Allergies are caused by unnatural reactions between your body's immune system and foreign substances, which have gained access into the body. When these substances, known as allergens, enter your body, your immune system produces antibodies, which are responsible for warding off unwanted substances like harmful viruses or diseases and helping in the body's overall resistance.

The main cause of allergy is the uncontrolled reaction between the immune system's antibodies and harmless allergens. Allergic reactions are triggered when antibodies, like histamine, come into contact with particular types of allergens. These may include:

    Certain eatables: Peanuts or sea food
    Medications: Penicillin or penicillin-based antibiotics
    Airborne allergens: Pollen, mold, or dust mites
    Insect stings: Bee stings or scorpion stings
    Latex: Latex or other substances, which are responsible for causing allergic skin reactions

Symptoms of allergies depend upon a wide range of factors, which are subjective and vary from person to person and from allergen to allergen. Depending upon the type of allergen involved and the nature of the allergy, symptoms may include any of the following:

    Facial swelling
    Wheezing
    Severe itching
    Swollen or red and watery eyes
    Hives
    Flaky skin which can peel off

These symptoms are common in mild to moderate allergies, such as atopic dermatitis, hay fever, drug or food allergies. There are certain rare cases (say, scorpion stings), however, in which the allergic reaction turns out to be potentially life-threatening. This type of reaction is known as anaphylaxis. Here are its signs and symptoms:

    Nausea and vomiting
    Loss of consciousness
    Skin rashes
    Intense shortness of breath
    Lightheadedness

Homeopathy effectively deals with any sort of allergy by taking into account individualistic symptoms and thus nipping the root cause in the bud. Natrum Mur, Urtica Urens, Sulphur and Natrum Carb, among others, are very effective medicines against allergies. But these must be taken after due discussion with the doctor as they check out the symptoms and then prescribe the medicine basis that.

Allergies: Causes, Symptoms and How Homeopathy Deals With It Efectively

Dry skin refers to the lack of moisture within the skin, specifically within the layer known as epidermis. Dry skin is a fairly common condition resulting in the flaking of skin. The abnormal lack of moisture in skin can be caused by several influencing factors.

The loss of moisture
Dry skin may be mild, where it may last for a few days to severe, where it lasts for prolonged periods of time. This tends to become increasingly common with age. Although normally having a dry skin is a common skin type, abnormally low moisture content in the skin might become a serious and chronic condition leading to many problems.

Causes of dry skin
1. Dry skin might be caused by winter weather or dry and harsh climatic conditions
2. Bathing or washing skin frequently with rough soap,
3. Severe deficiency of vitamin A
4. Using hot water for showers for prolonged periods of time
5. Individuals with eczema are more prone to dry skin and may lead to several bacterial infections as well
6. Underlying physical disorders such as hypothyroidism and diabetes may also be contributing factors.
7. Medication for lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and to remove acne may also lead to the dryness of skin.

The symptoms of dry skin include
1. Itchiness and discomfort
2. Tightness of skin
3. Continuous scratching
4. Appearance of white lines on scratching
5. Extremely dry skin may result in the cracking or breaking of skin causing pain and discomfort.
6. Skin that easily bruises with minor abrasions.

Treatment
Dryness of skin is very common and can be treated easily. However, extreme dryness can lead to severe discomfort of the skin and cause infections and skin diseases. Visiting a dermatologist is always preferred in such cases.
1. Certain preventive steps you can take to prevent the occurrence of dry skin along with some treatment options are mentioned here.
2. Temporary dry skin may be treated with the use of lotion. Frequent moisturizing also helps.
3. It is also advisable to drink a lot of water and avoid soaps that suck moisture out of your skin.
4. You should also try and increase the intake of food rich in Vitamin A. Carrots, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, celery, are good examples of such food.
5. Natural oils may also be used to temporarily remove the dryness in skin. Regular massages and frequent application of moisturizing agents always helps.
6. You should also switch to bathing in cool or lukewarm water.
If the problem seems to persist, visit a dermatologist for further consultation. Special medicated lotions are often prescribed to deal with dry skin. Anti-itching lotions may also be prescribed by dermatologists along with certain oral medications for rare cases.

Dry Skin - 6 Ways to Treat It!

Dandruff is a condition where flakes of dead skin appear on the scalp, accompanied with itching. There are different types of dandruff you can suffer from. It be can yellow and sticky or white and flaky. It is a very common condition, which is often the result of exposure to styling products, chronic constipation, stress, fatigue or pollution. A chemical treatment can surely cure the condition but it can also harm your hair as well as have its fair share of side effects. 

Here are a few ayurvedic treatments which you could try to treat dandruff:

1. Coconut oil and camphor: Mix a small portion of camphor with some coconut. Store it in a container and apply it to your scalp every night. The camphor will help cool your scalp, which will help reduce the dandruff.

2. Coconut and lemon: Lemon is a particular ingredient, which is used for many hair care remedies. Warm up the coconut oil, mix some lemon juice in it and apply it on your scalp. Leave it on for at least half an hour and then wash your hair with shampoo. Perform this remedy at least for two to three weeks.

3. Curd and gram flour: Take a small bowl of curd and mix two to three teaspoons of gram flour. Add half a spoon of lemon juice in the mixture before applying it on your scalp and leave it for half an hour. Curd and gram flour are considered to be the best cleansers to clean the scalp and one of the best remedies for dandruff.

4. Lemon and neem leaves: Take a few neem leaves and make a paste. Add only half of a lemon to the paste and apply the mixture to your scalp. Leave it on for half an hour before washing your hair with shampoo. Follow this for at least two to three weeks.

5. Hot oil massage: A hot oil massage not only gives you relaxation, but also helps a lot with dandruff. Heat up a small amount of oil and massage your scalp with it. The hot oil seeps deeper into the roots of hair.
These remedies not only clear your scalp of the dandruff, but they also make your hair soft, smooth and healthy. So go and try them out.

How to Treat Dandruff With Ayurveda

5 home remedies to bid goodbye to stretch marks!

Stretch marks occur when extreme amount of pressure is exerted on your skin which is beyond its elastic limit. They can be caused due to various factors such as rapid weight loss, pregnancy, or sudden growth during puberty. Whatever be the reason, stretch marks are difficult to get rid of and totally spoil the appearance of your body. Here are 5 effective remedies to help you get rid of these annoying marks:

1. Aloe vera
Aloe vera contains collagen and is known for effectively treating a large number of skin problems. It not only helps in repairing your skin and removing stretch marks but also provides a deep soothing effect. All you have to do is apply the gel on the affected area and wash with lukewarm water after 15-20 minutes.

2. Potato juice
Potato juice contains certain essential vitamins and minerals that play an important role in promoting the growth as well as restoration of your skin cells. As a result, the stretch marks become considerably lighter and less apparent.

3. Natural oils
Natural oils such as olive oil are rich sources of nutrients and are packed with a number of beneficial antioxidant properties. Other oils which you can apply in order to lighten and eventually remove stretch marks are lavender oil, chamomile oil, geranium oil and rose oil.

4. Lemon juice
Lemon juice is acidic in nature and as a result proves extremely effective in having a fading effect on stretch marks and also bleaching them. You can also mix lemon juice with cucumber juice and apply on the affected area for getting faster results.

5. Egg white
Egg whites are abundant sources of both vitamin a and collagen and thus are always preferred for the treatment of all sorts of scars, burns or marks. Combine the application of egg white to your skin with olive oil in order to keep it moisturized.

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Bid Goodbye to Stretch Marks With These 5 Home Remedies

 Hives , also known as urticaria, is the outbreak of pale red, swollen bumps on the body. It can occur on any part of the body including the face, back, arms or legs. It is a type of hypersensitivity reaction in which the cause for the reaction is idiopathic (unknown). Also, it can come in various shapes and sizes. Hives can be associated with redness, itching, and a burning and stinging sensation. These can last for more than a minute or even more than that; up to days.

What causes hives?
Most of the times, hives are idiopathic, i.e. the reason that causes this type of hypersensitivity reaction is unknown. The bumps are caused by the action of histamine that makes the plasma in the blood leak out of the small blood vessels. Histamine is a substance that is released from a specialized cell and is what causes allergic responses in general. There are three types of hives- namely, acute, chronic urticaria and physical urticaria. Acute urticaria is when the hives last for less than six weeks. Chronic urticaria occurs when the hives last for more than six weeks. 

Physical urticaria refers to the condition when the hives are triggered due to causes such as heat, cold, sun exposure, sweating, pressure and exercise. Although, this condition is mainly idiopathic, there are common causes that may trigger this condition such as:

Foods such as nuts, fish, chocolates, milk and milk products
Environmental triggers such as pollen grains, dust etc
Medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol
Insect bites
Latex
Blood transfusion
Bacterial infections including strep throat and urinary tract infection
Pet dander
Plants such as poison oak or poison ivy
What are the symptoms of urticaria?
Hives are usually self-diagnosable. The various symptoms of urticaria are:

Swollen red bumps known as weals
The red bumps can occur suddenly and subside all of a sudden as well
 Blanching which is characterized by the whitening of the swollen red part.
They occur on any part of the body and can change shapes, and sizes. It can become larger or it can reduce in size; it can also move around in the body.

Hives - Most Common 9 Reasons Behind It!

Fungal infection in the nails is caused by an overgrowth of fungi in your nails. When the growth of fungus happens on the fingernails or toenails, it is known as onychomycosis or tinea unguium. Here are the probable causes of why you might get a fungal nail infection:

1. Diabetes
2. Problems in your circulatory system
3. Age
4. Artificial nails
5. Swimming in public pools
6. Nail injuries
7. Skin injuries surrounding the nail
8. Fingers or toes, which have been moist for an extended period of time
9. Immune system problems
10. Wearing shoes which have enclosed toes

It is also worth noting that fungal infections happen much more frequently in your toenail as compared to your fingernails, this is because of two main reasons. Firstly, that the fungi can grow very easily on your toenails because of the position as your shoes are dark, warm and moist and therefore, perfect for the growth of fungi.

The second reason for more fungal infections on your toenails as compared to your fingernails is because toes have less blood flow than fingers, thus making it harder for the immune system to fight off the infection.

Fungal infections in your nails are one of the easier infections to diagnose. This is because there are several symptoms which indicate you have this condition. 

Here are some of those symptoms:
1. Scaling underneath your skin
2. White or yellow streaks on your nails
3. Corners of the nail may crumble
4. Flaky surface of the nail
5. Yellow spots at the bottom of the nails
6. Loss of nail
7. A nail breaking off from the rest of the nail
8. An odor from the nail
9. Brittle or thick nails



Causes and Symptoms of Fungal Nail Infection

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