Psoriasis is a disorder which is characterized by rapid multiplication of skin cells on the skin s surface. These extra skin cells develop into silvery scales, which are often dry and itchy. It may also lead to formation of painful red patches on the skin. This disorder might produce symptoms, which flare up and reduce periodically. There is no cure for psoriasis; treatments however can make the symptoms manageable. 


Symptoms
The symptoms of psoriasis include red patches on the skin and scaly and dry skin. The red patches might be itchy and one might often experience a burning sensation around the area. The joints in your body may also become stiff and swollen. 


Causes
The exact cause of psoriasis has not been ascertained. The accepted theory is that psoriasis occurs when the immune system attacks the healthy skin cells. There is a type of white blood cell called the  T cell , whose function is to combat harmful virus or bacteria in the body. With Psoriasis or any other autoimmune disorder, these T cells start attacking the healthy (skin) cells. 


Overactive  T Cells  may trigger other responses in the body, thus, leading to excess production of skin cells and white blood cells. The excess cells move to the skin surface and end up causing the red painful patches.


Treatment options to manage psoriasis
Although there s no cure for psoriasis as such, the symptoms can be controlled. The treatment options for psoriasis are:
1. Topical treatments: Topical treatments involve application of creams and lotions. They have been mentioned below:
I. Corticosteroids: Corticosteroid creams or lotions reduce the excess skin cell production, thus, reducing inflammation. They are generally not used as a long term treatment as they cause skin thinning.
II. Vitamin D analogues: A synthetic form of Vitamin D, it helps in slowing down skin cell growth. 
III. Salicylic acid: This treatment is used to reduce scaling on the skin, caused due to psoriasis. It is usually administered along with other medications.


2. Light therapy: Light therapy involves using sunlight or artificial light to reduce inflammation and scaling. It helps in reducing the activity of T cells in the body. 


3. Oral medications
In case of severe symptoms, oral medications are prescribed. Medications such methotrexate helps in reducing the excess production of skin cells. Cyclosporine is a drug that is used to suppress the erroneous immune system response. 

Psoriasis - 3 Easy Ways You Can Get them Treated

5 common myths on dandruff you?ve probably fallen for

Dandruff is not only an embarrassing condition but also a major cause for hairfall and hair weakening. It is estimated to affect as many as one in five individuals in india. Even though this is such a common issue, there?s still heaps of misleading conceptions about dandruff.

Myth1: ?all flakes in your hair is dandruff?

Fact: sometimes flakes are only a consequence of dry skin on your scalp. While the difference between dryness and dandruff might be unclear to the common individual, medical experts do make a distinction between the two. If your flakes are relatively small and white, chances are you?re dealing with a dry scalp - dandruff flakes tend to be larger and yellowish in colour.

Myth 2: ?dandruff is contagious?

Fact: dandruff is not something that you can catch from someone else. The fungal bacteria that can lead to the appearance of dandruff are present on everybody?s scalp, which means all our scalps are naturally predisposed to the condition.

Myth 3: ?dandruff results from bad hygiene?

Fact: while regular shampooing can help keep dandruff under control, this condition does not stem from a lack of hygiene?even the most diligent hair washers can find themselves suffering from it. This is because dandruff is caused by various components, which include a characteristic overproduction of hair oil or an excess of parasitic microorganisms that live normally on our scalps.

Myth 4: ?dandruff only occurs on the scalp?

Fact: it's true that your scalp is the most widely recognised spot to experience dandruff, yet it's by all account not the only possibility. A few individuals additionally observe that areas such as the eyebrows, ears, and around the nose are inclined to flaking too.

Myth 5: ?dandruff can cause hair fall?

Fact: hair fall is at some point connected with dandruff and an irritated scalp; however, these conditions are not mutually exclusive. Hair fall is not brought about by dandruff, but rather might be prompted by the incessant need to scratch a bothersome scalp. When we scratch our heads, the activity causes breakage in the hair. The root cause of hair fall includes anxiety, diet and the overall health of your scalp.

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5 Common Myths about DANDRUFF Busted!

It is a common knowledge that beer has health benefits when used in masks, scrubs, as conditioners, etc. This reason is good enough for even non-drinkers to stock up their fridges with cans of beer. 
Here are a few ways by which we can use beer to make our skin and hair better:

Use beer as a conditioner - Beer happens to be an excellent conditioner. Mixing one cup warm beer with a teaspoon of jojoba oil makes a natural, non-greasy conditioner. Wash your hair with your regular shampoo and use this mix as a conditioner. The beer in it will give volume to your hair while jojoba oil will add shine and luster.
Use it for a face pack - Take two to three strawberries mash with a fork, add few drops of beer and make a paste. Rub this paste all over your face in a circular motion. Rinse after 15-20 minutes and apply moisturizer on your face.
Soak in beer laced water - Beer can be used in bubble bath too! Mix some soap with beer of your choice and add the mix to the running bath water. Soak in this water and feel your skin become soft and smooth.
Use beer as a hair-pack - Wash your hair with your usual shampoo. Now pour the mixture made of distilled water, beer, two teaspoon apple cider vinegar and few drops of essential oil (any scent), on your hair. Make sure it reaches the hair that is inside as well. Rinse this mixture with lukewarm water. You can do this once a month.
Get the beer glow - Take half a teaspoon of beer, one egg white and a drop of almond extract. Whisk them together and keep aside. On your washed and dried face, apply the mask and let it dry until your skin feels tight. Wash it off with lukewarm water.
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Do You Know What Beer Does To Your Hair & Skin?

The tissue that lines the uterus is known as the endometrium. In some cases, it can grow outside the uterus. This is known as endometriosis. Endometriosis usually involves organs in the pelvic cavity such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel and lining of the pelvic cavity. In rare cases, it may involve the vagina, cervix and bladder as well.

Depending on the location and extent of endometrial tissue, it can be classified into four stages ranging from minimal to severe. Most cases of endometriosis fall into the minimal or mild category which involves mild scarring and superficial tissue implants. Moderate or severe endometriosis can cause cysts and severe scarring. Infertility is also commonly associated with severe endometriosis.

Pain in the pelvic area just before and during menstruation is one of the most characteristic symptoms of this disorder. This is because the overgrown endometrial tissue acts like normal endometrial tissue and is shed during menstruation. The only difference is that since there is no exit for this overgrown tissue, it is trapped in the pelvic cavity. The location of the implantation of endometrial tissue also plays a role in the amount of pain experienced. The deeper the implant, more the pain. Implants near areas with high nerve density are also more likely to be painful than implants in areas with low nerve density.  These implants may also release substances into the blood stream that can cause pain.

Other symptoms associated with this disorder are:
  Painful intercourse
  Painful urination
  Pain during bowel movements
  Infertility

These symptoms especially the pelvic pain can vary from month to month in terms of duration and intensity.

A few simple changes in your diet can help manage the symptoms associated with this disorder and in some cases, prevent it as well. Avoid processed food and foods that are high in sodium content. You should also avoid high-fat dairy and food that is rich in arachidonic acid. Instead, increase your consumption of carbs and green leafy vegetables. You could also add two tablespoons of walnut oil a day to your diet to help combat inflammation and the other effects of arachidonic acid.

Early stages of this disease can be treated with hormone therapy, but if it has progressed to the later stages, surgery may be needed. This surgery is performed laparoscopically and aims at removing all the implanted tissue from outside the uterus. However, in cases where the anatomy of the pelvic organs has been distorted by the implants, a hysterectomy may be required. This option, however, it usually considered only in cases where a woman does not have any plans of conceiving more children. 

Endometriosis - How It Is Affecting Your Life?

When you run your hands over the soles of your feet, the surface should be smooth to touch. However, sometimes, the surface may not be so smooth. Piezogenic pedal papules are papules on the medial, posterior or lateral aspects of both heels and result from herniation of fat. These papules are usually asymptomatic and can range from a size of 2mm to 10mm. In some cases, they can be a little painful. This is seen commonly in large lesions. They become apparent when the patient stands with his full weight on his feet and disappear or shrink when the weight is removed. Piezogenic papules can also occur on the wrists. This is a fairly common condition that affects women more than men. Piezogenic pedal papules can occur at any age including infancy.

There is no known cause for the herniation of fat that causes this condition. However, there are a few factors that could increase your risk of suffering from this condition. These factors are:

Obesity
Orthopedic problems
Flat feet
Collagen disorders such as EDS
Jobs which entail standing for long hours
Excessive weight bearing
This condition can also affect newborn babies with no predisposition. The diagnosis of this condition is often confused with infantile pedal papules, xanthoma and tophi. Since they are prominently visible only when pressure is applied, it is essential for a doctor to physically examine the patient while he or she is standing. This condition does not affect the health of a person and is largely only a cosmetic issue. Thus treatment is not usually necessary but some of the things you could do to relieve the discomfort are:

In cases where Ehlers-Danlos syndrome triggers the condition, patients may be recommended betamethasone and bupivacaine injections. These injections need to be administered repeatedly for complete pain relief.
Orthotic soles or custom made inserts for shoes can help relieve the pain and distribute pressure equally.
Heel taping
Compression stockings
Avoid excessive or prolonged weight bearing
Avoid standing for extended periods and try not to run too much
Rest the feet and keep them elevated to help alleviate the symptoms
Lose weight if you are on the heavier side
Electro acupuncture
Piezogenic pedal papules are benign and are no reason to worry. If they begin to affect the quality of your life, you could consult a podiatrist. 

What are Piezogenic Pedal Papules?

Ringworm of the scalp usually affects children. This is a common type of a fungal infection of the scalp and has nothing to do with the worms as the name suggests. This is treated with antifungal medications and though the antifungal shampo-is not to-effective, it might be advised along with medication.

Causes of scalp ringworm:

 Most of the times a ringworm infection is transfered from person to person through sharing towels and touching. The fungi and its spores can remain alive on brushes, combs, sheets, furniture and unwashed towels for long. Some people are only carriers of fungi, meaning that they carry the fungi and its spores in their hair and skin but do not have any infection and symptoms. But they might pass the fungi to others who may develop the symptoms.
 It spreads from pets like cats and dogs who are very prone to fungal infection of the skin. They easily pass their infection to children and other family members. Farm animals are also a source of fungal infection and if the farm gate is touched from where the infected cattle passes, it is enough to cause infection.
 Also at times there is no reason and fungi infection can just happen out of the blue. Like for example, the fungi spores can get transmitted through air, they might get into the air by an infected person and land on someone else's head. This can develop into fungi and can cause infection.

Symptoms of scalp ringworm:

 The infection looks more like dandruff, a severe form of dandruff in different parts of the scalp. This is often mistaken to be psoriasis.
 In some infection there is loss of hair leading to bald patches. These patches become scaly and inflamed. The patches might have broken off small hair.
 Several painful pustules and boils occur on the scalp
 In severe infection there is boggy swelling on some part of the scalp, which is known as kerion. This might be tender and oozing and if not treated can lead to hair loss and permanent scarring.
 In severe infections like with pustules and kerion, one might develop high fever and the glands of the neck might swell. 

Treatment of scalp ringworm:
The treatment of the fungal infection of the scalp involves the following:

 Antifungal medicines: these are usually taken in the form of tablets and following are advised:
 Griseofulvin: this is often the first choice and a course of 8-12 weeks is required. The tablet can be crushed and taken with water.
 Terbinafine: the course for this is four weeks and is important to complete the course in order to get rid of the infection.

Fungal Infection on Scalp: How to Treat It?

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