Skin Problems

First of all – Acne has nothing to do with being dirty. Acne forming effects people in  their early teenage, and young adult years, and to a lesser extent people in the middle age group.  It’s caused by hormones (the male ones) that stimulate oil production. There are different forms of acne, and all of them cause a great deal of distress.

Acne can clear up just to erupt again therefore you have to follow a treatment to the end Permanent damage however can be prevented if acne scarring is treated in the early staged. Any discoloring of the skin problem area that is still visible after 12 months can become a permanent scar.

• Whiteheads/closed comedones are formed when pores are blocked, so the oil produced by the skin (sebum) is trapped inside along with dead skin cells. The growth of bacteria starts and the pores becomes more blocked and over-filled and a small white raised lump on the surface of the skin appears.
• Blackheads/open comedones are at the very mild end of the scale but they can often take a long time to clear.
• Papules are inflamed, red, sore bumps with no head.  DON’T squeeze a papule, as it can leave a nasty scar.
• Pustules are inflamed red spots with a white or yellow centre.  They can be popped, but only when they are ready to burst with a sterile needle, then give it a genteel squeeze.  Best after a warm shower or facial.  If clear liquid or blood starts to appear, stop squeezing.
• Nodules are large, hard, painful bumps under the skin, which can last for months.  Don’t squeeze because it can cause permanent scarring.  They should be injected with cortisone which is produced naturally in the body, so you won’t have a reaction.
• Cysts look similar to nodules, except they are full of pus. They are very painful and can leave scarring.  To squeeze is not an option because it cause a deep irritation and very painful inflammation, which will last much longer than if you had left it alone..

Enlarged Pores

Lots of people are bothered by open pores.  These are pores clogged with dead skin cells, oil, make-up and general dirt and the can leave your skin uneven and grubby. They show up as blackheads when blocked and the sebum on the surface oxidizes. When your pores become full they stretch so they look large and wide open.

Rough skin texture

A wide variety of skin problem conditions and environmental factors can make the skin feel rough, bumpy, papery, wrinkled, dry, scaly or leathery.  Determining the source of skin problems is the first step to finding effective treatments.  You have to see somebody with the advanced training and expertise necessary to effectively treat skin problems. 

Ingrown hairs

This is a condition where the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. It might curl back into the same hair follicle and get trapped underneath the skin surface and is primarily seen among people having curly hairs. New hairs may also get caught under the skin surface without ever being cut.  This condition may or may not be accompanied by and infection of the hair follicle or “razor bumps” which vary in size. Most commonly ingrown hair appears in areas where the skin is shaved or waxed like beard, legs, pubic region but can also appear anywhere else like eyelashes.
Anything which causes the hair to be broken off short with a sharp tip can cause ingrown hair.  Shaving is the leading cause, followed by waxing and tight clothing.
The embedded hair causes a localized inflammation like pain response in the skin with prostaniod involvement.  Ingrown hair can also occurs when the pore is blocked for various reasons as in the case in keratosis plaris, and the hair is forced to grow sideways.
Symptoms of this skin problem include rash, itching skin, hair which remains in spite of shaving and infection and pus collection under the skin.
 

Treatments include putting a warm washcloth over the ingrown hair, shaving in a different direction, tweezing, exfoliating with facial scrubs, sponges, towels or creams containing acids, and ibuprofen or other NSAIDs.
Some people who chronically get ingrown hairs use laser treatments or electrolysis to completely prevent hair growth

Unwanted hair

As we age, we start sprouting hair in all sorts of unwanted places and it gets thicker and darker as well.  It usually appears on the face over the top lip, on the sides of the cheeks, chin and neck.  These hairs can sometimes be a half an inch longer before you spot them.

Rosacea/Red Skin

This condition appears as a red rash on the cheeks, nose, forehead, eyelids and chin.  and are more common in fair-skinned people.  The redness is often accompanied by bumps or pimples (so it can be mistaken for acne) and sometimes the skin becomes dry, itchy and can also flake.
Inflammation causes blood vessels to dilate so they become more visible, causing the red “flushing” that characterizes this condition. Almost as if your skin is see-through.
This skin problem condition origin is still not full understood by doctors but some environmental factors such as exercise, spicy foods, sun, alcohol and some medications can let it flare up.  It can start as early as your mid 20’s or for the first time around, during the menopause.

Scar’s and scar Removal

Wound healing

This is an intricate process in which the skin (or other organ) repairs itself after injury.
In normal skin, the epidermis and the dermis exists in steady-state equilibrium, forming a protective barrier against external environment. If this barrier is broken, the normal process of wound healing is immediately set in motion which is divided into three to four sequential, yet overlapping phases.
Inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling. Upon injury a set of complex biochemical events takes place to repair the damage. In minutes post-injury, platelets aggregate at the injury site to form a fibrin clot which acts to control active bleeding.
 

Inflammatory phase, bacteria and debris are phagocytosed and removed, and factors are released that cause the migration and division of cells involved in the proliferative phase. This phase is characterized by angiogenesis, collagen deposition, granulation tissue formation, epithelialization and wound contraction. In angiogenesis, new blood vessels are formed by vascular endothelial cells. In fibroplasias and granulation tissue formation, fibroblasts grow and form a new, provisional extracellular matrix by excreting collagen and fibronectin.  Concurrently, re-epithelialization of the epidermis occurs, in which epithelial cells prolifearate and “crawl atop the wound bed providing cover for the new tissue.

 
Sebaceous Hyperplasia

This is a skin problem wherein an individual develops small yellowish pimple-like growth on the skin, normally on the face also known as Fordyce’s spots.  This disorder is mostly experience by people in their middle ages and elderly people.  Approximately 10 -16% of people who are on a semi permanent use of ‘cyclosporine A’ for organ transplantations are effected by sebaceous hyperplasma. Only few cases, where lesions are formed during pubescence, and they may be single or in a group
They are formed in areas where several oil secretors are present, like the nose, cheeks, forehead, chest, upper arms, vulval region, and around teats.

They are tiny, pain-free, whitish yellow colored bumps on the skin surface.
Oleaginous glands are highly sensitive to androgenic hormones, even though the number of these glands doesn’t change much; throughout a person’s lifetime, their function and size differ depending on the age and circulating internal secretion levels.
This disorder has many symptoms such as hickeys on the skin, especially on the forehead and cheeks, a ‘seborrhoeic’ skin infection, or acne.

People may choose treatments of sebaceous hyperplasma depending on the symptoms.  Applying “tretinoin” cream or jell on the effected area, would make the pimples disappear over time, and will also preclude further complications.
Chemical peels, can also be used to treat the disorder, but new hickeys will keep forming initially after the treatment.

Blemishing or cover of a considerably larger area when the pimples are severe can also be done and oral isotretinoin medicaments for treating the complications.
Photoradiation therapy is one of the effective treatments, wherein the effected area is exactly targeted.  Light cauterization is another efficient way of getting rid of lesions. Skin hickeys can be removed by another treatment known as ‘laser vaporization’ and some skin specialists may recommend a major surgical operation, or the liquid nitrogen freezing procedure to bring the skin condition back to normal.

Spider veins

The proper name is telangectasia are tiny swollen blood vessels just under the skin.  They show up on your legs because of the pressure on the vessels caused by sitting or standing for long periods.  They can be red, blue or purple and can develop in cluster like spider’ webs.  They are often genetic, but occasionally they can be the result of trauma, such as deep bruising or surgery.  They are sometimes fed by a deeper-lying varicose vein and an ultrasound scan is recommended before any treatment to check for these.  To prevent make sure to get your Omega 3 fatty acids in to stimulate blood circulation.  Garlic believe it or not because of the allicin (that’s the active ingredient) in garlic is thought to relax blood vessel walls and to make blood less “sticky”, so it’s less likely to slow circulation down.  And red wine for its antioxidants (reoveratrol) propertice reduces the build-up of plaque in your arteries to improve blood flow.
 

You have to move around to get your blood flowing.  With our good doctor you can get treated by having Sclerotherapy done and good news for people with darker skin is that Elos eMax one of the few lasers that can treat dark skins is also an option.

Varicose veins

Your veins have tiny one-way valves inside them that open up to let the blood through, then close to stop it from flowing backwards.  Sometimes the vein walls stretch and lose their elasticity, which makes the valves weak and they don’t function properly, which make the blood collect  in your veins and make them swollen and enlarged.  The reason that some people develop this problem is not known but women are more likely to be affected than men because female hormones tend to relax the walls of veins.  Some other factors can include being overweight, pregnancy, your genes and standing on your feet for long periods causing the blood flow to be disrupted.
To avoid this problem for happening you need to control your weight, exercise to boost circulation and to put your legs up when sitting down.  Please also avoid sitting on your legs or cross them as it makes it harder for the veins to do their job.  Laser treatments with our good doctor which will requires only local anesthetics and less bruising or discomfort is a better option than traditional surgery.

Broken Veins

These annoying little veins usually crop up on the cheeks, chin and around the nose and are the results of damage to tiny blood vessels.  A variety of reasons can be the sun, cold weather, Rosacea, damage of having too many fillers or just old middle age.  Alcohol and spicy foods are also culprits and can make the problem worse.  Laser treatments and IPL is needed to have a rejuvenation effect on the skin and can give yours lasting results if you start taking good care of your skin and always use protection from the sun
   

Warts

The smart word is Verrucae and is small skin growths caused by 80 or more human papillomaviruses. Warts can develop at any age but are most common in children and least common in older people.  Warts can come as single growths or in hundreds.  Repeated  contact is necessary for the virus to spread and can spread from one area of the body to other areas rather than from one person to another, Most warts are harmless, although they may be quite bother some. They are firm growths with a rough surface.  They can be round or irregularly shaped and grey, yellow or brown in color.
They are painless, except for plantur warts which can be very painful when pressure is placed on them.
The common warts disappear on their own within a year or two and rarely leave a scar when they heal spontaneously and do not need treatment unless painful or because of psychologic distress.  In general they can be removed with chemicals, cut off, frozen of, or burned off with laser or electrical currents. Warts may recur after removal. Genital warts are more likely to persist and are more contagious and doctors
Have to treat them.
 
Moles

These baby’s should be checked out by your doctor if you have a lot of them on your face and body.  They are dark patches that are slightly raised or flat.  If moles or patches of normal skin change in size shape or color they should be checked out by a dermatologist so they can rule out skin cancer.  This includes moles and patches that won’t heal hurts, itches or scabs.
 
Sensitive Skin

A sensitive skin is a thin or a fine-textured skin. It reacts quickly to both heat and cold; therefore, it sunburns and windburns easily. It is commonly dry, delicate and prone to allergic reactions. Temperature changes, some detergents, cosmetics and alcohol (used on the skin), shaving, aesthetic procedures and stress can all cause irritation, leaving the skin red and blotchy, with visible surface veins.  Your skin can feel discomfort without any visible signs. 
 

Sensitive skin needs special care which means that you have to watch your intake on spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine. If you have this type of skin, use sun-screen lotions or creams. Choose products that do not contain potential allergens such as fragrance or PABA sunscreens. Wash your face with mild baby soap, rinse thoroughly and pat the skin dry with a soft towel; do not use products that contain exfoliates and rough towel, loofahs, and brushes. Never use any makeup or perfume without first trying a little of it on the inside of your wrist to see the reaction of your skin to it, for very few items of makeup agree with a sensitive skin. Every night apply home-made moisturizing cream on your face before retiring for the night.  Amazing essential oils that you can use is Chamomile, Lavender, Neroli, Rose and Sandalwood.
 

Many people are affected by the redness, dry skin, acne, sunburn, hives and other bumps and blemishes caused by sensitive skin. The exact cause of the condition itself may vary, as some attribute certain symptoms to genetics, while others blame food, cosmetics and other environmental factors. Treating sensitive skin will depend on which symptoms are present, and may also be influenced by the cause of symptoms.

Dry Skin

Some individuals have a genetic predisposition to dry skin and as we age our skins tend to become drier.
Dry skin has a very low level of sebum and can be prone to sensitivity. The skin has a parched look caused by its inability to retain moisture. It usually feels "tight" and uncomfortable after washing unless some type of moisturizer or skin cream is applied. Chapping and cracking are signs of extremely dry, dehydrated skin.
Dryness is exacerbated by wind, extremes of temperature and air-conditioning, all of which cause the skin to flake, chap and feel tight. This type of skin is tightly drawn over bones. It looks dull, especially on the cheeks and around the eyes. There may be tiny expression lines on these spots and at the comers of the mouth.
 

Causes:
• The oil glands do not supply enough lubrication to the skin. As a result, the skin becomes dehydrated.
• Skin gets exposed to the elements especially in winter.
• Dry skin could be due to a genetic condition.
• Poor diet. Nutritional deficiencies, especially deficiencies of vitamin A and the B vitamins, can also contribute to dry skin.
• Environmental factors such as exposure to sun, wind, cold, chemicals, or cosmetics, or excessive bathing with harsh soaps.
• Conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, or seborrhea.
• Dry Skin Could Also Be From:
 Dry skin can be a sign of an underactive thyroid.
 Serious skin complications can arise for people with diabetes.
 Certain drugs, including diuretics, antispasmodics, and antihistamines, can contribute to dry skin.
 

Treatment & Monitoring
 

Avoid the use of tap water when cleansing dry skin. The deposits are too drying on the skin. And never, ever use hot water. Use mineral water to freshen your face. Don't use a washcloth-a rough texture can irritate. In the morning, apply a spray of mineral water on your skin misted on with a plant sprayer. (Do not use a sprayer that had been used for spraying insecticides.) Lightly pat dry.
Dry skin needs plenty of thorough but gentle cleansing, regular stimulation with massage and generous quantities of oil and moisture. It also needs extra careful protection. Washing dry skin with soap and water not only removes grime but also the natural oils protecting the skin. A moisturizer increases the water content of the outer layers of the skin and gives it a soft, moist look.
Use nondetergent, neutral-pH products to cleanse your skin. Avoid using any commercial soap. And always touch your face gently. Double-cleanse with a cream, leaving a light, thin trace of it on the skin after the second cleansing.
Follow a bath or a shower with a mild application of baby oil. Massage your face with home-made nourishing cream every night before retiring. Be generous with the cream in the areas surrounding the eyes where tiny lines and crows feet are born.
Avoid coming in contact with highly alkaline soaps and detergents like washing sodas and powders which contain highly alkaline and drying ingredients.
Moistening with water, then applying a thin film of air-excluding moisturizer, restores the suppleness of the dry skin.
Dry skin is treatet the same way it is prevented and there are no side effects to treatments, unless an individual is allergic to moisturizers.  Those should choose unscented or hypoallergenic moisturizers.
If dry skin is severe enough and remains untreated, it can lead to eczema.  Dry skin is not contagious and poses no risk to others