Dr Souvik Adhikari

Eczema is an autoimmune disorder wherein the skin overreacts to certain triggers in or outside the body resulting in inflammation and lesions. Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. The skin becomes dry, patchy and rough, and it tends to form itchy and red blisters. Eczema is usually caused due to inflammation; in most cases, allergy triggers eczema. It has been observed that quite often, patients who suffer from eczema have a family history of allergy. In some cases, patients having other allergies, may also develop eczema. Apart from this, low immunity triggers this disease.

Symptoms

• Red patches over skin
• Dry rough skin with blisters
• Intense itching on skin, with occasional bleeding
• Formation of a thick leather-like layer over the affected areas of the skin
• Discharge of an oozing watery and sticky liquid from the affected area, in case of wet eczema (In case of dry eczema, there is no watery discharge; the skin stays rough and dry.)

Treating eczema with homeopathy
Treating eczema might be possible by taking several medications. But treating doesn't mean curing. People who suffer from eczema know how irritating the disorder is. So they want a cure for eczema, which is possible with homeopathic medicines. Homeopathy is known for curing eczema, from the root. Basically, homeopathy helps to improve the immune system, as low immunity is responsible for causing allergies. When immunity is built, and low immunity quits from overreacting to several reactions, eczema is cured.

1. Graphites: Graphites is one of the finest homeopathic medicines for treating wet eczema, when there is thick, oozing watery and sticky discharge. In most cases, the patient with this type of eczema suffers from constipation and obesity. He or she might be sensitive towards cold. Their usual skin becomes hard and cold, but the affected area remains dry and rough. The remedy is prescribed mostly to women with menstrual disorders.
2. Mezereum: This is the suitable for patients with eczema, which tends to form a leathery crust on the head. The patient might feel intense itching especially at night.
3. Hepar sulphur: This is suitable for eczema with formation of pus. The patient is usually too sensitive to cold. Intense itching, sneezing and sensitivity towards cold are the symptoms, which indicate the need for this medicine.
4. Dulcamara: This is one of the finest homeopathic medicines for eczema, which aggravates in damp or cold weather. Thick formation of yellowish crust and intense itching are the symptoms, which clearly indicate the need for this remedy.
5. Sulphur: This one is suitable for eczema with burning sensation along with intense itching. Symptoms usually worsen in summer and the skin feels rough and dry.

Urticaria or hives are red, raised lesions that occur anywhere on the body, usually around the trunk, hands and legs. They appear as small round rings or large patches that changes shape, may itch and be surrounded by a red flare. They can be acute or chronic, with acute almost always being an allergic reaction. It is often due to unknown causes, ranging from chronic irritation to parasitic infection to temperatures to water types.

Homeopathy treats diseases as a whole, and similarly, when treating urticaria tries to identify associated symptoms and thereby treat the cause also. After a detailed discussion about predisposition and associated symptoms, a customized remedy will be prescribed, which may include one of the following common homeopathic remedies.

1. Apis Mell: The hives consist of isolated patches that are painful, tender, itch at night, feel like bee stings, become purple. There is burning pain, slight fever, and warmth of the surrounding skin. It is worsened by changing weather and exercise, causing severe itching and burning. The patient may already have asthma.
2. Arsenic Album: The urticaria is caused by eating shellfish and causes burning and restlessness. The condition gets worse being at the seaside and by getting into sea water. Arsenic is also useful to treat urticarial symptoms during the recession of the lesions. The person also could be down emotionally with depression, despair, indifference and irritability. If the lesions are more severe, the restlessness is also severe. It is worse after midnight, from 1 to 2 a.m.
3. Rhus toxicodendron: Prepared from the leaves and bark of the plant poison ivy, Rhus works on multiple body systems including skin, joints, eyes, extremities, and overall vitality. In addition to urticaria, it is also used in cellulitis, arthritis, fevers, etc. It is effective if the urticaria has a burning sensation, inflamed reddened rash that is worsened by cold and improved by warmth.
4. Urtica urens: Made from a plant called stinging nettle, which itself has a tendency to produce urticaria, it is used when there is urticaria from bee stings or after eating shellfish. The lesions are red with severe burning and itching, recurring every year, could be associated with weather changes.
5. Natrum Muriaticum: The common salt sodium chloride is potentized, and its inner healing power activated. It is used for chronic urticaria, where the lesions develop after severe irritation.
6. Dulcamara: The lesions develop followed a general prickly sensation setting in and at night when it is cold and damp. The hives are irregular white patches surrounded by a red area that itch badly. The hives are associated with violent cough, swelling of the lymph nodes, fever, restlessness, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, bitter taste, and intense aching in pit of stomach. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a homeopath and ask a free question.

A flawless skin is the first parameter of a beautiful appearance. No matter what is your colour, a glamorous skin with no spots and blackheads is a must for being beautiful. In fact, it is the dream of most women to get a beautiful skin. Your skin can look young forever, if you take care of it in a proper manner. Your skin can look young if the collagen that is produced by the cells in skin remains intact. It helps in keeping your skin wrinkle-free and holds it tight. But, as you get older, the collagen gets damaged and its production is reduced. Here’s how you can take care of the collagen fibre and keep your skin intact:

1. Take Vitamin C: According to American Journal of Nutrition women in their mid age with sufficient amount of vitamin C had wrinkle-free skin. They looked young and vitamin. Vitamin C plays a vital role in the production of collagen. It also catalyses collagen repair. You can have food rich in vitamin C. Thus, you can eat leafy green vegetables and citrus fruits for best results on regular basis.

2. Stop Smoking: It is always advisable to quit smoking in order to have younger and fairer spotless skin. Smoking is responsible for the release of an enzyme called metalloproteinases. This enzyme is responsible for damage of collagen fibre.

3. Stay Away From Sun Rays: It is a known fact that sun rays are harmful to the skin. They contain ultraviolet radiations. These UV rays destroy collagen fibres, leading to loosening of the skin. Thus, it is best to avoid staying outdoors under the sun for too long on a regular basis. Or, if it is absolutely unavoidable, you must put on sunscreen lotions or creams, which protect your skin against UV rays.

4. Take Retinol: You can apply retinoid creams. They boost the formation of collagen. These are prescription drugs. But, there are also some over-the-counter creams with retinol in lighter doses. These are useful for having a younger skin.

5. Avoid Sweet Stuff: You must not eat too much of sweet stuff as they can cause beauty disaster. Excess sugar leads to the production of advanced glycation end products by attaching itself to lipids and proteins. This would hamper your skin and its collagen.

6. Exfoliate: It is important for you to exfoliate your skin daily. It removes the dead cells from the outer layer and allows the skin to breathe and look fresh.

Facial aging is an issue which shows its first signs around the late twenties and early thirties. It is manifested in the form of fine lines, dark circles, wrinkles and rough skin, especially near the eyes and lips. This process cannot be reversed. It is a part of human body and the way the skin matures with age. But, it can be treated through surgical and non-surgical or natural means to make sure that the process of aging is slowed down.

Factors Affecting Facial Aging:

There are several factors which affect the facial aging and aggravate the process faster. Some of these factors are:

1. If you smoke excessively, your face would sooner or later start showing signs of aging prematurely.
2. At times, this process gains speed due to genetic issues.
3. Stress and anxiety are the most important reasons for a person to start showing signs of aging at an early stage of life.
4. If you lead a hectic lifestyle which involves excessive travelling throughout different climates, the exhaustion may be manifested through facial aging.

What are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers help to diminish facial lines and restore volume and fullness in the face.

As we age, our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat. The facial muscles are then working closer to the skin surface, so smile lines and crow's feet become more apparent.

The facial skin also stretches a bit, adding to this loss of facial volume. Other factors that affect the facial skin include sun exposure, heredity, and lifestyle.

Dermal fillers can be used to:

• Plump thin lips
• Enhance shallow contours
• Soften facial creases and wrinkles
• Improve the appearance of recessed scars

Dermal fillers can be very helpful in those with early signs of aging, or as a value-added part of facial rejuvenation surgery.

Administration:

You must make a note of the fact that dermal filling is not considered to be a type of surgical treatment. However, it does use anaesthesia while being administered. In fact, the patient is first given a dose of anaesthesia and left to rest for about half an hour. Some fillers have anesthesia in the syringe itself otherwise, we apply numbing cream or topical anesthesia. Thereafter, dermal fillings are applied with the help of fine needles. You need to realise that the use of fine needles with precision can be done only by those who have been specially trained for it. Thus, if your dermatologist recommends you for a treatment of dermal filling, then he/she ought to be a trained expert in carrying out the procedure. If you, on your own prefer to get this treatment done, then you should also find an expert who is well trained in administering this procedure.

Thus, dermal fillers are quite famous in the world of facial dermatology to reverse the aging process. It helps in reducing fine lines, wrinkles and adds volume and smoothness to the skin.