Foot problems can occur due to a number of causes that, in most cases, are easily diagnosed. An orthopedic is a specialized doctor whose advice you should seek if you have any kind of discomfort in one or both of your feet. Discomfort may include chronic or regular pain, difficulty in movement and/or disfigurement. These are generally a result of arthritis, physical injury or a genetic or hereditary condition. In some of the cases, the pain and discomfort can be treated without any surgery, by using medications. However, in extreme cases, where medication, physical therapy, and other such non-surgical methods fail to have any impact, surgery is the only way to go.

These surgeries are less invasive and require a limited recovery time. They are also one of the most successful types of surgery. The surgical procedure is successful in dealing with the main complaints of a foot problem. It successfully treats a foot by,

Relieving pain: The pain in your feet interferes with your work, making it difficult to carry on with your daily life, affecting your personal and social relationships. Pain often indicates an underlying problem, and it is easier and effective to treat the problem with a surgery, as it relieves you from the chronic pain.
Restoring function: If your feet do not function properly, it will be impossible for you to move, as they are necessary for mobility. When a simple stride becomes a problem, your whole lifestyle is affected. Accepting defeat is not an option. A good orthopedic can help you to get back to your normal daily life by surgically treating your feet thus ensuring they function properly.
Improving appearances: Foot deformity, due to a number of reasons such as polio or bone spurs, can lead to a restricted lifestyle. Movement is hampered and so is freedom. Surgically it can be treated and the appearance of your feet can be improved.
Arthritis is also a cause of a number of foot problems. In more cases than not, surgery becomes a necessity to treat your foot. Here are some of the surgeries that cater to arthritis-related foot problems:

Repairing Fracture: If the fracture is beyond repair by non-surgical methods, surgery is the last refuge for an orthopedic surgeon. Surgery will include repositioning of the bone and the use of supports to keep them in position.
Arthroscopic debridement: This surgical procedure helps to remove inflamed tissues or spurs from the joint.
Arthrodesis: Also known as joint fusion, it involves the removal of the ends of the bones at the joint and replacing them with metal pins or screws.
Osteotomy: The surgical procedure involves realignment of a joint by cutting the bone.

Foot Problems - Can They Be Treated By Surgery?

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?

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?

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

How does salt help in clearing skin?

Of all the health problems current lifestyle poses, one that harasses both men are women, at times even in their 30s, is marks or blemishes on the face. Acne and blemishes have become almost constant features on the skin, all thanks to the irregular eating habits, junk food, alcohol, late nights and of course, pollution. It is one of the lesser known facts that salt helps clear up the skin. Sea salt and epsom salt are the ideal salts to be used. Let us see how.

1. Salt for bathing - adding salt to your bath is advised for physical and spiritual cleansing. After you are done with your usual bath and washed off the soap, have a bath with salt mixed water. This not only clears the complexion overall but also lightens dark marks on the body.
2. Salt for application - two teaspoons of sea salt mixed with water and applied on the face with cotton, three times a day is said to treat the problem of acne. Having the natural ability to reduce moisture, salt does wonders to your skin by drying out the oils. This eliminates chances of pores getting clogged, closes them and increasing bacterial buildup.
3. Salt as a mask - salt when mixed with honey makes a great mask for the skin. Since both the ingredients have anti-inflammatory properties, this mask soothes the skin, retains hydration in the skin and balances the oil production. A couple of teaspoons of finely ground sugar, when mixed with double the amount of raw honey, makes a perfect balancing mask for the skin.
4. Salt as toner spray - a teaspoon of sea salt mixed with some warm water in a spray bottle until the salt is dissolved makes for a perfect spray toner. Make sure to avoid the eyes, though.
5. Salt for exfoliation - salt is known to be a skin-exfoliate and is often found in body scrubs. One can also make scrubs at home by mixing together aloe vera juice or gel, salt, oil of your choice, essential oil and dried lavender flowers.

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

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Do You Know Salt Is Only God For Clear Skin?

What are dermal fillers + how different it is from botox?

Dermal fillers are an artificial or naturally-derived material used for directly injecting into the skin. These soft tissue fillers are used with the aim to restore your facial appearance to address issues related to facial aging. Depending on the kind of filler that you opt for, the effects can vary from 6 months to 5 years. Nonetheless, they are used for a number of problems associated with facial aging such as:

  for smoothen out and add volume to creases known as laugh lines

  for enhancing thin lips

  for providing shape and fullness to cheeks so as to provide a youthful appearance

  for enhancing the under eye areas to the point that depressions or hollows are no longer visible

  for merging scars from chicken pox or acne with surrounding skin

  for adding volume to your temple or lower cheek area when shifting of fat pads (masses of tightly packed fat cells) underneath your skin surface occurs.

How are these fillers different from botox?

Even though both these procedures involve the use of injections, they are completely different from one another. Botox or botulinum (a purified, natural protein) works by numbing muscles that contract to create facial lines. It is mostly used around the eye and forehead areas for stopping the movement of muscles that cause wrinkles to form. Moreover, it treats active lines, which are visible when you smile, frown or squint.

Dermal fillers, on the other hand, treat wrinkles that are very deep and static, which you can only be seen when the face is in a restful state. Furthermore, it serves to enhance the skin while lightly swapping the collagen (a protein that helps connective tissue in the body to remain strong) that gets lost as you age. When it comes to swelling and bruising, botox reports minimal effects and dermal fillers a certain amount of swelling and bruising that disappear within 7-10 days.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 6 Face Washing Mistakes that are Damaging Your Skin, Every day!

For Your SKIN: What are Dermal Fillers + How Different it is from Botox?

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