5 hidden causes of acne, revealed!

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the openings of oil glands become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Acne usually appears on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to disappear, others seem to crop up. Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and can also scar the skin. But what causes the recurrence of breakouts?

These are attributed to certain hidden causes, which are:

1. Your drug prescriptions

Steroids found in prescription drugs are a key offender, whether taken internally or topically. If taken internally, the offending ingredient will be listed as prednisone, which is the tablet form of steroid. Prednisone is used to treat inflammatory diseases like poison ivy, allergies and arthritis. If medications are taken topically, it could aggravate acne or cause steroid acne. Oral contraceptives are also a common cause of acne.

2. Your beauty routine

Acne caused by topical lotions, creams and makeup are known as acne cosmetica, commonly appearing on face, neck, hairline and scalp. Applying a product regularly to an acne-prone area can do more harm than good. Some people go to bed with ointments or oils in their hair that can get on the pillowcase and then rub on your face. It's best to put a clean towel over your pillowcase every night to prevent buildup.

3. Your cell phone

Cell phones gather all kinds of dirt and bacteria and are a big cause of acne on the chin and around the mouth. Wiping down the screen of your smartphones every day with alcohol or cleaning wipes will keep your phone and your face clean.

4. Using toothpaste to treat a zit

Certain toothpaste can actually cause you to develop acne or an acne-like eruption on the lower parts of your face, including your chin. Fluoride and other whitening and anti-cavity ingredients are quite abrasive and could potentially burn your skin, cause irritation and initiate breakouts.

5. Your workout gear

It's not the act of exercising that is causing breakouts but other issues. If you are using a communal yoga mat, you may be on the side that someone else's feet or perspiration had touched before, with the physical contact causing breakouts. It's best to put a clean towel over it before working out, even if it is your personal mat.

Also, workout gear that constantly rubs in a certain area can cause frictional acne. Constant rubbing ends up making you sweat, causing skin irritation and eventually developing into tiny red bumps. Though it looks like a heat rash, it is actually acne.

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Related Tip: Do You Know that Dandruff Causes ACNE?

5 Hidden Causes of Acne, Revealed!

Vitiligo is a disease that causes the loss of skin shading and colour in patches. The degree and rate of colour loss from vitiligo cannot be determined. It can influence any part of the skin on your body. It might also influence one s hair, inside of the mouth and even the eyes. 


Ordinarily, the shade of one s hair, skin and eyes is measured by melanin. Vitiligo happens when the cells that create melanin quit working or die. Vitiligo influences individuals of all skin types; however, it might be more common in individuals with a darker skin. The condition is not contagious or life threatening.


Numerous medicines may be used to restore the skin shading or level out the skin tone. A few medicines might have some serious side effects on some people. So your specialist may propose that you first try to improve your skin by applying self-tanning products or make-up. Here are some of the top ways to treat vitiligo:


Medicines 
Creams that control aggravation: A topical corticosteroid may cause the skin to return to its natural shade (repigment), especially if you begin utilising it right at the start of the disease. 
A type of vitamin D: Topical calcipotriene (Dovonex) is a cream that can be used with corticosteroids. Possible reactions include dry skin, rash and itching. 
Medicines that influence the immune system: Treatments containing tacrolimus or pimecrolimus (calcineurin inhibitors) might be compelling for individuals with little ranges of depigmentation, particularly on the face and neck.
Therapies
Light therapy: This uses a narrow band of UVB light. You may get treatment in a specialist s office up to three times each week. 
Laser treatment: This technique brings the shading back to the patches of light skin by treating them with an excimer laser, which utilises a particular wavelength of UVB light. 
Depigmentation: A solution with monobenzone is connected to the unaffected zones of the skin. This progressively lightens the skin so that it blends with the affected areas.
Surgery
Skin grafting: In this system, your specialist removes little segments of your ordinary, pigmented skin and joins them to regions that have lost colour. 
Rankle grafting: In this system, your specialist makes blisters on your pigmented skin with suction. He or she then removes the highest points of the blisters and transplants them to a range of stained skin. 
Micropigmentation: In this method, your specialist utilises an extraordinary surgical instrument to embed colour into your skin. 
Other treatments
Shield your skin from the sun and UV light. In case that you have vitiligo, especially in case you have light skin, use a wide range of waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of not less than 30. 
Abstain from tattoos that are not associated with treating your vitiligo. 
Make-up concealers may enhance the appearance of the skin and help you feel better about yourself, particularly if your vitiligo patches are on uncovered skin.


4 Top Ways You Get Vitiligo Treated

Bathing soap vs. Body wash: what's better when you take a shower?

The most important part of skincare is keeping your skin cleansed and fresh. But before that, it is imperative to find the right product for the same. Skin type varies from person to person, and hence finding skincare goods most suited to your skin makes all the difference.

Bathing habits directly affect the quality of your skin, which involves picking the appropriate cleanse; i. E. Choosing between a body soap and body wash. Each has a different set of characteristics and comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Let's find out which one is better for your skin.

Why you should choose bathing soap bar:

 it is more effective in removing dirt through deep cleansing

 it is suited to skin that is excessively oily in nature as it contains ingredients that are highly effective in stripping off excess oil from the skin

Why you should not choose bathing soap bar:

 it tends to strip the skin of its natural oils and moisture, making it dry and flaky

 it is unhygienic in case of sharing between individuals as soaps tend to accumulate the dirt from your skin due to direct body contact

Reasons to pick a body wash:

 it has a very mild and gentle effect on the skin in comparison to soaps

 it keeps the skin moisturized by preserving natural oils

 it is more hygienic than bar soaps in case of interpersonal sharing

 it is the most suitable option for dry skin

Reasons to ditch a body wash:

 it contains a large amount of artificial additives and preservatives that can do more harm to your skin than good, giving rise to allergic reactions in some cases

So, who's the winner of the two?

You must certainly base the choice on what's best for your skin type. Body soap is more compatible with oily skin while dry skin is better suited for body wash. A body wash, however, is much more gentle on your skin. 

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Soap Vs Hand Wash - What Should You Wash Your Hands with?

Bathing Soap vs. Body Wash: What's Better When You Take a Shower?

The goodness of water is known to all and sundry. Another fluid to watch out for is the coconut water. Coconut water will leave you with a mouth open awe with its health benefits. From small kids to pregnant women to elderly people, everyone can drink coconut water (unless asked to avoid on doctor recommendation) without any tension. The sweet, nut-like taste of coconut water is indeed very refreshing and soothing, a great respite in the scorching summers.

Positive effects of coconut water on the health

A low-calorie drink: Coconut water is an ideal and healthy substitute for processed fruit juice, aerated drinks, and beverages. Some of the amazing health benefits of coconut water include;
Improves Digestion: Coconut water is an excellent source of phosphatase, diastase, folic acid, and other enzymes that aids in the digestion of food.
A person with dehydration (an outcome of dysentery, diarrhea or cholera) can benefit immensely from coconut water. The coconut water works by restoring the lost electrolyte and plasma balance in the body.
Keeps skin aging at bay: Cytokines and lauric acid are known to have anti-aging properties. They maintain the pH balance of the skin. Coconut water is a rich source of lauric acid and cytokines. As expected, coconut water helps to restore the natural glow of the skin. Coconut water greatly nourishes and protects the skin from rashes and skin infections.
Drink coconut water, forget depression forever: Riboflavin, pathogenic acid, and thiamine are the triple healing vitamins that help to lower depression and stress in a person. With these important vitamins present, coconut water will lift your mood and spirits effortlessly.
Weight management: Being a low- calorie drink, coconut water is a healthy option for people who are on a diet and want to lose few extra kilos.
Healthy bones the natural way: An excellent source of calcium, coconut water will keep your bones strong and healthy.
Kidney stones a thing of the past: A natural way to deal with the problem of kidney stones is indeed a great news. Potassium is present in abundance in coconut water. Thus, it not only helps in dissolving the kidney stones, but also ensures that there is no recurrence of the condition (kidney stones).
A healthy blood pressure: Coconut water comes as a much-needed blessing for people with high blood pressure. The minerals (Potassium and Magnesium) along with Vitamin C ensure that the blood pressure is within healthy limits.
The magnesium present in coconut water comes as a savior for people with migraines.

A rich source of potassium implies coconut water helps to lower the instances of muscle cramps.
Having long, healthy, and lustrous hair is no longer a dream, all thanks to the coconut water. It hydrates the scalp, thus providing the necessary nourishment to the hair.
Being low in sugar and calories, coconut water is an excellent remedy for diabetic patients.

Coconut Water - 9 Reasons You Must Start Drinking It Today!

HIV/AIDS is a STD which is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The HIV virus attacks the immune system and makes the body vulnerable to other diseases. AIDS is the last stage disorder caused by HIV infection. This disorder destroys the human immune system which might lead to other life- threatening diseases such as cancer. If diagnosed with HIV, one must necessarily maintain a healthy dietary regime because the nutrients one derives go on to contribute to the development of the immune system, thus providing resistance to the side effects of the HIV medicines.

The early symptoms of HIV/AIDS appear within a few weeks after sexual contact. The early symptoms include a headache, pain in the muscles and the joints, rashes and inflamed lymph nodes. The early symptoms tend to disappear within 2 to 3 weeks. The next set of symptoms might appear after a few years which might be persistent. The symptoms include fatigue, loss of body weight, inflated lymph nodes, fever and sweat during the night.

If you are diagnosed with HIV, you should:

Try to maintain a daily diet containing vegetables, legumes, and fruits which provide you energy.
Try to include a little bit of fat, carbohydrates (at least 3 servings of vegetable per day), calcium (dairy products) and low-fat protein sources (generally 80-150 gram per day of fish, skinned chicken, low-fat cheese etc.) in your everyday meal.
Maintain a daily calorie intake of 17-25 calories per pound depending on whether the person is losing weight.
Vitamins and minerals are particularly necessary to repair the cells damaged by the HIV virus. 
So, it is necessary to intake foods such as eggs, milk, peanuts, green vegetables, meat, beans and broccolis on a regular basis, if you have been diagnosed with HIV.

If you are suffering from HIV, you must maintain the following food safety measures:

You should try to restrict the intake of fat
Restrict your alcohol intake
You should try to avoid fast foods
You should also limit your regular sugar intake and should avoid foods with extra sugar

HIV/AIDS: Diet, Nutrition and Food Safety You Must Follow

An STD or sexually transmitted disease is usually an infection which spreads from one person to another during sexual contact. Some STDs can also be transferred through touch, since they spread by skin contact. People hardly like to talk or discuss about STDs, but it is very important to rule out the possibilities of STD. Whether one likes it or not, if STD testing is ignored, then it can lead to long term consequences.

Why STD Testing is Important

Often STDs have no signs and symptoms, and the only way to know that are you suffering from an STD is to get tested for it. So it is a good idea to get yourself tested, as you never know if you might have STD even though you don't show symptoms. Also, when STDs are diagnosed, most of them can be cured.

Consequences of Not Getting Tested

If one has STD and is not getting tested for the same, then it could lead to health problems which can cause permanent damages or might prove to be fatal. Some of the problems are:

1. Undiagnosed and untreated STDs can lead to damaged reproductive system, leading to sterile men and women. 
2. Chlamydia, if untreated can lead to epididymitis and shrinkage of testicles and infertility in men. It also leads to pelvic inflammatory disease. But good news is, it can be treated easily.
3. Syphillis can make a person blind and deaf, and can also be passed on to babies. 
4. Gonorrhea, which can also be treated easily with antibiotics, can lead to infertility or death if untreated. 
5. Even HIV/AIDS if diagnosed in early stages can enable the patient to lead a normal life and does not mean only death, contrary to conventional perceptions.  

Symptoms of STD

While, gonorrhea, chlamydia and human papilloma virus (HPV) have no symptoms, the common symptoms of STDs might vary. 

1. In women, the common symptoms are pain and burning sensation during urination, blood in vaginal discharge as also abnormal vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, blisters, warts, and swollen glands. 
2. Men often experience inflammation of the testicles, prostate, sores, fever, urethral discharge and pain during urination.

If these symptoms are observed, it is vital to get tested for STDs. Also the best way to protect your partner is not to practice unsafe sex and to refrain from the same until diagnosed and treatment is complete.
 
Getting yourself tested for STD is also beneficial, as it can prevent against complications like cancers and infertility. The standard STD panel of tests consists of Herpes IgG antibody and HIV antibody blood tests, along with a blood test for syphilis antibody and DNA urine test for gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

The Dangers of Putting Off STD Testing

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