HAY FEVER AND YOUR SKIN
Hay Fever, or for the technical bods, Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis, is an allergic reaction which is caused when pollen comes directly into contact with your eyes, nose, mouth and throat. In the UK, 1 in 5 people suffer from Hay Fever flare ups throughout the year; with tree pollen coming first, then grass pollen and later in the year, weed pollen – some of us are unlucky enough to be affected by all 3….
Pollen and your skin
Long gone are the chapped lips and numb hands of Winter - Spring has brought us warmer temperatures and brighter mornings so far, which is ideal during this period of lockdown. Unfortunately, this means Hay Fever sufferers are dealing with itchy, watery eyes, streaming noses and headaches which often leaves us feeling energy-less, much earlier than expected this year. Surprisingly, pollen exposure can actually impact on our skin too. According to a WGSN report, pollen makes up a significant amount of particulate pollution which has been demonstrated to damage our skin’s barrier function. Similar to pollution such as UV and car emissions, pollen has the ability to attack our skin cells, causing inflammations and inhibiting collagen production.
Skin’s Barrier Function
When our skin’s barrier is damaged, it tends to become dry and irritated. As much as we try to resist itching it, we can often cause further harm from picking at these dry spots. A great solution to counteract this damage, is to look out for key ingredients such as Ceramides; these will help to re-build our skin’s barrier and treat the dehydration. Interestingly, our skin naturally produces Ceramides - they help to bind cells together to protect and hydrate our skin barrier, but with the regular attack of pollen affecting these levels, our skin needs a little extra support to replenish this protection level.
Product recommendation: The Inkey List Ceramide Night Treatment 30ml (which can also be found on Cult Beauty)
Collagen Production
Without Collagen (the protein that gives skin it’s elasticity) our skin sees an increase in sagging, fine lines and wrinkles and is also left vulnerable to be easily damaged. By inhibiting the production of Collagen, Hay Fever is clearly not our friend when it comes to looking after our skin’s firmness and smooth appearance. An easy way to ensure you are helping your skin with this reduced production, is by using products full of Vitamin C to shield against the effects of pollen. Increasing your Vitamin C intake will increase your level of Collagen synthesis and in turn keep skin feeling firmer, plumper and looking more youthful.
Note: you can also fill your diet with Vitamin C rich foods such as citrus fruits, strawberries and red peppers.
Skin Inflammations
Unfortunately, we aren’t just talking about the puffy, streaming eyes here. Technically classed as an allergic reaction on the skin, pollen can leave skin feeling dry and itchy, as well as causing redness. As we cannot control the amount of pollen floating around, we need to ensure that we are protecting our skin from radical damage by feeding our skin antioxidants. We recommend that you look for skincare products packed with ingredients such as Green Tea, Turmeric and Snow Mushroom as these will all provide soothing and hydrating anti-inflammatory benefits as well as combating redness.
Note: if you suffer from other skin conditions, such as Eczema, we recommend that you discuss with a dermatologist for the best treatment for your skin. These could include steroid creams.
Antihistamines
Finally, it has also been found that our little saviours, antihistamines, can actually affect our sebum production. Used to counteract the effect of histamines (a messenger chemical in our bodies that can cause symptoms such as sneezing, itching and runny noses), antihistamines actually block receptors which release sebum (or oil) onto the skin. This in turn, leaves our skin less oily and drier than normal. Although already providing solutions to help dry skin above, we thought it was important to flag the potential outcome of taking one of these everyday as it could be a key contributing factor to the changes in your skin.
Focusing on tree pollen, with Dr Adams-Groom confirms that about 25-35% of the UK population (18 million people) suffer at this early stage, it is important to recognise the further implications that Hay Fever can have on our skin and the extra support it will need during these months.
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BBC News - Hay Fever or Coronavirus: The symptoms compared