Skinxiety: the months in lockdown have left us with imperfect skin anxiety

More people – men and women – are paranoid about the appearance of their skin. Skin that, after the long months in lockdown, with skyrocketing stress levels and compensation in the sweetest comfort food available in the home pantry, is not in top shape. We talk about skinxiety, a definition born from the sum of skin + anxiety, referring to a new aesthetic obsession, exacerbated by the habit of meeting on Zoom, where – let’s face it – any defect immediately catches the eye.

OUT OF FORM SKIN ANXIETY: THE PSYCHOLOGIST SPEAKS
Being ashamed of your skin appearance, so much so that you have to cancel Zoom call work, in order not to show yourself on video, can become an unbearable burden. As the psychologist and psychoanalyst Elena Benvenuti, «The only way to put a stop to obsessive thinking about one’s face is to strive to radically change perspective. The skin, especially that of the face that is always exposed, tells of us, of our past, of our present, without the possibility of lying. I am convinced that when we make peace with our history, then we will be able to accept, even love, the signs of time and fatigue that can be seen on the skin of the face. Then, of course, if the dark circles are very deep, if the skin is dull and dull, it is up to us to catch the SOS signals and set up a care routine, rather than beauty, accurate and loving. It is fine to work to improve our skin appearance, but the desire to be in order cannot and must not become a mania, or we will feel eternally frustrated, inadequate, too fatigued or too aged. I add a heartfelt prohibition: just compare yourself with the photos of the faces of the stars on Instagram. They are retouched and cannot in any way represent reality ».

BEAUTY ROUTINE TO SUPPORT STRESSED SKIN
The psychologist said it, we repeat it too: the skin care routine in such a tiring period as the present one must be loving and forward-looking. As he explains Martina Zecca, spa director of Grand Hotel Tremezzo, «If your skin is stressed try limit the use of make-up which, when the mask is used, tends to further occlude the pores, not allowing the skin to breathe and oxygenate. Always keep the skin of the face hyper hydrated by choosing a soothing and protective cream or balm based on vegetable ceramides, while for the eye contour, often marked by fatigue, yes to a serum with a good concentration of vitamin C, lightening, antioxidant and anti-wrinkle. Finally, dedicate yourself to movements every morning facial gymnastics in front of the mirror, to drain excess fluids and train the muscles of the face, keeping them toned and in position ».

AESTHETIC MEDICINE TO MINIMIZE EVIDENT DEFECTS
A side effect of rampant skinxiety? Those who suffer from it risk spending large sums in any type of medical-aesthetic treatment, without first inquiring, so much is the hurry to resolve any complained defects. “Aesthetic medicine is fine for improving the appearance of the skin, but you need a minimum of knowledge and rationality to make the best choices”, he remembers Alice Magri, maxillofacial surgeon by the staff of Professor Carlo Tremolada of Image Regenerative Clinic Milano. «For forehead wrinkles that often appear after the age of 30, the botulinum in a dilution that does not block, but softens the features, or a filler. The chin and lips are also correctable with a well-dosed filler. After the age of 40, when the main problem is represented by the first sagging of the skin, customized protocols win, such as lifting non chirurgico Tone-Up Your Face, which mixes bioregeneration and biostimulation, firming and regenerating the tissues. Golden rule: never proceed with any protocol without first an in-depth interview with your doctor ».

In gallery, we have collected some of the best skincare products to hydrate, regenerate and energize the skin of the face which has been fatigued by these very tough months. Less skinxiety, more care.