STEROIDS VS.My "stranded on an island" product OF choice!

I hope I never have to select only one product to keep around, but if I did, it would definitely be Pratima's Soothing Sandalwood Lotion.

My daughter and her friend went to the lake for their fall break last week. They both came home with a nasty neck rash. We are still unclear what caused this reaction, but they both had very angry necks! Her friend went to the med clinic on campus and was put on a steroid cream, and my daughter used one of my go to recipes for acne and inflammation (recipe below).

Did you know that excessive use of steroid creams can lead to skin thinning? I'm not suggesting you should avoid steroids altogether, but if there's an alternative that is effective and free from negative side effects, why not give it a try?

Topical steroid creams (corticosteroids) reduce inflammation and immune activity in the skin. While this helps calm redness, itching, or eczema, long-term or high-strength use can cause structural changes in the skin layers.

HOW DO STEROIDS THIN SKIN?

• Steroids inhibit fibroblasts which are the skin cells responsible for collagen & elastin production. Less collagen = thinner dermis.

• Steroids slow down the process by which new cells of the epidermis are produced and multiply, making the outermost layer of the skin thinner and more fragile.

• Steroids suppress the enzymes that create hyaluronic acid (holds water and keeps skin plump). Less hydrated skin = more fragile skin.

• Steroids weaken the tissue around the blood vessels, causing skin to easily bruise and heal much slower.

TREATED WITH A PRESCRIPTION STEROID CREAM

TREATED WITH PRATIMA SOOTHING SANDALWOOD

Both girls are on the road to recovery! The skin treated with the steroid is still a little sensitive and slightly inflamed. The skin treated with the soothing sandalwood is calmer and almost fully healed.

This is the time of year when skin is more prone to eczema, rashes, redness, inflammation, etc.. As the air dries out, so does our skin. DRY SKIN = MORE FRAGILE SKIN!

Instead of grabbing a steroid cream when your skin flares up this winter, add Soothing Sandalwood Lotion into your skincare routine. You can apply on top of your water-based serums and then layer on top your oils and/or creams. Or simply cocktail in your hand your oils + soothing sandalwood + moisturizer and apply together on top of your serums. You can use this daily or a few times a week to prevent reactive skin. If you have a flare up apply a liberal amount daily.

This is the recipe my daughter followed for several days. She applied the mask daily and also used Soothing Sandalwood alone a few times each day.

1 T. Manuka Honey

1 T. Oat Flour (you can make by putting organic oats into a blender and blend into fine flour)

1 T. Soothing Sandalwood Lotion

*Measurements do not need to be precise. Simply make a paste that is easy to spread on your face. Leave it on the skin for about 20 min. Use a warm washcloth to soften the mask and then gently remove. If your skin is experiencing a flare up, apply a layer of soothing sandalwood after removing mask.