Allergies Interfering With Skincare Regime

Allergic skin sensitivities can disrupt the best skincare routine. Here is how to assess the problem and improve appearance of your skin.

Rash Reactions

Food allergies are the worst! Within a few minutes, they can cause painful dermatology reactions varying in severity in different parts of the body and cause discomfort for long periods. What’s more, food allergies can interfere with your skincare regime and make it difficult to attain that healthy, blemish-free skin you desire.

If your skin barrier is constantly irritated and affected by inflammation or dryness due to allergic reactions, you may struggle with various cosmetology routines.

How Do Food Allergies Affect The Skin?

Usually, people who suffer from a certain food allergy develop hives, eczema, or rash. It may manifest as itchy skin, swelling, or atopic dermatitis after coming in contact with allergens. The skin reaction can appear within minutes, hours, or days.

Rash Food Choices

Once an irritation occurs, say atopic dermatitis, the skin becomes red, flaky, and itchy. It can even cause the skin to blister, ooze, crack, or peel off. This disrupts and damages the acid mantle.

The acid mantle is a fine, slightly acid barrier that covers and protects your skin surface from bacterial or fungal infection and other environmental stressors. Once the acid mantle is damaged, the skin will become a playground for abnormal microbial activity and invasive agents.

The result? Skin troubles like dehydration or excess sebum production, breakouts, inflammation, hypersensitivity, and other conditions you would rather not be dealing with. Not only allergens but also diet and nutrition can either enhance^[1] or impair^[2] your skin health.

The Solution

After skin reactions from a food allergy, wash the affected area, and apply a prescribed or over-the-counter (OTC) soothing gel. Avoid soaps or toners that worsen the situation. See a dermatology or cosmetology professional to discuss the best skin treatments for your sensitive skin.

Anti-inflammatory foods can help lessen inflammation and pain from skin allergies. Foods rich in vitamins C, A, E, and antioxidants like resveratrol, polyphenols, and flavonoids are deeply nourishing for the skin. They help to protect the skin from oxidative stress caused by free radicals and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier.

The optimal pH value of skin on most of your face and body is between 4.7 and 5.75. A pH below 7 (pure water) is acidic and above it is alkaline. So skin’s natural pH is mildly acidic. When skin is too alkaline it looks flaky and red.

Drink more water to help regulate your skin pH, improve the acid mantle, and promote skin regeneration. Since nutrition is important, see a registered dietitian for appropriate diet recommendations.

Need To Know: Are you hypersensitive to any of the eight most common allergens—eggs, milk, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, fish, soy, or wheat? You can develop adverse skin reactions by using skincare products that contain them. Read product labels and use hypoallergenic products for optimum skin health. Consult a dermatologist or immunologist for persistent skin concerns.