Despite the last paean to the incandescent winter sunshine, it turns out like most things, to have a darker side. The Midas touch doesn't turn things to gold, it turns them black. So if you are enticed to banish the winter chill or indulge yourself by toasting your face in the honeyed sunbeams think again.
Combined with all the elements, the intensely dry weather, dust and wind, it can have a searing effect. Thought it was just me and my skin reacting to the passage of time. But over the past days, many decently complexioned beggars, shop attendants and guards seemed to have turned a strange, mottled shade of gray.
And it wasn't that we were the only ones to notice the ill-effects of the blistering glare, many of these individuals, who never took to wearing caps were now regularly sporting them. Realized the wisdom of the past, when women wore huge hats or veils as did the men. It wasn't just fashion but good protection from the elements, especially if you intended to stay outdoors or go for a walk. Then one wonders whose wise idea it was to banish these wise items of apparel to sport effete hairstyles instead.
Just an example of what the winter elements can do to your skin. An acquaintance was shocked at how his oranges had turned a hard, dry black overnight, sans any vestige of moisture, when he left them outside. While the ones in the fridge were as turgid as he had bought them. Those were oranges, imagine what would become of our skin in the dry sunshine.
In the summer TV channels did run some shows on how damaging the sun can be for the skin, especially for working women as maids and labourers who walk in that heat to work. Regular exposure to the sun, predicted by a red burning sensation, can result in freckles, which over time, can get deeper and develop into more deeper patches called "jhanyan" in urdu. Which do not fade away and are permanent. Ayla, fiftyish, from a well-to-do banker family, has now suddenly developed these dark patches all over face, on her cheeks, forehead etc.
There is nothing that can be done but to protect it further from the sun by using sun block and staying in the shade to prevent them from becoming darker and maybe allowing them to become lighter, she sighed. Regretting the time she spent in the sunshine unprotected, oblivious to its dangers, snorkelling, swimming sun-bathing on the beach. To give it it's due, nature is a fair leveller, but if the well-heeled are so helpless against its onslaught what are the poor to do?
Besides the usual protection of a sun block or at least covering the face with a cap, scarf or burqa (yes, there are advantages to covering up!), one must drink lots of water. The summer sun turns even more vengeful in winter as the humidity of summer evaporates to give way to dryness. The humidity was natural protection from the sun's rays and the little natural layer of moisture that the body itself exuded is also sucked away to leave it vulnerable to the blistering rays.
Just half an hour in the car my orange had acquired a leathery shrunken dry look. Its no wonder that radio shows have started talking about how to deal with the winter dryness and dry skin. Which it appears is one of the worst afflictions. Lines, wrinkles, sensitive skin, burning, freckles and a patchy worn dullness come with the package. "Sun-damaged skin results in early ageing" said skin specialist Shahana Khan. "And it very important from one's youth to be able to take care of your skin and apply lotion regularly and take precautions. Many a young pathan seem to have developed fine lines from exposure to the sunlight, with their already sensitive skin. Because dryness and sun-damage makes the skin's layers shrink and hence the elasticity and spongy freshness of youth is lost. "It looses its ability to bounce back as the collagen and elastin of the skin breaks," she explained and instead settles into deeper lines and creases. So she recommended covering oneself from the sun's glare, drinking lots of water, to have a healthy diet and apply lots of cream and sun-block while exfoliating one's skin, to allow the old layers to shed.
Elaborating the process of "Jhahyan" or pigmentation, she revealed that pigments are the skin's natural protection, which lies at the lower level of the epidermis of the skin. "They only come up in case of aggression on the skin, as in cuts or Ultra violet rays, to protect the skin." So the more exposure to the sun the more chances for pigmentation.
And even if driving, one is at risk, especially at noontime, as the sun has adopted a disconcertingly awkward angle at this time of the year, which throws its rays maddeningly directly at your face from the front and the side most of the time, which is hard to escape.
Skin care is not limited to women and a certain class. Shahid, an office worker, though he may not be as aware of the harmful effects of the sunshine does realise the need to regularly apply cream. 'The skin becomes weird,' he comments, 'if you don't apply cream one has to apply it often.' Welcome to the season of regular cream-bathing.
(Concluded)