Dr. Draelos discusses whether toners are essential to skin health and offers insight into new polymer-based facial cleansers.
Dermatology Times – Dermatology
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The Facts About Oily Skin Care
The facts about Oily skin care
To start the discussion on oily skin care, its imperative to first understand the cause behind oily skin. Put simply, oily skin is a result of excessive production of sebum (an oily substance that is naturally produced by skin). As is known to everyone, excess of everything is bad; so excessive sebum is bad too. It leads to clogging of skin pores, resulting in accumulation of dead cells and hence formation of pimples/acne. Moreover, oily skin spoils your looks too. So, oily skin care is as important as the skin care for other types of skin.
The basic aim of oily skin care is the removal of excessive sebum or oil from the skin. However, oily skin care procedures should not lead to complete removal of oil. Oily skin care starts with the use of a cleanser. However, not all cleansers will work. You need a cleanser which contains salicylic acid i.e. a beta-hydroxy acid that retards the rate of sebum production. Cleansing should be done twice a day (and even more in hot and humid conditions).
Most of the oily skin care products are oil-free; however, it is always good to check the ingredients of the product, before you actually buy it. This is especially important if a product is marked as suitable for all skin types, instead of oily skin care product. Oily skin care is also dependent on the degree of oiliness, if you arent too oily, so some of these suitable for all- type of products might be work for you too. For extremely oily skin, only oily skin care products are suitable. Your oily skin care routine can include an alcohol based toner (for an extremely oily skin). This can be the second step in your oily skin care routine i.e. just after cleansing. However, excessive toning can harm your skin.
The next step in your oily skin care routine can be a mild moisturiser. Again, the degree of oiliness of your skin will determine whether you need to include this in your oily skin care routine. If you do decide to include a moisturiser, be sure to use one that is oil-free, wax-free and lipid-free.
You could also use a clay mask (say once a week) as an oily skin care measure.
As far as the oily skin care products go, you might need to try out a few before you arrive at the one that is really suitable for your skin.
In case these measures dont give you the desired result, consult a good dermatologist for advice. He could prescribe stronger oily skin care products like vitamin A creams, retinoids, sulphur creams etc , which can help counter the problems of oily skin.
Demystifying Dyshidrotic Eczema: Facts You Need to Know
Dyshidrotic eczema is a type of eczema that affects only the hands and feet. For most of the people it affects, it is usually nothing more than an itchy inconvenience that rears its ugly head during specific periods in a year, but for many others, it can be a nightmare with debilitating effects. It is […]
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Living with carpal tunnel syndrome: the facts
Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause major discomfort, here BMI Healthcare discuss the number of ways you can deal with the condition.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition, which can lead to pain in the hands and fingers. There are several causes of CTS, and the severity of the symptoms varies from person to person. In some cases, CTS will disappear by itself without requiring treatment. However, where the condition endures there are several options available to relieve discomfort.
What is CTS?
CTS is caused by an increase in pressure on the median nerve, the nerve which crosses the front of the wrist and controls movement and sensation in the hands. It is surrounded by the carpal tunnel – a tight passage that creates a pulley for the tendons, which allow your fingers to bend. The pressure caused by CTS can result in numbness, tingling and pain, particularly in the thumb, index and middle fingers. It can also bring about pins and needles, and sufferers often experience a dull ache in the hand and arm, as well as weakness in the thumb.
What causes CTS?
There are a number of reasons why people develop CTS. It is most commonly a result of repetitive movements, such as typing on a computer for long periods or playing a sport that requires using the wrist and hand. Wrist injuries and health issues such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes can also lead to CTS.
Non-surgical treatment of CTS
If you are experiencing mild or moderate symptoms of CTS, then there are a number of non-surgical ways to alleviate the condition. Sometimes, simply resting the affected hand or wrist for one or two weeks will allow the area to heal. Your health professional may also recommend a wrist support to hold your wrist in a neutral position and encourage recovery. Anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen is often used to reduce swelling and discomfort, while in some cases corticosteroid injections are administered to provide temporary pain relief – although the symptoms often return.
There are also a number of physical exercises that your doctor can recommend to help strengthen your wrists and make them suppler. Some sufferers of CTS have found that practising yoga can further improve the condition[1].
If CTS is being caused by repetitive movements at work, such as typing, make sure to take regular breaks from your computer and keep stretching and exercising your wrist to prevent pain and stiffness.
Surgical treatment of CTS
Where non-surgical management of CTS doesn’t alleviate the symptoms or there is the possibility of nerve damage occurring, surgery may be the best option. A small incision will be made on the hand – usually under local anaesthetic – and the surgeon will cut the ligament that forms the roof of the carpal tunnel in order to relieve pressure on the median nerve. The whole procedure usually takes around 15 minutes and you can normally leave the hospital on the same day.
People suffering from mild forms of CTS should notice an improvement immediately following surgery, but those with more extreme cases or nerve damage may require more time for symptoms to be relieved. Your doctor will also advise you on physical hand and wrist exercises to aid your recovery.
Find out more about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome here, or you can make an online enquiry and a member of the BMI Healthcare team will be in touch.
[1] http://www.everydayhealth.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/living-with/10-ways-to-ease-carpal-tunnel-pain/
8 Facts you should know about laser eye surgery
There are different types of laser eye surgery
There are three main types of laser eye surgery, LASEK, LASIK and Smile. LASEK involves removing the epitheral layer to perform the surgery, which then grows back within a few hours. Recovery for LASEK is longer than LASIK, as LASIK involves cutting a small flap on the surface of the cornea, reshaping the cornea with a laser and then folding the flat back over.
Smile surgery is the least invasive of the three. A small incision is created inside the cornea, eliminating the need for a flap and increasing recovery time.
It is extremely safe
The chances of going blind through laser eye surgery is in the region of 1 in 5 million and there is only 0.1% chance of getting a minor vision complication which makes laser eye surgery one of the safest clinical procedures.
It’s a quick procedure
It only takes a minute to treat each eye and a day to recover. Most people are able to drive and go back to work the next day.
It doesn’t hurt
LASIK surgery is performed whilst the patient is awake so there is a common misconception that the procedure is painful. Some people experience slight discomfort when the surgeon is creating the flap and reshaping the cornea, but the patient will generally feel very little sensation throughout the rest of the treatment. Contrary to popular belief the lasers used in this surgery are actually cold, so they cannot burn your eyes or the skin surrounding them.
Cost
The cost of laser eye surgery is dependent on the type of surgery chosen and can vary from clinic to clinic. On average the cost of laser eye surgery in the UK ranges from from £595 right up to £2,300 per eye. However, the majority of clinics offer finance options with 0% interest to help manage the payment.
Due to cost demands, some people decide to have laser eye surgery abroad. For example in Turkey or Hungary, patients could save between 20-50%. Whilst prices may be cheaper it’s vital to consider the quality of the surgery. Patients who are considering laser eye surgery abroad should carefully research the clinic, the surgeon and any additional costs such as aftercare and accommodation.
20/20 vision may not last forever
Whilst laser eye surgery can give you 20/20 vision there still might be a chance that you’ll need glasses in the future. This is because your eyes are continuously developing, so if you had laser eye surgery when you were 21 there might be a chance that you will need glasses when you’re older.
Laser eye surgery is 28 years old
Whilst the technology for laser eye surgery began in 1970, the first human laser vision correction surgery happened in 1988 to a woman who was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, which resulted in a growing black spot on her eye.
It’s not available for everyone
In the UK, the minimum age restriction to undergo laser eye surgery is 21 and there is no upper limit. Your eye prescription must have stabilised for at least a year. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Whilst 98% of people can be treated with laser eye surgery, patients suffering from diabetes or glaucoma and other eye conditions will need to see an eye specialist first.
Content written by Shreena Patel, Brand Manager, Clinic Compare
Some Facts About Eczema
Another name for eczema is atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema. This condition mainly affects children although it may persist until adulthood or it can also start later on in life. Eczema is considered as a chronic skin condition wherein the skin becomes red, dry, itchy, and cracked. This condition affects both males and females in general. However, there are instances wherein children who acquire atopic eczema also develop asthma after a few months or years.
Since atopic eczema is a chronic condition, this means that it will persist for a long period of time. Because of this, there could be some instances wherein the symptoms can become worse and more intensive treatment is needed.
Some of the symptoms of atopic eczema include:
Cracked skin
Dry skin
Itchy areas in the skin which is usually worse at night
Some areas of the skin may become red and inflamed
Aside from these symptoms, there can also be patches that are apparent on the hands, feet, arms, and area behind the knees. There are also some patients who have symptoms around their eyes and eyelids. Worst symptoms of atopic eczema include scaly and drier skin, appearance of blisters, occurrence of bacterial infection, leaking of fluid from the skin, and extreme itchiness.
Experts suggest that atopic eczema is hereditary in nature and it is a genetically inherited condition. Many studies have been done in order to determine the cause of this kind eczema. Studies have found out that the oily lipid in people with this eczema is lesser compared to others. Aside from that, the immune cells of patients with eczema release more chemicals which can cause further inflammation.
Some of the common causes of eczema, according experts include environmental allergens which can trigger the condition. These environmental allergens include pollen, house dust mites or bed bugs, and animal furs. On the other hand, there are also some foods which can make eczema worse and these include eggs, milk, wheat, soya, and nuts. There are also some associations of eczema to mental stress, which means that a person who gets stressed out all the time may develop eczema.
Thus, for you to prevent getting stressed out, it is necessary to keep your body active and engage in a healthy lifestyle. You can do that by having regular exercises.
You can contact personal trainer Sydney to get more information about trainings and workouts that are effective for you. Personal Trainer and fitness expert Josh Panebianco is the owner of http://boxingsydney.com.au
Facts on Baby Eczema
Eczema is a skin condition which is characterized by dreadfully dry and itchy skin. It comes along with other symptoms including inflammation, cracking, scaling, and swelling of the skin. Atopic eczema is the type of eczema which largely affects the babies. In general, babies who are struggling with this skin disease may have develop its symptoms because of familial tendencies. The term “atopic” refers to the over sensitivity of the immune system with the allergens around us.
Babies have undeveloped immune system that is why they are mostly the victims of atopic eczema. It occurs anywhere on the body especially the scalp, forehead, and chest. In some cases, the symptoms include stubborn itching which can be very disturbing to babies on their sleep. Sorry to say, but the direct cause of eczema is still unknown and the specific treatment for this skin condition is yet to be discovered.Nevertheless, you can try the natural ways of treating and preventing the skin condition. You just have to identify what are the allergens that cause eczema on babies.
If you frequently comes in contact with allergens like dust and animal furs, you are susceptible to trigger skin hypersensitiivity.There are different ways on how you can prevent the symptoms of eczema from occurring. You can follow the tips cited below.
1. Ensure that your baby’s skin is highly moisturized.You can apply emollient and creams to maintain the softness and smoothness of your baby’s skin. This will reduce the irritation and also enhance the protection of your baby’s delicate skin. You can also apply oils and baby lotions after the bath as per your physician’s recommendation for the reason that there are some baby goods which can cause further aggravation.
2. Bath your baby using lukewarm water. Do not use warmer water because they can irritate the skin and cause eczema flare ups. Bathing your baby in lukewarm water helps in keeping your baby’s skin moisturized. Do not use ordinary soap for baby’s skin. Use body wash made especially for babies with sensitive skin. After the bath, pat the baby’s skin and do not rub when drying. Rubbing may remove the oils which give protection to the baby’s skin.
3. Do not use household detergents near your baby because it can trigger allergic reactions and irritation.
4. Choose clothes with smooth and soft fabric such as cotton instead of synthetic or woolen materials. Cotton allows the skin to breathe easily and it also reduces the irritation.
5. Always clean your home to make it dust free. Dust is one of the external triggers which may cause eczema. This will also keep the animal dander away if you have pets at home.
These are some of the tips you can follow to prevent your baby in having this skin condition. This condition is not difficult to manage.Just always keep your baby healthy and give him the utmost protection to these diseases.
How to treat eczema on face. As babies are more prone to allergies and they have sensitive skin, we provide informative facts about the causes of eczema to help you in identifying the best treatment for eczema.
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