Lockdown Face is essentially a phenomenon that's a combination of two things - your skin being denied it's usual skincare routine at home, and access to regular beauty treatments like botox, fillers, dermabrasion, etc. This results in different skin issues, and Dr Rinky Kapoor, consultant dermatologist, cosmetic dermatologist and dermato-surgeon puts the spotlight on them and tells you how to fix them.
Skin problems that have come under the scanner in lockdown mode
It’s been almost two months in to lockdown, and instead of having the radiant, breakout free skin; most of us are having a hard time dealing with the lockdown face and skin. Nobody is going out of the house, the air is clearer than ever, your skin is not exposed to pollutants then why the increased breakouts, fine lines, dark circles.
One of the main reasons behind the lockdown face is us steering away from our usual skin care routine. The self-isolation happened suddenly. None of us were ready for it. Now, we are dealing with everything on our own without any outside help. The result is lockdown skin and face that is new to all of us.
What's causing lockdown face?
Stress
We are more stressed than ever, housework, office work, and trying to keep up with everything is taking toll on the skin, and it’s retaliating by breaking out in acne and causing inflammation.
Being lazy
Most men and women have ditched their daily skin care routines in favour of catching up on sleep and, our skin is rewarding us with dark circles, appearance of fine lines, and tired dull looking skin.
Indulging yourself
Everybody is a home chef during lockdown. The extra sugar and oil in your diet is leading to the appearance of spots and signs of ageing.
Little or no exposure to the sun
We need the vitamin D from the sun to maintain the skin’s immune system. Too much sun or too little sun leads to premature ageing.
What you can do to help your skin glow
Follow a skin care routine that involves cleansing toning and moisturising daily in the morning and evening.
Exfoliate the skin twice daily to remove the dry and dead skin.
Swoop in to your pantry and fridge and look for natural ingredients like milk, turmeric, honey, cucumbers, oats, rose water, aloe vera that can be used for facial masks and cleansers.
Figure out a routine that resonates with your body rhythm and stick to it. Your skin will respond better to the lockdown when it follows routines
Wear a sunscreen. You only need Vitamin D from the sun and not the harmful UV and UVB rays. Wear your sunscreen when gardening or soaking the sun in your balcony.
Instead of frying, bake and instead of eating sugar opt for nuts and fruits. Replace the wine with fresh fruit juice, and your skin will thank you by glowing and reducing breakouts.
Don’t rub your eyes; it will only accelerate the dark circles. Instead, moisturise under the eyes thrice a day.
Of course, sitting at home, most people are not able to visit their dermatologists and for the regular skin tightening, and anti-ageing treatments but the medicine shops are open and your dermat is just a call away. You can easily get a salicylic acid face wash, serums, tea tree oil face wash, neem oil face washes, and sheet mask from the chemist. Ask your dermat on how you can use these products to curb and cure the breakouts.
The lockdown won’t last forever and all you need is a little patience with your skin to keep it looking fresh and glowing.
Dr. Debraj Shome is Director and Co founder of The Esthetic Clinics. He has been rated amongst the top surgeons in India by multiple agencies. The Esthetic Clinics patients include many international and national celebrities who prefer to opt for facial cosmetic surgery and facial plastic surgery in Mumbai because The Esthetic Clinics has its headquarters there.