9 Skin Emergencies and How to Fix Them

No matter how much care you may take of your skin, emergencies can and will arise.

Here are nine of the most common skin emergencies out there, along with all you need to know when it comes to fixing them.

A New, Inflamed Blemish

Blemishes can often appear out of nowhere, and they usually seem to pop up at the worst possible moments!

Want to know how to fix this skin emergency?

Well, as you probably already know, there isn’t an instant fix for a spot. However, there are definitely ways in which you can bring the redness down, so that the blemish is barely noticeable at all.

How?

Try some Visine, or just about any eye drops designed to tackle redness in the eyes.

Simply soak a cotton swab in the liquid, and then dab this onto your blemish. Although this isn’t going to take the actual spot away, its redness will be greatly reduced for a few hours. 

You can also use this trick on dark circles under your eyes!

However, this only works if your dark circles are caused by dilated or broken blood vessels. If they are due to hyperpigmentation or genetics, then the Visine won’t have an effect. 

Red and Irritated Skin

Has your skin suddenly turned red and irritated?

If so, do you know what has caused this?

It goes without saying that, if you know the cause, then this is something you need to avoid as much as possible in the future, whether it may be a certain skin care product or an environmental allergen.

However, for now, you need to immediately cut back on your skin care routine. If your skin is feeling sensitive, you definitely don’t want to overload it with too many ingredients.

Instead of trying to apply serums and creams to your skin, go for a gel-based mask instead.

Why gel?

Because gels are able to maintain a lower temperature. This means that, when you apply a gel-based mask to your skin, your skin’s natural temperature will also be brought down. This reduction in internal heat should soon help to relieve any redness.

The added bonus of a gel-based mask is the intense hydration that they provide to the skin. This can help with the irritation, enabling your skin to strengthen its defence system.

Once you’ve done that, apply a light layer of moisturizer, preferably one that has been designed for sensitive skin. Make sure that it does not contain any of the following ingredients, as these are known to exacerbate sensitivities:

• Alcohol
• Fragrance
• Parabens

Still can’t get rid of the redness?

Try wearing some color correcting makeup. In this case, you will likely need makeup that has been tinted a shade of green, as this is the color that will hide away redness.

Color correcting makeup is available in many different formulas, from primers to concealers to foundations.

One thing to keep in mind…

Since your skin is already quite irritated, make sure that you opt for a gentle formula that does not contain any of the ingredients mentioned above. After all, you don’t want your makeup to exacerbate the redness and irritation.

Puffy Eyes in the Morning

Woken up with puffy eyes?

This can be caused by several different factors, but you’re probably wondering how to clear the puffiness away as fast as possible…

There are a few methods that you can try for this, depending on the items you have available to you around your home:

• Apply a cold compress to your eyes
• Place cucumber slices over your eyes
• Place cold tea bags over your eyes
• Place cold teaspoons over your eyes
• Gently tap or massage the area to increase blood flow
• Apply a cold eye cream

Notice a theme here?

Most of those methods involve cold temperatures.

Wondering why?

Because the cold temperatures constrict your blood vessels and quickly minimize puffiness.

Dry and Flaky Skin

Have you noticed dry and flaky patches on your skin?

The first thing to know is…

Never pick the flakes off!

Why?

Because your skin needs to shed these dead skin cells on its own. If you force this process, you will only end up with redness in the area, and possibly some scarring too.

Wondering what to do instead?

You need to keep your skin moisturized. This will help to alleviate the dryness and make the flakes less visible.

Is your regular moisturizer just not cutting it?

Try applying a few drops of a gentle facial oil to your flaky patches. This should help all of those flaky skin cells lie down flat, making them much less noticeable. Of course, this effect will only be temporary, so you may need to keep re-applying the oil through the day.

Chapped Lips

Chapped lips can be so painful and uncomfortable, and can occur throughout the year, no matter the weather.

Wondering why your lips seem to chap so easily?

It’s partly due to the fact that the skin on the lips, unlike the skin on the face, does not contain any oil glands. This makes them highly prone to drying out, which then causes them to peel and flake.

Just like with any flaking skin on your face – don’t be tempted to peel off the flaky skin on your lips! This will only be even more painful, and will likely cause your lips to bleed. 

So, what should you do instead?

If you’re at home, try giving your lips a light steam.

How?

By soaking a washcloth in some warm water, and then using this to lightly steam the area.

You can then also use the washcloth to lightly buff the skin on your lips, loosening any flakes that are ready to fall off. Alternatively, use a lip exfoliant at this stage. Sugar scrubs are great, and can be lightly applied with just your finger. 

Just like with the skin on your face, exfoliation should always be followed up by moisturizing.

How do you moisturize the skin on your lips?

A moisturizing lip balm is great for this, especially one that contains one of the following ingredients:

• Beeswax
• Honey
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Cocoa butter

After following all of those steps, you will find a huge improvement in the appearance of your chapped lips.

Blackheads

Noticed a few blackheads collecting on your skin?

Many think that these are a sign of dirty skin, but this isn’t true at all…

Blackheads form when the dead skin cells that are sitting in your pores mix with the sebum that your skin produces. While some of this mixture occurs inside of your pores, the rest of it is exposed to the air around you. The air oxidizes the mixture, turning it into its black color.

When it comes to treating this skin emergency…

Try a face scrub that has been formulated with salicylic acid. This ingredient helps to clear out any clogs from within the pores, including the blackheads. This method will usually work quite well for blackheads that are quite mild in nature. 

Another option would be to go for a charcoal mask. This will help to draw your blackheads out, clearing them off your skin.

Can’t seem to clear your blackheads?

You may not want to hear this but…

Blackheads can often be related to genetics. The exact link between your genes and the development of blackheads is still not clear, but there does seem to be a connection there.

Dull and Tired Skin

Need your skin to glow when it seems to have lost its lustre?

There are a few easy ways you can perk and brighten your skin back up:

• Exfoliate – this is a great quick fix when you need a brighter and fresher complexion. Although many see chemical exfoliants as being more beneficial, a physical exfoliant would work better in this situation, as the process of massaging it onto your skin will also help to give your blood circulation a boost
• Hold your head upside down for a few minutes – this may sound a little crazy, but hanging your head upside down will immediately draw fresh blood directly to your face. This will give you a beautiful glow, while also making dull skin look more awake
• Add a facial oil to your moisturizer – if you want an instant glow, try adding a few drops of a facial oil to your regular moisturizer. The way in which your skin will reflect the light will help to give it a brighter and perkier appearance. Don’t worry if you have oily skin – simply opt for a non-comedogenic oil, such as jojoba

One more thing to try would be…

A skin care product that contains caffeine. Caffeine helps to stimulate blood flow in the skin, giving it a much perkier and more awake appearance. Look for products that contain other brightening and rejuvenating ingredients too.

A Sunburn

You probably already know how bad a sunburn is. After all, just a single sunburn significantly increases your risk of developing skin cancer, while five sunburns, no matter how spaced out they may be, means that you have doubled your melanoma risk.

Of course, everyone makes mistakes!

So, what should you do if you suddenly find yourself dealing with a painful sunburn?

And yes, sunburns can arise quite suddenly. The effects of a sunburn only become apparent several hours after sun exposure has ended, meaning that you may not even realize that you are burned until it is too late.

Well, the very first thing that you should do is cool your body down. This can either be by quickly jumping into a cool shower, or by using a cold compress.

Then, slather on some soothing, anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as aloe vera or chamomile.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a quick fix to a sunburn – you’re simply going to have to wait for your skin to heal. However, you can encourage this process by ensuring that your skin stays moisturized and hydrated, while preventing it from coming into contact with the sun any further.

Excess Shine

Oily skin can be difficult to deal with, especially on those days when your skin seems to be extra shiny.

Want to know how to reduce that shine?

You could try a clay-based face mask. The clay is attracted to the sebum that the skin produces, and will help to draw out excess oil. It should leave your face looking much more matte. Charcoal is another ingredient that has this effect, making it great for a skin detox.

You could also opt for a mattifying primer or foundation. These will contain ingredients that will reduce the size of your pore openings, therefore minimizing the amount of oil that is able to be emitted through your pores.

What happens if your face decides to go for the ultra-shiny look while you’re out and about?

If you know that you are prone to this, make sure that you always keep some blotting papers handy.

Blotting sheets can be lightly dabbed onto the skin to soak up extra oil.

What makes this even better is that blotting sheets are now available with a variety of different makeup finishes too. For example, you can find blotting sheets that will also provide your face with a blush, or with a bronzed tint, or even with a highlighter. 

Worried about your makeup smearing because of the excess oil on your skin?

You could try applying a setting mist over the top of your makeup. This will not only help to hold your makeup in place for hours, but can also give your face more of a matte finish.

If you know that your skin is prone to certain skin emergencies, make sure that you always have the supplies needed to deal with this close to hand. Whether this may be blotting papers for excess shine, a lip exfoliant for chapped lips, or some Visine for unexpected acne breakouts, these nine skin emergencies can be quickly fixed if you have the right items nearby.