How to enjoy a happy and safe Holi

With the festival of colours here, everyone is eagerly waiting to splash buckets of water and load their loved ones with different colours of gulal. However, before you hit your loved ones with water balloons and run around with coloured pichkaris, you must remember to take the necessary precautions. Holi can trigger host of healthcare issues, impacting your celebrations.Therefore, to stay safe and enjoy every moment of Holi with your loved ones, you can make use of the following tips to stay healthy this Holi season.

Things to do before playing Holi

♦    Apply oil, moisturiser and sunscreen to protect your skin - Ensure that you apply a good amount of moisture over your arms, face, legs or any other exposed area before stepping out.

♦    Tie your hair - By properly tying your hair, you can restrict the colour from reaching the maximum portions of your hair. Additionally, you must oil your hair and should cover them with bandanas, hats or caps to prevent them from the harmful effects of colours.

♦    Avoid synthetic clothes - While playing Holi, you must avoid wearing synthetic clothes as they may react with Holi colours and can cause redness and skin allergies.

♦    Don't use synthetic colours - One must strictly avoid playing with synthetic colours,dyes and grease as they have several toxins that can penetrate the skin and eyes and can cause skin irritation, dermatitis and can damage your eyes.

♦    Cover your eyes, nose and mouth - Wear sunglasses before stepping out and avoid wearing contact lenses as they can cause serious chemical injury.

♦    Stay hydrated - By staying hydrated you can keep your skin fresh and healthy. You can also look at taking baths while playing holi to limit your exposure to sun and avoid skin dryness.

♦    Avoid scrubbing - Scrubbing is a common habit after playing Holi. However, excessive shampooing and use of kerosene to remove colour can cause skin dryness and may lead to hair damage.

♦    Eat Vitamin C and E rich food - Avoiding junk food and having foods that are rich in Vitamin E and C can help in reducing acne and can help you in achieving smooth skin after playing Holi.

Holi is a festival of joy and colour and by following these tips you can make Holi enjoyable and safe for yourself and your loved ones.

(The author is Consultant – Internal Medicine, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore)