TRM is starting a bi-monthly skincare series with Ritika Jayaswal, founder & CEO of Nourish Mantra to answer all your skincare woes.
Your thoughts and emotions, a nutrition deficit diet, and your lifestyle, healthy or unhealthy, have a huge role to play in your skin’s health. If you feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally, your skin visibly glows. Whereas when you are stressed, anxious, depressed & sad, your skin becomes angry in the form of outbreaks, flare-ups, dull, tired skin, etc. This is ample proof that what you are feeling is clearly reflected in your skin. It is necessary to self-examine your overall health by understanding to what your skin is telling you. Are you listening properly?
Below, you’ll find 7 common skin issues that you should observe early to treat on time to avoid skin woes.
1. Acne
You must have suffered from acne during your teenage years but if you think that issue is gone for good now that you’re an adult, you’re sorely mistaken. Whenever the body is stressed or sad, it releases a hormone called “cortisol”. This hormone is the reason for your unexpected acne encounters.
Cortisol, when released, increases the oil production in your skin, leading to oily skin, clogged pores, and unfortunately, acne. While you cannot completely eliminate stress from your life, try some stress-relieving exercises to prevent this from happening; meditation always helps. Stay hydrated and focus on a gut-friendly diet. Keep your skin nicely cleansed and moisturized at all times.
Must-Read: Are You Guilty Of Making These 7 Skincare Mistakes?
2. Under Eye Bags
Your eyes can tell so much about you, not only symbolically but also physically. While insufficient sleep is a major cause of dark circles, it is not the only one. Nutritional deficiency in certain vitamins, such as B12, E, K, and D, is also a major reason behind the appearance of dark circles. A diet rich in iron will help keep those under eyes from getting darker. Consuming eggplant, kidney beans, oregano, thyme, celery, cucumber, prunes, grapes, pears, and plums which are good sources of Vitamin K and E will also be beneficial in keeping dark circles at bay.
Dehydration also plays a part in the emergence of under-eye bags. Due to the eyes’ proximity to the underlying bone, when your body is not well hydrated, the skin beneath your eyes begins to look dull, and your eyes look sunken. For the sake of your skin and your overall health, drink at least 8 glasses of water daily.
3. Zits Around The Mouth
Nutrient absorption and digestion are both dependent on stomach acid. Insufficient stomach acid prevents you from digesting protein and absorbing minerals and vitamins, such as vitamin B12. Infections and food poisoning are also more likely to occur. Lack of proper nutrition can cause skin issues such as zits and acne flare-ups, especially around the mouth. To avoid this, take more time to slowly eat and chew your food and eliminate processed foods from your diet.
4. Hyperpigmentation
You may be experiencing this symptom if your hormones do not function properly or you are simply aging. Women suffering from estrogen and progesterone hormone imbalances will see dark patches around the face, arms etc. No pain or discomfort is associated with hyperpigmentation, but it is distressing to see this on your face. Hyperpigmentation can’t be cured but can be treated, so its effects are minimized. Medication with hydroquinone and retinoic acid is used to reduce hyperpigmentation. It may take a few months to lighten the dark spots so a consistent use is recommended.
5. Sensitive Eyelids
You might often suffer from puffy eyes or redness which signifies that you need to calm your emotions and give a rest to your eyes from all the crying. It’s natural to cry when one is sad, but if it becomes a regular occurrence, it can damage your eyes. Common effects can be increased wrinkling, particularly in the delicate eyelid skin. To prevent these, you can grab a few tissues and blot away tears while they roll down your face. Tears can irritate your skin because of the salt present, especially the delicate skin around the eyes.
6. Heat Rashes
Various factors unite to make your skin irritable during excessive heat exposure. Sweat and heat together put a lot of pressure on the skin. Although, sometimes dirt, dust, and grime congest the ducts of the skin, trapping the perspiration. This results in small blisters, inflamed mini-lumps and itchy rashes.
The mildest form of these rashes is called miliaria crystallina which forms when the opening sweat ducts on the skin’s surface are clogged. Another type of skin condition occurs deep in the skin called miliaria rubra or prickly heat. If miliaria rubra gets filled with pus, it forms miliaria pustulosa.
One less common form of heat rash is called miliaria profunda, which affects the dermis (the deepest skin layer).
They usually go away once the skin cools down. It is necessary to keep your skin squeaky clean. If you sweat a lot, bathe twice daily and use antibacterial skincare products. Keep yourself dry as much as possible.
7. Dehydration
It is not just you who feel thirsty but also your skin that bears the brunt of dehydration. You lose hydration from your skin when you sweat. If not adequately replenished, it may leave the skin dry, irritated & more prone to sunburn. Your lips may start to crack & dry patches may appear. It also makes your skin lack radiance and discomfort with intense, persistent itchy & tight skin. Over washing your face may lead to skin scaling. It is not necessary that only dry skin can easily be a target of dehydration; oily skin also falls under this strata.
A logical solution is to keep yourself hydrated by drinking 3-4 liters of water a day. Wherever you go, carry a water bottle and take a sip after every half an hour. Indulge more fluid in your diet like juices, water, fruits and soups as they improve your skin hydration level.
It is not always necessary to go to a doctor when your skin behaves unusually. With the help of your three senses – hearing, touch, and sight you listen, feel, and see closely what your skin is saying and how you should resolve it from your end.
About the Author:
Fueled by curiosity, self-introspection and love for wellness, Ritika Jayaswal founded Nourish Mantra in 2019. She is born and brought up in a simple town in Central India in an industrial family. Her grandfather Shri Basant Lall Shaw Jayaswal is one of the key players in the industrial revolution in India and Ritika has always been influenced by his trajectory immensely. This is what evoked her love for consumer behaviour at a very nascent stage.
After completing her education at Parsons School of Design in New York, Ritika delved into the fashion and beauty industry there. Over time the fast-paced life of New York took a toll on her and she started looking for ways to combat the quick shrill of everyday life, she needed stillness. Trading back to her roots and the Indian way of healing, she started practising Vipassana – a virtuous process that trains the mind to practice zero interaction with any soul. The practice is usually continued for a few days and it involves complete silence and solitude, giving the mind a clear path to envision creatively.
Read More: Increase Neuroplasticity in the Brain with Mindfulness Meditation
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