I am Mae German. 34 years old. Born in Mangatarem, province of Pangasinan. I was taught and trained by 
Home 
Red Corner Heat Rash.
Red Corner Heat Rash. | Heat Rash. |
| Monday, 27 June 2011 | |
|
This is just an update on my skin rashes-- turned out they were because of the heat and my wearing sunblock the whole day. On Sunday last week, I started taking Zyrtec at night hoping to get rid of the itch and subsiding the rashes. I took Zyrtec for two consecutive days; bathed with Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment and sometimes with Aveeno Skin Relief body wash-- both with oatmeal; apply Cortezone 10 cream as if it's a lotion; and refrained from applying sunblock (thank God for cloudy days). On Tuesday night, while I was talking to Auntie Violy on the phone, I told her about my crisis. She suggested using Witch Hazel. "Witch what..?" She said I could get it from any pharmacy. I don't have any idea what it is. She mentioned it's like alcohol and that I can use it to clean my skin. The next morning, as I always do whenever I am early for work, I went to Duane Reade and checked out their products for skin allergies. There it was, at the bottom of the shelf, Witch Hazel. I bought a bottle and a box of wipes that I thought could be easier to use for my face, neck, and ears. That morning, during my break, I used it after washing my face and arms with soap. Then its wonder worked and I was amazed! Yes, the googling started right after that. And here's what I found from Wikipedia: Witch hazel is mainly used externally on sores, bruises, and swelling. It is a strong anti-oxidant and astringent, which makes it very useful in fighting acne. It is often used as a natural remedy for psoriasis, eczema, aftershave applications, ingrown nails, to prevent sweating of the face, cracked or blistered skin, for treating insect bites, poison ivy, and as a treatment for varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Witch hazel is also traditionally known as a good first reaction against shaving cuts and abrasions, and it is also recommended as effective for helping soothe sunburn.
I have read more about it on other websites and I got a little overwhelmed on how it works. Buzzle.com has a good list on the uses of Witch Hazel: Skin Care: Witch hazel is a much preferred herbal product for regular skin care. Rubbing it in face reduces excess sweating and oil secretion by the sebaceous glands. You can apply it after shaving, waxing and any kind of skin care regimen.
Tightening Pores: People who have large pores, overactive sweat glands and oily skin benefit from regular application of witch hazel astringent. With routine usage during skin care, the pores tighten considerably, resulting in smooth textured skin. Treating Acne: Using witch hazel for acne treatment is highly appreciated in herbal medicine. The astringent and anti-inflammatory action of this extract is effective to prevent development of acne as well as treat existing acne and pimples. This is the reason why, it is frequently used in acne skin care products. Reducing Skin Allergy: Another approach for using witch hazel astringent is treating psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, diaper rash and poison ivy rash in the natural way. What you can do is wet a clean rag with this extract and place over the affected skin areas. Repeat this two times daily for getting impressive results. Combating Skin Conditions: Witch hazel astringent is one of the best herbal remedies for alleviating painful sunburns, windburns, hemorrhoid symptoms and chicken pox blisters. You can also place a cotton ball dip in witch hazel extract over closed eyes to get rid of redness, swelling and bags under eyes. I couldn't remember the (last) time that I used astringent on my face. Astringent leaves my face either too oily or too dry. So I stopped using many years ago. But with Witch Hazel and its promising benefits for my skin (not to mention the magic that it's doing on my rashes), I think I am making it a part of my regular skin-cleansing routine. I love how it leaves my skin calm giving me a clean-feeling (the pores on my face seem to be tighter now, too). On my sunburnt lips, after a few days of applying Neosporin (topical antibiotic) for the wounds, they have healed. Now I moisturize with petroleum jelly and I make sure I use Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15 whenever I am outside. The black spots that was caused by the sunburn are still visible but I am sure it will disappear as time goes by (with the help of moisturizers, of course). On the rashes, I stopped taking Zyrtec on Wednesday and slept straight through the night without the itch. I still use the Aveeno products for my bath and the Cortezone 10 cream after applying Witch Hazel to make sure these rashes will be gone soon. Cortezone 10 Cream moisturizes my skin, too, but since it is a medicine, I have to stop using it soon. Witch Hazel, on the other hand, does not leave my skin dry nor oily. I use it solely at times and it will be included in my routine now. After a good night sleep that night, I texted Auntie Violy, thanking her for introducing me to this "good" witch. I love it. I cannot run away from those people cleaning and using some redmax leaf blowers (some are rude, they won't even stop when people are passing) but I have my way of taking better care of my skin now. Well, listen to someone who has gone through the worst heat rash even just before summer time. I have learned my lesson the hard way. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|