How to reconcile the desire for the sea with atopic dermatitis? With a lot of respect for the skin and some very simple rules. A mother explains them to her child.
Mom, how long until school ends? I want to go on vacation!!!
There's very little time left my love, and then it will finally be holiday time! This year we will go to the beach. Think how beautiful: the sun, the air full of salt and the sand to play! I can't wait, and you?
Me too! But I'm afraid that like last year I'll get that terrible itch on my skin that sometimes prevented me from playing or being outdoors...
But last year we didn't go to the beach. This year, however, yes. And you'll see that you'll be fine. The sea will be good for your skin affected by atopic dermatitis, especially since we will be there for quite some time: the lesions will fade and the itching will decrease. Last summer, however, we made the mistake of going to the mountains and it was actually a disaster: the sun at high altitude dried out your skin and you started scratching like crazy. You were nervous, and I didn't know how to relieve you anymore. I felt so guilty...
So will I be able to play freely on the beach, without worries?
You'll have to be careful, but I'll be there to give you a hand, don't worry. Because the sun is good for atopic skin, but not always. In particular, its rays will have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action if your dermatitis is in remission, that is, if the lesions are easing. However, you will have to avoid the sun if you are in the acute phase, when the symptoms are at their worst and the skin is red and chapped. In that case, the sun, the sweat, the salt, the sand will only make your problems worse.
There's very little time left my love, and then it will finally be holiday time! This year we will go to the beach. Think how beautiful: the sun, the air full of salt and the sand to play! I can't wait, and you?
Me too! But I'm afraid that like last year I'll get that terrible itch on my skin that sometimes prevented me from playing or being outdoors...
But last year we didn't go to the beach. This year, however, yes. And you'll see that you'll be fine. The sea will be good for your skin affected by atopic dermatitis, especially since we will be there for quite some time: the lesions will fade and the itching will decrease. Last summer, however, we made the mistake of going to the mountains and it was actually a disaster: the sun at high altitude dried out your skin and you started scratching like crazy. You were nervous, and I didn't know how to relieve you anymore. I felt so guilty...
So will I be able to play freely on the beach, without worries?
You'll have to be careful, but I'll be there to give you a hand, don't worry. Because the sun is good for atopic skin, but not always. In particular, its rays will have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action if your dermatitis is in remission, that is, if the lesions are easing. However, you will have to avoid the sun if you are in the acute phase, when the symptoms are at their worst and the skin is red and chapped. In that case, the sun, the sweat, the salt, the sand will only make your problems worse.
So what should I do, stay under the umbrella all day? Won't I be able to play football or build a sandcastle?
You don't remember, but when you were very little, you were less than 6 months old, we took you to the seaside only in the coolest hours, because the sweating damaged and irritated your skin a lot, especially between the little creases, and then you had to wear a bodysuit light cotton, a hat, a dry swimsuit and always stay under the umbrella. Well, even today you have to protect yourself well, but you can take a few more liberties.
We certainly won't be able to stay in the sun all day; we will have to go early, stay at the beach until 11am and then return in the afternoon after 4pm, so you won't even risk rashes and sunburns which would be a real problem. But we will come up with something super fun to do in the middle of the day, don't worry!
Mmmhhh, okay... But no cream right?
You will have to wear the cream, of course, even to play under the umbrella. We will use a sun cream with a very high protective filter and very hydrating and I will spread it on your skin before going to the beach and also in the afternoon, and then every time you have taken a bath. But whatever you want it to be, we'll take five minutes and we're done!
Mom, I want to take my new Spiderman hat to the beach, remember to pack it in your suitcase!
Of course, we will also put it in our beach bag every day. And we'll pair it with a brand new pair of sunglasses. This way your clear and sensitive eyes will be well protected from strong light and the glare of ultraviolet rays and you, you will see, will be the most beautiful of all!
Will I be able to swim in the sea?
No problem, because the bath promotes the loss of dead cells and the renewal of the skin. But you will have to remember, when you get out of the water, to always take a shower of fresh water to remove all the salt from your skin and prevent it from irritating you; then, you will have to immediately change out of your wet swimsuit because the humidity in contact with your skin hurts you and put your sunscreen back on, a nice layer!
And the sand, won't it bother me?
You'll be able to play in the sand, of course. But if you get very dirty, you will have to clean yourself thoroughly. Especially when we get home, you will need a nice shower or a nice hand shower with warm water with a delicate cleanser or cleansing oil, and finally a nice moisturizing cream that gives you a feeling of freshness and allows your skin to breathe well.
Mom, are you sure about everything you told me? Aren't we going to find out that I can't go to the beach and feel bad?
I'm super sure, scientific studies say so. You know that I try to always stay up to date on everything regarding your atopic dermatitis. It seems that concentrated sea water, in direct contact with the skin, is useful for preventing some skin problems including your atopic dermatitis. So, are you ready to go?
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You don't remember, but when you were very little, you were less than 6 months old, we took you to the seaside only in the coolest hours, because the sweating damaged and irritated your skin a lot, especially between the little creases, and then you had to wear a bodysuit light cotton, a hat, a dry swimsuit and always stay under the umbrella. Well, even today you have to protect yourself well, but you can take a few more liberties.
We certainly won't be able to stay in the sun all day; we will have to go early, stay at the beach until 11am and then return in the afternoon after 4pm, so you won't even risk rashes and sunburns which would be a real problem. But we will come up with something super fun to do in the middle of the day, don't worry!
Mmmhhh, okay... But no cream right?
You will have to wear the cream, of course, even to play under the umbrella. We will use a sun cream with a very high protective filter and very hydrating and I will spread it on your skin before going to the beach and also in the afternoon, and then every time you have taken a bath. But whatever you want it to be, we'll take five minutes and we're done!
Mom, I want to take my new Spiderman hat to the beach, remember to pack it in your suitcase!
Of course, we will also put it in our beach bag every day. And we'll pair it with a brand new pair of sunglasses. This way your clear and sensitive eyes will be well protected from strong light and the glare of ultraviolet rays and you, you will see, will be the most beautiful of all!
Will I be able to swim in the sea?
No problem, because the bath promotes the loss of dead cells and the renewal of the skin. But you will have to remember, when you get out of the water, to always take a shower of fresh water to remove all the salt from your skin and prevent it from irritating you; then, you will have to immediately change out of your wet swimsuit because the humidity in contact with your skin hurts you and put your sunscreen back on, a nice layer!
And the sand, won't it bother me?
You'll be able to play in the sand, of course. But if you get very dirty, you will have to clean yourself thoroughly. Especially when we get home, you will need a nice shower or a nice hand shower with warm water with a delicate cleanser or cleansing oil, and finally a nice moisturizing cream that gives you a feeling of freshness and allows your skin to breathe well.
Mom, are you sure about everything you told me? Aren't we going to find out that I can't go to the beach and feel bad?
I'm super sure, scientific studies say so. You know that I try to always stay up to date on everything regarding your atopic dermatitis. It seems that concentrated sea water, in direct contact with the skin, is useful for preventing some skin problems including your atopic dermatitis. So, are you ready to go?
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
