Time to Expect Warmer Days, Sultry Nights

CHENNAI: Get set for warmer days despite the ‘Chennai winter’. The Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, says the mercury will creep up considerably in the days  to come.

“The maximum day temperature will hit anywhere between 31 deg C and 35 deg C, while the nights will be about 10 degrees cooler,” said a Met department official.

While the good news is that evenings will be  8 to 10 degrees cooler, this still may not be cool enough for residents to be comfortable without turning on the fan fully or reaching for the AC remote.

Handling warm and cold can affect the body, especially the skin, if precautions are not taken, doctors say. Dermatologist S Murugusundram of the Chennai Skin Foundation says, “When the weather gets hot, the first organ affected is the skin.”

One of the fearsome prospects residents face is prickly heat. “This is caused when the sweat glands get weak and rupture,” he says and adds, “Vitamin C is a good preventive as it helps in efficient regeneration of sweat glands. This can be taken through supplements or fruits such as amla (nellikai) and lime (ezhumichchaipazham).”

To best tackle the tropical terror of prickly heat, experts urge residents not to use commercial powders as they often contain boric acid that is an irritant. Instead, Murugusundram says, “Apply talcum powder, sandalwood paste or calamine lotion. To boost their healing properties, keep them cool in the fridge before using.”

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