Skin and hair Precautions to be taken amid Covid-19 pandemic

Future generations will remember the year 2020 as the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, due to this pandemic, it has become clear to us how much we need hygiene and cleanliness in our health care. Protecting the health of our skin and hair along with other body parts is also essential.

According to Dr Alekya Singapore, Consultant Dermatologist, Cosmetologist and Trichologist, Apollo Clinics & Apollo Cradle, Hyderabad, our skin acts as the front-line barrier to infection and its health is something that many unfortunately overlook. Losing this barrier is detrimental to our health and increases the risk of developing infection, she warns. She also adds that due to pandemic conditions prevailing outside, stress can also cause flare-ups of autoimmune conditions that affect the skin.

The reason is that medical experts suggest that taking small precautions is not enough to take care of any skin health without problems.

Frequent hand washing and sanitizers / moisturizers
According to the World Health Organization, we regularly clean our hands and use alcohol – based sanitizers and moisturizers to protect ourselves from covid infection.

When using these moisturizers, medical experts recommend choosing moisturizers that have a high ceramide content, especially those with a high concentration of liquid. They also say that you should not use moisturizers that contain odors and artificial flavors. They say that even when using these moisturizers, it will take longer to apply as soon as it is applied.

Dr Alekya Singapore, Consultant Dermatologist, Cosmetologist and Trichologist, Apollo Clinics & Apollo Cradle, Hyderabad cautions that nevertheless, it must be remembered that sanitizers do not substitute hand-washing; we recommend our patients to always wash their hands whenever possible.

Furthermore she also warns the patients to note that frequent hand-washing and sanitizers not only remove bacteria or viruses from our skin surfaces but also the moisture content from the superficial layers of our skin. This result in dry, dehydrated and fissured skin that can also lead to eczematous dermatitis, she says. It is therefore of great importance that we remember to regularly apply moisturizer soon after hand-washing, she advises.

Effect of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for the symmetry of our body organs. It usually comes naturally to us from sunlight.

However, in the face of a complete reduction in the current lock-down conditions, the level of vitamin D in our body can drop and affect the health of our skin and hair, warns Dr. Alekhya . She explained that vitamin D deficiency affects not only our bones and kidneys but also hormones. She suggested that this could lead to a loss of mental balance in the human body, so it is important to avoid vitamin D deficiency. She says it is especially important for the elderly, who need vitamin D, which also plays a key role in skin care.

Protecting skin and hair in stressful situations

Stress in urban life in general is naturally high. Covid conditions are now contributing to this pressure. Medical experts say that due to this increasing stress, there is no risk of developing certain types of skin and hair related problems. They warn that skin infections in particular can be reduced and there is a risk of developing psoriasis, acne, rosacea and eczematous dermatitis (psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and eczematous dermatitis). They suggest that self-care measures are not appropriate unless appropriate dermatology physicians are consulted immediately if any of these symptoms occur.

It is also thought that stress can cause the skin and hair to become more oily. In addition, medical experts explain that while the body is battling infection, all the nutrients in our body are diverted to the main chances of participating in this fight, which can lead to hair loss and hair loss.

Dr. Dr Alekya Singapore, Consultant Dermatologist, Cosmetologist and Trichologist, Apollo Clinics & Apollo Cradle, Hyderabad suggests that the first step for a healthy skin and hair begins with good maintenance.

Following simple and basic rules like using mild soaps while bathing daily, applying moisturizer immediately after bath and applying a good sunscreen with at least a SPF 30 on exposed parts is important for healthy skin, she advises. Healthy hair is achieved by washing your hair regularly with a good and mild shampoo and Supplements can also aid in the maintenance of healthy skin and hair, she suggests. Further she says that for skin, I recommend vitamin C and omega 3 fatty acids as daily supplements to achieve a healthy, hydrated skin and Hair can also be supplemented with biotin and topical protein serums.