How to Deal With Spring Allergies

Host: Everyone has heard of the saying “April showers bring May flowers.” Well unfortunately May flowers also bring spring allergies. So dermatologist Dr. Downie is here with some tips to help get us through this irritating and often unbearable allergy season. Wow is that time of the year already? Dr. Jeanine Downie: It is and it is one of the worst ever what they are saying. The tree pollen right now and then later it will be ragweed, grass heats in between there. It’s really—and then for those that have mold and dust it really gets to be a lot. Host: Now you can always tell on people when they're having allergy problems in their eyes. They always get irritated. Dr. Jeanine Downie: Right, especially in their eyes. So I like these refresh eye drops. I think they’re really great. I recommend them all the time. My patients use them a lot. They’re just over the counter, nice and simple. The Vivete eye cream has a 10% glycolic acid in it so it’s going to help with the texture and the tone in the skin and their it has something to decrease the puffiness, as well as peptides. So this is great so I love that I love that a lot. Host: So you want to use this in the morning? Dr. Jeanine Downie: Yes use them in the morning and I tell people not to rub their eyes. Absolutely don’t rub your eyes because it just makes it worst. It almost cements the pigment into the area. Then next I tell them consistent use of anti-histamines. The Benadryl, you have here the Zyrtec. I also like the Claritin a lot, but consistent use because it helps so that your eyes are not as itchy and you don’t want to tear them out. Host: So do you want to use all three of them or should you choose one? Dr. Jeanine Downie: You should choose one and stick with it. That’s a great question. And a lot of people will use the Zyrtec in the morning because it’s non-sedating and the Benadryl at night because it makes them sleepy. So you can maybe do that too, but you want to space them apart then. Host: And if you use the Benadryl at night will that help when you wake up in the morning? Dr. Jeanine Downie: Hopefully, but for many people no. And then I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again consistent use of topical sunscreens. These are some of the new Aveeno positively ageless formulations with the SPF 70/90. This is the aftercare by MD Forte with the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of approval. The bottom line is that when you put sun block around your eyes, you're making sure that your eyes don’t get too dark because one of the darkness features I mean here we are going out in the sun you’re not protected in here it’s just not a good thing. Host: So dark circles are actually another symptom of allergy as well? Dr. Jeanine Downie: Dark circles are another symptoms. Lack of sun block makes it absolutely, positively worse. So it’s still important for an allergy segment. And then there are other cool things, there is Golden Seal I was reading in dance paper this weekend. There is bromoline, there is honey, there is acupuncture that a lot of people do, there is probiotics and there’s hypnosis. Host: Wow! Dr. Jeanine Downie: But I mean my tip to my patients really quickly is when they take off their eye makeup at night I have them put eyes on their eyes. I tell them hypoallergenic, fragrance free. Host: So not heat? You want to use ice. Dr. Jeanine Downie: Ice because it cools it down. Everybody has a pack of peas they're not using it has no side effects. I mean thing about it. Host: So use that before you go to bed along with your Benadryl. Dr. Jeanine Downie: Along with Benadryl to decrease congestion and puffiness. And then I mean I'm just like get back into it again, don’t rub your eyes. You're cementing pigment there. And protect them with sunglasses also. Host: So do you have any other daily tip people can do? Dr. Jeanine Downie: People that smoke should quit. 2009 was the first year when smoking actually went up in a very long time. Smoking really aggravates your allergies by about 30%-40% more according to some studies. So if you smoke you should quit or at least cut it down because it’s going to aggravate your allergies even further. Host: Thank you so much Dr. Downie for all the great tips and all great products. Thanks again. Dr. Jeanine Downie: Thank you.