Hindu Mission Hospital - Tambaram

Causes For Skin Damage:

1. Lack of hydration

2. Smoking

3. Sun damage

4. Lack of exercise

5. Bad eating habits

Feed your skin the right food and it will respond with that lovely look you want :)

How to get healthy skin:

1. Minimal makeup: Ladies, can you please minimize makeup usage? It is really not necessary to always use a blush, concealer, foundation, mousse or whatever it is. It may add a fine coating to your skin making it glowing skin, but what about your real skin? Is it really glowing? No matter how expensive the brand is, it damages your skin to a large extent. We are not asking you to throw them off your shelf; keep those away for special days. The rest of the days, tone and moisturize your skin, use sunscreen. Let your skin breathe.

2. Face cleansing: This has been told by all beauty experts umpteen times when asked how to maintain healthy skin. Even if you are too tired after a long party, cleanse all dirt and makeup from your skin. Your face needs to be cleared of all the chemicals in makeup. The makeup acts as a tight mask on your face keeping your facial pores clogged. If you go to bed with all these makeup on, you’ll wake up the next morning with a huge embarrassing pimple.

3. Slather on sunscreen: Sunscreen is a must for your skin. The rays of the sun are harmful beyond thoughts. Skin cancer, premature aging, skin rashes all of these are caused when your skin gets too much exposure to the sun without any protection.

4. Exfoliating face: All the healthy skin tips for women say that you should exfoliate your face at least twice a week. Scrubbing your face will rid your facial skin of all the dead cells that might have clogged your pored leading to acne breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads. Scrubbing your face will also improve your complexion, adds a glow to your skin and also clears your skin of all toxins. Don’t keep your skin scrubbing daily, it will make your skin look even drier.

5. Moisturize: Yes, other than keeping yourself internally hydrated, also use a good moisturizer to feed your skin. Moisturizers do not add a great deal of moisture by themselves but they lock in the present moisture and are hence essential to keep your skin hydrated. After a bath, make it a routine to moisturize your face daily to keep it hydrated. 

6. Water: Water forms the major portion of our body. It is recommended to drink 10 - 15 glasses of water everyday to keep you healthy and free from aliments. Drink enough water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated. Do not allow your skin to feel thirsty. For a soft, supple and dewy look, water is a must. Follow this diet regime for a healthy skin and cut down on all fried and unhealthy fatty foods. Following are the benefits of water therapy : a) permanent glow b) removes toxic material and c) keeps your skin and body hydrated.

7. Eat proper food to get healthy skin: Food provides life to your skin. Everything you eat in your everyday life contributes to a healthy skin. Only that you have to cut out on some and add some more:

a. Vitamin C rich foods: Have fruits and veggies rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin C manufactures collagen that is responsible for the firmness of your skin. So you quite well understand that lack of vitamin C in your diet will lead to the formation of wrinkles at an early age. Vitamin C is also an anti-oxidant that prevents collagen damage. High vitamin C foods include bell peppers, dark leafy greens, kiwifruit, broccoli, berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peas, and papayas.

b. Vitamin A: Who doesn’t want a smooth complexion? We all do, but for that we don’t need to spend thousands of bucks when we have the solution in our refrigerator. All red, orange and green leafy veggies are rich sources of beta-carotene (a form of Vitamin A). It is necessary for cell formation and therefore your skin surface stays smooth and touchable. Carotenoids also protect skin from sun. Turnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, squash all of these are rich sources of Vit A.

c. Healthy fats: Nuts are fatty and are not good for health; that is a misconception. Of course nuts are fatty, but they are filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. This falls under that healthy category of fats that is essential for us. Have a handful of almonds and walnuts daily for a supple looking clear skin. Flax seeds are another good option to consume omega-3 fats. If you are a non-vegetarian, have salmon atleast twice a week. This fish is also rich in omega-3 fats.The oil you cook your food in should also be taken care of. Switch over to olive oil which is a rich source of mono-unsaturated fats.

d. Tomatoes: Tomatoes doesn’t need a very special mention when it comes to healthy facial skin. They contain a magical ingredient called lypocene which is an anti-oxidant that helps fight old age. It can keep your skin at bay from all old age signs like wrinkles, dark spots and patches or saggy skin.

e. Zinc and iron: Eggs, lean meat, oysters and cereals supply a good mount of zinc and iron to your body that imparts that much wanted celeb like glow. Zinc helps in cell production and natural weariness of dead cells giving your face a fresh look. Iron is needed to carry oxygen through the body that gives a blushy glow to your face.

f. Fibers: If you are the one suffering from acne often, its time you think of including fiber-rich foods in your diet. One of the reasons for acne breakouts is indigestion. And the best solution discovered so far to improve your digestive system is having foods rich in fiber. Having whole-grain breads, brown rice, apples, bananas, oatmeal are proved solution to minimize acne.

Most people think that having a smoking habit adversely affects only the lungs and the heart. But apart from known links to lung cancer and heart disorders, smoking also causes skin damage. The intensity of damage is directly proportional to the number of cigarettes one smokes in a day and the number of years one has been smoking for.

Here are 7 of the horrible things that smoking does to your skin

1. Premature ageing: The process of skin ageing is accelerated by a smoking habit. The chemicals that are ingested through the smoke cause your skin to age much faster, making it look loose, dull and coarse, with uneven colouring. Most smokers have a muted orange or grey tinge to their complexions.

2. Wrinkles and lines: The nicotine from smoke constricts blood vessels in the outer layers of the skin, thereby cutting off the supply of oxygen and nutrients. This causes the skin to develop visible fine lines and wrinkles at a faster rate.

3. Scarring and pigmentation: Since blood is not flowing properly to the outer layers of the skin, it is more susceptible to broken capillaries and veins, which can cause dark scarring and pigmentation on the face and other areas.

4. Darkening of the lips: Constant exposure to heat from smoking causes stark darkening and pigmentation in the lips, which also become dry and coarse.

5. Delayed wound healing: The presence of nicotine, tar and other chemicals in the blood causes cuts and wounds on the skin to heal at a much slower pace with an increased risk of infection, blood clot formation and death of skin tissue.

6. Increased risk of skin disease: Smoking makes the skin prone to various diseases and conditions like psoriasis, which happen as nicotine adversely affects the body's immune system.

7. High chances of skin cancer: Skin cancer and oral cancer are the two lesser known variants of the diseases that can be caused by smoking. Skin cancer is far more common among smokers than among non-smokers.

The harmful effects of smoking on the skin are not entirely discernible until after 10 years of prolonged smoking. Fortunately, your skin starts to heal itself when you kick the habit.

How to look after your skin in Summer season?

People tend to believe that they have sensitive skin when they use certain products that don't suit them and causes some redness, itching, blotches, rashes, etc. However, this is not true. Sensitive skin is actually used to describe a condition when skin develops rashes, skin bumps, erosions, pustules, blotches, redness and so on when exposed to harsh weather conditions such as extreme heat, wind or cold.

There are some common skin ailments for that may harm a sensitive skin; i.e. Acne, rosacea, burning and stinging as well as contact dermatitis or irritants and allergies. Skin can be sensitive on any part of the body, including legs, arms, hands, etc. but it is most noticeable on the face though. The degree of sensitivity varies from person to person. Sensitive skin easily reacts when exposed to sunlight or wind. Also, such a skin is more prone to dryness, itchiness and redness. So, in case you have a sensitive skin you need to be extra cautious with the foods you eat and the products you use.

Precautions to be taken in case of a sensitive skin:

1. First of all, you need to find out what is causing the problem. Is it food, weather or a product and stop using/avoiding those things to protect your skin.
2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser twice a day.
3. Do not overload yourself with several skin care products like toners, scrubs, packs, and variety of creams.
4. Keep a healthy, balanced diet which is rich in antioxidants such as Vitamins A, C and E. Also increase your intake of anti-inflammatory spices such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper.
5. Exercise daily to ensure a good circulation to the skin.
6. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Adding lemon gives your skin the much needed Vitamin C.
7. Choose natural and soft fabrics such as silk and cotton for sensitive skin.
8. Avoid exposing your skin to too hot or cold water .
9. Avoid using skin care and cosmetic products that have alcohol, harsh exfoliants, petrochemicals, acids, or synthetic fragrances as these can irritate the skin.
10. While trying a new product make sure to do a trial test on the skin especially on your inner arm or behind your ear.
11. Use a good broad spectrum sunscreen which is non comedogenic, paraben and fragrance-free.
12. Try to reduce stress in life by resorting to activities such as meditation, yoga, or walking.
13. Get enough restful sleep to enable your body clock to function normally, which will give you clear skin.

However, if you do have any prolonged, unexplained skin reaction then you should visit your dermatologist who might conduct a skin allergy test to identify the root cause of the problem. Finally, limit your alcohol intake.