Editor's Note: After the Cold Dew solar term, the weather turns cooler and drier. During this season, the skin enters a "troubled autumn," prone to issues like dryness and allergies.This issue of People's Health Network's "Jintai Wellness Garden" column discusses: How can your skin weather this "troubled season"? What foods can make your skin appear more youthful?
Three Strategies for Skin to Weather the "Troubled Season"
Autumn skincare focuses on hydration, moisture retention, and allergy prevention—while sun protection remains essential.
Hydration and Moisture Retention Require "Internal and External Care"
Autumn's dry climate reduces sebum production from the sebaceous glands, accelerating moisture evaporation. Prolonged dehydration impairs skincare absorption and weakens the protective lipid barrier, leading to dryness, itchiness, and heightened sensitivity to external irritants—making skin prone to allergies.
To hydrate skin, first avoid over-cleansing. Sebaceous glands produce sebum, which acts as a perfect natural moisturizer by protecting and nourishing the skin. Excessive cleansing damages the skin barrier. Opt for gentle amino acid-based cleansers.
Hydrating and moisturizing should be tailored to skin type. Dry to normal skin benefits most from richer, oil-containing creams. Oily skin requires lighter, oil-free products, though these offer shorter-lasting hydration. Reapply once or twice daily to compensate for this limitation.Some believe oily skin doesn't require hydration. However, when dehydrated, oily skin overproduces oil to "lock in moisture." Excess oil then accelerates water loss, making hydration essential for oily skin too.
Skin hydration requires a dual approach—both internal and external. Beyond surface moisturization, drink 1800 milliliters of water daily to meet your skin's hydration needs and maintain bodily moisture levels, thereby increasing skin hydration. Remember: while hydrating your skin, also focus on locking in moisture to prevent water loss and achieve optimal skin condition.
Anti-allergy and boosting immunity are key
Dry autumn weather can exacerbate atopic dermatitis, which manifests as dry, itchy skin that develops red patches and eczema after scratching. It commonly affects the elderly and children.As this condition relates to an individual's allergic constitution, it's crucial to avoid allergens, refrain from scratching, and steer clear of spicy or irritating foods. Failure to do so may lead to recurrence even after treatment.
Individuals with allergic constitutions should wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors, avoid areas with high insect populations, refrain from sharing towels, carry common anti-allergy medications, and seek prompt medical attention for severe reactions.Additionally, conditions like papular urticaria and atopic dermatitis fall under skin allergy disorders. Allergies are immune-related diseases, making boosting immunity crucial.
Sun protection is essential even on cloudy days
The primary goal of sun protection is to block ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can damage the skin. Prolonged outdoor exposure without protection may cause mild aging symptoms like tanning, sunburn, sagging, dryness, and wrinkles, or lead to more severe conditions such as various photodermatoses.
Regardless of season, weather, or age, everyone should practice sun protection during outdoor activities. For optimal results, combine physical and chemical sun protection. Physical protection involves barriers like sun umbrellas, hats, clothing, and sunglasses to shield skin from UV rays. Chemical protection uses sunscreen lotions or sprays applied directly to the skin.
5 Moisturizing and Beautifying Medicinal Dishes Recommended for Dry Skin!
TCM experts recommend 5 nourishing recipes to help you "eat" your way to hydrated, radiant skin.
Dendrobium, Fish Maw, and Black-Bone Chicken Soup
Benefits: Replenishes blood, nourishes fluids, and enhances complexion. Suitable for those with chronic fatigue, deficiency, or insufficient stomach yin.
Ingredients: 10 pieces of Huoshan Dendrobium, 2 pieces of fish maw, 1 black chicken, 1/2 pound lean pork, 3 slices ginger.
Method: Soak Dendrobium until soft, cut into small pieces. Boil black chicken to remove blood water, then drain. Place both in a large bowl with ginger slices and sufficient water. Steam over water for 1.5 hours, then season and serve.
Papaya Peanut Chicken Feet Soup
Benefits: Nourishes deficiency, strengthens digestion, moisturizes skin, and promotes complexion. Ideal for those with dry skin or weak joints.
Method: Remove nails from chicken feet, boil in water for 5 minutes, then rinse. Peel papaya, remove seeds, and cut into chunks. Pit red dates. Place all ingredients in a soup pot and simmer for 1.5 hours. Season to taste before serving.Suitable for those with internal deficiency heat and insufficient body fluids.
Ingredients: Half a black chicken, 3g American ginseng, 2 red dates, appropriate amount of goji berries, 2 slices of ginger.
Method: Rinse the black chicken, boil in a pot, skim off scum, then cut into large pieces and transfer to a clay pot.Add American ginseng, ginger slices, red dates, and goji berries. Pour in sufficient water and simmer for 1.5 hours before seasoning to taste.
Method: Dissolve donkey-hide gelatin in a cup with warm water. Add milk and double-boil for about 30 minutes. Remove, cool to a drinkable temperature, then mix in honey.
Luo Han Guo, Watercress, and Pork Knuckle Soup
Benefits: Clears heat, relieves cough, moistens lungs, and generates fluids. Suitable for dry mouth/throat, dry cough, and constipation.
Ingredients: 500g watercress, 1/4 lo han guo, 1 tablespoon apricot kernels (both southern and northern varieties), 3 honey dates, 3 figs, 500g pork knuckle.
Method: Wash all ingredients, add water to a soup pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over medium heat for 1.5 hours. Season to taste before serving.
Press Three Acupoints for Radiant Skin
Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that skin reflects overall health. The spleen, regarded as the foundation of acquired constitution, governs the production of qi and blood. Strong spleen and stomach function yields a rosy, luminous complexion. Regularly massaging or moxibusting acupoints that regulate these organs can improve skin condition.
Locating the Points: Zusanli (ST36) is located on the lower leg. When the leg is bent, a small protruding bone can be seen on the outer side of the knee joint—this is the lateral knee eye. Zusanli is four finger-widths directly below this point. Qihai (CV6) is located in the lower abdomen. Draw a line connecting the navel and the top of the pubic bone, dividing it into ten equal parts. Qihai is at the 3/10 mark below the navel.Guanyuan is located four finger-widths below the navel.
Specific Method: Firmly press Zusanli until a sensation of soreness, numbness, or fullness arises. After pressing for 1 minute, slightly relax and switch to kneading. Repeat this cycle 3–5 times. For Qihai and Guanyuan, moxibustion is recommended: ignite a moxa stick and apply heat for 10–15 minutes per session. If holding the moxa stick becomes tiring, use ginger-separated moxibustion instead.
"Aging Accelerators" Identified by Dermatologists
1. Cotton pillowcases. Cotton pillowcases easily leave sleep creases on the face, exacerbating wrinkles. Silk pillowcases are preferable, effectively reducing sleep marks while also preventing hair damage.
2. Spraying perfume on the neck.For years, people have been advised to apply perfume to areas like the neck, wrists, and collars—places that are less prone to sweating and easily detectable. However, the skin on the neck is exceptionally delicate. Perfume can cause dryness, and spraying it on the neck increases susceptibility to sunburn.
3. Multitasking. Studies reveal that multitasking subjects the body to heightened stress. This elevated stress levels can trigger increased skin inflammation, accelerating the skin aging process.
4. Overusing air conditioning and heating. Excessive use of AC and heaters can dry out the skin, increase fine lines, deepen wrinkles, and trigger inflammation. Collagen and elastin naturally diminish with age, and climate control further accelerates this loss. Those frequently exposed to AC or heat should use moisturizers.