HOW POLLUTION AFFECTS YOUR HAIR AND SKIN

Diwali is the festival of lights. It celebrates a million pleasant sentiments- hope, joy, family, success, beauty, love, friendships, and much more. Lately, however, this great Hindu festival has also come to be associated with something not so pleasant- smoke and pollution, especially in Delhi. The festival lifts our spirits up, but on the downside, it also sees a drastic spurt in the level of pollution. This is bad news not just for the environment or our health, but also for our skin and hair. While we do everything possible to look our best for Diwali celebrations, the fact that pollution is undoing all the efforts, cannot be ignored.

Excessive exposure to pollution harms the skin in many ways- it can lead to a fall in collagen levels, trigger inflammation, and cause the first signs of hyperpigmentation. A few changes in your routine skincare and some Collagen increasing treatments are the perfect solution to pollution woes.

Here are a few simple ways to protect your skin and hair from the damage:

SKIN:

1) CLEANSE

Make face cleansing during the day and before sleep a religious routine, to avoid the build up of grime and dust that can clog your pores and cause breakouts. Ask your dermatologist to prescribe a gentle face wash according to your skin type.

2) DETOX

Use an exfoliating cleanser a few times per week or a purifying mask once a week to help remove the pollution particles and dust that can embed deep within the skin. It’s the easiest and the best skin renewal treatment that you can do by yourself.

3) HYDRATE AND PROTECT

Rely on a good serum that can give your skin maximum hydration. Unlike moisturisers, serums penetrate deeper into the skin, are absorbed much easily and give better results. A serum also tightens pores and can easily qualify as DIY skin firming treatment in your everyday routine. Also, use a sunscreen with active anti-oxidants and a good SPF daily.

HAIR:

1) CLEANSE

Wash your hair regularly with a gentle shampoo everyday to minimise the build up of toxins on the hair surface. This will also ensure that you’re not breathing in dangerous toxins while you sleep.

2) PROTECT

Use a protection spray every morning and keep your tresses ready to fight everyday grime, dust and pollution. Pick a spray that is oil based (such as apricot oil) to lock in the moisture, and keep your hair hydrated. If you stay outdoors more, then a UV spray is advisable.

3) BE GENTLE

Pollution compromises your hair quality to a great extent, so make sure you go gentle when styling, straightening, blow-drying or plain detangling. For days when styling is unavoidable, like the festive season, use protective products, preferably those containing Wheat and Soy Amino Acids and Arginine.

Follow these tips to ensure that this Diwali, your skin and hair are as radiant as the festival of lights itself. In case the damage has gone beyond your control, walk into Clinic Dermatech and let the experts take over. Our collagen increasing treatments will definitely enrich your skin and restore the festive glow. We offer several advanced technologies, such as Erbium Yag laser, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), CO2 laser, etc. to combat skin dullness and ageing. There are several hair restoration treatments too, to ensure that you flaunt a glorious mane for the festivities ahead.