Dry skin refers to the lack of moisture within the skin, specifically within the layer known as epidermis. Dry skin is a fairly common condition resulting in the flaking of skin. The abnormal lack of moisture in skin can be caused by several influencing factors.

The loss of moisture
Dry skin may be mild, where it may last for a few days to severe, where it lasts for prolonged periods of time. This tends to become increasingly common with age. Although normally having a dry skin is a common skin type, abnormally low moisture content in the skin might become a serious and chronic condition leading to many problems.

Causes of dry skin
1. Dry skin might be caused by winter weather or dry and harsh climatic conditions
2. Bathing or washing skin frequently with rough soap,
3. Severe deficiency of vitamin A
4. Using hot water for showers for prolonged periods of time
5. Individuals with eczema are more prone to dry skin and may lead to several bacterial infections as well
6. Underlying physical disorders such as hypothyroidism and diabetes may also be contributing factors.
7. Medication for lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and to remove acne may also lead to the dryness of skin.

The symptoms of dry skin include
1. Itchiness and discomfort
2. Tightness of skin
3. Continuous scratching
4. Appearance of white lines on scratching
5. Extremely dry skin may result in the cracking or breaking of skin causing pain and discomfort.
6. Skin that easily bruises with minor abrasions.

Treatment
Dryness of skin is very common and can be treated easily. However, extreme dryness can lead to severe discomfort of the skin and cause infections and skin diseases. Visiting a dermatologist is always preferred in such cases.
1. Certain preventive steps you can take to prevent the occurrence of dry skin along with some treatment options are mentioned here.
2. Temporary dry skin may be treated with the use of lotion. Frequent moisturizing also helps.
3. It is also advisable to drink a lot of water and avoid soaps that suck moisture out of your skin.
4. You should also try and increase the intake of food rich in Vitamin A. Carrots, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, celery, are good examples of such food.
5. Natural oils may also be used to temporarily remove the dryness in skin. Regular massages and frequent application of moisturizing agents always helps.
6. You should also switch to bathing in cool or lukewarm water.
If the problem seems to persist, visit a dermatologist for further consultation. Special medicated lotions are often prescribed to deal with dry skin. Anti-itching lotions may also be prescribed by dermatologists along with certain oral medications for rare cases.

Dry Skin - 6 Ways to Treat It!

Natural Homemade Recipe for reducing Grey Hair

Greying hair can be a concern, especially if it s premature. Causes of grey hair are many however the most common ones are stress, age, heredity, smoking, pollution, not enough hair care, hypothyroidism, albinism and deficiency of vitamin B12. Grey hair can be reduced with home remedies as well. Some of them are:

1. Take pure ghee on your finger tips and massage on your scalp. Do this twice a week.
2. Rubbing the juice of onions is a good way to reduce grey hair. It is also a good way to reduce hair loss.
3. Shikakai is known to be a good herb for our hair. You can soak about four pods of shikakai along with soap nut seeds in a jug of water. Soak overnight and boil in the morning. Strain and store the water in a bottle to be used as a natural shampoo. With this, you can use water in while amla has been boiled, as a conditioner.
4. We know that oiling the scalp is the best way to have healthy hair. Mustard oil is very good for our hair. In about 250 gms of the oil, add 60 grams of henna leaves and boil will the leaves are completely burnt. This infused oil can be applied on hair regularly to reduce grey hair.
5. Bhringraj oil is also good for hair. Bhringraj can be taken orally for the same desired effect.
6. A glass of fresh carrot juice is said to overcome the problem of grey hair.
7. Henna powder, along fenugreek paste, paste of basil leaves, mint juice, coffee and yogurt when mixed into a paste after being soaked overnight and applied on the hair and scalp, is a good way to treat unwanted grey hair.

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Natural Homemade Recipe for Reducing Grey Hair

Lymphedema is a condition that typically affects the arms and legs. The most common cause of this condition is damage to the lymph nodes or their removal as part of a cancer treatment program. There is no known cure for this condition. However, surgeries such as Vascularized lymph node transfer surgery may help deal with it better.

Vascularized lymph node transfer surgery involves replacing the affected lymph nodes with healthy lymph nodes from other parts of the body. This allows blood to flow more easily and restores or augments the lymphatic drainage system. In most cases, the healthy lymph nodes are harvested from the patient s groin. This procedure is relatively new, and its limits are still being explored by doctors. In cases of breast cancer that causes lymphedema in the upper limbs, this procedure may be performed along with breast reconstruction.

To be a viable candidate for this procedure the patient must have maximized control over lymphedema through other forms of lymphedema therapy. This therapy will need to be restarted after the surgery to ensure good results. The lymphedema diagnosis should also be less than 5 years old such that the patient s lymphedema is in its early stages.

As with any other surgical procedure, there are certain risks associated with this procedure. These can include

Reaction to anesthesia
Bleeding
Infection
Scarring at the site and poor healing
Damage to adjacent blood vessels
Nerve damage that can cause a temporary loss of sensation
Muscle weakness
Numbness ta the sites from where healthy lymph nodes were harvested
Risk of Lymphedema in the area where the lymph nodes were harvested from
After the surgery, the patient will need to keep pressure off the site where the lymph nodes have been transferred. The surgery site may be bandaged but compression garments will not need to be worn. On being discharged the patient may resume normal activities such as driving and work. High-intensity exercises that involve the use of the operated limb should be avoided for at least a month after the surgery. Compression garments should not be used until recommended by the doctor or a minimum of 2 weeks post-surgery. They will also need to schedule review consultations with the doctor. The schedule followed usually involves check-ups after 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year. 

Lymphedema - Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer Surgery!

Burn surgery is very common these days. Burn surgery is usually done on people who suffer from major burns. Reconstructive burn surgery is usually required in the last stages when the initial burns have healed to a certain extent. Usually reconstructive burn surgeries are done on patients who have suffered from huge accidents and have burnt their face, neck and hands to a great extent. Patients requiring this surgery usually become unrecognizable after an accident.

When is reconstructive burn surgery recommended?

If you have been involved in a household accident and the scars have not healed completely. Surgery might not totally heal the face, but it can improve your basic functions like breathing, smelling, seeing or tasting (if most of your senses are burnt and disfigured).
Reconstructive burn surgery is also very useful for acid attack victims. Sometimes, burns are not only caused by fire, but it is also caused by chemicals and acidic substances which are worse and can completely burn and disfigure your face. When hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid come in contact with your skin it seeps into the skin and burns off your nose, cartilage and sometimes even causes blindness. It disfigures your face completely, reconstructive burn surgery can do miracles, though it cannot bring back your previous features and skin texture, but it does make you look more recognizable.
After a burn, facial scarring occurs which leads to the loss of eyelids, hair, nose and lips. In this case burn surgery is required.
How to take care of yourself after a burn surgery?

Regular stretching should be done, especially if the areas of your burn include your hands, legs, joints, etc. Do as much as activities as possible like getting dressed and grooming yourself. It will also make you more self-reliant and give you confidence.
Depression is very common after a burn surgery. A reconstructive burn surgery will not magically make you look the way you used to. A lot of sittings is required and remember, appearance and looks do not matter much. The wounds will fade away with time.
Itching is also very common after a burn surgery. If this problem persists, you should consult your doctor for a moisturizer.
Avoid sun exposure. Don t go out in the sun, because the U.V rays are extremely harmful and can singe your already sensitive skin; you can also get skin cancer.
Custom pressure garments should be worn to protect your skin.

Reconstructive Burn Surgery - How Can You Take Care Of It?

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease in which the skin cells multiply at a rate higher than the normal. It can even be 1000 times compared to the normal rate. It worsens every winter as the skin becomes itches and even starts bleeding after scratching. However, psoriasis is not contagious meaning that it cannot spread from one person to another. In fact, psoriasis is not an infectious disease. It does not occur due to infection of any sort. That is why it does not spread from one person to another.

Treatment
The general belief is that Psoriasis is incurable. However, this is not true. Homeopathy is far more effective in the treatment of psoriasis and these homeopathic medicines are completely natural and do not contain any chemical compounds at all unlike allopathic medicines. The homeopathic remedies do not intend to suppress this inflammation. In fact, they intend to correct the cause that has resulted in this indiscriminate cell division and also the inflammation. Once these two things are set right, the symptoms disappear on their own.

Homeopathy does require some patience on the part of both the patient and the doctor to get good results in the homeopathic treatment of psoriasis.
Remedies for the homeopathic treatment of psoriasis

Graphites is one of the best homeopathic remedies for psoriasis with constipation. In such cases the patient cannot tolerate cold easily. There may be thick sticky discharge from the eruptions. In some cases, eczema may also be present with psoriasis. In female patients, there may be disturbance in the menstrual cycle too.
Mezereum is helpful in case of psoriasis on the scalp. In such cases thick and leathery crusts cover the head and there is pus beneath these crusts.
Arsenic Iodatum is given in case where patches of psoriasis occur with multiple colours. The scales are usually large in size.
Sepia is recommended for psoriasis with foul odour from the eruptions and the affected area of the skin. It is a deep acting medicine and should not be repeated often.
Thyroidinum is considered one of the best homeopathic medicines for psoriasis with obesity. In such cases the itching gets worsened at night. It is a remedy for chilly and anaemic patients suffering from dry impoverished skin along with cold hands and feet.
Arsenic Album is an excellent psoriasis remedy in which psoriasis gets worsened by cold and better by warmth.
Sulphur is considered helpful in various skin manifestations
Kali Brom is helpful in case of syphilitic psoriasis whose symptoms include skin cold, blue, spotted corrugated, large, indolent, painful pustules.
Kali Ars is given in case of patches on back, arms and elbows and scaly itches.
Radium Brom is helpful in treating psoriasis of penis, itching eruptions on face oozing and patchy erythema on forehead.
Other natural and alternative remedies can also be resorted to including Naturopathy, Herbal medicine, Yoga, Ayurveda, Acupressure etc. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Psoriasis - 10 Homeopathic Remedies For It!

It is hard to escape the harsh rays of the sun during summers. Staying outdoors for too long will lead to tanned skin, which is a sign of skin damage. Sometimes skin damage can get severe and lead to diseases like skin cancer. To prevent your skin from damaging and keep it healthy, here are seven pro tips:

1. Aever skip the sunscreen: sunscreen with spf 15 or more will help in protecting your skin from harmful uv rays. Even if you are going to be out in the sun for more than 15 minutes, make sure to apply sunscreen generously. Remember, the higher the spf, the better is the protection.

2. Always wear sunglasses: sun damage can lead to premature signs of aging; especially wrinkles around the eyes since the skin around your eyes are very thin. Wider lenses that can block out 99% of sun rays are recommended to protect your eyes.

3. Your lips need protection too: just like your eyes, the skin is much more delicate and thinner on your lips. Your lips are susceptible to tanning as well, along with the risk of fine lines around the mouth if not well protected. Always apply a lip protection balm when going out.

4. Upf clothing: garment with special upf (ultraviolet protection factor) coating can shield you from harmful uva and uvb rays. Like spf, the higher the upf, they better it will protect you. Regular clothes can protect you as well, provided they are woven tightly and are of a darker color.

5. Keeping a close look at the time: uv rays are the strongest and mostly harmful from 10 a. M. To 4 p. M. If you are out during these hours, do not forget the sunscreen, umbrella and sunglasses.

6. Don't forget to protect your head: a hat with a brim of 2 to 3 inches all around shield the skin of your neck, face and ears and protects you from skin damage.

7. Apply religiously: even if your sunscreen promises that it is sweat proof, waterproof or rub proof, it never completely is, as no product works the same for everybody. So apply your sunscreen throughout the day.

How to Prevent Our Skin From Sun Damage

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