Oily skin and summers: what is the ideal way to handle it?

Oily skin is a condition that can be characterized by shine on the skin and a large number of pores. The oil in question is a result of overactive sebaceous glands that produce excessive sebum. This can result in acne and blackheads. Summer is a time of the year where skin problems due to oily skin are worsened by factors such as sweat and dust. So proper skin care is necessary in order to negate the effects of oily skin.

There are multiple ways to handle this condition in summers:

1. Using cleansers - Proper cleaning of skin is a very important step in lessening the effects of oily skin. Harsh cleansers have an opposing effect as they facilitate secretion of oil, so a mild cleanser is usually the best option. Some cleansers may contain ingredients that irritate the skin, so care is advised in selecting a proper one.

2. Hydration and food - Keeping the body well hydrated in summers combined with a diet free of greasy, oily food and less fats can help in reducing the effects of oily skin.

3. Using masks to clear the face - Masks such as clay masks, yogurt, and baking soda can help in cleansing the skin by clearing the oil. It should be noted that these treatments should not be overdone as they can cause the skin to dry up too much and over secrete oil.

4. Skin moisturizers - People often have this notion that oily skin does not require moisturizer application. Selecting a moisturizer that is fit for oily skin and using it will help moisturize the skin and keep it healthy.

5. Sunscreen - Sunscreen is a necessity during summers, and the sunscreen you choose should be specifically for oily skin in order for it to work effectively. Application of sunscreen can help prevent the UV rays of the sun from penetrating the skin and cause complications.

6. Dermatological treatment - In case of severe oiliness, treatments such as chemical peels and creams laced with tretinoin can help.



Oily skin and summers: what is the ideal way to handle it?

As per the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, an estimated 10 percent of individuals encounter keloid scarring every year. While women and men are equally prone to have keloid scars, people with darker skin tone are more likely to experience keloids.

What are keloids and why do they occur?
Keloid is widely recognized as keloid scar or keloid disorder. It is caused when the fibrous tissues also known as scar tissues are injured. In specific instances, the scar tissues grow in excess, and they form a hard and smooth growth, which is known as keloid, which could be bigger than the actual wound. They are customarily found in areas like the chest, cheeks, shoulder, and earlobes. Nonetheless, any part of the body could be affected by keloids. Though they do not pose a threat to health, they can be a cause of significant cosmetic concerns. Another factor why they occur is in the case of overgrowth of the scar tissue that develops over the period of weeks.

Are keloids a cause for concern?
Keloids are often itchy and discomforting. Keloids often cause a major cosmetic concern as they are large and easily spotted. Due to this, several patients encounter stress as they become conscious. Exposure to sun must be avoided in case of keloids as the tanning of the affected area may darken the keloid scar and become more prominent. The response of the treatment for keloids depends majorly upon the anatomical location of the scar. An extremely itchy keloid can be quite distracting. Many patients are skeptical of getting treatment as it may leave a permanent scar.

Common Treatment options for Keloids

Laser: The pulsed-dye laser can be helpful in flattening keloids and making them appear less red and intense. The treatment is considered as safe and is almost painless, but many treatment sessions may be required. These may be expensive, as insurance plans do not usually cover laser treatments.
Cryotherapy: This is a method in which the keloid is frozen with the help of liquid nitrogen to flatten the keloid. However, it may result in lightening or darkening of the affected area.
Radiation: Radiation is considered as a safe and effective option by several doctors for the treatment of keloids.
Silicone gel or sheeting: In this method, a sheet of silicone gel has to be worn continuously for months in order to treat the affected area. The outcomes of this treatment may vary. Some doctors claim relative success with compression dressings composed of materials that are not silicone.
Surgery: Treating keloids by surgery may prove to be risky as it may activate the development of a more prominent keloid. Some operations have been successful by applying compression or injecting steroids to the wound after the keloid has been treated. Superficial radiation treatment post-surgical procedure has also been considered to be helpful.
A condition that poses no threat to your health, and is purely of cosmetic concern, Keloids do have several treatment options providing the expected results.

Keloid - 5 Ways It Can Be Treated!

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is not producing the thyroid hormones adequately. This is a fairly common condition.

What is thyroid gland?

The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland located just below Adam s apple. It encircles the windpipe or the trachea. It is about 4 cms in height and weighs about 18 gms. This gland is responsible for the secretion of thyroid hormones. Hormones are chemicals produced by special glands like thyroid, adrenals, ovaries etc. They act as messengers and are carried by the blood to the various target organs.

What are the hormones produced by thyroid gland and what do they do?

The thyroid hormones are of two types   T3 (Tri iodo thyronine) and T4 (Thyroxine). These hormones are mainly responsible for the body s metabolism - a process in which food is converted into energy in the cells. They influence growth and development and regulate various bodily functions which are mentioned below:

Heartbeat
Body temperature
Breathing
Body weight
Metabolism of fat
Menstrual cycles in females
Functioning of Nervous system
Digestion
Burning calories etc.
What is Hypothyroidism?

Inadequate production of hormones by the thyroid gland is termed as hypothyroidism. This is also called Underactive thyroid state. Hypothyroidism can make the body s development to slow down and reduces metabolism rates.

What are the causes of Hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism can be caused by a number of factors:

Hashimoto's thyroiditis: This is the commonest cause. This is an autoimmune disorder (normally body s defence system fight against external infections. In autoimmune disorder the defence system attacks the healthy cells of the body by mistake). In Hashimoto s thyroiditis the immune system/defence system produces antibodies that attack the thyroid gland and destroy it.
Iodine deficiency in diet. For the production of thyroid hormones iodine is very important. The body does not produce iodine normally, so it needs to be supplemented from outside. Iodine is mainly present in the food we eat. It is mainly present in shellfish, salt-water fish, eggs, dairy products. If a person does not eat iodine rich foods, he may end up with iodine deficiency leading to hypothyroidism. Currently, this causative factor is on the decline due to government initiative of table salt with iodine.
Surgery: Surgery to remove thyroid gland (for e.g. thyroid cancer treatment, overactive thyroid etc.)
Radiation to the neck (to treat cancer in the neck area): The thyroid gland cells are damaged due to the radiation.
Treatment with radioactive iodine: This treatment is used for managing hyperthyroidism/overactive thyroid, where the thyroid gland produces excessive thyroid hormones. One of the treatment modalities is by radioactive iodine. Sometimes this radiotherapy destroys normal functioning cells which lead to hypothyroidism.
Certain medicines: Certain medicines used to treat heart conditions, cancer, psychiatric conditions etc.   for e.g. amiodarone, lithium, interleukin-2, interferon-alpha.
Pregnancy: Pregnancy (the reason is unclear but it has been noticed that the thyroid may get inflamed after delivery   this is called Postpartum thyroiditis.
Damage to the pituitary gland: Pituitary gland is a gland which is present in the brain. It produces a hormone called TSH (Thyroxine-Stimulating hormone).The TSH tells the thyroid gland how much thyroid hormone it should make. If the levels of thyroid hormone in the blood are low, then the TSH will stimulate the thyroid gland to produce more Thyroid hormone.
Hypothalamus disorders: This is an organ in the brain. This produces a hormone called TRH (Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone) which acts on the Pituitary gland to secrete TSH. So any disorder of Pituitary gland will indirectly effect the production and secretion of Thyroid hormones. These are very rare disorders.
Congenital thyroid defects: Some babies are born with thyroid problems. This is due to the thyroid not being developed normally during pregnancy. Sometimes the thyroid gland does not function normal. This can be identified by screening for thyroid disorders in the first week after delivery. This is usually by a blood test using a small drop of blood from the baby s heel.
What are the different types of hypothyroidism?

One classification is based on whether the defect is with the thyroid gland or not:

Primary hypothyroidism: The problem is in the thyroid gland itself and thus there is reduced production /secretion of thyroid hormones.
Secondary hypothyroidism: Here the problem is with the Pituitary gland or the Hypothalamus. This results in abnormal production of TSH or TRH, which indirectly leads to less production and secretion of thyroid hormones.
Another classification is based on the symptoms and levels of the thyroid hormones and TSH:

Overt hypothyroidism: Here the patient is having the symptoms. Further the T3/T4 are low and TSH is high
Subclinical hypothyroidism: Here patient may or may not have symptoms. The T3/T4 levels are normal but TSH is high. In this situation the patient is at an increased risk of developing overt hypothyroidism in the future especially if he has Thyroid peroxidase antibodies on testing.
Who are at risk of developing Hypothyroidism?

Women have a higher risk of suffering from hypothyroidism than men.
Older people are at increased risk.
People suffering from other autoimmune diseases like Coeliac disease, Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus, Vitiligo, Pernicious anemia, Multiple sclerosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Addison s disease etc.
People with psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder
People with Chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome, Turners syndrome also have a high risk of suffering from hypothyroidism.
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Symptoms vary from person to person. They may also mimic other conditions and hence be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms may also develop very slowly over a span of moths-years. Some of the characteristic symptoms of this disease are:

Depression
Constipation
Hair loss
Dry hair
Dryness of the skin
Tiredness
Body pains
Fluid retention in the body
Irregular menstrual cycle
Increased sensitivity to cold
Reduced heart rate
Increase in size of the thyroid gland   called Goitre. This is due to constant stimulation of the thyroid gland by TSH.
Weight gain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Hoarse voice
Infertility
Loss of libido/sex drive
Confusion or memory problems especially in the elderly
What are the symptoms to look for in a baby if you suspect hypothyroidism?

Infants suffering from congenital hypothyroidism may show no symptoms or exhibit signs of excessive drowsiness, cold hands, cold feet, constipation, hoarse cry, poor growth or absent growth, poor appetite, bloating of abdomen, puffiness of face, swollen tongue, persistent jaundice.

How to diagnose hypothyroidism?

Blood tests:

TSH: This hormone is made in the pituitary gland and it stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine. If the thyroxine levels are low in the blood, the pituitary gland produces and secretes more TSH into the blood to act on the thyroid gland to produce more thyroxine. A raised TSH level indicates hypothyroidism. Other tests are not usually necessary unless a rare cause of hypothyroidism.
T4: A low level of thyroxine indicates hypothyroidism.
T3: these levels are generally not needed to diagnose hypothyroidism
Anti-Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO antibodies) or Anti- thyroglobulin antibodies are present in 90-95% of patient with autoimmune thyroiditis.
Other blood tests include Creatinine Kinase, Serum Lipids, Complete blood picture etc.
Ultrasound of the neck is done if the patient presents with a thyroid swelling.
What is the treatment of hypothyroidism?

Overt hypothyroidism is treated by synthetic Thyroxin hormone which should be taken every day on an empty stomach at least 30   45 minutes before breakfast. The treatment is continued for the rest of the patient s life. Regular thyroid function tests are done once every 8 weeks-12 weeks to adjust the dose of the thyroxine in the initial period of diagnosis. Once the thyroxine dose is stabilised, the tests can be done even once a year. This treatment is quite effective.

Sub-clinical hypothyroidism is only treated if the patient is a woman and is contemplating pregnancy, in patients with symptoms or if the TSH is quite high.

What are the side-effects of thyroxine medication?

There are few side effects if any. Most people tolerate these medications quite well. An important consideration before starting medication is to check if the patient has chest pain/angina. These people are started on the least available dose. If these patients are started on a higher dose they notice a worsening of their angina pains.

Side effects mainly occur if the thyroxine dose is high which leads to hyperthyroidism. The symptoms of this could be palpitations 9increased heart beat), weight loss, profuse sweating, anxiety, irritability etc.

There are some tablets which increase with thyroxine tablets. These include carbamazepine, iron supplements, calcium supplements, rifampicin, phenytoin, warfarin etc.

What are the complications of hypothyroidism?

If untreated hypothyroidism can lead to:

heart problems like heart attack due to increased levels of bad cholesterol like LDL, or heart failure due to fluid retention
obesity
infertility
joint pains
depression
A pregnant woman with hypothyroidism is at increased risk of giving birth to a baby with congenital hypothyroidism, also known as cretinism. Further, the woman may have pregnancy related complications like pre-eclampsia, premature delivery, low birth weight baby, anemia, post-partum haemorrhage (bleeding after delivery) etc.
Myxoedema is another complication where the patient has extremely low levels of thyroid hormone. The body temperature drops drastically making the person lose consciousness or go into a coma.
References:

2013 ETA Guideline: Management of Subclinical Hypothyroidism; European Thyroid Association (Nov 2013)
Management of primary hypothyroidism: statement by the British Thyroid Association Executive Committee; British Thyroid Association (2015)
The diagnosis and management of primary hypothyroidism; Royal College of Physicians and others (June 2011)
Suh S, Kim DK; Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Cardiovascular Disease. Endocrinology Metabolism (Seoul). 2015 Aug 4.
UK Guidelines for the Use of Thyroid Function Tests; British Thyroid Association (2006)
Gaitonde DY, Rowley KD, Sweeney LB; Hypothyroidism: an update. American Family Physician. 2012 Aug 1 86(3):244-51.
Bindra A, Braunstein GD; Thyroiditis. American Family Physician. 2006 May 15 73(10):1769-76.
Wilson GR, Curry RW Jr; Subclinical thyroid disease. American Family Physician. 2005 Oct 15 72(8):1517-24.
British National Formulary; NICE Evidence Services (UK access only)
Baumgartner C, Blum MR, Rodondi N; Subclinical hypothyroidism: summary of evidence in 2014. Swiss Medical Weekly. 2014 Dec 23 144:w14058. doi: 10.4414/smw.2014.14058. eCollection 2014.

Know Everything About Hypothyroidism

Swollen breast tissues in men or boys caused by hormonal (testosterone and estrogen) imbalances is called gynecomastia. Both breasts or one breast can be affected by gynecomastia. At any point in life, from birth to puberty, even in adulthood, you might develop gynecomastia. Most of the times, gynecomastia is caused by hormonal imbalances, but there might be some underlying causes as well.
Gynecomastia is normally not a serious condition, but it can be difficult to deal with the pain and embarrassment.
It can be cured with surgery or medication if it doesn't go away on its own.

Symptoms and signs of gynecomastia include:

Enlarged glands in the breast tissue
Tenderness in the breast
The causes that trigger gynecomastia include:

Hormonal changes: Testosterone and estrogen control the sexual development in men and women respectively. Estrogen is not a hormone that only women produce; men produce it too. When the production of testosterone and estrogen are thrown out of balance, gynecomastia occurs.
Medication: Certain medications such as anabolic steroids, androgens, HIV/AIDS medicines, antibiotics and chemotherapy can cause gynecomastia.
Drugs and alcohol: Substances such as alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, heroin and methadone cause gynecomastia.
Health condition: Certain factors, such as aging, hypogonadism (hormonal disorder), hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), tumors, kidney failure, cirrhosis, liver failure, malnutrition and starvation can lead to gynecomastia.
Herbal products: Essential oils derived from plants such as lavender or tea tree, used in lotions or shampoos, have weak estrogenic actives. They have been said to cause gynecomastia.
Gynecomastia can be cured either with medication or surgery. Surgical options for gynecomastia are, however, limited.

The two surgical options for gynecomastia include:

Liposuction: Liposuction only removes the fat from the breast, not the breast gland tissue. It has fewer complications, there is limited or zero blood loss and there is less distortion of the nipple.
Mastectomy: Mastectomy removes the gland tissues in the breast. The surgery uses minimal incisions to remove the gland tissue. Also, it involves less time to recover. 

Gynecomastia (Enlarged Breast In Men) - Know The Treatments!

Psoriasis is a skin disease, which develops in men and women often during middle age and above. Although tests and researches are being carried out in various laboratories around the world, the exact cause of this condition is yet unknown. Psoriasis is not infectious. In other words, it does not spread by coming in contact with someone suffering from it. In case you see that you are just developing psoriasis or it is in its early stages, then you can opt for some simple and natural methods of curing it. These home remedies fall under Ayurvedic treatments and help you in getting rid of this disease before it spreads further into your body.

Moist skin: Apply lots of moisturizer on your body. This is done to keep the skin moist and supple. The more your skin becomes dry, the chances of it bleeding and causing infections increase. It is often recommended to apply body oil or sesame oil before taking a bath as it softens the skin.
Use natural body soaps: Sometimes the body soaps that you use are made of harsh chemicals. These chemicals come in contact with your body and aggravate the infection furthermore. You can use home made natural soaps, which are made of natural ingredients and are gentle on your skin.
Avoid skin injuries: Skin injuries like a cut, bleeding, blisters etc. can be harmful for psoriasis. They can aggravate the inflammation and cause more damage. In fact, it is recommended that you apply moisturizer and sunscreen every time you step out of the house in order to protect your skin from further damage.
Use medicines after consultation: Certain medicines have the ability to flare up the effects of psoriasis. Thus, when you develop this disease, it is advised that you meet a general physician and discuss your medicines with him/her in order to control the same.
Reduce stress: Stress levels contribute a lot to psoriasis. Thus, you need to relax as much as possible. You can try out yoga and meditation to keep the stress level down and in turn control this disease as well.
Wear cotton clothes: Wear clothes that you are comfortable in and those which do not cause irritation on your skin. Synthetic clothes sometimes cause a lot of irritation and rashes on the skin. It is something that should be avoided.
These are some of the quick and natural remedies to cure yourself of psoriasis as early as possible.

Psoriasis - 6 Ayurvedic Remedies That Can Help!

Have you been noticing bumps on your skin surface? Does the top of this growth resemble a cauliflower and feel bumpy or smooth when you touch it? These are the symptoms of a disease known as warts, which is caused by HPV or human papillomavirus. Generally, warts are not very dangerous, but they are ugly, contagious and may cause pain as well. Warts may be caused by more than 100 types of HPV viruses. A certain type of HPV causes warts around the genitals. In women, these are called genital warts and it is a severe disease.

Treatment
All warts do not require treatment and disappear on their own. This is because over time, the body s immune system can destroy the HPV virus which causes warts. A wart needs to be treated when it is painful, embarrassing, gets irritating easily, spreads to other parts of the body or spreads to other people. The goal of the treatment is to eliminate or remove the wart, avoiding a scar tissue. Creating a scar tissue would cause more pain than the wart. The treatment of warts depends upon the type, location and specific symptoms of the disease.

Self-treatment
Warts can be treated at home using salicylic acid and duct tape. Most warts do not require treatment, but in case the symptoms worsen and do not go away on their own, you require proper care.
Medical treatment

The medical treatment for warts prescribed by a doctor includes the following:

Cryotherapy
Certain medicated creams and ointments
Surgical methods such as electrosurgery or laser surgery
Chemical peels with certain acids
Excision or cutting of the warts
Before going for a treatment, it is important to detect the exact type of wart. Treatment for some types of warts may be quite painful with the chances of a scar tissue. Warts which lie beneath the skin are difficult to treat and the doctor might need to make an incision on the skin over the wart to let the medicine penetrate through it.

An HPV vaccine can be taken to protect men and women from the common warts caused by HPV viruses. This vaccine can be taken up to the age of 26. The vaccine should be taken before getting sexually active and is more effective when taken before being exposed to the HPV virus. In order to prevent transmission of the HPV virus, having protected sex is recommended. In case of any severe symptoms of warts, you must consult a doctor immediately.

Warts - Dermatological Treatments For It!

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