Mumbai Rains: How to take care of your skin and hair during monsoon

It is that time of the year when we welcome rains with open arms Heavy downpour reminds us of lazy days umbrella masala chai samosas and just chilling in a blanket at home The rains bring not only a welcome respite from the heat of summer they also bring a whole new set of problems for your skin Long hours of staying in wet clothes repeated immersion of feet in the contaminated water and constant high environmental humidity cause physical discomfort as well as a myriad of skin problems and allergies Humidity is a very familiar breading ground for a host of bacteria fungus amp other infections that grow on the skin unchecked Also the high acid content of the first showers of rain cause further damage to skin and hairDr Apratim Goel Laser surgeon and dermatologist director Cutis skin studio lists out some common monsoonrelated conditions we should be familiar with and how to deal with themFungal infection of the toes or toe web spaces is called Athletersquos Foot This problem is more common in men as they are usually with closed footwear There is itching scaling and discoloration of web spaces and also toenails may become discolored or brittle Wear open footwear when out in the rain and change into dry socks and footwear when you get indoors Always wash your feet with soap and water after exposure to puddles or rainwater Apply antifungal dusting powder Abzorb prior to putting on socks and apply an antifungal oint at night If the condition does not improve please consult a dermatologistAnother problem very common to rains is the fungal infection of other body parts especially skin folds called ringworm or tinea The skin is very itchy amp round dry red skin patches form Here the solution will be to see a dermatologist at earliest and avoid using steroid oint as they give immediate relief but a bad relapse later This is more common in diabeticsAnother organism that flourishes in rains and spared by close contact is a mite which causes a condition called scabies This causes intense itching especially at night and a rash in finger web spaces and body folds Consult your doctor for treatment Also since it spreads by contact isolate the person and his belongings All family members need to be created More common in childrenApart from mites lice infestation of the scalp as well as body is also common in rains Usually occurs in females where damp hair are tied for too long Antilice treatments like Medikar is availableAlso acne and dandruff are more common at this time and when occurs should be treated accordingly Regular hair wash with an antidandruff shampoo containing ketoconazole is good to keep scalp dandruff freeApart from these diseases there are usually many nonspecific complaints like wrinkling of the skin body odour dull lifeless complexion or frizzing of hair all due to excess humiditySensitive skin is a common observation with almost all age groups Due to the irregular moisture content in the skin skin becomes dry itchy sensitive and behaves weird You canrsquot use our makeup anymore and nothing seems to agree with your skinHowever by following a few simple tips and a regular skin care regime you can manage to keep your skin and hair problems to a minimum and look good Skincare in monsoonsMonsoon is the time where your skin behaves strange and is often unstable suddenly it gets oily or become dry and dehydrated Hence it is very necessary that you take care of your skin during this season in order to look fresh and beautiful Rain is the time when we mistake the high humidity around for excessive moisture in the skin which is not true The truth is that the moisture in the air does not transform into the moisture into the skin and hence skin commonly suffers from dehydration Here are certain tips to ensure you enjoy a radiant glowing skin in monsoons as well Cleansing Rainwater contains lots of chemicals and pollutants So proper cleansing is very important in monsoons For removing make up a milk cleanser or a makeup remover micellar water should be used Washing the impurities away from our skin allows it to breathe For the facial skin liquid cleansers face washes and foams score over the soapsToning This product should be applied after cleansing During monsoon a lot of airborne and waterborne microbes are let loose So a good antibacterial toner will go a long way to prevent skin infections and eruptions Use a cotton bud and just dab the product on the skin However very dry skins should stay away from toners or use very mild toners It works well for oily and acne prone skinsMoisturiser Moisturising in the rains is as important as it is in summer Monsoons can mean a demoisturising effect on dry skin and an overhydrating effect on oily skin During rains despite the humidity in the air our skin can be completely dehydrated in this season The result is a dull lifeless skin which has no sheen Moisturizing the skin daily night is a must for all types of skins People who spend a lot of their time in an airconditioned environment need to moisturize more frequently or else it makes the skin feel itchy Use a nonwater based moisturiser if you happen to get wet often Otherwise a waterbased moisturiser will do Remember that even if you have an oily skin you must use a thin film of waterbased lotion on the skin at night However oily skins can avoid this product in the daySunscreen Dont step out without sunscreen protection As long as there is daylight our skin needs protection from UVA and UVB rays Apply min 25 SPF sunscreen 20 minutes before you step out and ideally reapply every three to four hours It is often a misconception in peoplersquos mind that sunscreen is to be used only when there is sun around Donrsquot underestimate the UV rays on a cloudy rainy dayKeep dry Try to keep the hair and body folds dry especially after it is been wet in the rainwater Donrsquot tie wet hair as it will lead to lice as well as fungal infections and also get a damp smell Even on the body various organisms flourish in moist and humid weather Have a water bath if you have got wet in the rainwater When you are out keep some tissues absorbent towel with you to wipe the excess rainwater A dusting powder used on the body folds is also a good optionMaintenance For a glowing blemish free skin adhere to your skin treatments like facials cleanups skin polishing peels lasers etc as suggested by your dermatologist In fact monsoons is a very good time to do peels and lasers as the post care is much less due to the absence of direct sun rays most of the times In case of any breakouts or skin rashes which is very common in monsoons see your dermatologist for expert adviceHair care in monsoonsThere is nothing better than a nice bath with hair wash when you just get in from the pouring rain However washing your hair too often say every day can exaggerate the problems you already face Washing your hair two or three times a week will keep your hair clean and looking good At the same time it prevents excessive drying of hair and keeps frizziness to a minimum Also do not forget to condition your hair after every wash you could use a leavein conditioner to make dry hair more manageableIf you do wet your hair in the rain then make sure that you wash your hair as soon as possible with a mild shampoo and condition after that Do not leave the rainwater in the hair for a long time as it is high in chemical contents and can damage the hairDry massage your scalp so that it improves blood circulation However once a week oil massage with warm oil is a good idea But in that case do not leave the oil in the hair for a long time Instead wash it off in a few hoursWash your hair every alternate day If you have short hair then you can wash it daily Switching to an ultragentle baby shampoo is a good idea Apply conditioner on the hair shaft as this will strengthen your hairDo not use hair spray or gel in the monsoons as these stick to the scalp and cause dandruff Avoid using blow dryer also However if the hair are wet at night apply lots of leave in conditioner on hair and then blow dry on cold airExcessive moisture is the biggest culprit during this season It affects your hair even if you remain indoors especially on days when the humidity is high Depending on your hair type it may leave your hair frizzy or flat Hair that is fine wavy or curly usually tends to absorb the moisture in the air The best solution to this is to use a humidityprotective gel before stylingChoose hair care products wisely depending on your hair type Frizzy dry and rough hair is usually dealt with by using hair cream or similar products to smooth it downDue to high humidity and wet hair dandruff is a common problem in monsoons So make sure that you use an antidandruff shampoo containing ketoconazole and zinc pyrithrone once a week However use your normal regular wash shampoo on other daysThe chlorine content in water during the monsoons is also very high this can bleach and damage your hair So if possible wear caps or rain coats with caphood to protect the hair from coming in contact with rain waterRains are also the favorite time for the lice to grow in the hair In case of any itching on the scalp apply Permite lotion on the scalp with a cotton leave for 2 hours and wash off Repeat this for 34 weeks This problem is more common in school going childrenMust haves in a handbag during monsoonFirstly avoid use leather handbags Use water resistant stuffWater resistant make up stuff especially a loose powder transfer resistant lipstick and eyelinerWater resistant sunscreen of SPF gt 20A small mirror and hairbrushPocket mini hair dryerWet wipes for skin cleansingSmall foldable umbrellaAntifungal dusting powderA folded plastic bagPerfume deodorantAntifrizz hairsprayHand towelSpare battery for your mobileCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates