A common skin condition, which causes the discoloration of your skin in patches across the face, melasma is more of a social embarrassment and cause for distress rather than being a serious condition. Although it affects men as well, studies have shown that over 90 percent of patients are women. It is also known as the mask of pregnancy as many pregnant women develop this skin condition.

Causes of Melasma
Primary causes of melasma have been attributed to various hormonal changes within the body. Let's look at some of the factors that may cause this disorder:
1. Pregnancy: This is often attributed as the leading cause of melasma, the primary cause has often been attributed to hormonal changes that a woman may experience due to pregnancy.

2. Treatments that may change hormonal balance: Women on contraceptive pills or who have implants such as intrauterine devices may also develop this disorder. This is due to the balance of estrogen and progesterone being changed within the body.

3. Sun exposure: Continued sun exposure may also lead to melasma. This is due to the activation of melanocytes within the body which start producing more melanin.

4. Stress: Long periods of stress on the body can also trigger hormonal changes and cause melasma.

5. Thyroid problems: If someone suffers from Hypothyroidism or low levels of the thyroid hormone, it can trigger other hormonal changes and also cause this skin disorder. 
It has also been noticed that people with generally a darker skin tone tend to get melasma and it is less common in people with fairer skin.

Certain characteristics of Melasma
Melasma develops in certain patterns which can be easily diagnosed either as spots on the skin similar to freckles or brown patches of skin that grow bigger. Some of these patterns are:
a. Malar pattern: This grows on the nose and cheeks
b. Mandibular pattern: Starts growing around the jaw line
c. Brachial melasma: This grows on the upper arms and shoulders
d. Lateral cheek pattern: Grows on the cheek on both sides of the face
e. Centrofacial pattern: Nose, upper lips, forehead and cheeks

Treatment of Melasma
Most women who develop melasma during pregnancy report that it goes away after childbirth. However certain forms of melasma may appear in non-pregnant women due to hormonal changes. Treating the underlying hormonal changes usually resolves the problem. However certain other methods may be required to resolve the issues such as skin creams, chemical peels, dermabrasion and microdermabrasion.

All About Melasma

Spending a day out at the beach or going up on a hike is something most people love to do. What they, however, do not want is the after effects of being out in the sun the sunburn. While sunscreen lotions do help to a large extent, being in the sea can wash off the sunscreen, leaving the skin exposed to the imminent damage. Also, the effect of most sunscreens wears off with time, thereby, invariably producing some damage to the skin. However, there are simple ways to reduce the damage and in some cases even reverse the damage done by the sunburn.

Listed below simple ways with which you can treat a sunburn:

The minute you realize sunburn has set in, reduce further damage by getting out of the sun.
If you were out in the beach, rinse off with regular water as early as possible to clear the chlorine and sand and salt water. The salt water irritates the skin and aggravate the damage further.
Take a pain-killer which will reduce the inflammation and control the overall effect of swelling and pain. This can also help the mild headache that can develop because of being out in the sun.
The sun dries the skin and therefore, make sure you make an extra effort and moisturize your skin. Use creams that contain aloe vera, glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Keeping them in the fridge for a while produces an extra-refreshing effect.
Make a compress containing egg white or green tea and skimmed milk. The green tea will reduce inflammation and the egg white will supply the necessary proteins for the skin to recover.
Not just the skin, the sunburn also leaves you dehydrated overall. Ensure the water intake is increased and consume water rich food like watermelon, grapes, and cucumber.
If there are sun blisters as a result of the sunburn, do not touch them. Peeling them can produce scars, which can be permanent.
On spots that are painful after the sunburn, slices of potatoes or cucumber can be used to rub the area. This will produce a cooling effect and also reduce swelling.
Vinegar contains acetic acid and reduces pain, swelling, and inflammation that happens subsequent to a sunburn. Towel soaked in vinegar can be used to wipe the area or vinegar can be added to the water for a bath.
Mint is another wonderful agent to manage sunburn. Include it in tea or add peppermint oil to lukewarm water for that healing drink.
These are some tips to treat a sunburn and reduce the damage (sometimes permanent) that can happen as a result.

10 Easy Ways to Treat a Sunburn

Natural ways to remove your blackheads and whiteheads
 
Blackheads and whiteheads not only make you look unattractive, but also are hard to cure and keep recurring. Fortunately, there are quite a few substances and food items available in every kitchen that can effectively and naturally treat them and can also prevent them from recurring! 

Some of the best natural treatments for whiteheads and blackheads are-

1. Use milk- milk is a natural cleanser. Add a hint of lemon juice to half a cup of milk and mix it well with half a spoon of salt. Apply this mixture while scrubbing thoroughly on the entire surface of your face skin. This method decreases whiteheads and blackheads in a week and also stops them from recurring.

2. Cinnamon &amp; honey- a paste made up of one tablespoon of cinnamon powder and adequate honey is a very effective mixture. Apply it on the face, especially on the affected areas, and keep it on for the entire night. Wash it off in the morning. Continue this every night till whiteheads and blackheads disappear.

3. Baking soda- baking soda is exceptionally good to treat several skin problems. A mixture of baking soda and water must be applied on the face. Once it dries, wash it off. This mixture dries off the whiteheads and blackheads and also removes excessive oil from the skin.

4. Mint &amp; turmeric- extract 4 teaspoons of mint juice and add half a spoon of turmeric making a thick paste. Apply it on affected areas for a while. Once this paste dries off, wash your face with water. Milk can replace mint juice if desired.

5. Lemon juice- squeeze out lemon juice from 2 big sized lemons. Add some water to reduce the acidic effect. Dip a cotton ball in it and rub it across your face. You can do this several times a day. This is the simplest method to treat whiteheads and blackheads.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on'consult.

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Everybody Has Them! Remove Blackheads &amp; Whiteheads Naturally.

Raise a toast to great skin with vodka!

The Russians love their national drink, the vodka, as much as the french love their fine wines. And just like wine, vodka can be easily used in your daily beauty regime to add a much wanted healthy white glow to your skin.

Vodka is a great astringent or toner. Soak a cotton ball in a mix that is equal parts vodka and water and then lightly dab all over your skin. It will cleanse the skin and tighten pores.

You can add a dash of lemon juice to the mixture and freeze it. Rub these beauty cubes onto your face to bring down skin bloat as vodka and lemon juice together tighten pores and brighten the skin.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on consult.


Raise a Toast to Great Skin with Vodka!

Orange Peel Scrub For Flawless Glowing Skin

An orange is much more than just a refreshing tangy fruit. Orange, rich in Vitamin C, is the best all rounder when it comes to your skin. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps your skin to get younger looking, glowing and healthy. It’s almost a miracle for your skin.

Ground orange peels (and nothing else) just on their own make for the perfect scrub. 

It has these 4 effects on your skin.

1. Scrubbing off Dead Skin: The leathery granular texture & calcium present in it, serves as a gentle but extremely effective scrub, removing layers of dead and decaying skin. 

2. Moisturizing: The natural oil & potassium present in orange peel moisturizes & hydrates your skin simultaneously. 

3. Anti-ageing: The antioxidants neutralize the free radicals keeping wrinkles and sagging cheeks at bay.  Vitamin C & Magnesium present in it make skin glowing, youthful & healthy.

4. Skin Lightening: The orange peel also serves as a natural bleaching agent which helps with skin whitening. 

How to Get the Glow: To get an instant glow, all you need to do is rub frozen orange peel cubes onto your skin.  Continue rubbing till the cubes dissolve onto your skin into a scrub/mask. Splash your face with water to reveal the magic!

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

4 Magical  Effects Orange Peel Has On Your Skin

Bathing soap vs. Body wash: what's better when you take a shower?

The most important part of skincare is keeping your skin cleansed and fresh. But before that, it is imperative to find the right product for the same. Skin type varies from person to person, and hence finding skincare goods most suited to your skin makes all the difference.

Bathing habits directly affect the quality of your skin, which involves picking the appropriate cleanse; i. E. Choosing between a body soap and body wash. Each has a different set of characteristics and comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Let's find out which one is better for your skin.

Why you should choose bathing soap bar:

 it is more effective in removing dirt through deep cleansing

 it is suited to skin that is excessively oily in nature as it contains ingredients that are highly effective in stripping off excess oil from the skin

Why you should not choose bathing soap bar:

 it tends to strip the skin of its natural oils and moisture, making it dry and flaky

 it is unhygienic in case of sharing between individuals as soaps tend to accumulate the dirt from your skin due to direct body contact

Reasons to pick a body wash:

 it has a very mild and gentle effect on the skin in comparison to soaps

 it keeps the skin moisturized by preserving natural oils

 it is more hygienic than bar soaps in case of interpersonal sharing

 it is the most suitable option for dry skin

Reasons to ditch a body wash:

 it contains a large amount of artificial additives and preservatives that can do more harm to your skin than good, giving rise to allergic reactions in some cases

So, who's the winner of the two?

You must certainly base the choice on what's best for your skin type. Body soap is more compatible with oily skin while dry skin is better suited for body wash. A body wash, however, is much more gentle on your skin. 

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Soap Vs Hand Wash - What Should You Wash Your Hands with?

Bathing Soap vs. Body Wash: What's Better When You Take a Shower?

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