By Dr Khushboo Shah Sawant
Winters are officially here! So it`™s time to bring out all the winter accessories. For the girls, it`™s time to sport the tallest boots and most furry ponchos and the men to put on their trendiest jackets.
The festive season is round the corner with a week left for Christmas and another few days left for New Year`s eve. So this weekend I decided to tackle a more practical problem; a problem which each and every person face during winters, be it a child, young or senior person. And the trouble is battling the severe winters and the toll it takes on our skin and hair etc.
Skin and hair are not just mere accessories to our body that we must beautify. In fact they have some functions too. As we all know, human beings are mammals which means humans directly give birth to young ones, have mammary glands to feed the young ones and also have hair all over the body. With evolution we have shed most of the thick hair and have only bare minimum hair on the body now. But the main function of hair is to provide warmth to the body, along with providing some amount of protection as well. Similarly skin also has certain functions. Few would know that the skin is the largest organ in the human body. It is not a mere barrier between the inside of our body and the environment. It is a protective layer which is meant to regulate the body temperature. It also keeps the inside of the body protected from external harmful agents like germ, dirt etc. Alongside it is a source of excretion of toxins in the form of sweat and other metabolic functions of our body. So while winter is a season to look pretty the damage it causes to the skin and hair must never be ignored and proper care must be taken. During winters, it is a natural process for the skin to become dry, scaly, reddish and sometimes even itchy. But attention must be paid if these symptoms persist even before or after winter, or do not budge despite of protective measures being taken. It must be brought to the notice of a dermatologist or in simple words a skin specialist. As it could be a skin condition like dermatitis or eczema etc.
However simple tips and actions often help greatly in nurturing the skin and hair and keeping them healthy even during winters. To begin with, bathing which is an important daily routine, during winters. It usually is very tempting to bathe in very hot water simply because of the chill. But often very hot water causes the skin to become very dry as it damages the protective natural moisture of the skin. It is always best to opt for a short bath with warm water, followed by immediately using liberal amount of any moisturiser all over the body. Any moisturiser works best when applied on warm and wet skin. The type of moisturiser may depend upon individual skin type and choice. However simple moisturising agents like any natural oil like coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, or mustard oil also work perfectly fine.
Next is wearing adequate winter gear while moving outdoors, always cover yourself up with sufficient layers of clothing. This is especially important for children and young ones. Another important option is to stock up your homes with healthy foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and healthy mono saturated fats which are available in foods like fishes, nuts, olive oil etc. Also it is important to include food rich in Vitamin C in your daily diet, as it helps with the production of collagen which helps in maintaining skin and connective tissues. Another advice which is easily forgotten is to consume sufficient quantity of water, as during winter a person tends to feel less thirsty and ends up consuming very little water which may cause dehydration and further dryness and even constipation.
For dry skin it is often best to immediatly moisturise the skin after bath which helps in trapping maximum moisture in the skin. Drinking milk is also a healthy option as milk contains proteins and fats which are good for the skin. Dry and cracked feet are probably one of the sorriest sights of winter. To maintain healthy feet a person does not need to invest in expensive treatments but a simple foot scrub to remove the dry dead skin and intense moisturising can also help the cause. Petroleum jelly is one of the best options for cracked feet. An ideal night time regime for cracked feet should include daily scrubbing and exfoliation of feet, followed by application of an intense moisturizer and wearing of socks in order to retain the moisture and keep the skin warm and can help heal cracked skin.
Another obvious sign of winter are dry chapped lips. Here the most important tip is not to pull out the cracked dead skin on the lips which will give rise to bleeding and painful lips, as the skin over the lips is thinner and less elastic. The best option is to keep a lip balm at hand always and apply the same as often as possible. For chapped lips, even petroleum jelly or homemade butter or ghee can also prove to be equally beneficial. Dry and scaly hands are also a common occurrence as often as our hands do most of our chores and even bear the brunt of it. Using heavy moisturiser for the hands is a good option. Keep a small bottle of a moisturising lotion near the wash basin, so after washing hands moisturizing them is not forgotten. Also at night if hands are moisturised and gloves are worn, it can help in healing the skin at a better pace.
Our hair also gets very much damaged during winter, as they are also stripped off their natural moisture. Also dry flaky skin on the scalp also is a source of itching. One key rule for this during winter is to always oil your hair before washing it. Also it is important is to avoid very hot water while washing your hair. Washing your hair, especially with a shampoo it anyway steals the natural oil of the scalp and even more so during winter. And so a prior oiling session tends to reduce the hair damage along with moisturising the scalp helping the scaly flaky skin. Another mistake people often commit is to blow dry your hair especially during winter, a blow dryer also tends to dry out the hair even more, especially during winters.
So while it is a season to look your best and enjoy the festivities, a little care and attention towards yourself underneath all the clothes and accessories can help not only to battle the uncomfortable woes of winters but also helps in the long run.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/12/war-with-winter/