I knew I was going to have a rough time with Korean winter when I had a sore throat within two days of landing last year, so when winter came around this year I made sure to bundle up tight and consume plenty of Vitamin C and honey. Since I knew that I was prone to sore throats, I wanted to prevent what I could foresee.
Of course, it's never what you can foresee that ends up being the problem is it?
About two months ago, right when it started getting drastically colder, I noticed a pinkish dry scale on my wrist. It was my psoriasis, a condition I've had since I was about 17, flaring up-something that's always been completely manageable in Virginia's humidity.
Psoriasis is a non-contagious skin condition similar to eczema, where the skin is prone to getting extremely dry and itchy under the right conditions (in milder cases like mine).
I made a mental note to add more coconut oil to that spot on my wrist and didn't give it a second thought. After all, in the 10 years that I've been dealing with the condition, it's never given me more trouble than what Epsom Salts and coconut oil could handle.
Flash forward to about two weeks ago: my body is covered in angry red patches. I'm itching constantly and wrapping my arms and legs in plastic wrap to try to keep the moisture on my skin and lessen the psoriasis symptoms. I was prepared for winter to wreak havoc on my throat, but it never occurred to me that Korea's dry cold might be the cause of the worst psoriasis flare-up I've ever experienced.
One friend advises that I should be gluten free. The Internet is telling me to swab Apple Cider Vinegar all over my body. My own experience is telling me that I'm not getting enough sunlight. Finally, I visit the dermatologist. She prescribes me an ointment, Dermovate, and I'm finally on the mend.
It's common for travelers to anticipate cultural, culinary and language differences, but it's easy to overlook the way that simply existing in a drastically different environment might affect you physically. Before now, I hadn't realized that I actually have quite "sensitive skin," and that I should take the extra steps in caring for it during the colder, drier months-simple things like taking baths, visiting saunas, and switching from oil to cream and Vaseline as moisturizer all helped to lessen the itching, but by then my body was in the middle of a full-on flare up.
Had I begun these regimens in, say, November, there's a chance that it may have never flared up so badly to begin with, but I was treating my body how I would during Virginia's winters, not Korea's. This is in no way meant to discourage anyone from traveling; just to advise people to try to be aware of whether or not, during their travels, they will need a bit of extra care.Even if you're traveling from SoCal to New York, the drastic change in climate could possibly wreak havoc on your skin.
If you have sensitive skin, consider skincare preparation a part of your packing routine and research/pack accordingly. That way, you can enjoy your travels without the added stress of worrying about conditions that seem unusual/aggrivated in the climate of your destination.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
