How Flying Damages Your Skin & How To Protect It
saumya gaur 
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I am just putting it out there, flying is a pain! The cramped spaces, the limited food options and the fact that you are 30,000 feet up in the air in a metal box; nothing about air travel is nice or even comfortable (unless you are a celebrity or the president of the USA, in whose case having a plane all to yourself must be nice). The only saving grace of air travel is perhaps the fact that it gets you where you need to go while still saving you a lot of time.
Air Travel Is Bad For Your Skin
If you thought these minor inconveniences are a small price to pay for that time you are mistaken. These inconveniences are nothing compared to the havoc air travel wreaks on your skin. Puzzled? Let us tell you how it manages to do so.
The pressurized cabin, which is a necessity in air travel, is an unnatural environment for our body. It causes our skin to lose all its moisture making it look dull as well as dehydrated. Apart from that, the anxiety and stress of air travel also stresses our body and leads to an increase in the stress hormones. The stress hormones cause redness, inflammation, and acne. Add to that the risk of being exposed to bacteria. All this spell disaster for your skin.
In order to counteract the ill-effects on the skin, you need to restore its moisture and nourish it.
Here’s What You Can Do To Protect It
These are some of the tips that can help you take care of your skin before, during, and after a flight.
1. Moisturize The Night Before
Since the main issue is the loss of moisture, this should be the focus of your pre-flight preparation. In order to do this, you need to apply a moisturizing mask on your face a night before you are supposed to travel. Choose any mask which has olive oil, honey or aloe vera. These are extremely hydrating ingredients and pack-in quite a punch when it comes to nourishing the skin.
2. Apply Minimum Makeup
Going on a plane without putting on any make-up is always a more sensible option when it comes to taking care of your skin. It becomes more crucial to do so when you are on long flights that last more than 7 hours. Doing this ensures that oil and makeup don’t clog the pores of your skin. Instead of a full-fledged makeup look, you can choose hydrating mists and light makeup to look fresh while you travel.
3. Sunscreen Is Essential
If you think you can escape the harsh UV rays of the sun at 30,000 feet in the sky you are wrong. You are exposed to those UV rays through the windows of the plane so it’s not wise to skip the sunscreen. If you don’t want to put on too many products we would advise you to use a moisturizer with SPF.
4. Wear Comfortable Fabrics
To avoid getting rashes and hives on your body it’s best to opt for loose-fitting clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton instead of synthetic options such as nylon.
5. Swap Your Caffeine For Water
No matter how enticing those caffeinated beverages seem, they are not the right drink for you if you are traveling by air. They might seem to offer temporary respite in an otherwise arduous journey but caffeine is only going to add to the dehydration problem. It’s better if you stick to water, or if you want you can also have green tea, which is a rich source of anti-oxidants (1).
6. Take An Anti-Septic Spray With You When You Travel
Germophobe or not, it’s a great idea to carry an antiseptic spray with you on a flight. Just like most public spaces, everything that surrounds you on your flight is far from being completely clean. The quick turnaround times of most flights don’t permit a thorough cleaning is something you should remember.
7. Turn That Air- Conditioning Off
Once you get settled into your seat, adjust the air conditioning such that cold air doesn’t hit you directly on your face. This will prevent the skin from becoming extremely dry and dehydrated.
8. Always Remember To Exfoliate And Moisturize After
Once you’ve reached your destination, use a wet wipe or a face wash containing glycolic acid to clean your face of all the pollutants. Once you’ve done that, apply a light moisturizer (if possible use one which has hyaluronic acid) to lock the moisture content in your skin.
These tips are going to ensure that the air travel doesn’t mess with your skin. Just to be on the safe side avoid consuming fatty foods and alcoholic beverages while traveling as well as immediately before traveling. Do you know any other ways by which we can protect our skin while traveling? Let us know in the comments.
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