Forget your face for a minute. Take a look at your dirty paws. Or those filthy feet, grubby elbows, grimy nape…okay, you can’t see some of this stuff but you can devote a little attention on those neglected body parts and get them to look good again. Just follow the tips in our User’s manual.
As we grow older our skin becomes prone to wrinkles, marks, fine lines and pigmentation. More than our face this process is quicker on other body parts like hands, feet, neck, back, knees and elbows. This results in the face and other body parts looking very different from each other. The disparity is all the more aggravated by the fact that the face, being the most visible, gets the maximum care!
The stores today are crowded with anti-aging creams and lotions that promise help. But when and where to use them is the big question. We show you how to shower Tender Loving Care to your neglected body parts, and the various solutions available to address specific problems.
NECK – It is not your face, but your neck which gives away your age instantly. Reason, the skin on the neck is much thinner, and therefore more susceptible to damage, pigmentation (esp. back of neck), sagging, wrinkles, dark horizontal lines, ingrown hairs and razor burns (esp on the front of neck).
Protection
Twice a day rinse the area thoroughly paying special attention to the back of the neck where sweat and grime collect under the collar to provide breeding ground for acne promoting bacteria.
3 times a week use a mild scrub to exfoliate dead cell accumulation.
Use an SPF 15+ sunscreen during the day and a moisturizer at night. Massage these into the neck with upward strokes to increase blood circulation and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Alternatively massage an antioxidant rich oil (olive, sesame, mustard) in the night to delay signs of aging.
Guys, avoid shaving against the grain which can cause ingrown hair, razor bumps, burns, irritation and redness.
BACK – The back is one of the most neglected body parts, largely because it can neither be seen nor reached easily with our hands. Consequently it’s prone to acne breakouts and pigmentation which can leave behind scars (post acne sequelae). Some guys are more hirsute on their backs than their chests! Waxing the area can cause eruptions, boils, rashes. And if you’ve lost a lot of weight recently, your back may show the evidence in the form of stretch marks which, alas, are virtually impossible to erase, although they can be lightened.
Protection
In the shower, scrub away dirt, grime and excess oil using a long-handled brush (available in any cosmetics store) to get at hard-to-reach-areas on your back.
Exfoliate 2 to 3 times a week to get rid off dead skin.
At the salon ask for a back cleanup, which chiefly involves thorough cleansing, exfoliation, steam, blackhead extraction and mask.
However consult a dermatologist if you have an acne breakout or severe post waxing rash. This condition needs to be addressed with prescription strength anti-acne creams.HANDS – The skin on our hands don’t have the same number of oil glands as the face which makes them more vulnerable to dryness. Undeniably the most misused and neglected body parts, hands are assaulted by a number of insults including repeated exposure to chemicals in cleaners; food items, dust, dirt, harsh detergents, UV rays and so on, all of which wreak havoc in the form of allergies, rashes, cuts, infection and itching. Nail injury, discoloration, age related changes like rough skin, pigmentation, loss of fat leading to wrinkles are some of the other problems that your poor paws have to confront.
Protection
Wash your hands only with mild liquid soaps which are easily available. Avoid the harsh antiseptic bar soaps of yore. Nowadays even these come infused with moisturizers.
If possible use rubber gloves while washing, cooking or doing any other water related chore. Follow up immediately with moisturizing cream. At night massage a heavy-duty moisturizing lotion or cream designed for the hand (Try Body Shop). Or simply apply a vegetable oil in the night and go to bed with gloves on to keep hands hydrated, soft and smooth.
Regular manicures keep hands and nails looking tidy and clean.
FEET Your legs work as hard as your hands. But because they’re so far away from the rest of your body you rarely remember their existence except when they hurt. Feet are susceptible to pigmentation, tanning (leading to footwear prints); fungal infection (of toe nails and skin between toes); discoloration (of nails); painful ingrown nails; corns, calluses and cracks and fissures on the heels.
Protection
Whenever possible walk barefoot on loose sand or grass to relax your tired feet. Wear soft mules at home.
Wash feet twice a day with warm water and soap to keep them squeaky clean.
Use a pumice stone daily to remove hard skin and prevent cracks.
To relieve pain, soak feet in warm water containing rock salt for 20 mins. Add lemon juice to the water to get rid of foot odour.
Moisturize and massage feet nightly with baby oil or lotion.
Got cracked heels? Every night before bed massage on a foot cream (Fix Derma, Xerina) and pull on socks to prevent cream from rubbing off.
Closed footwear causes less skin dryness and tanning. But if you only wear open sandals give your feet the same treatment you offer your face – i.e., apply a sunscreen (SPF>15) that’s fortified with moisturizer and silicon before stepping out.
When trimming toe nails, cut straight across; don’t dig deep into the corners.
Consult a doctor for painful calluses, corns, and ingrown toe nails.
Regular pedicures prevent most foot problems.
Fungal infection can be cured and prevented by the application of antifungal dusting powder between the toes.
UNDERARMS The skin here is prone to discoloration, and is also a site of excessive hair growth, fat lumps, skin tags and warts.
Protection
Use liquid soap and loofah daily to cleanse, scrub and exfoliate these areas.
If body odour is a problem, try a vinegar rinse or an aroma oil wash.
To prevent darkening, don’t apply deodorants and perfumes (which are often the culprits) directly on the skin.
ELBOWS & KNEES The skin folds on these joints receive daily insults from constant rubbing against clothing and other surfaces the joints come in contact with. They are also deprived of the essential skin oils present on other parts of the body and thus are at higher risk of dryness and tanning. Over time the skin in these places can become thick and scaly causing great discomfort. They’re also prone to conditions like psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis.
Protection
Avoid grinding your joints into hard surfaces like your office desk. Constant friction causes them to roughen and darken.
Apply a heavy duty moisturizer morning and night to keep skin moist and lubricated at all times and thereby reduce the force of friction.
Before you step out apply sunscreen to protect elbows and knees from tanning and discoloration. Or wear clothes that cover these parts.
TOP to TOE SKIN CARE
Try these kitchen remedies in a pinch or as often as you wish.
Make a paste of 2 tsp besan (gramflour), ½ tsp turmeric powder, milk cream. Apply this mixture on the neck for 10 minutes and wash off with warm water. The abrasive action of flour loosens dead cells and cleanses while turmeric is an antiseptic. Milk cream has a moisturizing and lightening effect on sun darkened necks.
A paste of oatmeal, curd, almonds and fresh tomato juice offers similar benefits.
Exfoliate hands with a paste of sea salt and lemon juice twice a week to soften and lighten discoloration.
A paste of sugar granules and lime juice does the same trick.
Massage hands every other day with a moisturizing solution of glycerin, lemon juice and a few drops of rose water.
Add 1 tsp mild shampoo, juice of half a lemon and 1 tsp rock salt to a basin of warm water and soak feet for 20 mins. Rinse off and pat dry.
Massage a paste of 1 tsp Vaseline and juice of 1 lemon into feet to cure rough cracked heels.
Crush 6 aspirin tablets in a little water mixed with 1 teaspoon lime juice. Coat corns and calluses with this paste. Cover with a warm towel. After 10 minutes scrub with a pumice stone and rinse off.
If deos are darkening your underarms use powdered alum or baking soda instead, after your shower, to banish body odour stale sweat.
Lighten darkened armpits with a paste of 1 tsp lime juice, 1 tsp cucumber juice and a pinch of turmeric powder. Apply and rinse after 20 minutes. Lime’s acidic nature acts like a mild peel and also helps remove any excess sweat, oil, and grime on skin surface.
Make an exfoliating scrub with a paste of coarsely powdered unpolished rice and apple cider vinegar. Massage slowly into the skin to remove dead skin. Keep on for a few minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water.
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent bleaching agent and can help erase discoloration. Once a fortnight, dip a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide and apply on the knees and elbows.
Keep elbows soft by massaging in almond oil, olive oil, Vaseline or moisturizing cream. To prevent the moisturizer from rubbing off at night, cut off the closed ends of a pair of socks and slide on to cover elbows.
GO HIGH TECH
These cosmetic treatments will stop aging faster than any cream or kitchen remedy can.
Microdermabrasion or skin polishing: Done with fine aluminium crystals, this technique can erase superficial pigmentation and rough skin. Can also be used on the neck and underarms for a lightening effect.
Chemical peels: Mild peels for neck and medium depth-peels for the hands and feet, help remove superficial sun darkened/dead skin cells. Salicylic acid peels for acne marks and peels for tanning and pigmentation is the most cost effective and result-oriented treatment for skin on the back.
Botox: Mainly for the vertical muscle bands on front of neck, and to stop excessive sweating in arms. Sweating is something your body needs to do to prevent overheating. However, in some people, the sweat glands go on overdrive. Botox shots in the armpits help stop sweating in these areas for 6-8 months.
Cauterisation: Ideal for to removing warts, moles, skin tags.
Lasers: Laser can erase birthmarks, moles. For other types of pigmentation or scars, fractional lasers may be used. A few sessions of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) can rejuvenate the aging neck, erase fine lines and wrinkles reduce pigmentation and skin sagging. IPL may help promote collagen reformation as well.
Dermaroller: In this technique micro needling is used in combination with a variety of peels to lighten stretch marks.
Laser hair removal: Goodbye razor burns, ingrown hairs! A near permanent remedy for hair on back and other parts of the body using the Diode laser for both men and women.
Fillers/Mesotherapy: Non-cross linked hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are especially designed to increase volume and moisture content of the skin of hands. Multiple injections (under local anaesthesia) may be needed.
The Good: Good skin on every inch of the body is a great idea!
The Bad: Grubby elbows and knees never looked look with that swimsuit bod!
The Trendy: Natural remedies go ,a long way for beautiful skin!