On smoothing out small bumps on the body...

Q. Hi Alison, I have always suffered from what I think are blocked hair follicles, presenting with small bumps on the back of my legs and arms (no colour). Is there a way of improving the feel of these areas of skin? Many thanks indeed for all of your help, Kim.

A. This is often caused by poor circulation or friction. The easiest way to tackle this problem is to get into the routine of exfoliating regularly.

I'd recommend using a grained exfoliator twice, or three times a week on the problem areas, and use body lotion at least once a day. If you can do it twice, just on the affected areas, that's even better. Any moisture is going to help improve the problem area.

Try Elemis' Devil's Mint Body Scrub or Philosophy's Body Polish Scrubs and follow with L'Occitane's Body Butter. Look for an extra rich formula, something in a tub or tube, which is too thick to come through a pump.

On a bath lotion for hormonal eczema...

Q. Hi Alison, I am 45 years old and have just been diagnosed with hormonal eczema. I need a mild shower/bath lotion - what can you suggest?

A. You can use Skin Nourishing Milk Bath and matching body lotion from Elemis. You're also going to love Liz Earle's shower gels, which have natural foaming agents in too. Balance Me's bath and body range also prides itself on using natural ingredients.

So that gives you three different ranges that all use natural foaming agents and their matching body lotions only use plant-based extracts and vegetable oils.

If you find that you're very sensitive, you can cut down to using one product on the body and I'd recommend L'Occitane's Shea Butter. You can actually melt it down and use solely as a body lotion.

If you're worried about what you're using on your body, you should also be worried about what you're using on your hair. Most shampoos don't have natural foaming agents, so I recommend trying the new haircare range Amara from Daniel Field or Liz Earle's Botanical hair range.

On soothing the skin after radiotherapy…

Q. Hi Alison, I have a friend who has just finished chemotherapy and is having a mastectomy in two weeks. She is not allowed to have a reconstruction straight away as the specialist said it would get in the way of radiotherapy. I believe that radiotherapy is like bad sunburn to your skin.

Can you please recommend products that I can buy for her to help reduce any pain or irritation she may experience after the radiotherapy? I look forward to hearing from you. Liz.

A. As the treated skin gets very dry and tends to crisp up during radiotherapy, I'd recommend L'Occitane Pure Shea Butter. It's pure and simple, but has an incredible moisturising and soothing quality - simply melt the cream in between you fingertips and smooth on the targeted areas in between treatments.

I'd also suggest the extra-rich formula of L'Occitane's Shea Butter Body Cream to smooth on to the whole of the body.

No sun exposure is allowed to the area (always my motto!) as any scarring will thicken and darken, but the more you keep the area moisturised the better the skin will heal.

On soothing a dry, red and sore neck…

Q: I'm on medication and have experienced some side affects. I was standing in the sunshine and now my neck has gone dry, red and sore. I put on skin cream with collagen and vitamin A but to no avail. Please help, Helli.

A: If you've experienced side effects from medication, then your first point of contact is your doctor. Secondly, sunscreen is not enough, you actually have to physically cover the area with a cotton cloth because you don't want any sun on it whatsoever.

If it's on the neck area I would suggest wearing a shirt or scarf, and if you are sunbathing (if the medication allows you to sunbathe) I'd recommend a wide brim hat and Ultrasun SPF 50, which is medically accepted and what doctors would recommend. 

The most important think now is to get the skin calm by keeping it covered and maybe try cooling gels like SBC's Aftersun Aloe Vera Gel or the Ultrasun Aftersun Gel.

On sun protection for prickly heat sufferers...

Q. Can you give me some advice on sun protection? I would like to protect my skin from damage but still would like a great tan when I go abroad. Also, my daughter has very pale skin and tends to get prickly heat very easily. Just a small amount of sun and within ten minutes she is red and itchy. Please help.

A. As your daughter has pale skin, it would best if she uses Ultrasun SPF 30 or 50. This is a once-a-day sun protection and it won't make her sweat.
If you do suffer with prickly heat sometimes putting on layers and layers of sunscreen can actually make your skin perspire and that can trigger off prickly heat.

Ideally, because she has fair skin she is better off with the SPF 30 or 50 which has an emulsion texture. Sometimes, people who suffer from prickly heat prefer the gel texture, and this comes in the sports SPF 20. This is still phenomenal protection, but you will tan with it - this will be perfect for yourself. 

For chicken pock-like marks on the face and chest area...

Q: I'm 37 and use either Decleor or Elemis products. Recently during the sunny weather, I've developed chicken pock-like spots on my face and chest area as well as on my arms, but they seem to be "inverted". Don't know what they are or what to use. Can you help?

Alison: I would like you to check these with the doctor because if you were on holiday, there are some skin infections that can be picked up from the sand, lilos, public baths, towels etc. It shouldn't be anything to worry about but if it is this, then you doctor should be able to sort it out for you very quickly.

In the meantime in your beauty routine, you should keep using the skincare products that you've been happy with. However, I’d add ABC Skinwash and use this daily in the shower on your face and body.

For itchy red lumps on the decolletage...

Q: I have fair skin and I like to use fake tan. I use it on my arms, however if I use it on my decolletage area the next morning I have itchy red lumps. I've tried many brands over the years and have the same problem. Can you help please?

Alison: The decollete can be as sensitive as the face area and the body, i.e. your arms have a much tougher skin. If there's a self tan that you have used successfully on your face before, then you could try this on your decollete. Otherwise, I'd recommend the Monne Self Tan Serum as this is designed for the face as well as the decollete.

Alternatively, if your skin is very sensitive in this decollete area, you may be allergic to DHA which is a self-tanning agent that is used in most self tanning products. Your trick might be to use self tan on the body and the arms, and then to use tinted make-up on the face and decollete to even up the colour. For your body you could try Jiffy Tan from Benefit. This is a non-self tan body tint stain that doesn't come off on clothes, although it will wash off in the shower. It's like instant self tan and it doesn't contain DHA.

A final thing to test would be using a self-tanning daily application moisturiser as this should use a much lower percentage of the DHA ingredient.

For prickly heat...

Q: Can you offer any advice on how to stop or treat prickly heat? I always get it on my arms and it gets incredibly painful. I'm off to Cyprus and would love to get something sorted out for it now before I go.

Alison: Firstly, your doctor should be able to give you some advice for prickly heat and any anti-histamines that you can take to help.

However, you can also help by preparing the skin. A Tan Accelerator would be a great help before you go away, as whether you want a tan or not, it prepares the skin to be tougher against the sun.

Step two would be to use a gel-based SPF factor such as all-day Ultrasun SPF20. If you want to use a re-application sun cream then make sure its gel based and that you re-apply every 20 - 40 minutes.

Try to keep your skin from sweating too much as well - you could take the ABC Skinwash with you on holiday and shower with it after sunbathing. This will help to keep the skin cool and clean. General tips are keeping cool at night and not overheating (check that your room has air conditioning in advance) and SBC Aloe Vera Gel would be my absolute must for you to take with you - just apply it any time you get an itch for instant soothing relief.

My husband also suffers from prickly heat and finds this routine really helps.

For cellulite on the thighs and bottom...

Q: Please can you help turn me back into a yummy mummy. Following my pregnancy, I've noticed an increase in cellulite on my thighs and bottom. Can you recommend a product that will reduce the appearance and something to firm up the skin?

Alison: You haven't said whether you've changed weight at all, which I presume has happened. After pregnancy, your whole routine, particularly any exercise habits, can change and exercise is as important as it was before pregnancy. This probably seems like a time-consuming prospect but there are a few things you can try out.

We have a range of home exercise systems you could try or you could follow simple routines such as step up on the bottom of your stairs. There's also a great machine that's going to be our Today's Special Value on Tuesday 11th August. It was designed by a husband and wife for her to use while looking after the children and it works your thighs, hips and bottom. She keeps it in the kitchen and uses it when she's making breakfast or boiling the kettle.

A quick and easy thing to try as well is the SBC Collagen Gel. The litre or half litre size is particularly great value. This product will have a tightening and firming effect on that area and is great used as a mask as it sinks in wonderfully. You can use it everywhere, even around your eyes or on a lined forehead.

For helping to prevent and soothe prickly heat...

Q: Can you offer any advice on how to stop or treat prickly heat? I always get it on my arms and it gets incredibly painful. I'm off to Cyprus in August and would love to get something sorted out for it now before I go.

Alison: Firstly, your doctor should be able to give you some advice for prickly heat and can offer you anti-histamines that you can take to help. However, you can also help by preparing the skin. A tan accelerator would be a great help before you go away, as whether you want a tan or not, it prepares the skin to be tougher against the sun.

Step two would be to use a gel-based SPF factor such as all-day Ultrasun SPF20. If you want to use a re-application sun cream then make sure it's gel based and that you re-apply it every 20 - 40 minutes.