3 Worst Enemies Of The Skin

Your heart belongs to the city, but your skin could really use a break. Madhura Sansare tells you how to manage it while staying put.

- Madhura Sansare

Cities are hives of excitement. The buzz, the chaos, the late nights, it’s all addictive. And terrible for your skin. Just wading through the thick smog that threatens to surround us at all times of the day while we stay glued to our phones subjects our skin to three of the deadliest toxins out there: stress, pollution and technology. They cause instant damage, while also compromising your health in the long-term.

SKIN ENEMY #1

Stress

Life in the city can be nerve-wracking. From making work deadlines to keeping social commitments and running a house, our list of to-dos is endless. This can lead to massive amounts of stress. “Emotions have a very powerful effect on your skin,” says Dr Bharti Taneja, the founder and director of Alps Beauty Group. “Stress causes our body to produce a hormone called cortisol, which increases our skin’s sensitivity and makes it more prone to acne and other issues.” We can’t do without it, either. “Cortisol

is a stress hormone with many functions that are critical for the regulation of our metabolism,” says Dr Shivank Agte, Mumbai-based dermatologist. “It is produced constantly by the adrenals glands. However, it spikes up when we’re stressed.” This, in turn, aggravates hormonal changes in our body, and causes our skin to produce more oil, leading to acne and breakouts. “Stress can also worsen any skin problems you may already have, like eczema or psoriasis,” adds Dr Taneja. “It also speeds up the ageing process, so you’ll notice signs like hyperpigmentation, dullness and wrinkles at an earlier age.”

All clear