DocGenie Blog

Written by Dr. Shehla Agarwal (MBBS MAMC New Delhi, MD (Dermatology) MAMC New Delhi), one of the best dermatologists in Delhi NCR.

Skin Care

Skin is your largest organ. To take care of the skin you need to clean it, nourish it, and pamper it. Skincare products that are used on daily basis should be used in the sequence of cleaning, toning, and moisturizing.

• To clean your face, use a coin-sized bit of face wash. Use at least 3-4 times per day especially when coming from outside.
• Then comes the toner, it removes traces of oil and dirt. Toner is different from astringent. In summers, since you sweat more you should use astringent. In winter use toners. To use both together is not necessary.
• Moisturise- more on dry areas like around lips and hands.
• You should apply sunscreen if you are stepping out. Other skincare products like bleach and scrub should not be used more than once in 3 weeks. Frequent use can damage the skin.

Also read: Do You Have Sensitive Skin? Keep These 10 Tips in Mind

Wrinkles and How to Prevent Them

Wrinkles are signs that the passage of time leaves on our face. However, if you know what causes them, you can take precautions to slow their appearance.

• Sun exposure or photo ageing is the most common cause of wrinkling; always use a sunscreen with SPF 15-20 when out in sun.
• Insufficient hydration – dehydrated skin is dry and wrinkled. You should take 8-10 glasses of water per day. In winter take special care since you are not as thirsty but your skin still needs water.
• Imbalanced diet – eating right can solve most of problems. Proteins are building blocks of skin & hair. Fish, soya, leafy vegetables have Omega 3 fatty acids whose consumption delays ageing.
• Lack of physical exercise, overwork and fatigue decreases the ability of skin to heal itself.
• Get out of your hectic schedule. Start including meditation and yoga in your daily routine.
• Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption decrease the skin’s resistance to infection; do avoid.
• Skin care products – the dictum of less is more is always right. Use products for your skin type. Start anti ageing creams after 40 years of age only. Starting them at a younger age can make your skin more susceptible to wrinkling later in life.

Anti ageing is a concept which starts when you are young. Eat right, exercise, use good quality skin care products but do not overuse.

Hair Care

Soft and shiny hair can become a distant dream if you are having a protein imbalance in the body which gets aggravated with stress, crash dieting and thyroid disease.

• Always wash your hair with a shampoo for normal hair as it has just adequate conditioner. Never use treatment shampoos for regular washes.
• Always comb do not brush, the hair comb helps in spreading the oil being produced by us.
• Before a party to get volume in hair blow dry damp hair on medium heat, tilt your hair forward and dry, roots reverse drying gives volume.
• Use a homemade mask once a week – mash a ripe banana with few drops of almond oil and massage into roots, leave for 15 minutes, rinse with soda water and then shampoo.
• Get tests done to rule out anaemia & thyroid problem.
• Take a high protein diet, vegetarians should include Soya in diet.

Also read: How to Get Your Best Hair Colour Ever!

Nail Care

Nails are made of keratin which is a protein. Chipping and breaking of nails may reflect a nutritional deficiency. This is more common in women than men. Other causes which add to nail woes are exposure to detergents, frequent use of nail polish removers, and habits like nail biting and frequent nail filing.

• Maintain a high protein diet, add Soya at least once a week in the form of nuggets, Soya milk or tofu.
• Always use good liquid soaps for hand washing and on damp hands apply moisturizer regularly.
• Do warm olive oil soaks for nails for 5 minutes once a week with massaging
• Take supplements of biotin, which is vit B6 tab by name of BTN, one tab daily for 15 days.
• Avoid frequent use of removers. never use acetone to remove polish, do not leave nail polish especially darker colours on nails for longer times.
• When using detergents use gloves.

City life demands that we protect our skin by simply keeping it healthy. Never move out without skin care products like moisturizers and foundation, this is not make up, it is essential skin protection.

About the Author

Dr. Shehla Agarwal is a Graduate and Post-grad from Maulana Azad Medical College. She is one of the best dermatologists in Delhi NCR. She has been practicing for 22 years at her own clinic and is also associated with Apollo Hospital. In addition, she conducts some workshops for public education on skin care, Antiageing and also other skin and hair related problems all over the country and abroad. 

DocGenie is an online telemedicine platform that provides you quality healthcare from the best doctor Online in the comfort of your own space. On DocGenie, you will find a select few, highly-qualified doctors, unlike other online platforms with thousands of doctors. So you can be assured of receiving excellent, honest, personalized care from the best professionals.