AYURVEDIC TREATMENT TO MANAGE DRY SKIN

Understanding Dry Skin

Dry skin makes you uncomfortable with rough, itchy, flaky, and scaly skin. It happens when your skin doesn’t have enough moisture to keep it soft. Dry skin occurs for a variety of reasons. You may have dry skin by birth or develop temporarily or seasonally.

Dry skin may affect any part of your body, but the location varies for each individual. Most individuals face this condition at least once in their lifetime. Dry skin is caused by exposure to cold or dry weather, sunburns, soaps and detergents, underlying medical conditions, and overbathing or scrubbing. In most situations, lifestyle modification and moisture application can improve the condition. But if the condition persists, you must visit a dermatologist for a detailed checkup.

Skin Anatomy

The Skin is the largest organ and contains water, protein, fats, and minerals. It shields you from heat, infections, light, and injury. Nerve tips in the skin make you feel cold and hot and help regulate your body temperature.

The thickness, texture, and skin colour may vary in different body parts. While the skin on the scalp is filled with hair, palms and soles have thicker skin with no hairs at all.

The skin contains three layers, which include:

• Epidermis -The external layer that you can see and touch.
• Dermis -The middle layer containing nerve cells, blood vessels, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands. The sebaceous gland produces sebum and keeps the skin hydrated; reducing sebum secretion leads to dry skin.
• Hypodermis - The deepest layer comprises fat tissue and protects internal organs.

What Causes Dry Skin

When the skin’s outer layer loses moisture, dry skin develops. Your skin may get dry as you get older. The factors causing dry skin are

Environmental Factors

You may wonder why your skin type changes to dry skin even though you have naturally oily skin. The reason behind this is the environmental factors. Exposing yourself to freezing and hot weather can suck the moisture right out of your body, leaving your skin feel dry. Whether working outside, being in the sun for long hours, or spending long in air-conditioned rooms, all these can lead to dry skin.

Lifestyle Factors

Many lifestyle adaptations harm your skin. If you are having a disturbed sleep pattern or staying awake at night, your skin might start to dry and itchy. If you use harsh soaps and detergents, strong perfumes, over-scrubbing, and over-bathing can also lead to skin issues. Wearing rough and tight clothes can also contribute to dry skin.

Medical Conditions

You can develop dry skin naturally if the genes are inherited in you. Undergoing cancer therapy or dialysis may cause dry skin. Dry skin is also caused by allergies, cancer, eczema, diabetes, kidney disease, anorexia, and HIV, and by medicines, including laxatives, diuretics, antihistamines, and antacids.

Types Of Dry Skin

The severity of dry skin varies between individuals. Sometimes, the condition may persist for extended periods, resulting in a health condition called dermatitis. It is of three types:

• Contact Dermatitis: The condition develops when the skin comes in contact with allergens, resulting in dry, itchy, reddish rashes.
• Eczema: The skin disease is characterised by red, dry skin patches that may sometimes crack. It can get worse with allergens and stress.
• Seborrheic Dermatitis: Seborrheic dermatitis develops on your scalp as dandruff causes itching, dryness, and sometimes scales.

Signs and Symptoms of Dry Skin

Factors including your age, where you live, and what skin you have will influence your skin health.

Here are some dry skin symptoms you can look for:

• Itching - The most noticeable sign of dry skin is itching. You may experience itching all the time, making it difficult to perform daily activities, even waking you from sleep.
• Flakes - When the skin becomes excessively dry, flakes and cracks appear on the skin. If the crack is deep, it may be bleed.
• Discolouration - Skin colour changes from normal to red on fair skin and greyish on dark skin.
• Tightness - You may feel a tight feeling, severe pain, and discomfort when something touches the affected area.

Importance of Addressing Dry Skin

Most often, dry skin is harmless. The condition can cause severe complications if left untreated. Germs can enter the skin through cracks and wounds in severely dry skin, leading to an infection. As the condition progresses, the skin might change colour and texture, thicken, or develop patches. If you are not addressing this condition with utmost care, you may end up dealing with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Dry Skin In Ayurveda

Ayurvedic philosophy explains that the physiological and psychological characteristics of an individual are maintained by the three doshas, namely Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. In each person, there will be variation in the dominance of the doshas.

If you are a Vata dosha dominant individual, you are more prone to have dry skin. Vata dosha has the qualities such as dryness, coldness, roughness, etc. Thereby, the increase in Vata dosha results in dry and rough skin, cracked lips, dry mucus, etc. The skin will be thin, cold to the touch, dehydrated, and present with wrinkles.

Managing Vata dosha is the primary step in correcting dry skin. It requires correcting your lifestyle and dietary modifications along with some Ayurvedic therapies and medicines.

Ayurvedic Remedies For Dry Skin

Ayurvedic remedies are the most efficient yet affordable method for dealing with dry skin. These can be performed at ease at your home. Let's look at some home remedies for dry skin:

• Rejuvenate your skin with oil massage - Nourish your skin daily with suitable oils. Oils can penetrate your skin, improve blood circulation and skin complexion, soothe the senses, and balance the Vata dosha. Use revitalising oil like Nalpamaradi Keram to not only clear tan and sun damage but also to retain moisture in the skin.
• Use moisturisers and lotions as needed - Most of you will be too tired to complete the skin care regimen daily. Your skin suffers from this. Incorporating moisturisers or lotions into your daily regimen can tackle the issue. Select the product that suits your skin without containing any chemicals or toxins. We recommend you use our Swarnamukhi face cream as a night cream to nourish your face.
• Choose a herbal face pack - A good face mask can exfoliate and nourish your skin. You can use Swarnamukhi face mask or natural face masks containing hydrating constituents such as avocado, honey, or milk. Consider exploring these face masks.
  • Combine one spoonful of honey and two tablespoons of oats. Leave this mask for 15 minutes for moisturising and healing effects.
  • Create a paste by grinding half an avocado, one tablespoon of honey, and one teaspoon of olive oil. After applying it to your face, wash it off after 20 minutes.
• Wash your face with herbal face wash - Use a gentle, herbal wash, including Ashwagandha, that corrects Vata dosha.
• Use Sunscreen daily - Sunlight can harm your skin even if you stay inside. So, we promote using sunscreen to protect your skin. Always use a natural sunscreen that provides full-spectrum sun protection and hydration.

AYURVEDIC DIET FOR DRY SKIN

The proper diet is essential for managing your health externally and internally. Ensure your diet does not vitiate Vata dosha.

• Include antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.
• The food must be warm, moist, salty, sour, or sweet, balances Vata dosha.
• Consume fruits such as berries, apricots, apples, papayas, etc.
• Include carrots, lady fingers, pumpkin, and green leafy vegetables.
• Have one or two cashew nuts, hazelnuts, or almonds a day.
• Cook your meals with healthy oils, including coconut, olive, or sesame.
• Incorporate healthy fats like butter and ghee into your meals.
• Eat less dry, cold, packed, and processed foods.
• Have an adequate amount of lukewarm water to keep you hydrated. Cold water will increase Vata dosha. Avoid drinking water in between meals.
• Minimize using caffeinated beverages, coffee, and tea, as they can lead to fluid loss from your body. Switch to herbal teas or fruit juices to hydrate yourself.

LIFESTYLE REMEDIES FOR DRY SKIN

How you live influences your body. So, maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps in achieving healthy skin. Let's explore the remedies you can adopt:

• Avoid hot showers and overbathe. Reduce your shower time to 10 minutes and switch to body cleansers and soaps that suit your skin type.
• Have a sleep routine - Ayurveda recommends getting into bed early and avoiding late-night screen time as it can increase Vata dosha.
• Wear lightweight and cotton clothes to protect your body.
• Practice mindful exercises and yoga to keep your mind calm.
• Maintain a healthy environment by using a humidifier or air conditioner. You can use scented candles and avoid excessive noise to tone your surroundings.

Remember, if the condition persists for an extended period, consult your physician and take the necessary steps.

Key Takeaways

• Dry skin happens when your skin loses oil and water, leading to itching, redness, flakiness, and a tight feeling over the skin.
• It occurs due to lifestyle, health, and environmental variables.
• Ayurveda correlated dry skin with the imbalance in the Vata Dosha.
• Dry skin can be managed by adapting to an Ayurvedic diet, home remedies, and lifestyle modifications.