Dr D S Agrawal

A head louse is an insect that lives on the human scalp and feeds on human blood. The female louse lays eggs in the head and makes sure the eggs are attached to the hair shaft. It takes around eight days for the egg to hatch. The louse takes another 11 days to mature into an adult louse.

Causes:
The primary cause of head louse is poor personal hygiene. Other causes due to which a person can be infected by lice are:

1. Using combs and towels that are infested.
2. Coming in contact with another person who has this condition.
3. Sharing the bed with a person who is affected by lice.

Symptoms:

When a person is affected by this condition then the following symptoms are observed:

1. The saliva of the lice causes an allergic reaction in the scalp which leads to constant itching. It can occur in various places such as ears, scalp and the neck. It may not occur initially, but it tends to occur after a few weeks.
2. Constant scratching can lead to formation of small red bumps on the skin. A bacterial infection usually occurs from constant itching.
3. It may lead to symptoms of dandruff in the scalp.
4. Presence of various insects in the scalp.

Prevention of Lice:

Lice can be prevented by using medicated shampoos and conditioners to wash the hair. The shampoos are usually based on a chemical called pyrethrin. This compound is toxic for lice and helps in getting rid of it.

You can also opt for the following lifestyle changes to prevent lice:

1. You should avoid sharing your hairbrush with others.
2. In case you have long hair, tie it in buns or ponytails.
3. Add tea tree oil to your shampoo before using it.
4. Keep the scalp clean to prevent infestations.
5. Avoid sharing pillows and clothes.

Freckles are not always unwanted. While some people can't stand them, a few people find them cute. However, everybody loves clear skin and to achieve that it is essential to bid farewell to freckles. Freckles are tiny brown spots that are caused by an increased production of melanin in the skin cells.

People with sensitive skin are more prone to freckles than others. If you're looking for a way to get clearer skin, here are a few remedies to help you deal with freckles: 

• Use sunscreen: The first step towards fighting freckles is to prevent them. Freckles are a result of exposure to the sun and hence using a good sunscreen every day is a must. Choose a sunscreen that fights both UVA and UVB rays. The more your exposure to the sun, the higher the amount of SPF needed. 
• Bleach them with lemon juice: Lemon juice is the best form of natural bleach. Apply freshly squeezed juice or bottled lime juice onto the skin and leave for 15*20 minutes. Do this twice a day to see your freckles fade. Along with bleaching the skin, the citric acid also helps tighten the skin and makes you look younger. 
• Increase your intake of vitamin C: Vitamin C helps lighten the skin. Apart from the limes and lemons, kiwis, tomatoes, bell peppers and papaya are good sources of vitamin C. 
• Use sour milk and sour cream: Sour milk and sour cream contain lactic acid that inhibits melanin production and lighten the skin. Wash your face with sour milk three to four times a day. You may rinse your face with water a little while after each sour milk wash. Apply the sour cream on your face as a mask and leave on for 15*20 minutes. This will help your skin absorb the lactic acid. 
• Mask them with honey: Apply a mixture of honey and warm water over the freckles. Let it sit for a while and then rinse with lukewarm water. Follow this by rinsing your face with cold water. Alternatively, you could try a mask of honey and yogurt. Leave this mask on for at least half an hour. 
• Try a fruit peel: Along with eating them, you could also put fruit directly on your skin to fight freckles. Blend fruits like strawberries, papaya, pineapple and cucumber and apply it on your face. As it dries the top layer of skin sticks to the fruit and is peeled off. With repeated use, you will notice your freckles fade away.

If none of this works, you could also try skin lightening creams or chemical peels and laser freckle removal. 

What can be more attractive than having a head full of silky, black, long and luscious hair? But the lifestyle issues coupled with pollution have led to the loss of hair among both men and women. Too much stress, lack of nutritional food, ageing and genetic factors along with hormonal imbalances have also contributed to an uncontrollable hair fall. Most people who are affected by hair loss often tend to opt for chemically enriched products that make the situation even worse. Thankfully, Ayurveda offers top notch solutions to these problems, and you can easily get rid of hair fall problems with the ingredients that are almost found in all households.

Go for a hair oil massage
The foremost step that would help you combat the issues of hair fall is massaging your head with the right hair oil. The proper technique of scalp and hair massage would improve the flow of blood to the hair follicles and condition the dry scalp, which is required for strengthening the roots of your hair. You will feel much relaxed and there will be a reduction in stress and slowly these factors would promote the growth of hair.

Have Indian gooseberry to help you
When you are willing to have faster growth of hair, you can get some Indian gooseberry, which is commonly called by the name of Amla. This citrus fruit is rich in Vitamin C, a deficiency of which can lead to breakage and loss of hair. The Indian gooseberry has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, and it is also believed to have exfoliating properties that are essential for the maintenance of a healthy scalp as well as promoting the growth of new hair follicles.

Get yourself a handful of fenugreek seeds
Also known by the name of Methi in Indian households, fenugreek is a common ingredient found almost in all kitchens. It is rich in hormone antecedents, which are known for their ability to boost hair growth along with aiding to rebuild the hair follicles. Fenugreek seeds are also rich in nicotinic acid and proteins that can cause stimulation in the hair roots and induce growth of hair.

When you have an easy access to the items that are always available then what is the point of using artificial products with an overflow of harmful chemicals and compounds that cause damage to your hair in place of repairing it? So, it is recommended to seek the aid of Ayurveda and have a Rapunzel-like hair.

There is a wide range of options to get rid of wrinkles. Laser treatments are considered to be one of the best ways to eradicate wrinkles for a long time. There are other treatments such as microdermabrasion, photo facials, and chemical peels as well. Dermal fillers are used to treat deep wrinkles. Wrinkles of the forehead and the eye are best treated with Dysport and botox.

There is a wide range of options to get rid of wrinkles. Laser treatments are considered to be one of the best ways to eradicate wrinkles for a long time. There are other treatments such as microdermabrasion, photo facials, and chemical peels as well. Dermal fillers are used to treat deep wrinkles. Wrinkles of the forehead and the eye are best treated with Dysport and botox.

How Does Laser Work?

Laser treatments such as the Fraxel and the fractional CO2 make tiny pores in the skin. These pores or incisions have two purposes. The first is to make sure that the skin produces collagen and the second is to ensure that the skin heals quickly. The laser can address wrinkles in areas such as eye, face, hands and legs. Out of all the treatment plans, laser treatment is by far the costliest one. They are typically used by maxillofacial surgeons having in-depth knowledge of physiology. Treatment of this kind might require more than one session depending on the extent of wrinkles.

How Does Dermal Filler Work?

Dermal fillers are a popular method to address wrinkles and are used to destroy wrinkles around the mouth and the eye. Lasers can also diminish hollowness and dark circles near the eye. Moreover, they are very effective in making up the lost volumes of the jawline, temples, and cheeks. Dermal fillers, however, last for about a year and needs to be redone to hold on to the facial changes. They are typically safe and contain limited side effects. A consulting session with the doctor will help to know more about the potential risk of this treatment.

Removing wrinkles from under the eye-

Botox and Dysport are two of the most popular options to get rid of wrinkles under the eye region. While lasers can diminish the appearance of wrinkles, botox and Dysport can permanently get rid of it. They also ensure that the wrinkles do not come back for quite some time. Some other wrinkles that botox and Dysport can fix include wrinkles of the forehead, eye, and the brows.

How Effective Are Wrinkle Creams?

In comparison to botox and lasers, wrinkle creams are far less effective. This being said, they are extremely popular for the fact that they are readily available over the counter and are very cheap. Most wrinkle creams contain retinol that helps to increase collagen production and stimulate turnover of the skin. Wrinkle creams that are designed for the eye do not contain retinol since they are an eye irritant and can cause damage to the eye. These creams also contain anti-oxidants that help the collagen to hold their own and stop the interference of free radicals.

Laser treatments such as the Fraxel and the fractional CO2 make tiny pores in the skin. These pores or incisions have two purposes. The first is to make sure that the skin produces collagen and the second is to ensure that the skin heals quickly. The laser can address wrinkles in areas such as eye, face, hands and legs. Out of all the treatment plans, laser treatment is by far the costliest one. They are typically used by maxillofacial surgeons having in-depth knowledge of physiology. Treatment of this kind might require more than one session depending on the extent of wrinkles.

How Does Dermal Filler Work?

Dermal fillers are a popular method to address wrinkles and are used to destroy wrinkles around the mouth and the eye. Lasers can also diminish hollowness and dark circles near the eye. Moreover, they are very effective in making up the lost volumes of the jawline, temples, and cheeks. Dermal fillers, however, last for about a year and needs to be redone to hold on to the facial changes. They are typically safe and contain limited side effects. A consulting session with the doctor will help to know more about the potential risk of this treatment.

Removing wrinkles from under the eye-

Botox and Dysport are two of the most popular options to get rid of wrinkles under the eye region. While lasers can diminish the appearance of wrinkles, botox and Dysport can permanently get rid of it. They also ensure that the wrinkles do not come back for quite some time. Some other wrinkles that botox and Dysport can fix include wrinkles of the forehead, eye, and the brows.