Decoding summer skin, hair problems

It's summer. Time to flaunt your LPD (little pink dresses). But before you sport them, learn how to take care of your skin and hair when the sun shines bright. We get experts to tell you how with a little care you can look drop dead gorgeous. Summers are known to be the worst time of the year when you are plagued with the most dreadful skin and hair problems. The scorching heat takes a toll on both your skin and hair. Due to excessive sweating and dust, you are more likely to suffer from problems like rashes, Rosacea, acne on the face as well as your back, tanning, skin infections and sunburn. Cosmetic physician Dr Jamuna Pai says, "During the hot summer months, the rays of the sun is intense and can seriously damage the skin. A lot of care has to be taken to protect not only the facial skin but also the skin on the body and hair." Rosacea The hot weather sets off the occurrence of Rosacea. Dermats suggest minimising sun exposure. Always apply a sunscreen before stepping out in the sun. Often due to the sweltering heat, flare-ups could happen. Excess heat causes the blood vessels to dilate. Perspiration could also act as an irritant to the skin. Approximately 80 per cent of people who suffer from Rosacea state that excess heat is a significant trigger. UV (ultra-violet) rays are said to cause this problem. The iron content in the skin is said to be affected which eventually leads to Rosacea. How to avoid: Dr Pai suggests, "If you show symptoms of Rosacea, it is better to avoid direct sunlight. Use a good sunscreen with SPF 30+ whenever you are stepping out in the sun. Using a soap-free mild medicated face wash and reducing the level of stress by practising yoga and meditation will help ease Rosacea. If the problem persists, you should visit your dermatologist." Summer rashes Summer rashes occur when you are exposed to sunlight for a very long duration. These rashes appear within minutes or maybe a few hours after you've been out in the sun. The rashes lead to constant itching and appear in small reddish blisters or large spots. How to avoid: Cosmetic dermatologist, Dr Jaishree Sharad says, "Try not to stay out in the sun for a very long time. If you see small reddish spots appear, instantly rub an ice cube on the affected area and then moisturise it. Make sure to use a mint-based moisturiser as the mint in it will act as an instant coolant on the skin and keep it refreshed." Acne Breakouts are most common during the summers. Whether it is on your face, back or stomach — the hot months are usually the cause for frequent face and body acne. The heat and humidity causes the oil glands in the body to work overtime. How to avoid: Dr Pai suggests applying a mud pack once a week to help absorb the excess oil from your face. "Drink plenty of water and take supplements of vitamin A, zinc and antioxidants. Apply erythromycin gel before you sleep at night." Tanning With the onset of summers, tanning is common. Though tanning varies according to skin type — those with a fair complexion are more susceptible to tanning than the ones with wheatish or darker complexion. Tanning is divided into two types — Immediate skin tanning: As soon as the person steps out in the sun, the colouration of the body changes. The colour change stays for a duration from a few seconds to 36 hours. Delayed skin tanning: In delayed skin tanning, a person will witness a colour change after 48-72 hours of exposure to the sun. This change might stay on for days or weeks or maybe upto a month. How to avoid: Dr Sharad advises to use moisturisers that give your skin double protection against the harmful UV rays of the sun. "Take supplements of vitamin C during the summers as it will help you prevent tanning. You can also try out homemade face packs with yoghurt, lemon and tomato as they act as natural bleach and helps minimising the tan." How to avoid: Dermatologist, Dr Abhijit Desai, says, "For sunburn relief, apply a mixture of turmeric, mint and yoghurt on the affected area. Alternatively, you can also moisturise your skin with products that have cooling ingredients. Antioxidants like vitamin C and E are helpful in curing sunburn." When you are exposed to sunlight, make sure you wear wide-rimmed hats or carry an umbrella for additional sun protection. Sunglasses with UV- blocking filters are advised to wear during the summers." Sunburn The worst skin problem during the summers is sunburn. The UV rays of the sun burns the outer layer of the skin and causes serious damage that shows up as patches of darkened skin peeling. How to avoid: Dermatologist, Dr Abhijit Desai, says, "For sunburn relief, apply a mixture of turmeric, mint and yoghurt on the affected area. Alternatively, you can also moisturise your skin with products that have cooling ingredients. Antioxidants like vitamin C and E are helpful in curing sunburn." When you are exposed to sunlight, make sure you wear wide-rimmed hats or carry an umbrella for additional sun protection. Sunglasses with UV-blocking filters are advised to wear during the summers." Prickly heat Prickly heat is not only discomforting, but the skin often suffers long-lasting spots due to it. This is mainly caused due to perspiration and humidity that result in bacterial infestation — that leads to rashes, tiny boils and constant itching. How to avoid: Wearing loose cotton clothes during the summers can prevent you from prickly heat. Change your clothes often when you sweat profusely. Make sure to use an ice or mint based moisturising or a calamine lotion to soothe the affected areas. Photo dermatitis Photo dermatitis is translated as allergy to sunlight. Approximately 10 per cent of the entire population is allergic to direct exposure to sunlight. Photo dermatitis is said to cause itchiness, rashes, boils and redness of the skin. How to avoid: Whenever you are stepping out in the sun, make sure to cover the exposed areas of the skin such as arms, face and neck to avoid allergic reactions. Excessive sweating Summer time is annoyance for most of us because of excessive sweating in the heat. Though sweat is the body's way of regulating the heat to cool us down, it produces a foul odour and can cause discomfort. How to avoid: Taking a bath often will prevent you from sweating a lot. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated by drinking at least eight litres of water every day. Use a talcum powder or a deodorant to keep yourself refreshed and energetic all day long. Skin infections Bacterial and fungal infections are on the rise during the hot months. Erythrasma, impetigo and paronychia are some of the common skin infections. Boils, carbuncles and folliculitis are infections found mostly around the face, neck and breasts. Some symptoms of the infections are irritated and red follicles, damaged hair and pus in the hair follicles. Other fungal infections are staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome — that leads to peeling of the skin and usually affects infants, young children and adults who have depressed immune symptoms. These infections are quite painful. How to avoid: Dr Sharad suggests taking a bath twice or thrice a day with an anti-bacterial soap. It is advised to use a talcum powder on your underarms and on all body folds. For your feet, make sure to dust them with an anti-fungal powder. You should ideally avoid wearing closed shoes during the summers. But you can wear cotton socks if you want to prevent your feet from tanning. Come summers and with the sizzling sun, lots of hair problems greet you. Oily hair, greasy scalp, dandruff, discolouration due to chlorine water, dry lifeless hair and split ends are some of the usual ones. Oily hair and greasy scalp Dr Apoorva Shah, tricologist, says, "The higher the humidity, the more hydrogen bonds are broken. This leads to moisture in the hair - which eventually makes the scalp greasy and your hair oily." How to avoid: Make sure you increase the frequency of your hair wash from two-three times a week to about four-five times a week during the summers. Discolouration due to chlorine water Chlorine and salt water are responsible to dry out and cause discolouration of the hair. These chemicals bind to your hair and lend a greyish or greenish cast. The mineral deposits in salt water, in combination with sunlight severely makes the hair brittle. How to avoid: Dr Shah suggests to thoroughly wet your hair before you take a dip in the pool. Deep condition your hair with a light weight non creamy conditioner or wash your hair with a daily scalp conditioner. Dry hair and split ends Due to constant travelling in the heat, the hot and humid wind makes your tresses end up looking like a haystack. This tangling causes matting and drying out your hair. How to avoid: Cover your hair with a scarf while travelling to work or otherwise when exposed to the sun. Split ends are caused due to mineral deficiency. Make sure you drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins from your system. Include lots of protein in your diet — paneer, meat, milk, soya are the right nutrients for your hair," adds Dr Shah. Dandruff The hot and humid weather along with constant exposure to the rays of the sun, pollution and dust leads to dandruff. How to avoid: Dr Aparna Santhanam, dermatologist and hair specialist, says, "Use a good anti-dandruff shampoo which will prevent the accumulation of fungal infections which eventually leads to dandruff. Use a light silicone based conditioner for your hair. Oil your scalp occasionally with coconut oil and lemon — this will help prevent you from getting dandruff." Hair loss One of the main woe during the summers is hair loss. Since you tend to sweat a lot, the pores on the surface of the scalp spreads to releases sweat. This makes the hair follicles weak and your hair is more prone to falling. Dandruff, constant itching of the scalp, dust and pollution are also some of the reasons for hair fall. How to avoid: Dr Santhanam says, "Prevent hair loss by covering your head with a scarf or hat when you are stepping out in the sun. It is also important to follow a light diet during the summers — with adequate protein and red and green vegetables to keep your hair healthy."e t