When it comes to looking after sensitive skin, there are several things you may want to consider. From key triggers and causes to application guidance and preferences, this guide covers the 10 top skin care tips, tricks and facts you should consider when recommending a new product or regime.
Take a look at the different skin care tips from Aveeno® below:
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1. Dry skin triggers
Dry skin is really common. It can be caused by different triggers, including:
- Unsuitable chemicals
- Cold weather
- Hot water
- A change in routine or environment
- Genetics
- Age – older people are more prone to dry skin as their skin barrier is thinner – or gets thinner with aging – which means it’s less able to hold on to moisture1.
It can help to highlight this to your customers, so that they can think about what triggers their dry skin.
2. Causes of dry skin
Some medications or conditions can cause dry skin. This includes medications such as diuretics or statins, and conditions like psoriasis, diabetes and eczema. Talking with customers who are receiving prescriptions for these types of conditions can help them understand their dry skin2.
Find out more about dry skin
3. Skin cycle
New skin cells can take 28 to 40 days to generate in the deepest layer of the epidermis3. Maintaining a new routine with new products for at least a month will allow your customers to evaluate the benefits.
Try suggesting they take before and after pictures too and return to store to check-in about their experience.
4. Mental health impact
Skin matters – not just to physical health, but mental health too. It’s our most visible organ, so if your customer is unhappy with their skin, it can affect their overall mood and self-confidence. In a recent survey, 98% of people with a skin condition reported they were affected emotionally4.
Acknowledgement, respect and advice can really help customers feel better about their skin.
5. Skin of colour
Eczema in skin of colour can look different, which can cause issues with delayed diagnosis and treatment. Inflammation in darker skin tones can look grey-ish or purple. Post-inflammatory hypo- and hyper-pigmentation can also persist for a time after the eczema itself has cleared in darker skin tones5.
6. Managing dry & eczema-prone skin
The basis of all skin care treatment is emollients. Most people with dry, eczema-prone skin should include emollients in their daily routine to help protect their skin. Emollients can add moisture to the skin and help seal it in.
Emollients range from greasy ointments to lightweight lotions, and it is important that the customer uses one suitable for their own skin need6.
7. Skin type
Choosing the right skin care product is key to looking after dry skin. Try to recommend a product that suits your customer's skin type, whether that's normal to dry, very dry and tight, or skin that may be prone to eczema.
8. Application guidance
Using the right amount of product is important too. Customers should ensure enough emollient is used, so the skin feels moist and never dry. NICE guidelines recommend that eczema sufferers should apply creams up to 4 times a day and use 250-500ml a week7.
When it comes to applying the product, you can suggest customers stroke their moisturiser onto the skin in the direction of hair growth.
9. Patient preference
It is important that customers enjoy using their product, so a few moments helping them choose can really help. It can also mean the moisturiser benefits their skin and doesn’t just sit on the bathroom shelf.
10. Skin care regime
Using an emollient soap substitute can gently cleanse and soothe the skin without drying.
Try the Aveeno® Dermexa range
Find out how the Aveeno® Dermexa range can help your customers with dry skin flare-ups. Browse the full range of Dermexa products to find the treatment that could best suit their needs.
Explore Aveeno® Dermexa products
Want to learn more about managing dry skin?
Learn all about the Aveeno® Triple Oat Complex, and how it’s used in our Dermexa range to provide gentle skin care for dry and sensitive skin.
References
- Dry Skin, Patient Care and Health Information – The Mayo Clinic
- What should I know about dry skin? MedicineNet
- How Cell Turnover works – Very Well Health
- All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin “Mental Health and Skin Disease”, London 2020
- Living with Eczema – Information for Adults National Eczema Society
- Managing atopic eczema – NHS website
- Emollients for Eczema – NICE
- Information and Advice – National Eczema Society
Date of preparation: June 2023
UK-ACA-2300430