Monsoon skincare tips: Doctors tell you how to get healthy and radiant skin
As the monsoon season arrives, oily skin follows which ultimately results in the blockage of pores and acne. This is one bad dream turned into reality that a lot of us have experienced firsthand.
In this article, we list some tips and tricks so that you can tackle skin problems associated with the monsoon season. IndiaToday.in spoke to three dermatologists to get the best advice for you and help you get supple and healthy skin.
We spoke to Dr Navin Taneja, Founder and Director of The National Skin Centre, Dr Shehla Agarwal, Director of Mehak Derma & Surgery clinic and Dr Suruchi Puri from Medi Makeovers for some valuable advice.
Taking Care Of Pimples
Pimples are our worst enemies. Dr Taneja shared an essential skincare routine for the monsoon season that helps fight acne. “Wash your face with a pH balanced cleanser 3-4 times a day. Always apply calamine lotion during the day and multani mitti once a week as a face pack.
Do not break your pimples. You must use fluid/water-based sunblocks which are specially made for acne-prone skin. Avoid thick creams and moisturisers and also avoid too much oily and spicy food in your daily diet.”
Dr Puri also reiterated on the same lines and explained the basic steps of tackling oily and acne-prone skin. Moreover, she elaborated on the importance of the CTM (Cleanser Toner Moisturiser) regime. “For acne-prone oily skin, monsoon can be really troublesome.
There can be a lot of sweat on your skin which can block the pores and lead to a collection of dirt. The blockage of the pores can also cause breakouts. CTM regime needs to be continued as usual.
One needs to wash the face with a soap-free cleanser at least twice or thrice a day because we want the face to be clean, but we do not want the essential fatty acids to get washed off from the skin.
After the cleanser, we need to use an alcohol-free toner because the alcohol might further dry off your skin. The toner, however, should be enriched with some anti-oxidants like green tea or a little bit of rose water or glycolic acid. Something like this can be helpful as a toner and after that, apply a moisturiser which should not be very oily.”
Dr Agarwal spoke about prickly heat specifically and explained the correct way to deal with it. She said, “Prickly heat is also caused in this weather due to blockage of sweat pores. To treat it in the most effective way, always ice compress – directly apply ice to the skin. Resent scratching and cut nails regularly as this can lead to a secondary infection.”
Not a lot of people talk about dry skin during the monsoon, but Dr Taneja shared some useful tips. He said, “Wash your face with pH balanced face washes and apply routine moisturisers that have shea butter and vitamin E. Also, apply glycerin over moist skin.”
Monsoon Specific Regime For Skincare
Speaking of a specific skincare regimen that could be followed during the monsoon season, all doctors agreed on the importance of applying an effective sunblock. Dr Taneja said, “Take bath twice a day. Wear loose linen and cotton clothing so that the skin breathes and this prevents fungal and bacterial infections. Wear your sunblock three times a day at a gap of every 3-4 hours.
Monsoon Specific Skin Infections
Another thing that is extremely common in monsoons is the fungal infections on the skin. Worry not, because doctors had the solution for this problem as well. Dr Agarwal said, “Rainy season is a season of humidity and that makes our skin vulnerable to many infections, especially, fungal and bacterial infections.
If you get caught in the downpour, rainwater mixed with environmental pollutant makes the situation worse. The best way to get healthy, clean skin in this weather is to be aware of various infections and precautions to avoid contraction.”
She added, “Fungal infections are commonly called Ringworm and the most susceptible areas of the body are skin folds like underarms, groin area, buttocks, feet where sweat collects and if not taken care of, it can lead to severe suffering.
People who are overweight, diabetic or have prolonged working hours, especially, are prone to getting fungal infections. Itching rash and irritation are symptoms of fungal infections and the best way to avoid contracting them is by keeping cool and clean.”
She also shared several other tips. “Always clean skin folds with a soft towel by dabbing. Apply lots of talcum powder and avoid prolonged self-medication. Do not share towels and combs. Avoid tight synthetic clothes. Undergarments should be ironed to avoid dampness. Shoes should be dried in the sun to prevent infection from occurring again.”
Dr Puri added, “Monsoon also brings about an increased risk of fungal infection. So you need to wear cotton clothes and use absorbent powder wherever you sweat.”
Natural Home Remedies
In the age of opting for organic and natural stuff, we also spoke to doctors about the things that we can use from our kitchen on our skin to get that dreamy glow. Dr Taneja said, “To tone up normal to dry skin – one can use papaya pulp. For oily and acne-prone skin, use a multani mitti face pack. And to detan, for all skin types, one can use a cucumber face pack.”
Dr Puri added, “If your skin is very oily, you can use besan as a natural exfoliant once a week to get rid of the dead skin.”