Get That Festive Skin Glow!
Ours is a land of festivals and they are important not just for religious reasons, but it is also a time to meet and greet, interact with our dear ones and build new relations, more so in today’s world where there is no time for catching up otherwise.
An essential part of these festivities is to look ‘The best’, and who does not want to be the cynosure of all eyes in a public gathering! People love to dress up in new clothes and jewellery to look their best, so why not revamp and brighten up the skin?
Not just women, but even the metrosexual male now wants to look charming and impressive!
With so many festivals round the corner, let us take a quick peek into what medico cosmetic ‘lunchtime treatments’ are available for a quick and refreshing glow.
- Microdermabrasion, also called skin polishing or party facial, is a simple inexpensive treatment, to remove the dead upper layers of the skin and reveal the underlying younger clearer skin. It takes 30 minutes for the face session, can be done on the hands, legs, back as well.
- Very commonly done for brides just before their wedding, it gives a glow in 1 to 2 days lasting for a week. For longer lasting results, one can do weekly treatments for 3 to 4 weeks before the function.
- Instant glow chemical peels: These involve painting the skin with a natural exfoliant, which rejuvenates the skin and stimulates collagen making it brighter. Glycolic, pumpkin peels, lactic peels are safe and can give a glow in 2 to 3 days.
- Other stronger peels like yellow peel, salicylic, TCA etc cause visible peeling of old skin for few days. So these are best done if you have 2 months or more prior to the celebrations.
- Photofacials or medifacials with Intense pulse light are better versions of the ‘humble’ facial, and good for a temporary glow. It is much safer than regular facials in people with sensitive skin or those getting irritation with regular parlour facial creams.
- Laser toning with the Nd YAG laser is the latest in this segment. If done at the hands of a trained professional, there are no side effects, it clears the skin much faster and gives almost instant glow. This will be pricier than the above treatments though.
- Similarly Mesotherapy and Electrophoresis with skin rejuvenating cocktail solutions are safe and give good temporary results.
- Wrinkle reduction with Botulinum Toxin (Botox), filler injections and thread lifts give instant disappearance of skin wrinkles and sagging. Most celebrities undergo these. These can be done 2 to 3 weeks prior to the festive occasion and take away years of age from the face.
- Laser treatments for skin tightening and skin rejuvenation are available; however most of them have a recovery period of few days or weeks, and give results over a period of time, not instant.
Diet precautions
There are a lot of sweets, drinks and farsan eaten during festivals, so we need have restriction on that, especially people with acne and obesity. Try to substitute with soaked dry fruits, vegetable salads and fresh fruits whenever possible and count your calories at the end of the day, so you know when you are crossing your limits. What you eat reflects on your skin, and also on your belly. Keep yourself hydrated and don’t forget to drink water in all the busy celebrations!
Some Easy Home Remedies for Glow
- Milk + honey - to hydrate the skin and brighten it
- Rose water + multani mitti - for oily skin types
- Ground oats + turmeric + honey - for quick skin rejuvenation
- Lemon juice + honey + aloe vera - for dull skin
Points to be noted!
- Appropriately trained professionals like dermatologists should perform these treatments
- Some treatments should be done a safe couple of days before the functions etc, especially botulinum toxin injections, fillers, etc.
- Post procedure instructions need to be followed well.
- Use a good quality makeup. Cleanse your make up before you hit the bed, use micellar water, particularly for sensitive skins. Wet wipes can be kept handy to wipe off dirt and pollutants if there is continuous smoke exposure especially during festivals like Diwali.
- Please understand the pre and post procedure details and the expected results beforehand.
- What may have worked wonderfully in your friend may not be the right thing for you, so please consult a dermatologist before deciding.
- Do not compromise on the quality of treatment for saving a few bucks.
- Some treatments like peels, skin polishing, and laser can be continued after the events also to keep the skin rejuvenated, as per instructions of your dermatologist.
