Don't Let Your Skin Predict Your Age

Since the day we are born, we have been growing older every second. In the early years of our life we are delighted by the idea of growing big and mature but as time slides by and we are in our thirties the quest begins to erase the touches of the time. Sad but true, just the way objects in the rear view mirror are nearer than they appear, the first signs of ageing—wrinkles, uneven skin tone, crow’s feet and sun spots appear sooner than we realize. Dr Sachin Dhawan, Director Clinical & Aesthetic Dermatology at Gurgaon based Artemis Health Institute says, The first signs of ageing have begun to appear in people as young as twenties and you just can’t deny the role of stress in it.”

Though we dread the first wrinkle, still it is not the first sign of ageing. “In Indian context, the first signs of ageing are irregular pigmentation, open pores and fine lines. The more apparent signs like wrinkles and grooves come much later,” informs Dr Dhawan.

Recognise the signs–

Mottled Skin–

Mottled skin or uneven skin tone is caused by the long term exposure to the unforgiving rays of the sun. In fact, dermatologists concur that maximum damage to the skin is caused by photo ageing or sun. The skin could become blotchy, leathery as the youthful even tone begins to fade.

What to do

Instead of a brief summer fling, have a long term affair with sunscreen. This is one beauty staple which you should always carry with you irrespective of the weather. “Sunscreens with minimum SPF of 15 will help shield your skin from 97% of the damage caused by the rays of the sun through out the year, counsels Dr Dhawan. When buying sunscreens be careful and choose those that offer broad spectrum protection, do not clog your pores, are fragrance free and dermatologically tested. You could even wear Calamine Lotion and dust powder on it to get sun protection. Most importantly, the rule with sunscreens is repply.

Enlarged Pores

Given the tropical weather condition of our country, as we grow older we find that the smooth-satin finish of our childhood skin has disappeared and our skin has become riddled with pores. Technically, pores are opening on the skin to the sebum gland to help keep our skin smooth. Enlarged pores imply that the oil glands are over busy.

What to doThere is really no permanent remedy for open pores. You can apply ice on face to tighten open pores, says Dr. Shehla Aggarwal of Mehak Clinic. Wear foundation to hide open pores. Dr Dhruv Gupta, Gurgaon based dermatologist suggests, “Use a good quality foundation with sunscreen. Foundation is actually beneficial for the skin, because it acts like a protective layer between your face and the elements. This is the best way that you can conceal open pores. Wash off the foundation as soon as you reach home with face wash, and follow up with toner.” You can even try getting glycolic acid peels or chemical peels done at your dermatologist’s office to get rid of the open pores.

Dull looking Skin

As you age your skin is not able to shed off the dead skin as fast as it did earlier. As a result the dead skin keeps accumulating and the youthful glow begins to bid adieu to you.

What to do

Tweak your face care routine once again and add an extra ingredient of exfoliation to it. Use face washes and toners that have antioxidants in it. Besides, follow words of wisdom offered by Dr Dhawan, “Balanced eating, moderate exercise, alcohol and tobacco abstinence, adequate sleep and mental relaxation techniques play an important part in keeping the glow intact on your skin.”

Crow’s feet

The skin around your eyes are the most sensitive and they are devoid of fat and muscle tone. This means that when your skin is exposed to the sun this is the first area to develop wrinkles. Again, when you slather sunscreens you tend to miss the area beneath your eyes. No wonder, research studies have found that for 90% women first signs of ageing show beneath their eyes.

What to  do

Wear sunglasses to protect the skin around your eyes. If you smoke then quit it and drink eight glasses of water everyday. Keep your skin soft and supple with a good moisturizer and buy a reputed under eye cream for your eyes. Another homemade treatment for crow’s feet is to use fresh papaya or pineapple. Rub a slice of either fruit carefully along the fines wrinkles you want to get rid of. Allow the juice to sit for fifteen to twenty minutes. Then, rinse it off with cool water; pat dry with a soft towel. Papaya contains “papain” and pineapples contain “bromelain.” Both of these enzymes help remove dead skin cells. They also help spur your skin to produce collagen.

Laughter lines

The skin around our mouths is constantly in use. Hence, this part of your face is vulnerable to the assault of facial lines. Again, the sunscreen that you slather on your face vanishes the moment you eat, drink or lick your lips.  Folks who do facial exercises should quit the habit at once.

What to do

There are things that you can do at home to reduce lines on your face, like exfoliation, taking vitamins, eating fruits and using herbal treatments. Exfoliate at least twice a week. When you exfoliate your skin absorbs the nutrition offered by moisturisers, anti-ageing creams thereby justifying every penny spent on these. When choosing face creams or lotions go for products that have alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). These work against skin-damaging oxygen molecules (free radicals) in your body. These also help collagen growth that fills in lines and eliminates dead cells on skin surface.

Priya Singh

Must Have Beauty Essentials for Winters

Winter has announced its arrival. The weather has turned nippy and your skin is the first one to bear the brunt of elements (read cold winds). The basics of skin care remain the same for winter too: cleansing, toning and moisturising but you need to tweak these products a bit. In summer, a foaming face wash was good but as the temperature dips you should switch to a mild cleanser, preferably a lotion. Similarly your toner should be of non-drying types and your moisturiser should be a richer version of the one that you used in the summer. Priya Singh enlists ten must have beauty essentials that every girl should keep in her vanity kit.

1. Heavy duty moisturizer with SPF protection: Cold winds can strip moisture from your skin, particularly your facial skin. Wear moisturisers diligently after cleaning your face. Switch to oil based moisturisers in place of water as they form a barrier on your skin and look for “nonclogging” oils, like avocado oil, mineral oil, primrose oil, or almond oil. Do not avoid sunscreen protection just because it’s winter. The rays of the sun will wreak damage on your skin nevertheless. Sunscreen Protection Factor 15 is good for Indian skin tones.

 2. Gentle exfoliating agents: In these months our skin’s turnover rate goes down, hence you should add a gentle exfoliating agent in your skin care ritual to remove the dead cells from your skin. Any scrub which has AHA agents will be a good exfoliator. Lactic acid (sour yoghurt) is a wonderful exfoliator that removes dead cells without being harsh. Gentle peeling creams are better than the regular scrubs. Remember to tone (rose water) your skin after exfoliating it and follow it up with a good moisturiser.

 3. Switch your face masks. Give hydrating face masks a chance now. Avoid face masks that have clay in it as they can absorb extra oil from your skin. Now, your masks should have ingredients like glycerine, honey which can nourish your skin.

 4. How about hand creams? Your hands bear the brunt of cold weather more than your face. Shower these with some TLC and you’ll be rewarded with a soft and smooth pair of hands. Exfoliate your hands and apply a good hand cream later. Wear cotton gloves later to seal in the moisture.

 5. Put your best foot forward. Winter means dry, dehydrated and cracked heels for many. Not only this is painful but embarrassing too. Dip your heels in a basin of warm salted water in which baking soda and shampoo has been added. Scrub the topmost layer gently with a good quality pumice stone. Refrain from buying the cheaper version available at your local kirana store. Follow it up with a generous massage by a rich, hydrating foot cream.

 6. Have you splurged on hair masks? The cold winds and the dipping temperature steal moisture and lustre from your precious strands. Protect your hair by wearing nourishing hair masks. Make it once-a-week affair and your hair will bounce with health.

7. Lip balms. Your lips don’t have any oil glands. Naturally they dry out faster than your skin. Hence buy a good quality lip balm to keep your lips hydrated and well moisturised. You can also switch to creamy lipsticks in place of the long lasting ones to keep your lips happy.

 8. Eye cream: The delicate skin around your eyes can get really damaged by cold air and harsh winds. Even though you might apply in the AM, applying eye cream mid-day when you leave your office will keep the skin around the eyes protected.

9. Oil massage. This sounds delicious and feels heavenly. At least once a month treat yourself to a whole body oil massage. You can use coconut or olive oil for the massage and your skin will definitely feel better and more hydrated later.

10. Body butter: This is thicker than a regular lotion and provides much needed nourishment to the dry and dehydrated skin.

In winter you may not feel thirsty but you should have ten glasses of water to keep your skin hydrated. If you use room heaters then place a bowl of water in the room so that your skin doesn’t feel parched when you wake up. Hot water baths may feel heavenly, but you should avoid it as it can dry your skin. Instead prefer tepid water and put a capful of baking soda in it to keep your skin moist. Emphasise on healthy foods and be regular with exercise and the result will reflect in a healthy glow on your face.

Glow like a Gemstone

There is no denying that every woman loves a day at the salon. Reason is there is no better way to pamper and get that much-needed relaxation and dazzling effect, instantly. And when the celebration season is on the cards, the idea of receiving the exotic facials gets all more important. So to glow like a gemstone this party season, why not try ‘gemstone facial’.  Yes, you heard right! Gemstone facials are a great way to keep your skin young and beautiful tells expert beauty therapist Shenaz Hussain. But don’t just get swayed away by the great marketing gimmicks. Before heading to the parlor for your all-important beauty ritual, ‘the facial’, skin type must surely be kept in mind.

It’s well known that we have a fondness for gold – and other precious metals and gems like silver, pearls, diamonds platinum, etc. But crushing these lifestyle accessories in a beauty tool like facial is something that requires a deep study. As, all that glitters do not surely can make your skin shine too! And if it can really make one get shiny skin instantly, then what the logic is behind, is what Guardian Health Chronicle team explains here. Read to select right one…

What Does Your Skin Demand

Sapphire is for youthful glow. The contents of this stone helps to soothe, deeply hydrate and protect the skin making it appear clear, smooth, rejuvenated and youthful. It removes dead cells, restores and maintains the ideal skin and safeguards it from harmful environmental effects. Also, the blue sapphire treatment is believed to induce sleep and wipe away depression.

Diamonds are mostly used for skin lightening process. Mostly used for micro-dermabrasion and skin polishing, this facial includes a diamond wand which has an array of “diamond” crystals used to polish the skin, leaving it luminous and radiant. If you have a sensitive skin type or if you complain about discolouration of facial skin or blackheads, whiteheads, acne scarring, enlarged pores, lip and character lines and stretch marks, you must go for diamond facial. The procedure is also used to diminish white heads, fine lines,

Silver facial helps in skin detoxification and purification, claims the cosmetic industry. It helps prevent blackheads too. Skin clinics also claim that silver works best on dehydrated skin by restoring lost nourishment.

Gold facials give skin instant radiant lustre. The gold in the products is said to retain moisture in the skin, increase flexibility and smoothness, slow down collagen depletion and prevent sagging skin. It also apparently improves lymphatic drainage (a network of veins in the body that removes toxins) and regenerate skin cells and fights damaging free radicals to prevent premature ageing.

Pearl helps in skin brightening and reducing blemishes and dark spots. It is naturally rich in amino acids, minerals, and proteins that have powerful age control properties. Also it helps to strengthen the skin, improve its moisture retention ability and produce an even colour tone.

Platinum facial recharges and energizes your skin. It influences the skin at the cellular level and helps to ensure the strength of its supportive tissues. It maintains the desired moisture level. It has powerful anti-oxidant effects which protect the skin’s youthful properties and impart radiance. It is mostly recommended to combination skin type.

Amber detoxifies and protects your skin from radiation, drawing positive power and energy. Known as a happy stone it cleanses the skin thoroughly but gently to make your skin feel soft and relaxed.

Onyx purifies the skin and stimulates cellular regeneration. Black in colour, it particularly helps in healing infected wounds, fungal infections, inflammation as well as sunburn.

Red rays of Ruby stone strengthen and nourish the facial skin, treat skin infections and improve blood circulation. Being the gem of sun it gives lustre to the skin. That is not all. It is a good moisturiser and a rich source of Vitamin A which is excellent for an ageing skin too.

Pink tourmaline helps maintaining the correct level of moisture in our skin. It involves much time for the massage process as it calms down the skin and soothes it. It also calms our mind and promotes harmonization.

Emerald is best for anti-ageing and repairing skin damage properties. The emerald ash infused (soaked without boiling) in the cream helps to rejuvenate and tone the skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It further strengthens the skin and increases elasticity, prevents pimple formation and removes excess oil from the skin. With its natural astringent and antiseptic properties it cures acne prone skin. It even relieves fatigued eyelids and also makes the lips look healthier.

Celeb’s Speak  Gautami Kapoor, TV Actress I got a gold facial done when I got married and was happy with it. I am a great believer in facials and get one done every two months. For some years, I have been hooked to pearl facials. My skin is sensitive, but this is one treatment that suits me. The pearl facial makes my skin look clean and even-toned. It is meant for whitening, so I do it when I have a tan. I am tempted to try out diamond facials too. My husband doesn’t believe in these treatments, but I am a convert.

Are You Turning Scaly

HAS YOUR SKIN TURNED RED AND SORE AND YOU FEEL ITCHY LIKE CRAZY? And you know you haven't been near poison ivy or even don't have chickenpox! But still, you chew your fingernails down to the quick just so you won't scratch until you bleed! Don’t dip down in depression for turning into a monster movie. You suffer from ECZEMA. Dr Sheilly Kapoor Consultant Dermatology Medanta the Medicity tells all about this scaly skin concern. Read to know.

What is Eczema

In Greek means “to Boil”. It broadly encompasses skin conditions that cause the skin to suffer from recurring redness, skin edema (swelling), and you feel itching and dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding most of the time. Areas of temporary skin discoloration may also appear.

Identify the Causes

The exact cause of eczema in unknown but is linked to an over active response by the body's immune system to an irritant. In addition, it is more common in persons with a family history of other allergies/ asthma.

 Some types of eczema can occur as a result of single (irritant contact dermatitis) or repeated (allergic contact dermatitis) exposure to irritants / allergens. The common allergens include detergents, animal dander, objects containing nickel like coins, buttons, jewellery and eyeglass frames etc. Upper respiratory infections or colds may also be triggers. Stress may cause the condition to worsen.

Seasonal changes can affect eczema badly especially in children. However, flare-ups often occur in winter months when the air is drier. Dry hair combined with heating in some houses can cause the skin to dry out and lead to eczema.

Eczema can get aggravated by dryness of the skin. So keeping the affected area moisturized can promote skin healing and relied of symptoms. Other drugs with can be used for eczema include topical (tacrolimus and pimecrolimus ) and systemec (cyclosporine, azathioprine and methotrexate) immuno suppressents.

  

Are you at risk?

Genetic Factors: Parents who suffer from allergic disorders, including eczema, asthma, and hay fever have a higher risk of having children with eczema.

Environmental factors such as skin irritants, including wool or synthetic clothing, soaps or detergents, cosmetics or perfumes, dust/sand, chemical solvents, chlorine triggers eczema. Other conditions that aggravate the disease includes extreme temperates(cold or hot temperatures or dry air or extremely humid air), and lack of moisturizer after bathing, etc. Other allergens that also trigger eczema includes plant pollen, animal dander, household dust mites, molds, and certain foods

Age factor: The risk is greatest for infants and children. It is estimated that of people who eventually develop eczema, 65% of patients develop symptoms in the first year of life, and 90% develop symptoms before age 5. The condition often improves in adulthood, but 50% of those affected in childhood are affected throughout life.

Obvious Treatments

Lifestyle wise: Eczema can be controlled and not cured. Growing out of atopic eczema with age and avoiding the allergens causing atopic eczema are the only situations where it is considered to               be cured. Otherwise controlling the condition with some lifestyle modification with or without medication is the answer. Here are few recommendations to stay well with eczema:

• Maintain a regular bathing and moisturizing schedule.
• Avoid wearing wool or other rough fabrics which can irritate the skin.
• Dressing in layers is preferable as to much clothing may cause swelling and increase itch.
• Use a humidifier to keep the air moist and prevent the skin from getting dry.
• Moisturize well and repeat at regular intervals.

 However, specifically in warmer months, it is important to stay cool as sweating causes itchiness and make the symptoms of eczema worse. Wear loose fitting cotton clothes cotton allows the air to circulate better and helps to absorb body moisture this helps to keep the body cool and dry. Also it is good to lessen activities that cause a lot of sweating esp-during hot hours of the day. Lastly protect your skin from the sun.

Medication wise:  There is no known cure for eczema; therefore, treatments aim to control the symptoms by reducing inflammation and reducing itching. Corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment.  To treat mild to moderate eczema steroid cream eg. Hydrocortisone may be used for a week; while in more severe cases a higher potency steroid eg. clobetasol propionate is recommended. However, in extreme severe cases, oral on injectable corticosteroids is needed. Although they bring rapid relief but at times shows greater side effects. It can be controlled on an average in 2-3 weeks in majority of cases.  For itch relief, antihistamines are combined.     

                                 

Dietary restrictions You can avoid flare-ups by restricting eatables like eggs, fish, peanuts and soya. However, this is very individual and should be discussed with your health care provider. Try to eliminate cigarette, alcohol, caffeine, saturated fats and preserved foods from the diet. Eat more fiber-rich food. Drink plenty of water and take fruit juices like orange.

What to wear with eczema

 Fabric not fashion should be the deciding factor. Cotton is currently one of the most commonly recommended fabric for people with eczema but a specially treated silk (Dermasilk) has shown good evidence to become the fabric of choice for eczema. Wool, nylon and other synthetic fibres have frequently been shown to irritate eczema, so it’s good to avoid these materials.

Fix 5 Winter Hair Woes Now!

December is about to begin and the season has surely turned to the colder side. Now with pleasant sides, winter also bring dry frizzy cold winds that can be your hair’s worst nightmare. Find out what causes these tress troubles and get a slew of solutions to fix them. Dr Sheilly Kapoor, Consultant Dermatology Medanta the Medicity shares the solutions. Read on.

Problem #1 – Dandruff

What causes it

When the mercury drops and there’s little moisture in the air, skin — including our scalps — becomes dry, tight and uncomfortably itchy, causing scaly dandruffs. However, there are other causes as well like not washing or conditioning your hair for than a week or so. A sweaty scalp also contributes to dandruff.  Another culprit is the Pityrosporum ovale fungus. A mixture of oil and fungus speeds up the rate at which dead skin cells are shed from your scalp, leading to dandruff flakes.

What you can do

Alternate shampoos and conditioners that contain different ingredients, such as salicylic acid, selenium sulfide and pyrithione zinc rather using just one anti-dandruff shampoo or conditioner exclusively as the fungus can adapt and become immune to it. Also each ingredient has a different effect, like exfoliating dead cells soothing your scalp and reducing inflammation. Specifically, shampoos rich in ingredient pyrithione zinc can help remove dandruff up to 70 percent more effective.

Problem # 2 – Dryness

What causes it

As winter falls, the wind starts howling and the air gets frigid with very little moisture left in the atmosphere to breathe. And to counter this chill, we crank up our heater that again kills moisture causing more drying effect. So whether you move in or out, your hair surely turns dry and brittle. Moreover, if you love following a regular hairstyling routine, be it colouring or using heat styling tools like blow-dryers, curling irons or straightening irons, your hair dryness gets even worse. Reason is any chemical processing, such as coloring or perming, adds to dryness and affects hair’s structure to retain moisture.

What you can do

• Use a humidifier to replenish moisture in the air and combat the drying effects of indoor heat.

• Don’t shampoo your hair daily to restore its natural oils and moisture.

• Opt for rich, creamy shampoos and conditioners containing moisturizing ingredients, like lanolin, protein, silicone, panthenol or shea butter. They’ll smooth your hair and add hydration.

• Steer clear of ingredients such as ammonium lauryl sulfate and tea tree oil, because these can strip hair’s natural oils and exacerbate dryness.

• Use luke warm water to rinse out shampoo, because hot water will make hair dryer. Finish with a blast of cool water to close up and smooth the hair cuticle. When the cuticle is smooth, light reflects off and makes your hair shiny.

• Once a week, try a deep conditioning intensive treatment with moisturizing aloe, jojoba butter or avocado oil. Choose shea butter hair mask. It is a super-rich formula with shea butter, avocado oil, panthenol and protein that repairs and rehydrates dry, damaged, coarse hair.

• Be careful drying and styling your hair. Gently squeeze and pat it with a towel to soak up moisture, but don’t rub hair with the towel, as this can damage the cuticle.

• Avoid heat-styling your hair. But, if you must use one of the heating tools, let your hair air dry for about 30 minutes to lock in some of the moisture and to avoid blow dry.

• When using hair spray or styling products do skip ones that are loaded with alcohol or strong fragrances as these further dry your hair.

Problem #3 – Hat head

What causes it

Your tresses get crushed and flattened by caps and hats. In particular, headwear that are tight-fitting or made from certain materials — like wool or acrylic — can cause you to perspire. Oil and sweat make your hair look limp and greasy.

What you can do

• As hats crush your hair, so you need to avoid anything that weigh down your locks even further, like piling on loads of styling products.

• Don’t miss shampooing alternately. Reason is if you long the gap oil, grease and residue will accumulate and weigh hair down.

• Before putting on your hat, pull hair into a ponytail, or push short hair back. If possible, choose a hat made from cotton, which is less likely to cause static.

• Wait until hair is completely dry after shampoo and has cooled off from a hot blow-dry before putting on a hat.

• For another trick, turn your head upside down, mist the underside of your hair lightly with hair spray then straighten up again. It will give hair lift and volume with no sticky, heavy residue. 

Problem #4 – Split ends

What causes it

Split ends are another crucial concern gets triggered in winters. And the reasons go similar, lack of moisture in the air, heat-styling tools or chemical processes such as colouring, rebonding, perming, etc. The drier your hair is, the more split ends you’ll have, tells Dr Kapoor.

What you can do

If you already have split ends, they can’t be repaired or reversed. All you can do is to get a trim. And to stop it grow, your best bet is to avoid heat styling, keep hair hydrated and visit your stylist for regular trims every couple months.

Problem #5 – Static and frizz

What causes them

Do you remember those static generators from science class that would make your hair stand on end if you touched them? Our tresses often take on the same look in winter. Reason is dry air and cold temperatures, which zap moisture from hair. Pulling wooly sweaters on and off over your head also contributes to the problem.

What you can do

• Hydrate your hair frequently. Use moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, or skip those labeled “volumizing” or “clarifying, products, because they can be drying and make hair more prone to static.

• Opt for leave-in conditioners which feature special polymers that adhere to hair, preventing flyaway strands.

• Serums are another good choice to coat and moisturize hair.

Whatever your winter hair woes are, these simple tips can surely prove beneficial to give you beautiful locks even during the harsh, blistering weather! So now take a chill pill.