Ayurveda believes health is managed by 3 components i.e. pitta, vata and kapha dosha. The type of skin that a person has also depends on which of these is predominant. Accordingly, in people where pitta is dominant, it is warm to the touch and more prone to breakouts and moles and freckles. In people where vata is dominant, the skin is thin and remains cool, gets dehydrated easily and is easily affected by dry weather. In people with kapha dominance, the skin is thick and greasy and is more tolerant to sun exposure.

Allergy is when the body responds adversely to a component which might have reached the system either through air, food or contact. Various substances cause allergies and with most allergies, skin rashes are common, can be of mainly 4 types:

Contact dermatitis: When the skin comes in touch with an allergy-causing agent, the skin breaks out into a rash. The inducing agent could be rubber, chemicals, metals, pets, etc.
Bites and stings: When insects such as bees or other insects sting or bite, the surrounding area develops a rash.
Warm weather: When the weather is too warm, there is prickly heat effect, which produces a rash.
Food induced: When certain food items like peanuts or eggs are consumed, some people develop a skin rash.
Whatever the reason, the mode of management would be to try to achieve a balance between the three components.

Poppy seeds: A paste of poppy seeds powder mixed with lemon juice and water can help get rid of rashes.
Buttermilk and baking soda: Use a cotton swab to apply a mixture of buttermilk and baking soda on the affected skin area and see the rashes disappear. The soothing effect and relief will be felt immediately.
Basil leaves, garlic and olive oil: Crush some basil leaves and add some garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil to form a smooth paste. Apply over the skin rash for 1 to 2 days until the rashes disappear.
Oatmeal bath: Adding a cup of uncooked oatmeal into the bath water and using this water for a bath after 5 minutes is a great way to get rid of rashes and their redness and itching.
Essential oils: Almond oil, chamomile oil, and tea tree oil can be mixed in equal proportions to get relief from rashes of almost all causes.
Cold tea bags: Using cold tea bags on the skin helps relief of the rashes through tannin contained in the tea, which has great healing properties.
Just as skin rash is very common, so is the treatment. These substances are readily available in the kitchen and so treating a skin rash is very easy.

Rashes on Skin - Ayurvedic Remedies for Treating it!

Wounds and bruises are both injuries. However, they differ widely in terms of the causing factors, the nature of the injury, the pain they cause and the kind of treatment they require. The following are a few of the myriad ways in which the two injuries differ from each other:

1. A wound causes quick damage - the skin tissue is cut or punctured while a bruise (also called a closed wound) is where the skin is not torn. 

2. A wound is usually caused by a sharp object but bruises are the results of blunt force or trauma.

3. A wound almost certainly bleeds due to ruptured tissue and blood vessels. Blunt injury also damages the blood capillaries of the skin and causes blood to accumulate under the skin tissue, creating a dark patch of skin. Blood vessels can also break due to lifting of heavy objects or overexertion of muscles.

4. A wound carries the risk of infection because the skin is open but a bruise does not get infected.

5. A wound has a burning or stinging sensation but a bruise is characterized by swelling and a blunt throbbing pain.

6. A wound can be healed by antiseptic and antibiotic medication. Large wounds need to be closed by stitching them up to avoid severe infection. On the other hand, a bruise usually heals by itself. A cold compress and pain killers may be used to ease discomfort. Heat can be applied to the injured spot to normalize the blood flow and dissolve the blood clot.

7. A wound can lead to complications like bacterial infections or the healing might be delayed by chronic diseases like diabetes. In case of a bruise, it usually does not cause complications but if there's a blunt injury to sensitive areas like the head, the tailbone or the eyes, medical attention is advised.

8. Wounds and bruises can also be differentiated on the basis of their subtypes. The different types of wounds are:

a. Incision (sharp objects cutting the dermis layer of skin)
b. Abrasion (the epithelial tissue is scraped off)
c. Avulsion (a body structure is torn off)
d. Penetration (a sharp object causes an entry and an exit wound)
e. Puncture (only an entry wound caused by a sharp object)

The different types of bruises are:
a. Hematoma (blood pools under the skin)
b. Purpura (tiny spots of blood on the inside of the mouth)
c. Contusion (similar to hematoma and caused by external trauma)
d. Crush injury (caused due to a large amount of force on the body part for a long time)

Wounds VS Bruises

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!

 Head lice  are insects that feed on the blood of your scalp. This condition usually affects children and is moderately contagious. Contrary to popular belief, head lice does not occur due to poor personal hygiene. 


The symptoms of head lice are:
1. Presence of lice on scalp: Lice are small insects that are usually hard to spot. But their infestation can be felt because you experience intense itching on the scalp. 


2. Itching: There will be intense itching on the scalp and the neck. This itching occurs due to the saliva secretion by the lice that the skin is allergic to. Usually, the itching starts after 3 to 6 weeks of infestation. 


3. Lice eggs: The lice eggs stick to the shafts of the hair. They are very hard to spot as they are small and well camouflaged. 


What can be the reasons behind their infestation
This condition is contagious; apart from direct contact with the scalp of an infected person, this condition can also spread if you happen to share the below mentioned items with an infected person:
1. Brushes 
2. Hats
3. Headphones
4. Towels
5. Pillows
6. Accessories for the hair


The treatments for hair lice are:
1. Over- the counter (OTC) products: OTC products are made from  pyrethrin , a compound extracted from the  chrysanthemum  flower.  Pyrethrin  works as an insecticidal compound and it is advised to use these medications only after washing your hair with a shampoo. Vinegar may also be used to loosen the nits from the hair shafts. 


2. Prescription medications: Certain medications can also be prescribed by the doctor, such as benzyl alcohol and lindane.


Certain home remedies for head lice include:
1. Essential oils: Apply oils such as Anise oil or tea tree on the scalp; these oils act as toxins for the lice.
2. Wet combing: This is a method wherein the wet hair is combed using a fine toothed comb to remove the nits and the lice. Repeat the procedure for 3-4 days every week.

Head Lice - How You can Treat Them?

Ringworm is a kind of skin infection that is brought on about due to fungal growth. Ringworms can occur on the body (tinea corporis), groin area which is sometimes referred to as the jock itch, scalp (tinea capitis) or even on the foot which is known as athlete s foot. Sometimes there can also be several outbreaks of ringworm patches on the body simultaneously.

Symptoms of Ringworm:

The most common sign of ringworms is the red patch that looks a bit scaly and constantly itches. As time goes by this scaly patch can evolve into a circular shape and multiply into more rings. The center of the patch is scaly and clear while the outer lining is slightly raised.when ringworm occurs on the scalp it initially starts out as a tiny sore or bump and then turns flaky.

Causes of Ringworm:

Ringworm is caused by the fungi dermatophytes. Ringworm is highly contagious diseases and the causes for it are:

  Ringworm spreads by contact.
  You can get infected from your pets who might be carrying the fungi.
  The fungi dermatophytes often tend to linger on clothes, towels, surfaces and within brushes or combs.
  You can get infected by the fungi by standing barefoot on the soil.

Ayurvedic Treatment for This Condition:

According to the Ayurvedic philosophy, this skin condition is referred to as dad which is the result of the Kapha-Vata dosha. When Kapha symbolizing mucus and vata symbolizing air or wind manifest and lead to the accumulation of harmful toxins it causes contamination and damage to deep tissues. The contamination of the deep tissues and the amplification of the Kapha-Vata dosha leads to the outbreak of ringworm.

If you wish to resort to natural remedies and opt for an ayurvedic treatment of ringworm then here are some dietary and lifestyle changes that you will be required to implement:

  Sour, spicy and extremely sweet foods need to be avoided. Therefore you cannot consume foods such as citrus foods, sauces, vinegar, mustard, chutney and pickled items.
  You also need to avoid eating foods that are made up of white flour such as cakes, pizza and bread
  Non-vegetarian food items are an absolute no.
  Drinks that contain caffeine such as coffee, tea and alcoholic drinks should also be avoided. Instead, you can eat foods such as rice, beans, pasta, wholegrain bread, fresh vegetables and non-citrus fruits.
  You also need to wash the affected area with water in which neem leaves have been boiled for a couple of minutes.
  You can also rub a paste of fresh papaya over the ringworm affected region.
  Another very effective home remedy includes applying on the area a paste made out of milk and turmeric. And then washing the area after an hour.

Ringworm - Symptoms, Causes & Ayurvedic Treatment Of It!

When you think of organs of the body, the mind goes to internal organs like the stomach, liver etc. However, the largest organ of the body is the skin. Given its size and the amount it interacts with external stimuli, the skin is susceptible to a number of infections. One of the common issues to affect skin is known as psoriasis. This is typically seen as a rash that can make the skin dry, thick and flaky. It can make the skin feel very itchy and make the person unconsciously scratch his or her skin so hard that it bleeds. Although, even modern medicine does not have a way to cure psoriasis but can manage the symptoms. In contrast, homoeopathy can help treat the factors triggering this infection and hence keep it from recurring.

Homeopathy is a holistic form of medication that treats not only the symptoms exhibited but also the issues triggering the infection. Homeopathic medicines are usually prescribed in the form of sweet pills, powders or liquids. This form of medication has negligible side effects and can be prescribed to children and adults of all ages. If needed, it can be prescribed along with other types of medication as well. However, homeopathy does not follow a one size fits all approach. This means that a remedy that suits one person may not be effective for another. This is because the ideal homeopathic prescription depends on the symptoms being exhibited by the patient, his or her overall physical and mental health, family history, personality etc.

There are a number of homeopathic remedies that may be prescribed to treat psoriasis. Some remedies can treat psoriasis that is passed on genetically from one generation to another while others can treat psoriasis caused by exposure to warm or cold conditions. Homeopathy can be used to treat psoriasis that makes the skin dry as well as psoriasis that leads to oozing lesions. It can also be used to treat chronic cases of psoriasis. In many cases, two or more remedies may be prescribed simultaneously.

When taking homeopathic remedies one must follow the prescribed schedule. Medicines must be taken half an hour before or after meals. When taking two or more homeopathic medicines, they must be spaced at least 5 minutes apart. The ideal time to take the morning dose is as soon as one wakes up. Similarly, the best time to take a night dose is just before going to bed.

Psoriasis And Homeopathy - What All Should You Know?

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