Dr. Nilendu Sharma

Some of us are born with freckles and some acquire them, mostly due to sun exposure. They are not common on darker skin, but those of us with lighter complexion have to bear the brunt of these brown dot-like blemishes. If you’ve been waiting for information on easy and super-fast ways to get rid of freckles, you’ve just got lucky.

You can use natural lightening methods as well as freckle-removing treatments like lasers to get rid of freckles fast.

Natural lightening methods: 

1. Lemon juice:  This natural bleach can lighten freckles fast. Problem is that lemon juice doesn’t work on freckles caused due to sun exposure as these are darker and more irregularly placed across the skin.
2. Sour cream mask: Milk and sour cream are both very effective in combating freckles. Just make a mask and apply on your face and let it soak in. What happens here is that the lactic acid in milk peels away the outer skin on your face, lightening freckles.
3. Fruit peels: You can mix fruits and apply on face. This will facilitate the natural acids in fruits to peel the top layer of skin and lighten freckles. Strawberries and kiwi fruit are very effective and so are cucumbers and apricots.

Treatments for removing freckles

1. Lightening creams: These are easily available as well as extremely effective against both natural as well as sun induced freckles. Creams with liquorice extract and Aloe work best. Then there are creams with chemicals like hydroquinone and oxybenzone, which are also very effective, though they can sometimes have side effects.
2. Microdermabrasion: What microdermabrasion does is that it removes the outer layer of skin through the action of a stream of tiny particles. This reduces the intensity of freckles.
3. Chemical peels: These peels remove the top layer of skin and reduce freckles. Skin needs 2-3 days to heal after a chemical peel. Chemical peels are prepared in 3 different strengths:
   1. Superficial which use alpha or beta hydroxy acids
   2. Medium which uses trichloroacetic acid to penetrate deep into skin
   3. Deep peels which use higher concentrations of trichloroacetic acid or phenol to get rid of even more layers of skin.
4. Laser treatment: Lasers offer a fast way to get rid of freckles. They work by burning the blood vessels underneath the freckles. This reduces the intensity of freckles and gives skin an even tone. The procedure is safe if done by a dermatologist. It may cause some temporary bruising, swelling and redness.

A good way to stop freckles from marring the prettiness of your skin is to protect yourself from the sun. You can wear sunscreen or cover your skin with long sleeves. Both of these stop the darkening of old freckles or the formation of newer ones. 

Grannies and mummies emphasize on the usefulness of oiling your hair. If they could, they would have made you do so regularly. Going outdoors with oily hair and an oily scalp is next to impossible in present times. On the other hand, pollution along with the fast-paced lifestyle takes a toll on your hair health. To counter the ills of dull hair, oiling is should be done. However, one should be aware of certain points while applying oil on hair

When should you oil your hair?

You should not be oiling your hair at any time of the day. People tend to stick to their feasibility and oil their hair whenever they find time out of a busy schedule. Use oil only when you decide to remain indoors for quite some time. The oil absorbs dust and grime easily and hence, going out with oil on your hair before a head bath will only dirty your scalp all the more.

Oil should be applied at night before going to bed. Letting your hair remain oiled overnight will strengthen the roots and hair follicles. This way you add nourishment and luster to your otherwise dry and frizzy strands.

The benefits of oiling your hair frequently:

1. Fights off dandruff: Dandruff is commonly identified as powdery dust or scale of the scalp. And, in case it is not caused by some fungal infection, oiling can improve the condition as it will nourish the dry scalp, however, in case dandruff is due to a fungal infection, then oiling can actually worsen the situation. 

2. Oil is effective as a deep conditioner: Oil, especially coconut oil acts as a deep conditioner. It can also be used to detangle your hair without much hair fall. Oil should be left on the scalp for a couple of hours to enhance complete absorption.

3. Repairs hair damage due to sun exposure: The ultraviolet rays of the sun make your hair brittle. Sun rays can also lead to discoloration of hair. Oil provides vitamins and other nutrients to poor quality hair, thus making it strong and shiny.

4. Feel rejuvenated by applying oil on your hair: Oiling one's hair is the best way to chuck stress out of the window. Oil can relax both your mind and body. Using lukewarm oil on one's scalp once in a while will improve blood circulation and will also relax the tense nerves of your hyperactive brain.

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

What are blackheads?
Blackheads are basically a form of acne that contains oxidised melanin; melanin is the pigment that is secreted by the skin cells, known as melanocytes. They get lodged within the pores of the skin and can give a nasty appearance. It looks like little black dots on the skin and gives an uneven appearance.

Why are they caused?
Clogged pores have an all around depicted pathogenesis:

1. The sebaceous organs overproduce sebum (and skin cell abundance may likewise be an element)
2. The abundant sebum bunches together with dead skin cells and hinder the hair follicle (the base and trench in the skin from which a hair strand develops)
3. The open comedones uncover this plug of sebum to the air, bringing about oxidation of the sleek, waxy substance, turning it into a dark colour.

As laid out above, clogged pores are a consequence of strange sebum production, frequently combined with abundance of skin cells, bringing about blocked pores. While we comprehend this procedure, the explanations behind the extra creation of sebum are less clear.

Hormonal changes amid adolescence are the most widely recognized trigger for excess sebum generation. Less basic are changes because of menstrual periods, pregnancy and conception prevention pills. The male sex hormone, ‘androgen’ triggers more noteworthy over-production of sebum and higher turnover of skin cells and its creation surges in both young men and young ladies amid adolescence.

An over-secretion of androgen hormones in grown-up ladies may expand the dangers of clogged pores and different types of skin inflammation, and also hirsutism (extreme hair development). Different variables for skin break outs and the occurrence of clogged pores include:
1. Beauty care products, chemicals and garments that cover pores
2. Substantial sweating or high dampness
3. Dietary variables, ailment or pharmaceuticals that support fast skin cell turnover
4. Certain steroid drugs aggravate skin inflammation or cause comparative skin eruptions.

How is it treated?
Having a small number of blackheads is categorised as mild acne. It is treated as per its severity; so spotting a few sporadic blackheads on your face might not warrant immediate medical attention. However, severe cases should be medically attended to, in order to prevent scarring and further aggravations.

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

Fungal skin diseases are brought about by various sorts of fungi and are the main reasons behind an irritated skin. Fungi attack and develop in dead keratin, a protein that makes up your skin, hair and nails. The various sorts of fungal diseases are caused by various groups of fungi. Some common fungal skin infections include ringworm, intertrigo, nail infections, Athlete’s foot, etc.

The likelihood of fungal infections increase in the following cases:

1. If you are overweight
2. Not drying your skin completely after a shower or wash
3. Walking barefoot in shower and wet locations
4. In case of a pregnancy
5. If you have a weak immune system
6. If you suffer from diabetes
7. If you come into contact with a person or animal with fungal infections.
8. Due to a recent course of antibiotics

Fungal rashes can at times be mistaken for other skin conditions, for example, psoriasis and eczema. Fungal skin diseases can bring about a number of skin rashes; some of them being red, textured and itchy. The organism can influence only one region, or a few zones of your body. In the event that you get a fungal disease of your scalp, you might lose some hair. There are steps which can be performed in order to protect yourself from getting a parasitic skin contamination:

1. Dry your skin properly after a shower
2. Try not to share hairbrushes, towels or combs since they might be carrying fungi
3. In case a family member has been infected with scalp ringworm, hats, pillows, combs or scissors should be soaked using water and bleach
4. Allow your shoes sufficient time to dry out by alternating them every two or three days
5. In order to keep moisture away from the skin, wear loose clothes that are made of cotton or other breathable materials.
6. Socks, bed linen and clothes should be washed regularly to prevent the growth of any fungi
7. In communal and wet areas like saunas, swimming pools, showers, etc., wear clean plastic shoes or flip-flops.
8. If you have diabetes, try to keep your blood sugar under control

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

Premature gray hairs haven’t spared even celebrities. An American reality television personality, Kylie Kristen Jenner at the age of 18 has discovered her first gray hair. Her belief is that it may be hereditary as her elder sister also experienced gray hair at the age of 20. The premature graying of hair has become quite common now and is increasing at an alarming rate.

Insight on Premature Graying        

Colour producing cells produce pigments. If it stops, your hair becomes gray. Ideally, it’s a natural process with age, where the pigment production declines.

Ideal Age of Graying Hairs

Usually, Asians develop gray hair during the late 30s, while whites develop it in mid 30s. So, by the time you reach 50, you have enough of gray hairs. If anyone experiences graying prior to this age, it can be declared as premature.

Causes

Although reasons are not clearly known, common causes could be genetics, smoking habits, your diet and vitamins.

• Hormonal imbalance, be it hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, may lead to ageing.
• Another reason could be your level of bone density as well as it is related to your activity level, weight, height as well as ethnicity.
• Deficiency of vitamin B-12 leads to pernicious anemia, where production of red blood cells decreases. This leads to thinning and graying of hairs.
• Deficiency of vitamins C and E reduce antioxidants in the body, thereby, increasing free radical activity. Hence, ageing process accelerates.
• Deficiency of vitamins B5 and B9 also accelerates the ageing process as these help in the utilisation of protein in the body. Lack of vitamin B9 leads to decrease in the number of red blood cells and deoxyribonucleic acid.
• Lack of zinc and copper could also lead to graying of hair.
• Pituitary or thyroid gland problems can cause premature graying, which can be corrected with measures.
• Smoking is one of the sources of free development of radicals in your body, which cause oxidative stress. This may lead to decline in the pigmenting capacity and melanin, which result in graying of hairs.
• Consumption of junk food and processed food may increase oxidative stress and deposition of Advanced Glycation End products. This accelerates aging.

Lifestyle  plays an important role in one’s life. It’s all about your appearance. Graying of hair symbolises ageing irrespective of your actual age. Of course, if it’s due to genetic factors, one cannot help it other than experience it. However, other factors are avoidable and treatable. All you need to do it eat right, have beauty sleep and avoid unwanted habits.

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

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