Unani is an ancient medical practice of the Middle East that people sometimes use to try to help alleviate conditions of psoriasis. It involves incorporating a special diet, use of herbal compounds and other additional supportive medical practices.

What is Psoriasis?
It is a common immune-mediated skin disease that is characterized by chronic and inflammatory scaly deposits on the skin called plaques. The dry flakes and skin scale deposits occur due to rapid build-up of skin cells. It has a substantial impact on the quality of life with reported impairment in physical and mental functioning.

Causes and symptoms of psoriasis
Heredity is a crucial factor when it comes to psoriasis. There is no definite cause of this skin condition, but consuming opposite foods, trauma on the skin like bruises, cuts, skin irritants, excessive smoking/drinking and mental stress can be some reasons causing it.

Here are some common symptoms of psoriasis:
  Silvery scales on skin
  Itchy and burning skin
  Pus-filled skin bumps
  Dry skin patches and skin redness
  Blisters
  Bleeding patches in skin
  Restricted joint motion
  Inflammation and pain in skin

The Unani view
There are several topical drugs, phototherapy and systemic medications available for psoriasis. However, according to studies, almost 50% of the patients were dissatisfied with their treatment. In the absence of satisfactory cure in modern medicine, the traditional system of Unani medicine is highly beneficial in treating Psoriasis. According to the Unani view, psoriasis occurs due to burnt melancholic humour that has an irritant nature. As a result, it destroys the skin and produces intense itching, roughness and scaling. The unique formulations of Unani aims to eradicate the skin disorder.

How can Unani help treat psoriasis?
Under the banner of the Unani system of medicine, physicians emphasize to apply emollient over the affected part in the form of ointment (Margham) or oil (Rogham). In addition to this, they also advise avoiding sweet or sour items in the diet. Herbal formulations and natural ingredients are used in these topical applications. When applied to the skin lesions over a prescribed course of time, it eases the skin and gets rid of psoriasis.

Risk and safety considerations
There are several studies undertaken to prove the effectiveness of Unani medications to treat Psoriasis, most of which are positive. The Unani medicines have not shown much side effects and can be taken for a prolonged period of time to yield positive results.

Unani medicine has been proven to have a positive effect on the PASI score of the patients, which assesses the severity of psoriasis. A proper diagnosis at an early stage followed by the appropriate treatment under Unani medicine yields remarkable results.

Effective Unani Medicine for Psoriasis Treatment 

Eczema is a common skin problem that appears as red, raised rashes on the skin, commonly the face, neck, elbows, hands, and feet. Considered as an allergic response, it is often seen in people who have a predisposition to other allergies like asthma, hay fever, hives, etc.

The good news is that these have identified patterns, and there are things that can be easily done which can prevent flare-ups.

Reduce soap: Soaps are known to dry the skin up and irritate the skin, so eczema flare-up is common in those who love to lather themselves up. If possible, switch to soap or body wash that contains moisturizer as reduce the bacterial load on the skin. People who live in hot and humid locations, such as Mumbai it is important that they cleanse their face completely, else it can lead eczema eruption. 
Moisturize: Keep a moisturizer handy at all times. Eczema is common when the skin is dry, so keep applying moisturizer at regular intervals and keep eczema at bay. Make it a habit to apply moisturizer soon after the bath. The moist skin soaks it in nicely and provides maximum benefit when applied this way.
Avoid artificial fragrances: While deodorants and skin care creams which contain fragrances smell appealing, they also cause irritation and are harsh on the skin. This exacerbates eczema, and so avoiding these products is advised.
Know your trigger: This could be anything from a dishwasher liquid to a bath soap or a deodorant to some plant in your garden. Over a period of time, you will be able to identify the trigger, and avoid it so that eczema does not flare up. Remember, it is a type of allergy after all.
Detergents for washing clothes: Using milder detergents, especially for undergarments, greatly helps. Also, wash these twice to get rid of all the soap. Avoid fabric softeners as they are fragrant and can cause irritation.
Avoid hot baths: While a hot bath at the end of a long day sounds very relaxing, it also leaves your skin dry. This can worsen the condition of eczema. Add to this the irritation from your bedspread and pillow covers. Unless you have the habit of applying copious amounts of moisturizer before going to sleep.
Cover up your hands and face: When possible, use gloves and a mask especially when washing dishes and using laundry detergents. This way, you can prevent dryness and irritation of the skin on the hands and prevent eczema.
Soak it in the tub: When you stay for about 20 minutes in a tub (no hot water though, but lukewarm), the skin absorbs moisture which prevents it from drying. This greatly helps prevent eczema.
Cut down stress: Like any allergy, eczema acts up when stressed, so manage it. There is no point stressing anyways!

Eczema - How To Prevent Its Flare-ups?

Can scratching your head lead to hair loss? (and how to banish that nagging itch without scratching)

Yes! scratching your head actually leads to hair loss so you should avoid doing it.

Scratching your head with your fingernails for as little as 90 minutes is enough to remove all your cuticular scale. A cuticular scale is a protective covering on every individual strand of hair. The loss of this covering leaves your hair shaft weak and damaged and hence leaves your hair susceptible to easy breakage and hair loss.

There are several ways you can deal with itchiness in your scalp that does not include scratching your head. These alternative ways will help ensure you don't suffer from any hair loss.

These include

1. Instead of scratching, pat or rub the sensitive area with the flat of your fingers.

2. Having a dry scalp can also increase itchiness. It would bee a good idea to use natural oil on your hair before you wash it if that's the reason behind your itch.

3. Sensitivity to a new product may be causing a sudden itchiness in your scalp. So, if you have switched to a new shampoo, mousse or anything else, do try abstaining from applying it for a few days to see if the itchiness subsides.

4. When your scalp feels itchy, try and distract yourself. The more you think about how itchy your scalp is, the more it will itch.

While scratching your hair does lead to hair loss, the good news is your hair will grow back because the damage is not permanent. However, it is not advisable to keep scratching your head because you'll just lose more hair.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Should You Oil Hair When You Have Dandruff Problem?

Can scratching your head lead to hair loss? (And how to banish that nagging itch without scratching)

What causes warts? Can we prevent it?

Warts are small formations that occur on the skin. They appear in the form of dark protruding bumps or brown flat lesion on the skin surface. Sometimes they might also have tiny black specks on them. Warts usually form on the hands, feet, face and genitals, although they may appear on other parts of the body in some cases.

What causes the formation of warts?

Common warts are caused due to infection of the outermost layer of skin that occurs as a result of viral contamination. The virus that is responsible for this condition belongs to the human papillomavirus (HPV) family.

This infection is highly contagious and easily spreads from one person to the next. It is most likely to occur on skin that is cut or damaged as that allows easy access for the virus to enter the skin system.

How to prevent the formation of warts?

Common warts are contagious and spread very easily. Preventing the spread of the HPV virus can be done through simple steps that will help you avoid getting affected by this condition.

Some of the preventive measures that can be adopted are as follows:

- picking and scratching on warts should be avoided

- avoid biting fingernails as gnawing on the skin around the nails makes it more prone to infection

- grooming, brushing and shaving around infected areas should be done with care

- moisture and dampness should be avoided as the virus thrives on it

Do not self-medicate with lime (chuna), garlic, onion or Dettol.

Treatment

Wart removal should be done by a qualified dermatologist. It is simple, safe opd procedure which takes few minutes only and does not leave any scars.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 6 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Warts - Cauliflower-like Skin Inflammation

What Causes WARTs? Can We Prevent it?

When an injury happens, the normal tendency of the skin is to repair itself from inside out, until it is completely closed and healed. However, in some cases, due to various reasons, excessively large scars can form. These hypertrophic scars are known as keloids. Here is everything you would like to know about keloids:

Features of keloids:

Benign, fibrous, smooth, hard growths that form over a healed wound
Can be bigger than the original wound
Most commonly found on chest, ear lobes, cheeks, and abdomen
Pregnant women are usually at the risk of developing keloids
Though they do not develop into malignant lesions, they are a cosmetic issue, especially when the visible portions of skin are affected
They are localized, flesh-colored and red in color
They are raised from the surrounding tissue and are prone to repeat injury
It continues to grow with time
Could cause discomfort and irritation when it comes in contact with clothing
Sun exposure or tanning can worsen it and cause tenderness
Common injuries that can lead to keloid formation include burns, surgical incisions, skin piercings, chicken pox scars, tattoos, etc.
Treatment for keloids may not always be effective and need repeat treatments
Treatment options: If the keloid is not in a visible area and does not cause any problem, it is best to leave it untreated and observe for any changes. The following changes could indicate the need for treatment.

Change in color from pale pink to red (indicating inflammation)
Severe increase in pain/tenderness
Sudden increase in size, which could indicate malignancy (keloids are an area where benign growth can turn cancerous)
A biopsy can be done to identify if treatment is necessary. This involves removing a small part of the tissue by injection and sending it for laboratory examination.
Treatment options include both nonsurgical and surgical. Nonsurgical methods are tried first before resorting to surgery.

Steroid injections into the keloid to control growth and inflammation
Moisturization to keep it soft and avoid dryness and cracking and bleeding
Freezing the tissue (cryotherapy) to freeze the growth can help in further increase in the size of the tissue
Laser to remove the tissue, especially if it is small. Alternately, this could be used as a secondary measure after the keloid is excised to prevent further growth
Radiation therapy to shrink the growth
Surgical excision, where the keloid is quite visible or large. This could be followed by radiation or laser to prevent further growth.
Also, in people who are prone to develop keloids, surgical incisions can be treated for a longer time with pressure dressings and silicone pads.

Keloids - Know About Its Treatment!

Eczema is a skin condition marked by eruptions that are often pus filled boils. It is also known as atopic dermatitis. It is known to aggravate during damp monsoon months and can lead to dryness and scaly patches. It is very commonly found in patients who are young children and babies. The flare up can also relapse again. Reddish brown patches and oozing boils characterise this skin ailment. Let us look at the ways in which it can be treated effectively:

 Anti allergy medication: one of the first and foremost methods of treatment includes the prescription of medication. Medicines like anti allergy drugs and anti-histamine drugs are known to be useful, especially in the early stages of the ailment which starts as an allergic reaction. Cetrizine is one of the most favoured anti histamine drugs in this case. Other medication like diphenhydramine, fexofedaine and loratidine can also be prescribed to soothe the pus filled boils and painful symptoms as well as itching sensation. 
 Creams and lotions: the dermatologist can also prescribe cortisone creams as well as ointments that can be procured over the counter. Also, hydrocortisone and similar low potency steroids can be used for this condition. 
 Immunosuppressants: these are also prescribed to ensure that the flare up and spread of the condition does not happen. This can also prevent the risk of cancer, kidney disease and high blood pressure by numbing the immune system when it comes to reactions toward certain prescription drugs.
 Phototherapy: this kind of therapy is used for severe cases. In this method, ultraviolet lights are trained on the site of the flare up so that the immune system's responses that lead to eczema may be contained and prevented. This treatment requires a few sessions for the eczema to clear up completely and also, in order to ensure that bacterial infections do not strike in its aftermath due to the accumulation of debris or bacteria.
 Alternative ways: there are other ways of treating this condition. One of the methods includes making lifestyle changes like using deep breathing and meditative techniques that can bring the stress level down so that the flare up does not happen and the immune system continues to function properly. Also, patients would be advised to use a cold compress every night as this is when the itching increases by leaps and bounds. Further, green tea, primrose oil, aromatherapy and other such methods can also be used to soothe the skin and treat the condition.

There are various ways to deal with eczema and hygiene is one of the top methods along with a good lifestyle.

How to Treat Eczema

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