Skin care during the times of corona

We have entered lockdown 3.0 and still have uncertain times ahead of us. As much as this lockdown has given us an unprecedented break from our busy routine, it also has brought with itself a fair share of stress, anxiety and a fear of the unknown for the future. Since most of us are at home, a little extra self care will go a long way in not only giving the right attention to ourselves but also making us feel a lot better.

It is probably the best time to develop a routine and develop a skin care regimen in the most intricate and personalised manner. Skin care routines will not differ much from the regular phase to a lockdown phase. However, certain skin conditions may be more common due to the change of hygiene measures and routines that have been incorporated in our lives.

Dr Samipa S Mukherjee, consultant, dermatologist, Cloudnine Group of hospitals, gives a sneak peek into it. It is important to remember that if you have a skin condition that needs attention, consider using video consultation services with dermatologists.

Skin care routine

The basic three steps of skin care remain the same. Prolonged usage of mask can cause bruising, pigmentation, pressure related changes on the skin or contact dermatitis to the material of the mask for which you may need to meet your dermatologist.

Cleansing, moisturising and sunscreens are a person's best friend when it comes to pampering the skin. The choice of cleansers/facewashes/soaps depends on the skin type.

Those of you with a dry or sensitive skin type should prefer a cleansing lotion that is non foaming since they are milder and do not aggravate dryness. For those with oily skin a gentle foaming face wash or a moisturising soap twice daily would do the job. The choice of moisturisers again is tough with so many products available in the market. You may choose from traditional moisturisers to the newer ones with silky smooth feel to matte finish ones.

Remember to keep the ingredients of moisturisers to as less in numbers as possible, as fragrance free as possible and preferably a pH balanced formulation. Sunscreens are a must even when you stay at home. Repeat applications of sunscreens during the day is necessary since after 3-4 hours the sunscreens lose their action. So even while staying at home it may be necessary to apply sunscreen at least 2-3 times during the day time.

Most of the sunscreens available today are matte finish so they are very well cosmetically acceptable. While at home in case you do wear make-up it may be worthwhile to use micellar water for make up removal since the make-up used at home are generally short wear water soluble make-up products.

Hair care

Hair care does not differ much from the routine times. Washing your scalp every alternate day may be a good idea since it helps in clearing the sweat and grime that accumulates in hot climatic conditions. Usage of a conditioner immediately post a mild shampoo helps in improving the texture of the skin. Hair nutrition diets like almonds, green leafy vegetables, apples, pomegranate and sprouts are a rich source of vitamins and micro minerals required for hair growth.