Friday, January 16, 2009

Dark Spots on the Skin, Hyper Pigmentation and You

The last time you looked in the mirror did you notice any dark spots on the skin that did not belong there? Did you notice that there was some darkening in some areas of your face, neck or lips that was not the same color as the rest of your face? If you have been suffering from any of the above you may have what many in the skin care field call hyper pigmentation. While this big word sounds like it may have an equally big diagnosis, have no fear as the answer is that it does not. This is a common occurrence that has no other ill effects except for the outward appearance of discoloration.
Hyper pigmentation is a harmless occurrence that occurs when sections or patches of skin begin to get darker than other areas of the skin. This happens when the melanin in our skin, or what causes our skin to get darker, begins to form areas where the melanin builds up. This condition can affect people of any ethnic background regardless of the color of their skin. There are many different causes of discoloration. These can range from outside sources such as the sun to internal ones such as an excess of hormone production in the body.
One form of hyper pigmentation is age spots. These spots are natural and usually come with time. As the name indicates, age spots are a result of our skin aging as well as being exposed to the sun. It is just a fact of life that the older we get, so do our bodies. These spots usually affect our face and hands or other areas of our bodies that may be exposed to the sun for long periods of time.
Melasma is another form of discoloration that affects mostly women and can also be found during pregnancy or during the use of a birth control pill. The hormones seem to trigger an increase in melanin production and therefore cause the discoloration of the skin. Dark spots on the skin or dark patches on the skin can usually be found when hyper pigmentation or melasma is present.
Dark spots on the skin can result from different things. They can be from a birthmark or a freckle. Dark spots could be a result of acne or hormones. There are many different causes for hyper pigmentation, so it is vital that you keep track of any new or size changes of existing dark spots on the skin. While we have seen that for the most part, dark spots seem to be more of a cosmetic issue than anything, dark spots or discoloration could also be a warning sign of other issues. Don't take any chances. If you start to notice dark spots, discoloration or size changes in spots, see your Doctor immediately to make sure it is not anything severe. If it is mainly a cosmetic issue, either your doctor can prescribe a treatment or you can try an over-the-counter skin lightener or whitener to help alleviate the stares. Don't wait until it's too late!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Acne Diets

Do you have acne? This affliction can be a rather traumatic one if left untreated. Our appearance, as we all know, can have such a pertinent effect on our confidence, or lack there of.

Do you dare go out with your skin having “mini-volcanos” all over? It’s not rare that many of us are tormented by acne. But did you know that your diet can play a part to what caused those zits to form all over?

That brings me to my topic of acne diets. You may or may not have come across the subject of acne diets. It’s a research done to proof that there is a link between what you eat and the acne on one’s face.

While many of us crave to have better looking skin, all those nice food that we see around us ain’t going to make it easy for us. There are many things that we apply on our skin to take care of its ph balance and contour, not going out too much into the sun and even facial massage… it’s not enough! It’s time we take a look at what goes on inside our body and how it affects us.

I was at a doctor once because of some chapped lips and she smirkingly said, “You know, the condition of your lips actually relates to your diet.” Huh? She informed me that consuming the proper nutrients and fluids on a regular basis would prevent my lips from being chapped.

This baffled me.

However, these days I have adopted slowly to more nutritious diet. It was painful at first because of all the good food I’m missing out on, but within just a few weeks, I ditched my lip balm and I’m feeling a lot healthier!

Here’s my list of foods for your Acne Diets!

Struggling with health? No where to turn for nutritional knowledge? Newlife Today provides assorted articles and advice for a healthier living lifestyle.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

What is vitiligo and pigmentation What is pigmentation loss in the fingers


From your question I understand that you are seeking information about the loss of pigmentation with specific focus on the fingers.

The human skin has a certain color because of the presence of a pigment in the body. Melanocytes are the cells which exist in our body and which ensure that the pigment is produced. This pigment is called melanin and it is this melanin which gives our skin the distinctive color which marks us out from the people of another nation. In our body melanin is produced in the form of small granules. These granules cannot be dissolved in water. In the areas of the body where no melanin granules are present, the skin is white, or rather, devoid of the appropriate pigmentation. The number of pigment granules you have decides the exact shade of your skin. When melanocytes are destroyed, what happens is that no pigment is produced in the body. In such people there are hardly any melanin granules present in the body. As a result the skin does not have any color. This disorder is known as Vitiligo.

Although doctors are not very sure about the exact reasons why people develop Vitiligo, it is now believed that people who suffer from this disease have actually inherited a group of genes, consisting of three genes. And that it is these genes which makes these people fall prey to Vitiligo. Some other doctors and researcher believe that melanocytes, which are responsible for producing the pigments in the body, destroy themselves, thus destroying any chances of pigments in the body. What ever the actual reasons, people the world over suffer from Vitiligo.

When a person is suffering from Vitiligo, he develops patches of white skin on his body. In time more patches appear on the skin and then all the patches join to become one large patch. Usually the skin inside the mouth is affected too. When Vitiligo spreads to the scalp, the hair on the person's head also turns white. In time, the white patches spread all over the body and soon there is not a single patch of normal, colored skin on the body. When you mentioned loss of pigmentation on the fingers, I understood that you were referring to the lack of pigmentation that must have occurred on the fingers of someone's hand.

If you have noticed some small patch of discolored skin on your fingers, it is advisable to seek the opinion of your doctor. You could be suffering from some other, fairly harmless infection.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

What Exactly Is Acne And What Causes It?

Acne is a very common skin condition that generally affects people during their teenage years. More commonly known as pimples, it most often appears on the face but can affect other parts of the body such as the back, neck and shoulders.

While it is usually associated with teenagers, acne does affect adults as well. Plus, it's a universal problem - it affect men and women almost equally and occurs in every race.

The full name for acne is Acne Vulgaris. The visible symptoms are lesions that break out on the skin. These lesions may be whiteheads, blackheads or cysts which are formed out of clogged pores.

The reason it's commonly seen during puberty is because at that age the body produces a larger amount of an oily substance called sebum. Sebum keeps the hair and skin soft and lubricated, but during puberty it is overproduced. This excess clogs pores and will often leave the skin feeling oily.

Another change during puberty that can contribute to acne is higher production of follicle cells. The cells that are dying can build up quickly, combine with sebum and form whiteheads.

This mixture provides a breeding ground for bacteria - resulting in the swelling and redness commonly called pimples.

Acne affects roughly 85% of people between 12 and 24 years old. About 25% of those affected develop acne on other areas than just the face, the most common being the back and neck. 40% of people suffering from acne seek medical attention to help deal with severe outbreaks.

The most common area that is affected by acne is what is known as the T Zone on the face. This is made up of the forehead, nose and chin. Acne does form on other facial areas however, such as the cheeks.

The second most common part of the body to be affected is the back followed by the neck, chest and shoulders.

For most people, their acne will clear up by the time they're in their 20's. There are some cases where it will continue throughout their adult life however, and some people experience it for the first time as an adult.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Splendid Ways To Heal Dark Circles Under Eyes

The form of dark circles below the eyes makes you look aged person, tired state, stressed out, unwell, and even deprived. In every person life span dark circles are common and non-hormonal skin disorder. Dark circles below and around the eyes are triggered by a very particular physiological procedure. There are many contributing factors in the progression of these dark circles and even more things that can make them worse. Dark circles below the eyes are enormously widespread and worrying concern. These are not caused by stress and anxiety, whole night work or by partying sessions or fatigue. Dark circles under the eyes are the bitter fact of life. Many people presume they are originated by not getting enough sleep, and they’re right. Dark circles occurs by one of the three most important reasons. Vasculature inflammation, late nights, nutritional deficiencies and allergies can broaden the blood vessels underneath thin under-eye skin. They acquire them with age and have failed to remedy the problem despite experimenting every trick in the book at them.

Grounds of dark circles heredity is one of the main reasons to suffer from dark eye circles, depression and stress. Prolonged exposure to sunlight, specially during summer season. Deficiency of sleep or fatigue. Inherited hyper-pigmentation is the most treatable appearance of dark circles. The best way to prevent dark circles below the eyes is to eat, drink and sleep appropriate, reduce stress and fight with fatigue. There is also a cosmetic product; light-reflecting concealer, which helps because it contains titanium powder that reflects light across the dark area. When dark circles do occur, this process offers natural, inexpensive methods of reducing or curing them. Drink tomato juice or soup, lemon juice. Consume food with plentiful vitamins and irons. Involve fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, this will help you tremendously in over coming dark circles.

Some home tips for treating dark Circles:

1. Without fail drink at least ten glasses of water per day.

2. Gently massage your dark circles with any cold cream at night for 15 minutes.

3. Spread over the paste of turmeric powder with pineapple juice on the affected area.

4. Dip a small piece of cotton in rose water or chilled water and put it over the darker areas for 10 minutes.

5. Using almond oil is also favorable for skin. Massage under and around the eyes with almond oil daily for a couple of weeks.

6. Apply skin moisturizers with natural ingredients such as avocado oil, sesame, vitamin K and Vitamin E.

7. Spread a paste of mashed milk and almonds under the eyes.

8. Consume food with rich vitamins and iron.

9. Involve fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily diet.

10. Always wear sun gear while exposing in the sun, to guard your eyes from the harmful rays emitted from the sun.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

All Natural Cures and How It Affects You

Long before commercial drugs were invented and used, people resort to all natural cures for virtually all kinds of diseases or disorders they encounter or suffer from. The most common all-natural cures are herbal medicines. In spite of all the controversies and questions posed by scientists against these all natural cures and even with the emergence of clinically tested and scientifically proven pharmaceutical products, people still continue to use them today, holding on to the traditional belief that anything ?natural? is ?safe.?

Herbal Remedies

Plants and plant extracts are all natural cures proven by elders to effectively cure diseases ranging from skin disorders like acne and allergies to diabetes; asthma; headaches; muscle pain; constipation; premenstrual syndrome; kidney, liver and other organ disorders, and a whole lot more. There are simple all natural cures as well for common and minor ailments like sunburn, pimples, burns, common colds, swelling, athlete?s foot, dandruff, sinusitis and even for bruises and insect bites.

Using herbal medicines is a traditional and even ancient medicinal practice for curing both major and minor diseases. Even before man studied the plants, earliest generations already believed plants? natural nutrients, minerals and components help remove toxics in the blood, sooth wounds, restore damaged tissues, produce certain vitamins essential for the curing of a disease, aid in proper circulation of the blood, and strengthen the immune system.

Today people still use plants and pant extracts as all-natural cures for diseases not only for their cleansing, soothing, anti-inflammatory and healing properties, but because all natural cures are also less expensive compared to high-priced commercial drugs. And since they are natural, they are friendlier to the environment compared to many toxins and chemicals used in other forms of treatment. In addition to these, all natural cures are very helpful in cases of emergencies and when you cannot go to the drugstore to buy first aid medicines.

Other forms of All-Natural Cures

Food ? One of the best ways of naturally preventing diseases is to eat the right kind and the right amount of food. Specifically, you have to eat food rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins that would keep you healthy and away from any kind of ailment.

Herbal dietary supplements ? These dietary supplements intended for ingestion in forms of a capsule, pill, tablet or liquid, have all-natural ingredients. Aside from having all-natural herbal or botanical components, they also have added vitamins, minerals, amino acid and the like that have good effects to the health. For many years, they have been used to cure and prevent health disorders. As food supplements through, they are not intended to replace conventional food, but rather, to add to the total daily food intake.

Home Remedies ? These refer to some foods and things commonly found in a household that are used in curing common ailments such as colds, fever, headaches and stomach aches. All-natural cures like plants are mostly used as home remedies. For example in treating headache and fever, willow bark tea is given to the patient. Willow bark is said to contain acetylsalicylic acid that is found in aspirin.

Chicken soup is also a very good all-natural cure for upper respiratory tract infections. It contains many substances that have medicinal properties that are particularly helpful in mitigating inflammation.