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It is important to look after your skin at every stage of life: childhood, teens, 30s (when collagen loss starts to occur), middle age and old age. While it is true that each stage of skin life poses different challenges, they will be especially stark for people with dry, sensitive and eczema-prone Irish skin.
When it comes to the older childhood and early teen years, skin transitions in response to the onset of puberty and the accompanying fluctuations in hormone levels. These trigger changes in transepidermal water loss, skin hydration, and skin acidity. Issues can include acne, greasy hair and excessive sweating.
For the one in five children born in Ireland who develop eczema, life can be especially difficult. Eczema often runs in families and can appear anywhere on the body, resulting in sore, rough, cracked and blistered skin. Experts put the cause down to environmental pollutants, exposure to harsh chemicals, and allergic reactions.
While eczema can lessen as children get older, it is nevertheless a lifelong condition and there is no cure as such. However, it can be managed very successfully by keeping skin healthy and hydrated, and that means avoiding irritants, alleviating symptoms, and focusing on healing damaged skin.
Establishing a good skincare routine as a habit is just as important as routine bathing and brushing of teeth. Starting early will help avoid dermal stressors, fight future issues like acne, keep children happy and focused in school, and allow them to get a good night’s sleep.
Children under the age of puberty do not need to bathe every day. Over-washing can actually be detrimental by leeching out natural skin oils to exacerbate dry skin conditions like eczema. Derma experts advise that a couple of times of baths a week is enough, unless they have been swimming or are particularly dirty or sweaty.
However, the advice changes at puberty. From the age of 12 onwards, the recommendation is for a daily bath or shower, with the face washed twice daily using lukewarm water, a gentle cleanser, and followed up by an application of moisturiser.
When it comes to choosing skincare products suitable for your kids, bear in mind that their skin is more sensitive than yours. Formulations containing ingredients like perfume and soap will irritate and dry out their skin. A sensitive, fragrance-free and alcohol-free product range like Elave Junior is the best option.
Elave Junior Skincare Essentials are designed to be used together for best results on young, delicate and sensitive skin. By using this combined, daily head to toe therapy, skin is protected, hydrated and deeply moisturised.
Elave Sensitive Junior Body Wash is a sulfate-free cleansing wash with camomile extract and vitamin E to cleanse delicate, sensitive and irritated skin.
Also free of sulfates, Elave Sensitive Junior Shampoo is suitable for all hair types with a formula that combines conditioning polymers and natural glycerin to cleanse, repair, and provide lasting scalp comfort.
Elave Sensitive Junior Intensive Cream is a rich emollient cream with camomile which is quickly absorbed to soothe and hydrate while promoting healthy skin.
None of these formulations contains SLS, soap, perfume, ML, alcohol or colours and are paediatrician-approved as suitable for use form newborn onwards. They are ideal for eczema and dermatitis-prone skin.
From March to September, it is important for children to also use sunscreen. Elave Sun Paediatric SPF50+offers the very highest UVA/UVB sunscreen protection in a water-resistant formulation that is approved from newborn. This ‘encapsulated’ sunscreen is not absorbed into the skin to offer longer periods of high protection.
For children who suffer from extreme dry skin discomfort, elaveskincare.com offers Clinifastgarments featuring ‘StaySoft’ fabric which is comfortable to wear under clothes for active days or under pjs for a restful night's sleep. Includes leggings, vests, socks and mitten in a variety of sizes.
Elave Junior and Elave Sun formulations are available at elaveskincare.com, Boots, Tesco, Chemist Warehouse and community pharmacies.
