Unholy colours and other dangers

We know your shopping basket is ready to be filled with the colours of Holi. Traditionally, Holi was played with natural colours, often using herbs and flowers. Now, Holi is played with chemicals and toxins, grease and grime, and sometimes even glass. You may not see the adultration but it's there nonetheless. These colours contain oxidised metals or industrial dyes (like those used for clothing) and can be very harmful to the skin.

Disorders like discolouration, contract dermatitis, abrasion irritation, itching and chapped skin are often mistaken as normal side-effects of Holi. But any colour that leads to any of these conditions is harmful. Eczema is the most common type of reaction seen post-Holi, especially if the colours have already caused a rash, thereby making the skin dry and open to chemical penetration.

In fact, each colour has a story to tell when it comes to harming your skin. Green has copper sulphate, purple has chromium and bromide compounds, while black has lead oxide. Since such compounds are used raw and unprocessed, they can be exceedingly dangerous.

Dr Sachin Dhawan, senior dermatologist, Paras Hospital, says, "Solvents like lead, benzene, aromatic compounds and all can lead to dry skin, which is only the primary irritant. Once you rub the skin to remove the colour, benzene dissolves the keratin in the skin." Don't use nail paint remover to remove the colours because organic compounds then get absorbed by the skin.

While it is advisable to use herbal colours, many of us pick hard colours that aren't easily washed away. So, before you venture into the battleground, make sure you are appropriately armed to fight the chemicals.

Dr Mukesh Batra, CMD, Dr Batras' Positive Health Clinic, suggests, "Apply skin cream or coconut oil and sunscreen lotion before playing Holi and oil your hair." In case colour enters the eyes, immediately wash them with water. If you do develop a minor rash, apply calamine lotion.

Once Holi is over and it is time to begin scrubbing, make sure you don't rub the skin vigorously with soaps. Use a cleanser instead and then apply moisturiser. A mixture of sea salt, glycerine and a few drops of aroma oil works wonders "" it has an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effect. Of course, there is no accounting for human taste. We shall not delve into the effects of playing Holi with eggs.