Facts about Eczema

Eczema (also known as dermatitis) is the name for a group of diseases that are the result of inflammation of the skin. The inflammation is a reaction of the immune system to a complex series of factors. These include the genes you inherit and external elements such as the climate and the food you eat.

There are many different forms of eczema; they can affect any age group, and their pattern and severity differs from individual to individual.

Eczematous skin tends to be red and scaly, sometimes with small blisters. It is intensely itchy and scratching can cause bleeding and infection.

Eczema is the commonest type of skin disease seen by doctors, and your doctor or pharmacist will be able to give you more detailed information on the disease. Here is some brief information about some of the more common types of eczema.

Atopic Eczema

Atopic eczema is thought to be hereditary as there is often a family history of atopic allergy (eczema, asthma or hayfever). Approximately 60% of sufferers develop atopic eczema before the age of one year but fortunately most grow out of it by the age of 16. However the inherited tendency to eczema never goes away and it can return in later life. The natural course of the disease is that it flares up and then dies down from one week to the next, often affecting the wrists, ankles and behind the knees. The intense itch disturbs sleep and results in skin damage by scratching which can lead to secondary bacterial infection. The aim of treatment is to stop the skin flaring and keep the condition under control.

Contact Dermatitis

There are two types of contact dermatitis - irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. As the name suggests, the individual will have come into contact with external irritant which has caused the eczema.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis generally develops over a long period of time as a result of regular contact with a substance. It is the body's immune system reacting against the substance that causes the eczema. Typical substances a person can become allergic to are perfume, make up, and the nickel in costume jewellery.

Irritant Contact Dermatitis usually affects adults and is due to contact with irritants to the skin, commonly on the hands. Household detergents and chemicals used around the home or the workplace are the main culprits. New mothers often develop this type of eczema; the arrival of a new baby inevitably leads to more frequent hand washing. Hair dressers are also prone because their hands are frequently in water and in contact with chemicals in shampoos and hair dyes.

Seborrhoeic Eczema

This can affect adults or babies. In babies it is more commonly referred to as cradle cap and can be found in the scalp and nappy areas. Unlike atopic eczema, although it looks bad, it is not sore or itchy and generally clears up from the age of one onwards.

In adults, men are more susceptible; it usually affects the 20-40 year old age group. It causes redness and scaling of the skin. Dandruff is a mild form of seborrhoeic eczema. It can also involve the face, the eyelids and the eyebrows. This type of eczema is usually associated with yeast growth.

Varicose Eczema

This is more common in women than men and tends to develop in later life due to poor circulation. It may be associated with varicose veins. It affects the lower legs and ankles and leads to increased risk of ulceration in those areas.

Discoid Eczema

The cause of discoid eczema is unknown. It usually affects adults, often in later life. The affected skin appears like coin shaped red scaly patches usually on the lower legs.

Is eczema contagious?

No. Although eczema looks unpleasant, you cannot catch it or spread it by touching.

What causes eczema?

Eczema is a very complex condition and there is rarely one single cause for a person’s eczema. It is usually a combination of the inherited tendency and a trigger factor.

External trigger factors include house dust mites, contact with pets, climate, or the dyes in synthetic fibres. Stress, and occasionally diet can also have an effect.

Is there a cure?

Currently there is no cure for eczema. By following a good skin routine with emollients and appropriate medical care the effects of eczema can be managed and controlled.

Facts about Eczema

By: Blooger on: 10:11 AM

Top 5 Homemade Acne Masks

While many people are suffering from acne only a few of us have the knowledge to make our own acne treatment that helps us reduce our acne problems. With this short guide you will find out how to make homemade acne mask from few simple ingredients that are present at almost every home.

For easier start we have selected top five acne mask recipes which you can use for your endless struggle with acne.

Acne Mask #1: Salt Mask

This one of the easiest homemade acne masks that you can make. To make it you need sea salt or cooking salt and some water. You put the salt in the water for 20 minutes then apply the mask to acne spots and leave it on for 10-30 minutes. Salt cleans the skin and dries acne spots which makes it perfect treatment for acne scars. If you have the option then go to swim in the sea and you do not even have to make the mask, you just swim in it and enjoy the natural acne treatment.

Acne Mask #2: Baking Soda

Another easy homemade acne mask which makes miracles for some of us when it comes to acne treatment. To make this mask all you need is water and baking soda. First clean acne spots with preferred cleanser (skin cleanser that you use normally will do the task), then mix the water and baking soda and apply the mixture on acne spots. Leave the mixture on for a while, do some household chores, read a book, go on internet, talk to your friends, watch television or do whatever makes you happy and then rinse the mask off your face. When soda mask will be removed you can feel how soft and clean is your skin. This treatment does not work the same for everyone, while some see drastic improvement in their acne treatment, others do not see any results. It depends on a person and skin type but if you find this mask suitable and efficient repeat the treatment several times a week for few weeks and you can say good bye to acne.

Acne Mask #3: Yogurt Mask

If two masks mentioned above were easy to make here is the third simple homemade acne mask that everyone can make. It consists of Yogurt and Honey and does not need a lot of preparation.

Take one teaspoon of honey and heat it up a little so it becomes softer (if you have dry skin ad additional teaspoon of honey for better effect). Then mix the honey with one tablespoon of natural yogurt which is medium fat (do not use low or non-fat yogurt). Mix the ingredients at room temperature for a while. When it is prepared apply it to acne spots that you wish to treat. Leave it on 10-20 minutes and then was it off with washcloth. If this acne mask helps you, try to use it several times a week and get rid of acne fast.

Acne Mask #4: Oatmeal and Onion Mask

This is a bit more complicated homemade acne mask than the masks I mentioned previously but its efficiency is very promising. You might dislike the smell of onion but you have the results in mind while setting aside the pleasure. Peel one medium sized onion and shred it until you get a puree. Cook ½ cup of plain (non-sweet) Oatmeal, when cooked set it aside to cool down and add the onion puree. When the mixture is cold apply it to your face and leave it on for 5-15 minutes. If the mask is not thick enough to stay on your face then you might add some honey to make it more sustainable. Then slowly rinse it off and wash your face. If you did not use the whole mask for treatment you can store it in refrigerator for 5-7 days before it gets old.

Acne Mask #5: Egg White Mask

This is the last but not least simple homemade acne mask. It is called the Egg white mask because you have to remove the yolk from the egg whites. No other preparation is needed. When yolk is separated you can put it away and take only egg whites. Then whip the white part until you have a dense paste. For people with oily skin it is advisable to apply some lemon juice and mix it with a paste to achieve a better effect. Clean your face and gently apply the mask. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes and wash it off with warm water or washcloth. After using this mask your skin will be tightened and red spots will be cleared.

Top 5 Homemade Acne Masks

By: Blooger on: 10:07 AM

Are Warts Bothering You?

ow-a-days majority of us have the problem of unwanted warts. They appear just at places where we hate to see them there.

Yes, these really bother us and annoy us sometimes with their appearance at most eye catching places.

Warts usually are not dangerous, but they can be bothersome. You will be surprised to know that some warts are not so good signal at all. As we all know that warts are infectious growths that are caused by a virus. They can appear anywhere on the body. These may specify some signal which may not be so good at times, this depends on places were you encounter them.

Know this! Most of the warts are contagious. They can spread to other places on the person who has them, and they can be spread from person to person. But this fact depends on person immune system as some may be more susceptible and some may be resistant to warts. They seem to come and go for little reason, and they appear to be sensitive to slight changes in the immune system.

You can even try some home treatments for these warts.

Remember that warts can be removed by your doctor but they also some back. Warts appear and disappear spontaneously. They can last a week, a month, or even years. To get rid of your warts, it helps to believe in the treatment. If something works for you, stick with it.

Try the least expensive method of treating warts that you can think of. You may save a trip to your doctor.

Try this Out! If the wart is in the way, reduce its size with a pumice stone or an over-the-counter salicylic acid solution (Compound W). This drug can be irritating in high concentrations; you may need to use a milder form for a longer period of time.

If you find the wart bleeding a little, then cover it with a bandage and apply light pressure to stop the bleeding.

If you use a pumice stone, both the scrapings from the wart and the area of the pumice stone that touched the wart can be infectious. Remember not to touch these surfaces and dispose them safely.

At night apply salicylic acid solution to the wart, and rub off the whitened skin in the morning. Diabetic or peripheral vascular disease patients should not use this tip.

Apply a doughnut-shaped pad to cushion the wart and relieve pain.

Never Do This! Yes, don’t cut or bum off a wart.

A doctor should be consulted if the condition gets out of control. The conditions may include:

If a wart looks infected (increasing pain, swelling, redness, warmth, or discharge of pus) after being irritated or knocked off then consult a doctor immediately.

Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet. Most of the wart lies under the skin surface, so it may feel like you are walking on a pebble. If a plantar wart is painful when you walk, foam pads do not help. If a wart causes continual discomfort, or if warts are numerous enough to be a problem.

Beauty Concern! If a wart develops on the face and is a cosmetic concern.

If you have warts in the anal or genital area don’t neglect as genital and anal warts are easily spread through sexual contact and may increase the risk of cervical cancer.

So now you know how you can treat warts at home and how important it is to go to your doctor for consultation when things become out of control.

Are Warts Bothering You?

By: Blooger on: 12:16 PM

Deal With Unsightly Pimples

Pimples can be a real nuisance when they crop up on our face, spoiling the overall effect.

To get rid of these, wash your face regularly with a mild oil-free soap or cleanser.

Avoid scented detergents and choose a pH-balanced cleanser for a milder treatment on your skin.

For very oily skin, it might be useful to use benzoil peroxide or salicylic acid cleansers, making sure you do not rub your skin too hard for it will swell up around the pores and break out in rashes or more pimples.Avoid toners if you can, use them only if you have very oily skin for your skin will be left too dry.

If you want to get rid of acne, you can try products, which contain glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide, making sure you apply the products all over the face, including areas that are not affected.

In the evening use a treatment to dry out your spots and apply moisturizer without any oily substance, on the dryer areas of your skin. You may also want to protect your skin before you go out with an oil-free sunscreen.

A good way of getting rid of excess oil in the skin is using a clay mask as often as three times a week; you may also use a toner if you feel that your skin is too oily, but only on the drier areas of the skin, for dryness can also lead to outbreaks.

To calm down any swelling or red patches on your skin you can apply some cortisone cream, which momentarily helps reduce the redness.

Deal With Unsightly Pimples

By: Blooger on: 12:14 PM

Tips For Dealing With Eczema

Eczema is like a skin rash and atopic dermatitis is the usual type common to most sufferers. It is a reaction to an allergy.

It becomes very itchy if scratched and the skin is red and inflamed [Itchy skin rashes]. It is mostly found on babies and it is the commonest skin condition worldwide.Many substances will irritate the skin, soap, detergents, aftershave lotions, gasoline and solvents etc. Contact should not be made with eczema causes, and hands are to be dried after washing.

Protective gloves help when skin can touch irritants or water. To absorb sweat, cotton gloves can be worn. Cold air and low humidity dries the skin, so gloves are needed outside in winter.

Cotton is recommended for clothing. Use mild soap for bathing, and maintain water temperature at warm or cool. Soak in the bath for a while so water enters the outer skin layers.

For bad eczema, apply the prescribed medicine after bathing. It is usually a steroid lotion for the skin; improvement should happen in 3 weeks. Moisturising the skin daily keeps it soft and stops cracking.

Scratching will worsen the eczema worse as it permits bacteria to create infection. Hot, sweaty exercise will make irritate the skin.

Stress can cause eczema so it should be avoided. Skin care should be continued after eczema is finished, or it may become a regular chronic condition, and the area needs much attention.

Tips For Dealing With Eczema

By: Blooger on: 12:13 PM

Acne Is Not Just A Problem For Teens

Trying to get rid of acne does not have to be about spending lots of dollars on expensive products, containing an array of chemicals, often the answer lies in a more natural alternative.

Worrying about the problem will only make things worse so try to be optimistic, there is a solution out there; it is just a case of finding it.

Also bear in mind that you are not alone, as worldwide, acne is a problem for over forty million citizens and nearly everyone if affected by it at some point in their lives.Often acne is misconceived as only affecting teenagers, whose hormones are changing at a frenetic pace, when it can actually be a problem at any age.

It is of course very common during the teenage years and a British survey found that over eighty percent of sixteen year old girls and almost ninety five percent of the same aged boys had suffered with acne

From blackheads to pimples and zits to spots whatever you call them they are a real pain, affecting self confidence and sending a youngster’s esteem plummeting to the floor.

The same research showed that almost a third of teenagers sought the advice of a doctor believing their problem to be so severe. Solutions can work better on different individuals so it really is a case of trying different methods to sort out the acne.

Cleanliness is vital as an oily skin not cleaned at least once a day will cancel out any possible effects of any sort of solution.

Quite obviously hormones are the root cause of this condition, although further research must try to discover more about how it can be counteracted, to produce a more effective cure for all. Stress is thought to be a contributing factor and can make it worse but the actual origin is not as clear cut.

Common household baking soda is good for exfoliating, but try on a small patch of skin first. Drinking plenty of water is very advantageous as is eating a healthy balanced diet, cut down on fatty food and sugary drinks.

For very bad individual pimples try a touch of lemon juice or a squeeze of toothpaste because it will help dry it out.

A weekly facial mask is a worthwhile routine, even for males, get plenty of fresh air although don’t stay out too long in the sunshine. A New York specialist in skin has developed a therapy which uses a combination of blue and red light combined to treat very serious instances of acne, it is cutting edge treatment but it could be worth checking out.

Acne Is Not Just A Problem For Teens

By: Blooger on: 12:11 PM