have a good niacinamide.
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• The concentration of niacinamide needed to
  positively affect the skin is about 3-5.
• Vitamin C and Vitamin A -containing creams (like
  some retinols and tretinoin) can be used also for
  their exfoliating effects, anti-acne,
  anti-inflammatory and of course, anti-ageing
  effects. It is best to consult with your
  dermatologist to work out if your skin type can
  and should be treated with these actives.

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• Retinols can be found in over-the-counter
  products but tretinoin is a medical-grade vitamin
  A and has to be prescribed. Tretinoin has a lot
  of solid scientific evidence to prove it really
  does work!
• Most of the time, tretinoin needs to be started
  gently and gradually increased in frequency.

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• Using too much, too quickly will cause redness,
  irritation and possibly dermatitis. Start off
  three times per week and gradually increase the
  frequency of use. Vitamin A products can be mixed
  with your usual moisturisers and are usually used
  at night before bed. And remember, you dont have
  to spend more than 50AUD to get a good
  tretinoin-based cream.

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3. Go mad with Moisturiser

Moisturising the skin helps keep it hydrated,
less wrinkled and is also a very important
treatment for those with eczema (dermatitis).
Moisturisers should be applied every morning and
evening before bed. And yes, even if you have
oily skin, you should apply a moisturiser. If you
have oily, pimple-prone skin, think about using
lotions or gels. If your skin is on the dry side,
look for cream-based formulas.
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• Moisturisers without perfumes are best. Perfumes
  can cause skin allergies. You dont have to spend
  empty your wallet for a good hydration boost.
  Some new moisturisers contain substances called
  ceramides. Ceramides play a critical role in
  establishing and maintaining the water-retaining
  properties of the skin.

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• Ceramides are especially beneficial for those
  with atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis, dry
  skin and even acne! Yes, acne. Its easy to
  remember moisturise for your face but dont
  neglect your hands, especially with all the
  handwashing we have all been doing during the
  pandemic. For more on tips to get healthy skin on
  your hands during COVID, check out our blog from
  earlier in the year.

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4. Slap on your Sunscreen
While winter is upon us, sunscreen is still
important for those that have pigment problems
like melasma and those who are super vigilant
about skin ageing. This is because ultra-violet
light A (UVA) is one of the contributing factors
to skin ageing and UVA is around from sunrise to
sunset, all year-round. Sunscreen is definitely
THE best way to block ultra-violet light and keep
you looking younger for longer! So, what should
you look out for when choosing a sunscreen?
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• Be sure your sunscreen is SPF 50 with high UVA
  protection and check that it is approved by the
  Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA). This is
  a regulatory body that ensures that the sunscreen
  meets certain standards and actually do what the
  label says it should. You should look for an
  AUST L number on the label which means that
  sunscreen is approved by the TGA. Cosmetic
  sunscreens will not have this AUST L number so
  they may not actually be giving you the
  protection you need. To learn more about
  sunscreen regulation, head to
• For tips to keep skin healthy in summer check
  out our blog on sunscreen in skin of colour.

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5. Spot the difference!

• Skin cancers dont stop appearing during a
  pandemic. It is important to check over your skin
  (dont forget your scalp, palms, soles, nails and
  intimate areas) for any spots or lumps that are
  new or changing. Skin cancers can be red, brown,
  black or even skin coloured and they might not
  cause any symptoms at all. Check out this page
  for just a little more information on skin
  cancer. If you are concerned about new or
  changing spots or lumps on your skin, consult
  your general practitioner or dermatologist. Check
  out the SunSmart website for more detailed
  information on signs of skin cancer.

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6. Stress Less

• Healthy body, healthy mind, healthy skin. Its
  important for all of us to find healthy ways of
  managing stress, especially during these COVID-19
  times. Meditating, exercising (also improves skin
  health also!), eating and sleeping well will help
  ease stress. Many people identify stress as a
  trigger for conditions like psoriasis, eczema and
  acne. Controlling stress will help control skin
  conditions like these. And if your skin is not
  behaving, seek advice from your dermatologist.

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• So there they are, tips for healthy skin. If,
  after reading this, you are not sure what
  products you should be using, contact us to book
  your 10-minute complimentary consultation with
  our dermal clinician to discuss your skin type
  and skin needs so you can get started with your
  skin care routine. Chroma Dermatology have set in
  place multiple measures to optimise your safety
  during your onsite visits to us. We will discuss
  these with you when you contact us.