Skin Care

You can do a number of things to help protect your skin and lower your risk of infection or injury:

• Keep your skin clean and dry

• Moisturize your skin at least once a day.

• Clean cuts or grazes straight away with clean water, then put antiseptic cream on and cover the area.

• Protect your skin by wearing sunscreen and covering the skin with SPF UVA/UVB clothing

• Use an insect repellent - if you're bitten or stung, do not scratch

• Avoid hot baths, saunas and steam room

• Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time if you have leg swelling.

• Don't have injections, blood taken, or your blood pressure checked on the affected arm.

Different Types of Skin-Need Different Types of Care

If your skin is in good condition, you need to use a moisturizer that you can apply easily. This can be a cream or a lotion. It will help to keep your skin hydrated.

If your skin is dry and flaky, you need to moisturize more often or use a moisturizer that is thicker and greasier. This helps to stop further loss of moisture.

If your skin has become scaly, you need to wash it with a moisturizing soap substitute. Moisturise afterward with a thicker, greasy moisturizer. This helps to soften the scaly areas so that you can remove them easily. 

You might need to put the cream on twice a day. It helps to put it on before you go to bed at night so that it has time to absorb overnight. Clean and moisturize your skin in the morning.