While year-round sunshine is often touted as one of the best things about living in the UAE, there are a few weeks each summer when the heat can be too much for even the most devoted sun worshipers.
Those hot summer months, for many, mean staying as close to air conditioning units as physically possible, but inevitably there will be times when we are required to endure the near 50°C heat.
And, as well as the sweat and all-round unpleasantness that comes with that kind of heat, there is an added evil that summer brings about – chafing.
Walking in hot and sweaty conditions can cause the uncomfortable skin condition thanks to the top of your legs or your underarms rubbing together. The result can be a sore and itchy rash, which can lead to further discomfort when heading out into the heat.
Contrary to popular belief, chafing can affect people of all body shapes and sizes, and is a problem often suffered by athletes as they compete in sporting events such as racing and rowing.
“Chafing is an inflammatory condition of skin folds, induced or aggravated by heat, moisture, maceration, friction and a lack of air circulation,” says Dr Ghada Ashour, a specialist dermatologist at Medcare Hospital.
While there is little we can do about avoiding the heat here in the UAE, there are steps you can take to prevent chafing, or make the effects of it a little more bearable.
“Prevention can be achieved by good hygiene, weight loss, wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes, especially in the summer months,” says Ashour. “All of the above measures will reduce friction and superadded bacterial and fungal infections.”
Wearing loose clothes without visible seams can help to reduce chafing, eliminating anything else that could rub against your skin to irritate it. Adding an extra layer, such as bicycle shorts under skirts and dresses, for example, will also help by limiting skin to skin contact.
And while it can be tempting to use plasters on areas that are likely to rub, this can actually make matters worse by causing bacteria to gather, so it is best to avoid them.
Mild cases can be treated with simple moisturisers, Ashour says, while infected cases may need to be treated with antibacterial, antifungal and low potency steroid creams.
Coconut oil also works well as a natural remedy and to reduce friction, while cosmetics companies such as Lush stock special products dedicated to preventing and treating skin irritated by chafing.
The best time to apply these products is at night while you sleep, to allow them to sink into the skin while you are rested.
Chafing can also be worsened by the kind of material you come into contact with, so it's best to avoid synthetic fabrics, such as polyester or nylon, and choose lighter more natural fabrics, such as linen or cotton.
While chafing may not be considered a long-term problem for most people, often only occurring in extreme heat, continuous chafing in one area, such as the inner thigh, can cause damage to the skin barrier and micro-tears, which can allow more bacteria to enter the body.
When washing an area affected by chafing, be sure to use a gentle soap and not to scrub, as not to make the condition worse.
The most important thing is to rest when you feel your skin condition worsening because of chafing, especially if you are regularly playing sports. "Exercising should be interrupted and the area should be washed with warm water and dried gently followed by the application of a moisturiser or Vaseline," Ashour says.
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Sweet%20Tooth
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TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
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Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
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Third Test, Day 1
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New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE
Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”
