Dr. Punit Patel

We all have different skin types. While some have dry skin, others have oily. So if you have oily skin, then here are 5 tips to keep in mind, to keep your skin oil free. Oily skin is usually a constant problem in every season since even after washing the face properly it becomes very oily after some time. And, if some cosmetic is applied, then also it makes no difference, the skin remains as oily as ever. Now dermatologists offer various solutions to this problem. Even though you might come across home remedies like the sugar and lime scrub or yogurt, turmeric paste, it is always better to seek professional help for oily skin.

There are mainly 5 skin types:

1. Oily:  This skin type has too much oil, which can be seen on the face even after cleaning it.
2. Dry: The dry skin lacks essential moisture and looks very dry.
3. Normal: The normal type of skin is neither dry, nor too oily and not too sensitive also.
4. Sensitive: Sensitive type skin is very sensitive and is easily affected by weather changes or any other factor.
5. Combination skin: Combination skin is, in which some parts of facial skin are dry and others are oily. Use non comedogenic and powder based cosmetics.

Here we are going to deal with the oily skin type and its treatment. Oily skin appears to be greasy and teenagers often face the problem of oily skin during their puberty. Oily skin can also be caused due to heredity, diet, hormone levels, cosmetics usage and humid or hot weather. According to dermatologists, diet plays an important role behind oily skin. Consuming oily or fried food or having too much oil in your diet can be the reason behind your oily skin. Weather can also make your skin oily. Humidity especially causes the oil to come out of the pores and give your face a greasy look.

Tips to treat oily skin:

1. Use a gentle face wash or cleanser and reduce the use of toner: Use a gentle face wash to wash your face at least twice a day to reduce the oil levels. Also reduce the use of toner, and if you use toner then try using an alcohol free one.
2. Keep yourself hydrated: Keeping yourself hydrated is very important as the face starts releasing oils if the skin is not hydrated properly.
3. Try the home remedies carefully: You might not know the exact concentration of lemon in a sugar lemon scrub, as excess of lemon can cause allergic reactions. So apply home remedies with discretion.
4. Use the cosmetics according to your skin type: Cosmetics are very important for a woman and if your skin is oily, it's better to choose non comedogenic and powder based cosmetics
5. Consult a dermatologist for quick solution: We all know that a doctor knows the best cures to all our ailments, so try consulting a dermatologist for a quick solution to your problem of oily skin.

Are you growing hair in unusual places where you do not want them to be such as on the neck, chest, chin and back? Hirsutism is a medical term, which refers to excess body hair and facial hair in women. It occurs because of an increased production of androgens or male hormones. The increased sensitivity of the androgen receptors in the skin follicles also causes hirsutism.

Diagnosis
Hirsutism is diagnosed using two methods:

1. The Ferriman Gallwey model involves the visual inspection for detecting the presence of excess hair. The amount of hair growth in nine areas of your body is quantified in this model. However, this is not an ideal method as many women shave or pluck their hair.
2. Blood test for excess androgens is another method for diagnosis of hirsutism. The different tests include free testosterone, total testosterone and DHEAS or dehydropiandosterone sulphate. Women with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) are likely to have increased levels of free testosterone in their body because of the absence of enough sex hormone binding globulin.

Removing excess hair
There are several ways by which you can get rid of excess body and facial hair. They are as follows:

1. Plucking is a way of hiding hair during early stages. It is an easy fix. However, plucking from the follicle may lead to the distortion of the follicle, which may cause hair to thicken and turn darker.
2. Depilatories is another way of removing excess hair due to hirsutism. Depilatories remove excess hair by the use of a chemical which dissolves the hair.
3. Waxing is also effective for removing excessive hair. In waxing, warm wax is spread over the affected areas; a strip of cloth is placed over it, and rubbed on the wax. After holding the skin tight, the cloth is pulled off.
4. Several medicines are used for dealing with hirsutism in women such as oral contraceptives, which help in removing the amount of androgens in the body. The androgen production may decrease as a result of oral contraceptives. The amount of circulating concentration of androstenediones and total testosterone are also reduced. Anti androgen medicines are also prescribed in some cases.
5. Electrolysis is opted as a measure of managing excessive hair. In the process, a needle gets inserted along the hair shaft. After this, an electric pulse is sent to the root. This makes the hair release from the follicles and they are pulled out.

Laser hair removal is the final option for hirsutism treatment. In this method, light from the laser eliminates several hairs in the affected area. The pigment present in the hair absorbs the energy from the laser and gets destroyed. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.