It is common for skin to get dry and the condition is marked by less than the required water in the epidermis (the topmost skin layer). Males and females are equally affected by it. With age, the incidences for having dry skin increases. Elderly people tend to have less amount of natural lubricants and oil in the skin. Areas like the hands, lower legs and arms are more prone to have dry skin. Atmospheric humidity also affects the dryness of skin. It is called xerosic dermatitis or xeroderma.

It might be temporary and mild and may last for some days. In some cases, it can become a severe long-term problem. Dry skin symptoms encompass itching, discomfort and skin tightness. Winters and dry, cold air also affects your skin and the result is dry skin.

Why it normally occurs?
Individuals who wash or sanitize their hands more often can experience a greater degree of dry skin.

Medications may also induce this condition.
The epidermis layer of the skin normally has protein and fat, which prevents dehydration in the skin. When the fatty oils in the skin are removed, the moisture and protection of the skin is lost. The skin becomes more sensitive and breakdowns easily when it gets dried. It might cause the skin to become powdered or may be invisible.
Red rash may appear if dry skin is left untreated. Simple treatment and prevention measures have been effective in dry skin treatment.
Avoid chemical cleansers and harsh soaps is an effective way to prevent dry skin. Moisturisers and bland emollient application on a regular basis have shown effectiveness for treating the condition.
Cellulitis, bacterial infections and eczema might be complications arising from dry skin. Thankfully, dry skin generally is mild and the remedies are easy.
Generalised winter itching is also called winter itch and can be seen commonly amongst older people. It is mainly caused due to dry skin.
People suffering from eczema may also experience winter itch. 
Cold temperature and low humidity can make the dry skin worse in winters.

Dry Skin - Why It Normally Happens?

Everyone dreams of having a flawless and smooth looking skin but it is not just the looks that are impacted if the skin rough and cracked, it is also your skin health. There are many skin issues which people suffer from, dry skin being the commonest of all. Read on to know more about the condition.

Ques 1 - What is dry skin?
Rough, dry, red patches on the skin which are usually itchy can be termed as dry skin. Dry skin is medically known as xeroderma.

Ques 2 - What are the causes of dry skin?
Though long hot showers and seasonal changes are the main causes of dry skin. There are other factors which may lead to dry skin such as indoor heating, frequent hand washing, lack of moisturizing, dehydration, licking your lips and unhealthy eating habits.

A hot shower with some harsh soap washes out the amino acids, salts and oils from your body that are responsible for your skin s natural moisture protection barrier. This makes the skin lose its ability to hang on to water and stay hydrated.

Ques 3 - What are the main symptoms of dry skin?
Itching is the most annoying and noticeable symptom of dry skin. As your skin gets drier, the itching becomes worse. This leads to the  itch-scratch  cycle where you constantly scratch to get rid of the itch and it just causes more itching. Scaling and cracking of the skin are the other common symptoms. The cracking may be severe in some cases leading to bleeding.

Ques 4 - How do you treat dry skin?
The best way to handle dry skin is to be nice to your skin. Here are some tips that can help manage dry skin effectually.

Moisturise - Moisturizing is one of the best treatments for managing dry skin. No matter what the season is, you need to ensure that you use a proper moisturizer after a shower or after even washing your hands. Coconut oil is also a great substitute for a moisturizer.

Use mild soaps - Most shower gels and soap now days are loaded with harsh chemicals. You should opt for milder soaps or go for the organic and natural shower gels to avoid the problem of dry skin. Excessive use of soaps and cleansers can also lead to dry skin.

Avoid extreme weather conditions - Extreme hot or cold can both have an adverse effect on the skin resulting in acne breakouts, itchy skin, rashes, bumps and dry patches.

Ques 4 - What are the most common areas of dry skin?
Your legs are the first to get affected. Dry skin is commonly seen on the hands and forearms as well. Although all parts of the body can present with dry skin.

Dry skin is just a skin condition reminding you to care for your skin and pamper it. Cleanse and moisturize daily to have a smooth and healthy skin. 

Healthy Skin! Happy You!

5 FAQs About Dry Skin!

Microdermabrasion is a quick and painless treatment that accelerates the rate at which dead skin is exfoliated, and jump-starts the proliferation of new skin cells. Your dermatologist may recommend a series of microdermabrasion treatments, which can treat hyperpigmentation, sun-damaged spots, dryness, fine lines and wrinkles and even minor acne scars. Microdermabrasion can be coupled with just about any other type of skin treatment and is usually recommended to be done every few weeks to every two or three months.

Suitable for all but the most sensitive skins, microdermabrasion combines vacuum suction with tiny abrasive crystals to polish away the uppermost layer of skin, eliminating roughness as well as fine lines and wrinkles. It is a quick and virtually pain-free procedure that uses tiny, rough aluminum crystals to vigorously exfoliate the top layer of the skin, removing dead skin cells. 

How is a microdermabrasion procedure performed?

Most often, your microdermabrasion treatment will be performed by a licensed skincare professional in your plastic surgeon's office or medical spa.

There are two general methods for microdermabrasion:

Crystal Microdermabrasion: For this type of microdermabrasion, a handpiece emits crystals onto the surface of the skin, resulting in a gentle abrasion or "polishing" process. Then the dead skin cells along with the crystals are suctioned off either instantaneously (in the same handpiece) or in a secondary process.

Diamond-Tip Microdermabrasion: This type of microdermabrasion works with a diamond-tip handpiece that gently abrades and exfoliates dead skin cells. Like the crystal microdermabrasion, the dead skin is either suctioned off right away in the same handpiece or in a secondary process. The diamond-tip microdermabrasion is safer to perform closer to the eyes and has more flexibility in sensitive areas or on more sensitive skin.?

Ideal Candidates:

Microdermabrasion works best for anyone looking to revitalize their skin. If you have any of these conditions, you are a candidate for microdermabrasion:

 Fine lines and wrinkles
 Hyperpigmentation or sun spots
 Dry skin
 Minor acne scars
 Blemishes or large pores
Acne:

Acne is a skin condition that leads to the outbreak of pimples and sores as well as whiteheads and blackheads. These have a reddish appearance and make the skin look less than ideal. With the help of microdermabrasion, one can gradually reduce the appearance of light scarring and make the skin look even toned.

Rosacea:

This is an inflammation-based skin condition which leads to the appearance of prominent blood vessels as well as other kinds of skin eruptions. Microdermabrasion can come to the rescue of the patient who is suffering from severe symptoms of this condition.

When to Avoid Microdermabrasion:

This procedure should be avoided by people who have sustained deep scars. Also, anyone who has active keloids and lesions that are yet to be diagnosed should avoid this treatment as it may lead to an aggravation. Further, anyone who is suffering from an immune system disorder or diabetes should also avoid this kind of treatment as it may lead to complications. If you have had a chemical peel recently, you should also steer clear of this kind of treatment as it may lead to inflammation, swelling and bleeding on the skin which is already tender from the previous treatment.

All About Microdermabrasion

Top 10 Everyday Skin Care Hacks

You skin needs just a little care daily. There are some very simple ways in which we can provide that much needed affection and get back radiance and softness. And all this without any extra effort!

Try these everyday regimes for the glow.

1. Adopt Hydration - The first thing your skin needs to stay beautiful is adequate 'hydration,' or what they call in plain terms as plenty of water. So bottoms up to at least two liters of water daily.

2. Avoid Dehydration  - While you are busy hydrating your skin, remember to be careful and not dehydrate by staying out under the harsh sun for longer than 10-15 mins at a stretch. Ditch the caffeine habit (Soda, coffee, tea) as it dehydrates your body on the cellular level, inviting the onset of those dreaded wrinkles early than anticipated. 

3. Apply Lesser Layers - Your skin is your body's largest organ and it needs to breathe. So try and not swathe it under layers of heavy makeup and pore clogging chemical body butters on a regular basis.

4. Give It Fresh Air - To get your skin breathing truly fresh, put on your exercise gear and head outdoors to spend some quality time with Mother Nature at the nearest park or maybe you can take that long pending weekend trip out of the city!

5. Don’t Stress - Do not be stressed all the time unnecessarily. Learning how to manage stress effectively can take away years from your skin. 

6. Exercise - Run. Jump. Dance. Get moving, in short. The more your skin sweats, the better will it look and the elasticity would improve dramatically too. 

7. Get Nutrition - Get in the habit of starting the day with plenty of fruits and a healthy breakfast with the right amount of protein, carbs and essential fats. Fats are required by your skin to lubricate and moisturize from the inside. But make sure you stick to good fats found in olive oil, eggs, yogurt (the ones without any additives or artificial sugars), and whole grain breads etc.

8. Go Smoke-free - Just stop smoking and you would see a dramatic improvement in your skin tone within a few weeks (yes, it takes time to reverse that kind of damage) 

9. Wear Sunscreen - Slather on the sunscreen before you leave the house but make sure it's SPF index must be 30 and above for it to be effective under the harsh Indian sun.

10. Exfoliate & Detox - Scrub-rub-a dub every week. NOT every day though.. Make sure you use organic scrubs made with rice granules or sugar grains instead. Use a natural face mask such as Banana mash or a Tomato-Cucumber-Honey paste every alternate day to detoxify, cleanse and moisturize your face and body. 

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

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10 Only Skin Care Hacks You Will Ever Need

Silk pillowcase slows down skin aging

Using silk pillowcase is known to slow down skin aging by giving you a wrinkle-free skin. This is due to many good qualities of silk fibers.

Silk is a natural fiber obtained from animals and contains amino acids which are compatible and friendly to the human skin. It also contains temperature regulators which adjust your skin to the changing temperatures. Hypoallergenic silk fibers resist many skin allergens like fungus, spores etc making it ideal for sensitive skin.

The tightly woven fiber which remains most in contact with your face retains moisture to your skin and keeps your skin well hydrated. Unlike dry and flaky skin, moistened skin cells are most likely to show fewer wrinkles and hence slow down skin aging process.

Did You Know a Silk Pillowcase Can Slow Down Your Skin's Aging?

Orange Peel Scrub For Flawless Glowing Skin

An orange is much more than just a refreshing tangy fruit. Orange, rich in Vitamin C, is the best all rounder when it comes to your skin. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps your skin to get younger looking, glowing and healthy. It’s almost a miracle for your skin.

Ground orange peels (and nothing else) just on their own make for the perfect scrub. 

It has these 4 effects on your skin.

1. Scrubbing off Dead Skin: The leathery granular texture & calcium present in it, serves as a gentle but extremely effective scrub, removing layers of dead and decaying skin. 

2. Moisturizing: The natural oil & potassium present in orange peel moisturizes & hydrates your skin simultaneously. 

3. Anti-ageing: The antioxidants neutralize the free radicals keeping wrinkles and sagging cheeks at bay.  Vitamin C & Magnesium present in it make skin glowing, youthful & healthy.

4. Skin Lightening: The orange peel also serves as a natural bleaching agent which helps with skin whitening. 

How to Get the Glow: To get an instant glow, all you need to do is rub frozen orange peel cubes onto your skin.  Continue rubbing till the cubes dissolve onto your skin into a scrub/mask. Splash your face with water to reveal the magic!

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

4 Magical  Effects Orange Peel Has On Your Skin

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