Skin Care and Treatments

• The skin that covers our body not only beautifies our body but also serves as a protective cover for the internal organs.

• It keeps away germs from attacking our body.

• Protects us against the vagaries of weather. It acts as a shield from the sun’s harmful effects.

• It regulates body temperature, maintains water and electrolyte balance

• The surface area of the skin covering an average body is 18 square feet. It weighs 10% of the total body weight.

• It provides us the sensation of touch.

• It reflects the health of the body

• It produces vitamin D, activates the sex hormone, regulates blood pressure and keeps water in and out.

• While the snake sheds its skin in a peculiar fashion, the human body sheds its skin in a slow, steady process.

• Every day millions of baby epidermal cells formed in the deep of the skin push their way out wards. While on the way out, they change into harder, horny keratin.

• The keratin layer consists of dead cell which are washed away during bathing or rubbed away by clothing.

• Under an average square centimeter of skin surface and about 1/8 of an inch thick - there will be some 100 sweat glands, 12 feet of nerves, hundreds of nerve endings, ten hair follicles 15 sebaceous glands and three feet of blood vessels!

Skin structure:- It has three layers.

1. The epidermis – the thin, tough and top layer

2. The dermis - thick layer of fibrous and elastic tissues. Gives the skin its flexibility and strength. It contains, nerve endings, glands, hair follicles and blood vessels.

1. The fat layer:- lies below the dermis – helps insulate the body from

Heat, and cold and serves as an energy storage way.

Skin diseases

Itching – is a sensation that immediately demands scratching May be caused by a skin disorder or a disease that affects the whole body e.g. Diabetes. Parasites like lice, mites, scabies, insect bites, and allergic conditions may also cause itching. Itching produces ‘rash’ which can be recognized as skin disorder. Itching that does not cause rashes can be attributed to internal, systemic diseases.

• Tips to reduce itching:

Keep your bathing brief

1. Do not rub skin rigorously.

2. Keep finger nails short

3. Anti – allergic medicines may help

Dermatitis / Eczema (Vicharchika)

• This is an inflammation of the upper layers of the skin, causing itching, blisters, redness, swelling and often oozing scabbing and scaling.

• Dermatitis is always the skin’s way of reacting to severe dryness, scratching, and a substance that is causing irritation or allergen.

• According to Ayurveda, Eczema is a superficial disease of the skin and is of inflammatory nature. It is caused by aggravation of kapha in addition to Vata & Pitta

Acne:

• This is a common skin condition producing pimples on the face and upper torso

• According to Ayurveda, acne, pimples are caused by aggravation of all the three doshas primarily Pitta

• Acne is caused by an interaction between hormones, skin oils and bacteria that result in inflammation of hair follicles.

• Acne results when a collection of dried sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria clog the hair follicles.

• The blocked sebum – filled hair follicles promote over growth of bacteria “Propioni bacterium acnes”

• Acne mainly occurs in puberty, when increased hormone (androgens) levels stimulate the skin’s sebaceous glands, resulting in excessive sebum production.

• Acne varies in its intensity and duration from person to person – it is worse in winter and better in summer for no reason.

General care in Acne

• Affected areas should be gently washed once or twice a day with a mild soap

• Do not resort to frequent scrubbing of the face

• Cosmetics should be water based. Greasy products can worsen Acne.

• Follow a healthy balanced diet.

• Drinking ½ a cup of Aloe vera juice thrice a day and applying a paste of nut – meg with water are recommended in Ayurveda.

• Acne and pimples disappear when rubbed with raw garlic several times a day.

Ayurvedic cure

The following herbs are used in Ayurveda.

Thespesia populina, Achyranthes Aspera, Acalypha Indica, Melia Azedarachta, Glycyrrihza glabra, Myrstica fragrans, Santalum albrum, Trikatu, Cannarium strictum oil, occinia Indica, Centella asiatica, Lawsonia Intermis, Terminalia balerica, Pongamia Glabra, Swertia chirata, Rubia cordifolia etc.

The following generic ayurvedic preparations are available to treat skin diseases.

Kathir arishtam, Sari bathyasava, Madhusnuhee churnam, Manjishtadhi kwatha

churnam, Nimbathi Kwadha Churnam, Amrita Palladhakam, Mahadichthaka

Gridam, Haridra kandam, Ganthaka Rasayanam, Dinesavalyathi Thailam,

Thurvadi Thailam, Ganthaka Thailam, Nal pamarathi Thailam, Kumkumathi

lepam, Rasakarpoora lepum, Sindoorathi lepum, Dhuvaraga Lepum and

Devakuseema Rasayanam.

General care of skin

• Drink 8 glasses of water every day.

• Include foods rich in vitamin A&C

• Itching and rashes could be caused by lack of ‘silicon’ Take sprouted cereals, Barley, Tomato, Spinach and Figs, which are good sources of ‘silicon’

• Skin – wrinkles may be caused by deficiency of sodium - Cucumber provides the required sodium

• Take bath twice a day

• Crush hibiscus leaves and apply on the body and then take bath. Body – odour due to perspiration is lessened

• Take oil bath twice a week. Use gingelly or coconut oil.

• Drink honey with water in the morning. Your skin gets soft and glows

• Mix sandal powder, Rose water and milk together. Apply on the body and after 10 – 15 minutes take bath. Olive oil also could be included. Similarly cream, Turmeric powder could be used. Curd, wheat flour also can be mixed and used. Crushed rose petals with cream also can be used to improve skin condition.

• Use clean, cool cotton inner wears. Use loose fitting dresses in the night

• Olive and almond oil will help reducing wrinkles caused by ageing. Eating food rich in Riboflavin prevents skin – wrinkles. Food rich in riboflavin are Milk, Butter, Fish, Eggs, Liver, Grains etc.

• Do not use towel, soaps of other persons. Do not let others use yours.

• Drink juices of carrot, white radish 2 or 3 times a week

• Turmeric powder mixed with Coconut oil applied on the body keeps skin fresh and glowing.

• Body areas prone to become black and dark like neck, elbows may be rubbed with lemon juice. Wait for 10 minutes and wash off.

• Calm mind and good sleep keeps skin healthy.