How well do you know your skin?

Skin can be as individual as we are but we can be roughly classified into groups when it comes to skin care. Your skin could be typed as normal, oily, dry or a bit of both and called combination or sensitive.  When it comes to caring for your skin there are different regimes and things to consider for each skin type – so what skin type are you?

What skin type do I have?

Normal Skin

• Face is smooth with no dry patches
• Pores are small and clean
• Spots are few and far between
• Skin feels supple and comfortable
• Skin is not greasy and shiny looking

Oily Skin

• Large pore size
• Pores can be clogged with dirt and oil
• Face is greasy looking, even after cleansing
• Skin can be prone to acne and blackheads
• Skin is thick and sallow looking

Dry Skin

• Skin has fine lines
• Pore size is very small
• Dry patches that can flake off
• Darker skins can have greyish patches
• Skin feels tight and uncomfortable

Combination

• Pores on the nose area are enlarged
• Fine lines around the eyes
• Shiny areas on the nose and forehead
• Dry and or flaking on the cheeks, eye and neck area
• Blemishes on the nose and chin area

Sensitive skin

• Skin can be irritated easily
• Skin is dry and thin
• Skin can feel uncomfortable and sore
• Shaving can  cause discomfort
• Skin products can irritate the skin

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Dry skin and Ayuvedic Medicine

According to the principles of Ayuvedic  medicine, a traditional form of Indian healing, dry skin is caused by vata dosha. Increased vata dosha reduces kapha in the body which is what keeps the skin soft and oiled, supple and smooth. Vata dosha has the opposite effect and an excess makes the skin rough and dry.

Conditions which raise vata dosha

• Late nights and not enough sleep

• Eating irregularly

• Excess physical exertion

• Excess mental exertion

• Eating too much spicy, dry, hot and bitter foods

• Exposure to cold and dry climates

Ayuvedic advice for Dry Skin

• Do not overheat the body by the fire

• Do not have prolonged exposure to cold weather

• Avoid, fried, stale and dried out foods

• Include salt and sour foods in the diet

• Include a little oil or ghee in each meal

• Eat fruits that are sweet and juicy such as mangoes and oranges

• Moisturise the body with massage oils

• Drink warm water as cold water increases vata in the body

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Dry skin on hands

Hands are often a neglected part of the daily skin care routine but are always on display and one the first parts of the body to show signs of aging. Simple steps to take care of them will give you better looking hands and nails and the first step is prevention of further damage. Hands are often exposed to the sun, particularly when we are driving, but often a  forgotten part of the body when applying sun block. A broad spectrum sun block should be applied whenever we are outdoors – keep some in the car to remind yourself to apply it. Age spots we see on people’s hands are not really as a result of getting older but of accumulative sun damage.

Hand care

Hands tend to have problems with dryness rather than oiliness as there are fewer glands that produce sebum. Therefore we need to replace the moisture we lose from the constant immersion in water that they undergo daily. Cleaning agents and detergents can be harsh and drying to the skin so the use of rubber gloves when doing dishes or cleaning is advisable. The same applies to gardening – gloves will serve to protect the hands and less scrubbing will be need to clean them. If gloves don’t appeal, the use of a good barrier cream will help stop chemicals and dirt entering the skin.

What to avoid

• Very hot and very cold water
• Harsh soaps and detergents that remove natural oils
• Sun damage from sun exposure
• Cleaning chemicals
• Nail products containing acetone or formaldehyde

What to do to look after your hands

• Always use a broad spectrum sun block
• Use gloves when gardening and using cleaning chemicals
• Avoid immersion in overly hot water and harsh detergents
• Use a hand moisturiser frequently to prevent the skin from drying out
• Moisturise after washing the hands
• Treat  them to a warm oil massage for deep moisturising

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Dry skin on the body

While patches of dry skin can appear anywhere on the body it is most commonly found on the lower legs, arms, hands and abdomen. Sometimes dry skin is felt more than it is seen – uncomfortable feeling and itchy but severe dry skin can be both noticeable and embarrassing. Often we are more self conscious about this in the summer months when we have more of our bodies exposed. No more hiding under layers of winter clothes. Dry skin is also more noticeable on people with dark skins and can look a pale, ash grey colour.

Body Basics

Skin that is healthy is covered in a thin layer of natural lipids forming a lipid defence barrier. Lipids are a fatty like substance that helps to protect the skin from foreign invaders but also prevent excess moisture loss, keeping the moisture in and therefore the skin soft and supple. We need to look after this layer to keep our skin looking and feeling good.

External

• Avoid long, hot showers.
• Dry gently.
• Moisturise regularly and  immediately after bathing.
• Combat drying from central heating and air conditioning with a humidifier.
• Avoid clothing or detergents that irritate the skin.
• Gently exfoliate with wash cloth or make your own by mixing soft brown sugar, a little olive oil and add water slowly to get the desired consistency.
• Avoid soaps, detergents and sulphates.

Internal

• Drink enough water to keep the body well hydrated.
• Eat a balanced diet, a broad spectrum of all the colours in fruit and vegetables.
• Keep the body ‘oiled’ with all the good fats such as cold pressed virgin olive oil, avocado, walnuts, flaxseed, evening primrose oil and cold water fish such as tuna and salmon.
• Include wholegrain and foods that not overly processed.
• Over consumption of alcohol can have a drying effect on the skin.

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