Dry skin occurs when your skin lacks the necessary moisture it requires. It tends to make your skin flaky, itchy and sometimes causing red patches especially on your legs, back, arms, or waist. These are the areas we usually forget to moisturize and we tend to concentrate more on our face and hands. Dry skin is usually the result of frequent bathing, use of soaps which are harsh for your skin. Scratching an itchy patch too much will eventually draw blood and might even result in a permanent scar. However, there are lots of remedies for dry skin, which will help you restore the natural oils of your skin and make your skin glow.

1. A hot water bath is a strict no for your dry skin: hot showers tend to remove your body of its natural oil, which is essential to keep your skin moisturized and smooth. A warm shower should last no longer than 5 to 10 minutes. Afterwards, gently pat your skin dry with a towel and immediately slather on the moisturizer.

2. Do not use harsh soaps: wash your body with a soapless cleanser when you take a bath. Skin care experts recommend a cleanser that contains ceramides. Ceramides are fatty molecules that help the skin to hold moisture.

3. Use sunscreen with good spf: one of the main causes of dry and itchy skin is sun damage. To prevent sun damage, use of sunscreen with a good amount of spf is essential for your skin. If you're planning to stay out in the sun for more than 15 minutes, make sure you use a sunscreen with spf 30. There are many moisturizers which have a good amount of spf.

4. Moisturize your skin daily: use moisturizers, which contain ceramides, shea butter and glycerin. Moisturizing your skin daily can easily prevent dry skin. Apply a good moisturizer immediately after taking a shower to trap in the moisture.

5. Use a face mask: a honey and oatmeal face mask can be used as an exfoliating scrub. Mix together 2 tablespoons of oats with a tablespoon of honey. Spread the mask over your face, keep it for 15 minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Prevention for Dry Skin

Eczema is not a disease per se, but is a name given collectively to a group of medical conditions, which can cause the skin to become inflamed and irritated. Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common types of eczema.

Causes

While the exact cause of eczema is not known, the most commonly attributed reason is an increasingly sensitive immune system. The overactive immune system produces antibodies, which cause these skin reactions. It is also noted that people with allergies including hay fever and asthma are more likely to develop eczema.

Other conditions which can lead to eczema include allergic dermatitis, irritant dermatitis, stasis dermatitis, scabies, fungal infections, xerotic dermatitis, lichen planus and scalp infections.

There is also a genetic predisposition, and children whose parents have had eczema are likely to develop eczema.

Symptoms

In most people, eczema is present in the form of small blisters, which are filled with fluid and can ooze. Gradually, there could be dryness, crusting, scaling and thickening of the skin with plaque formation. The most common symptom would be itching. The different types of eczema as noted above would have diagnostic features. For instance, when testing for irritant or contact dermatitis, there would be an irritant that is causing this. Stasis dermatitis would have circulatory issues and often affects the lower legs.

In fair-skinned people, these lesions begin as red and then turn brown. There also could be lightening of the affected skin area in people with slightly darker skin.

Diagnosis

For a trained medical eye, diagnosis of eczema is not a tough task. A complete physical examination may be done to assess the extent of eczema spread. Blood tests may be done to test for allergies. In very rare cases, a biopsy may also be required.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to reduce itching and improve moisturization. Eczema, unless associated with an infection, is not contagious.

Using copious amounts of creams and lotions help in improving hydration and moisturization, as they are allowed to soak into the skin.

Topical steroids may be required if allergy is suspected. In most cases, hydrocortisone and corticosteroid creams are very effective.

Associated infections like scalp infections and fungal infections should also be treated with suitable products.

Immunomodulator creams like Elidel are useful by suppressing the immune system and preventing flare up of the allergic reactions.

Cold compresses may be used to relieve itching.

Prevention

Since there is a strong genetic component related to eczema, prevention is helpful.

Constantly keep the skin moist and hydrated by using moisturizers, especially during winters.

Avoid clothes and metals which can cause allergy- like wool, nickel, harsh soaps, detergents, etc.

Avoid or be careful about food items which are known to cause allergies.

Eczema - Causes, Symptoms and Treatments 

Dandruff is one of the most common chronic hair conditions. It is characterized by a white, flaky substance on the scalp. Dandruff is not a serious condition and neither is it contagious. However, people still want it gone so that their hair looks better. Here are the symptoms as well as the causes of dandruff.

Causes
1.  Skin drying up: Dry skin is the most common cause of dandruff. The flakes from dry skin are usually less oily and smaller than with other forms of dandruff.

2.  Seborrhoeic dermatitis: Dandruff can also be caused by oily irritated skin. In this type of dandruff, red, greasy skin has flaky white or yellow scales covering it.

3.  Infrequent shampooing: This is also a very common cause of dandruff. This is because oil and skin cells accumulate, thus resulting in dandruff.

4.  Malassezia: Malassezia is a yeast like fungus. It is usually harmless and stays on the scalp of most adults. However, it is worth noting that sometimes the yeast may irritate the scalp and cause extra skin cells to grow. The skin cells then fall off and become flaky. 

5.  Contact dermatitis: Contact dermatitis is a sensitivity to health care products and when you use too much shampoo, hair styling products or other chemicals, such as paraphenylenediamine, the red, itchy, scaly scalp associated with dandruff is caused.

6.  Other skin conditions: There are many other skin conditions, which cause dandruff as well. These include eczema and psoriasis. Eczema is a chronic skin disease, which causes the skin to become inflamed. Psoriasis is another skin condition. It is characterized by thick scales forming resulting from rough, dry, dead skin cells which build up rapidly. 

These are just the causes of dandruff. Now you will see how to identify when you have dandruff by learning about the symptoms of dandruff.

Symptoms
1.  The symptoms of dandruff are pretty easy to spot. All that happens is that you will see white, flaky, dead skin cells in your hair.
2.   It is sometimes accompanied by an itchy, scaly scalp. 
3.  There is also a type of dandruff called cradle cap, which occurs in newborns. Just like dandruff, it is not dangerous and goes away when the baby is 3 years old.

Causes and Symptoms of Dandruff

Headache is one of the most common maladies which refers to a pain sensation in the head. It may itself be an ailment or may be the symptom of any other illness. Headaches can last for a short time or may persist up to several weeks depending on its cause or type. Many reasons can trigger headache. 

The following are eight reasons why you might get that headache

Stress: Physical stress or emotional stress can be identified as one of the most common causes for your headache. Tension, anxiety and depression may trigger a headache. This is also known as tension headache. In this condition, the muscles of your scalp, neck, face and jaw tighten, thus causing pain. Fatigue may also lead to this type of headache.
Eye problems: Sometimes eye problems may be the cause of your headache. Diseases such as glaucoma can cause headache. Straining your eyes for seeing distant objects or glaring at your computer screen for long can also result in headache.
Eating and sleeping pattern: Change in eating and sleeping pattern can also cause headache. Inadequate sleep or caffeine withdrawal can give you terrible headache sometimes.
Ear, nose or throat disorders: Ear, nose or throat problems can also give rise to headache. Sinus caused by cold or infection, tonsillitis or throat infections can also prompt a headache.
Medication: Excessive use of medication can be a factor responsible for your headache. This is also known as rebound headache.
Dental problems: Jaw or dental problems sometimes may trigger a mild headache which can turn severe also. The alignment of lower and upper jaw, tooth decay may be some of the causes for headache.
Hormonal problems: Sometimes a decline of your estrogen levels can also be a reason for your headache.
Bad posture: Sometimes, poor posture may strain the muscles of your back and neck, triggering a headache.
Headache can be very annoying. Sometimes pain relief medicines help in controlling headache, but consuming them regularly may affect your health. You must consult a doctor in order to get your headache treated in a proper manner.

8 Reasons Why You Might Get that Headache

Eczema is a skin condition that is accompanied by itchy rashes on the skin. They often bleed and give out a foul smell. Eczema usually develops during one's childhood. There are allopath medicines available to treat this condition but their action is only short-lived. These medicines provide temporary relief but fail to cure the ailment completely. However, homeopathic medicines can help an affected person recover completely owing to their ability to work at the core. Today we are going to discuss about some of the components that homeopathic medicines use to treat eczema.

Some of the homeopathic supplements use carbon or black lead to treat eczema. Eczema often tends to develop around warm and moist areas like the folds of the elbows, behind the ears, between the toes, behind the knees. Black carbon is a primary aerosol which contains cooling agents. Homeopathy remedies make use of this quality of black carbon to heal eczema.
Eczema undoubtedly develops in areas that mostly receive less air. However, the condition can be aggravated during the winters and cause more irritation. There are homeopathic supplements that make use of a fluid extracted from the vesicle (a component of the cell) of a person affected by scabies to treat eczema. Scabies is another skin condition that occurs when the scabies mites eat into the skin and lay eggs there. This is a condition that is somewhat similar to eczema in that it leads to skin irritation and itchiness.
Petroleum extract is another homeopathic remedy to treat eczema. The medicine made from petroleum works in a similar manner as Vaseline. As has been aforementioned eczema worsens during the winter as the skin gets chapped and incessant scratching leaves lesions on the skin. The homeopathic drug controls this situation by keeping the skin moisturized.
According to the University of Michigan Health System, sulfur is a very important mineral that takes care of the connective tissues, bones, teeth, hair as well as the skin. Therefore homeopathic medicines use sulfur which acts as a sure-fire component when it comes to treating eczema.
Poison Ivy is a component that is used to treat skin conditions. The homeopathic drug made from the extract of the poison ivy plant especially treats eczema that develops on the face, scalp and around the mucous membranes. Severe eczema can also result in stiff joints. The medicine works to heal a person from such botheration.
This is an article that aims at making you acquainted with the homeopathic remedies available for treating eczema. For the best result consult a professional.

Role of Homeopathy in Treating Eczema!

Asthma is a chronic lung condition wherein the air passage gets blocked or constricted due to the production of extra mucus. It is an age old condition which has been creating problems for people since a long time. Despite the seriousness of the condition, there are various myths people tend to believe about asthma.

Here are a few myths about asthma and the usage of inhalers:

Regular Usage of Inhalers is Addictive: This is a total myth. Using inhalers is not at all addictive, it is a necessity. Just because you use your inhaler regularly does not mean you are addicted to it.  Just like brushing your teeth every day isn't an addiction, taking your daily medicine from an inhaler isn't an addiction as well. Using an inhaler will just help you with your asthma condition.
Oral Medicine Gets Better Results than Inhalers: Absolutely not. In fact, it is proven that inhalers give better results than oral medications. Oral medication takes longer to act during a sudden asthma attack while inhalers deliver the drug directly to the lungs.
Inhalers Are Meant For Severe Asthma Cases: Well, this again is not true. Inhalers are used for treating asthma. Period. Asthma is a condition where your lungs inflame which is best cured with steroids, and the easiest way to have steroids administered to you is through the inhalation method. When you use the inhalers, the steroids are delivered directly to your lungs. They also have a minimum number of side effects when administered through inhalers.
Asthma is Curable: You might tend to think that asthma can be cured with the help of proper medications. You might think that asthma is not a constant condition. But it is not what you think. The symptoms of asthma might not be present all the time but that doesn't mean you do not have asthma. Asthma is a long-term condition where the airways swell up causing you to suffer from breathlessness. If you suddenly stop taking your daily medicines because the symptoms have not surfaced, then it will take you a long time before you will be able to totally recover from the next attack you suffer from.
If you have asthma, remember to take your medicines daily and timely. 

Debunking Asthma Myths

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