Care For Red, Irritated Skin—Don’t CoverIt ae) (NAPSA)—Stress, hormonal changes and environmentalfactors such as wind andpollution are just some of the factors that can cause red, irritated skin—making you feel that you need to use makeup to cover up the redness. But fortunately, there are effective ways to treat this type of sensitive skin—and a good way to start is with some advice from the experts. “Patients with red skin try to cope with it by using lot of different products. Some mayirritate it further. Or they use a lot of makeup to try and mask the problem. But now there are effective ways to decrease the redness rather than just covering it up,” says Dr. Linda Franks, a dermatologist in New YorkCity. Research shows that 55 percent of women experienced dry, irritated, red skin in the last year. And, according to experts, soothing skin begins with the right cleanser. “Look for a cleanser that is dermatologist-recommended, one that is mild, fragrance free and formulated to be as gentle as water,” says Dr. Franks. “These can be found in the drugstore.” Most womenbelieve that moisturizers can help, but more than half of women with sensitive skin choose the wrong products. According to Dr. Franks, “Moisturizers can be important in decreasing your facial redness, but I always tell my patients to look for a moisturizer that does not contain active ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acid, retinols and heavy fragrances, To calm red, irritated skin, choose a moisturizer formulated to reducethis condition. since these can further aggravate the skin.” When shopping for the right moisturizers, she recommends keepingit simple. “Choose a moisturizer that is nonirritating, one that is formulated to decrease facial redness, that has adequate sun protection to protect your skin and one that won’t clog your pores,” says Dr. Franks. For example, Purpose Redness Reducing Moisturizer with SPF 30 doesn’t clog pores andis clinically shown to reduce redness in aslittle as one week. But facial redness can’t always be treated at home. “If the redness does not improve, once you have tried using a very simple skin care regimen and decreasing the numberof products you're using, then you should see your dermatologist,” explains Dr. Franks. “There are a lot of new inoffice technologies that can treat this effectively.”
