Do you feel frustrated about how your skin looks during period? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Pretty girl, We do have solution to this annoying issue. But, the first and foremost thing you need to do is to be confident about your skin. Look at yourself in the mirror and appreciate your beauty. If you fret over too much about your skin, then stress would reflect on your skin. Stress actually can damage your beauty. So, during period, do something which makes you happy. I have PCOD and trust me there was a time when I used to get acne before and during my period. But, the good news is now I rarely get any pimple during my period and my skin looks perfectly healthy during this time. That’s why I thought to share my tips on how you can take care of your skin during periods.
dealing with acne
If you want problem-free skin then you should take care of your skin on daily basis. For me, home remedies do not work for my hormonal acne. I use over-the-counter products to treat my acne issue. There are many otc acne products available. But, each skin type is different. So, you need acne product according to your skin type. Here, I’m going to give you some details about the ingredients which treat acne.
1.retinoids:
Retinoids are broken down into four main categories: retinyl esters, retinol, retinaldehyde, and retinoic acid. retinoids derive from vitamin A. Retinoids include tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova), adapalene (Differin), and tazarotene. retinoids are game-changers for the skin. But, if retinoid is not used properly then it may not suit on sensitive skin. However, retinoids have several benefits. Retinoids smooth fine lines and wrinkles, exfoliate the dead skin cells, and prevent breakouts. Now let’s understand the hierarchy of the retinoids.
Retinyl Esters-
These are the least potent form of retinoids. Retinyl esters include retinyl palmitate, retinyl linoleate, retinyl acetate, and retinyl propionate. If your skin is very sensitive then Products with retinyl esters are great for first-time retinoid users.
Retinol-
Retinol is more powerful than Retinyl Esters. However, retinol can dry out your skin. It takes some time to adjust to your skin. If you are new to retinol then do not keep it on the skin overnight. Apply it for a shorter period of time and then wash it. When your skin would get used to retinol then apply it for a longer period of time.
Retinaldehyde-
It is more potent than the retinyl esters and retinol. It is also known as Retinal. Retinals also help to promote cell turnover to even skin tone and texture, smooth wrinkles and fine lines, and prevent acne.
Retinoic Acid Esters-
Retinoic acid esters are a relatively new form of retinoids. These are more active than retinol. However, they are pretty gentle on the skin.
Adapalene-
It prevents new acne from forming and treats acne. It also treats dark spots and fine lines and wrinkles.
Tretinoin
I have used tretinoin to treat my acne. It is a topical form of pure retinoic acid. it’s one of the more powerful prescription retinoids. Tretinoin is available in different percentages. I would suggest you always go for the lowest percentage because topical retinoid takes time to adjust to your skin. When you are new to tretinoin apply it twice or thrice a week instead of applying it regularly. Also do not forget to apply non-comedogenic moisturizer.
Isotretinoin-
Isotretinoin is the oral form of retinoic acid. It is the most potent of all retinoids. It has long-term beneficial effects on the skin.
Trifarotene-
It’s more potent than adapalene but less potent than tretinoin. Tazarotene is another type of retinoid. It is the most powerful retinoid. It is more expensive than tretinoin.
2. Benzoyl peroxide
It kills bacteria, removes excess oil, and exfoliates dead skin cells. It is available in form of pimple-fighting facial cleansers, lotions, creams, gels, and spot treatments. However, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin and it can leave brown spot after treating pimple.
3. Salicylic acid:
If your skin becomes oily during period then salicylic acid face wash would help to control oil production. It keeps the pore clean and exfoliates dead skin cells.
4.Topical clindamycin:
It works by slowing or stopping the growth of bacteria that cause acne. It is available as a foam, a gel, a solution (liquid), a lotion, and a pledget (swab).
5. Sulfur
It helps remove excess oil (sebum) that may cause breakouts and removes dead skin cells that clog your pores. It is often used with other ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
6.Alpha hydroxy acids
Alpha hydroxy acids not only treat acne by removing dead skin cells and reducing inflammation but also improve the appearance of acne scars.
These are the ingredients that help to treat acne. However, before applying anything on your face, it is important to take advice from your dermatologist. When you are using ointment for acne, do not forget to apply sunscreen during the daytime. These ingredients can dry out the skin. So, keep your skin properly moisturized.
USE ACNE PATCHES
Don’t freak out If you see acne just before a big day. Acne patches are helpful to shrink your acne. However, every type of acne patch is not suitable for your acne. You need to do some research about these patches and their active ingredients.
CONTROL EXCESS OIL
During period, skin becomes oily. Excessive oil clogs pores and causes acne. Salicylic acid face wash is helpful to control excess oil and exfoliate the skin. Thus, it prevents acne during periods. You can use Saslic Foaming Face Wash. It has 1% salicylic acid in it. Another face wash is Saslic DS Face Wash. It has 2% salicylic acid in it.
AVOID MAKEUP
During periods try to avoid makeup. If you have any party to attend then apply minimal makeup. Makeup clogs pore and causes break out.
HYDRATE YOUR BODY AND SKIN
Drink an adequate amount of water to keep yourself hydrated. Dehydrated skin looks dull. You can use facial mist to hydrate your skin. It is also important to apply non-comedogenic moisturizer. non-comedogenic means that a product contains ingredients that would not clog the pores on your skin. So, before buying any skincare product do not forget to check the label of the product if it is non-comedogenic.
PROPER DIET
Proper diet is also important to take care of our skin. Some skin-friendly foods are carrots, apricots, sweet potatoes, dark green and leafy vegetables, blueberries, brown rice, quinoa, turkey, pumpkin seeds, beans, peas, lentils, salmon, mackerel, and nuts. Sometimes, certain foods trigger acne. Some acne triggering foods are milk chocolate, dairy products, whey protein powder, white flour, and rice noodles. However, everyone’s body is different. In my case, food does not trigger acne. you need to figure out first which food makes your skin flare up and then try to avoid that particular food. But, if the food does not aggravate your acne then you can safely consume the food items mentioned above.
EASE YOUR STRESS
When you feel stressed, your sympathetic nervous system releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol causes increased oil production in your skin glands. Excessive oil can lead to clogged pores and acne breakouts. Stress can cause acne, wrinkle, bags under your eyes. There are some ways by which you can handle your stress. Box breathing technique helps to relax your mind and body. Listen to your favourite music because music can release your stress. Sometimes, activities which you like to do can relieve your mind. When I feel stressed I like cooking. Find your ways which can help you to get rid of stress.
SOME HOME REMEDIES
Home remedies are not 100% effective. But, home remedies can help you to soothe your skin during periods.
- Put some aloe vera gel in the refrigerator and massage it on your face. Remember, many people are allergic to aloe vera gel. So, if you are allergic to aloe gel then avoid this remedy.
- Make some green tea and make an ice cube of it. Wrap the green tea ice cube in a cotton towel and apply it on your face and under-eye area. This remedy will help you to get rid of your dark circle and make your skin glow.
- You can also brew some coffee and make an ice cube of it. Then repeat the same process. Wrap it in a soft towel and apply it to your face and under-eye area. Coffee helps to decrease the puffiness of the eyes and also makes skin glowy.
These are my tips to take care of your skin during period. Remember just like we eat food every day, we should also take care of our skin on daily basis. Your skin would not improve if you only take care of it once in a while. So, if you want glowing and flawless skin during your period you need to be consistent about taking care of it. One last thing I want to tell that you’re beautiful.so, do not forget to appreciate your beauty.
