Keeping your skin hydrated gives it a glow

Instead of concealing skin problems with cosmetics, it’s healthier to rejuvenate your skin from the inside. For healthy-looking skin, it is very important to have a nutritious food intake, as overall food choices are directly linked to skin and hair.

Foods rich in sugar and high glycemic index like white rice, pasta,bread , sweets cause premature ageing of skin by inducing inflammation.

Sugar causes cross linking of collagen- glycation, resulting in loss of elasticity, increase in wrinkling, sagging of skin, say experts.

Foods such as herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, garlic, as well as fruits and vegetables inhibit this process (of formation of advanced glycation end products) and promote anti-ageing.

“Dairy products can contribute to acne, so can unrefined sugars, chocolates, sweets, unrefined carbohydrates. These increase glucose levels which in turn cause insulin and insulin like growth factors to shoot up in the body increasing sebum production and contributing to acne,” says Dr Deepika Lunawat, associate Consultant, Dermatology, FortisMalar Hospital.

Skin health can be promoted by increasing the intake of fruits, vegetables and nuts, limiting sugar, saturated fats and highly processed food. Antioxidants help in anti-ageing, skin repair, protect from UV damage. Vitamin A, C, E play a major role in combating these factors.

“Taking care of one’s skin from the outside is just a temporary solution. Feeding one’s skin by eating right will give you long term benefits. Sleeping well and exercising regularly also aids healthy looking skin. While expensive cosmetic products and treatments are available to treat skin and hair, the first step starts with you,” adds Dr Deepika.

Doctors also warn against skin infections, especially during the cold weather and rains. Various skin issues such as allergies, fungal infections such as pyoderma, bullous impetigo, eczema can harm the skin during monsoon, saydermatologists.

“There are several skin related issues such as allergies that occur due to humidity and dryness. Sometimes, this humidity leads to excess of dryness of the skin and makes it prone to bacterial and fungal infection. A large number of skin problems occur in children between the age group of 2-14 as they are more prone to such infections,” says consultant dermatologist Dr A Selvam.

“Itchy patches, rashes, athlete’s foot and other kinds of skin issues are common because many office-going people wear shoes for long duration and there is not much exposure to air. The humidity leads to fungal infection and athlete’s foot, he added.

Doctors also recommend regular washing of feet and regular exposure to sunlight to prevent skin related issues. Dry skin should be prevented and thus proper moisturisation is necessary for the skin.

The exposure to sunlight is good for the skin health and also reduces the risk of several diseases, say dermatologists.