Summer Proof Your Skin

The long-awaited summer is just around the corner. However, before we head out to soak in the Vit. D let's prepare our skin and protect it from the potential damaged. We have these tips straight from the horses' mouth, aka Sirisha Singh, one of the leading dermatologists, who suggests the following to achieve a glowing and healthy summer skin.


1. Quit Smoking

Besides the fact that it is injurious to your health, nicotine has the potential to kill the skin. Nicotine causes thinning of blood vessels in the skin. Therefore lesser amount of oxygen is available to the skin which affects the ability of the skin to renew and regenerate. Over a period of time this hastens aging of the skin. Many heavy smokers also suffer from "fag lines" which are lines that radiate out from the outer edge of the lips. 



2. Never Miss Your SPF

This comes a close second to nicotine in terms of skin sins. Cumulative UV exposure over years adds up to significant skin damage and adds years to the skin. The UV light causes pigmentation of the skin, damages the collagen (the elastic tissue) of the skin and in extreme cases also has the potential to cause skin cancers.



3. Remove Make-up Before Bed

During the night, the skin rejuvenates itself. The temperature of the skin goes up a notch and the pores open up. Hence it is vital to cleanse the skin at night to unplug the pores and use night creams or vitamin rich creams overnight as they penetrate better at night. Wearing make-up to bed clogs the pores and can cause break-outs of pimples. Over a period of time, the cumulative damage may cause the skin to appear lackluster.



4. Lead a Stress-free Life

During stress, our body releases a hormone called cortisol. This reduces the blood supply to the skin and over a period of time, the skin may appear dull, sallow and may also develop acne. There is no single solution for stress, each one of us has to devise their own coping strategy which may be yoga, breathing exercises, walking or going to the gym.



5. Never Skip Sleep

The term "beauty sleep" is not a myth. It is based on scientific facts. During sleep, our body releases growth hormone. This hormone helps the skin to heal itself and adds a healthy glow. People who do not get the required amount of sleep or people who have a poor quality sleep often do not produce enough of this hormone and can as a consequence have dull skin which also ages faster.



6. Eat Healthy

During summers, the heat and UV rays cause significant oxidative damage to skin and other organs. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants, which help in combating this damage. If our intake of anti-oxidants in the diet is inadequate, there is extensive damage to cells which is manifested as accelerated aging.



Most of us have committed some sin or the other at various points in our lives. The point is that these sins if not controlled and if committed over prolonged periods of time can cause significant damage which is irreparable. However, we should point out that cheating for one day in a month is insignificant. So, try and avoid these sins for great looking and glowing skin this summer.