Skin Care and Ayurved

It is not possible to get away with the process of aging and getting old but letting it not come very early is possible with ayurveda and its medicinal herbs. According to ayurveda healthy skin is the result of overall health condition of individuals and prescribes numerous skin care treatments that need to be pursued at every stage of life.

It is necessary to know about one's skin, whether it is oily, normal or dry and subsequently about its needs and necessities. Medically skin is a sensory organ that responds to reflexes and is a protective system that shields the entire living body. As ayurveda believes that all living beings have the panchamahabhoota as it is components, same is for skin. It is formed of the Pancha Mahabhootas and is the seat of sparshan indriya (a tactile sensory organ). Apart from perceiving sensations such as cold, warm, heavy, light, rough, smooth, etc. skin is also an excretory agent for Sweda (sweat). Skin is also the dwelling of Bhrajaka pitta and regulates the temperature of the living body and absorbs all local medicinal applications. The complexion and luster of our skin is also conferred to the skin. According to the sage Sushrut: "As the heating of milk forms a layer of cream on the milk surface, in a similar manner in the embryonic stage, dhatus (seven basic elements described in Ayurveda which compose the human body) form the different layers of the skin on our body."

According to Ayurveda skin is made up of seven layers and every successive layer is thicker than the previous one and can be affected by various disorders.

Following are the various layers of the skin:

• Avabhhasini
  Being the thinnest skin of the skin that provides five different chhayas (shades) and kanti (glow) to the skin. As the skin layer has the capacity to retain water Charaka has described this layer as udakadhara. On being bruised, lasika, a watery substance flows out of it but if the skin is ehalthythis layer holds on to lasika and does not allow it to flow out immediately. The two disorders that effect this layer are:
  • Sidmha
  • Padmakantaka.
    
    
• Lohita
  The two disorders that effect this layer are called
  • Nyaccha
  • Tilkalaka vyanga
    
    
• Shweta
  The disorders that are found in this layer of skin are:
  • Charmadala
  • Ajagalli
  • Mashaka
    
    
• Tamra
  The disorders effecting this skin layer are:
  • Kilasa
  • Kushta
    
    
• Vedini
  The disorder that effects the skin's this particular layer are:
  • Kustha
  • Visarpa
    
    
• Rohini
  The disorders that disease this layer of skin are:
  • Granthi
  • Apachi
  • Arbuda
  • Galaganda
    
    
• Mamsadhara
  The disorders found in this skin layer are called:
  • Bhagandara
  • vidradhi