Containment: why do I have a resurgence of acne? - Doctissimo

Lockdown puts your skin to the test. Not only do you look bad, but your pimples are making a comeback. How to explain this? And how to overcome it? Answers with Dr. Elisabeth Berrissoul, and Dr. Nina Roos, dermatologists.

1. Confinement: a stressful situation
2. Limit excesses in food
3. Maintain good hydration
4. Tobacco, smartphone, alcohol, screens: these other harmful elements on the skin
5. Opt for a suitable beauty routine
6. Can I contact my dermatologist?

You've been wearing very little makeup, if at all, for several weeks now. Add to that that you no longer touch your face (due to the epidemic), you thought your skin would never have been as beautiful as during this confinement. And yet. “During confinement, many people have skin problems, mainly pimples, a dull complexion that lacks radiance as well as irritation dermatitis on the back of the hands”, explains Dr Nina Roos, dermatologist. Please note that we are not discussing the possible skin symptoms of the coronavirus here. On this topic, to find out more, read our article "Coronavirus: alert on the skin manifestations of Covid-19".

Confinement: a stressful situation

“Stress is an aggravating or triggering factor for many pathologies: acne, eczema, psoriasis, hair loss…”, recalls the professional. And on the stress side, at the moment there is only the embarrassment of choice. Of course, we are thinking of the concern about the current health situation, for loved ones, about the course of events or even a heavy workload or, on the contrary, the impossibility of continuing to work.

"But it can also be stress due to the constant presence of children, which increases fatigue, bad nights, the noise of neighbors who live out of step with us.... All of this is a source of stress for our body. However, stress leads to a secretion of cortisol which can trigger an outbreak of acne or psoriasis" specifies Dr. Nina Roos.

We also know: stress can also disrupt the hormonal cycle, resulting for example in a delay in menstruation (be careful to always check that it is not a pregnancy). And it is well known, these hormonal upheavals are not the best friends of our skin.

"You must try to avoid anything that aggravates stress: alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea. Sleeping well is also an essential element to be calmer", advises Dr. Elisabeth Berrissoul, dermatologist.

Limit excesses in food

Food is also a key element of our lifestyle which is reflected in our skin. And in full confinement, there are bound to be habits that are lost or taken, and these changes will quickly manifest themselves at the skin level.

"In this period, we tend to turn to more fatty and sweet foods, to cook more and have fun, we make more cakes in particular, it's a way of keeping busy but also keeping the children busy. “, says Dr. Berrissoul.

However, "a change in eating habits can have fairly rapid and severe effects on the skin. In 10 days, the skin is oilier, pimples appear and this can also influence morale", as Dr. Roos points out.

The latter recommends avoiding as much as possible sweet foods, bad industrial fats, which are found in particular in aperitif biscuits, consumed at the time of the aperitif. "We are also going to limit dairy products if we are prone to acne, especially cheese and cow's milk. Be careful, this is not the time to feel guilty either. But we can make a little effort. If we are offers a little sweet pleasure to comfort yourself, we try to avoid the aperitif at the end of the day", advises Dr Nina Roos.

Maintain good hydration

Another important point, difficult to have a beautiful skin if it is not hydrated from the inside. But again, it's about making the right choices. "We will avoid or at least limit the fruit juices and soda that are at hand. Instead, we can opt for waters infused with an orange peel or a slice of pineapple for example, herbal teas or other unsweetened vegetable drinks", explains Dr Nina Roos. “Herbal teas stamped detox are often good for the skin, for example, because they provide hydration with a cleansing and sanitizing side,” she adds.

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All about acne

Acne

Tobacco, smartphone, alcohol, screens: these other harmful elements on the skin

Being at home all day, certain reflexes can be bad for our skin. The smartphone has become (or remained) our best friend for many, because it allows us to maintain social ties. However, "the phone can be responsible for pimples on the cheek, small irritations, or eczema. It must be disinfected, 1 to 2 times a day, and not to put it on the cheek but rather to privilege the loudspeaker or headphones", advises Dr Elisabeth Berrissoul.

“Blue light from screens also plays a role in aggravating dark spots as well as irritation and hypersensitivity issues,” adds Dr. Nina Roos.

Another problem: tobacco, which has been singled out for its devastating effects on the skin for a long time. However, for some, confinement rhymes with an increase in smoking, and for others, confined with a smoker, it is exposure to passive smoking that will come. disturb the epidermis. "Alcohol should also be limited, in addition to being bad for your health, it is too sweet and you have the reflex to accompany your drink with foods that are bad for your skin" according to our expert.

As for domestic pollution, it is possible to limit its effects. "The quality of the outside air is better at the moment, so we can take advantage of it to ventilate our home well. When we clean, chemical cleaning products are bad, we can favor white vinegar for example and we do cleaning with the windows open, making drafts," suggests Dr. Roos.

Opt for a suitable beauty routine

"It is better to keep the products that we usually use and that suit us well, not to try too many things. It is not because we have more time that we must abuse masks and scrubs that can be prove to be aggressive for the skin," says Dr. Berrissoul.

Another mistake, "washing your face too often, for example as soon as you go out shopping, as you do with your hands. It is better to wash your hands well and not touch your face. For the latter, we stick to a simple skincare routine,” adds Dr. Nina Roos.

The professional gives us her advice for taking care of your skin during this period:

And to overcome a recalcitrant pimple? "Do not fiddle with it, but dry it with a special product or clay or if you don't have one, the famous toothpaste technique", recalls Dr. Nina Roos.

Do not neglect the skin of the body and hands

It is not because the skin of our face manifests itself in a visible way that we must abandon the rest. "You also have to take care of the body, put on cream every day and if you want to go further, exfoliate, using a scrub, or brush or dry washcloth if you don't The skin of the hands is also put to the test, you have to take the time to apply an hour a day, in the evening, a greasy or very rich cream, a hand cream, or petroleum jelly and if you have nothing, a vegetable cooking oil can be used to help out. You can use a plastic film over it so that it stays on your hand", recalls Dr Nina Roos.

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Can I contact my dermatologist?

"Dermatologists can always be reached, most of the time by teleconsultation, and appointments are still possible in the event of an emergency", recalls Dr Berrissoul.

However, if one just suffers from mild acne, it is not the most urgent. "We can make an appointment in principle for later but we will have to manage for now. If we have pimples, we identify the aggravating factors: diet, tobacco, stress, and we try to remedy them. We change its classic face care for special care for acne-prone skin found in pharmacies.We will favor products that are both active on inflammatory and reactive acne that will treat large pimples, such as small blackheads or whiteheads, at the same time. “, says Dr. Roos.

Skin problems due to prolonged wearing of the mask

For some people, skin problems are not related to staying at home but to wearing the mask continuously as part of their work. This is obviously true for the nursing staff whose reddened faces can be seen where the mask has pressed, or even the staff of the supermarkets which allow us to continue to do our shopping. “Wearing a mask can lead to contact eczema, irritation or even allergic reactions. To remedy this, in this emergency situation there are not a thousand things possible: the skin must be isolated during the day and repair it in the evening.To isolate the skin, we opt for a barrier cream, like those used to bathe with patches of eczema, which will create a protective film.In the evening, we repair with a healing cream special (Cicalfat, Cicaplast…) or petroleum jelly which has a strong healing power”, recommends Dr Nina Roos.

"Be careful, the priority remains to have an effective mask, it is not a question of spreading it with cream and making it porous. When applying a barrier cream, you must wait 30 minutes before putting the mask back on, time necessary for the cream to penetrate well", warns the dermatologist.

Slide: 10 Effective Natural Acne Treatments