On June 30, FICCI FLO Jaipur organized a session on Skin Care “Stay FLAWLESS” in association with Fortis Escots hospital. The speaker was the well-known Dermatologist Swati Mogra.

Giving a quick bite to JWB, FLO Jaipur Chapter Chairperson, Alka Batra said, “For me, one’s beautiful inner-self gives rise to beautiful skin. The event today is for women who believe in this.”

Below are the important issues that Dr. Swati discussed. This includes breaking various myths about healthy skin and how one can revive his/her natural beauty. Let us gain some insight in her own words:

Myths

1. Washing face 3-4 times a day is the core of skin-care.
2. Sunscreen is not needed when the weather is cloudy.
3. Expensive products are the best.
4. Home remedies have no side-effects.
5. Oil control products must be used for acne-prone skin.
6. Drinking lots of water is enough for skin hydration.

Skin is the largest organ of human body and its type varies from person to person. Indians have a skin type that lies between ‘light brown’ and ‘moderate brown’. This skin type is named medically the best. Moreover, Indian skin type also categorizes into many kinds. That’s why I strongly recommend to not buy products that are hot-selling in the market. Learn more about your skin-type and check products that suit exclusively you.

Let me begin with telling you the basic skin care regiments we must follow:

1. Wash the face
2. Apply medication, if any prescribed by the doctor. Use ring finger around eyes for soft movement.
3. Apply sunscreen
4. Make-up, if you are keen.

Cleansing

Check if your cleanser is alcohol-free. Use of lukewarm water is the best for every season. Scrub is not always necessary, and if you have acne/spots prone skin, don’t ever scrub. Gently use your finger-tips to apply the cleanser but don’t rub for long. Pat dry the wet skin with towel. Most of us use towel as if we are drying the wet steel utensils.

If you sweat heavily: You don’t have to use cleanser/face wash repeatedly. Just a splash of water is enough.

Moisturizing

Find the right moisturizer for your skin-type. Don’t trust every expensive brand that your friend is using. About applying the moisturizer, always do so while the skin is damp after wash.

If you have an oily skin: Look for alcohol free and fragrance free moisturizer because sometimes fragrance can be the reason behind allergies.

Hand-care

Wear gloves in the kitchen. The dish-wash liquid/soap, juices of few vegetables like onion harm your skin. Though the damage is not visible on a daily basis, you can see wrinkles and extra-dry skin in coming few years.

Also, prevent yourself from washing hands again and again. In this way, you’re only loosing the natural moisture of the hand’s skin. Try to do all water-related tasks at once in the kitchen.

Foot-care

Wear socks when you go out in sun. Applying petroleum jelly before going to sleep. Don’t keep the foot wet, this can cause fungal infection that spreads quickly on the skin.

Hair-care

1. 2-3 washes per week are a must.
2. Olive oil and coconut oil are best for every season. Hot oil therapy can be done twice a week for healthy hair.
3. Must use hair-conditioner. It softens the old hair and settles the baby-hair. Apply smoothly on the stands and not on the roots.
4. Don’t be afraid seeing your hair fall. Falling of about 50-100 hair strands per day is natural. But in case the hair-fall is happening in bunches, see a dermatologist. This condition is called Telogen Effluvium. This can be because of heredity, pregnancy, stress, high fever or heavy dieting.

Moving forward, let’s discuss few medical/natural skin related complications that women face.

1. Hirsutism – growth of male hair on face. This can be corrected with cosmetic surgery, laser surgery, and medical ointments or can be hid with makeup. Don’t bleach too much.
2. Pigmentation – superficial brown dots on the skin. Mostly, women in North India face this issue. In this, a ‘butterfly-pattern’ is formed around the nose, covering the cheeks. It is difficult to get rid of. Best solution is to avoid too much sun exposure.
3. Tanning – sun protection is extremely important. Wear a lot of sunscreen. For Indians, an SPF of 30 or more is good enough. When you go for swimming, apply sunscreens that are water-resistant. Kids, if necessary, can use SPF 19. Also make sure to reapply sunscreen after every 3 hours.
4. Spots – This is again a kind of pigmentation that happens because of extreme exposure to sun and dust. The melanin gets oxidized and forms these spots that look like moles. Don’t worry, they vanish with time. If not, consult a dermatologist. With radiofrequency (a 7-10 days long process), they can be removed.
5. Aging – With passing years, the shape, contour and texture of the skin will change. There is nothing to get depressed about. The day child is born, the process of aging starts. Aging cannot be stopped, however, can be delayed. Use anti-aging products that are really good for your skin type. Also, you can go for treatments like Chemical Peels, PRP (vampire treatment), etc to get quick results.

 End Note:

1. Eat healthy – this includes all the fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and proteins.
2. Walnuts, pecan, avocado delay aging.
3. Don’t go overboard with dieting.
4. Most importantly, love yourself the way you are. Overcome the ‘perfect skin’ dilemma and image obsession.

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