Dr Souvik Adhikari

Lupus is an autoimmune system disease in which the body's immune system gets hyperactive and attacks the normal and healthy tissue. It is a chronic illness. Individuals with lupus may encounter episodes of a flare up when symptoms show up, and episodes of remission when the side effects are under control. During a lupus flare up one may experience side effects such as weariness, exhaustion, weight reduction, fever, and iron deficiency. Flares and remissions can happen at any time, all of a sudden.

Some of the cautioning signs of a flare are as follows:

1. Weakness and fatigue
2. High fever
3. Increased pain
4. Development of a rash or worsening of one
5. Disturbed stomach
6. A migraine or wooziness

Some of the ways through which one can reduce lupus flare-ups are as follows

1. Figure out how to perceive the signs of a flare up and talk to your specialist regarding them.
2. Keep up your physical well-being. Make sure to visit your specialist frequently, regardless of the fact that you are feeling fine. Plan customary dental, eye, and gynecological exams.
3. Get enough rest. Be adaptable with your timetable of day-by-day exercises.
4. Attempt to limit your anxiety and stress. Since this might be difficult to do now and again, think about creating a method of managing stress. Build up an emotionally supportive network that includes your family, companions, medicinal or nursing experts, group associations, and care groups.
5. Participate in an activity or a project to help you keep up physical wellness and decrease stress.
6. Have a solid and healthy eating routine.
7. Limit your exposure to the sun and different sources of bright light, for example, fluorescent or incandescent lamps.
8. Notify your specialist immediately regarding any damage, ailment, or infection in case you do not feel well.
9. Delay elective surgery (dental surgery and teeth pulling) until your lupus is under control or going away.
10. Lupus may bring about issues for a pregnant woman and her child. Thus, women with lupus need to be careful while planning any pregnancy. Try not to quit using conception prevention until you have talked about the likelihood of pregnancy with your specialist and he or she has verified that you are perfectly healthy to get pregnant.
11. Talk to your specialist before you quit taking any recommended medicines.
12. Check with your specialist or attendant before taking any over-the-counter prescriptions.
13. Be cautious while attempting any over-the-counter medications for your skin or scalp. In case there is any redness, rash, raised areas, itching or irritation, do not use the medicine.
14. Know that specific physician recommended medications might trigger a flare. up Likewise, tell your lupus specialist or doctor if any new prescriptions have been recommended for you.
15. Make sure to check with your lupus specialist before accepting any vaccination. Routine injections, including those for season's flu virus and pneumonia, are an essential piece of keeping up your well-being, and you need to get them if your specialist confirms. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dermatologist.

An often persistent and long-lasting condition, psoriasis interferes with the life cycle of skin cells and causes them to increase rapidly on the surface of the skin. These generally appear as dry, itchy and red patches of skin having thick, silvery scales.

Psoriasis can be subdivided into the following:

1. Plaque psoriasis: The most common form, characterized by dry, red skin lesions covered with silvery scales and can be seen anywhere on the body.
2. Scalp psoriasis: These appear on the scalp and may extend beyond the hairline.
3. Nail psoriasis: These affect the toenails and fingernails.
4. Guttate psoriasis: Characterized by blister-like appearances and are stimulated by bacterial infections.
5. Inverse psoriasis: Caused by fungal infections.
6. Erythrodermic psoriasis: Can cover the entire body with a reddish rash that may peel.
7. Pustular psoriasis: Capable of causing chills, fever and diarrhea.

The usual signs and symptoms of psoriasis include:

• Red, sensitive patches of skin
• A silvery, scaly cover
• Dry and cracked skin that may bleed when scratched or agitated
• Tiny scaling spots (witnessed in children)
• Persistent itching, soreness or burning sensation
• Ridged, thickened or pitted nails
• Stiff and swollen joints

Possible causes of psoriasis may include:

1. Skin infections or strep throat infections
2. Stress
3. Skin injuries, like cuts, bites or sunburns
4. Smoking
5. Cold weather
6. Chronic alcoholism
7. Certain medications such as high blood pressure medications

Risk factors

The following factors may further increase the risk of developing the disease:

1. Fungal and bacterial infections
2. Family history
3. Obesity
4. Stress
5. Smoking

A few health tips for psoriasis patients:

1. Maintain safer distance from the possible variables that cause or aggravate psoriasis
2. Practice yoga regularly. Yoga can lessen the intensity of psoriasis.
3. Avoid pricking, peeling or scratching your skin.
4. Make sure to pat your skin dry after washing, and avoid rubbing vigorously with towel or any rough cloth.
5. Avoid artificial cleansers and use gram flour (besan flour) instead.
6. Use cotton clothes
7. Avoid cold water bath or immediate cleaning up right after heavy work-out, long walks, or travel.
8. Avoid food stuffs that can cause indigestion.
9. Avoid excessive salty and acidic food stuffs, radish, urad dal, sesame, jaggery (gur), curds, fish and other sour food stuffs that can trigger psoriasis.

Warts are small, rough patches on the skin (resembling cauliflowers) that are caused due to the human papillomavirus (hpv- a dna virus that can infect humans). In this condition, only the topmost layer of your skin gets infected and acquires a rough texture. Warts are not fatal (they do not cause cancer), but they are contagious in nature and do not vanish easily.

Read on to find the most effective ways to get rid of warts.

1. Over-the-counter wart removers
Over-the-counter wart treatments containing salicylic acid (a type of fungicide) as an active ingredient are commonly used for effective removal of warts. These medications generally eliminate warts by removing the topmost layer of the skin, following the peel-off process.

2. Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy, also known as freezing therapy, is generally performed by a dermatologist and consists of the use of liquid nitrogen for freezing the warts. The application of the chemical results in the formation of a blister around the warts, which shed off after about a week. It takes almost 3 to 4 weeks to have completely wart-free skin. This method proves to be more effective when used with salicylic acid-based wart removers.

3. Laser treatment
Another form of wart removal is pulsed-dye laser treatment. An ablative co2 laser acts by cutting and burning the wart. In this type of treatment the affected blood vessels are burnt, leading to the death of the infected tissue, following which the wart too disappears. However, this method is not commonly used if other treatment methods tend to work as it is painful and may leave behind scars.

4. Vaccine
Sometimes your dermatologist may recommend the use of human papillomavirus (hpv) vaccine to successfully eliminate warts.

5. Bleomycin
In this type of treatment each wart is injected with a shot of bleomycin, a medicine that fights cancer. However, this treatment is not preferred generally as it may be painful and comes with side effects like nail loss if the wart is present on the finger.

6. Immune therapy
When warts refuse to vanish after the use of all common treatments, this method is put into use. This type of treatment involves the use of medications or solutions, which strengthens your immune system so that it can repel warts. In this case your warts may be injected with an antigen or a solution or cream may be applied on them.

A Lower Body Lift is also called a belt lipectomy, is an increasingly popular type of surgery. The aim of this surgery is to eliminate or improve excessive or sagging of thigh and buttock skin from the area. This surgery is mostly opted to enhance the physical appearance and is becoming increasingly popular these days. 

Causes to undergo Lower Body Lift: 

1. A Lower body lift is beneficial in those females, due to extreme weight loss or advanced age, the skin in the buttocks, thighs and abdomen becomes loose and appears to be sagging. 
2. Apart from loosening the skin, weight loss can also make the buttocks & thighs and abdomen look deformed or de-shaped. 

In that case, a Lower Body Lift helps the patient correct the area. Lower body lift is most likely to be successful when: 

1. The layers of fat beneath the skin of the patient are relatively thin. 
2. The patient does not smoke, as smoking slows down the healing process and also increases the risk of post-surgery complications. 
3. The patient's weight does not fluctuate a lot. He or she must have a stable weight for at least a year before the surgery. 
4. The overall health of the patient is good, and he or she does not suffer from chronic medical conditions. 

How is the surgery performed? 

Depending on the body type and other condition of the patient, the doctors make a circumferential incision at the waist or slightly below that area. 
After that, the excess fat or skin is removed from the soft tissue that is present there. Following this, the skin is closed up in layers and tightened. 

Things to keep in mind before the surgery: 

1. It may take a month to recover fully, post surgery 
2. Weight gain or loss in the future may affect the results of the surgery.

Loss of hair can have adverse effects on your physical as well as mental health. Not only does hair loss affect your self-esteem or appeal, it also hints at an underlying health problem. There could be many reasons for the loss of hair. ‘Alopecia areata’ is a condition wherein sudden loss of hair begins with one or more circular bald patches that might or might not overlap.

Some of the common cosmetic treatments for hair loss include:

1. Hair Grafting or Transplant: Hair transplant or grafting is a procedure that uses surgery to move hair follicles from one spot in the body to another and is mainly used to treat male pattern baldness. The transplantations are carried out in outpatient form, with local anaesthesia and mild sedation. Harvesting of hair follicles is done using various methods, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the common harvesting techniques are:
2. Strip Harvesting: A strip of skin from the scalp or from any other spot where there is good growth of hair is harvested by the surgeon.
3. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE): Follicular Unit Extraction is a procedure which involves the singular extraction of each hair follicle without any removal of strip of tissue.
4. Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT): Follicular Unit Transplant involves the removal of a small strip of tissue from the rear part of the head. The donor hair follicles would be extracted from this strip.
5. Robotic Hair Restoration: The devices associated with Robotic Hair Restoration utilize robotic arms and cameras to provide assistance to the surgeon during the FUE procedure.
6. Scalp Reduction: This cosmetic procedure involves removal of skin (non-hair-bearing) from the scalp, which ensures that the remaining skin (hair-bearing) can be extended to the area that it is capable of covering the bald spots on the head. This procedure is effective in covering bald areas on the back as well as top of the head. However, it is not favourable for the hairline in the frontal areas of the head

Apart from the skin on your face, the skin on your elbows and knees needs special attention as well. Whether you’re fair skinned or dark skinned, with age you may notice your skin on the elbows and knees becoming darker than usual. This happens because the skin in these areas is thicker than the rest of the body and has more folds than usual. It also has no oil glands and very little blood supply that makes this area rough and dry.

Genetics, exposure to the sun, improper hygiene, hormonal imbalances and certain medications are some of the factors that play a role in the darkening of the skin in these areas. Resting your elbows on the tables or kneeling puts the skin on your elbows and knees in contact with other surfaces and causes friction that can also make the skin darker. Luckily this is not a condition that requires medical attention and can be treated with simple home remedies. Here are a few-

1. Lemon and Honey Scrub: Lemon and honey are excellent for the skin. Lemon juice has natural bleaching properties and honey is a great moisturiser. When combined together, they lighten the skin and make it softer simultaneously. Mix 1 lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of honey and apply on the affected areas. Leave on for at least 20 minutes and then rinse.

2. Vinegar and Yogurt Mask: The combination of vinegar and yoghurt helps remove black spots and moisturises the skin. To use, mix a few tablespoons of vinegar with yoghurt and apply on the skin. Once dry, rub the mixture in a circular motion to scrub the dead cells off and then wash off.

3. Aloe Vera Gel: Along with all its other health benefits, aloe vera gel is also very good for the skin. In particular, it addresses damage caused by sun exposure and moisturises the skin. Ideally, use the gel from a plant directly. Apply aloe vera gel on the elbows and knees and leave to dry for at least half an hour before rinsing it off.

4. Turmeric, Milk, and Honey: Turmeric is well known as an antiseptic and when combined with the moisturising properties of honey and the bleaching properties of milk can do wonders for darkened elbows and knees. To use, mix equal proportions of all the three elements into a paste and apply to the affected areas. Leave on for 20 minutes and scrub in a circular motion before washing off. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dermatologist and ask a free question.

A nose surgery (rhinoplasty) is performed to remove polyps and other blockages, alter the structure and shape of your nose and improve its function and or appearance. Here are a few things you should know about nose surgeries:

Deciding on surgery: Before deciding on undergoing nose surgery, consult with your doctor regarding issues related to your nose. Your doctor will check your problems and judge whether or not surgery is a feasible option. It is only with your doctor's confirmation that you should go for the surgery.

The procedure: The surgery is done either with local anesthesia (your nose and surrounding areas will be numbed) or general anesthesia (you will fall asleep). The surgeon will make incisions in your nostrils and base of the nose and alter the shape, structure and position of the cartilages in your nose for appealing shape and better functionality. Polyp removal is also done by rhinoplasty.

Recovery: After the surgery you will be required to wear a nose splint. You can expect swelling around the eyes, which will begin to subside after the third day. Swelling in the nose will go away after six months. Therefore, do not expect to see your results immediately, final condition of your nose will be apparent after the recovery period is over.

• You should avoid strenuous activity for three to six weeks.
• Do not smoke or drink alcohol during recovery. Smoking slows recovery time and alcohol reduces normal effects of drugs.

Will you develop scars?

As with all cosmetic procedures, rhinoplasty can leave scars. In closed rhinoplasty, incisions are made inside the nostrils and hence there is no scarring. In open rhinoplasty, an additional cut is made along the columella and this may result in scarring. However, the position of the scar is such that it is almost unnoticeable.

Risks: Any surgical procedure has certain risks. These risks associated with nose surgery include:

1. Infection
2. Adverse effect to anesthesia
3. Unfavorable outcome
4. Visible scarring
5. Numbness
6. Difficulty in breathing
7. Chronic nosebleed
8. A perforated septum
9. Haematoma
10. Bursting of blood vessels
11. Nervous damage
12. Possibility of revision surgery

Nowadays, hair fall and thinning are conditions that most people face and are tired of trying new treatments to fix them. There are numerous treatments, but most have been proven to have certain adverse effects. Homeopathy, on the other hand, is an alternative medicine category, which uses not so strong chemicals or drugs, but slowly and steadily treats body ailments. 

Causes of hair fall

1. Genetics
2. Various skin diseases that affect the scalp. For example, fungal infections known as tinea capitis, seborrhoea, lichen planus, eczema
3. Various hormonal changes
4. Nutritional deficiency, especially lack of iron in diet
5. Various drugs that are taken for treatment of joint pains, high blood pressure, depression or cancer 
6. Diseases like tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, AIDS, hypothyroidism etc. 
7. Hairstyles of individuals, especially those who fall prey to the latest trends in styling. For example, tight pony tails or braids, indiscriminate usage of heat and colour to the hair.

Homeopathic treatment to prevent hair loss
Before any homeopathic medicine is prescribed to individuals, a detail of their case history is required to be studied. Here is a list of homeopathic medicines which help in controlling and preventing hair fall.

1. The various skin diseases on the scalp can be a major reason for hair fall. This may occur due to extreme itching or numerous acrid discharges from the lesions that have occurred. Homeopathic medicines like Psorinum are used to treat hair loss caused due to discharge from skin lesions. Another medicine is Mercurius Solubilis; this also helps in relieving the scalp from the lesions and discharges.
2. In case of hair loss due to excess dandruff, Thuja occidentalis and Kali suphuricum are the medicines that can be used.
3. In case of hair loss due to childbirth or menopause, Natrum muriaticum and Pulsatilla pratensis can be excellent medicines for effective treatment. Another treatment can be Sepia officinalis.
4. The hair fall caused by anaemia can be treated by using Borax, Cinchona officinalis and Calcarea phorphorica.
5. For alopecia, phophorus, calcarea, fluoricum acidum, vinca minor, carbonica are used.
6. In order to fight baldness, medicines like Silicea, Sulphur, Baryta carbonica, Lycopodium clavatum can be prescribed.

These are just a few treatments in a nutshell, but there are numerous others to be discussed. To know the right medicine for you, you can always consult a qualified homeopathic practitioner.

There are so many reasons people get inked. For some, a tattoo is a form of expression for other, a reminder of incidents and people. Since a tattoo is permanent, it needs to be carefully thought about. Today, you may think having your girlfriend's name inked onto your skin is a way of declaring your love but what if tomorrow, you break up. Ex lovers names are probably the most common tattoos that people ask to be removed. Yes, tattoos can be removed but it isn't as easy as it sounds. 

What makes a tattoo permanent is the depth the ink permeates to. Unlike writing on your skin with a pen, ink in a permanent tattoo is placed in the dermis. This layer of skin lies under the epidermis and cannot be easily accessed. Thus using a cream or ointment will not help you remove a permanent tattoo. It may help bleach the pigment slightly but will scar your skin leaving the area looking worse than it was before. Using an acid to remove tattoos is also not advisable as this will scar the skin. 

The only way to effectively remove a tattoo without scarring is with laser treatment. The laser penetrates the skin and breaks up the ink particles. This makes the body's immune system recognize the ink as alien elements and removes them through the lymphatic system. This leaves the rest of your skin undamaged. Laser treatment to remove a tattoo is not a onetime procedure and may need to be repeated a number of times depending on the number of colours, size of tattoo and quality of ink used. 

A single laser cannot be used to treat all the colours in your tattoo. Lasers of different wavelengths are used to remove different colours. Thus, the more colours in a tattoo, the longer it will take to be removed. In some cases, even with laser treatment, the tattoo cannot be completely removed and a shadow may remain. Fluorescent colours are the most difficult to remove. Contrary to popular belief, black and red pigments are the easiest to remove. Laser treatment can also be used on any skin colour though it may take a few extra sessions to remove tattoos on dark skin. The location of your tattoos also plays a great role in determining how easy it will be to remove. The closer the tattoo is to your heart, the better the results. 

In most cases, removing a tattoo takes 5-12 laser treatment sessions. This can take from 6 to 12 months as the dermatologist will probably ask you to wait a month between sittings. Each laser treatment session is expensive and hence removing a tattoo is much more expensive than getting one.  Hence, think before you ink.
 

I have successfully treated highest number of Leucoderma and Vitiligo patients in India since past 32 years. Homoeopathy along with holistic modes has been a miraculous aid in giving the results. In this article, I bring to you the topic of a famous personality and his confrontation with Vitiligo. 

• Michael Jackson songs, the king of pop, thriller, moonwalk getting nostalgic? We all remember Michael Jackson as the king of pop, he stirred up the ear with his over the top songs and breathtaking dance moves! His death shook the world and the music industry at large.
• He always had been the talk of the town not only for his art but for his appearance.
• Michael Jackson skin color raised controversies and questions among fans and fellow artists. He was accused of skin bleaching and using various techniques to turn white because he didn’t like his skin color. However he shunned these allegations by admitting to having Vitiligo on Oprah Winfrey’s show.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disorder which causes loss of pigment in the skin. The melanin production capacity of the skin gets dysfunctional. This causes white patches on skin which can spread like it did on Michael Jackson. Due to less awareness of Vitiligo back then everyone believed that Michael Jackson was making up a story to cover the allegations of skin bleaching.

Only 2% of the world’s population suffers from Vitiligo and Jackson had a paternal history of the disease which was dominant in his case.

Vitiligo began on Michael Jackson’s skin soon after Thriller album, it started off as white dots on his hands skin which he covered with Billie Jean Gloves. But, in no time it spread over his full hand and body, he initially tried to cover it with full coverage makeup but it did him no good as patches begin to grow. When the disease went out of control, he opened up about his condition.

Though harmless otherwise these white patches become a cause of embarrassment and low self esteem in highly pigmented individuals like Michael Jackson himself. He was born a black american but in his adulthood his skin turned white. He fell a prey to innumerous allegations and racist comments because of the lack of knowledge among the people. Michael Jackson Vitiligo was confirmed in a biopsy report and was made public thus proving he really did have vitiligo.

Who all can have Vitiligo?

Vitiligo rarely shows familial history but this factor cannot be ruled out. It can affect people of any age group, race or sex. Vitiligo is generally more prominent in countries like India, Egypt and other tropical countries. Many cases have seen its onset after menopause, at 15 years of age, or as early as the age of 5. Vitiligo is non infectious and non-contagious and cannot spread with touch. It has no relationship to leprosy, however there can be differential diagnosis of seeing white patches on skin.

What can cause Vitiligo?

Exact causes of vitiligo have not been established yet but it can be due to gastrointestinal disorder like chronic amoebiasis, chronic dyspepsia and intestinal worms may be additional factors.

Trauma or local irritation from wearing tight blouses and clothes can also produce Vitiligo in individuals predisposed to it. Acute stress may be followed by fast spreading vitiligo. Endocrine disorders or nutritional disorders can also be revolving cause for Vitiligo.Not infrequently it has been seen vitiligo appearing after use of broad-spectrum antibiotics esp chloramphenicol and streptomycin.

How to treat Vitiligo?

In Michael Jackson’s case he matched his unaffected skin color with the vitiligo skin color by going a shade lighter which made him appear completely white. However with the advancement over years it is possible to treat vitiligo.

For stationary and small patches there are temporary options to dye the white patch into the skin color. It is done by doing a patch test and seeing which color is absorbed by the skin.

Whereas for a permanent long time solution it is important to treat this condition constitutionally by promoting the production of melanin internally by medicines.

• Some local applications and frequent sun exposure on the patches can also help in repigmentation.

• Avoid eating food from animal sources.

• It is extremely important to keep your skin and yourself hydrated as Vitiligo paired up with other disorders like diabetes can cause dehydration very soon.

• Avoid wearing tight clothes and prevent trauma on skin.

• Do not stress as it can also contribute in producing vitiligo.

• Apply pure ghee with turmeric on white patches and take sun exposure.

At Valeda, you can avail a holistic treatment to cure Vitiligo permanently by constitutional medicines and total wellness using techniques of acupuncture that will strengthen your immune system and also treat your Vitiligo Skin. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Homeopath.

You will be surprised to know that about 35 million men and 21 million women suffer from excessive hairfall in India. Excessive hair fall can be the result of certain illnesses, hormonal changes, over-use of hair products that contain chemicals or a poor diet. What you may not have considered is that you can also lose a lot of hair by combing it the wrong way.

Check if you’re making these common combing mistakes.

1. Are you combing your hair from the roots down?
If you’re combing your hair you should always start from the middle while working it downwards. Move the comb upwards (near the roots) only when there are no more tangles remaining in the bottom half.
If you start combing from your roots, you may have to fight more tangles on the way to the bottom. This induces strain on your scalp, and increases hair breakage. The end result is weak hair and roots, and more hair fall.

2. Are you combing post the application of a hair product?
A comb should never be used just after the application of a hair paste, serum or cream for treatment or styling. You must use only your fingers to comb through your hair once you've applied a styling product.
If you use a comb post-application of a styling product, it not only loses its effect, but may also harm your hair and its texture.Consequently, it may lead to increased breakage and hair loss over time.

3. Are you detangling your hair after shampooing or washing?
Hair is known to be at its weakest when wet, which can also make it prone to tangling. Combing and excessive pulling of tangled, wet hair increases your chances of hair breakage and eventual hair loss.
To avert water-induced frowns, you can try giving a comb-through before wetting your hair in the shower. Alternatively, you can also try combing your hair during a shower. Apply the conditioner first; next, untangle the strands by using only your fingers, and then use a wide-toothed comb just before washing.

4. Are you regularly back-combing your hair?
Sometimes people back-comb their hair from the roots working towards the ends. This hair teasing technique adds volume and texture to your hair. Although it’s a great trick, its regular use may damage your hair cuticles, which as a result, may also ruin your hair’s quality, lead to frizzy hair and increase breakage and hair loss.
To get the element of volume without the damage, you can try light hair sprays, which help you in getting a similar look.