Hives, also called urticaria are swollen welts or bumps that appear on your skin suddenly.

They itch, burn and sting and can happen anywhere on your body. You can get them on your face, lips, tongue, ears or chest. And in size, they can be as small as an eraser to as large as a plate. They also form plaques and can last for hours or up to several days.

Types

Acute urticaria - These type of hives last less than six weeks. The most common causes are allergies due to certain foods and medications, or infections. These hives can also happen due to diseases or insect bites.
Chronic urticaria - Hives lasting more than six weeks come under this category. What causes them is usually more difficult to identify than what causes acute urticaria. In some cases, chronic hives are caused due to thyroid disease, hepatitis or even cancer. This type can affect your internal organs like lungs, muscles, and the gut. Thus, symptoms include muscle soreness, shortness of breath, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
Physical urticaria - These types are caused due to direct physical stimulation of the skin due to cold, heat, sun exposure, vibration, pressure, sweating, and exercise.
What causes hives?

Hives happen mostly due to allergies. Some of the common hive triggers are-

Certain foods, especially peanuts, eggs, nuts and shellfish- Fresh foods are more likely to cause hives as compared to cooked foods. Certain food additives and preservatives can also play culprits. Medicines like penicillin and sulfa- based antibiotics, aspirin and ibuprofen which are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, high blood pressure drugs like ACE inhibitors, and painkillers such as codeine can also trigger hives. Other things that may cause it are:

Insect bites
Latex
Transfusion of blood
Bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections and infected throat
Viral infections- common cold and hepatitis
Pollen grains
Plants like poison oak and poison ivy
Sunlight
Cold weather
Pet dander 
If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist.

What Are Hives? What Causes Them?

Atopic dermatitis or as it is commonly known as, eczema, is one of the most common and recurring form of skin disease. Some of the common symptoms of eczema are redness, swelling of skin, temporary discoloration and dryness among others. It not only causes a significant amount of irritation, but is extremely persistent in its occurrence. Combating atopic dermatitis is a rather cumbersome task, often leading to anxiety and depression. It is indeed one of the most problematic skin hindrances. Dermatitis usually occurs due to the inflammation of the epidermis. 

Some of the more obvious causes are exposure to ultraviolet rays, familial predisposition, prolonged exposure to the offending allergen, latent infection, indigestion, hormonal imbalance among others. Occurrence of eczema considerably lowers the skin resistance and makes you vulnerable to various other skin troubles. Atopic dermatitis is especially congenital in nature. It has reported greater frequency in individuals whose family has some record of eczema or the other. Past incidents of asthma, hay fever may also act as triggers. Signs of eczema are usually manifested in itchy patches in the neck, scalp and palms. 

Given the commonness of the disease, there are numerous remedies for it as well. However, many vouch for the efficacy of homeopathy in curing such skin ailments. Homeopathy not only offers natural solutions to eczema but also detoxifies the system from within to curtail the frequency of such outbursts. Homeopathy also averts any kind of side effects. After closely scrutinizing the symptoms and their possible effects, homeopathy recommends a wide range of medicines to cure eczema. 

1. Sulphur: Sulphur is endowed with medicinal qualities. Used either as an ointment or in form of tablets, sulphur is used as arguably the best remedy for eczema.

2. Graphites: Graphites are extremely helpful in abating sticky oozes as well as eyelids. Graphites help in curing gelatinous discharges. 

3. Rhus Tox: Rhus Tox is an ideal therapy for dermatitis with itching and redness. It curtails the flare-ups and breakouts on skin. 

4. Mezereum: It is extremely helpful for weeping eruptions. It soothes intolerable itching and skin irritation.

5. Natrum Mur: Natrum Mur is extremely effective in curing hairline eczema.

Homeopathy and Atopic Dermatitis

Tennis toe is also known as runner s toe since athletes are mostly runners; skiers and tennis players also get this injury often. Due to its ugly appearance, tennis toe is also known as a black toenail. This injury causes bleeding under the toe along with moderate to heavy pain. Although it is not considered to be type 1 serious injury, it can still force an athlete to abstain from participating in any events. The blood from the toenail might take its own sweet time to get out of the way. As a result, the recovery time for this injury can last for weeks together. This, unfortunately, is also an ideal condition for infection to set in.

How does it happen?
This condition may arise because of the friction between the toenail and the running shoes or constant downward pressure on the toe. In case if the shoe is tighter than normal, it can damage the toenail. If on the other hand, the shoe is very loose, it can result in similar condition due to heavy pressure on the nail. Tennis toe can also arise in a situation, if the toe constantly bangs the shoe from inside. Extreme hot weather may also result in toe swelling. Finally, one may encounter tennis toe if a blow is faced on the toe. Irrespective of the cause, the blood clots inside the nail resulting in swelling and pain. Too much damage might result in falling off of the toenail altogether.

Treatment plan:
1. If the tennis toe is minor, the injury resolves all by itself
2. The toenail should be clipped together to ensure that it does not result in any friction with the shoe.
3. During the injury, it is advised that a person wears bigger size shoes with wider toe space so that it does not result in any further irritation.
4. If the toenail is torn, make sure to tap it up so that adequate protection is there from outside forces.
5. In case the injury is serious a doctor might have to intervene and drain the blood with a surgical instrument.
6. Another medical solution is to remove the toenail surgically, drain the blood and tape it up for a good one week until new nail formation takes place.

Precautionary measure:
1. Running shoes should be at least half a size bigger than the normal size.
2. Toenails should be regularly trimmed in order to avoid any injury.
3. If a person has a tendency of sweating too much, it makes sense to wear a pair of socks at all times.
4. While running, shoe laces should be tightened to avoid sudden friction between the toe and the shoe resulting into tennis toe.

Tennis Toe - How it Should be Treated?

It is a chronic autoimmune skin disease, in which the skin cells form a mass of scales. Usually, these patches of skin, which are dry, red and itchy, occur on the skin of the back, scalp, palms, knees, elbows and around the fingernails and toenails. But some people have the patches all over the body. The patches may also crack, flake and bleed. While there is no definite cure, the symptoms can be managed and treated.

Symptoms of Psoriasis

The symptoms of psoriasis may vary from patient to patient. However, if more than two of the following signs are seen, it is likely that psoriasis is the causative condition:

1. A sharp and localized pain in the joints accompanied by stiffness
2. Soreness in the throat
3. Tiny depressions in the nails or large brown patches under the nails
4. The diseased patches of skin can crack, peel and bleed
5. Swelling and tenderness of the limbs
6. Dental plaque
7. Muscle pain due to the swollen bands of connective tissue
8. A whitish and silvery mass of scales surrounded by red patches of stinging, itchy skin
9. The appearance of blisters or rashes on the dry scaly skin and also along the nails
10. Bumps on the folded skin like back of the knees, armpits etc.

Causes of Psoriasis

HIV
Human Immuno-deficiency Virus adversely affects the immune system and increases susceptibility of all kinds of infections and diseases. HIV-positive individuals have been found to have an increased risk of psoriasis than HIV-negative people.

Medication
Anti-malarial, anti-inflammatory and blood pressure medicines can cause psoriasis as a side effect. The disease is also an effect of withdrawal from topical steroid creams and other steroid-based medication.

Genetics
More than 32% of the cases of psoriasis have been linked to genes. In case of identical twins, if one twin has the disease,the other has a 70% chance of getting it too. There are several genes associated with the disease- most of these genes are related to the immune system. T cells (lymphocytes which affect cell specific immunity) can also cause psoriasis.

Other diseases
Diseases like strep throat, chronic infections, skin infections and stress may be responsible for the condition. Other factors like obesity, alcoholism, skin dryness and smoking can also lead to psoriasis.

Psoriasis: Symptoms and Causes

Botox is one of the evolving beauty treatments in the recent times. It has gained massive popularity due to its incredible results. Almost every individual undergoing Botox treatment observes appreciating the changes in their most prominent facial features.

What to do before Botox treatment?

One of the crucial steps to do before opting for a Botox treatment is to research for the best doctor who is specialized with the Botox treatments. This will help you to achieve the results you are aiming from the respective treatment.
Be transparent about any allergies or earlier skin disorders you had earlier with your doctor. This provides a scenario of keeping a realistic expectation based on your case type.
Ask your doctor regarding your doubts related to the treatment. If you are worried about some side effects you got to know from someone, then it is recommended that you discuss the same with your doctor.
What to do during Botox treatment?

Keep your skin natural. Make sure that you clean your skin thoroughly right before the commencement of the procedure.
Stay relaxed during the treatment. This is one of the most essential do s for the success of the Botox treatment. If you stay calm, then you will find that just within a few seconds the Botox is injected.
What to do after Botox treatment?

Keep your hands away from the place where Botox is injected. This ensures that it does not spread throughout the face.
Keep the workouts light. You can exercise after Botox treatment but avoid the moderate and light intensity ones.
Avoid visits to the parlors for facial treatment or chemical treatments. You can later choose for natural ways to clean your face without applying much pressure to your face.
Don ts for Botox treatment:

If you are a regular alcohol drinker or addicted to drinking alcohol quite often, then you need to start avoiding it to get the desired results from the Botox treatment.
Make sure that you do not keep very high expectations for your Botox treatment. Talk to your doctor before setting any targets in your mind. This will help you to be satisfied and happy with the ultimate results.
Avoid using suggestions of other individuals on your face right after the completion of the Botox treatment. If you have any queries, then talk only to your doctor.
Thus, Botox treatment is a beneficial procedure to reduce your worry about aging less. You just need to follow those mentioned above do s, and dont s to ensure successful completion and achievement of the results of Botox treatment.

Botox - Do's & Don'ts Before And Post Treatment!

Do birth control pills help in controlling acne?

An outbreak of a pimple is perceived as a cause of embarrassment and concern as it gives rise to skin damage. Coming to the cause of acne, it generally occurs due to excess oil (sebum) production. The oil on your skin combined with dead skin cells, blocks your skin pores, thereby promoting bacteria growth and causing acne breakouts. 
The use of birth control pills to cure acne is usually recommended when topical medications and oral antibiotics don’t help in clearing up the problem. 
Here’s how they work on acne. 

Possessing properties that can regulate your hormone production, birth control pills contain the two hormones that your body naturally makes – oestrogen and progesterone. Present in different amounts in the pills, they act by lowering the amount of androgens (male sex hormones, which give rise to excessive sebum production) produced by your body. As a result, with a reduction in sebum production, there is also a decrease in the breakout of acne on your skin. However, you shouldn’t expect instant results from their use. 

Many a times, birth control pills can cause a flare-up of the problem before it can be contained. This can result in your acne getting worse before getting better. 
Although birth control pills can help to control acne, it’s still important to maintain a proper skincare routine comprising of washing, toning and moisturising for a healthy and glowing skin. 

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

Do Birth Control Pills Help in Controlling Acne?

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