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Manage Winter Skin Problems with Ayurveda
Winter can be a challenging season for skin due to dryness and reduced moisture, leading to dehydration issues. Ayurveda can help protect your skin from these issues. It uses time-tested remedies rooted in natural ingredients to nurture your skin and address dryness. By understanding winter skin problems and their solutions, you can find a healthier way to manage your skin.
Causes of Skin Infections in Winter
Dry skin in winter is primarily caused by low sebum production and dry air, which are internal factors that affect our bodies’ heat release or dissipation mechanism, affecting our skin’s response to environmental changes.
1. Low Sebum Production: Excessive heat triggers an increase in subcutaneous blood flow, or blood flow beneath the skin, and stimulates sebum production by sebaceous glands, leading to oily skin. Sweating and sebum production both rise when your body releases extra heat. Throughout the winter, the exact opposite occurs. During the winter, your body tries to retain heat by reducing subcutaneous blood flow. This reduces the amount of sebum secreted, depriving your skin of essential oils and making it dry.
2. Dry Air: The chilly, dry air that surrounds you during the winter is the external factor that is stealing your skin from its hydration. In the summer you sweat gradually because of the high humidity in the air, but in winter the evaporation is faster, therefore your skin remains dry.
Ayurveda Remedies for Skin Care During Winter
- Oil Massages: Ayurveda teaches that an imbalance in your Tridoshas renders the body susceptible to various ailments, including dry skin, termed as ‘Tvak Rukshyata.’ During winter, the Vata and Kapha Doshas are particularly prone to aggravation. Aggravated Kapha leads to cold, phlegm, and congestion, while dryness is associated with the Vata Dosha. Some of the oils beneficial for winter massages are –
* Sesame Oil
* Shatavari Oil
* Coconut Oil
* Bhringraj Oil
* Almond Oil - Using Ayurveda Herbs: The use of Ayurveda herbs to cure dry skin has been in practice since the olden days. You may apply them as a face pack or even consume them with your favorite tea. These natural methods offer a lasting solution to your skin problems by treating them from the root. Some of the important herbs are –
Ashwagandha
Yastimadhu
Kumari
Manjistha
3. Ayurveda Face Packs: You can use the below-mentioned face packs to combat the cold, which are full of natural ingredients that soothe and hydrate dry skin, leaving you looking radiant all winter long.
Milk, Almond, and Rose Water
Avocado and Honey and Clove Oil
Banana and Aloe Vera
Papaya and Honey
4. Yoga Practice And Mediation For Healthy Skin: Yoga is incredibly beneficial to the physical well-being of your skin. The majority of the asanas listed below promote increased blood flow to the skin, which stimulates the skin’s natural production of essential oils.
* Bhujangasana
* Sarvangasana
* Dhanurasana
* Matsyasana
* Ustrasana
* Uttanasana
5. Stay Hydrated: Hydration is the most important factor in glowing skin. It’s all the more important in the winter season as the essential moisture from your skin evaporates easily when the surrounding air is dry. It is extremely essential to keep yourself hydrated as it is a good way to replenish the loss of moisture. Drink warm water throughout the day to get rid of harmful toxins from your body and enhance the health of your skin.
6. Eat Right: A crucial determinant of skin health is a well-balanced diet. Ensuring your body receives essential nutrients like Vitamins A, B, C, E, K, and Beta-carotene, along with foods abundant in water content, is the most effective strategy to prevent dry skin. As per Ayurvedic practitioners, incorporating items such as Oranges, Avocados, Berries, Walnuts, Flaxseeds, Sweet Potatoes, Gourds (like Bottle gourds and Snake gourds), Carrots, Green Leafy Vegetables, Ghee, and Coconut Oil into your meals can internally nourish and hydrate your skin.
Changes in the weather often show up on your skin. When the air gets colder and humidity levels drop, your skin craves more care. Engaging in routine hot oil massages, using Ayurveda face packs, practicing Yoga, indulging in foot soaks, and maintaining a nutritious diet can prevent your skin from appearing dry and lackluster. Consulting an Ayurveda professional to determine your unique ‘Prakriti’ or body constitution is recommended. A well-tailored skincare routine that harmonizes your Doshas will naturally result in healthy, radiant skin, unaffected by shifts in weather conditions.
Did you know?
It’s a frequent misconception that exfoliating dry skin makes it worse. Exfoliating promotes fresh, healthy cells by removing dead ones. However, after exfoliating, your skin becomes more susceptible to dryness, so don’t forget to hydrate.
