Dr. Vignessh Raj

Fungal skin diseases are brought about by various sorts of fungi and are the main reasons behind an irritated skin. Fungi attack and develop in dead keratin, a protein that makes up your skin, hair and nails. The various sorts of fungal diseases are caused by various groups of fungi. Some common fungal skin infections include ringworm, intertrigo, nail infections, Athlete’s foot, etc.

The likelihood of fungal infections increase in the following cases:

1. If you are overweight
2. Not drying your skin completely after a shower or wash
3. Walking barefoot in shower and wet locations
4. In case of a pregnancy
5. If you have a weak immune system
6. If you suffer from diabetes
7. If you come into contact with a person or animal with fungal infections.
8. Due to a recent course of antibiotics

Fungal rashes can at times be mistaken for other skin conditions, for example, psoriasis and eczema. Fungal skin diseases can bring about a number of skin rashes; some of them being red, textured and itchy. The organism can influence only one region, or a few zones of your body. In the event that you get a fungal disease of your scalp, you might lose some hair. There are steps which can be performed in order to protect yourself from getting a parasitic skin contamination:

1. Dry your skin properly after a shower
2. Try not to share hairbrushes, towels or combs since they might be carrying fungi
3. In case a family member has been infected with scalp ringworm, hats, pillows, combs or scissors should be soaked using water and bleach
4. Allow your shoes sufficient time to dry out by alternating them every two or three days
5. In order to keep moisture away from the skin, wear loose clothes that are made of cotton or other breathable materials.
6. Socks, bed linen and clothes should be washed regularly to prevent the growth of any fungi
7. In communal and wet areas like saunas, swimming pools, showers, etc., wear clean plastic shoes or flip-flops.
8. If you have diabetes, try to keep your blood sugar under control 

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

Radiant, supple and youthful looking skin is everyone’s dream. However, due to pollution and incorrect nutrition habits, your skin tends to show signs of aging before it is supposed to. 

To reverse the signs, you can avail certain daily habits, which will make your skin look radiant and keep it young for a long time:

1. Hydrate inside out: It is crucial to drink water as it cleanses your skin from within and flushes out toxins, making it look radiant. Along with drinking enough water, you also need to use hydrating lotion and serums which moisturize and protect your skin from infections and bacteria.
2. Increase your intake of Vitamin C: Many studies have proven that including more amount of vitamin C in your diet will help you keep your skin younger for long and keep aging signs such as fine lines and wrinkles at bay. Include more vitamin C rich food in your meals, such as citrus fruits, sprouts and bell peppers because they are crucial for the formation of collagen (building blocks of the skin) in your skin.
3. Eat sorbitol rich fruits: A particular humectant (a substance that is used to retain moisture) called ‘sorbitol’ is responsible for adding sweetness to grapes, berries and plums. Including sorbitol rich fruits in your diet is a great solution as the humectant helps in absorbing and retaining moisture in your skin. The moisture content in your skin helps in keeping it radiant and youthful.
4. Exfoliation is a must: Along with the basic skincare routine of cleansing, toning and moisturizing, you should also be exfoliating your skin. Exfoliation means removing a layer of dead skin and impurities by mild scrubbing. You can use a loofah or a pumice stone to exfoliate and get rid of the dead skin. Doing it once a week will ensure clean and clear skin which is free of impurities.
5. Cut down on your dairy intake: Dairy products, including the organic ones, contain cow hormones, which stimulate the oil glands and pores in your skin; which is the main cause of acne and pimples. By cutting out dairy products, you can get an oil free, radiant skin. If you still feel the need to include dairy in your diet, opt for skimmed milk over full fat. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist and ask a free question.

Laser hair removal is a medical procedure that uses a laser, which is an intense, pulsating beam of light to remove unwanted hair. During laser hair removal, a laser beam passes through the skin to an individual hair follicle. The intense heat of the laser damages the hair follicle, inhibiting future hair growth. Although laser hair removal slows hair growth, it does not guarantee permanent hair removal. It takes multiple laser hair removal treatments to provide hair-free skin. Laser surgery for facial hair removal helps your skin look younger and healthier by treating aging, acne, and blotches, scars, wrinkles, lines or excess hair on the face.

This surgery comes with its own share of benefits, which are:

• First of all, laser hair removal is precise. The laser only targets the pigmented area of the skin on your face, such as the hair follicle. This is why only the hair follicle is burned and not the skin surrounding the area, making it a safe procedure.

• Laser hair removal is most effective on the hairs in the early part of the hair growing stage. A concentrated beam of light is aimed at the hair follicle. The laser then converts its energy into heat and heats up the hair follicle preventing it from growing any further.

• Laser hair removal removes unwanted hair from your face at the speed of light. The laser is designed to treat several hairs in a large surface area, all at the same time. There is no downtime after the service and no sticky residue left behind.

• The pain factor varies from person to person because every person has a different level of pain tolerance. Laser surgery is described as feeling like a gentle pinch or like the snap of a warm rubber band.

• Laser hair removal has many benefits that make it a viable option for many people to permanently deal with unwanted hair. You can ask many questions during your consultation to make sure you fully understand the procedure they use and how they deal with the treatment of pain.

Even though laser hair removal surgery on the face is largely safe, there are certain very minor side effects that are associated with it that you need to keep in mind before opting for it. The risks involved with laser surgery occur very rarely including a change in skin tone, burns, and blistering. If performed correctly by a trained professional with a lot of experience, laser surgery for hair removal is very safe. You may have slight redness or local swelling on the treatment area of your face that typically resolves within several hours. Limiting your exposure to the sun before and after treatment can minimize the risk of complications. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.

Alopecia or hair loss is a very common problem for both men and women. Androgenetic alopecia refers to the male pattern or female pattern hair loss. In case of some people, Androgenetic alopecia may be a hereditary problem.

In case of androgenetic alopecia, hair starts falling usually from the crown region. Male pattern baldness is different from female pattern baldness. In case of female pattern baldness, hair falls from all over the scalp region and not just the region above the temples.

Many causes are responsible for Androgenetic alopecia. Genetic reasons, hormonal disorders, increased production of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) and also aging can make conditions worse.

Androgenetic alopecia can be a very embarrassing problem. There are certain natural as well as medical ways to prevent androgenetic alopecia. Some of them are mentioned as follows:

1. Drink green tea: Researches show that green tea has anti-androgenic properties, which can help you to prevent androgenetic alopecia.
2. Massage oil on your scalp: Massaging your scalp with hair oils like coconut oil provides your hair with the required nourishment and hence, prevents hair fall.
3. Try to reduce stress: Stress can increase the secretion of 'cortisol' hormones in your body, leading to a hormonal imbalance, which may result in hair fall. So, reducing stress may help you to prevent excessive hair loss.
4. Consider hair transplantation procedure: If you are losing your hair at an alarming rate, then you may consider clinical treatment. The treatment of hair transplantation can help you to prevent further hair loss.
5. Change your diet: Include foods such as eggs, fish and walnuts. These foods are replete with protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, which provide your hair the required nourishment and help you prevent Androgenetic Alopecia.
6. PRP treatment. Platelet rich plasma therapy helps in improving the thickness of the hair by releasing the growth factors needed for the hair growth.

Since the primary causes responsible for androgenetic alopecia are hormonal imbalances and genetic reasons, you may consider seeking advice from a dermatologist in order to find the root cause of your problem and undergo the necessary treatments.

Acne can be a major chronic issue with many people, especially women. Ugly breakouts will cause you to become conscious about your skin and affect your confidence. While you may try a whole range of products to cure and to keep your skin free of acne, there are certain basic tips which you can implement with great success. (Learn more to keep your skin healthy)

Don't depend on exfoliation and don't do too much of it: While light exfoliation is quite good for the skin, but too much, too regular and too hard scrubbing will only result in the skin's oil glands becoming over active. This in turn may encourage the growth of even more acne. Use your fingers to clean your skin lightly instead of using abrasive products.

Get products which are primarily salicylic acid based: This acid is a naturally occurring light chemical, which is very good at cleansing skin. Thus look for products, which have high levels of this ingredient. It can easily remove all the dead skin cells that may close the pores of your skin while retaining the moisture within.

Stop using products that may dehydrate your skin: Many alcohol based astringents and other products meant to take out oil from your skin to reduce acne, instead end up causing it. This is because if the skin is too dehydrated, it will over produce oil to keep it hydrated. Use products, which will not dehydrate your skin. After washes, ensure that you moisturize your skin with a light moisturizer even while the skin is damp to ensure natural balanced levels of moisture.

Avoid the tendency or the temptation to touch your face: Your hands are a reservoir of oil and dirt in microscopic levels as you use them to do a multitude of things throughout the day. You may have a subconscious habit of touching your face multiple times throughout the day. This will cause all the oil and grime to deposit on your face, which will only lead to acne. Thus develop the habit of not touching your face too much.

Be careful with the type of makeup you use: Understand, which products work better with your skin. There are certain products, which will immediately cause problems on your skin and thus you should avoid them. Certain materials such titanium oxide, silica and zinc oxide are known to be good bases for makeup products. These ingredients absorb excess oil and don't clog pores. Try switching and stick to the ones that cause the least skin problems.

Sometimes excessive oil gets trapped and stuck in the pores of your skin. If this persists, it leads to the eruption of pimples, an extremely uncomfortable and nagging problem that plagues, both men and women indiscriminately. The most distressing part about pimples, apart from their unavoidable presence on the face is the mark they inevitably leave behind, the remnants which refuse to disappear. Pigmentation after pimples is a common phenomenon, one that often requires medical intervention to remove them.

However, there are various ways by which you can avoid pigmentation after pimples, some of them are:

1. Sunscreen: The benefits of sunscreen require little introduction. They not only protect the skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays, but they also help in fading away the marks left behind by pimples. It is strongly recommended that if you want to accelerate the process of recuperation, you must make it a point to apply sunscreen daily without fail.
2. Exfoliation: This refers to a procedure that removes the covering of the old skin and brings to the fore the fresh layer of skin. With increasing age and growing skin problems, exfoliation has emerged as the most preferred choice for most women. In fact there are multiple ways, by which one can exfoliate one's skin. Depending on your convenience, you can go for scrubbing or a thorough washing of the face known as washcloth. There is also another method known as chemical exfoliation that works better and more efficiently than the other methods. By removing the old layer of the skin, exfoliation ensures a complete removal of the pigmentation left behind by pimples.
3. Medicines: Sometimes the intensity of the pigmentation marks on the skin may necessitate the medical intervention. If other methods fail or you wish for a speedy recovery, prescription drugs are always a nice option. At the same time, those medicines, which have retinoid (compounds with effects to those of Vitamin A) like Differin or Tazorac can also be availed of, if need be.
4. Skin Lighteners: As the name suggests, skin lighteners help in a gradual fading away of the dark spots on the skin. There are several skin lighteners like kojic acid, mulberry extract, licorice extract and primarily vitamin C, which significantly lighten the skin and help in doing away with the marks.

It is hard to escape the harsh rays of the sun during summers. Staying outdoors for too long will lead to tanned skin, which is a sign of skin damage. Sometimes skin damage can get severe and lead to diseases like skin cancer.

To prevent your skin from damaging and keep it healthy, here are seven pro tips:

1. Never skip the sunscreen: Sunscreen with SPF 15 or more will help in protecting your skin from harmful UV rays. Even if you are going to be out in the sun for more than 15 minutes, make sure to apply sunscreen generously. Remember, the higher the SPF, the better is the protection.
2. Always wear sunglasses: Sun damage can lead to premature signs of aging; especially wrinkles around the eyes since the skin around your eyes are very thin. Wider lenses that can block out 99% of sun rays are recommended to protect your eyes.
3. Your lips need protection too: Just like your eyes, the skin is much more delicate and thinner on your lips. Your lips are susceptible to tanning as well, along with the risk of fine lines around the mouth if not well protected. Always apply a lip protection balm when going out.
4. UPF clothing: Garment with special UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) coating can shield you from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Like SPF, the higher the UPF, they better it will protect you. Regular clothes can protect you as well, provided they are woven tightly and are of a darker color.
5. Keeping a close look at the time: UV rays are the strongest and mostly harmful from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you are out during these hours, do not forget the sunscreen, umbrella and sunglasses.
6. Don't forget to protect your head: A hat with a brim of 2 to 3 inches all around shield the skin of your neck, face and ears and protects you from skin damage.
7. Apply religiously: Even if your sunscreen promises that it is sweat proof, waterproof or rub proof, it never completely is, as no product works the same for everybody. So apply your sunscreen throughout the day.

Who would have thought that a little dry scalp could make a multitude of people feel terrible about their lives! Dandruff is not only upsetting because of the physical constraints it brings along, but also because it is a compelling cause of mental setback. Peers and relatives judge you silently; they might choose to avoid your company. Some might even console you that you are making the issue more embarrassing. Instead of feeling depressed about flaky scalp skin that recurrently keeps worsening, one must make efforts to deal with it. A wide mass of people will suggest you with tips and ideas to tackle the situation; in most cases a majority of these tips arise from popular assumptions. The best suited option for you is to consult an expert dermatologist and to maintain the health of your hair through natural home remedies alongside.

Ways to curb dandruff:

1. Apply a fenugreek hair pack at least once a week: Fenugreek or methi is known for its inimitable medicinal purposes. Fenugreek paste can be applied on the roots of your hair to remedy dandruff. This protein rich ingredient provides strength and nourishment to one's hair while curing flaky skin. It is also rich in amino acids. Lecithin, an emollient, can prove to be effective in strengthening the hair roots and preventing them from falling off due to dandruff and subsequent itchiness.
2. Use egg white in combination with lemon juice: Lemon juice has a high concentration of citric acid. When used in combination with egg whites, it can treat a dry and itchy scalp. This concoction is also acclaimed for its smoothing effect on rough and brittle hair.
3. Listerine is a multifaceted product: You knew it could only act within the realm of your mouth and you were very wrong. Listerine has more to itself than a person can think of. Listerine is meant to fight fungal and bacterial infections and it therefore, can be used on a person's scalp. One part of this liquid should be mixed with two parts of plain water and then poured into a spray bottle. This mixture should be applied on your head to make you experience the difference.
4. Neem leaves could be your ready solution: Neem leaves are held in high regard for their antifungal properties. Apply neem paste on your scalp to get rid of dandruff. One may even boil a fistful of these leaves in water and wash his or her hair with the lukewarm liquid after a head bath.