6 ways mothers should take care of their skin while travelling

It's that time of the year when our children are enjoying their school holidays. It's also the time when we as mothers are packing our bags, preparing to roll on to a memorable family trip.

Such getaways are a much-needed dose of relaxation for our stressed-out minds and bodies. But in the hustle of packing and enjoying, we often forget to make sure our skin’s needs are taken care of.

Dr Chiranjiv Chhabra, aesthetic physician, founder of SkinAlive Clinics, Delhi, spoke to us to explain the need for taking care of our skin while travelling.

"We need to be mindful about the environmental conditions of our travel destination and how they can affect our skin. A sunny vacation can leave the skin scorched, while a snowy destination can sap all moisture from the skin. Not forgetting the infections our skin might catch on the go, in a train, flight or bus," she says.

Fortunately, Dr Chhabra has some handy ways in which Indian mothers can take care of their skin, especially while  travelling.

1) Don’t forget the basics 

Whether you are travelling or leading your routine life, the basics of skincare do not change. Dr Chhabra says, "Your cleansing routine needs to be followed zealously even as you travel. Often, when we are busy admiring new places and historic destinations, we tend to put these basics on the backburner. Sometimes, when we return to the hotel at night, we are too tired to engage in the basic practices. Never do this, never sleep without removing your make-up."

When we travel, we are tired and exposed to a new environment. This can put stress on our skin. She suggests a few points you must keep in mind:

• If you have to spend the day out in the open, take care to remove the layer of dust, pollution or even bacteria that settles on top of it
• Carry your trusty skin cleanser in your kit and do a quick clean-up in the evening
• Also carry your facewash and moisturiser in your bag all the time
• Wash your face 2-3 times and follow it up with your moisturiser
• Keep wet wipes handy if you cannot wash

2) Sunglasses and sunscreen

Sun protection is another factor that remains constant wherever you go, whatever you do. Often during vacations, we tend to become more careless about the protection we need. This should be taken care of. Sun exposure is very harmful to the skin; it can cause tanning, hyper-pigmentation, sunburns and even cancer.

The skin around the eyes is the most sensitive and tends to burn quicker. Therefore, Dr Chhabra says, Indian mums should keep these two points in mind:

• Sunscreen and sunglasses are a must, especially if you are vacationing on a sun abundant or sea side destination.
• Give your skin a liberal application of sunscreen every 4 hours and keep your eyes under the protection of a UV safe pair of sunglass

ALSO READ: 10-step Korean skincare routine you should be doing every night

3) Hand hygiene

One of the most common ways our facial skin catches infection is when we touch it with infected hands and fingers. And when we are travelling, there is no control over what we touch, where we go. Our hands come in touch with a large number of objects – be it tables, chairs, handles, door knobs, public toilets. All these public places have been used by a large number of people. While we cannot avoid it, we can make sure that we follow good hand hygiene.

• Carry an antibacterial soap and a hand sanitizer with you all the time
• Wash your hands, whenever you get an opportunity; at other times use the sanitiser
• Also avoid the habit of touching your face with your fingers

4) Take care of skin hydration 

Often we tend to drink less water while travelling because we are skeptical of finding a place to relieve ourselves. Don’t let this bother you. Drink a lot of water on the go, this keeps the body as well as skin resilient and healthy. Drinking enough water will also help cleanse the body if you are drinking a lot of alcohol, or eating a lot of junk food.

ALSO READ: Top 10 must-haves for traveling with kids

5) On the move

If you are on a long-distance flight or train, your skin may start feeling scaly and dry. For such situation, you may do the following:

• Carry moisturising face wipes that can replenish the skin’s lost moisture
• It also helps to carry skin calming applications like calamine lotion or aloe vera gel that will soothe your skin after a day of excesses.
• Also carry a few oral supplements like multi-vitamins that you can pop on every day to help your skin be resilient enough to fight environmental and free radical damage.

6) Book an appointment with a dermatologist

Before embarking on your journey, finalise an appointment with a dermatologist for the day after your return. "Your skin may need medical attention when you are back from a vacation. If there is a breakout, your doctor will examine the condition and prescribe oral or topical medication," says Dr Chhabra. She lists the following ways to deal with skin damage.

• In case you have suffered sun damage such as excessive tanning or pigmentation, a session or two of laser rejuvenation, or microdermabrasion may help undo the damage.
• In case your skin is excessively dry and dull, you may need a session of medi-facials, oxygen therapy or hydrating fillers like Juvederm Refine.

So if you are planning a vacation anytime soon, keep these pointers in mind. If, however, you still face issues with your skin, visit a dermatologist immediately and get the problem rectified.

ALSO READ: Child Eczema: Take control and improve eczema-prone skin with CETAPHIL^®RESTORADERM

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