Achoo!!!!! No doubt about it, fall is finally here. There's a definite nip in the air and a case of the sniffles may be around the corner. There's something about fall that seems to find everyone sneezing and blowing their noses. No one knows with any certainty why there is such a high incidence of colds in the autumn months, but one thing is for sure, a bad cold can leave your skin looking truly "under the weather."
According to New York City dermatologist, Diane Berson, M.D., one of the primary culprits that can make your complexion look less than its best is probably the one thing you can least afford to give up. Tissues! "People go through boxes of facial tissues when they have a cold and what they often don't realize is that facial tissue is made of wood pulp. The fibers in the paper can be very irritating when used with the frequency required in a bout with the common cold. It can be a major contributing factor to the redness and irritation one often experiences around the nose and upper lip," she explains. The fluid that normally drips from the nose during a cold is another aggravating factor to the delicate skin surrounding the nostrils.
Cold medications used to help "dry up" your cold, also dry your skin. They can leave you breathing more freely, but can also leave your lips feeling dry and cracked and your skin parched and tight.
Now all of this wouldn't be so awful if you could just afford to stay under the covers until your sniffles go away. But, for the average person, that's a luxury that's rarely possible. So, how can you help your complexion survive a cold when you have to keep going?
"There are a couple of things you can do," explains Dr. Berson. "And, oddly enough, even though you feel miserable when you have a cold, if you don't look so bad, it somehow helps." She recommends the following:
- Use tissues that contain lotion. They tend to be softer. If your skin is super sensitive, use hankies if possible.
- Drink a lot of fluid. It helps flush your system and also helps hydrate the skin.
- Eye drops that help remove redness from the eyes can also give you a less "sick" appearance, if you have to stay on the go with a cold.
- Moisturize your skin frequently throughout the day with a non-irritating, fragrance-free moisturizer.
- Apply lip balm frequently and don't bite your lips.
- Wash your face with a super gentle facial cleanser.
Will any of this help you weather a cold better? Well, you may look a little less "ravaged," but like it or not, a cold generally takes seven to 14 days to resolve. So, why not feel a little more comfortable in the process?
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