Women's Health: Tackling Skin Problems In Winter

Spread the love

Winter has set in. The cold air brings in relief from the heat, but it also brings along with it the possibility of various skin problems that affect women’s health.

Our skin loses a lot of moisture because of cold air, low humidity, and high winds outdoors. Bacteria and viruses are prevalent in the cold season. Our immune system needs to work harder in order to fight these germs. This makes the immune system weaker, which can cause more problems with your skin than usual. Paying a little more attention to skin care in winter can help in reducing these problems and preventing skin infections which add to women’s health woes.

Common Skin Problems that affect women’s health in the winter

1. Dry skin

Dry skin in winter becomes a common skin problem with increasing age. As the skin becomes thinner with increasing age, it can no longer absorb as much moisture from the air.

Due to the dry air and lack of moisture, the skin becomes irritated and dehydrated, causing itching and scaling. In some cases, it tends to become red and swollen too and can be painful. Chronic skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis are also aggravated by cold, dry air.

It may be a good idea to invest in a humidifier if you are one of those who get severe itchiness. In many cases, it is the dead skin cells on the body that cause itchiness. Taking a shower with hot water opens up the pores. Exfoliating the skin when showering can remove the dead skin cells and give relief from itchiness.

2. Acne

Acne is one of the most common skin problems that affect people of all ages in winter. Acne can happen on any part of the body, but it is most common on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms. It can sometimes be painful and unsightly. The major reason for acne is the overproduction of oil that can lead to clogged pores, dead skin cells, and bacteria on the skin.

It is a natural tendency to reach out and touch the affected area, especially on the face. But it can be noticed that reducing the times we touch our face reduces acne as well. Gentle cleansers and moisturizers can also help pesky acne that is caused by the cold. A dermatologist can also provide antibiotic treatments to help rid your skin of acne issues.

3. Chapped lips

Splitting and cracking can also occur in severe cases, which is painful and can sometimes even cause bleeding. One of the most common mistakes people make is licking their lips while out in the cold. This causes severe lip irritation and can make the chapping worse. The best way to prevent this is by using a good lip balm that will moisturize the lips and provide them with extra hydration.

4. Dandruff

During winters, there is a lack of moisture content in the air, which makes it dry. And this eventually leads to dryness of the skin and also the scalp. Drying of the scalp leads to dandruff.

We also tend to consume less water during winters. This causes dehydration. Dehydration is also a reason for dandruff.

Wearing a cap or a hat, especially one that’s made of wool and infrequent hair wash are also other causes of dandruff.

Keeping the hair and scalp clean, and regular oiling can give some relief for dandruff. However, when severe and in need of personalized treatment, it is recommendable to see a dermatologist.

5. Dull Skin/Oily Skin

Dull skin is a common complaint in winters. This is because the dry weather lessens the natural oils from our skin that usually keep the skin smooth and healthy.

We should try to avoid using excessively hot water in winters, as it opens up pores and further reduces the natural oils. Instead, it is advisable to use warm or lukewarm water to wash your face so we don’t strip away essential oils. Use a gentle facial cleanser every day with no strong fragrances or perfumes added is recommended.

Many people also tend to experience oilier skin during winters. This is because the oil glands tend to secrete more oil to combat the dry skin, and sometimes they tend to go overboard. This causes the pores to enlarge and the skin to look greasy. Use a cleanser with oil control in such cases.

6. Dry and irritated nose

Cold air not only dries out your skin and chaps your lips, but it can also dry out the nose and causes irritation. Winter is also a bad time for people with pollen allergies which cause a runny nose. Cold and flu are also rampant in winters resulting in a dry and irritating nose.

The use of a humidifier inside the house goes a long way in reducing dryness. In addition to treating the source, tips like using saline solution to keep the nasal cavities moistened can provide some relief to the symptoms.

7. Cracked heels

Painful, cracked heels are a common skin condition, especially in winter. They are often caused by dry skin. In some cases, dry cracked feet can lead to infection or make walking painful.

Moisturizing the feet by frequent application of petroleum jelly can help. Putting on a pair of socks overnight is also a tried and tested remedy. Medicinal applications are also available to treat cracked heels.

Some Tips to Prevent Skin Problems in Winter

Each problem requires a unique treatment depending on the severity. But here are some preventive measures that we can take to avoid skin problems in winter –

Keep your skin moisturized throughout the day
Drink enough water
Use a sunscreen
Avoid harsh skin care products in winter
Avoid using hot water for taking a bath. Lukewarm water should be good.
Exfoliate the skin in regular periods
Invest in a humidifier
Try to get some sunlight during the day. It is the natural source of Vitamin D.

Visit Infano for more such articles related to women’s health.

Spread the love

Since its inception in the 1930s, Bollywood has been the go-to place for entertainment for a large fraction of the Indians.

We all love Bollywood and most of us even dream of becoming a Bollywood actor or actress. Everything in our daily lives from the way we dress, speak, behave, the style we choose to the way we think has been impacted by the cinemas.

We even see little kids dancing to the songs such as Chikni Chameli from Agneepath and Sheila Ki Jawaani from Tees Maar Khan. This shows the intensity of the impact created by Bollywood on young Indians and our society.

Do these kids know the meaning of those songs?

The lyrics of some of these songs go from bad to worse. Have you ever realized that most Bollywood songs that you rocked to so happily as a child were disgustingly sexist?

How do these kinds of songs and movies influence millions of young and old minds, across urban and rural India?

Bollywood films have a great impact on one’s perception of sexuality and body image. Bollywood films are indeed sold on women for they focus on objectifying women, but these methods adopted to portray women are not only limited to the screen but have a social impact too.

Misogyny is not a new thing in Bollywood

Cinema has far-reaching consequences on the young minds of Indians and Bollywood’s portrayal of women has been stereotypical for way too long.

For a long time, Bollywood romances have solely been an expression of male desire with women having no say. They are portrayed as eye-candy and hyper-sexualized in most of the advertising posters to attract the audience and added to the fuel are the item songs where a female in revealing and modern clothes dances amid a pack of men.

It is very common in commercial films that female characters are objectified as mere sexual objects without intellectual capability, while men are portrayed as strong, professional, and intellectual, and heroic.

The depiction of misogyny in Bollywood is hardly a new problem and is deeply rooted in the industry. Kabir Singh, for instance, though criticized for the way it portrayed an abusive relationship as a form of love was one of the highest-grossing movies of 2019.

“An international study finds that women in Indian movies are made to emphasize their sex appeal but are unlikely to have professions.”

Women are usually portrayed as sexual objects in Indian films and are mostly used for supportive and decorative roles as is evident in Kabir Singh and most Indian films.

Are Bollywood makers fully aware of glorifying and promoting misogyny in relationships?

These movies have made some people fear that it would inspire or even drive people to unacceptable behavior and may promote the dangerous idea that sexual harassment is acceptable. The success of this kind of movie which glorifies misogyny shows that there is still a long way to go to bring a change in the perception of sexuality among young Indians.

Showcase of Body Image

Movies have always been a very effective means of communication and the impression of sexuality and body image as shown in Bollywood films tend to implant wrong ideas in their minds and mislead them.

The female actor is shown beautiful and attractive with a light skin tone and a perfect body which makes the hero get attracted towards her. This portrayal of the women in Bollywood films has led many young girls to achieve the unrealistic beauty standards of the female actors going through the painful process of waxing and other beauty care with the desire to look attractive in the eyes of their partner.

Not only women but men too are the victims of these notions. Bollywood hero is objectified as a tall person with a chiseling physique and without body hair and fat. Most of the men are under hidden pressure to feel good about their bodies and attract their partners.

Most of the youth have forgotten to embrace their bodies. Not everyone’s body type is the same nor has the same skin tone all over their body. It is important to remember that it is their professional necessity that makes the actors take special care to maintain even skin tone and look beautiful to attract the audience.

While some filmmakers are trying to change the depiction of sexuality in Indian films, yet there is much to be done to have empathy and sensibility towards real women and the problems they face.

Bollywood’s idea of sexuality has far-reaching consequences on India’s social fabric. The actors need to realize that overemphasis of sexual scenes can have a huge impact on the young girls and boys and should have the courage to turn down the characters that objectify women with negative body image.

It’s time for all of us to take the responsibility to inculcate realistic cultural values among the young minds so that at least the next generation would know the reality and show respect towards others as well as themselves.