Acute Skin Problems Need Medical Advice

Just as the way people take care of their general health, it is very important that one takes care of the skin to protect it from many problems. Regular skin care can take care of some of the problems, whereas for some medical skin care advice has to be taken. At times medical intervention is necessary to take care of problems which are acute and cannot be controlled by normal skin care treatments.  It is not good to try products for problems without proper medical advice.

People suffering from acute skin problems should see a dermatologist as soon as possible to regain a glowing skin. Some of the problems are caused due to over exposure to sun. Sunburns and damage caused by sun if left untreated can cause skin cancer. The exposure causes something called moles and it can turn into skin cancer and many other skin diseases if not cared for. Make sure to protect the skin from the harmful effects of sun.  Use a good sun block while going out in the sun. Hats can be used to save the face from the harsh sun rays. Sun glasses can protect the sensitive skin around the eyes.

Technology has developed many ways to deal with acute problems. Acne removal, treatment for freckles, or mole removal has become easy.  Although there are hundreds of such treatments it is advisable to follow a regular skin care routine. The products that one uses have to be of good quality to be able to have a healthy skin. Prevention is always better than cure. The various techniques developed are useful only when the situation is not so very good.  A person has to recognize quickly any skin problem that may turn into a sore. And seek the advice of a skin care specialist.

Skin Care Tips By The Doctor

Skin is a very important part of the features of a person. It needs essential care need patience to keep it young and glowing. There are a few tips to be followed to ensure a perfectly healthy and beautiful skin.

As the dermatologist would suggest, if you make few inculcations in your daily lifestyle habits, you will have spotless skin that is young and beautiful for a longer period of time. Drinking adequate amount of water, say about 8 to 10 glasses per day keeps the skin well hydrated and locks the moisture in the deepest depths of the skin. Eating right is also important to keep the skin healthy. No matter how lucrative the chocolates and the chips and the pizzas might seem, they should be avoided if you are aiming towards a clean and healthy skin. Eating a lot of green leafy vegetables and food items that contain lots of vitamin E in them are very helpful in generating good skin from the inside. It is essential to detoxify the body to keep it free from acne and pimples. One should drink the juice of bitter gourd for this purpose. Artificial supplements should be avoided the y might lead to different sort of complications in the body. Using the correct sort of beauty products is important as this would ensure clear skin. Using an effective sun block is important as it protects the skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun. The sun damages need to be minimized as they might cause wrinkles and fine lines and premature aging. Using herbal products is a good suggestion for keeping the skin young and revitalized.

Applying heavy make up for long hours can also damage the skin. One should carefully remove each speck of make up before going to sleep. This would allow the skin to breathe and give it natural glow and youth.

Skin Care Advice for Problem-Free Texture

The instances of premature aging are increasing among individuals. The main cause for this is increased stress levels and busy life styles. There should be something that can provide freedom from this situation. Even you must be having that thought in mind. After lot of scientific research, it has been suggested that such unhealthy skin conditions can be taken care of by using natural skin care products. These products are made from super ingredients of nature so that people can be provided with all skin nutrients.

Acne and aging are two main problems affecting not only ladies but also men. Even after use of too many expensive products, it is sometimes very difficult to cure them. For such a reason, natural skincare products are increasingly capturing the market share. Since these items are composed of all essential natural ingredients, they are truly mild on the skin. They are used to treat all kinds of skin issues like aging pots, acne, wrinkles, lines, pigmentation and inflammatory skin diseases. They cure skin ailments from deep within and make it completely hydrated. Your skin will feel nourished on first application itself.

Sometimes, however, there are cases which are too severe. It becomes extremely impossible to cure these skin diseases with natural homemade remedies. In such situations, it becomes immensely significant to go for a medical advice. Medical treatments play vital role in treating severe skin issues. There are possible treatments for toning skin, uplifting it and boosting its elasticity. These treatments must be adopted only for treating extreme cases. According to medical advice, most skin problems occur due to harmful skin radiations. So, it is important to apply sunscreen before stepping out.

You must go for a healthy diet and lifestyle in order to have a glowing complexion. The best way to have a glowing skin is by seeking proper medical advice along with application of effective natural products.

Medical Skin Care Advice - Seek Professional Help

Your skin demands constant revitalization through adequate treatments. Today, the markets are flooded with several beauty care products. A little analysis and a wise decision can fulfill all the demands. Every individual has his own set of problems. Eczema, acne, pimples, wrinkles, skin tan, allergies and face scars are some of the most common problems that you may face.

You often receive tips and tactics from people around without inspecting the skin type and root cause of the problem. It is good to adopt homemade remedies and natural anti-aging herbal products. You can also use various face packs that are available in the market and you can make them at home too. Direct application of ingredients like neem, Aloe Vera, rose water and glycerin are some of the most commonly preferred ready-to-use products.

For certain skin diseases, like itching or inflammation you can directly apply the mint leaves or tooth paste. These tips are applicable on minor itching and inflammation for instant relief. If the problem is major or severe, it is advisable that you must not ignore it and immediately consult a dermatologist.

Hundreds of beauty clinics have landed up offering various tempting packages, which is actually a good thing. You can get desired results and that too in a very short time without having spent hefty price. As dermatologists are quite good at their work and very well aware of the root cause of the problem, so it is better to consult them to obtain a suitable skincare advice. Skin tightening is quite effective for those who want to get rid of wrinkles which primarily occur due to premature aging.

Every one desires a healthy and vibrant skin. Well, you can surely accomplish that if proper skin care regime is followed which includes effective cleansing, toning and moisturizing.

Medical Skin Treatments for Glowing Skin

Medical skin care advice becomes vital when skin related issues become difficult to handle with natural measures. Usually, skin problems start with mild acne which can become severe in case proper attention is not given to them. People fear from medical treatments due to their own false beliefs due to which their condition may become worse. However, the real situation is totally different.

With growing popularity of medicated products in market, it can only be said that medication is best for individuals with acne prone skin. This is because even slightest negligence in initial days can lead to other severe problems. It can cause premature aging, occurrence of blemishes, spots, lines, rashes, moles and even skin cancer. So, it is suggested to go for medical guidance to combat these problems in its initial days itself. Such advice will help you to know your actual skin type and will help in curing any sort of ailment that may arise within the body.

The best technique to fight all sorts of skin diseases is to take a combined treatment of natural herbs with medicines for a short span of time. The natural process will help in clearing all kinds of acne signs while medicines will help in overcoming any sort of vitamin deficiency within the body. It will also help in strengthening the immune system so that it can fight with acne causing bacteria. A combined therapy helps in fighting all other kinds of skin disorders like aging, facial blemishes, popping pimples and such similar problems.

Medical skin care advice is a viable option in case of severe unhealthy skin conditions. Like a doctor is needed for curing varied kinds of ailments similarly medical advice is needed for treating acne as well. With growing advancements, such treatment is now free from all kinds of side effects and can be done without any fear or anxiety.

Sun Protection to Prevent Aging and Cancer

Zinc Sun Care and Summer Skin

Summer is rapidly approaching and it is time to once again stock up on sunscreens and hats. Sunrays can have a detrimental effect on the skin, so it is very important to protect the skin from too much sun exposure. Sun damage to the skin can show up almost immediately and will also appear over time. Different sunrays have different effects on the skin. A great way to remember the difference is by the letter A or B. UVA rays or ‘aging rays’ cause wrinkles, pigmentation and cancer. UVB rays or ‘burning rays’ are the rays that cause a tan and sunburn. These rays also age the skin but do not penetrate as deep as UVA rays.

To protect the skin from harmful sun exposure it is important to use a sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection. These sunscreens are commonly known as dual spectrum sunscreens. It is also important to check for ingredients that absorb and block sunrays. Ingredients such as oxybenzo absorb sunrays while zinc oxide actually blocks the rays. It is also important to look for sunscreens that are non comedogenic and non acnegenic which means that the sunscreen will not clog pores or promote acne. A SPF or sun protection factor of 15 or higher is recommended. A generous application is needed in order to attain protection; most people do not apply sunscreen liberally enough.

The SPF indicates how long you can be exposed to the sun before burning. For example, if your skin will burn within 10 minutes of sun exposure with no sun protection you can be exposed to the sun for 150 minutes with a sun protection factor of 15 before burning.

To estimate how long you can be exposed to the sun before burning, multiply the probable time you can be exposed to the sun with no sun protection before burning and multiply it by the SPF on the label of the sunscreen. Multiple applications throughout the day are necessary in order to be protected, and it is recommended to reapply every two hours, as sweating and water activities may rub off the sun screen. Sunscreens do more than just protect skin from burning, so reapplication is necessary to shield the skin from other harmful damage like premature age spots, wrinkles and fine lines.

Regular sunscreen use will protect the skin from burning, premature aging and possible skin cancer. It is important to make sunscreen use as much a part of your daily routine as brushing your teeth. As summer is approaching it is even more important to wear sunscreen as the sunrays are stronger and more harmful during this time of year.

Five Top Ways to Age Gracefully

Medical skincare isn’t all about science and pharmacology. The best way to be healthy and have beautiful skin is to eat healthy and practice sound habits for overall health, like exercise, getting proper sleep and eating well.

The biological make-up of our skin begins to show signs of aging as early as our 20s. Age shows not only on our face, neck and chest but all over. There are many ways to care for your skin and prevent premature aging. Following are five ways that you can age gracefully. These are things you can do in your daily life that will dramatically reduce signs of aging.

• Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, quit. We all know that smoking is bad for us and affects our body negatively. Smoking contributes to premature aging and many other health problems. The many chemicals in cigarettes influence the skin’s structure and dehydrate the cells, resulting in increased aging.
  

  smoking causes wrinkles

• Get some sleep. Research has shown that people who sleep regularly seven to eight hours a night are healthier than those who lack sleep or over sleep. Sleeping allows the body to repair cellular damage and recharge. To prevent signs of aging on the face, try sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your stomach or side can damage skin by slowing down circulation and weakening the skin’s elasticity, resulting in wrinkles.
• Sunscreen, use it, wear it, and love it. Wear sunscreen everyday-even on cloudy or rainy days, and even if you are just going to be outside a short time. We all know that the sun has harmful affects to the skin. Sun tanning and burning damage the skin, leading to premature aging. Sun exposure over time leads to wrinkles and ugly pigmentation spots. There is no excuse to not wear sunscreen, it comes in all forms and is formulated now to be lightweight and beneficial to the skin as well as giving sun protection.
• Hydrate and Moisturize the skin from the inside and outside. Hydrated skin is healthy and plump, looks moist and shows few wrinkles and lines. As we age our skin loses elasticity; using moisturizers with ingredients such as vitamins, herbs and minerals that help repair the skin is the best way to restore elasticity and prevent its break down. Herbal facial products like herbal masks and toners will also help remove dead skin cells and balance the ph level of your skin. Drink lots of water to hydrate the skin internally and use a good moisturizer. Try intense facial moisturizer or zinc repair by Vivoderm.
  

  healthy foods=good skin

• A healthy lifestyle and healthy diet can dramatically strengthen the skin and prevent premature aging. Fruits, herbs, vegetables, nuts and other nutrient- rich produce give the body strength to fight and repair damage. If you are good to your body from the inside out, you will have less external maintenance. Part of a healthy life style is getting exercise, so get up and get moving. Fit people also tend have less heath problems. Health problems can lead to premature aging of the skin by showing wrinkles and damage earlier than those people who choose to be healthy.

There is no way to prevent aging - it is inevitable, however there are ways to slow it down. Today there is plastic surgery and amazing skin care products to improve the look and feel of skin. But it’s never too late to prevent further damage so you don’t have to take the drastic measures of plastic surgery or spend tons of money on skin care later in life.

By Tiffany Oney

Tiffany Oney is a licensed esthetician, professional makeup artist and natural skincare authority.  She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies California State University, Long Beach and interning with Vivoderm Natural Skincare in Los Angeles, California.

Skin Cancer and Basal Cell Carcinoma

Medical Skin Care Advice: Skin cancer is the most common form of human cancer. It is estimated that over 1 million new cases occur annually. The annual rates of all forms of skin cancer are increasing each year, representing a growing public concern. It has also been estimated that nearly half of all Americans who live to age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once.

The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change in the appearance of the skin, such as a new growth or a sore that will not heal.

The term “skin cancer” refers to three different conditions. From the least to the most dangerous, they are:

* basal cell carcinoma (or basal cell carcinoma epithelioma)
* squamous cell carcinoma (the first stage of which is called actinic keratosis)
* melanoma

The two most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Together, these two are also referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer. Melanoma is generally the most serious form of skin cancer because it tends to spread (metastasize) throughout the body quickly. Skin cancer is also known as skin neoplasia.
Basal cell carcinoma

What is basal cell carcinoma?

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and accounts for more than 90% of all skin cancer in the U.S. These cancers almost never spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. They can, however, cause damage by growing and invading surrounding tissue.
Image of Skin Cancer
Skin Cancer

What are risk factors for developing basal cell carcinoma?

Light-colored skin, sun exposure, and age are all important factors in the development of basal cell carcinomas. People who have fair skin and are older have higher rates of basal cell carcinoma. About 20% of these skin cancers, however, occur in areas that are not sun-exposed, such as the chest, back, arms, legs, and scalp. The face, however, remains the most common location for basal cell lesions. Weakening of the immune system, whether by disease or medication, can also promote the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma. Other risk factors include

* exposure to sun. There is evidence that, in contrast to squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma is promoted not by accumulated sun exposure but by intermittent sun exposure like that received during vacations, especially early in life. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. The risk of developing skin cancer is also affected by where a person lives. People who live in areas that receive high levels of UV radiation from the sun are more likely to develop skin cancer. In the United States, for example, skin cancer is more common in Texas than it is in Minnesota, where the sun is not as strong. Worldwide, the highest rates of skin cancer are found in South Africa and Australia, which are areas that receive high amounts of UV radiation.

* age. Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun’s damaging effects begin at an early age. Therefore, protection should start in childhood in order to prevent skin cancer later in life.

* exposure to ultraviolet radiation in tanning booths. Tanning booths are very popular, especially among adolescents, and they even let people who live in cold climates radiate their skin year-round.

* therapeutic radiation, such as that given for treating other forms of cancer.

Image of Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal Cell

What does basal cell carcinoma look like?

A basal cell carcinoma usually begins as a small, dome-shaped bump and is often covered by small, superficial blood vessels called telangiectases. The texture of such a spot is often shiny and translucent, sometimes referred to as “pearly.” It is often hard to tell a basal cell carcinoma from a benign growth like a flesh-colored mole without performing a biopsy. Some basal cell carcinomas contain melanin pigment, making them look dark rather than shiny.

Superficial basal cell carcinomas often appear on the chest or back and look more like patches of raw, dry skin. They grow slowly over the course of months or years.

Basal cell carcinomas grow slowly, taking months or even years to become sizable. Although spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) is very rare, a basal cell carcinoma can damage and disfigure the eye, ear, or nose if it grows nearby.

How is basal cell carcinoma diagnosed?

To make a proper diagnosis, doctors usually remove all or part of the growth by performing a biopsy. This usually involves taking a sample by injecting a local anesthesia and scraping a small piece of skin. This method is referred to as a shave biopsy. The skin that is removed is then examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells.

How is basal cell carcinoma treated?

There are many ways to successfully treat a basal cell carcinoma with a good chance of success of 90% or more. The doctor’s main goal is to remove or destroy the cancer completely with as small a scar as possible. To plan the best treatment for each patient, the doctor considers the location and size of the cancer, the risk of scarring, and the person’s age, general health, and medical history.

Methods used to treat basal cell carcinomas include:

* Curettage and desiccation: Dermatologists often prefer this method, which consists of scooping out the basal cell carcinoma by using a spoon like instrument called a curette. Desiccation is the additional application of an electric current to control bleeding and kill the remaining cancer cells. The skin heals without stitching. This technique is best suited for small cancers in non-crucial areas such as the trunk and extremities.

* Surgical excision: The tumor is cut out and stitched up.

* Radiation therapy: Doctors often use radiation treatments for skin cancer occurring in areas that are difficult to treat with surgery. Obtaining a good cosmetic result generally involves many treatment sessions, perhaps 25 to 30.

* Cryosurgery: Some doctors trained in this technique achieve good results by freezing basal cell carcinomas. Typically, liquid nitrogen is applied to the growth to freeze and kill the abnormal cells.

* Mohs micrographic surgery: Named for its pioneer, Dr. Frederic Mohs, this technique of removing skin cancer is better termed “microscopically controlled excision.” The surgeon meticulously removes a small piece of the tumor and examines it under the microscope during surgery. This sequence of cutting and microscopic examination is repeated in a painstaking fashion so that the basal cell carcinoma can be mapped and taken out without having to estimate or guess the width and depth of the lesion. This method removes as little of the healthy normal tissue as possible. Cure rate is very high, exceeding 98%. Mohs micrographic surgery is preferred for large basal cell carcinomas, those that recur after previous treatment, or lesions affecting parts of the body where experience shows that recurrence is common after treatment by other methods. Such body parts include the scalp, forehead, ears, and the corners of the nose. In cases where large amounts of tissue need to be removed, the Mohs surgeon sometimes works with a plastic (reconstructive) surgeon to achieve the best possible postsurgical appearance.

* Medical therapy using creams that attack cancer cells (5-Fluorouracil–5-FU, Efudex, Fluoroplex) or stimulate the immune system (imiquimod [Aldara]). These are applied several times a week for several weeks. They produce brisk inflammation and irritation. The advantages of this method is that it avoids surgery, lets the patient perform treatment at home, and may give a better cosmetic result. Disadvantages include discomfort, which may be severe, and a lower cure rate, which makes medical treatment unsuitable for treating most skin cancers on the face.

How is basal cell carcinoma prevented?

Avoiding sun exposure in susceptible individuals is the best way to lower the risk for all types of skin cancer. Regular surveillance of susceptible individuals, both by self-examination and regular physical examination, is also a good idea for people at higher risk. People who have already had any form of skin cancer should have regular medical checkups.

Common sense preventive techniques include

* limiting recreational sun exposure;

* avoiding unprotected exposure to the sun during peak radiation times (the hours surrounding noon);

* wearing broad-brimmed hats and tightly-woven protective clothing while outdoors in the sun;

* regularly using a waterproof or water resistant sunscreen with UVA protection and SPF 30 or higher;

* undergoing regular checkups and bringing any suspicious-looking or changing lesions to the attention of the doctor; and

* avoiding the use of tanning beds and using a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 and protection against UVA (long waves of ultraviolet light.). Many people go out of their way to get an artificial tan before they leave for a sunny vacation, because they want to get a “base coat” to prevent sun damage. Even those who are capable of getting a tan, however, only get protection to the level of SPF 6, whereas the desired level is an SPF of 30. Those who only freckle get little or no protection at all from attempting to tan; they just increase sun damage. Sunscreen must be applied liberally and reapplied every two to three hours, especially after swimming or physical activity that promotes perspiration, which can weaken even sunscreens labeled as “waterproof.”