Most of us would be thrilled by the concept of jetting off overseas, but travelling can cause havoc for people with eczema and other skin conditions.

Camille Knowles is a health coach, skin positivity champion and author of ‘The Beauty of Eczema’. Despite living with severe eczema all her life, she has learnt to embrace stress-free travel, and shares her top tips on managing skin while going on a trip or holiday.

Hydrate 

Humidity and moisture levels are significantly reduced on an aircraft—to keep your body hydrated and help protect skin from drying out, it’s important to drink water every hour. Adding electrolyte drops to your water bottle can boost cellular level hydration; EV loves ElectroFlytes, which comes in a handy 25ml bottle.

After a long flight, relieve stress or jet lag by soaking in a salt bath. Immersing your body in water can replenish it straight away so moisture gets directly into your pores. Moisturising from head to toe after the bath should be part of your beauty regime, too.

Re-fuel

Nourishing your body and self-care should be part of your everyday routine when living a life beyond eczema. Eat before a flight or trip, and consider prepping a food box for a long-haul journey—you can’t be certain that any food available to you en route will be made from the ingredients you ordinarily trust.

Some foods, especially those which are processed, can be harmful for your body. If you suffer from eczema or other skin conditions, you will know that consuming nutrients and vitamins is very important in order to protect your skin from flare ups or breakouts.

Sleep 

Sleep is a vital restorative process in which our bodies rest and repair. Meanwhile, our brains process our memories and our dreams help us to work through our worries, promoting health and wellbeing. For eczema sufferers, stress is one of the key causes of flare-ups, so quality sleep is essential.

Travelling long distances can interrupt your normal sleep pattern, so pack en eye mask and ear plugs and try to get some shut-eye en route. Try using affirmations, meditation and even gratitude journaling to help you to drift off naturally and peacefully.

Move your body 

Move your body before and after flying to keep your circulation moving. A yoga flow exercise is perfect to stretch out the kinks and get the blood flowing, before and after a long stint sitting in one—often cramped—position. Having a yoga or Pilates app on your phone will help you access exercises as and when you need them. You can also improve circulation when on a long flight by making small circular movements with your ankles, wrist and neck.

Stay positive

It can be a nerve-racking experience travelling far from home comforts when you have a skin condition. Not having a doctor on hand or your lotions with you can cause periods of anxiousness or concern, and this negative thought process can trigger stress. Thinking positively and embracing all the things that travelling and exploring the world can bring will help to nourish your mind, body and soul.

Self-care

Make up an in-flight pamper package: lavender oil is a calming aromatherapy addition, while a mini cleanser, moisturiser and hydrating eye gel will help nourish your skin while at altitude.

When in new situations or surrounded by people you do not know, it can be easy to follow the crowd because you are fearful that they will not understand or respect your choices. For example, drinking alcohol and staying up late may be something that aggravates your skin and causes a flare-up or reaction.

But it’s important to stay true to yourself—live your life the way you choose, opting to eat, drink and socialise the way you normally would so you continue to glow.