By: Dr Kiran Lohia, Medical Director, Lumiere Dermatology, Delhi
March 23 2016, 14.48 PM IST || Pocket News Alert
Everyone loves to celebrate the festival of colors but no one realizes the havoc it plays on our skin! Read on to learn my do’s and don’t for protecting your skin this holi!
1 – Don’t Use Artificial Colors for Holi
Originally, natural powders derived from sandalwood, turmeric and flowers were preferred to play Holi as nothing else was available. However, ever since artificial colors were created and found to be significantly cheaper than the natural sources, these new artificial powders began taking over the market. These Holi colors are a risk all by themselves as many of them contain ingredients like prussian blue and gentian violet, which are known causes of dermatitis (skin irritation or inflammation). Furthermore, many of these colors can cause eye puffiness and irritation, and even carry a risk of temporary blindness!
2 – Do Use Natural Colors
To prevent these problems, look for natural vegetable derived colors from a good store. These herbal colors should be hypoallergenic (meaning certified by a dermatologist that there is a low risk of allergy) and easier to wash off. Also, make sure you check the ingredient list to ensure they are as natural as they appear!
3 – Do use a Barrier Cream or Ointment on the Face
Its practically impossible to prevent other people from bringing artificial colors to the parties. But to help prevent those problems from occurring, wear a cream that can act as a barrier against those damaging powders. A cold cream and even petroleum jelly will create a layer between you and the powder, keeping your skin safe and making the holi colors even easier to wash off!
4 – Don’t OverScrub
Once those powders are on your face, its natural to want to scrub them off. But, scrubbing itself can cause irritation, dryness and rashes! And, scrubbing doesn’t work as well as one would want and usually only causes skin trauma.
5 – Don’t Use Detergents and Soaps
Always stay away from strong detergents or soap. They will only serve to irritate the epidermal barrier, making your skin even more dry and irritated. The powders themselves can cause problems, so why add to it with sulfate driven detergents.
6- Do Use Oils and Gentle Cleansers
Use gentler cleansers no more than a few times a day to get rid of the powders without irritating the skin. For stubborn color, using oil can often be very helpful as some colors are especially soluble in oil. You can apply oil to the skin and massage it for a few minutes. Then, using a gentle cleanser, wash the oil and the color away!
7 – Do Wear Sunblock
When you are out playing during holi, its easy to forget about the problems UV Rays will cause on your skin. Tanning, pigmentation, sun allergy and more can occur during your hours in the sun. So, to prevent this problem, wear a water-resistant sunblock with at least SPF30++ for UVA and UVB protection to help protect your skin. And don’t forget to reapply every 3-4 hours!
