Skin inflammation can be caused by many different things. It can be an Internal issue as well as an external problem that you probably didn’t even realize is causing you misery.
Sometimes it could be a medical problem that requires Doctors’ orders, sometimes it’s an environmental issue that causes skin irritation. In this post, we will breakdown
- Lifestyle changes to make that will eliminate the need for skin inflammation treatment at home
- Natural sustainable at-home remedies
- 5 things you can do that can reduce inflammation fast if the need arises
This post is all about ways to prevent skin inflammation treatment at home and how to treat them if you don’t want to make lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle and Skin Inflammation?
Lately, everything is referred to as skin inflammation, well what is skin inflammation?
Google says that skin inflammation is a sign of an immune response that includes symptoms such as redness, heat, swelling, pain, and itching. Rash, hives, plaques, or blisters. Our lifestyle greatly impacts our well-being, highly affecting our physical, pathological, and psychological health. The food we eat and the environment we choose to put ourselves in is crucial for our health.
So yes we are actually saying that skin inflammation is a hint to let you know there are changes in the body that need to be addressed. Sometimes it’s as simple as cutting out a skincare product with a specific ingredient, or harsh chemicals, not eating a certain food or just being extra careful about things you are allergic to. It could be as serious as being exposed to an environmental pollutant, severe stress, medication, or severe allergy.
Atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and psoriasis are Inflammatory skin diseases, however, we will look more into different types of skin inflammation, their causes, and ways to prevent and treat them.
Lifestyle changes you need to be making.
Skincare – I know you are thinking why would skincare change be necessary? Remember how we said sometimes harsh chemicals could cause skin irritation? Sometimes skincare products do have some harsh ingredients that can be damaging to the skin. Well, why are they being approved right?
As long as these ingredients do not prove medical claims to heal or cure, are not fatal, and serve their purpose even with some side effects, they can actually still be used.
Be on the lookout for these harsh chemicals
- Phthalates such as DBP, DEHP, POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL -PEG, and FORMALDEHYDE a type of carcinogen
- SLS (SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE) an environmental toxin, SLES(SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE), TRICLOSANÂ
- TRICLOCARABAN preservative found in cleaning supplies, BHA &BHT, COAL TAR a carcinogen and also triggers asthma.
Smoking -Skin inflammation and inflammatory skin diseases are closely related to smoking. There are certain microorganisms that are activated during smoking, as well as certain cells produced in the body, this increases the chances of infection and skin inflammation.
Alcohol-Sawada Y (2021) talks about how difficult it is for the body to break down alcohol, the body has to release different enzymes to do this. The body has to work tremendously hard to get to the stage of processing and releasing the alcohol from the body. There can be side effects from the human system being overworked. Therefore, it is considered that the ingestion of alcohol contributes to skin inflammation,
Obesity –Subcutaneous fat serves a survival function by acting as an energy storage medium, Sawada Y (2021). In this day and age, many people have more than enough to eat and don’t need to store food for reserves. Which is why we don’t need to overeat during meals. This can cause serious Dysfunction of organs and lymphatic vessels, which reduces their clearance function and prolongs inflammation. This causes skin inflammation
Inflammatory foods – These are foods that are more likely to trigger a reaction in the body or on the skin.
Gluten– According to the National Library of Medicine Gluten is a protein that comes from grains that have been proven to trigger celiac disease and skin inflammation. Even if you don’t have the disease you might even find being sensitive to Gluten cause issues and different reactions
Fatty Foods. Consuming animal fats, refined carbs, processed meat, sugary foods, and animal by-products contributes to skin inflammation. A reasonable daily portion of plant-based fats does tremendous good for the body. for example nuts and avocado
Swap out Gluten, fatty foods, and sugary foods for
Dietary fiber- a diet high in fibrous food helps to eliminate skin inflammation and inflammatory skin disease. According to the National Library of Medicine, they believe a high-fiber diet reduces the severity of skin inflammation
Fresh fruits and vegetables- Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals and lots of water that the body needs.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Foods rich in omega-3s, such as salmon, walnuts, and flax seeds, can help reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the skin.
Natural home remedies
If you have no interest in changing your diet, there’s still hope for you. These natural remedies are also good for you.
Aloe– Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant. This plant contains compounds that can help ease inflammation and promote healing. Apply fresh aloe vera gel to the affected area.
Here’s a tip, blend aloe and place them in ice cubes in the freezer. Ice helps to minimize wrinkles and gives the face a fresh glow while the aloe works its magic, this is a game changer that helps to soothe inflamed skin.
Tea tree oil– Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant This essential oil has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, which can help reduce redness and swelling. Apply a few drops to the affected area with a cotton ball.
Turmeric: This spice has been shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder with a few drops of water and lemon in some cases to make a paste and apply it to the affected area. This can also be an exciting drink ( Tumeric Latte)- mix together plant-based milk with honey and powdered Tumeric. You can use a frother to make it foamy and more appetizing. Serve hot to cold. It’s comforting and antiinflammatory, oh, and tastes really good!
6 Things That Reduce Skin Inflammation at Home
- Oatmeal bath /oatmeal face and body scrub– Oatmeal does an amazing job of soothing and calming the skin. Take an oatmeal bath, just be sure to use something like a strainer to remove oats from the bathtub after the bath. Try this face scrub/mask as shown in the video to get the best out of your oat mask. Blended oats with olive oil or any essential oil applied to the skin soothe the skin quickly.
- Try honey facial – This doesn’t need to be fancy, this can be as simple as applying honey with yogurt to your skin for 15 minutes and then washing with gentle soap and water. This will hydrate and soothe the skin and draw out the impurities.
- Cool compression– skin inflammation can come in different forms, depending on what triggered it, it could burn, sting, become irritated, or swollen. Holding a cold rag, a bag of peas, an ice pack, or just about anything cold can quickly cause relief.
- Drink lime water and real herbal teas– Drinking beverages like these hydrates the body and gears the body toward being alkaline and less acidic. Getting your body to be more alkaline will tremendously prevent skin inflammation and breakouts
- Sleep– This might sound silly but sleep is crucial to good health. Recent epidemiological studies have identified sleep disturbance as a possible risk factor for inflammatory skin diseases. Our body has a special rhythm, we should be sleeping every 24 hours for 7-9 hours. When we sleep we give the body time to recharge and fix things it needs to fix.
- Change detergent and deep clean – Bacteria and fungus love to hide in those dirty areas of your house, do a deep clean, and be sure to wash laundry with sensitive plant-based detergent to lessen irritation and get rid of those bacteria from sweat.
- Do not overheat your shower water– this could cause the skin to dry out and really irritate the skin.
Bottom line
- Skin inflammation happening at home regularly is a warning sign that the body is responding to something and needs attention.
- Reduce skin inflammation by trying to -Avoid triggers: If you know what triggers your skin inflammation, such as certain foods or skin care products, try to avoid them as much as possible
- Use skincare that’s naturally gentle and plant-based
- Avoid taking old antibiotics
- Use natural products and at-home remedies as listed above.
- If you have tried all these and still have no improvement then maybe it’s time to make an appointment to see your doctor.
References
Sawada Y, Saito-Sasaki N, Mashima E, Nakamura M. Daily Lifestyle and Inflammatory Skin Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 14;22(10):5204. doi: 10.3390/ijms22105204. PMID: 34069063; PMCID: PMC8156947.