This Is Why Your Skin Breaks Out When You Travel (and What You Can Do About It)
The holiday season is officially upon us, which means many of us will probably be hopping on an airplane at some point over the next few weeks. Unfortunately, wherever you're headed, traveling can take a toll on your skin — and not just because you've forgone your regular skin-care products for whatever travel-sized toiletries you found in your medicine cabinet (although that certainly doesn't help). We're talking about the dreaded post-flight, train, or car breakout — and how to prevent them.
What Causes "Airplane Acne"?
If you've ever arrived at your destination sporting chapped lips and an oilier than normal T-zone — neither of which were an issue pre-takeoff — then you're already familiar with the most obvious and prominent skin sabotage of air travel: dry cabin air.
"The average humidity on a plane drops to 20 percent of normal [levels]," explains New York City-based dermatologist Patricia Wexler. "If your skin is normally dry, this can lead to the buildup of oil under the dehydrated skin cells. If your skin is naturally oily, this will only increase oil production."
Hydrate — Breakouts Evolve From Dehydration
In other words: Dry air sends your skin into overdrive, causing it to produce more oil in order to try and rehydrate itself. It's most often this overcompensation of oil-production that's responsible for breakouts, largely because oil carries bacteria, Wexler says.
In addition to reaching for your blotting papers, drinking plenty of water can help keep your skin hydrated from the inside out. This also means avoiding alcohol during the in-train beverage service (trust us, it'll be worth it).
Exfoliate Before Your Trip
Another preventative step to avoid mid-travel flareups is good old-fashion exfoliation, says aesthetician Shani Darden. "Exfoliating with an alpha hydroxy acid will remove the dry layer of skin on the surface and help to clear congestion in your pores," she says. We like the TSA-friendly Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel.
Slather on the Sunscreen
Of course, you'll also want to follow up your exfoliation session with a moisturizer that's formulated with SPF. "UV rays are much more intense at higher altitudes, and with thinner air, there is less screening of harmful radiation," says Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, a clinical instructor in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. (Even if you aren't flying, your skin still needs a good slathering of SPF.) Try the La Roche-Posay Anthelios AOX Daily SPF 50 Sunscreen.
Once your freshly exfoliated face is topped with an even layer of SPF, it's best to stop here — don't reach for your makeup brush, if you can help it. "Just like you would not want to sleep in your makeup, leaving products on your skin [during] long [travel legs] is a recipe for breakouts," says Michele Farber, a dermatologist in New York City. "Skin can flare when you don't wash off makeup and touch skin with not-so-clean hands."
Keep Calm and Your Skin Will, Too
Last, but not least importantly, the overall stress of travel can be enough to set your skin off its normal balance. "The change of your biological clock and lack of sleep are stressors that will lead to an increase in your body's cortisol [levels], which leads to increased oil production and the potential for acne breakouts," explains Wexler.
To help mitigate your body's stress levels as much as possible while traveling, both Wexler and Farber suggest avoiding eating sugar and dairy, napping on the ride if you can (one of these sleep masks will help), and using an acne spot treatment formulated with either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide upon reaching your final destination. To help protect your lips from drying out, reach for Vaseline before, during, and after your flight.
If you really want to go above and beyond (and why wouldn't you?), Farber suggests popping a probiotic to help keep your digestive track balanced during your trip, and also using a calming, antioxidant-packed face mask after landing.
More travel beauty tips to check out:
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