This week’s Travel Health and Beauty advice is from Dr. Maria Suzanne (Chai) Datuin, a Board-Certified dermatologist and Fellow of the Philippine Dermatological Society. Dr. Chai is a frequent traveler, attending conferences and workshops for continuing education, and exploring local and overseas destinations for leisure.
What are your tips to keep your skin and hair healthy and looking good while traveling?
I usually advice my patients to hydrate days before a major trip. Most people don’t drink as much water while traveling for a variety of reasons, and this can take a toll on the skin and the whole body. Having enough water in the body can do wonders for the skin, as well as make traveling easier on the body.
In-flight, I usually refrain from drinking too much coffee or tea (or alcohol for some), as these are diuretics which will make you urinate several times during a flight, and may cause some dehydration and drying of the skin. Otherwise, request for drinking water to follow through after your favorite drink.
For long haul flights, applying a hand and nail cream every few hours, can prevent your cuticles from drying out, since the aircraft cabin has low humidity, especially if you frequently wash or alcoholize your hands. Cracked and retracted cuticles are more prone to irritation and infection.
For trips to the beach or if you expect a lot of direct sun exposure, always use a broad spectrum sunscreen. Make sure it has coverage for both UVA (indicated as PA) and UVB (indicated as SPF). I advise my patients to choose a sunscreen with high PA and SPF ratings (at least SPF 50) since people don’t usually apply enough sunscreen to achieve the maximum protection needed from sun exposure. There is no particular brand that I like or that I recommend, but rule of thumb is to find something that you will continue applying and you will probably have to go through several brands until you find one that you will stick to. For water activities, choose a sunscreen that says “Very water resistant” and reapply when it has been completely washed out by the water. Sunscreens also need to be reapplied every two hours.
It is better bring your own shampoo and conditioner, unless you are a no-fuss person. Not all hotels will provide toiletries, and some will provide a “conditioning shampoo” rather than a separate shampoo and conditioner. Unless you are staying in a five star hotel, don’t expect these hair products to be at par with your needs, especially if you have colored or treated hair. I repack my own shampoo and conditioner in small bottles for short trips or just bring the whole battle if I am staying somewhere for at least a month.
What products do you have in your travel kit for healthy hair and skin?
- A broad spectrum sunscreen – I have a gel-based broad spectrum sunscreen that absorbs well into the skin. It is also tinted so my face doesn’t become too white, which is the look you can get with physical sunscreens.
- A hand and nail cream – A lot of people end up with cracked, fissured or retracted cuticles when traveling to cold places due to lack of moisture in the atmosphere combined with inadequate water intake. A good hand and nail cream applied several times a day can prevent fissuring or retraction. Retracted cuticles may cause some pain or discomfort and are more prone to infection.
- A facial moisturizer – When traveling to warmer places, a water-based or gel moisturizer can cool the skin while keeping it hydrated. For cooler, and drier places, a thicker, cream-based moisturizer is better. For extremely arid and cold places, oil-based moisturizers may even be needed.
- A lip moisturizer / lip balm – No one wants to have dry chapped lips. Choose a lip balm that you will want to apply several times during the day to prevent fissuring of lips espacially in cold, windy areas. Drinking plenty of water will also help in maintaining moisture of your lips.
- Wet ones/baby wipes – I am a clean freak, and since I can’t bring a bottle of alcohol or antiseptic in the aircraft, or to other places, a small pack of baby wipes comes in very handy. I choose alcohol-free ones so as not to cause too much drying of the skin, since I also use these on my face when I travel to tropical, humid places.
- Dry shampoo – Too much shampooing can dry your hair. Infrequent shampooing can cause build up of oil and result in limp, greasy hair. Using a dry shampoo can tide you over til you shampoo the next time while making hair look healthy.
Any advise on how to pack skincare products and makeup to comply with travel-size regulations for carry-on luggage?
Most of the skin care items I need come in small bottles or jars and so repacking is usually unnecessary. I usually repack my shampoo and conditioner or body lotions, if absolutely necessary, because repacking skin care products can cause adulteration or contamination and affect the longevity and stability of the product. What I do is I put clear tape around the lids to prevent spillage during transit. If the bottle is made of thin plastic or is a squeeze bottle, I make sure to put it in a zip lock bag, after putting clear tape around the lid or bottle cap.
When traveling, I put my make up (pressed powders like blush or eye shadow) in between fabric bundles like socks or scarves so that it won’t crack or fall out of the container if the travel kit is jarred or dropped. I usually stick to cream or stick preparations as much as I can, but I have to make sure these are not left in hot places so these won’t melt.
What brands/products do you stock up on and/or are good buys when traveling?
Hair products that are relatively difficult to find or are very costly in Manila are dry shampoos and shampoos without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS-free). I buy these when I travel to the USA because there is a wider selection of products to choose from and prices are reasonable. I buy make up in Hong Kong or Korea as they have a larger selection of international and local brands, or have limited/seasonal collections not available locally in Manila.
For more expert advice and treatment before or after a trip, schedule an appointment with Dr. Chai at her clinic:
The Dermatology Suite Skin and Laser Clinic
Address:
Unit D-1 Crescent Park Residences,
30th St. corner 2nd Ave.
Bonifacio Global City
1634 Taguig City
Telephone: (+63 2) 869 0168
Mobile: +63917 708-0168
E-mail: ask@dermsuite.com.ph
Hospital affiliation:
Department of Dermatology
St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City
Rizal Drive corner 5th and 32nd Streets
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines
Leave a Reply