5 hidden causes of acne, revealed!

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the openings of oil glands become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne usually appears on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to disappear, others seem to crop up. Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and can also scar the skin. But what causes the recurrence of breakouts?

These are attributed to certain hidden causes, which are:

1. Your drug prescriptions

Steroids found in prescription drugs are a key offender, whether taken internally or topically. If taken internally, the offending ingredient will be listed as prednisone, which is the tablet form of steroid. Prednisone is used to treat inflammatory diseases like poison ivy, allergies and arthritis. If medications are taken topically, it could aggravate acne or cause steroid acne. Oral contraceptives are also a common cause of acne.

2. Your beauty routine

Acne caused by topical lotions, creams and makeup are known as acne cosmetica, commonly appearing on face, neck, hairline and scalp. Applying a product regularly to an acne-prone area can do more harm than good. Some people go to bed with ointments or oils in their hair that can get on the pillowcase and then rub on your face. It's best to put a clean towel over your pillowcase every night to prevent buildup.

3. Your cell phone

Cell phones gather all kinds of dirt and bacteria and are a big cause of acne on the chin and around the mouth. Wiping down the screen of your smartphones every day with alcohol or cleaning wipes will keep your phone and your face clean.

4. Using toothpaste to treat a zit

Certain toothpaste can actually cause you to develop acne or an acne-like eruption on the lower parts of your face, including your chin. Fluoride and other whitening and anti-cavity ingredients are quite abrasive and could potentially burn your skin, cause irritation and initiate breakouts.

5. Your workout gear

It's not the act of exercising that is causing breakouts but other issues. If you are using a communal yoga mat, you may be on the side that someone else's feet or perspiration had touched before, with the physical contact causing breakouts. It's best to put a clean towel over it before working out, even if it is your personal mat.

Also, workout gear that constantly rubs in a certain area can cause frictional acne. Constant rubbing ends up making you sweat, causing skin irritation and eventually developing into tiny red bumps. Though it looks like a heat rash, it is actually acne.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Do You Know that Dandruff Causes ACNE?

5 Hidden Causes of Acne, Revealed!

Natural ways to remove your blackheads and whiteheads
 
Blackheads and whiteheads not only make you look unattractive, but also are hard to cure and keep recurring. Fortunately, there are quite a few substances and food items available in every kitchen that can effectively and naturally treat them and can also prevent them from recurring! 

Some of the best natural treatments for whiteheads and blackheads are-

1. Use milk- milk is a natural cleanser. Add a hint of lemon juice to half a cup of milk and mix it well with half a spoon of salt. Apply this mixture while scrubbing thoroughly on the entire surface of your face skin. This method decreases whiteheads and blackheads in a week and also stops them from recurring.

2. Cinnamon &amp; honey- a paste made up of one tablespoon of cinnamon powder and adequate honey is a very effective mixture. Apply it on the face, especially on the affected areas, and keep it on for the entire night. Wash it off in the morning. Continue this every night till whiteheads and blackheads disappear.

3. Baking soda- baking soda is exceptionally good to treat several skin problems. A mixture of baking soda and water must be applied on the face. Once it dries, wash it off. This mixture dries off the whiteheads and blackheads and also removes excessive oil from the skin.

4. Mint &amp; turmeric- extract 4 teaspoons of mint juice and add half a spoon of turmeric making a thick paste. Apply it on affected areas for a while. Once this paste dries off, wash your face with water. Milk can replace mint juice if desired.

5. Lemon juice- squeeze out lemon juice from 2 big sized lemons. Add some water to reduce the acidic effect. Dip a cotton ball in it and rub it across your face. You can do this several times a day. This is the simplest method to treat whiteheads and blackheads.

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

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Everybody Has Them! Remove Blackheads &amp; Whiteheads Naturally.

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

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

Oily skin and summers: what is the ideal way to handle it?

Oily skin is a condition that can be characterized by shine on the skin and a large number of pores. The oil in question is a result of overactive sebaceous glands that produce excessive sebum. This can result in acne and blackheads. Summer is a time of the year where skin problems due to oily skin are worsened by factors such as sweat and dust. So proper skin care is necessary in order to negate the effects of oily skin.

There are multiple ways to handle this condition in summers:

1. Using cleansers - Proper cleaning of skin is a very important step in lessening the effects of oily skin. Harsh cleansers have an opposing effect as they facilitate secretion of oil, so a mild cleanser is usually the best option. Some cleansers may contain ingredients that irritate the skin, so care is advised in selecting a proper one.

2. Hydration and food - Keeping the body well hydrated in summers combined with a diet free of greasy, oily food and less fats can help in reducing the effects of oily skin.

3. Using masks to clear the face - Masks such as clay masks, yogurt, and baking soda can help in cleansing the skin by clearing the oil. It should be noted that these treatments should not be overdone as they can cause the skin to dry up too much and over secrete oil.

4. Skin moisturizers - People often have this notion that oily skin does not require moisturizer application. Selecting a moisturizer that is fit for oily skin and using it will help moisturize the skin and keep it healthy.

5. Sunscreen - Sunscreen is a necessity during summers, and the sunscreen you choose should be specifically for oily skin in order for it to work effectively. Application of sunscreen can help prevent the UV rays of the sun from penetrating the skin and cause complications.

6. Dermatological treatment - In case of severe oiliness, treatments such as chemical peels and creams laced with tretinoin can help.



Oily skin and summers: what is the ideal way to handle it?

Washing your skin with water is something that you probably do daily, but you may not know at what temperature the water should be. Using water at the correct temperature is advantageous for the skin. Water at extreme temperatures is harmful for the skin as your skin is not designed that way.

The temperature of the water should also depend on the purpose for which it is being used. Here are some tips on how to set the temperature of the water depending on the purpose: 

1. Showering: while showering, if you are using hot water, then it may strip your skin of its essential oils and make it vulnerable to dryness. This may cause various skin complications, such as cracked and rough skin. Hence, use lukewarm water while you shower.

2. Washing your hair: using hot water to wash your hair may lead to hair damage as it rids your hair of all the essential oils and makes it limp and dull. Lukewarm to normal water is recommended while washing your hair as it will allow the hair to retain its natural oils.

3. Brushing: the right temperature of water while brushing your teeth should optimally be lukewarm. Too cold or hot water can lead to teeth sensitivity and cause oral problems.

4. Washing your face: before you apply a cleansing agent on your face, use warm water to wet the face as it helps to open up your pores. After the cleansing agent is applied, then use cold water to wash your face. Cold water helps in closing the pores after the impurities are removed from the skin.

5. Shaving: if you are going to shave, then opt for warm water as it opens the pores up and thus makes it easier for the blade to glide through the skin. This also reduces the risk of razor burns on your skin.

6. Washing your feet: wash your feet with lukewarm water as it facilitates dead cell removal and also helps in getting rid of warts.

Hot vs Cold: Which Water Temperature is Best for Your Skin

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