Skin

You know what I find inspiring about my skin condition?

Everything... The way my condition was handled when I was a little girl inspires me to be a better mom — more open to my kids, always willing to share with them my own insecurities, fears, and dreams. The way people often misjudged my scars inspires me to be a better person and not to look at others in ways that could make them feel uncomfortable. It has also inspired me to find and focus on the real beauty within me, from every pore and every scar, and to continue working on accepting myself just the way I am.

Today, as I watch my photodermatitis bloom (just like wild flowers, it shows at the very first sight of sunlight), I am grateful for my skin. I am grateful for the inspiration it has given me to continue to draw, illustrate, and pursue the beautiful side of it and most of all, I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with others through this blog.

...I am grateful for my skin and for the inspiration it has given me.

I am really excited about a girl I have connected with through my site and I cannot wait to tell you all about her! In the meantime, I will leave you with a reminder (and what I'm working on to make into a daily habit) now that "the sun is out".

1. Apply sunscreen everyday. Ideally 30 minutes before you get out of the house in the morning. If you're like me and dislike the way sunscreen feels (and even smells), try a body lotion that already contains SPF. I really like Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion, unfortunately the highest SPF they got is 15 and to get true protection from UV rays you need a minimum of 30 SFP. So for my face, I also apply Neutrogena Ultra Sheer liquid sunscreen. I really like how light it feels and the subtle smell.

2. Drink tons of water! It not only helps with keeping your skin moustured, but when drinking it cold it mantains your internal temperature cool.

3. Wear long sleves as frequent as possible. I know this one is really hard during the summer months, but it has certainly brought some relief in my life. I adventured to wear shorts and long sleeves over the summer last year (wow, you might say, but this is a big accomplishment for me, here is why) and the experience was actually quite pleasant. Not to mention, I felt like a true fashionista!

4. Wash face every night. We all have been guilty of going to bed with our make up on. Sometimes it is inevitable, but I have noticed the difference of how my skin feels from a night sleep with makeup and one without it. The 5-10 minute night routine might sound dreadful, but it is worth it. I simply start with Neutrogena make up remover towelette, then I wash my face with soap and water (I use Olay bar soap with no fragrance). When drying, I simply pat my face instead of rubbing the towel against me. Last (this I do during summer months only), I run an ice cube over my face. I also run it over my arms and legs if they're a bit itchy. Here is an entry I wrote about the advantages of ice cubes.

5. Last but not least, keep applying the meds! I have to be honest and tell you that I don't believe the creams I've been prescribed had made a great difference, but I want to believe that even the smallest contribution to maintain the skin moistured will help with the healing.

These are just a few things I do to help my photodermatitis. There are tons more out there for me to still try. If you know of others, drop me a line!

Read: Tracking the Seasons With Skin interview on skintome.com