The winter has taken its leave for now and the hot and humid Indian summer is making a grand entry in our lives. Skin problems increase during the hot and humid summer months in Kolkata. The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta caught up with Dr Saurav Kundu, Consultant Dermatologist & Cosmetologist who shed light on important aspects of maintaining good skin during this summer season. Excerpts..

People who go out for work often clean their face with face wash or apply sunscreen. But what about those women who stay at home and do household chores?

Dr Saurav Kundu- Whether you go out for work or stay at home and work, cleansing and moisturizing the skin is very vital. Those who go out must use sunscreen at least twice in a day. Those women who stay at home must also opt for sunscreen because they have to cook food or go to the roof to dry clothes. Exposure to the sun leads to skin problems of different types and hence a good sunscreen helps a lot. Cleanser must be chosen depending on the type of skin that you have. If you have oily skin, then you need one kind of cleanser and for other skin types, you need other kinds of cleanser. Moisturizing the skin is on the basis of the need of the skin. If you have oily skin, you do not need moisturizing the skin. But if you have dry skin, it is very important.

Many people question whether one must apply sunscreen if they have oily skin.

Dr Saurav Kundu- The fact is sunscreen is compulsory for one and all. It helps to protect the skin. Depending on the type of skin, the sunscreen must be selected. If you have oily skin, one can opt for silicone based sunscreen. If you have dry skin, opt for the lotion based ones.

How many times does one have to apply sunscreen?

Dr Saurav Kundu– We live in humid weather conditions and a part of the sunscreen is washed away due to sweat. It is ideal to use the sunscreen after every three hours for ideal protection of the skin.

Can we use make-up after applying sunscreen?

Dr Saurav Kundu- Yes, you can. There are silicone based sunscreens available in the market which acts as a foundation. You can use that and then apply the makeup.

Since summer is already here, what tips will you give to the audience for good skin?

Dr Saurav Kundu- First and foremost is good amount of water consumption so that the body is not dehydrated. One must also eat lots of fruits and vegetables so that the body is replenished with essential nutrients. Secondly, I always opt for minimal use of products on the skin. A good sunscreen, face wash and a moisturizer (if needed) is enough to keep you ready to fight the hot and humid Indian summer.