Dr. Kanu Verma

You are most likely to experience dry skin during winter because of the cold temperature, lack of sunlight and dry environment. The lack of moisture causes your skin to dry up, giving it a cracked, flaky and scaly texture. This season demands a careful skin care regimen, and here are some tips on how you can take care of your skin during the winters.

1. Consult a specialist: You should visit a dermatologist for an analysis of your skin type. Based on this, your dermatologist will recommend a skin care regimen to be followed during the dry months. Using the prescribed skin care products will benefit your skin and prevent it from getting dry. Both high-priced and low-priced skin care products are effective in protecting your skin.
2. Moisturise your skin: Your skin care routine and use of moisturisers have to change during the winter. You need to get a new moisturiser instead of the one you use during other seasons. You need an oil-based moisturiser instead of a water-based one. The oil will help in creating a protective layer on your skin surface, which helps in retaining moisture. You can use night creams which are mostly oil based. For your face, you need to apply moisturisers that contain non-clogging oils. This includes mineral oil, avocado oil, almond oil, or primrose oil. Lotions which contain humectants are also effective for winter skin care. You need to use foot lotions to avoid cracking of your feet and heels. Use lotions containing petroleum jelly and glycerine. You should undergo skin exfoliation to eliminate the dead skin from time to time. This will make the moisturisers and lotions to go deeper and be more effective.
3. Apply sunscreen: Sunscreen is not just for the summer season. The winter sun can cause damage to your skin as well. Hence, you should apply sunscreen on your face and hands before going out on a winter day. If you need to stay outside for a long time, you must reapply the sunscreen.
4. Wear gloves: The skin on the hands is thinner than other parts of the body and contains less oil glands. This implies that it is hard to keep your hands moist during the cold winter season. This might cause cracking and itchiness. To prevent this, wear gloves while venturing outside. In case you need to wear woolen gloves, wear cotton gloves first for avoiding any kind of irritation caused by the wool.
5. Avoid wet gloves and socks: Wearing wet gloves and socks irritates the skin and leads to itching, sores, cracking, and may also lead to eczema. Keep your gloves and socks dry. 

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

Laser treatment is used for a variety of medical and cosmetic purposes. There are a number of hair and skin treatment methods that are conducted with the help of lasers. Most of the skin treatments using laser technology, are laser resurfacing for younger looking skin, employ light and sporadic bursts of beams. These beams are trained onto the skin of the patient to be absorbed by the chromophores, which contain water and other substances of the skin. This chromophore then turns this light energy into heat energy to destroy thin layers for the skin to heal and look younger. Many people have a misconception that this process may cause the skin to become extremely thin and fragile.

Yet, this is not true. Let us find out about the various kinds of laser methods and why they do not make the skin thin.

1. Fractional laser skin resurfacing: This treatment method makes use of laser pulses in order to treat microscopic columns of the affected skin, which does not leave any visible scarring and bleeding. This kind of laser works only on the surface of the skin and does not cause any harm to the skin composition. In fact, it improves the skin quality by treating the skin which is damaged.
2. Plasma skin resurfacing: In this laser treatment, the doctors will make use of lasers that let out plasma energy which destroys the lower layers of the skin. In this method, the top layers of the skin will not really be affected. The top layer forms a protective covering over the lowers layer as the latter heals. This ensures that the lasers do not cause any kind of thinning of the skin in the long run, as they penetrate just deep enough to fix the damage of the lower skin layer, without destroying the top layer of the skin.
3. Infrared skin resurfacing: This kind of treatment involves the use of heat invoking laser beams that treat the deep layers of the skin. These kinds of laser beams do not affect the actual composition of the skin and its cells. This helps in retaining the quality of the skin without making it thin.
4. Superficial erbium: Mild laser beams are employed in this form of treatment in order to smoothen the oncoming wrinkles. This kind of treatment also helps in treating other kinds of skin problems. These beams help in smoothening and tightening the skin without making it thin.
5. Effect on skin: These kinds of lasers do not cause the skin to become thin because the pulses of energy and heat are merely passed over the skin instead of piercing through and changing the skin composition. Also, the skin is usually wiped with water between the laser pulses, which makes this a safe option. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The skin on your scalp renews its cells like every other skin cell on your body. They restore every twenty-four days by forming new types skin cells underneath the old cells to reveal the new ones eventually. Dry skin and dandruff are caused due to many reasons, however, are different than each other. Here are a few signs and causes that separate the two:

Dandruff
Dandruff is not caused by dryness but instead an excessive amount of oil. In a few people, the yeast begins to feast upon the excessive oil and dead skin cells on the scalp, making the skin cells shed off and form flakes on the head. Here are a few reasons why dandruff is caused:

1. Excessive intake of sugar, fat, starch
2. Improper nourishment
3. Heredity problems
4. Allergies or sensitive skin
5. Lack of rest
6. Emotional anxiety
7. Hormonal changes
8. Poor well-being

Dry scalp

Dry scalp is caused because of loss of oil and moisture from the skin and can be caused because of certain shampoos, cleansers, climate, water, or even your eating routine. Signs and side effects include itching and tingling and little white flakes that fall off excessively.

Here are a few ways in which you can fight dry skin:

1. Dry scalp can be dealt with by using normal cures, for example, apple cider vinegar since help in normalizing the pH on your scalp and remove the flakes and residue left behind by shampoos, conditioners, and other hair items.
2. You can likewise do a light scalp message using regular oils, for example, additional virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, and so on.
3. Yogurt and honey can help the hair recover by hydrating them and adding dampness to your scalp to fight the dry scalp.

Here are a few ways in which you can treat dandruff on your scalp:
Wash your hair consistently with a delicate shampoo to decrease the amount of oil on your scalp. qIn case that your dandruff is more serious or a normal shampoo doesn't work, try an anti-dandruff shampoo. Most dandruff shampoos contain solutions like Pyrithione zinc and Selenium sulfide that kill the fungus on your scalp or evacuates flaky skin.

• Pyrithione zinc: It contains antifungal properties that kill the bacterial growth on your scalp that causes the flakes to appear.
• Selenium sulfide: This helps in diminishing the signs of dandruff growth and keep an excessive number of skin cells from being killed along with it. In case you have coloured hair, ask your specialist before using the dandruff shampoo containing selenium sulfide. It can change the shade of your colour.

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

Scratching dandruff or a flaky scalp is a common problem that can be quite embarrassing for the person concerned. You comb your hair only to find white flakes all around your shoulder (more visible, if you are wearing a dark colored dress). Men as well as women, can both suffer from a flaky scalp. The characteristic white flakes associated with the condition are nothing, but the dead skin cells that your scalp sheds from time to time.

The trigger for a flaky scalp can be due to myriad of reasons ranging from from stress, to unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits. A flaky scalp can also be an outcome of using harmful hair styling products, hormonal imbalance or certain medical conditions.The condition, though annoying, can be treated successfully. There are certain do's and don'ts associated with a flaky scalp, which if followed diligently, will ensure better and faster results.

The most common mistake that people with a flaky scalp make is scratching their scalp vigorously. The temporary relief is sure to aggravate the condition more, with the possibility of a scalp infection. Resist the temptation, no matter how itchy it gets.

1. Avoid self-medication. Just because someone with a flaky scalp benefited from certain medications does not guarantee success in your case. The trigger in your case may be different. It would be foolish on your part to try any medication without consulting a physician. It is better to be cautious now than to regret later.
2. Stress can affect your life in more ways than you can think. In many cases, stress has been found to be a contributing factor resulting in a flaky scalp. Try to live a stress-free life as much as you can. Do not compromise with your sleep for anything. A sound sleep can work wonders to keep stress at bay. It is important that you maintain a healthy sleep cycle (a daily sleep of 6-8 hours is a must). Meditations, yoga, exercise, or physical activities are known to be great stress busters.
3. Your diet may have an important role to play in a flaky scalp. Fast and processed foods, foods rich in sugar or simple carbohydrates are what most people drool over. However, these foods can spell doom for the overall health. In addition to the many harmful effects, most of these foods are known to trigger an elevated production of sebum by the sebaceous glands. Increased levels of sebum can worsen the dandruff problem. Include more fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and those rich in vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Keep your body well hydrated. Drink water and healthy fluids (fresh fruit juice, coconut water, soups, to name few) at regular intervals of time.
4. Follow a healthy hair care routine. Oil massage (warm oil) your hair at least twice a week. Use mild shampoos or those recommended by the doctor. Avoid over shampooing. Also, avoid the extensive use of hair styling products.

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

PRP Therapy for Hair Loss

A glycolic peel is a form of chemical peel that is widely used to deal with an array of skin conditions such as age spots, wrinkles, acne, tone, skin discoloration, etc. It has gained popularity in the past few years due to its unique ability to deal with a varied skin condition in a short time span. Glycolic peel requires successive session from ranging from half an hour to forty-five minutes depending on the requirement of the skin.

How does the peel work?
A glycolic peel is basically a form of glycolic acid. It is a translucent compound which is abundantly available in nature in the form of unripe grapes, cane sugar, and sugar beets. Being an alpha hydroxy acid, glycolic acid has many medical uses. Since the molecules of the glycolic acids are tinier than AHA, it can easily break into the deepest layer of the skin and fix issues that chemical treatments can’t. The best part is the fact that it is a natural promoter of skin regeneration and remover of dead, unwanted skin from the pores. It thereby improves the skin texture by forming collagen. Being anti-oxidic in nature, glycolic peels can strengthen capillaries, retain moisture and guard the skin against inflammation.

Which skin problems can glycolic peels guard against?
Glycolic peels can guard against aging, uneven texture, irregular pigmentation, moderate acne, fine lines, acne, age spots, superficial scarring, dark spots, discoloration in fair skin, etc.

Who can perform this treatment?
It requires a qualified doctor or a qualified medical aesthetician. Since the peels are acidic in nature, treatments under the wrong hand can do more harm than good. It requires an experienced hand to perform this treatment.

When is Glycolic acid peel applicable?
For this to be true, a skin consultation is required. An aesthetics take a call based on the type and color of the skin. Not everybody is a good candidate for this form of treatment. If an individual is undertaking Accutane, it is advised that she refrains from glycolic peels for at least six months to avoid unwanted skin injury.

What needs to be done after the treatment?
Glycolic peel treatment span across many sitting. In the initial few sitting, the skin might feel irritation, reddish and sensitive. Repeated sitting can help to get over this sort of symptoms as one gradually gets used to it. Post the treatment, not too many needs to be done by an individual. Care should be taken to ensure that the skin doesn’t get exposed to the sun too much. The UV rays of the sun can immensely damage the skin. At times, the skin might become a little flaky. This phenomenon is also known as frosting. Avoid flakiness to cut down skin irritation. Consult an Expert & get answers to your questions!

Hello. Good morning friends, I am Dr Kanu Verma, a consultant dermatologist, practising in Dwarka. Today, I am going to speak about Fungal Nail Infections.

These infections are very common. Normally, they can affect any part of the body. They are not serious infections but very unpleasant. The fungal infection occurring in nails, therefore, it is called Fungal nail infections. In medical term, it is also called as Onichomicosis or Tinea Unguium. 

Some amount of fungus is very normal in the skin as the other bacterias. But if this fungus further grows, then it leads to infection.

Nail Fungal Infections

It is a very slow growing infection which is not often noticed. The patient comes to know when the nail plate gets damaged, that is some pain in the nail.

Why does this fungus grow?

Well, the fungus needs warm and moist environment to develop. When some un noticed injury happens to the nail fold or nail plate, it starts developing in the warm and moist environment, as it is a favourable environment to grow. Sometimes the injury is so minor that it often goes un noticed and the patient won't be aware of the infection. 

When the nail plate gets discoloured, or some lines start appearing on the nails, crumbled nails, then only patients come to know about the problem and they consult doctor through which they get to know about the nail fungus.

Who develops the nail fungus?

• People who work in a warm moist environment for a long time.
• The housewife may also face this problem while dish washing or gardening or while doing any kind of house work, they may get cut in their nails which will ultimately lead to nail fungus.
• People who are suffering from some diseases like diabetes, psoriasis, elder people, swimmer, people who walk bare foot, tends to suffer from fungal infections more commonly. However, toe nail infection is more common than finger nail infection.

How to diagnose nail fungal infection?

If you have any sort of discolouration of nails, pain or swelling, these are the signs of fungal infections and u need to consult a dermatologist. A doctor can scratch your nail for diagnosing a fungus. The infected nail may look like greenish yellowish in colour, or there may also occur some swollen nail fold, discharge. If it is advanced then the nail may get crumbled, distorted nail plate, or sometimes the nail plate get lifted up due to the fungus deposition. So, basically, these are the symptoms of nail fungal infections. Also, the nail can completely be destroyed if these symptoms are ignored which can not be repaired. There will be complete nail destruction and it will become very difficult to cure.

How the nail fungal infection treated?

The treatment is possible but it takes time for the recovery. The recovery time depends on the amount of damage caused to nail, patients tolerance and the number of nails damaged.

What type of treatments are available?

The oral medication is available and the topical creams. The treatment procedure takes months for the recovery. The finger nails take about 3-4 months for the recovery and for toe nails, it takes 4-5 months. Nowadays, Laser treatment for fungal infections is also available which is fast, effective and especially for those kinds of patients which can not tolerate anti-fungal tablets.

How to prevent nail fungus?

• It depends on how much you take care of your nails.
• The more you go for the regular checkup of your nail injury.
• regular clipping of a nail, go to such salons which do manicure and pedicure with the sterile equipment.
• If you are diabetic, then proper sugar control should be there.
• Don't keep your nails in moisture for long hours.
• If you are required to wear shoes for long hours, then you should apply anti- fungal powder on the toes, in order to keep them dry and does not allow fungus to grow.

These are few tips which can help you prevent nail fungal infection.

Thank you.