Skin care routine during the Corona Lockdown.
A lot of time at home and the constant staring at the screen can have a negative effect on the skin’s appearance. What you should consider for your skin care routine now – and when sun protection in the home office makes sense.
After almost two months of emergency, the skin should also have noticed: Something is different. Less sun and fresh air, more snacks and hours in front of the screen, new habits and changed routines shape everyday life and can also be noticeable in the complexion. An overview of the most important questions and tips.
How can self-isolation influence the skin’s appearance?
Anyone who spends more time indoors than usual, on the one hand, escapes harmful environmental influences such as car exhaust fumes or too much sun. Nevertheless, the new conditions for the skin are not ideal.
“For many people, a ‘quarantine face’ currently means dehydrated, irritated and above all inflammatory skin,” says Barbara Sturm, a doctor for beauty medicine and cosmetics entrepreneur from Düsseldorf, who is currently discussing the topic of skin care in a video interview series called “Skin School” with stars like Hailey Bieber and Emma Roberts.
“The bad air at home, significantly longer ‘screen time’, stress and emotional strain are a challenge for our skin. These factors can quickly lead to acne or other skin disorders,” she says. Christoph Liebich, a dermatologist at Dermazent’s dermatology practice in Munich, also observes irritation and irritation in patients with sensitive skin caused by constant wearing of masks and the resulting moisture on the skin.
“You should only wear the mask for as long as necessary and then take it off so that the skin can breathe again,” he says. He also recommends not wearing make-up or very rich skin creams under the mask, as this could encourage perspiration.
What should I pay attention to now when it comes to skin care?
According to Liebich, anyone who has followed a skin care programme that has done their own skin good before should not change much about it. Removing make-up, washing your face, maybe a peeling and applying a moisturiser regularly: all these things are still important.
Barbara Sturm sees it as positive on the one hand that you have more time for care, but on the other hand you should not overdo it and extend your personal routine with more and new products. “Now is also an important moment for discipline – for a care routine that heals and pampers the skin. Experiments are rather counterproductive,” says Sturm. “A lot doesn’t always help a lot.” For those whose skin is irritated and irritated, she recommends regular use of a moisturising mask.
Do I have to apply sun protection cream inside?
According to Barbara Sturm, even those who do not leave the house in the morning for the working day should treat their skin daily with a skin care product with a high sun protection factor to prevent skin ageing.
Dermatologist Liebich emphasises that sun protection indoors is only really necessary if the home workplace is next to a window. “The UV-A rays penetrate through the window, there is no question that you should use something there.”
What influence does working for long periods on a PC monitor have?
Alongside UV rays, Barbara Sturm is particularly interested in another type of light: the so-called blue light emitted by digital screens, tablets, laptops or smartphones, which is particularly hard on the self-insulated couch potato.
These artificially induced rays are also known as HEV light (an abbreviation standing for “high-energy visible”) and are considered to be particularly energetic. “HEV penetrates just as deeply through the skin layers and can be just as harmful to the skin as ultraviolet rays,” says Sturm. Several studies, for example by researchers from the University of New Mexico, show that free radicals released by HEV radiation can destroy cell structures and also influence the synthesis of the skin’s own proteins, such as collagen and elastin, which together ensure the skin’s elasticity and stability.
The risks of too much “screen time”: premature skin ageing, dryness, wrinkles, pigmentation disorders and sagging. Whose daily routine is dominated by morning Instagram updates, zoom meetings, a virtual happy hour and Netflix nights should consider integrating screen-free moments somewhere.
In the meantime, there are also skin care products that have been developed specifically to counter the effects of too much blue light. In her own line, for example, Sturm carries a serum called “Anti-Pollution-Drops”, which uses extracts from marine microorganisms, an antioxidant plant called Purslane and cocoa seeds to protect the skin from harmful environmental influences and counteract the signs of “digital aging“.
To what extent does psychological stress affect my skin?
Christoph Liebich can partly see from his patients’ skin that the world and thus people’s thoughts are dominated by a pandemic. “All chronic skin diseases, which are also triggered by stress, now occur more frequently,” he says. He sees more patients with shingles, with strong neurodermatitis attacks or psoriasis. “Such pre-existing conditions are getting worse because it is simply too much for people to cope with.”
In addition to medical treatment, Liebich recommends making everyday life as “normal” as possible and sticking to routines from pre-corona times. “Anyone who usually gets up at eight o’clock should continue to do so despite their home office. Anyone who normally does sport in the morning should continue to exercise even without a gym”.
In his eyes, stress avoidance also includes “corona hygiene” in terms of news consumption, says Liebich. “Watch the ‘News Show’ in the evening, and then it’s good. The news should not determine the entire daily routine”.
