What you need to know about the ring-shaped rash called lupus

Lupus is an inflammatory disease that is chronic in nature. It occurs when your tissues and organs are attacked by your body's own immunity system. The inflammation that this disease causes can affect the other parts of your body as well, like the joints, kidneys, skin, brain etc. It is often difficult to diagnose because it lacks distinct symptoms. However, one of the most identifiable symptoms of lupus is a ring-shaped rash on the face.

Lupus can be caused by a number of factors like:

1. Excessive exposure to sunlight
2. Susceptibility towards infections
3. Certain anti-seizure, blood pressure and antibiotic medicines

Symptoms

The symptoms are neither distinct nor regular. However, some common symptoms could be-

1. Fatigue and fever
2. Pain in the joints, stiffness and swelling
3. Ring-shaped facial rash
4. Skin lesions on exposure to the sun
5. Chest pain and shortness of breath

What else can lupus lead to?

Several complications may arise if lupus is left untreated. Some of them are-

1. Kidney damage and failure
2. Hallucination, seizures, strokes and several other problems associated with the brain and the central nervous system
3. Anemia, blood clotting, vasculitis etc.
4. Increased susceptibility to pneumonia
5. Increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases

Treatment

Lupus is a significantly dangerous disease and medical help should be immediately sought if you think that you have symptoms associated with it. Treatment depends on the signs and symptoms of individual patients.

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What You Need to Know about this RING-SHAPED Rash on Your FACE!

The first thing anyone notices about you is your face and often people find themselves wishing for things like a slimmer nose, fuller lips etc. This is where facial cosmetic surgery comes in. Facial cosmetic surgery can address areas like your eyebrows, nose, cheeks, chin etc to give you the facial structure you've dreamed of.

Take a look at some of the common types of facial cosmetic procedures:

Brow lift: Frown lines and creases that develop across the forehead, between the eyes and over the nose bridge can be addressed through this procedure. This surgery is performed mainly to combat signs of aging and involves raising eye brows that may be sagging over the eyelid.
Eyelid surgery: Puffiness in the upper eye lids may be caused by excessive fat deposits. When combined with sagging skin, it can disturb the contours of the eye and in some cases cause vision problems. Blepharoplasty or eye lid surgery removes this excess skin and corrects fine lines, wrinkles and bags under the eyes.
Nose: A rhinoplasty is used to reconstruct the nose. The nasal skin is separated from the tissue and cartilage structure underneath which is then reshaped as desired and then sutured together again. Rhinoplasty is of two types; open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty.
Ears: An octoplasty is a facial cosmetic surgery aimed at correcting protruding ears or large outer ears and correcting ear deformities such as a lop ear, cupped ear or shell ear and torn ear lobes. This surgery is usually performed on children between the ages of 4 to 14.
Chin: Surgery on your chin can reshape it to make it look smaller or bigger as desired. This can be done by reshaping the jaw bone or inserting an implant. In some cases the procedure may be combined with liposuction.
Forehead: Signs of aging on the forehead, frown lines or heavy brows triggered by stress and hereditary furrowed lines above the nose can be addressed with a forehead lift. This procedure is often performed along with a facelift or eyelid surgery.
Facelift: As we grow older, our skin loses its elasticity. This triggers the development of wrinkles and deepens creases along the nose and cheek. Facelifts address these signs of aging by tightening skin and strengthening the muscles beneath it. Facial cosmetic surgery can also be used to correct congenital defects such as cleft lips and to treat scars.
Surgery to repair a cleft lip or cleft palate not only enhances appearances but also enhances the quality of life by improving functionality. Scar revision surgery involves the injecting or application of steroid medication to lighten the scar and make it less obvious. To treat burns that leave behind prominent scars, a procedure called Z plasty may be used.

Facial Cosmetic Surgery - Which Type is Suitable for You?

Liposuction is very popular as a relatively quick and safe cosmetic surgery to get rid of excess fat. At one time, the procedure was even touted as a better alternative to healthy diet and exercise. Regardless of such myths, liposuction is an important development in cosmetic surgery. Indeed in certain cases (of extreme weight gain) liposuction is the first surgical procedure performed on the patient. Like all surgeries, liposuction has a few do's and don'ts, and they are:

Do's
1. Keep your weight at a healthy level before surgery. The more the amount of fat is removed from your body, the greater is the risk involved in surgery, which is why controlling your weight pre surgery is important. Losing a large amount of weight leaves a lot of loose skin in your body, which can make your skin look saggy.
2. Wear your compression garments. Compression garments help your skin compress over the area where the fat used to be, leaving smooth, tight skin.
3. Continue exercising (with the go ahead of your doctor) after the procedure and follow a healthy diet to maintain your body.
4. Maintain gentle activity for two weeks after the procedure. This will help in removing fluid deposition in the surgical area and prevent complications.

Don'ts
1. Do not take anti inflammatory medicines like aspirin or ibuprofen as these medicines may cause bleeding complications. They also harm the body's immune system, which is detrimental to recovery.
2. Do not smoke or drink while recovering as Nicotine disturbs normal skin growth, which may lead to permanent scars, while alcohol interferes with the effect of some medicines.
3. Don't lift heavy objects or bend down immediately after the surgery. Your doctor will give you a more specific timeline as to when you can pursue such activities.
4. Don't expect results from day one. You will see results after you have recovered from the surgery.
5. Do not opt for liposuction specifically for weight loss. Liposuction is chiefly a procedure for shaping and contouring the fat in your body to give you that shape you always desired.

Do's and Don'ts of Liposuction

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

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?

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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