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Winter skincare tips for radiant skin
Dr Aparna Santhanam, a well-known cosmetologist and hair and wellness expert offered tips on keeping your skin healthy this winter in an online chat, January 17.
Here is the unedited chat transcript
Ria Chakravarty: Hi,This is Riya from Indore , I have dark circles under my eyes and a very dry skin too. no glow at all ...pl. suggest
Aparna Santhanam: Hi Riya,dark circles come because of many reasons.Lack of sleep,poor nutrition,thin skin,rubbing of eyes and heredity are some of them.Dry skin needs regular and correct moisturising.Use a regular lotion with coconut butter for the body and an under eye cream with vitamin K or lumiskin as prescribed by the dermatologist.
Rajendran Nair: to remove blackheads
Aparna Santhanam: The best way is use a prescription glycolic acid or benzoyl peroxide cream.Do visit a dermatologist.
janu: I use face wash with salicylic acid to only light buff away dead cells so that they don't over dry skin.
Aparna Santhanam: Salicylic acid is a good exfoliator but works best on oily skin.In winter,It is still important to moisturise but can be done just once aday if you have oily skin.
guddy: A moisture mask - The one product to add to your winter must-haves, regardless of skin type?
Aparna Santhanam: A mask is a vehicle to deliver moisture to the skin.It is most important to use a daily use deep moisturising lotion.my recommendation is to get a coconut butter based extra nourishing moisturiser and use it twicre daily.In addition,you can use a moisture mask twice a month to ensure supple skin.
Hazal: Do constant use of phone chatter results in friction, occlusion and heat, all of which makes you break out
Aparna Santhanam: Hi hazal,It is believed that excessive use of moble phones can lead to break outs due to constant friction and increased seborrhea.The way to avoid this is to use a hands free devide to avoid contact on the skin.
Rashmi Lokar: How early does one need to start using anti-aging products?
Aparna Santhanam: Hi Rashmi,Anti aging needs to begin as early as 30 as collagen destruction by the sun and lifestyle already has began to take a toll.
Also,a holistic lifestyle with multi coloured vegetables and fruits for anti oxidation also helps in keeping the skin youthful.Avoid smoking and heavy,sugary desserts to prevent the skin from getting older.
Mugada: I have to remove the make up, and no, a face wash is not enough! Find a suitable make up remover/cleanser and work it on your face thoroughly.Long-wear formula used during the party season is particularly damaging if left over night and can lead to freckles, wrinkles, pimples, rashes, and a whole host of skin damaging after-effects.
Aparna Santhanam: Yes Mugada,especially with heavy cream based makeup,a make up remover is required.Try use one with a non alcoholic base and follow it up immediately with a good,nourishing moisturiser,before ending the day.
tushar: Help! I just read an article in the Times of India which says that men are more prone to cases of skin cancer than women. What should i do to prevent this from happening? Please share your skin care tips that are specially designed for men.
Aparna Santhanam: Men tend to expose their skin more to the sun which may increase propensity for cancer.However,the biggest problem is that Men do not pay attention or focus to their skin.It is important to maintain the skin by cleansing and moisturing well.It is also important to use a sunscreen every day
Men also sustain more damage due to shaving,so pay special attention to facial skin and look after it by regular nourishing and moisturising
Hiya: Because a healthy skin is a reflection of good inner health, one should continue to eat healthy, drink plenty of water and exercise regularly.
Aparna Santhanam: That is absolutely correct.Add a good skin care maintenance routine to that and you have the recipe for perfect skin!!!
Pavitra Tupurani: Indian weather can be extreme at times that leads to various skin care issues? How can we change our beauty regime to suit the climate?
Aparna Santhanam: Yes,that is true.Summers are more humid ,winters are more dry.But,certain ingredients like coconut butter,coconut cream and aloe vera are safe the year around.In summer use fewer lightweight formulations and in winter go for variants which are creamier and longer lasting.
Gunjal dhage: Do lukewarm bath with oatmeal or baking soda, can help relieve skin that is so dry it has become itchy
Aparna Santhanam: Yes oatmeal baths do help.But they need to be followed up by the application of natural moisturisers immediately.
Zeel Kappor: What are the basic make up dos and don'ts for winter?
Aparna Santhanam: Hi Zeel,Do use more cream based products,do moisturise with natural ingredients daily.Do eat more nuts,fish and protein in your diet.Don't use harsh soaps or fruit acids in winter.
deepikadeewani: Winter sun -- combined with snow glare -- can still damage our skin.
Aparna Santhanam: Yes,it can.So,it is important to use a moisturiser as well as a sunscreen in winter
Vikrant Mistry: Dr. I also have Dandruff, using N no of shampoos is not helping it, any suggestions
Aparna Santhanam: You could be having a fungal infection on your scalp.Visit a dermatologist who can give you a prescription for anti fungals.
Deepalikumari: Hi,I wanna have a safe treatment for skin aging. would you suggest me the best one? i prefer a non surgical treatment. is there any reliable method? let me know please. i would really appreciate your help.
Aparna Santhanam: Hi,Moisturising is the starting point of all anti aging.Use a mild cleanser and a natural moisturiser every single day.Peels would be a good treatment.Consult your dermatologist to chart a treatment plan for you.
alisha dcosta: I always thought that Dermalogica was recommended by experts but noticed today that even the gentle soothing booster (meant for mega-sensitive skin) contains parabens. I'm really annoyed! This stuff costs a fortune and seems to contain just as many chemicals as any other brand!
Aparna Santhanam: Alisha,You are absolutely right,many expensive brands too contain parabens,sulfates etc.I would recommend you always consult a dermatologist prior to buying high end products.Very often a store brand with natural ingredients may be as effective and safer than the high end ones
Pavitra Tupurani: Hi, Dr. Aparna. Please suggest a skin care regime to combat the harsh winters
Aparna Santhanam: Hi pavithra,Start off by using a good rich moisturiser with coconut butter twice daily.Eat fish,walnuts and falx seeds to bolster your omega 3.Drinlk a lot of water and sleep well.
soniyaiyer: I see clients at the spa who drink their 10 to 12 glasses of water a day and still have superdry skin. It just doesn't do that much.
Aparna Santhanam: Just drinking water will not help the skin retain moisture.It is necessary to build the skin's barrier by moisturing daily.Use a natural body lotionas soon as you take a bath to lock in the moisture into your skin to keep it supple,smooth and youthful
vaishali: Soaps often make my skin dry. None of the body washes seem to work either. What do i do?
Aparna Santhanam: Vaishali,Your skin type appears to be dry.Use creamy body washes followed by a coconut butter based moisturing lotion meant for extra dry skin.Include Almonds and Walnuts in your diet to get good unsaturated fats that will moisturise your skin from within.
hezal: How should my skincare routine change now that winter is making way for spring
Aparna Santhanam: Once spring is here,it is important to switch to more lightweight products.Use a gentle facewash followed by a sunscreen to protect against the spring sun.At night,moisturise with a lighter lotion based moisturiser.Exfoliate your skin once a week and eat plenty of green leafy vegetables.
neetasinha: If you go to your local drugstore, you'll be hard put to find a salesperson who can give you good advice. That's why going to an esthetician or dermatologist even once is a good investment?
Aparna Santhanam: Yes Neeta,a twice a year visit to the dermatologist is an excellent way to maintain and preserve your skin and hair
raosonsagencies: what step should be taken to became a glow skin
Aparna Santhanam: Glowing skin is a function of a healthy diet rich in proteins and vegetables,a regular skin care routing of cleansing and moisturising and adequate sleep
Amol Dhurve: All these anti-wrinkle, anti-aging creams... do they really work?
Aparna Santhanam: yes many of them do work.It depends on how effective the ingredients are.But the starting point of any anti aging regime is good moisturising.Using natural ingredient based moisturisers is safe and effective in the long run too.