Dr. Geetika Mittal Gupta

Irritation on your scalp can be an embarrassing and frustrating problem, especially when you get the continuous urge to scratch your head. There can be lots of causes for an itchy scalp and it is important to identify the cause and treat it accordingly.

Some of them include:

• Seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff: The symptoms of this condition include redness, irritation and skin flakes. Seborrheic dermatitis can occur in any part of the body due to excessive growth of a fungus called malassezia and when it hits the scalp it is called dandruff. It can be a recurring problem for some, but it is treatable with prescribed shampoos and steroid creams. Cosmetic shampoos targeted to cure dandruff works too.
• Head lice: Not only children, but adults can get lice too. It is mistakenly thought that poor scalp health causes lice but actually they breed in clean hair. Small white flakes that look like dandruff are actually lice eggs that cannot be shed off easily; they need to be treated with medicated shampoos containing insecticides pyrethrin or permethrin.
• Psoriasis: Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disorder that can occur in any part of the body including the scalp. The symptoms are same as dandruff with raised red patches of skin. People with psoriasis are more likely to incur dandruff and itchy scalp. The exact cause of the disorder is not known, though heredity is a popular belief.
• Eczema and allergic reactions: Redness, flakes, irritation are the signs of eczema and allergic reactions. During summers with excessive perspiration the condition worsens. It usually occurs in children but adults can get eczema too. Over the counter medications helps in reducing the severity of the symptoms and gradually heal the condition.

Have you tried one product after another during the dry weather and are still left with dry and itchy skin. Then your skin care product is to be blamed. Creams, lotions and oils all essentially perform the same job of moisturizing your skin. It is how they do it that is different.

There is a wide range of choices available in the market for all three products with individual variations in ingredients including types of oils like coconut, lavender, jojoba, etc., types of value proposition like 24-hour moisture lock, or intense hydrating care and flavors like rose, strawberry and even chocolate that leaves you smelling great.

The main difference between a cream and lotion:
The main difference between the two besides additives is their oil to liquid ratio. Lotions and creams, both contain oils and water. In lotions the proportion of water is more compared to oil. So it is more 'liquid' in nature and is easy to spread on the skin. Creams on the other hand, are thicker because of their higher oil content. They can typically be more 'greasy' in nature because of their consistency.

Choosing between the two:
Lotion and creams, both will do the trick, but it will depend on what you need and when you use it. Give a good thought to your skin. Is it always dry or only during certain times of the year. If your skin dries easily and you can see a white line if you scratch with your nail, you'll need a cream that absorbs more slowly and has benefits that stay longer.

Applying cream then creates a layer of oil that locks the moisture in your skin. The water does not evaporate, and your skin stays hydrated. Lotions are easy to spread on the skin. If your skin is already soft and supple and you simply need a layer to keep the dryness at bay, a lotion is a good choice for you.

Use both lotion and cream:
Morning, before bed, after baths or repeatedly throughout the day? The time you plan on using a moisturizing product will play a part in determining which type you choose. Creams are great to use right after a bath when the skin is soft after absorbing moisture. The cream then creates a protective layer of oil, which allows the skin to stay hydrated longer.

Creams are also great to use during bedtime when you don't have to worry about getting an oily look on your face or body. Lotions are best if you need to reapply during the day, for instance,  you wash your hands and face and need to dab on some quick moisture.

Summers can be the worst time of the year for your hair. Often we find people complaining about their hair getting sticky, tangled and unmanageable when the temperature rises. This can be due to the fact that the hair loses its moisture in the heat and often gets dry and lifeless. With the onset of summers, your hair care routine should also change according to the climate so that it is healthy and moisturized.

Here are a few tips which you can follow in the summers to keep your hair healthy-

1. Cover your head - Cover your head with a hat or a scarf and protect it from direct sunlight. You can also wrap your head with a scarf before putting on the hat which will also protect your hair from getting tangled with the course material. Wearing a hat will keep your hair from getting dry and lifeless. Heat can damage your hair and give you split ends hence it is necessary to employ some level of protection.

2. Wash Often - Make sure your hair is getting the moisture it needs. Drink plenty of water as apart from keeping your body hydrated, your hair will also benefit from it. Shampooing every day can make your hair dry and frizzy so make sure that you oil and condition it regularly. Rinse your hair properly after a swim because the chlorine in the pool water can damage your hair. Clean your scalp while washing so that it stays healthy.

3. Opt for deep Conditioning - With the temperature rising, you must deep condition your hair at least once a month or once in two weeks depending on your hair type. Deep conditioning helps keep the moisture locked, strengthens your hair and prevents breakage and hair fall. Deep conditioning requires a plastic wrap which helps the conditioner to penetrate.

4. Wear Protective Styles - You can style your hair in a way which will keep it away from your face and neck and at the same time make you look presentable. You can try braids, topknots, buns, high ponytails, etc. These hairdos also help prevent unwanted breakage and tangling.

A head full of the lush silky mane is what everyone desires as it enhances one's personality and physical image but with the growing levels of pollution and workload, it becomes difficult to maintain its health and beauty. There are a number of factors that contribute to the deterioration of hair and stress is one of them.

Stress is a complimentary ingredient in today's lifestyle. Hectic work schedules, maintaining a social life and many other reasons invite stress and it has become increasingly difficult to avoid. There are three types of hair fall that can be attributed to stress and anxiety.

1. Telogen effluvium - There are three stages in the life cycle of hair, growth, resting and shedding stage. Stress and anxiety incurred from physical trauma, severe accident, illness and pregnancy can cause sudden and in most cases temporary hair fall. Sudden stress shocks the hair follicles and pushes them to the resting stage resulting in hair fall from combing or washing. This type of hair loss has been termed as Telogen effluvium.
2. Trichotillomania - Pulling out hair from the scalp, eyebrows can be a way of dealing with stress. Inner palpitation, tension, anxiety has a way of coming to the surface and it has been noticed in some people that they unknowingly pull their hair out to cope with stress and in worst cases they also make a habit of it. This condition is commonly referred to as Trichotillomania.
3. Alopecia areata - Hair falls out from certain portions of the scalp exposing scattered patches of skin. There are several reasons for this condition known as Alopecia areata, and stress has been identified as one. With alopecia, the immune system of the body attacks the hair follicles causing them to shed.

Hair fall from stress is rarely permanent and resumes to its normal shedding routine once the stress subsides. However, abnormal shedding of hair is usually an indication of a deep-rooted medical condition which should be treated immediately.

hair growth

The skin has a protein called keratin that protects it from infections and other harmful toxins.  For various reasons, mostly unknown but likely genetic, there could be a buildup of this keratin leading to small, light-colored, hard bumps under the skin that can feel like sandpaper. This condition is medically known as keratosis pilaris.  These pillars of keratin block the hair follicles that open onto the surface of the skin, and when a number of follicles are blocked, it leads to dry, bumpy feeling. In common words, it is also referred to as chicken skin, chicken bumps, or goose bumps.

Occurrence:  The onset is usually in the first decade of life, continues to grow in number in teenagers (80%), and slowly subsides as they grow older (40% of adults).  People with dry skin are more likely to have these bumps than people with oily skin.  The most commonly affected areas include upper arms, thighs, buttocks and very rarely on the face.

Cause: This is a genetic disorder, and the bumps are due to excessive formation and buildup of keratin due to faulty genes.  There could be surplus skin formation under these follicles or hair follicles trapped under these bumps.  There could be a small area of inflammation and redness around the bumps.
Weather Correlation:  Keratotis pilaris is more common and evident during the winter months when the skin is normally drier than in summer months.  Some people could have this condition lifelong, with only manifestation seen in winters and complete absence of bumps in the summer months. 

Symptoms: The condition is usually asymptomatic, except for the dryness, and does not cause itching or medical harm. The esthetic concern, especially if in upper arms, is the only concern.  Some people could be affected by the hard, bumpy feeling of the skin.  There are no long-term medical symptoms or harmful effects of this condition though.

Treatment:  No treatment is required; however, moisturizers may be required to prevent the bumps from drying up. In very severe cases, creams may be used to remove dead skin cells and to prevent plugged follicles.  Alpha hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, or lactic acid containing creams can be used to remove the dead skin cells. These also help moisturize the skin and reduce dryness.  Vitamin A containing creams can be used to unplug the hair follicles.

A word of caution though - these creams can cause itching and redness.  Since this condition is prevalent in children, these creams need to be used only if absolutely essential and with medical prescriptions. The condition is harmless and self-limiting, so no treatment is mandatory.  Patient education is of utmost importance in these cases. 

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Hello everyone, I am Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, medical director and founder of ISAAC , the premier centre for all your skin, hair and body solution. ISAAC is an International skin anti ageing centre. We have been in the Industry from last 4 years. Our centre is located in Chattarpur, Delhi. Apart from this, we have also located in Gurgaon, Vasant Kunj and we are also coming up with centres in Shantiniketan and New friends colony.

At ISAAC, we are all specialised dermatologist doctors which not only hear your problems but also give customized solution for long term results and effortless solutions. As I believe the treatments provided are not only USFD approved but also with minimal down time and with the utmost patient care of the patient is taken care of. 

At ISAAC, we believe that one treatment can not suit everyone. Today I am going to talk about basic skin care regimen which we should follow. I believe that skin regimen has to be in different tiers, i.e, 

• Revive
• Rejuvenate
• Replenish

So we just not have to revive with what been lost with the skin but also replenish and add on those little extras with the beauty add ons.

A basic skin regimen should always include cleansing, toning, moisturizing routine. But I always suggest my patients to apply effective sun block with minimum SPF of 30 which should be applied after every 2-2.5 hours. Our skin is very much prone to tanning and the sun damaged, so sun block is very important. And we can add Vit- C serum then we can get that glow which can last forever. A good moisturizer suit to your skin type can be added at night. And of course, if you post 30-35, good anti oxidants to remove those fine lines and wrinkles. These are all the basic regime.

And also a good lifestyle and a healthy diet routine is something which we can not avoid. A good healthy sleep, meditation, breathing exercises are few essential things which bring out the inner glow. 

We believe that you should be your own kind of beautiful. No one can explain or define the beauty for you. So you can bring out the beauty and just love yourself. Don't let any acne scar or any such things that avoid skin loving.

We have treatments for cosmetic dermatology, where we treat your acne, acne scars, depigmenting treatments. We have laser hair removal treatments and Alma soprano for hair removal treatment which is most effective and painless treatment when it comes to hair removal. Then we have treatments for skin tightening, we have lipolysis which helps you lose your inches which give brilliant results. Then we have anti ageing treatments which are injectable such as like Botox, fillers and we have skin tightening treatments Ultherapy in ISAAC. 

You can take the treatment and this will last for more than 1-2 years.

Apart from this, we have anti hair loss which are PRP treatments, Hair transplant but that is all customized according to the patient's requirements and needs.

So I welcome you at ISAAC. Please connect with us soon.

Causes and treatment for Hyperpigmentation and Melasma