HPV refers to Human Papillomavirus. This is a common virus, which has got more than 100 different types and over 40 of these types are transmitted sexually. This virus may cause cervical cancer and cases of genital warts. It is likely to occur in people who are sexually active to contract genital HPV, and it is not accompanied by any signs or symptoms. The virus is transmitted via skin to skin contact and is severely infectious in nature. Using condoms may reduce the risk of spreading of this virus, but is not always successful.

There are two major vaccines for HPV. 

Gardasil: This vaccine prevents the most common HPVs which are associated with genital and anal cancer, and also warts of both genital and anal type.
Cervarix: This type of vaccine prevents HPV associated with the occurrence of cervical cancer.
Reasons for vaccination against HPV

HPV vaccines are recommended to girls between 11 and 12 years. It is also given to girls and women between the age of 13 and 26 years, who have never been vaccinated against HPC before. These vaccines should be given to females before they start being active sexually and get exposed to the HPV virus. Sexually active females benefit from these vaccines as well, but the effect is less.

Here are three reasons why you should vaccinate against HPV:

All types of HPV vaccine help in the elimination of the viruses which cause cervical cancer. Viruses causing cancer in the vulva, vagina or anus are also targeted by these HPV vaccines. The HPV vaccines also protect against genital or anal warts. HPV vaccines work effectively in the prevention of cancers caused by HPC viruses and also curb the common health problems which are accompanied.
The effect of HPV vaccines is quite long lasting in an individual who is vaccinated against HPV. Usually it lasts for ten years or more without having any related disorders or cancers. The protection does not weaken over time and remains stable.
HPV vaccines are licensed by the FDA to be completely safe and efficient to use. Extensive studies have been carried out globally, and no safety concerns have ever arisen. The side effects of HPV vaccines are usually quite mild. However, a little amount of pain, dizziness and nausea are involved.
HPV vaccines are a series of effective vaccines, which prevent the occurrence of cervical cancer and other cancers which are sexually transmitted. They are generally given to women before getting sexually active to prevent transmission of HPV viruses. Some HPV vaccines are prescribed to males as well.

3 Reasons To Vaccinate Against HPV

Home remedies to treat burns

A lot of pain, burning and hurt can be relieved by knowing properties of a few things from your kitchen. While minor burns and injuries can scare the wits out of anyone, young or old, the cure to relieving the pain and ensuring speedy healing lies in your cabinet. 

Here are few things to do and to avoid:

1. No Ice on a Burn: ice is known to restrict the flow of blood to the skin. What you should do instead is put the burnt area immediately under running water. The idea is to cool the area. The water used should be cool and not ice cold. 

2. Soothe with Aloevera. Aloevera is known to be a good remedy for burns and while it stops the pain, it also reduces the swelling and repairs the skin. Aloevera gel can be applied in sometime, but the gel should not be contaminated and should be clean.

3. Use Mint for Relief: After running cold water on the burnt area, pat it dry gently and apply a layer of crushed mint leaves, do not apply mint toothpaste over it. As toothpaste can get dried or stuck there and cause further injury. If mint leaves are used they should be clean and be thoroughly washed with water.

4. Try Tea Bags: If you have black tea bags at home, they can be of help. Moist wet, cooled tea bags, depending upon the area of the burnt skin and place over the area. Wrap with clean gauze. This can be used on slightly raw skin as it is astringent.

5. Puncture the Blisters: If there are blisters, never peel them off completely, you may puncture them to drain the fluid but do not remove the top layer of skin, as that serves as a natural protective dressing.

6. Apply Honey: A natural antibiotic, honey is used to prevent the burnt area from getting infected.

7. Rub Coconut Oil: Coconut oil has vitamin e and anti-bacterial properties which also stop the burnt area from getting infected. However, this should be used in healing phase when there are no blisters or they have started healing.


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6 Quick and Handy Remedies To Treat Burns

What is Psoriasis? 

Psoriasis is a common skin disease characterized by thickened patches of inflamed, red skin covered with thick, silvery scales. The elbows and knees are the most common areas affected by psoriasis. It will often appear in the same place on both sides of the body. The patches can range in size from smaller than a dime to larger than a hand. 

Description of Psoriasis-

Normally, skin cells mature and shed after about a month. In psoriasis, the cell maturation speeds up, taking only three to four days. Because the lower layer of skin cells divide more rapidly than normal, dead cells accumulate in thicker patches on the skin's outermost layer called the 'Epidermis'. 

Forms & Classifications-

Psoriasis occurs in a variety of forms that differ in their intensity, duration, location, shape and pattern of scales. The most common forms are: 

Plaque Psoriasis: Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis. It is characterized by raised, inflamed, red lesions covered with a silvery-white buildup of dead skin cells (scales). This is found primarily on the Body, elbows, knees, scalp and finger or toe nails. 
Guttate Psoriasis: Guttate psoriasis occurs most frequently in children and is characterized by numerous small, red, drop-like scaly macules that develop rapidly over a wide area of skin. This may appear following an infection, most frequently strep throat. 
Inverse Psoriasis: Inverse psoriasis occurs in the armpit, under the breast, in skin folds, around the groin, in the cleft between the buttocks and around the genitals. It is usually pink and irritated but lacks the thick scale seen in other forms of psoriasis. 
Pustular Psoriasis: Pustular psoriasis is a rare form characterized by small pustules (whitehead-like lesions) found all over the body or confined all over the body or confined to the palms, soles and other isolated areas of the body. 
Palmoplantar Psoriasis: This type of Psoriasis are most likely to show up on the palms and soles. It can also appear on the tops of your feet, backs of your hands, and on knuckles and nails. It may be triggered by an injury to the skin, an infection, or another skin condition such as hand dermatitis. It may first occur during a period of psychosocial stress. Lesions are like cuts which bleed.
 Psoriasis - Homeopathic Treatment

The patient should be encouraged to expose maximum to sunlight and avoid trauma during the active phase.

Homeopathic treatment of psoriasis   Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach.

This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the signs and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat psoriasis but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned; several well-proved remedies are available for psoriasis treatment that can be selected on the basis of cause, location, sensation, modalities and extension of psoriasis. For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person.

Homeopathy For Psoriasis!

Some diseases like chicken pox, measles etc. have definitive symptoms that make it easy to diagnose. However, others like lupus affect each person in a different way making them complex diseases that may take longer to diagnose. Lupus attacks the immune system and causes the antibodies that would normally fight infection to react against the body s own cells and tissues. There are two main forms of lupus; systemic lupus that affects any part of the body and cutaneous lupus that affects the skin. These can occur simultaneously or on their own.

Some of the rashes that can be caused by cutaneous lupus are:

Malar rash or butterfly rash: This affects the face and appears as a butterfly shaped rash over the nose and cheeks. It is triggered by the sun s uv rays and can appear as a faint blush or a severe, scaly rash.
Discoid lupus: Lupus can also cause small. Coin shaped sores or rashes. These are reddish and scaly in appearance and usually affect parts of the body exposed to sunlight and uv radiation. If left untreated, these sores can worsen with time. Though they do not cause pain or itchiness, they can result in scarring. In cases where these sores develop on the scalp, they can cause permanent bald patches.
Subacute cutaneous lesions: These can be described as small, red sores that are shaped like coins. These can be found on the arms, shoulders, neck and chest in patches that resemble psoriasis. These lesions are also triggered by uv exposure. Though they do not cause scarring, these lesions can lighten or darken skin.
Mucous membrane lesions: Sores in the mouth or nose that have been triggered by lupus are known as mucous membrane lesions.
Baldness: Lupus can make the hair follicles near the scalp fragile and brittle. This can destroy the hair follicles and lead to hair fall. In some cases, hair may grow back while in others it could result in permanent baldness.
Cutaneous vasculitis lesions: These refer to purplish spots or lines on the calves and feet. This is caused by the inflammation of skin tissues and can cause severe damage and gangrene.
Raynaud's phenomenon: When exposed to cold, the skin on your fingers and toes may also change colour to red, white or blue due to lupus. This is triggered by the tightening of blood vessels and may be accompanied by a tingling sensation or numbness.

Lupus - 7 Common Types!

When it comes to a man's physique, enlarged breasts can be quite embarrassing. This is a condition known as male gynecomastia and affects more men than you would imagine. Though it does not pose a significant health risk, it can affect a man's psychological health and lower his self confidence. The good news is that men suffering from this condition do not need to live with it.

Male breast reduction surgery or gynecomastia surgery, aims at reconfiguring the contours of a man's chest by removing breast fat. The only permanent solution to this condition is surgery. This is because fat tissues are not solely responsible for enlarged breasts. Often glandular tissue is present in excessive amounts as well.

Gynecomastia surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia with liposuction being the most preferred procedure. This procedure begins when the surgeon makes a small incision on each side of the chest. These incisions are usually placed along the natural contours of the body, around the edge of the areola or near the armpit so as to reduce the visibility of scars. Excess fat and glandular tissue is then sucked out of this incision. Simultaneously, the surgeon sculpts the other tissues in the chest to redefine chest contours. Patients are usually advised to wear a compression garment after the surgery to support the healing tissues and minimize swelling.

Results of this procedure are visible almost immediately. Recovery from gynecomastia surgery is usually quick and many men find themselves back to their normal routine within a few days. However, vigorous exercising and heavy lifting should be avoided for a few weeks after the surgery. The patient may also experience slight soreness and minimal pain that can be relieved with over the counter pain killers. Some men may also experience a temporary loss of sensation in the area. Though the results of this procedure are permanent, there is no guarantee that it will not recur.

Gynecomastia may recur as a result of significant weight gain, use of steroids or as a side effect to certain types of medication. Hence, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid drugs that influence your testosterone levels. Regular exercise can also help tone the chest muscles and keep this condition from recurring.

Embarrassed Because of Enlarged Breast? Male Breast Reduction Can Help

Vitiligo is a condition in which white patches appear on the skin. It can affect any part of the body. It can affect the inside of the mouth and the hair as well. It happens when the skin cells (melanocytes) that make or produce pigment (colour) of the skin die or stop functioning. This disease is not contagious or life-threatening, it cannot be caught from another person having vitiligo. All types of skin can be affected by vitiligo but it may be more evident in people with darker skin. It develops between the ages 10 to 30 and it often appears before the age of 40.

Causes

The main cause of this disorder is still not clear, why the cells die or fail. For some reason, the colour or pigment-forming cells called melanocytes dies. However, these are the following reasons that can cause this problem:

An autoimmune disorder, where the defences of the body turn on their own cells instead of attacking the germs that destroyed the melanocytes

A trigger or stressful events such as exposure to industrial chemicals, stress, or sunburn

Family history (heredity)

A neural cause

A virus

A genetic oxidative stress imbalance

Symptoms

The one and only symptom of this condition is the appearance of white patches or flat white spots on the skin. Those white patches are irregular in shape. They may stay the same for a while but may get bigger with time on different parts of the body. It generally affects body folds such as armpits, around body openings, or around moles. It can also affect hair and eyelids. It does not cause any irritation, dryness, discomfort, or soreness in the skin.

Treatment

There is no known way to cure or prevent the condition but the appearance of the affected skin can be improved with corticosteroid creams and cosmetics. The doctor can recommend melanocyte transplant surgery which includes a new needling micro-grafting technique. The surgery includes a split-thickness skin graft that is taken from the normal area. Later, it is cut into very small pieces in diameter ranging from 0.1 mm-0.3 mm. The local anesthesia is given to the recipient area to implant the micro-grafts into the dermis by using the needling technique. This new method of treating this condition delivers satisfactory and rapid pigmentation.

Takeaway

Vitiligo is a disorder in which flat white spots or patches appear and can affect any area of the body. It happens when the melanocytes die or stop functioning. The condition can be managed by cosmetics, corticosteroid creams, therapies, and surgeries. Out of all these methods, melanocyte transplant surgery is a new and effective technique to manage this disease. However, it is always advisable to consult a doctor before opting for any of these methods. 

Vitiligo - Its Causes, Symptoms And Treatments!

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