dr abha kashyap – The Metrognome

Heading out to play Holi? Presenting some before and after-the-revelry tips for you to remain safe from Holi’s ill effects.

by Dr Ajaya Kashyap and Dr Abha Kashyap

Part III of III

It is Holi today, and if you’re reading this, chances are you’re looking for safe ways to play Holi. Or it’s possible that you’ve got colour all over yourself and nobody, including yourself, recognises you.

Either way, we’ve got some tips that will help.

Try to dissuade people from applying colour all over your face with their hands. If you fail to do so, be especially careful in keeping your eyes and lips tightly shut. Always request the person not to smear the colours near the eyes.

Apply cold cream around your eyes and make a thick coating of it over there. This would ensure that the colours can be easily removed when you wash your eyes. When trying to remove the colours around your eyes, keep your eyes tightly shut and use warm water.

You can cover your hair with a dupatta/bandanna and a polypeptide-based gel can be applied to partially repel colour.

Caring for your eyes is equally important while playing Holi. People wearing contact lens should take them off before they begin to play with the colours. When somebody is spraying water colours on your face, keep your eyes shut to prevent damage to the pupil, cornea and iris.

After you’re done playing Holi:

– Don’t sit in sunlight after playing Holi. It makes colours difficult to remove and harms the skin as well. Sit in the shade even when playing outdoors.

– Don’t remove colours by scratching your skin with your nails. Use a granular scrub on the body and face to get rid of the colour.

– Wash off colour from your hair two to three times with shampoo and remove the colour completely. Apply a lot of moisturiser on the body and face after taking a shower.

– Wash the colour off your body at the earliest. Use a basic body wash and if the colour doesn’t go off after the wash, try the aforementioned remedy.

– Make a paste of gram flour (besan), juice of lemon and heavy cream or some milk and apply it on the stained area, let it sit for few minutes and then remove it by taking it off with olive oil.

– Hair should be deep conditioned after the wash. Make sure your hair is clean. Apply a hair mask after two-three days to cure the damage.

– Remove the colour from your face by using a light oil like jojoba or grapeseed. Wash off with face wash and lukewarm water. Follow up with lots of moisturiser.

– Do not bleach, shave, wax, go for facials or clean-ups the following week. Give your skin and body some time to recover from the damage.

Have a happy and safe Holi 🙂

Dr Ajaya Kashyap is Chief Surgeon in Cosmetic and Plastics from Fortis Hospital; Dr Abha Kashyap is an aesthetic image consultant, MedSpa.

(Picture courtesy theatlantic.com)

Care for your skin before Holi

An expert’s tips on making your own Holi colours, and skin and haircare advice before the festivities kick off tomorrow.

by Dr Abha Kashyap

Part II of III

There are several ways to protect your skin, hair and eyes from the onslaught of Holi colours. While it may not be possible to persuade others to play with natural colours, you can do your bit for the environment and towards human safety by playing Holi with safe, natural colours made of turmeric and flowers.

What’s more, you can make these colours at home, too. Try these:

– You can make gulaal at home by mixing red sandalwood powder with a bit of maida or plain atta.

– Also try boiling red sandalwood powder in water to make red-coloured water. This is both fragrant and medicinal.

– Mix turmeric and besan (gram flour) to get a bright yellow powder.

– Mix a paste of green leafy vegetables in water to make green-coloured water.

– Plain henna powder mixed in water will give you a vibrant orange colour.

– You can mix henna powder containing amla in water for a bright brown colour.

And before you start the revelries in earnest, bear in mind a few tips:

– Avoid all facial treatments during this period. If you are prone to allergies and rashes, visit your dermatologist to check whether you need precautionary medication.

– Harsh chemicals in the colours can cause itching and rashes, which lead to eczema upon scratching. Contact dermatitis, abrasion, irritation, itching, dryness, pruritus and burning sensation are the other problems you might encounter. The best way to protect your skin is to apply a thick layer of oil or petroleum jelly or a face cream on the exposed parts of the body an hour before you step out.

– Apply a lot of oil on your hair to protect it from harmful colours. This will also ensure that the residue from dyes in the colour does not get stuck to your hair and scalp. Make sure your hair isn’t dry before you go out to play, because colour will penetrate faster in the hair root and stain it. Oil hair religiously and give it a good massage.

– Wear clothes with long sleeves and full-length bottoms to protect your skin from direct colouration.

– You will need to soak your body in oil. From head to toe, drench yourself in coconut oil or any other easily available oil. Alternatively, you can also use heavy creams.

– Apply a thick layer of the greasiest sunscreen you can find. The oils in it will not let the colour seep deep into your skin, and the SPF in it will prevent you from the harsh rays of the sun.

– Coat your nails in transparent nail paint, so that colour wont stain your nails. Even men will love this tip.

– A thick layer of petroleum jelly must be applied on the lips. Also, opt for long-wearing lip tints to prevent staining.

– You might balk at the idea, but your teeth need protecting, too. Warm some Vaseline against your fingers and gently rub it against your teeth to prevent staining. It will prevent the staining.

– Always cover your eyes whenever there is a chance of colour coming in contact with them. Sunglasses are useful for this.

Other ignored areas of the body are the cuticles, back of the neck and ears. We often ignore these areas and end up having the most staining there! This time, coat the area with Vaseline or some heavy oil. And be safe.

Dr Abha Kashyap is an aesthetic image consultant, MedSpa.

Tomorrow: How to get rid of Holi colour from your skin and hair. Plus, protecting your eyes as you play Holi.

(Featured image courtesy idiva.com)