Avoid six skin sins to maintain natural glow in summers

Summers is the most dangerous weather for skin and hair, as the harmful UV rays of the sun take away  moisture and leave the skin dull, dry and lifeless. A lot has been said and written over dos of a healthy and glowing skin. However, understanding the don’t is equally essential in a bid to avoid factors affecting skin gradually.

Here are six most common skin sins which may destroy your skin tone and texture.

Smoking: Nicotine not only destroys but has potential to kill the skin. Nicotine causes thinning of the blood vessels in the skin, leading to less supply of oxygen to the skin. This affects the ability to renew and regenerate the skin. Over a period of time, this hastens ageing of the skin. Significantly, regular or chain smokers may suffer from ‘fag lines’ which radiate from the outer edge of the lips.

Unprotected sun exposure: 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.

Wearing make-up to 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.

Stress: Stress causes damage to almost all organs of the body, the skin being no exception. 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 device their own coping strategy which may be yoga, breathing exercises, walking or going to the gym.

Skipping sleep: The term ‘beauty sleep' is not a myth. It’s a scientifically proven fact that when we are asleep, our body releases growth hormone. This hormone helps the skin to heal itself and can add to a healthy glow. People, who do not take required amount of sleep or may not get sound sleep, often do not produce adequate growth hormone and may see its consequences of having dull skin and age faster.

Unhealthy eating: During the summers, the heat and UV light causes significant oxidative damage to the skin and other organs. Junk or unhealthy food may cause damage at the cellular level. Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants which combat this damage. If proper attention is not paid to the diet, inadequate anti-oxidants in the diet may lead to extensive damage to the skin cells, which manifests as accelerated ageing.

Most of us have or are committing either of the sin at some time in our busy lives. However, if not controlled or may continue doing the same mistakes for prolonged period, this may lead to irreparable damage to the skin and body. So, try and avoid things and habits mentioned about to get glowing skin tone this summer.

The article is written by Dr Sirisha Singh, Founded, The Skin Center, based on her personal views and research.