Previously, we talked about ways you can prevent/minimize breakouts when you feel a cold coming on, but what about when those breakouts have already happened? Sometimes it’s just unavoidable. One day you’re feeling fine and the next you’re cocooned in bed with a nasty cold and some new breakouts. Right now, you can barely lift your foggy head, but as soon as you start to gain some energy back, here’s a list of things you can do to speed up the healing!
Tips for healing your skin during a cold or the flu
- Start your usual skincare routine as soon as you can. The trick is to be extra consistent (yet gentle) until things calm down again. Your skin is usually at it best when it can trust in your actions.
- Start doing the Cystic Acne Mask daily (in the shower or while soaking in the tub) until things calm down. I also like to use the Cystic Acne Mask as my P.M. hydrator during the healing period.
- Give your skin a heaping dose of healing plant oils as part of your evening routine, by using a serum over top of the Cystic Acne Mask. In this case, I usually opt for the Balance Serum or Acne B.O.P. Serum. These serums are the strongest for helping eliminate the excess sebum, bacteria, and secretions that our body pushes through our skin when we’re fighting off a cold.
- Be extra careful about avoiding food sensitivities for the next couple of weeks. I have a ton of them, but if you haven’t been tested, stick with avoiding foods that are inflammatory for everyone. These include sugar, dairy, processed foods. For some, wheat, yeast, and eggs also need to be added to the list.
- Increase your zinc intake for the short term. I usually take 25 mg daily, but I’ll increase this for a couple of days. Once my breakouts have cleared up, I’ll skip zinc for a couple of days to make sure I’m not throwing anything off balance. Just be careful if you’re taking over 30 mg a day because it can deplete your copper.
- Increase the amounts of probiotics you take. I take a pretty strong daily supplement since I can’t eat a lot of probiotic foods because of my food sensitivities. I opt for a probiotic supplement, but when I need a boost, I’ll take my usual probiotic plus an extra one or two different ones. This ensures I’m getting different strains and a higher dose overall.
- Start taking an antioxidant supplement! This is a must for me, even though I eat a diet that’s super high in them already! This is because people with autoimmune disorders need a higher amount AND those with acne do too. Acne-prone people use up a lot more antioxidants than other people to stay clear. If you’re not getting a big, healthy dose, your body doesn’t have enough left over to keep you clear. My antioxidant supplement of choice is NAC. It was shown to reduce acne by approximately 50% in research studies. My boyfriend’s supplements of choice is a grape seed antioxidant.
- I use Raw Radiance Moisturizer in the morning and Patchouli Moisturizer in the evening. Sometimes I swap them and use them in the opposite order, but it’s always one of each every day. However, when I’m trying to clear current breakouts, I switch to Patchouli Moisturizer for both. The Raw Radiance Moisturizer is great at reducing new breakouts and does a decent job of helping current ones clear up, but for my skin, the Patchouli Moisturizer clears up current breakouts like a superhero!
- I also make sure I’m exfoliating with an enzyme exfoliator, every day until things clear up. I like to use the Pure Amore Gel Cleanser in the morning and our Pineapple Facial Scrub at night. Our Green Tea and Pineapple Cleanser also is an enzyme exfoliator.
Most importantly, be sure to take care of your needs! Ensuring you’re taking the proper time to heal and get better, will always get you further in the long run. This goes for when you’re sick and even when you’re not. Our bodies are amazing and resilient, but we also need to give it the care and love we expect in return.
If you want to read the first part of the series click HERE.
Until next time, stay radiant!
Pin this article for later:
