Sunscreen while driving: love your skin when you are behind the wheel

Most of us spend a considerable part of our daily lives in travel or driving. According to some recent surveys , this constitutes the largest percentage of total time spent outdoors. This period spent inside vehicle poses the highest risk for intense sun exposure. " Most of us take this plea that we hardly walk in sun to the car park or bus stop which is just few meters and I am in the car or bus only ...Still why do I need to apply sunscreen ?"

Q Why to apply sunscreen when inside the car/bus , " The windows are closed "?

Ans Windshields are made up of laminated glass which blocks upto 90% of UV Rays but sadly the side and rear windows allow them uninhibited. Shoulder , arms and hand closest to the side window receive the highest sun exposure and are always more vulnerable.

In a study published in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology researchers found that people who had spent most time driving car each week were more likely to develop skin cancers on the side exposed to more sunlight while driving!

Q- Is tinted glass or Films protective?

Ans Clear glass transmits 62%of UVA while dark tinted only 11.4% . UV absorbing films are even better only allowing 0.4% of harmful radiation. Imagine with the latest traffic rules of removing any sort of films how much our sun exposure has multiplied.

Q Okay then I will keep a sunscreen in my car always?

Ans No, never leave your sunscreen in a hot car. On a hot summer day when your car is parked outside, the heat may weaken its potency. Always treat your sunscreen the way you treat a prescription medication- keep it away from extreme heat. Most preservatives in sunscreens are designed and tested in a range of temperatures close to room temperature.

Q Aha..so sunscreen on and i am all protected?

Ans Well almost, one vital area of your face is still uncovered and exposed. Yes you are right its your eyes. Here your sunglasses will protect. A pair of shades goes a long way to protect your eyes. Use a good pair which mentions the UV protection index. It should atleast provide 95% UVB protection and 60% UVA protection.

Keep your skin safe and enjoy your driving with a sun safe skin!..Stay skin healthy and skin wiser!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion

Razor Bumps : Five facts you always wanted to know - Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

Pseudofolliculitis Barbae also  known as Razor bumps is one of the commonest skin condition seen in my clinical practice.  It is a commonly distressing skin condition in men with multiple myths about the condition and treatments. In this blog I try to dispel them and would love if some of you can share your experience with it.

# 1: What are 'Razor Bumps'?
Ans- The rash consisting of red raised lesions and sometimes small pus filled papules or small bumpy lesions in the beard area of the face is known as Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB). It can also present in other shaved areas like pubic region and underarms.

# 2- What is the cause of PFB or Razor Bump?
Ans- When the hair is shaved too close to the skin, it develops a sharp tip that grows and curves downward and re -enters the upper layer of the skin.

# 3-Why only  few people get it and what are the causative factors?
Ans- Few factors which cause and hence can be prevented are-

• Stretching the skin before shaving causes the sharp edged hair to retract underneath skin.
• Use of a double edged razor encourages penetration , The first blade serves to pull the hair out of the follicle while the second blade cuts it and allows for retraction.
• Improper shaving technique -Shaving against the direction of hair growth.
• Dry Shaving

#4- What can I do to prevent them from coming again? How Do I Shave?Ans - 

• Washing the beard with warm water and an antibacterial soap for several minutes in circular motion
• Avoid very close shave ( as popularized by advertisements these days) especially twin or triple -blade razors. Single blade razors  are the best for such patients.
• Leave the shaving product for atleast 2 to 3 minutes. The harder the beard, the longer it takes to soften the hairs.
• Shave in the direction of hair growth , with short strokes and without using the other hand to tense the skin.
• After shaving, rinse the beard area well and dry with a clean towel slowly massaging the beard area in a circular area.
• Rinse the blades after every use and change them frequently as well.
• Electric razors as there is a protective gap between the blade and the comb hence preventing close shave. Use them at the medium (not the close) shave position.
• Shave only when necessary to allow more time for the skin and beard to recover between shaves.
• To prevent the area from darkening , the patient should avoid shaving products containing alcohol and apply a sunscreen after shaving.

#5 -What are the treatment options?Ans - 

• Prevention is the best cure and easiest too.
• It is advisable to stop shaving for some time (around 4 weeks) as the hair above the skin acts as a lever and pulls the ingrown hair itself.
• Warm water compresses should be applied for 10 to 20 minutes everyday followed by application of topical hydrocortisone 1% cream.
• Topical antibiotics , Benzoyl peroxide and AHA agents can be helpful.
• Lasers like long pulsed Nd :YAG , Alexandrite and Diode laser is most effective treatment and in terms of patient satisfaction.
• Consult your dermatologist before considering any treatment option.

These precautions should help you contain razor bumps and give you a smooth bump free skin. Follow this advice and stay skin healthy and skin wiser!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion

Hair conditioners explained: Which conditioner is best for my hair?

Now that you are aware regarding the shampoos and their components. I will give an overview of the components of a Hair conditioners. This would help you pick the best conditioners suited for your hair. 

Let us first understand, how Hair conditioners work? 

Our Hair is composed of Keratin which is made up of negatively charged amino acids. Hair conditioners have this positively charged molecules which don't get rinsed completely with the hair wash. On drying the hair are left with a very thin coating which prevents frizzing of the hair and also makes it easier to comb.

Okay, so which conditioning agents  are best suited for my hair?

Conditioners are recommended for dry , damaged or treated hair.

The various components that you must watch out while buying a conditioner are:

1.   Moisturizers for hair like – Glycerine , Dimethicone , Simethicone, Polyvinylpyrrolidone , Propylene glycol
2.   Stearalkonim chloride and benzalkonium chloride – Both are antimicrobial, prevent frizzing of the hair too!
3.   Hydrolyzed animal protein- penetrates the hair and strengthen its structure through polymer cross linking. It is the most effective agent for treating split ends.
4.   Essential fatty acids – are also natural moisturizing elements.
5.   Sequestrants – EDTA help in rinsing off with hard water

Hope you choose your shampoo and conditioner wisely from now on...take good care of your skin and hair...stay skin healthy and skin wiser!!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion

Choose your Shampoo as per your hair type

In the previous post I explained the key components of a shampoo. Now that you know what are the different components of shampoo label, you should try to figure out a shampoo which is most suited for your hair type. In this post I explained the different components you should watch out for depending on your hair type when you purchase shampoo. 

Normal Hair – Chose any shampoo with Lauryl Sulfate derivatives as they require good cleansing  and minimal conditioning.

Oily-Hair  – Excellent cleansing and minimal conditioning properties. Lauryl sulfate or sulfosuccinate surfactants work best . Ph of the shampoo should be between ph 5-6 and should not be too acidic or alkaline. These shampoos should be avoided by people with dry hair.

Dry Hair – mild cleansing and good conditioning  is required. This type of hair should not be washed daily . Try to rinse it little more to prevent a build up of conditioning agents.

Damaged Hair Cuticle magnified image

Damaged – Hair shampoos – Avoid excessive washing , hot combs and styling methods. Hydrolyzed animal or soy protein works best for hair repair.

In my next post I will how to choose your hair conditioners. Till then take good care of your hair and skin..stay skin healthy and skin wiser!!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion

Shampoo label explained: What in a shampoo bottle is good and what is bad for your hair

Shampoo is a gift of the Indian civilization to the world. The British used this term in lieu of Hindi word  ‘ Champo’. We have a variety of shampoos available with each one claiming to be the best suited to different types of hair. What exactly they contain, have you ever wondered what do the ingredients in a shampoo mean- what is good what is bad for your hair?

In the series on shampoos, I will write three posts: First one to explain the components of the shampoo, second to help choose the shampoo for your hair and last post to help you choose the best conditioner for your hair.

Let us see what do those fancy ingredients  on the label actually consist of. The chief constituent of all is detergent ( surfactant)for sebum and dirt removal . Ironically the cleansing ability of a soap is equated with the foaming ability which may not be the case as they also sometimes overdo the job making our hair look dull and listless.  Some of them are_

1. Sodium lauryl (dodecyl) sulfate – Derived from palm and coconut oils , it works with both hard and soft water , is foamy and is easy to remove. This component is very hard on your hair.
2. Sodium laureth sulfate- Good cleansing effect and foamy too.
3. Sarcosines –  Very mild cleansers but excellent conditioners.
4.  Sulfosuccinates- very strong in  de-greasing action , used  for oily hair.
5. Cocamidopropylbetaine –  wonderful  for fine and chemically treated hair , used in mild shampoos also.
6.  Polysorbate 20 (PEG20) and Polysorbate 80(PEG80) – help penetration of various agents into the hair and helps in removal of oil from hair.
7.  Citric acid – helps in making hair smooth and shiny ; also prevent hair infections 
8.   Quaternium 15 – prevents fungal/bacterial infections.
9. Methylisothiazolinone – prevents infection
10.  Benzophenone-4 and Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate are the two sunscreens most commonly used in hair products.
11. Midazolidinyl urea, iodopropynyl, isothiazolinone, and sodium benzoate.  Preservatives to prevent any moulds etc to grow in your shampoo bottle.

In my next post I will talk about the best shampoos suited for your hair type. Till then take good care of your hair and skin..stay skin healthy and skin wiser!!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion