Elave - Pharmaceutical skincare products, solutions for eczema and sensitive skins.

Rosacea is a common but poorly understood chronic (long-term) skin condition that mainly affects the face. Symptoms begin with episodes of flushing (when the skin turns red).

People with rosacea may experience spots and persistent redness of their skin. Small blood vessels in the skin can become visible. In the most severe cases, the skin can thicken and enlarge, usually on and around the nose.

There is no cure for rosacea, but treatments are available to control the symptoms.
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Oily and acne prone skin can also be sensitive and just because the skin is oily it doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be moisturised. Read on for some skincare advice for oily skin types.

If you have oily skin, you may be overwhelmed with the amount of products on the market specifically targeted for oily skin. In no time you can spend a lot of money and still not know if you’re taking care of your oily skin the way you should be.

Here is a list of what you should be doing daily and weekly to make sure your oily skin is getting all the TLC it needs.

Daily Skin Care Needs for Oily Skin

• Cleanse morning and night. People with oily skin do well with a gel based of “soapy” cleanser – try Elave Oil Free Skin Balancing Cleansing Gel, it contains pure active antibacterial Manuka Honey for a deep cleansing treatment. This will help clean out pores and strip away excess oil. Look for a cleanser specifically for oil skin.
• Splash skin with cold water. After cleansing, splashing the skin with cold water will act as a toner and help close open and large pores that are often associated with oily/acne prone skin.
• Use a light moisturiser. Many people with oil skin are afraid to moisture their skin. But guess what? Even oily skin needs to be moisturised. Use something light such as Elave Oil Free Skin Balancing Moisturiser, it is a sheer quickly absorbing cream with a matte finish to combat shine on oil skin.

Weekly Skin Care Needs for Oily Skin

• Exfoliate once or twice a week. Exfoliating your skin helps to get rid of the dead skin cells and encourage cell turnover, which brings healthy skin to the surface faster. If you’re acne prone, be gentle. Over exfoliating can cause more breakouts. Glycolic products are also excellent for oily and acne prone skin try Elave Age Delay Cleanser and Elave Age Delay Night Treatment for a gentle approach to exfoliating the skin.
• Use a weekly mask. Large pore size is a common complaint for those with oily skin, so by using a clay mask once a week with help tighten up and clean out pores.

Occasional Skin Care Needs for Oily Skin

• Acne treatments as needed. Using a spot treatment or an all over face acne treatment will help combat acne and help keep it at bay. Use as needed, but remember, acne starts before you can see it. If you are prone to acne popping up on a regular basis, use an acne treatment once a day on a continual basis.
• Stick to a skin care routing. Remember it may take up to 6-8 weeks to see an improvement in the skins appearance so stick with your skincare routine and you should see improvements.

For Elave stocks visit www.echemist.co.uk to buy any of the range.

1. DAILY BATHING – As hot water often acts as an irritant and further dries out the skin, many parents avoid bathing babies with eczema on a daily basis. However, bathing helps soften hard, crusty skin, sloughs off loose scales and removes dirt and the remains of previous treatments, providing an ideal base for the application of new creams and lotions. Have quick, warm bathes and pat the skin dry afterwards.
2. STEROID CREAMS – Use Steroid creams strictly as the GP or dermatologist has recommended. Apply sparingly 20 minutes before the emollient or moisturiser to allow the cream to soak in.
3. HYDRATION – A moisturiser of emollient not only hydrates the skin, making it far more comfortable for an eczema sufferer, but also provides a physical barrier to prevent allergens and irritants from passing into the skin. Eczema sufferers are very prone to dry skin, so twice-daily moisturisation is recommended.
4. APPLYING CREAMS – Apply creams gently. Always apply creams in the direction of the hair growth to avoid inflammation of the hair follicles. Don’t rub or over stimulate the skin unnecessarily.
5. DIET – Some experts recommend that eczema sufferers undergo food allergy testing, as some foods such as dairy, wheat and eggs, can trigger a flare-up. Make sure your baby’s diet is as varied as possible from the age of six months, and opt for foods free from additives, colourants and preservatives.
6. HOME ENVIRONMENT – The everyday household environment can trigger a flare-up. Be particularly mindful of pet hair and dust.
7. EXTERNAL TRIGGERS – Extreme weather conditions can cause a flare-up. Luckily the Irish climate means that we rarely experience extremely cold or hot days. Likewise sand and chlorinated water can irritate the skin.
8. FABRICS – Natural fibres, such as cotton, are most comfortable for eczema sufferer’s. Wool and man-made fibres can irritate the skin.
9. DETERGENTS – Use non-biological washing powder and avoid fabric conditioners with phosphate.
10. COSMETICS – While cleansing and moisturising are crucial, look for cleansers and creams gentle enough to use on aggravated skin. Ask your doctor to advise and avoid fragrances.

Eczema in babies tends to develop around 2-3 months of age. It is largely hereditary based and is often referred to as Atopic Dermatitis or Atopic Eczema. There is no cure, but there are ways to help improve the condition and reduce irritation.

Make sure you have a correct diagnosis that the condition is Eczema.

Some helpful points to bear in mind to manage the baby’s condition:

• Bathing: Always use a soap free emollient product suitable for babies – why not try one of the Ovelle emollients such as Aqueous Cream, Emulsifying Ointment or Silcocks Base – or alternatively use our Elave Baby Range. Many ordinary baby bath formulas are not suitable for eczema.
• Don’t bathe or wash a baby with water only: This has been shown to dry the skin further particularly in hard water areas.

With severe eczema, bathing is paramount in fighting infection. There are specific products that have been designed to fight infected eczema. Try using a barrier cream such as Ovelle Paraffin Gel to create a protective and moisture layer to the skin.

• Moisturise: Keeping baby’s skin moisturised can help reduce discomfort. You may need to apply an emollient several times a day and certainly after bathing.
• Use special clothing: There is a great range of specific garments that soothe the skin and protect from scratching. They are of huge benefit to both baby and parent. Avoid itchy fabrics such as wool – instead go for cotton garments.
• Keep nails short: No sharp edges.
• Keep pets away: Pet hair can be a common irritant.
• Go dust free: Keep the baby’s room as dust free as possible. Limit soft toys and furnishings.
• Don’t use synthetic bedding.
• Don’t use strong detergents: When washing clothing and bedding – use a non-bio washing product. Don’t use fabric conditioner.
• Room temperature: Do not over heat baby or the room they are sleeping in.
• Diet: There is a limited evidence that suggests sensitivity to foods can cause eczema flare up. General advice when weaning is to introduce one food at a time so that you can notice any reactions. NEVER RESTRICT BABY’S DIET WITHOUT SEEKING MEDICAL ADVICE FIRST.

Between gardening, cleaning, painting and puttering around your hands get exposed to a lot. What can you to do make sure they don’t look like they’ve been through a boxing match – without gloves?!! Gentle care is the key!
Wear gloves whenever possible so your hands aren’t exposed to cleaning products, dirt and paint. Its sometimes difficult to remember especially when your in a hurry to get a job done but do try!

Always use a gentle hand wash – try to avoid soap or anti-bacterial products are often very harsh on skin. Try Elave Handwash which is gentle enough to use regularly and is formulated for dry skin conditions.

Hand cream such as Elave Intensive Cream or Elave Dermo Hand Treatment is another must have for your hands. Keep it in the bathroom, the bedroom and the kitchen, near the sink so you can use it after washing your hands.

Take care of your nails too. This starts with drinking enough water and eating a healthy diet. But here are a few more tips:

NEVER cut your cuticles. Keep them from drying out by using a good hand cream that is gentle (try Elave Dermo Hand Treatment) and hand soaks then push them gently back with a cuticle/orange stick. Once you do this if you notice any white residue you can gently rub the area to remove this, but no cutting.

When you do cut your nails or hang nails make sure the clippers and other tools are very sharp so they don’t tear as you trim. Always trim neat and clean-not too deep. Once you get them cut, try filing weekly instead of cutting. Use the file in one direction to avoid splitting and use a good quality file. If you maintain your nails this way you may not have cut them. Use gentle hand treatments to soften your skin and your cuticles.