May month is yet to come: Keep your skin and hair healthy and beautiful!!
Summers are right round the corner is it s time for you to gear up your
skin for summers. As the temperature changes, we need to change our
summer care routine to make sure that the skin stays young and fresh.
With sun at its peak, the summer brings in with it all kinds of pesky
problems such as Prickly heat, Acne , Oily and sticky skin, Uneven skin
tone , Sun allergies, Tanning, Sunburn, Folliculitis, Fungal infections.
May month is yet to come: Keep your skin and hair healthy and beautiful!!
You should never ignore the summer skin care otherwise; the effects of
summer will stay with you a long time. Acne breakouts if not treated in
time can lead to scars on the face and body, hyperpigmentation can make
the skin appear dark, sunburn and exposure to sun without protection can
cause skin cancers and permanent damage to the skin. The skin is a very
delicate organ it needs to be cherished otherwise the signs of ageing
will appear before time, wrinkle and patches on skin will make you look
older and tired.
Hydrate your body and skin. Drink lots of water. Juices and soft drinks
don’t compensate for water. Carry a bottle of mineral water with you
wherever you go and take a sip every few minutes. Drinking water also
helps in case of sunburns because it cools the body from inside.
Do not step out of the house without applying sunscreen all over your
body. The key is to apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before stepping
out in the sun. Choose a sunscreen that is suitable for your skin. The
minimum SPF should be 30 and it should have UV protection. There are
mineral sun blocks like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and iron oxide that
your sunscreen should contain. Reapply sunscreen after four hours or if
you have been swimming or sweating too much. If you have to apply
makeup, then first apply sunscreen then sun protection makeup.
Cloths become the first shield of the body against sun. Wear a hat or a
cap when you go out so that the harmful rays don’t reach your scalp
and ears. Wear cloths made of unbleached cotton, Polyesters and silk as
they absorb UV radiation and damaging rays don’t reach the skin. Wear
light coloured clothes that have tight weaves.
Don’t ignore your lips in sun protection. The lip is a common site
for skin cancer. Cracked, dry lips should not be ignored as they can
indicate serious skin problems. Therefore before you go out in the sun
use lip specific products on your lips such as lip balms of SPF 15 or
higher, reapply lip balm every two hours, avoid high shine lip gloss, if
you have to use lipstick use one with SPF and antioxidants for extra
moisture.
Summer facials are very important. They will relax your skin; remove
clogged pores, blackheads and pigmentation from the skin. Your skin will
be hydrated and feel fresher. Go for power facials, which include and
exfoliating peel, microdermabrasion infused with antioxidants and
vitamin C, and Intense pulsed light to remove brown spots.
Do not look directly in the sun. A broad brimmed hat will protect your
eyes too. Wear sunglasses when you step out. Your sunglasses should have
a UV protect coating. Select sunglasses with bigger glasses.
Add serums like Vitamin C serums to your skin care routine to keep
dryness away from your skin.
Home Remedies:
禮bsp; Make a paste of chickpea flour and rosewater and apply on
skin. Leave for 15 minutes and wash with cold water to cool the skin.
禮bsp; Apply yogurt on rashes
禮bsp; Multani Mitti or Fullers earth is excellent to absorb oil and
remove impurities from face. Mix with apple cider vinegar and apply on
face.
禮bsp; Add a few drops of lavender oil in your bathing water to ease
the heat rashes.
禮bsp; Do not buy products that contain alcohol
禮bsp; Apply cool milk and cucumber to the skin to treat sunburn.
PRICKLY HEAT: (Ghamori)
Itchy rash in covered body parts due to blockage of sweat glands
Prevention and Treatment:
禮bsp; Keep cool with a fan, or air-conditioning.
禮bsp; Wear loose cotton clothing.
禮bsp; Calamine lotion, prickly heat powders give relief.
禮bsp; Multani mitti, sandalwood or neem paste helps.
禮bsp; Drink enough water and avoid cold drinks
2) PIMPLES AND OILY SKIN:
Sebum and dirt block the pores causing pimples.
Prevention and treatment:
禮bsp; Wash face using an anti acne face wash with salicylic acid,
tea tree oil, neem.
禮bsp; Remove make up thoroughly before bedtime.
禮bsp; Cut down on sugared and processed dairy food.
禮bsp; Oil blotting sheets and anti acne masks like black mud face
packs help.
3) SUN TAN, SUNBURN AND PIGMENTATION:
Strong sun exposure can cause redness, peeling, sunburn, and
pigmentation.
Prevention and treatment:
禮bsp; Apply a broad spectrum UVA/B and C blocking water and sweat
resistant sunscreen spf 30 +.
禮bsp; Use umbrellas, long sleeved cotton clothing etc for sun
protection.
禮bsp; Oral antioxidants like Vitamin C will help.
禮bsp; Laser skin rejuvenation, chemical peels or Microdermabrasion
can be done for pigment problems.
4) BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL SKIN INFECTIONS:
Bacterial infections like boils and fungal infections of the body folds
are common.
Prevention and treatment:
* Use loose clothes.
* Take a shower with antibacterial soap.
* Use anti fungal powders in the body folds.
* Treat all infected contacts.
6) UNMANAGEABLE HAIR:
In heat, hair becomes static, dry, brittle and frizzy as the humidity
and heat damages the cuticle (outer layer) of your hair. Your scalp
tends to get more sticky because of excessive sweating.
Prevention and treatment:
禮bsp; Wash your hair 2-3 times a week. Use a mild shampoo and
conditioner. Use anti-dandruff shampoo once a week if you are prone to
dandruff. Leave in conditioners seal in the moisture and protect the
hair from the damaging effects of the sun and pollution.
禮bsp; Diluted Apple cider vinegar after shampooing can restore the
shine.
禮bsp; Tie up the hair to avoid greasiness and make it manageable.
Follow the simple tips given above and you will be able to enjoy a
summer friendly skin for a long time. Remember to see your
dermatologist, in time, if your problems do not resolve!