What's your secret, beautiful?

There might be a glut of information on how to get beautiful skin but too much info tends to leave one confused. Cosmetic dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad gets straight to the point with what to do and what not to. And you will be surprised at how inexpensive and simple the secret to good skin really is

The basic formula: Moisturising your skin plus following a good diet plus effective protection from the sun is all that good skin care is about. Keeping your skin hydrated or moisturised is very important for younger looking skin. But it doesn’t end with drinking water. You’ve got to moisturise your skin with good creams, too. Talking about creams, most women are under the impression that the more expensive a cream is, the more effective it is. That is not true at all! You can use a completely inexpensive cream and get results just as good. As long as you keep your skin stays moisturised, the skin product you’re using doesn’t really matter.

Let’s talk diet: People are aware that what one eats impacts one’s skin and hair. So, how much of an influence does what you eat on your skin? I’d say, about 60% to 70 % of your skin’s health depends on your diet. I always advise my clients to have more colouful food. All colourful fruits are rich in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help fight against free radicals that are created due to stress, exposure to the sun and unhealthy diets. Eating wrong or not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration which leads to skin sensitivity which in turn leads to a variety of skin problems like rashes, acne, age spots and the like.

One of my favourite recommendations is tender coconut water. It is an excellent skin hydrant and because it doesn’t have sodium, it doesn’t cause water retention.

Sunscreen against UVA rays: Like I’d mentioned earlier, protect your skin from the sun. Most people pick sunscreen lotions based on its SPF ( Sun Protection Factor) and some diligent ones even pick creams with higher SPFs. That is a very, very wrong concept! SPF, you should understand, is a measure for protection against UVB rays, which hit the USA more, causing more skin cancers in that country. The Indian skin type, which is type 3 and 4, on the other hand requires a sunscreen lotion that will protect it from the sun’s UVA rays (UVA rays play a major role in causing wrinkling and skin ageing.) So, the next time you are buying sunscreen, pick one that is equipped to protect you from UVA. Again you have to apply it once every three to four hours a day.

Start early: Teenage years are ideally the time when you should start taking care of your skin because that is the time your body is going through hormonal changes. Between 20 and 30, skin care is about good diet plus moisturising plus protection from sun. After 35, you can take care of your skin by going for anti-ageing skin treatments.

Natural is the way: I may be a cosmetic dermatologist and the VP of the Cosmetic Dermatology Institute of India but one look at my tweets and you will know that I am all for natural skin care. I recommend buying moisturising creams that have natural ingredients. Choose coconut-based creams. Coconut milk is mild and because it penetrates skin easily it has a long-lasting effect. I find products that have both coconut and mint refreshing. Talking of home made remedies, mashed papaya mask is a great skin lightener and it is also a great anti-oxidant. You can use it as a mask. A paste made out of grated coconut and almonds also works very well. A part of my personal skin regime involves applying yoghurt. Yoghurt also helps removes tan.

Facials are not necessary: Beauticians might kill me for this but facials are more of a feel-good factor, perfect to de-stress the mind. That apart, they don’t do anything to the skin. As a doctor, I’d say, go for facials if you have dry to normal skin, but those who have acne-prone skin had better avoid getting facials, any kind of massage, in fact, as massages stimulate sebaceous glands which can aggravate the skin and lead to breakouts. I also don’t believe in galvanic treatments. I think fruit facials are the safest bet.

Myths that abound: There are so many skin care myths that us Indians believe in. The first myth I come across amongst my clients is about how you can get fair by rubbing malai or some X or Y cream. I explain to my clients that having good skin is not about being fair. It really is about skin texture and an even skin tone. In trying to artificially whiten your skin you are making your skin sensitive, eventually some day leading it to break out. Another common misconception that exists, especially amongst mothers, is that oily food aggravates acne in kids. That is  absolute rubbish. Acne amongst the tweens and teens is more to do with hormonal imbalances in the body. It has nothing to do with oily food. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) also causes acne. I’ll suggest you avoid oily, spicy food if you have rosecea and a person who has PCOS must avoid dairy products.

Summer skin care: Summer skin care is predominantly about cleansing your face with water, water and more water! Splash water every time you get back from outside. As you are sweating all the time, you can carry wet wipes with you wherever you go. 
Use an oil-free moisturiser and sun block and keep reapplying it.

While heading out, opt for cotton clothes, wear wide-rimmed glares and avoid eating outside. After bath, use anti-fungal powder around intimate areas as they are wet all the time making them prone to fungal infections.

As for hair, don’t massage your hair with oil and leave it overnight. Doing that clogs the follicles. Oiling hair and washing it off after two hours and conditioning your hair after shampoo is good enough.