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?

Exposure to the sun for a long period of time can result in several skin problems. They occur on the basis of heat, humidity and the rays of the sun. Here are the most common skin problems caused due to sun exposure:

Sunburn: Sunburns occur as a result of overexposure of the skin to the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. Melanin in the skin protects it from the sun s rays, but in case of overexposure, melanin fails to work and sunburn is caused. The symptoms of sunburn include the skin turning red, burning in the affected areas, skin tightness and a sensation of itching. Severe symptoms are blisters, chills, fever and fatigue.
Age spots: Age spots are caused due to overexposure to the sun. They are brown marks, which appear on the surface of the skin, especially in the arms, hands and other body parts. Age spots get more prevalent with ageing. Symptoms of this condition include brown and gray pigmentation on the skin surface. The pigmentation occurs in a circular shape and is flat on the skin.
Photosensitivity: This condition is also known as sun allergy. People with photosensitivity are likely to get burned from sun exposure very easily, and symptoms of sunburn are observed. Symptoms include red and pink skin rashes accompanied by itching and burning. The area gets scaly and blistered.
Moles: Moles occur commonly due to sun exposure. They may appear on any part of the body. Moles may vary from being harmless to cancerous. Common symptoms include raised skin and the skin tone changing into reddish brown or black. Moles are round in shape, and some moles are painful.
Solar elastosis: This condition is commonly known wrinkles and occurs when the elastic tissues of the skin get deteriorated due to sun exposure. The skin turns limp on account of no strength of the tissues and collagen. Wrinkles appear, and the skin seems loose and sagging. Deep lines are formed on the skin.
Skin cancer: Skin cancer accounts for being the most severe and fatal result of prolonged exposure to the sun without any kind of protection. There are many forms of skin cancer. The most primary skin cancers include Melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Polymorphous light eruption: This condition, known as PMLE in short, affects women between the age group of twenty to forty. It also occurs in light sensitive people who spend more time under the sun. Symptoms include a red or pink, bumpy rash and raised areas on the skin surface. Itchiness and dry patches are indicated.
A large number of skin problems occur due to long hours of sun exposure. Some of these are chronic problems, which require proper treatment.

Skin Problems Caused due to Sun Exposure

Skin inflammation caused due to overexposure to the harmful rays of the sun is known as sunburn. UVA and UVB are the ultraviolet rays that cause maximum damage to your skin. Overexposure to the sun triggers the development of melanin (color imparting pigment) on the upper layer of your skin or the epidermis, resulting in the formation of a tanned skin. Severe sunburn can damage your DNA also.

The most common symptoms of sunburn include:

Your skin may appear reddish in color
You may notice wrinkles
On touching, your skin may feel hot
Frequent itching sensation may make you feel irritated
Blisters may pop out due to sunburn
You may suffer from fever too and that may result in nausea
Your blood pressure can also reduce which can make you feel week
Your skin may be swollen
Some of the risk factors are mentioned below:

Fair skinned people are more prone to sunburns.
Working outdoors for prolonged hours can cause severe sunburn.
Sunburn can hasten your process of aging.
The blisters can result in infections.
Sunburns can also result in the formation of skin lesions.
Sunburn can sometimes lead to skin cancer.
Sunburn can be treated in the following ways:

Bathing in cold water can give you some relief.
Aloe Vera creams have cooling properties; applying aloe vera cream or gel on the affected areas can offer temporary relief.
Sometimes, sunburn can make you feel dehydrated, so it is advised to drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
Anti-inflammatory medicines like aspirin can help you to treat skin inflammation.
Home remedies like applying orange peel paste on the affected areas can help you to treat mild cases of sunburn.

Sunburn - 8 Signs That You are Suffering from it 

A common skin condition, which causes the discoloration of your skin in patches across the face, melasma is more of a social embarrassment and cause for distress rather than being a serious condition. Although it affects men as well, studies have shown that over 90 percent of patients are women. It is also known as the mask of pregnancy as many pregnant women develop this skin condition.

Causes of Melasma
Primary causes of melasma have been attributed to various hormonal changes within the body. Let's look at some of the factors that may cause this disorder:
1. Pregnancy: This is often attributed as the leading cause of melasma, the primary cause has often been attributed to hormonal changes that a woman may experience due to pregnancy.

2. Treatments that may change hormonal balance: Women on contraceptive pills or who have implants such as intrauterine devices may also develop this disorder. This is due to the balance of estrogen and progesterone being changed within the body.

3. Sun exposure: Continued sun exposure may also lead to melasma. This is due to the activation of melanocytes within the body which start producing more melanin.

4. Stress: Long periods of stress on the body can also trigger hormonal changes and cause melasma.

5. Thyroid problems: If someone suffers from Hypothyroidism or low levels of the thyroid hormone, it can trigger other hormonal changes and also cause this skin disorder. 
It has also been noticed that people with generally a darker skin tone tend to get melasma and it is less common in people with fairer skin.

Certain characteristics of Melasma
Melasma develops in certain patterns which can be easily diagnosed either as spots on the skin similar to freckles or brown patches of skin that grow bigger. Some of these patterns are:
a. Malar pattern: This grows on the nose and cheeks
b. Mandibular pattern: Starts growing around the jaw line
c. Brachial melasma: This grows on the upper arms and shoulders
d. Lateral cheek pattern: Grows on the cheek on both sides of the face
e. Centrofacial pattern: Nose, upper lips, forehead and cheeks

Treatment of Melasma
Most women who develop melasma during pregnancy report that it goes away after childbirth. However certain forms of melasma may appear in non-pregnant women due to hormonal changes. Treating the underlying hormonal changes usually resolves the problem. However certain other methods may be required to resolve the issues such as skin creams, chemical peels, dermabrasion and microdermabrasion.

All About Melasma

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'.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over WhatsApp, Facebook and other media.


10 Only Skin Care Hacks You Will Ever Need

5 Ways to protect your skin this summer

Staying out in the sun too long can cause you to suffer from a host of skin problems such as age spots, wrinkles and even increase your risk of developing skin cancer. During the summer months, you need to take extra care of yourself as the sun is at its peak at that time. Here's what you can do in this summer to ensure that your skin remains protected:

1. Avoid the rays of the sun between 10 am and 2 pm

The strength of the UV rays depends on a number of factors such as reflective surfaces, height, and time of day. The sun's UV rays are at their strongest between 10 am and 2 pm. If you're outdoors, seek a cool area to protect yourself from the damaging rays of the sun. You could stand under a tree or use an umbrella to shield yourself from its ultraviolet rays.

2. Don't use tanning beds

Several studies reveal that tanning beds can cause skin cancer. According to these studies, individuals under 30 who use tanning beds increase their risk of melanoma (the most deadly of all skin cancers) by about 75%.

3. Increase your fluid intake

One of the ways in which you can beat the sun and protect your skin is by increasing your fluid intake during this time. On an average, one should have about 3 liters of fluids every day, which is about 1.5-2 liters of water and 1 liter of fluid from solid foods. From summer foods like watermelon and berries to beverages like fruit juice, milk, etc and liquid-based meals - all these avenues should be considered.

4. Have a proper cleansing regimen

To help your skin look fresh even during the summer months, you should exfoliate regularly. When you do this, all the dead skin cells are removed, giving your face a youthful and fresh appeal.

5. Use a sunscreen all the time

To protect yourself from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun, you should never forget to apply sunscreen when going out. Ideally, a sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 should be applied thoroughly to your skin 30 minutes before leaving your house. More importantly, it should be applied again every 2 hours.



5 Ways to protect your skin this summer

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