Avoid synthetic colours,warn doctors

Common complaints during this festive season are of skin allergies. “A child’s skin is sensitive to colours and parents have to be careful before they let them play with colours. “I see 8-10 cases during this time,” said Dr Dasmit Singh,paediatrician at Jehangir Hospital and pointed out that mainly they were related to allergies and skin dermatitis.

According to Dr Sachin Shah at Aditya Birla Memorial hospital,several children who are susceptible to asthmatic problems get breathless and have respiratory problems. These are related to pollution caused by throwing colour in the air.

Dermatologist Dr S Tolat says there are various reasons for skin problems: an allergic contact with colours,an existing condition of dermatitis that can get aggravated due to the use of colours and then the use of strong detergents to scrub and wash it. We advise the use of red colour gulal and one should apply oil on the body and hair before playing with colour. Dry skin eczema can get painful if people use strong soaps and even kerosene to remove the colours.

However,doctors observed that complaints about chemical burns had decreased over the years as people were aware about the use of chemicals in the colours.