SCREAM, SHOUT, LET IT ALL OUT

Amid ways to make your skin ‘glow', look cloudy, and what not, let's talk about the not-so-sunny skincare concerns of prenatal environments, ageing, and just having real skin

- AALIYA PANJU

The discussion around 'skin' and all that comes with it is included but not limited to how it is portrayed in advertisements, shows and movies, social media, magazines, and more. As the focus shifts from fair, pale, and unblemished skin to flaunting one's real texture, we look at some of the most overlooked, uncomfortable skincare concerns that many of us go through.

Most women, this writer included, have learned only recently that we shy away from talking about the struggles we face when it comes to our skin, body, and face. From college-going girls complaining about the smallest of imperfections on their face to mothers looking in the mirror and criticising the tiniest bit of pigmentation, we've witnessed that no matter the age group we're nitpicking on the things that appear to matter, but consequently play no part in our lives.

THE MOTHER OF ALL ISSUES

Mother's Day content, marketing campaigns and the like, all pointed towards appreciating the hard work that goes into motherhood during the month of May. Going beyond that one celebratory day, concerns like 'pregnancy nose', swollen ankles, pushing a 5-8 pound baby out of you followed by stretch marks, loose skin, hormonal acne, postpartum are some aspects that pregnant women seldom speak about.

For influencer Malvika Sitlani, the most pertinent problem she faced throughout her pregnancy journey was gut health. "While I didn't have any issues with my skin or hair, the first trimester was a whole other story. I struggled with loss of appetite, and had to stick to simple foods just to keep my energy levels up. Plus, the hormonal changes made me feel super tired and drained most of the time, which made it tough to do anything else."