Protection of the skin against sunlight

Excessive exposure to sun can lead to many serious consequences, including sun-induced premature aging. This skin which is repeatedly exposed to sunlight becomes leathery, wrinkled and loose. It may also become dry and acquire yellowish brown hue with liver spots all over. The skin may become inflamed, which may contribute to the breakdown of other cells and tissues. Excessive exposure to sun can also lead to thickening of epidermis and enlargement of sebaceous glands in the face, ultimately resulting in acne and pimples. It is therefore essential to protect the skin from exposure to sun. this can be achieved by covering up and using a sunscreen with a high protection factor on the exposed parts. Even with these protective measures it will not be safe to stay in the sun for long periods.

Natural Methods for Skin Care

Several natural aids have been found useful in promoting healthy and beautiful skin. One of the more important of these aids is the use of lime juice. Lime may be squeezed in a glass of boiled whole milk and a teaspoon of glycerin may be added to it. It should be left for half an hour and then applied on the face, hands and feet before retiring at night. This application every night will help you to look young and beautiful. It will also help cure pimples.

The skin of the peach is useful in improving the complexion. A complexion like peaches is a common expression. The inside of peach peelings should be gently massaged on the face every night for a few minutes. The moisture should not be rubbed off afterwards. This will cleanse the skin thoroughly and free the pores. It also has an astringent action and tightens the muscle of the face slightly, thus preventing sagging tissues.

The juice of orange, also been found valuable for a glowing complexion. The fingers should be dipped in pure orange juice and the same applied liberally over the face, chin, neck, and forehead. Pimples and acne can be cured by anointing the eruptions at bed time with a paste made from the powdered sun dried pips of unripe oranges.

The juice of water melon has been found useful in the removal of blemishes on the skin. A lotion can be prepared by grating and squeezing the juice of a small piece of water melon. This lotion should be applied over the face and neck for fifteen minutes. Then wash with hot water and splash on cold water.

Tomato as an external application is a useful cosmetic. Its pulp should be applied liberally on the face and left on for an hour. Then wash off with warm water. Repeated daily, it will give you a good complexion and remove ugly looking pimples in a short time.

Grated cucumber, applied over the face, eyes and neck for 15 to 20 minutes has been found effective as a beauty aid and is the best tonic for the skin of the face. Its regular prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles, and dryness of the face.

The juice of amaranth, applied over the face with a pinch of turmeric powder, bleaches the skin, prevents it from drying and wrinkling, cure pimples and make you look fresh. If milk and lime juice is added to this juice and delicately massaged over the face and neck for half and hour and washed off with lukewarm water each night before going to bed, it acts as an effective skin tonic to increase and retain its beauty.

Application of fresh mint juice over the face every night cures pimples and prevents dryness of the skin. The juice can also be applied over eczema and contact dermatitis with beneficial results.

The seeds of radish contain a bleaching substance and an emulsion of the seeds with water, applied and an emulsion of the seeds with water, applied over the face, will remove blackheads and freckles. It can also be applied with beneficial results in treatment on ring-worm.

A paste of almonds (badam) with mild cream and fresh rosebud paste applied daily over the face is a very effective beauty aid. It softens and bleaches the skin and nourishes it with the choicest skin-food. It regular application prevents early appearances of wrinkles, blackheads, dryness of the skin, pimples and keeps the face fresh.

Another effective natural aid for the beauty of the skin is the application of curd on the face every morning and washing it off after a few minutes with cold water. This will keep the complexion smooth, healthy and fresh. A mixture of curd and lemon juice is ideal for softening hands.

A paste of lentil (masoor dal) and curs, when applied as a mask, cleanses the skin and gives it a glow. When dried, it should be removed with fingertips and washed off with water. Adding a few drops of the juice of margosa (neem) leaves to this paste is very effective in dealing with pimples.

The flour of the unroasted Bengal gram (besan) is a very effective cleansing agent and its regular use, as a cosmetic, bleaches the skin. In allergic skin diseases like eczema, contact dermatitis and scabies, washing with this flour will be useful. The flour can also be used beneficially in the treatment of pimples. The flour should be mixed curd to make a paste. This paste should be applied to the face. It should be washed off after sometime.

The flour of the green gram (mung) is an excellent detergent and can be used as a substitute for soap. It removes the dirt and does not cause any skin irritation. Its application over the face bleaches the color and gives good complexion. Honey, olive oil, and mixture of turmeric and sandalwood (chandan) paste are all very effective in rejuvenating dry, parched skin.

Natural Skin Care

Diet plays an important role in maintaining the health of the skin. Those with skin problems must have a vital diet consisting of foods which in combination would supply all the nutrients needed to build health, namely, protein, carbohydrate, fats, essential fatty acids and all the essential vitamins and minerals. Such a diet should consist of liberal quantities of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits, supplemented by special protective foods like milk, vegetable oil, curd, honey and yeast.

All the nutrients are essential for a healthy skin. Thus for instance, if your skin is unusually dry and rough, or if you have blackheads and whiteheads, you are probably lacking sufficient vitamin A. deficiencies in iron, iodine and the B vitamins may also contribute to this condition. Adequate amount of protein and vitamin C are also important. Both of these nutrients are needed before antibodies are produced to fight any infection and accelerate healing.

The vitamins of the B group are important in producing beautiful skin. Vitamin B1 aids skin health by helping to keep the circulation normal. A mild lack of vitamin B2 or riboflavin, continued over a long time, causes brown pigmentation, or liver spots to appear on the skin. These ugly spots usually disappear if generous amounts of vitamin B2 are given over a period of six months. A quickly produced severe riboflavin deficiency results in oily skin and hair and small deposits of fat under the skin of the cheeks and forehead and behind the ears. A still more severe deficiency causes the skin under the nose and at the corners of the eyes and mouth to crack and become sore.

A lack of vitamin B6 or pyridoxine leads to dermatitis or eczema. A lack of niacin also causes an eczema type of skin eruption with brown pigmentation, largely on the face, forearms, and legs. Lack of pantothenic acid, para-aminobenzonic acid, and biotin causes types of eczema which can be corrected, when these vitamins are generously added to the diet.

Since seven vitamins of the B group are directly related to the health of the skin, few foods can improve the skin as rapidly as those rich in these vitamins. Even the person whose skin seems smooth and healthy usually notices improvement in texture and glow, a week after adding two or more tablespoons of brewer’s yeast to the daily diet. Persons with eczema should, for an entire month, take a tablespoon of yeast stirred into citrus juice or water after each meal, between meals and before retiring. If the diet is adequate in all other respects, the eczema is usually cured in a month’s time.

In case of unhealthy and unattractive skin due to anemia, the condition can be corrected by dietetic treatment. Anemia results from lack of protein, iodine, calcium, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, cobalt, and copper as well as iron. In all anemias, particularly pernicious anemia, the vitamins of the B group should be generously supplied. Folic acid and vitamin B12 are especially important.

Natural Skin Care for a Glowing and Healthy Skin

Healthy skin is an essential part of health and natural beauty. The skin of a healthy person should have a pink glow. Good skin is a reflection of inner health. However, sometimes we tend to ignore skin care until signs of neglect being to show. As with health, prevention is easier than cure.

Causes of unhealthy skin – One of the main cause of unhealthy skin is faulty diet. A child is born healthy and with a perfect complexion soft, smooth and flawless. It retains these for most of its early life. But as the child grows older, she gradually loses these attributes due to wrong feeding habits and other factors. Devitalized foods like white flour, refined sugar and all products made from them, tea, coffee, and soft drinks take away energy, bring about wrinkles, unattractive skin and premature old age.

Another important cause of unhealthy skin is the lack of healthy blood which not only adds a glow to the skin but also keeps it well-nourished, moist, and free from dryness and roughness.

Inadequate cleansing, which is responsible for many skin problems, is yet another important cause of unattractive skin. Do not be deceived if your skin looks clean. You will be amazed at how much hidden dirt appears on the cotton wool when you use a good cleanser. Proper cleansing not only removes all the dust, dirt and make-up, which accumulate during the day, but also stops the oil-secreting sebaceous glands from getting clogged.

Learn about your skin

The skin, covering the human body, is a marvelous mechanism. It is the largest and one of the most intriguing organs of the body, accounting for 16 percent of the body weight. Proper skin care is vital at any age. When one is young, it helps to prevent common teenage problems like greasy skin and acne. As one grows older, it is important to counteract the increasing dryness of the skin. One can have a beautiful skin at any age if one knows hoe to care of your skin.

Skin care usually refers to the face because this area, more than any other, needs care and attention. The face is constantly exposed to the elements, even in severe winter when the rest of the body is well wrapped. That is why the face is one of the first parts to show signs of ageing.

Functions of the skin – The skin performs many important functions. It forms a protective barrier against harmful bacteria and infections. Besides, it is a means of eliminating waste matter from the body in the form of excess water, toxins and carbon dioxide. The skin also, as a sense organ, helps in regulating the body temperature, in respiration, and in the metabolic processes of the body.

The skin has three layers. These are the inner most layer known as lower dermis, the middle layer called the dermis, and the outer layer known as the epidermis. It is from the innermost layer that the various glands, including the oil and sweat glands, penetrate to the surface to eliminate waste matter, this inner layer is based on the fatty tissue of the lower dermis. It also acts as a cushion for the rest of the skin. It contains the finely distributed muscles of the skin which regulate body temperature.

The most important function of the middle layer of the skin is respiration. The countless tiny blood vessels or capillaries end here in finely-drawn networks, from where they feed the outer skin layer. The tone of the skin is determined by the dermis.

The epidermis range in thickness from 1/20th of an inch on the palms and soles, to 1/200th of an inch on the face. It consists of several layers of cells. The outer layers of these cells are constantly shed as new layers replace them. This skin layer contains the nerve endings. The oil and sweat glands open in the epidermis.

Types of skin – the types of skin fall into four major categories: Normal skin, Oily skin, Dry skin and Combination skin.

An easy way to discover what type of skin you have is to wipe the face with a dry tissue upon awakening in the morning. If there is oil in the tissue, the skin is greasy type. If there is grease on the center panel only, then it is a combination skin. If there is no grease on the tissue at all, it is either a dry skin or normal skin. If the skin is left feeling stretched or too tight, shiny and parched, it is dry. If the skin feels smooth, supple and elastic, it is normal.

Normal skin – This type of skin is soft, smooth, finely-textured and unblemished. There may be occasional pimples just before menstruation due to increased hormonal activity, which makes the sebaceous glands overactive. Acne is, however, never a problem for people with normal skin. This type of skin is neither oily, nor dry. It is beautiful, but it needs care if it is to last. Neglect can lead to signs of ageing and wrinkling. It should be cleaned daily with soap and water, and toned with something mild, like rose water.

Oily skin – this type of skin is shiny, thick and dull colored. It is prone to blackheads, in this type of skin; the oil producing sebaceous glands are overactive and produce more oil than is needed. The oil oozes and gives the skin a greasy shine. The pores are enlarged and the skin has a coarse look.

Oily skin needs special cleansing with plenty of hot water and soap to prevent the pores from being clogged. The flow of sebum or oil increases during adolescence and starts decreasing with age. During pregnancy and menopause, hormonal imbalances can also upset the oil balance and increase the activity of sebaceous glands.

Dry skin – This type of skin is tightly drawn over bones and is often flaky. It lacks both sebum and moisture. It looks dull, especially on the cheeks and around the eyes. There may be tiny expression lines on these spots and at the corners of the mouth. In this type of skin, the oil glands do not supply enough lubrication to the skin which becomes dehydrated. Washing dry skin with soap and water not only removes grime but also natural oil protecting the skin.

Dry skin needs plenty of thorough but gentle cleansing, regular stimulation with massage and generous quantities of oil and moisture. It also needs extra careful protection. A moisturizer increases the water content of the outer layers of the skin and gives it a soft, moist look.

Combination skin – This type of skin has a greasy area, while the rest is dry or normal. The center panel-forehead, nose and chin may be greasy and the cheeks dry. This type of skin is very common, and it should be treated as if it were two different types of skin, the dry part to be gently cleansed and regularly lubricated and the oily part deeply cleansed and tones. However, both the dry and greasy areas need moisturizing.