5 Ways to protect your skin this summer

Staying out in the sun too long can cause you to suffer from a host of skin problems such as age spots, wrinkles and even increase your risk of developing skin cancer. During the summer months, you need to take extra care of yourself as the sun is at its peak at that time. Here's what you can do in this summer to ensure that your skin remains protected:

1. Avoid the rays of the sun between 10 am and 2 pm

The strength of the UV rays depends on a number of factors such as reflective surfaces, height, and time of day. The sun's UV rays are at their strongest between 10 am and 2 pm. If you're outdoors, seek a cool area to protect yourself from the damaging rays of the sun. You could stand under a tree or use an umbrella to shield yourself from its ultraviolet rays.

2. Don't use tanning beds

Several studies reveal that tanning beds can cause skin cancer. According to these studies, individuals under 30 who use tanning beds increase their risk of melanoma (the most deadly of all skin cancers) by about 75%.

3. Increase your fluid intake

One of the ways in which you can beat the sun and protect your skin is by increasing your fluid intake during this time. On an average, one should have about 3 liters of fluids every day, which is about 1.5-2 liters of water and 1 liter of fluid from solid foods. From summer foods like watermelon and berries to beverages like fruit juice, milk, etc and liquid-based meals - all these avenues should be considered.

4. Have a proper cleansing regimen

To help your skin look fresh even during the summer months, you should exfoliate regularly. When you do this, all the dead skin cells are removed, giving your face a youthful and fresh appeal.

5. Use a sunscreen all the time

To protect yourself from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun, you should never forget to apply sunscreen when going out. Ideally, a sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 should be applied thoroughly to your skin 30 minutes before leaving your house. More importantly, it should be applied again every 2 hours.



5 Ways to protect your skin this summer

Each woman has a unique silhouette and one of the characteristic elements of a woman s silhouette is the curve of her breasts. Some women who are not happy with the shape and size of their breasts may opt to undergo breast augmentation surgery. Women who feel that their breasts have lost their shape after pregnancy or as a result of weight loss or those who have asymmetric breasts may also choose to undergo breast augmentation surgery. This is a cosmetic surgical procedure through which the size of the breasts may be increased by placing synthetic implants under the skin.

This procedure is usually performed under general anaesthesia, where an incision is made under the breast, around the areolas or under the arm through which the implant may be placed. This incision is usually made such that it is camouflaged by the natural contours and creases of the breast. The implant is usually placed under the pectoral muscle or placed directly below the breast tissue above the pectoral muscle.

The placement of the implant depends on the type of implant, the degree of enlargement desired etc. the incisions are then stitched close or closed with surgical tape. The results of breast augmentation surgery should be immediately visible after surgery.

After the surgery, the patient may feel some pain and soreness around the breasts for the first 48 hours. There may also be itchiness and the patient may find it difficult to raise their arms properly. The patient may also experience slight swelling and discolouration which should resolve itself within a few days. The doctor may also advise the patient to wear a compression garment or special lingerie to support the breasts.

 When it comes to cosmetic surgery, what one person considers good looking, another may not. Hence, it is important to find a cosmetic surgeon who has a similar point of view as the patient. Before undergoing the procedure, ask to see before and after photographs of the doctor s earlier patients. If possible show your doctor photographs of what you would like your breasts to look like after surgery. This will help you achieve the results you desire.

Breast Augmentation & Lifting - How it Can Help?

Vitiligo or White patches is medically referred as Leucoderma. It is a disease that causes loss of skin colour resulting in white patches. It can affect the skin on any part of the human body. It occurs when the melanin-forming cells called melanocytes which produce melanin die or stop functioning. The condition is not life threatening or contagious, but it is stressful and makes one feel bad about oneself.

The main sign of vitiligo is loss of skin pigment which produces light or white patches on skin. The discoloration is first visible on sun exposed areas like the hands, feet, arms, face and lips. It can also be coupled with premature greying of hair below the age of mid-thirties, colour loss of retina and inner lining of the mouth.

Vitiligo has no cure, but homeopathic treatment help to stop or slow the process of colour loss and brings back some colour to skin. The failure of melanocytes can be attributed to disorder in which immune system attacks and destroys them. It can also be triggered by sunburn, stress or exposure to industrial chemicals. People with vitiligo are at risk of Social or psychological distress, loss of hearing, sunburn and skin cancer, inflammation of the iris and dry skin.

Homoeopathic treatment enhances the natural production of pigments and Vitiligo is considered as a manifestation of an inner disturbed state of the body. The patient is analysed on mental, physical and familial attributes. The medication is then based the results. Arsenic Sulph Falvus, Arsenic Album, Baryta Mur and Baryta Carb are known to give good results in Vitiligo. Vitiligo is a chronic disorder and it takes a long time even with the best of the homoeopathic treatment.

Calcarea Carb is prescribed to patients of Vitiligo with milky white spots on skin. It is prescribed to free perspiration over the head, neck and chest and persons with intolerance to cold weather.
Arsenic Album is useful remedy for vitiligo in persons prone to dry, rough skin. The skin complaint coupled with asthma is a strong contender for using homeopathic medicine Arsenic Album.
Sepia is prescribed for vitiligo in persons showing unresponsive attitude towards family and life
Silicea is prescribed for vitiligo in patients with pale and waxy skin, tendency to excessive perspiration. If the main mind symptom are timidity and an under-confident nature, then Silicea is a good choice. It is known to work on patients who seem under-confident, fear public speaking.
Sulphur is considered the best for vitiligo treatment as it goes deep inside the basic root cause to exterminate the disease. The persons requiring homeopathic medicine Sulphur show a mind constantly occupied with various theories and plans due to which they suffer from mental fatigue and absent mindedness.

Homeopathic Medicine for Vitiligo or White Patches Treatment

Eczema is something which can really blight the quality of the life of a person. Sometimes, even the most mundane of things can cause our skin to have a reaction, resulting in allergic eczema. However, while it is annoying and painful, there are ways to go about treating it.

It is quite important, though, to understand what exactly eczema is. Simply put, it is a condition which occurs when the skin of the person suffering from it is inflamed.

Among the various groups of people who suffer from eczema, a lot of them are actually babies. However, they thankfully are able to grow out of the issue by the time they become adults. While it is true that eczema can strike any part of a person s body, among the places it strikes most often are the face, the neck and behind the sweat spots of the body i.e. the area behind the knees and around the ankles.

What causes allergic eczema?
Eczema is a lot of the time, a condition which is genetic. That being said, there are certain things which can go a long way into making it worse, which include stress and dry climates as well as external materials which irritate the skin touching it, like soaps which are just too strong.

What are the Treatment Options?
When it comes to things, which have the potential to make the situation a lot better, there is a group of medicines which are part of the antihistamine group which can work wonders. An interesting thing when it comes to the treatment of allergic eczema is the fact that a lot of the treatment for the issue involves a management of the inflammation that occurs along with an attempt to take better control and manage the immune system of the person who has eczema.

Depending on the severity of eczema a person has, a possible course of treatment involves making use of corticosteroids, which are strictly a prescription based way to go about treating eczema. Keeping this in mind, it is of the highest importance to make sure that whenever the steroids are being taken by mouth, there is a full adherence to what the doctor has recommended or directed.

As a last ditch resort, if the condition is really bad, there is a possibility of going for Ultra Violet Therapy in order to make it better. However, if one is looking for ways to reduce the intensity of their eczema sans higher doses of medication, stress management in something that can work well. In addition to this, a humidifier can do a lot to improve the situation.

Allergic Eczema - Ways You Can Contact It!

One of the most important functions of the skin is protection. During this process, it comes in contact with various substances including chemicals, pollen, dust, and other pollutants. While it does protect the overall body from all these, there is some damage that is inevitably done to the skin through these exposures. Different skin and different bodies react differently to these, and while some may have no reaction, others develop allergies. This is also defined by how strong the person s immunity is.

Hives is one of the most common skin allergy responses. While it is not easy to pinpoint what causes the allergy or the hives, the causative agent can be nailed by observing patterns and excluding out some of the causative agents. There are a set of regular household and surrounding items that could lead to urticaria, and working around these can help pin down the source.

Origin: When the body encounters a foreign body, it produces what are known as histamines. When they are produced, the plasma in the cell leaks out, producing a red and swollen appearance. Hives are red, itchy, raised patches on the skin. They are seen in about 20% of the population. Hives are usually allergic in nature, implying that they occur when there is a foreign substance that induces an allergic reaction. Hives can appear either due to coming in touch with some substance or due to eating some allergy-inducing substance.

Hives can be acute or chronic. Acute is when the hives appear in response to an allergic reaction. These usually disappear in a matter of days to a week at the maximum. In some people, they could be chronic and can last for months together.

Treatment: Given that they are allergic in nature, managing hives includes a combination of immediate treatment as well as preventive measures. While most are topically managed, others might require systemic intervention also.

Once the hives have developed, the following can help in the relief of symptoms and prevent from spreading further. The redness and swelling will take some time to disappear.

Avoid tight-fitting clothes
Use cool compresses on the hives
Avoid warm or hot shower
Stay in a cooler room
Avoid itching the hives
Use topical moisturizer to prevent dryness
Use topical steroid cream to manage the inflammation
Take a systemic antihistamine or an injection of epinephrine if required.
While these help in managing the hives which have occurred, preventing is via the following.

Avoid the source once identified
If the source is not yet known, record when the hives are occurring
Manage stress and see hives appear much less
Increase moisturizer use
Keep an antihistamine handy so you can take it immediately in case of suspected hives. 

Urticaria (Hives) - The Best Way It Can Be Treated!

Can scratching your head lead to hair loss? (and how to banish that nagging itch without scratching)

Yes! scratching your head actually leads to hair loss so you should avoid doing it.

Scratching your head with your fingernails for as little as 90 minutes is enough to remove all your cuticular scale. A cuticular scale is a protective covering on every individual strand of hair. The loss of this covering leaves your hair shaft weak and damaged and hence leaves your hair susceptible to easy breakage and hair loss.

There are several ways you can deal with itchiness in your scalp that does not include scratching your head. These alternative ways will help ensure you don't suffer from any hair loss.

These include

1. Instead of scratching, pat or rub the sensitive area with the flat of your fingers.

2. Having a dry scalp can also increase itchiness. It would bee a good idea to use natural oil on your hair before you wash it if that's the reason behind your itch.

3. Sensitivity to a new product may be causing a sudden itchiness in your scalp. So, if you have switched to a new shampoo, mousse or anything else, do try abstaining from applying it for a few days to see if the itchiness subsides.

4. When your scalp feels itchy, try and distract yourself. The more you think about how itchy your scalp is, the more it will itch.

While scratching your hair does lead to hair loss, the good news is your hair will grow back because the damage is not permanent. However, it is not advisable to keep scratching your head because you'll just lose more hair.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Should You Oil Hair When You Have Dandruff Problem?

Can scratching your head lead to hair loss? (And how to banish that nagging itch without scratching)

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