Dr. Deepak Sharma

The air is saturated with moisture during the rainy season. This makes the weather humid and everything else damp. This makes it an ideal breeding season for bacteria, viruses and fungi. Common problems of the season like water logging even deteriorate this situation further. Skin-related problems are on the rise during the monsoons, especially due to fungal infections.
 
Here is a list of a few fungal infections and how you should deal with them: 

1. Athlete's foot: This disease occurs if the feet are exposed to dirty water for a long time. The skin turns greenish with pus-filled scaly and itchy patches. You can treat this by using absorbent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal powder. Soaking your feet in vinegar or bleach solutions can be helpful for getting relief from Athlete's foot. It is also best to keep your feet dry all the time and carry a separate pair of shoes. 
2. Ringworm: Ringworm infection occurs in the shape of a ring on your neck, on the soles of your feet, in the armpits etc. It can be treated with anti-fungal powder or cream. Also, avoid scratching the infected area or wearing clothes made of synthetic material. 
3. Tinea capitis: This is a fungal infection on the scalp or in a beard (also called ringworm of scalp). It can be treated using anti-fungal shampoo containing ingredients like salicylic acid which exfoliates the skin and scrubs the infected cells off the scalp.
4. Nail infection: Dirt and mud that accumulate under the nails lead to fungal infection in both the fingers and toes. Due to the humid weather during the monsoons, accumulation of sweat under the nails is also responsible for such infections. The preventive measure is to keep short nails and remove dirt from under the nails. Anti-fungal powder is a remedy for this too. 
5. Eczema: This is a chronic skin condition where itching and bleeding blisters and patches appear on the skin. The disease is often aggravated during the monsoons due to the damp weather. This can be treated by applying salt and magnesium on the affected areas of the skin. Coconut oil helps to provide relief from the itching and burning sensations. A great way to keep your skin safe from these infections is to use only soft cotton clothes during the monsoon season. Materials like silk, satin, polyester etc. irritate the skin and do not allow the pores to breathe, so they should be avoided.

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

Acne is a teenager's biggest worry. However, it can occur at any age. Acne or Acne vulgaris occurs when oil, dead skin or bacteria block the pores on your skin. Though it is not dangerous, acne can be embarrassing and can leave scars on your skin. Severe acne can also be quite painful.

Pimples in the form of black heads and white heads are the main symptoms of acne. These can usually be seen on the face, back, chest, shoulders and neck of acne patients. Apart from these, painful lumps under the surface of the skin and red raised bumps can also be found on the skin of acne patients. 

Acne can be triggered by a number of factors. Here are some of the common triggers for acne.

1. Stress: The severity of acne can be correlated to the levels of stress a person is facing. While scientists are yet to figure the exact relationship between stress and acne; it is known that the cells that produce sebum or oil also act as stress receptors. Studies suggest that when a person is under stress, these cells produce excessive sebum that clogs pores on the skin leading to pimples. 
2. Hormones: Hormones play an important role in skin health especially when it comes to women. Androgens or the male hormones present in both men and women, trigger acne by over stimulating the oil glands. Women may also see an increase in pimples during menstruation. This is due to the fluctuating levels of progesterone that stimulate the production of sebum. 
3. Genetics: If one or both parents have acne, their children have high chances of suffering from it as well. Genes influence the sensitivity of your skin towards hormones such as androgens and progesterone that trigger acne. They also influence the production of anti inflammatory chemicals in the skin and skin's response to bacteria. 
4. Medication: Acne is one of the side effects to a few types of medication such as corticosteroids and anticonvulsants. However, this is not seen very often. On the other hand, drugs that contain hormones such as androgenic steroids almost always cause an acne breakout. 

Treatment for acne depends on the severity of the condition and its persistence. Mild cases can be easily treated with over the counter medication but if your acne is severe and not affected by these medications, it best to consult a dermatologist.

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

You may have heard a lot about teen acne and things related to it, especially its nature and solutions to cure this skin condition. However, there are several misconceptions about acne. Many facts regarding the cause and remedy for acne, which are commonly talked about, are incorrect. Here are some myths and facts about teen acne you should know about:

1. Tanning clears the skin: A tan may act as a temporary mask to prevent acne. However, the sun dries up the skin and irritates it. This may further lead to acne breakout. There is no link between exposure to the sun and acne prevention, and the rays of the sun can cause damage to the skin. You should always use a sunscreen while going out in the sun.
2. Wash your face to prevent acne breakouts: Washing your face helps in removing the dirt and oil from the pores of the skin. However, too much washing may cause dryness and irritation, triggering more acne breakout. You should not scrub your face and use a mild soap or a facewash to wash your face.
3. Popping pimples will help in faster elimination: Popping pimples makes them less noticeable for some time, but it causes the pimples to last longer. When you squeeze a pimple, you push bacteria, dead skin cells and oil back into the skin. This causes increased swelling and reddening. It might also cause a red or brown scar, which takes a lot of time to disappear. Some of these scars last forever.
4. Stress leads to acne: The normal daily stress a teenager faces does not lead to acne. However, in the case of stressful periods, such as dealing with the death of a loved one or facing parent’s divorce, the skin produces extra oil or sebum. This does not always mean that you will get more zits and pimples.
5. Acne is curable: Acne is not curable. It is chronic in nature and may last for a very long time. It is like a continuous situation which keeps on recurring on the skin. It may come and go several times and in case you are prone to acne, you will face a hard time dealing with it.
6. Pimples occur overnight: Another common misconception regarding acne is that pimples occur overnight. The truth is that a pimple takes weeks to develop but it may surface while you are asleep. The process of acne development is a complicated one and involves four steps.

Many people think that applying cold water closes pores and hot water opens pores. This is not true as the pores present all over your face do not have muscles. They cannot open and close.

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

Nail fungus is a very common problem. Symptoms include inflammation, swelling, yellowing, thickening or crumbling of the nail. It is usually not painful, unless the infection spreads.

If left untreated, nail fungus can cause cracking, splitting and even complete loss of the nail. The good news is that nail fungus is curable and can be treated very easily. There are many specialized treatments required for bringing quickest recovery.

Most people think that medications are the only solution in this regard, but this is not true as there are many therapies that are needed along with medicines so that speed of recovery can be boosted to a great extent.

Treatments for fungal-nail infections-

Antifungal medications: Nails are first tested thoroughly in order to get the confirmation about nail fungus. Both growth and reproduction of fungal cells are prevented by consuming these medications. Some of these medicines are used for topical or external application while others are taken orally. Some of the physicians suggest continuing both types of medicines simultaneously for getting more powerful effects and quick recovery.

However, there are a few probable side-effects that occur while taking these medicines and these include loss in taste, rashes, diarrhoea, itching, headache and others.

Using antifungal nail-paint: Nowadays, you can use antifungal nail-paints so that the deepest layer of the nail can be well treated and infected parts can be healed quickly. But you have to continue the usage for a few months, or else, you will not be able to get the desirable results.

Laser treatment: This treatment is one of the most powerful ones and can treat your infected nail with greater speed and accuracy. Light energy in high doses is used for treating nail infection in this case.

The above treatments are really quite helpful, and you can choose any of them as per your necessity, preference and affordability.

Things you can do at home--

1. keep your hands and feet clean and dry
2. wear well-fitting shoes made of natural materials and clean cotton socks, these will allow your feet to "breathe"
3. clip your nails to keep them short, use a separate pair of clippers or scissors for the infected nail
4. don't share towels and socks with other people, and ensure your towels are washed regularly
5. don't walk around barefoot in public pools, showers, and locker rooms, special shower shoes are available to protect your feet
6. consider replacing old footwear as it could be the source of the infection
7. treat athlete's foot as soon as possible to avoid the infection spreading to your nails. Consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

PRP is a latest, state of the art technology that employs non-surgical methods to stimulate hair growth in case of hair loss.

Advancements in research have enabled scientists to make new inroads in the field of wound and tissue healing. The result of these researches is PRP, which is a natural way to rejuvenate your scalp, skin and stimulate your hair growth.

HOW DOES PRP WORK?

The presence of mesenchymal stem cells and autologous blood products in human blood contain specific growth factors that assist in tissue regeneration and healing. PRP has been used to heal skin and wounds for over two decades now. Apart from this it finds use in oral surgery, cosmetic surgery and neurosurgery as well. It is also the promising treatment to promote hair growth.

Benefits:

1. It is a progressive healing treatment that doesn't require surgery.
2. Simple, rapid and highly effective system.
3. Autologous (from patient's own blood).
4. The system is biocompatible and xeno-free, so there shouldn't be any safety concerns.
5. Increase in the concentration of platelets can be observed.
6. It helps in the elimination of undesired erythrocytes, which significantly decrease the fibroblast proliferation.
7. Contains growth factors that help in the stimulation of growth of the hair follicles.
8. Can be performed preoperatively, intraoperatively, or post operatively.

THE SCIENCE OF PRP

There are special cells called platelets used in PRP, that have been theoretically proved to stimulate hair follicles growth by stimulating stem cells and other important cells in the ecosystem of the follicles. They are instrumental in promoting the healing ability and regeneration of cells, formation of new cells and response to injury. PRP stimulates inactive or newly implanted hair follicles, and makes them active by inducing them into a growth phase.

Platelets are known to contain various structures, which are crucial for blood clotting and cell regeneration, and are released during the repair process by the body. Some of these structures are: glycogen, alpha granules and lysosomes.

WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE PRP TREATMENT?

Those with heavy drug and smoking issue should avoid PRP. Also those who drink a lot of alcohol should avoid PRP. Those suffering from platelets related ailments, sepsis, chronic liver disease, thrombocytopenia, hyperfibrinogenemia, systemic disorders and cancer should also stay away from PRP.

CONCLUSION

At length, PRP is a boon for all those who aren't fans of surgery or the ones who prefer a more aggressive but non-surgical approach for treatment to their ailments. The results might vary from patient to patient, but it is certainly one of the most promising technologies to stimulate hair growth and rejuvenate your skin, and the results are quite convincing. So decide wisely! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dermatologist.

Rashes in the vulva, which might be caused due to various health problems or due to irritation on skin, usually constitute all the vaginal rashes. The vaginal rashes might be the result of non infectious conditions (it might be an allergic reaction) or it might also be the result of a sexually transmitted infection. The vulva may become red and might have sores and blisters. Many times, the vulva doesn't change color at all, but visible bumps are present in the area.

Symptoms:
The symptoms of vaginal rashes are as follows:

1. Blisters or sores
2. Reddening of the vulva
3. Visible bumps
4. Vaginal discharge
5. Pain in the pelvic region
6. Painful urination with a burning feeling
7. Itchiness
8. Pain while having sex
9. Lice or insects in the pubic hair
10. Fever
11. Enlarged lymph nodes
12. Ulcers on the groin

Although the symptoms are not usually fatal, sometimes the conditions might become life threatening. If your body temperature rises above 101oF and if you are suffering from a severe abdominal and pelvic pain, the best option is to consult a doctor immediately.

Causes:
Vaginal rashes can be due both noninfectious causes as well as due to sexually transmitted infections. Some of the infectious causes are:

1. Genital herpes
2. Granuloma inguinale
3. Human papilloma virus
4. Molluscum contagiosum
5. Scabies
6. Pubic lice
7. Yeast infections
8. Syphilis

Some of the noninfectious causes are:

1. Allergic reactions
2. Eczema
3. Chemical irritants like soap, lubricants, creams, etc
4. Lichen Simplex Chronicus
5. Psoriasis

Complications:
Although the vaginal rashes aren't very serious in nature, you might face certain complications like infertility, secondary or tertiary syphilis, and transmitting the infection to your partner.

Treatment:
Vaginal rashes are usually treated with home remedies. Here are a few treatments you could try out if you are afflicted with vaginal rashes:

• Apple Cider Vinegar: This particular substance is known for having antifungal and antibacterial properties. It will help you get over the itching which takes place when you are suffering with a vaginal rash. If the rash is due to a fungal or bacterial infection, then apple cider vinegar will help to clear out the infection. Wash your vagina with apple cider vinegar and warm water mixture.
• Anti-bacterial Talc: Anti-bacterial talc is extremely mild to the skin. It helps to cure fungal infections but this method might take some time to cure the rash.

Consult your doctor if the rash becomes serious and requires immediate attention.

Acne is a disorder which is characterized by small red bumps on the skin or occluded pores in the skin such as blackheads. It can make people conscious of their appearance and result in low self-esteem and anxiety. It usually affects people who fall in the age group of 12-25 but sometimes older people are also affected.

There are various factors that make the skin prone to acne. Acne occurs when overactive sebaceous glands (glands that produce oil in the skin) produce excess oil and the dead skin cells clog the pores of the hair follicle present in the skin. Inflammation occurs in the clogged hair follicle resulting in acne.

Some causes that make your skin prone to acne are -

1. Diet - Following a proper diet is a key factor in keeping your skin healthy. Food usually doesn't cause acne directly but can cause other problems such as greasy skin that are linked with acne. However, foods high in iodides such as seaweeds consumed over time can cause acne.

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