Maintaining your skin's health this season

During summer the sun is very intense and can seriously damage the skin. A lot of care has to be taken to protect not only the facial skin but also the skin on the body, hair & nails.
Hygiene is very important during summer. Have a shower atleast two to three times a day.
Use an antifungal powder in the folds of your skin eg. armpits, neck, groin, under the breasts (in woman) and webs of the toes especially if you are wearing closed shoes.
Try and wear open sandals to air the feet. The bacteria tends to breed more during the hot and humid weather of the summer months.
Use of a sunscreen is a must and the sun- exposure should be minimal during summer. The difference in protection that we get from SPF (sun protection factor) 10 or SPF 60 is not more than 2-3 %. Therefore, new research shows that a product with any SPF (sun protection factor) should be used 2- 3 times a day even when indoors or if the weather is cloudy. This may not prevent the tan, but will definitely prevent photo-ageing or sun damage (delay the ageing process).
During summer due to excessive sweating skin looses its moisture. So moisturising the skin is very important with a light moisturiser, or hydrate the skin by spraying it with water. Drinking plenty of fluids especially water atleast 3 litres daily is important.
There are a few home remedies which you can try.
-You may keep cucumber juice or cotton wool pads soaked in rose water in the fridge to give a cooling effect on the face by dabbing it on the face from time to time.
-Sunglasses should be worn while going out at all times.
-Dark screen (filter) should be put in cars to avoid direct sunlight through the glass.
There are also a few packs that one can make at home depending on their skin types.
-For oily skin you can make a pack with grated cucumber + multani mitti and apply on the face. Leave this pack on the face for 15 minutes and wash off gently. And for dry skin a pack of cucumber mixed with oats and almonds + milk cream kept in the fridge can be applied to give a cooling effect.
-Underarms do tend to sweat and may also breed bacteria which can give rise to unpleasant body odours. To prevent this keep the area clean, shave the hair off and use plenty of alcohol- free deodarants or perfumes.
-Always wear loose cotton clothes and avoid synthetic fabric. Hands and feet should always be well moisturised. They can be scrubbed with a pumice stone, especially for chapped nails or cracked heels.