Beauty, Cosmetics & Skin Care

ABC of Dermatology : Acne and Rosacea

Acene Acne goes with adolescence, a term derived from the Greek for the "acme" or prime of life. The young girl who is desperately aware of the smallest comedo and the otherwise handsome young man, with his face or back a battle field of acne cysts and scars, are familiar to us all. Acne lesions develop from the sebaceous glands associated with hair follicles-on the face, external auditory meatus...

Laser Skin Resurfacing: Trendy 'Wrinkle Zapper' or Proven Treatment?

If you read newspapers or magazines, or watch TV, I'm sure you've heard about laser skin resurfacing by now. This highly popular plastic surgery procedure has received a great deal of press coverage in recent past. It has been widely touted as a 'miracle' cure that safely smooths and diminishes facial wrinkles and lines, acne scars and surgical scars, 'crow's feet' around the eyes and other signs...

Diseases Due to Bacteria

Erysipelas: A Streptococcal Infection This is an acute infection and is highly contagious. It follows small scratches, abrasions or wounds, by the penetration of strepto-coccal bacteria into the deeper layers of the skin. Infection is favoured by debilitated states, and lack of skin care, and the out-breaks are most common in the spring. The eruption most often occurs on the face, after an...

Get the Scoop on Your Skin

The poor misunderstood skin. Many people don't think of it as a living thing. They just think of it as an external "wrapping layer" for the body that keeps the inner organs from falling out. :) Well, in fact, the skin is very much alive and it's also the largest organ of the body...accounting for a full 12% of your weight. The skin performs several essential functions. "...the three that are by...

Multiple Sclerosis: Betaseron and Beyond

Few years ago the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) as the first and only agent for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). This approval was a beacon of hope for the more than 300,000 Americans who are afflicted with this central nervous system disease which usually first appears in young adulthood and which disables by causing problems with vision,...

Privacy in Purchasing: New Options for Women Shopping for Personal Care Products

How many women have made the dreaded trip to the drug store to purchase some personal product like tampons, birth control, a pregnancy test -- only to run into a friend, a co-worker or, worse, a drug store clerk who screams for a price check for the condoms the woman wants to buy? The fact that women's most private of products are sold in the most public of places seems strangely contradictory....

Skin Cancer: Tips to Keep Your Skin From Harm

Medical experts continue to track the rise of malignant melanoma -- a type of deadly skin cancer that was once rare but is now increasing faster than any other type of cancer in the United States. Last year alone, more than 600,000 cases of skin cancer were reported. The good news is that death rates from skin cancer, including melanoma, are small -- 9 out of 10 cases are cured. Sunlight is the...

Dermatitis

Dermatitis simply means skin inflammation, but it embraces a range of ailments. In most cases the early stages are characterized by dry, red, itchy skin, although acute attacks may result in crusty scales or blisters that ooze fluid. Since many agents can irritate the skin, a doctor will try to narrow the diagnosis to a specific category of dermatitis, even though treatment is similar for most...

Diseases Due To Fungi

Thrush Thrush is a fairly common affection occurring in the mouth in bottle-fed infants. White patches are seen on the tongue and lining membrane of the mouth, and the child will probably have sore buttocks. Scrupulous attention should be paid to cleanliness of bottles and teats, these being boiled after each feed and kept immersed in cold boiled water between feeds. The patches in the mouth...

Psoriasis

Unpredictable, intractable, and unsightly, psoriasis is one of the most baffling and persistent of skin disorders. It is characterized by skin cells that multiply up to 10 times faster than normal, typically on the knees, elbows, and scalp. As underlying cells reach the skin's surface and die, their sheer volume causes raised, white-scaled patches. Palmar or plantar psoriasis, which affects only...

Acne: Fighting Zits Gently but Thoroughly

Acne is a problem affecting many millions of individuals from all walks of life. Most commonly, the problem starts in the teen years with a second peak in young woman from the early twenties to the late thirties/early forties. Hormonal factors are a primary contributing factor. Stress often seems a factor in acne, with its impact likely mediated through the body's hormone system. Diet has not...

Topical Skin Medications

Virtually all skin medications are either topical or systemic. Topical medications are applied directly to the affected area of the skin. Systemic medications are taken by mouth or injected and are distributed throughout the body. Rarely, when a high concentration of a medication is needed at the affected area, a doctor may inject a medication just under the skin; this is called an intradermal...

Herbal Hydrotherapy

Care for your skin should not be limited just to cleaning the makeup off your face and a quick shower in the morning. Your skin is a powerful and vital organ - your second lung. Through the skin a large amount of waste material is eliminated from your body 24 hours of every day. Produced by your body's normal function, the metabolic waste is carried by the circulatory system to the capillaries of...

Skin Cancer

All skin cancers originate in the outer layer of skin known as the epidermis. In the normal course of skin rejuvenation, basal cells located at the base of the epidermis move upward to replace dead cells constantly being shed from the skin's surface. Along the way, the round basal cells are transformed into flat syuamous cells. Throughout the epidermis are melanocytes, cells that produce a...

Warts: a Pesky Problem Requiring Persistence

Warts are a very common but challenging skin problem. These pesky bumps, known in dermatological circles as "verrucae," have likely been around since the dawn of man, afflicting millions of individuals. They are caused by a virus called the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV. There are many subtypes of HPV causing a variety of different warts. They are potentially contagious, spreading to other body...

Symptoms of Skin Cancer

The General Warning Signs of Skin Cancer Include: any change in size, color, shape, or texture of a mole or other skin growth. an open or inflamed skin wound that won't heal. Melanoma, the Most Dangerous Type of Skin Cancer, May Appear As: a change in an existing mole. a small, dark, multicolored spot with irregular borders—either elevated or flat—that may bleed and form a scab. a duster of...

Young Britons Ignoring Warnings Despite Rise in Melanoma

Young skin is particularly vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation from the sun which causes skin cancer but teenagers and adults are not taking precautions, according to a new survey. "Unless young people change their habits and learn to protect themselves properly in the sun we could be heading for a skin cancer time bomb," survey said. The poll of 1,800 people commissioned by Cancer Research UK...

Chinese Home Remedies

Shrimp with Lettuce (serves 4) Eating shrimp with lettuce is said to clear skin problems, rendering the skin smooth and elastic. ½ kg fresh shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined; 1 egg white beaten; 1 tbsp cornstarch; ½ tsp salt; 1 ½ tsps minced ginger; 2 spring onions, minced; 12 leaves lettuce; 2tbsp cooking oil; 1tbsp water; 1tsp sesame oil Mince the shrimp and place in a bowl with the egg...

Skin Type Classification

Type I - Very fair skin. Burns very easily & doesn't tan. Type II - Fair skin. Burns easily & tans slightly. Type III - Burns occasionally & tans slowly. Type IV - Minimal burning & tans always. Type V - Rarely burns & tans always. Medium to heavy pigmentation. Type VI - Never burns & has a very dark tan. Heavy pigmentation. The lower the skin type, the higher the risk of...

Cleaning Tips of Face

Face: 1. It involves cleansing, toning (optional though) & moisturing : Cleansing removes dirt & make-up. Clean by patting gently on the face with your palms. Use a creamy cleansing lotion if you have dry skin or an oil-free lotion if you have oily skin. Toning removes the last traces of dirt. Use a alcohol-free toner for all skin types. Avoid alcohol-based toners. Moisturising puts...