Dermatosis papulosa nigra is a condition, not a disease, seen almost exclusively in blacks. It occurs in about one-third of all black people and is twice as common in women as in men.
What does it look like? Tiny, smooth, raised, mole-like spots that appear on the face and neck that are darker than the skin around them. Resembling flat warts, they begin around the age of puberty, are inherited, can vary in number from just a few to hundreds, and become more numerous as a person gets older. They never become malignant; in other words, they are not precancerous growths.
If you have a lot of these tumors and are unhappy with the way they look, a dermatologist can remove them simply and easily with a variety of methods.
Selasa, 10 Maret 2009
Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra
Selasa, 03 Maret 2009
How to Prevent Razor Bumps?
The ingrown hairs of the beard in black men are called, technically, pseudofolliculitis barbae. Almost everyone knows what you mean, though, if you call them "razor bumps." This irritation and swelling around an ingrown hair occurs mostly in young black men because the hair and hair follicles in blacks are more curved than in whites.Razor bumps develop when the sharp, razor-cut tips of curly hair, sharpened by frequent shaving, cut into the skin in an arc and grow inward.
Several factors make the condition worse:
Stretching the skin out and pulling it taut when shaving. Once the skin is released, the short hairs pull back below the surface of the skin. Because of their curve and sharp tip, they re-enter the skin and pierce the wall of the hair follicle.
Shaving against the grain. . Shaving with a dull blade.
Shaving with a 2-track razor. That extra track cuts the hair below the level of the skin before it has a chance to snap back.
There are no easy solutions to this common, painful inconvenience, but here are a few hints that can help:
The simplest answer is to grow a beard and all the bumps will disappear in about a month. Why? Because by the time the hairs are about a half-inch long (in a month or so), the natural tension will cause the ends of the hairs to spring out of the skin.
Since you may not want a beard for the rest of your life, change your shaving routine as follows:
1. Before shaving, carefully lift out any ingrown hairs with a straight pin or a beard pick.
2. To soften the hairs, wash your face thoroughly with soap and hot water for at least two minutes. Rinse.
3. Apply an aerosol shaving cream and lather up for two more minutes.
4. Use only a single-edge razor.
5. Shave gently, using smooth, even strokes.
6. Shave down-one way-on the cheeks and chin.
7. Shave up-one way-on the neck.
8. Shave over one area only one time. Do not shave repeatedly over the same area.
9. Don't pull your beard taut when shaving.
10. Use a new razor blade every time you shave. If you can find a single-edge disposable razor, use it.
11. Shave every other day for the first two weeks, then daily.
Don't expect to get a smooth, clean shave the first few times you use this method. Be patient. After a while, you may be able to train your hairs to grow out straight, or at least straighter, rather than in a curl.
If this method doesn't work, here are a few other suggestions:
Use a chemical depilatory. But beware-they can be irritating, they take a long time to use, they don't smell very pleasant, and they should not be used more often than every other day.
Use electric barber clippers to shave. Since they do not cut the hair as short, they do prevent razor bumps. At the same time, though, you may not be happy with the not-as-close shave.
Electric shavers, unfortunately, aren't much help with the problem of razor bumps.
Don't expect to get a smooth, clean shave the first few times you use this method. Be patient. After a while, you may be able to train your hairs to grow out straight, or at least straighter, rather than in a curl.
If this method doesn't work, here are a few other suggestions:
Use a chemical depilatory. But beware-they can be irritating, they take a long time to use, they don't smell very pleasant, and they should not be used more often than every other day.
Use electric barber clippers to shave. Since they do not cut the hair as short, they do prevent razor bumps. At the same time, though, you may not be happy with the not-as-close shave.
Electric shavers, unfortunately, aren't much help with the problem of razor bumps.
Minggu, 22 Februari 2009
How to Cure Skin Warts?
Over 60 million people in this world have warts. The common myth that they are caused by handling frogs or toads is, of course, only a myth. Frogs and toads have their own problems. Warts are growths on the skin caused by viruses. They should be destroyed because they are contagious, unsightly, and occasionally painful.
You can pass warts on to others by direct or indirect contact, in such places as locker rooms, public shower stalls, gymnasium mats, and swimming pools. Very often, members of the same household are afflicted with warts. They can also spread on the same person by picking, scratching, shaving, or biting one's nails.
Warts come in many shapes and sizes and can turn up on different parts of the body. The so-called common wart is a raised, rough, grayish-looking, painless growth. It can vary in size from a pinhead to a fairly large mass. While they may occur on any portion of the skin surface and mucous membranes, common warts are usually found on the fingers, hands, and soles of the feet.
Flat warts are smooth, flesh-colored, and slightly-elevated. These matchhead-size growths usually appear on the face and backs of hands of children and young adults. Genital warts are found in the moist areas of the genital and anal regions.
Warts on the sole are called plantar warts. (Not "planter's warts," as some people are fond of saying, as if there were some thing agricultural or occupational about them.) These warts are the most stubborn variety and frequently resist all known treatments.
That there are dozens of widely proclaimed methods to eliminate warts attests to the fact that there is no single predictably effective remedy. Ideally, the treatment should be quick, safe, and painless. And it should produce no unsightly or lasting scars.
Some doctors recommend that the best way to manage warts is to let them manage themselves. If left untreated, many warts will disappear by themselves in about two years. This seems to be the natural history of warts. Warty people, however, may not want to wait for any spontaneous cure, and so they seek medical advice.
Methods that physicians use to treat warts are about as varied as warts themselves. The type of treatment your doctor uses will depend upon your age, the location of your warts, and the size and number of warts to be treated.
In electrosurgery the wart is burned off with an electric needle under a local anesthetic. Warts also can be chemically destroyed using various types of acids, plasters, and other chemicals. Other warts can be frozen off using liquid nitrogen at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Still other warts succumb to surgical excision (cutting the wart out under local anesthesia). A less widely used method is X-ray therapy carefully administered by a dermatologist. In selected cases, such as stubborn plantar warts, this method can produce miracles. Recent concern over the effects of radiation, however, has restricted its use. One of the latest modes of therapy for large or stubborn warts is the argon laser.
Genital and anal warts are usually transmitted by sexual contact and it is essential to treat the patient's sexual partner to prevent recurrences. These venereal-type warts respond to podophyllin-a resinous substances that a physician paints on the warty growths at weekly intervals.
Some doctors (and some grandmothers) charm warts away by suggestive methods. These "witching" methods have worked in many individuals, particularly young, impressionable children, and they leave no scars, no matter how deep or long-standing the warts may have been. Regardless of how bizarre or ludicrous a treatment may sound, if the patient has faith in the "charmer," the warts usually will disappear. (However, I do not recommend stealing a piece of beef or a dishrag!)
A great deal of research is going on to determine why certain people get warts, why others do not, and why warts often disappear spontaneously. In the meantime, if you can't ward off warts, take comfort in knowing that your doctor can help you get rid of them.
You can pass warts on to others by direct or indirect contact, in such places as locker rooms, public shower stalls, gymnasium mats, and swimming pools. Very often, members of the same household are afflicted with warts. They can also spread on the same person by picking, scratching, shaving, or biting one's nails.
Warts come in many shapes and sizes and can turn up on different parts of the body. The so-called common wart is a raised, rough, grayish-looking, painless growth. It can vary in size from a pinhead to a fairly large mass. While they may occur on any portion of the skin surface and mucous membranes, common warts are usually found on the fingers, hands, and soles of the feet.
Flat warts are smooth, flesh-colored, and slightly-elevated. These matchhead-size growths usually appear on the face and backs of hands of children and young adults. Genital warts are found in the moist areas of the genital and anal regions.
Warts on the sole are called plantar warts. (Not "planter's warts," as some people are fond of saying, as if there were some thing agricultural or occupational about them.) These warts are the most stubborn variety and frequently resist all known treatments.
That there are dozens of widely proclaimed methods to eliminate warts attests to the fact that there is no single predictably effective remedy. Ideally, the treatment should be quick, safe, and painless. And it should produce no unsightly or lasting scars.
Some doctors recommend that the best way to manage warts is to let them manage themselves. If left untreated, many warts will disappear by themselves in about two years. This seems to be the natural history of warts. Warty people, however, may not want to wait for any spontaneous cure, and so they seek medical advice.
Methods that physicians use to treat warts are about as varied as warts themselves. The type of treatment your doctor uses will depend upon your age, the location of your warts, and the size and number of warts to be treated.
In electrosurgery the wart is burned off with an electric needle under a local anesthetic. Warts also can be chemically destroyed using various types of acids, plasters, and other chemicals. Other warts can be frozen off using liquid nitrogen at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Still other warts succumb to surgical excision (cutting the wart out under local anesthesia). A less widely used method is X-ray therapy carefully administered by a dermatologist. In selected cases, such as stubborn plantar warts, this method can produce miracles. Recent concern over the effects of radiation, however, has restricted its use. One of the latest modes of therapy for large or stubborn warts is the argon laser.
Genital and anal warts are usually transmitted by sexual contact and it is essential to treat the patient's sexual partner to prevent recurrences. These venereal-type warts respond to podophyllin-a resinous substances that a physician paints on the warty growths at weekly intervals.
Some doctors (and some grandmothers) charm warts away by suggestive methods. These "witching" methods have worked in many individuals, particularly young, impressionable children, and they leave no scars, no matter how deep or long-standing the warts may have been. Regardless of how bizarre or ludicrous a treatment may sound, if the patient has faith in the "charmer," the warts usually will disappear. (However, I do not recommend stealing a piece of beef or a dishrag!)
A great deal of research is going on to determine why certain people get warts, why others do not, and why warts often disappear spontaneously. In the meantime, if you can't ward off warts, take comfort in knowing that your doctor can help you get rid of them.
Senin, 16 Februari 2009
Few General Tips That Can Help Prevent Or Control Acne
Here are a few general principles that can help prevent or control acne:
* Wash your face thoroughly at least three times daily.
* Don't pick or squeeze. This may aggravate the condition and lead to infection and scarring.
* Shampoo your hair frequently.
* Keep your hair off your face and don't use hairsprays, mousses, or greasy hair dressings.
* Avoid greasy cosmetics.
* Avoid creamy suntan lotions.
* Facials are not recommended because the creams and lotions force more oil into the already clogged pores.
* If you have acne near your mouth, stop your fluoridated toothpaste for a few months and note whether it makes any difference.
* Avoid emotional stress. The chemicals released by your body during anxious and stressful situations stimulate the adre-nal gland to produce more of the male-type hormone (more so in women!) which, in turn, stimulates the overproduction of skin oil.
* Watch your diet. The role that diet plays in causing acne is controversial and debatable. I recommend that you cut out chocolate, seafood, nuts, and cheeses, and that you limit milk to three glasses a day.
* If your physician has prescribed tetracycline for your acne, do not take multiple-vitamin supplements containing iron. Iron interferes with the absorption of tetracycline.
New lesions can occur despite good management. It can be controlled, however, to lessen its severity and to prevent the scarring that may result. Don't be discouraged if your progress is slow. If you are diligent, conscientious, and faithful with your treatment, you will reap the benefit of a clearer complexion.
It is especially important that parents try to understand their teenagers' plight. By offering encouragement and helping your teenager maintain his or her self-esteem, you can help lessen the mental anguish and psychological scars that so often accompany acne.
If your acne is stubborn, persistent, and disfiguring, consult your dermatologist. Waiting to "outgrow" acne can be a serious mistake; permanent scarring can result if acne is left untreated. A dermatologist can prescribe internal and topical medications to eliminate or lighten this cross that almost all teenagers have to bear.
* Wash your face thoroughly at least three times daily.
* Don't pick or squeeze. This may aggravate the condition and lead to infection and scarring.
* Shampoo your hair frequently.
* Keep your hair off your face and don't use hairsprays, mousses, or greasy hair dressings.
* Avoid greasy cosmetics.
* Avoid creamy suntan lotions.
* Facials are not recommended because the creams and lotions force more oil into the already clogged pores.
* If you have acne near your mouth, stop your fluoridated toothpaste for a few months and note whether it makes any difference.
* Avoid emotional stress. The chemicals released by your body during anxious and stressful situations stimulate the adre-nal gland to produce more of the male-type hormone (more so in women!) which, in turn, stimulates the overproduction of skin oil.
* Watch your diet. The role that diet plays in causing acne is controversial and debatable. I recommend that you cut out chocolate, seafood, nuts, and cheeses, and that you limit milk to three glasses a day.
* If your physician has prescribed tetracycline for your acne, do not take multiple-vitamin supplements containing iron. Iron interferes with the absorption of tetracycline.
New lesions can occur despite good management. It can be controlled, however, to lessen its severity and to prevent the scarring that may result. Don't be discouraged if your progress is slow. If you are diligent, conscientious, and faithful with your treatment, you will reap the benefit of a clearer complexion.
It is especially important that parents try to understand their teenagers' plight. By offering encouragement and helping your teenager maintain his or her self-esteem, you can help lessen the mental anguish and psychological scars that so often accompany acne.
If your acne is stubborn, persistent, and disfiguring, consult your dermatologist. Waiting to "outgrow" acne can be a serious mistake; permanent scarring can result if acne is left untreated. A dermatologist can prescribe internal and topical medications to eliminate or lighten this cross that almost all teenagers have to bear.
Senin, 02 Februari 2009
How to Affect Medications on Your Skin?
Taking vitamins, diet pills, and many other medications can change the appearance of your skin, hair, and nails. Very dry skin can result from taking thyroid medication and high doses of vitamin A.
Hives can develop from hundreds of medications, usually aspirin, penicillin, and sulfa. Acne and oily skin are frequent side effects of low-dose birth control pills, anti-epilepsy medication, and cortisone-like drugs. You can develop sun poisoning if you get too much sun while taking sulfa drugs, high blood pressure pills, oral contraceptives, or medicines with tetracycline. A rash that looks a lot like measles can show up if you're taking penicillin, ampicillin, sleeping pills, or Librium. Low-dose birth control pills, thyroid medication, male hormones, and a variety of drugs used to treat cancer, can all cause hair to fall out.
Hives can develop from hundreds of medications, usually aspirin, penicillin, and sulfa. Acne and oily skin are frequent side effects of low-dose birth control pills, anti-epilepsy medication, and cortisone-like drugs. You can develop sun poisoning if you get too much sun while taking sulfa drugs, high blood pressure pills, oral contraceptives, or medicines with tetracycline. A rash that looks a lot like measles can show up if you're taking penicillin, ampicillin, sleeping pills, or Librium. Low-dose birth control pills, thyroid medication, male hormones, and a variety of drugs used to treat cancer, can all cause hair to fall out.
All of these side effects shouldn't discourage you from taking your medicines, but you should know what might happen when you do. If you think you are developing an unusual reaction from some type
Think about Your Skin
What is this bag we call the skin-this fantastic envelope that possesses some of the most extraordinary mechanisms in the entire body? It is an organ of the body-a marvelously efficient apparatus that nourishes, guards, and protects us twenty four hours a day.
When laid out flat, the skin of an average adult would measure some twenty square feet; it would weigh about nine pounds. That's a lot of organ-one of the largest and heaviest of the body. Also the most abused and maligned organ of the body.
Considering those "thousand natural shocks that skin is heir to," its continuing function and lack of complaint is nothing short of amazing.
How do we treat this remarkable mechanism? We dig and rub and scratch it. We expose it to all the elements---extremes of heat and cold, sun, wind, rain, and snow. We cut it, shave it, pick it, squeeze it, pinch it, and twist it. We scrub it, pull it, and bend it. We rub it, slap it, punch it, and knead it.
In the name of Beauty, we paint it and mark it and spray it. In the name of Health, we massage it and scorch it in the steam room and sauna. Name another organ that can stand up to all that! Yet it survives!
We never think of our skin as we do our heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, brain, or any other "important" organ. To many of us, this complex body stocking we wear so casually is just a sac to hold our insides in, a bag containing some watery stuff and bones. But the skin is an important, vital, viable, living mechanism without which the human organism cannot survive.
When laid out flat, the skin of an average adult would measure some twenty square feet; it would weigh about nine pounds. That's a lot of organ-one of the largest and heaviest of the body. Also the most abused and maligned organ of the body.
Considering those "thousand natural shocks that skin is heir to," its continuing function and lack of complaint is nothing short of amazing.
How do we treat this remarkable mechanism? We dig and rub and scratch it. We expose it to all the elements---extremes of heat and cold, sun, wind, rain, and snow. We cut it, shave it, pick it, squeeze it, pinch it, and twist it. We scrub it, pull it, and bend it. We rub it, slap it, punch it, and knead it.
In the name of Beauty, we paint it and mark it and spray it. In the name of Health, we massage it and scorch it in the steam room and sauna. Name another organ that can stand up to all that! Yet it survives!
We never think of our skin as we do our heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, brain, or any other "important" organ. To many of us, this complex body stocking we wear so casually is just a sac to hold our insides in, a bag containing some watery stuff and bones. But the skin is an important, vital, viable, living mechanism without which the human organism cannot survive.
Selasa, 30 Desember 2008
Organic Cosmetic Product: The Benefits
Organic products are all the rage these days, and why not? There are so many benefits that are offered by organic products, especially cosmetic products. So why would you want to buy a cosmetic skin care product over any other? Well there are a few reasons, which will be discussed here in more detail.
The Benefits
Your skin is the most important thing when it comes to taking care of yourself. You are going to have your skin for the rest of your life, and so of course you want to keep it in the best possible condition. This is why you want to start checking out the organic cosmetic product selection that is available.
First and foremost you should realize that an organic cosmetic product is just the same as any other type of cosmetic product, with really the only difference being that it has 100% natural ingredients in it. Therefore, you are getting the same cosmetic product that you normally would but it has all natural ingredients in it instead of chemicals and other products.
Therefore you can trust more in an organic cosmetic product, knowing that it is going to be gentler on your skin which is especially important if you have sensitive skin or a skin condition such as psoriasis or eczema.
Another benefit of using an organic cosmetic product is that your skin will just feel better in general when you are using an organic product. You will notice that your skin is more supple and smooth, and organic products are less likely to result in wrinkling of the skin. This is something that worries every woman and so of course this is something that is going to get you to want to make the switch over to cosmetic products.
Where to Buy
Because organic products are now all the rage, you can typically find them at any drug store or pharmacy where you usually go to buy your cosmetic products. However if you cannot find what you are looking for there, you can always go to a specialty store to find what you need. Use the Internet to search for the exact organic beauty products that you are looking for, and to make the search as easy and convenient for you as possible.
As you can see, the benefits of using an organic cosmetic product are great, so why stick with the old cosmetic products when you can use organic versions and get better results?
The Benefits
Your skin is the most important thing when it comes to taking care of yourself. You are going to have your skin for the rest of your life, and so of course you want to keep it in the best possible condition. This is why you want to start checking out the organic cosmetic product selection that is available.
First and foremost you should realize that an organic cosmetic product is just the same as any other type of cosmetic product, with really the only difference being that it has 100% natural ingredients in it. Therefore, you are getting the same cosmetic product that you normally would but it has all natural ingredients in it instead of chemicals and other products.
Therefore you can trust more in an organic cosmetic product, knowing that it is going to be gentler on your skin which is especially important if you have sensitive skin or a skin condition such as psoriasis or eczema.
Another benefit of using an organic cosmetic product is that your skin will just feel better in general when you are using an organic product. You will notice that your skin is more supple and smooth, and organic products are less likely to result in wrinkling of the skin. This is something that worries every woman and so of course this is something that is going to get you to want to make the switch over to cosmetic products.
Where to Buy
Because organic products are now all the rage, you can typically find them at any drug store or pharmacy where you usually go to buy your cosmetic products. However if you cannot find what you are looking for there, you can always go to a specialty store to find what you need. Use the Internet to search for the exact organic beauty products that you are looking for, and to make the search as easy and convenient for you as possible.
As you can see, the benefits of using an organic cosmetic product are great, so why stick with the old cosmetic products when you can use organic versions and get better results?
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