Beauty Queries

I have a lot of stretch marks on my body, on my arms, knees and waist. As a result I cannot wear the clothes I want to. In addition, they only seem to be spreading more and more. I know stretch marks cannot vanish completely. Please suggest how to stop them from spreading. —Saniya
Stretch marks are due to the breakage of collagen and elastin fibres, they are caused when there is undue stretching of the skin. If you have the tendency then, to completely prevent them is not possible. You can ease the skin and reduce them to a large extent. Start off  by lubricating your skin really well with vitamin E based creams. My current favourite is Bio Oil — it’s easy to spread and not messy. Start working out, add omega oils in your diet like ghee/olive oil. Control your weight fluctuation. For the marks that are already there, look for Retin A creams, glycolic acid lotions and speak to your doctor about micro-needling and radio frequency treatments. All the creams and oils must be applied liberally and many times during the day.

I have slightly dark patches of skin on my face. This has become more prominent in the last two to three years. What could be the reason and how can I prevent it from getting worse?
—Meghna
Dark patches could be due to many reasons, from a simple tan on areas that are most sun exposed to Nevus that’s most common in Indian women and Melasma. But for convenience sake and since I don’t know much about how and when it all started let’s do the following. Get your blood checked for serum ferritin and all the male and female hormones along with thyroid. Start with a good sunscreen of SPF 30 to 50. Look for TPA as well. Choose a good OTC skin lightening agent, I have listed the ingredients to look for many times in my column and start taking vitamin C tablets daily. At home, red or yellow sandalwood or a honey mask will do good. Your diet must include coloured vegetable and fruits — they are rich in anti oxidants. Laser treatments like Q switched Nd yag and peels will benefit you.

I am a 19-year-old girl. I want to know whether applying raw aloe vera gel is good for the skin. I have normal to dry skin type. Also, does washing the face with multani mitti once a week help? Please advise. —Sneha
Multani mitti  or fuller’s earth is more for oily skin and red irritated skin. Your skin may further dry up with it. Aloe Vera from the kitchen garden is over rated. There are about 400 hundred species and only very few with medicinal value. They can irritate and dry your skin if not used right. I suggest you stick to cold creams and sunscreen during the day as your skin care routine.