An Ayurveda Guide for Beautiful Skin
Health articles >An Ayurveda Guide for Beautiful Skin
An Ayurveda Guide for Beautiful Skin
Naturally fresh and healthy skin is protector of body and a thing of beauty. Ayurveda our ancient science of medicine has suggested many herbal remedies and natural methods to protect our skin from pimples, acne, dark circles, wrinkles and marks left by pimples and to increase the fairness of the skin. Pimples , acne dark circles, wrinkles and marks give a dull and unhealthy look. Here is a herbal guide for naturally fresh, fair and glowing skin.
Structure
of skin
It is essential to know about structure of skin before analysing the
causes which make changes on skin. Skin is made up of multiple layers of
epithelial tissuess. Microscopic section of the skin shows two distinct
parts. Epidermis is the top most layer. The upper layer of epidermis
contains dead cells which gradually cast off. These cells are gradually
replaced by fresh new cells produced by basal layer which is the lower
layer of epidermis.
The Dermis lies below epidermis and consists of net work of collagen
fibers which is responsible for elastic properties of skin. Sebaceous
glands associated with hair follicles and sweat glands, are all present
in dermis and get blood supply from the subcutaneous tissue present
below dermis. Sebaceous glands get activated during puberty and produce
an oil like substance called sebum.
In ayurveda according to
Sushrutaachaarya the skin has seven layers. These layers when get
affected by imbalanced doshas (vital energetic forces of body ) give
rise to different skin diseases The list of seven layers of skin and
diseases which originate from them are as follows.
Avabhasini- The outermost layer of skin.
Pimples, acne,
dandruff etc arise when this layer gets affected by vitiated doshas.
Lohita - This is the second layer of skin.
Moles ,dark circles, black pigmentations occur when vitiated doshas
affect this layer.
Shweta - The third layer of skin shweta
when gets affected by vitiated doshas precipitates the diseases like
eczema ,allergic rashes etc
Tamra - This is the fourth layer of skin
which when affected by doshas harbors different types of leprosy.
Vedini-
The fifth layer succumbs to
herpes when
vitiated doshas affect.
Rohini- Harbors cancer, tumors,
elephantiasis etc when affected by vitiated doshas.
Mamsadhara - This is the seventh layer in
the body which when affected by vitiated doshas , abscess , fistulas
arise.
Functions
of skin
It covers and protects the underlying
muscles
and organs. It guards our body from the invasion of pathogens, acts as
an insulation , regulates body temperature and is one of the sense
organ. It plays a major role in synthesis of Vitamine D.
The melanin pigment of skin protects
us from UV radiations of
Sun.
What spoils the beauty of skin.?
Several internal and external causes spoil the beauty of skin.
Sun : Sun is the worst enemy of
skin. Apply a good
sun block on exposed parts of body. Wear full armed lite colored cotton clothes when you move out in sun. Do not forget to
wear a hat and cooling glasses.Mix sandal powder in a large glass of
water and keep it in refrigerator to cool. Transfer this into a
sprayer and keep on spraying this on your body whenever you feel your
skin is irritated due to
sun
rays.
Seasonal Changes:
When climate is hot and
humid the
skin feels sticky due to sweat. Microbial activity increases on wet skin
. Bathe
daily to keep the skin clean and lower the microbial activity. Use a
mixture of soap nut powder , besan (gram flour) and sandal wood powder
to scrub the skin. Drink plenty of water to compensate the loss of fluid
through sweat.
When climate is cold and dry the
moisture level of skin lowers and
skin
becomes dry and it tends to crack. Apply moisturizing lotion
liberally all over body. Smearing fresh
aloevera juice
improves moisture levels of skin.
Massage
your body with gingelly oil (til oil) once in a week. Always wear warm
cotton clothes and socks. Regular
foot massage with warm gingelly oil or
castor oil prevents
fissuring of heels and foot. Drink plenty of warm water to keep the
skin well hydrated and to prevent dryness.
Air Pollution : The air pollutants
like dust, smoke, smog, dirt can clog pores and cause
acne and pimples.
Apply a good moisturizer which acts as a barrier between skin and
pollutants. Cleanse the skin care fully when you are back home . Use besan (gram flour) and rose water as scrub in summer. A mixture of
Masoor dal flour (orange lentils) and
milk make a best scrub for winter.
Life styles :
Sleep : Lack of sleep causes dark circles
and diminish the glow of skin. 7- 8 hours
sleep keeps the
skin healthy and glowing
Exercise : A brisk
walk for 45 minutes
keeps the skin healthy by improving
blood circulation and eliminating
toxins. Lack of exercise lead to dull looking skin.
Stress :
Stress
causes
dark circles, loss of complexion and appearance of permanent lines
on facial skin. Yoga,
Meditation,
Exercise and Body massage are best stress busters and skin friendly
therapies.
Addiction: Tobacco, drugs,
alcohol etc make
the skin look lifeless and unattractive. Say no to any form of tobacco,
alcohol and drugs
Diet :
Unhealthy diet spoils the skin. Junk, spicy , oily foods spoil the
beauty of skin causing acne, pimples and black heads . A healthy diet
retards ageing process of skin and gives it a charming look. The tips
given below help you to adopt a healthy diet.
-
Drink plenty of fresh clean water (2-3 liters daily). It helps to eliminate body wastes and toxins. It keeps constipation at bay.
-
Let fresh fruits and vegetables occupy major portion of your diet. Dark green and orange vegetables and fruits have antioxidants and also pocess cancer fighting properties
-
Avoid sweets, chocolates, junk foods, deep fried, oily and spicy foods.
Daily and weekly regimen for beautiful skin
Take bath daily
Wash your face twice daily with herbal natural scrubs like besan, methi powder, green gram flour, masoor dal flour etc. Splash clean water on face as soon as you wash.
Do a complete body massage with gingelly oil once in a week.
Doing Pranayam daily for 15 minutes keep the skin healthy and radiant.
Do facials with natural fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables etc once in a week. Face packs of Cucumber, carrot, water melon , sandal wood paste, turmeric, honey etc can be used according to seasons and skin types.
Drink 12 glasses of water per day
-
Drink a glass of water with a spoon of honey in empty stomach .This should be one of your daily routine.
-
Savor milk, curds and butter milk..
Follow ayurveda treatment for beautiful skin
This article is copy righted. The author Dr.SavithaSuri is an Ayurvedic Physician and web master of http://www.ayurhelp.com
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