Dr. Lakkanna. S

Have you experienced the ill effects of acne or have acne marks everywhere on your face? Acne or acne vulgaris is a condition where ugly scourges show up on the surface of your face. Acne causes scars, some of which might last for a lifetime. Acne scars ruin your face, and influence your appearance and self-esteem. You can adopt simple ways and strategies to get rid of acne marks. They are as follows:

1. Cucumber: Cucumber is ideal for the elimination of acne scars. It is a hydrating substance and is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and magnesium. These are vital for maintaining skin health. You need to cut cucumber slices and apply them on your skin surface affected with acne breakout.

2. Aloe Vera: Aloe vera gel contains vitamins and helps in the fading and healing of acne imprints. Aloe vera is subtle having no side effects and does not bring about skin irritation. It works like an ideal moisturiser; it feeds the skin with vitamins and makes it gentler.

3. Honey: Honey is an effective natural moisturiser which eliminates acne marks successfully. You have to use raw honey for this purpose instead of processed honey, which is more commonly available. By applying fresh honey on your acne affected skin, you have to massage it gently. Combining ground cinnamon with honey makes the mixture an ideal pore cleanser.

4. Lemon: Lemon juice, which is an alpha hydroxy acid, helps in fading and healing acne scars. The skin gets revitalised as well. By mixing lemon juice in water, you should apply it on your affected skin. Abstain from direct sunlight during this treatment as your skin becomes oversensitive to the sunrays.

5. Coconut Oil: This is another beneficial natural moisturiser with excellent healing capabilities. You simply need to massage your affected skin areas with coconut oil. Leave it on your skin and allow it to absorb in. The fatty acids and vitamins in coconut oil boost your skin’s health.

6. Baking Soda: Baking soda is quite effective in getting rid of acne scars. It is rich in sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) crystals, which allow skin exfoliation when you use them in the form of a cleaning scrub. You have to prepare a paste by mixing baking soda with water and apply it to your acne affected skin areas. Baking soda also helps in pore cleansing and prevents blemishes.

Some other natural home remedies which are equally effective for getting rid of acne scars include rose hip seed oil, sugar scrub and potato juice. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist and ask a free question.

Soft growth occurring on the genitals are known as Genital Warts. Genital warts are infections that are transmitted through physical intimacy (STI). These are caused by certain behaviours of the human papillomavirus (HPV). These growths on the skin cause discomfort, pain and itching. They are particularly harmful for women since certain types of HPV might also cause cancer of the vulva and cervix. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Due to this, sexually active people are most vulnerable to various health complications, including genital warts. Prevention of this infection requires essential protection and treatment.

Symptoms:

Transmission of genital warts occurs through sexual activity. Development of warts occurs several weeks after the infection. Sometimes, it is not possible to view them with the naked eye. The top of the growths might resemble a cauliflower and might feel slightly bumpy or smooth while touching. The person who is infected may have a single wart or a cluster of warts.

In males, the genital warts may appear in the following regions.

1. Groin
2. Scrotum
3. Penis
4. Thighs
5. Inside or around the anus

In females, they might occur in:

1. Cervix
2. Outside the vagina or anus
3. Inside the vagina or anus

In a case where the person has had oral sexual contact with the infected person, the genital warts might appear on the mouth, lips, throat or tongue of the person. In case the genital warts are not visible, the other related symptoms include:

1. Itching
2. Vaginal Discharge
3. Bleeding
4. Burning

Treatment

Even though the genital warts disappear with time, it is not possible to eliminate the virus once it is in the bloodstream. This would result in several outbreaks during the entire course of life. This is a vital reason why the symptoms should be managed so that transmission of the disease is prevented. Treatment is possible only for relieving symptoms that are painful or for minimizing their appearance. Some topical wart treatments prescribed by the doctor may include:

1. Podofilox and Podophyllin (Condylox)
2. Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA)
3. Imiquimod (Aldara)

Some surgeries that the physician might conduct to remove genital warts that do not disappear with time include:

1. Interferon injections
2. Laser treatments
3. Cryosurgery, or freezing warts
4. Electrocautery, or burning warts with electric currents
5. Excision, or cutting off warts

Periodic Pap smears after the initial treatment is recommended for women with genital warts to monitor changes in the cervix.

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.

Do you know the sun is making your skin age faster? plus, 5 other reasons behind facial wrinkles

Facial wrinkling occurs when the skin develops creases, folds and ridges. The formation of wrinkles is a normal part of the process of skin ageing. However, certain factors may accelerate the process and lead to premature wrinkling of the face and other parts of the body.

The main causes of facial wrinkling are:

1. Skin ageing: as a person gets older, his/her skin becomes less taut and begins to sag. The production of natural oils and fat in the deeper layers of the skin gets reduced with age, which leads to the formation of wrinkles due to diminished skin elasticity.

2. Sun exposure: constant exposure of skin to the sun causes damage and speeds up the ageing process. The harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun break down collagen and collective tissue fibres, which is the primary cause of premature wrinkling.

3. Skin complexion: due to the absence of melanin, people with fairer (lighter) skin, experience more damage due to sun exposure. This causes them to develop wrinkles much earlier.

4. Facial muscle contraction: repeatedly making the same facial expressions and contraction of face muscles causes wrinkling. Those who constantly frown, smile or squint get facial wrinkles as it leads to reduced skin elasticity.

5. Smoking: smokers are more susceptible to premature wrinkling. This is due to the presence of nicotine, tar and other chemicals from the smoke in the bloodstream, which hamper the supply of blood and oxygen to the outer layers of skin.

6. Genetic factors: many people get facial wrinkling as a result of hereditary causes and family genetics.

However, the good news is that facial wrinkling can be prevented through these simple ways:

Sun protection

This is the most effective way of avoiding wrinkles. Keep yourself protected against sun exposure by staying out of the sun as much as possible and wearing sunscreen at all times.

Quitting the smoke

Kicking the habit will show a marked improvement in your skin quality and would help prevent further wrinkling.

Use of moisturisers

Dry skin is more prone to wrinkling. Keeping your skin supple and moisturised prevents wrinkles.

Leading a healthy lifestyle

The combination of following a nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep and regularly exercising keeps the skin young and wrinkle-free.

Treatment options:

There are several options to improve wrinkles by procedures which include botox, fillers, prp and lasers for skin tightening. The most suitable option can be chosen depending upon the severity and type of wrinkling.

'consult'.

Related Tip: 6 Face Washing Mistakes that are Damaging Your Skin, Everyday!