Dr. Chetan Oberai

Following a proper skin care regime ensures a flawless skin. You cannot enjoy a beautiful, supple, flawless skin without taking good care of it or putting much effort into it. Giving energy and time into taking good care of your skin will result into soft and alluring skin. However, sometimes despite a proper skin care regime, your skin looks dull and unhealthy. This is due to the habits you have incorporated that ruin your skin as a consequence and make it look drab.

Mentioned below are 5 habits, which are terrible for your skin and should be stopped at once:

1. Washing your face with harsh cleansers: Most people who are prone to oily skin resulting in acne and pimples, resort towards cleansers and exfoliators to dry their skin out. While this seems like a great idea in theory, the cleaners end up removing the beneficial oils produced by the skin and destroy the skin's natural protective barrier. 
2. Using products stored in jars: Skin experts and dermatologists believe that tube packaged products are much better than products stored in a jar. This is because most skin care products contain antioxidants, which break down when repeatedly exposed to air and sun, thus making your products less effective with every use.
3. Skimping on sleep: Apart from benefitting your mood, energy levels and metabolism, sleep also rewards you with a beautiful skin. It keeps dark circles away and makes your skin glow. Lack of sleep causes stress and generates free radicals in our skin, thus harming it. 
4. Using cotton pillowcases instead of satin ones: Your collagen breaks down due to persistent pressure of your face into your pillow, which is traumatic to your skin. Avoid too much friction by opting for satin pillows instead of cotton ones. Moreover, if you are prone to acne, wash your pillows every week to remove the buildup of residue that accumulates on your sheets. 
5. Talking too much on the phone: Studies show that bacteria gathers on the surface of your phone, which is why you must clean it every time you talk over the phone or talk to them on speaker. Phone applies pressure on your face, which traps the oil and causes zits.

Corns and calluses are defined as thickened and hardened areas of the skin, which are formed due to excess pressure, friction or rubbing in a particular area. They generally form at the bottom of the feet and can cause discomfort and pain while walking. Corns usually form on the sides and tops of toes. There are several variants of corn such as hard corn, soft corn and seed corns. Calluses typically form in areas which undergo high friction. It can appear on hands and feet. Read on to find more about corns and calluses.

Causes
1. In some cases, corns or calluses may form due to improper walking motion but in most cases corns and calluses form due to wearing shoes which fit in an improper manner.
2. High heels in particular are a major reason for the formation of corns and calluses. Other reasons include foot deformities or wearing shoes and sandals without socks.
3. Corns and calluses have a risk of being infected by bacteria which causes the infected region to secrete pus or fluid.

Symptoms
There are different types of corns and calluses and each of them have different symptoms during their formation.
1. A callus is a small patch of dead skin which can form anywhere in the body but usually in places which undergo friction.
2. A hard corn is a patch of hard skin which is located outside the little toe or on top of a toe.
3. A soft corn is a sensitive red patch of skin which is typically found between toes.
4. A seed corn is a painful patch of dead skin which typically forms on the ball of the foot or on the heel.

Treatment
If you have developed a corn or a callus it is advisable to consult a doctor as they can correctly differentiate between warts and calluses. Use of moleskin around the corn or callus usually reduces the pressure from the affected region. Oral antibiotic medication can also be prescribed by your physician. Certain moisturising creams also help treating corns and calluses. Opt for stronger moisturising creams after consulting your doctor if regular ones are not helping. In certain instances corns and calluses may need to be surgically removed.