No one wants more wrinkles, a stuffy nose or red eyes when meeting friends, business associates or loved ones at the end of a long flight. Yet the three areas of the body most vulnerable to travel dehydration are skin, eyes and nose.
Dry Skin Treatments
Begin preparing facial skin to withstand the harsh environment of airline cabins a week before the flight. Exfoliate, apply hydrating face and eye masques and moisturize with vitamin-rich creams. Drink plenty of the right fluids. Water cleanses and hydrates the body while fruit juices help retain the moisture. Avoid alcohol, caffeinated teas and coffee and soft drinks with high levels of sodium. These beverages pull water from skin cells and accelerate dehydration.
On the day of travel, fly make-up free and apply moisturizer to exposed skin. In flight, cover the face with a warm, damp cloth while resting or napping. While awake, keep the damp cloth near the nose to breathe humidified air. Intermittently spritzing facial skin with rosewater or other hydrating toner not only re-hydrates the skin but is also refreshing and invigorating.
Dry Nasal Treatments
Nasal discomfort from breathing the dry, re-circulated cabin air can be treated in several ways. One method is to carry on board saline nasal drops or spray mists for use throughout the flight as needed. Another remedy is to use a cotton swab to gently apply nasal gels or oils to the inside of the nose. Coating nasal membranes with sesame oil, almond oil, or petroleum jelly protects against moisture loss.
Eye Care in Flight
Eyes are susceptible to the dehydrating atmosphere of air travel. Contact lens wearers might opt to wear glasses during the flight and remove lenses before sleeping. Even those without vision correction may experience dry, gritty-feeling eyes and some associated redness. These conditions can be combated with carry-on saline drops.
Lips, too, dehydrate easily. Keep a tube of lip balm handy for frequent application. Not all commercial lip balms rehydrate the lips. Look for lip products that contain essential oils and avoid those containing drying agents like menthol or camphor. Drinking water to keep the body hydrated will reduce the need for frequent application of lip products.
Airline cabin air affects the human body as if it were in a desert. Eyes,noses and exposed skin can become uncomfortably dry on long flights. Using vitamin-rich creams, carrying saline solutions and drinking plenty of water can counter the negative effects of travel dehydration and increase travel comfort.
Reenie McMains - Reenie McMains is an award-winning middle-school science teacher who lives happily with a husband, a daughter, Bernese Mountain Dogs, ...
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