Be Christmas Ready with EPIMAX®
Christmas season is upon us, so we’ve created this comprehensive guide to help you enjoy the festivities whilst also protecting your skin!
Whether you’re decorating your home, heading to a Christmas Party, braving an outdoor event, or packing for a festive getaway, this blog is full of tips for you.
Making Christmas magic at home:
Whilst natural Christmas trees are lovely, they can pose challenges for people with eczema as they release pollen, which is an airborne allergen and the oil (terpene) found in sap can cause contact allergies when touched.1 As an alternative, consider using an artificial tree in your home, which can be reused yearly. Before putting it up in your living area, make sure to remove any dust that may have gathered over the year, as dust buildup can also cause skin flare-ups. Additionally, when choosing Christmas decorations, look for ones can easily be damp dusted to help remove this trigger.2
Although it is tempting to fill your home with seasonal scents, the synthetic chemicals in scented products (such as candles, air fresheners and room sprays) can cause irritation and trigger eczema flares.3
Christmas Parties:
Let’s start with the big question…what to wear?
We know it’s common for people to be encouraged to wear Christmas jumpers to events at this time of year. Often made of synthetic materials like polyester and viscose, they can cause overheating, sweating, and itchiness for people with eczema, psoriasis or dry skin.4 Feeling itchy and uncomfortable at events can really ruin the Christmas spirit, so if you are planning on wearing one, we suggest wearing a cotton base layer underneath to help protect your skin.5
Additionally, party outfits with scratchy sequins and glitter on them can be really irritating to the skin. Why not look for outfits made of softer materials, such as silk, cotton, or bamboo instead which can look equally as glamourous. The temperature at events can also be unpredictable, so wearing multiple layers is a good idea to avoid overheating.
When getting your bag together, remember to take an emollient so you can easily reapply it as needed throughout the event. Our 100g EPIMAX® tubes are conveniently sized to fit in your bag, without taking up the space needed for other essentials.
Outdoors Events:
If you’re heading out to a Christmas Markets, or you are even lucky enough to experience snow, the cold weather can be triggering to dry skin conditions.6
Many people with eczema find that wool and synthetic materials (often in winter hats, scarfs, and gloves) can cause overheating, sweating and irritation. Instead, we suggest you look for soft, seam-free fabric alternatives: natural fabrics such as cotton or bamboo may be more skin-friendly.6
No matter how much you wrap up warm, your eyelids remain exposed to the elements, leaving them vulnerable to drying out from the cold and wind. After being outside, applying EPIMAX® Eyelid Ointment to your eyelids is a great way to soothe, hydrate and comfort dry skin around the delicate eye area.
For more tips on braving the cold and managing your skin, read our Dry skin in Winter – Epimax blog.
Christmas Trips:
We know the festive season can bring a lot of travelling opportunities with it! Don’t get caught up in the Christmas flurry and forget to pack your EPIMAX® emollients. If you are travelling for a longer period, why not take a 500g EPIMAX® tottle or tub with you in your luggage!
We suggest you try to stick to your usual skincare routine as much as you can when in a different environment, to help prevent flare ups.
If you are sensitive to different washing powders/detergents, taking your own bedding when you go away can help to make you feel more comfortable. If possible, adjusting the room temperature and damp dusting will also help reduce additional skin triggers.
The EPIMAX® team wishes you a Merry Christmas!
We hope these tips will help you to enjoy the festive season.
References
- 1. Watch out for these holiday hazards | National Eczema Association (Accessed November 2024)2. The 12 Eczema Tips for Christmas | National Eczema Society (Accessed November 2024)
3. Avoid a Christmas Eczema Flare – Tips from the experts! (Accessed November 2024)
4. Eczema – Friendly Clothing | National Eczema Society (Accessed November 2024)
5. Looking after your skin at Christmas – Eczema Outreach Support (Accessed November 2024)
6. Weather and Eczema | National Eczema Society (Accessed November 2024)
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