March 30, 2007
Top 10 reasons why people get chronic chapped lips
Attempting to find out the cause of severely chapped lips is never easy. There are various points of origin that you will have to research on and take notice of the results. Luckily for you, we have listed the ten most common causes of chronic chapped lips that can give you a starting point on identifying the culprit.
1. Although we tend to overlook this one, toothpaste is a very common contributor to chapped lips. Most toothpastes contain what is called guaiazuline, which may cause a contact allergy.
2. Lipstick contains an ingredient called propyl gallate which can also cause a contact allergy.
3. Orange juice or any other juice from citrus fruits can irritate your lips. A photo-toxic reaction can occur that looks like chapped lips.
4. Red dye is in many products that we all use. Candy, lozenges, gum, mouthwash, etc. all contain red dye that may cause allergies.
5. Various other lip care products besides lipstick are also a point of interest when it comes to pin-pointing allergic reactions. Many contain Phenylsalicylate (salol) which may be the cause.
6. Too much vitamin A may also be the culprit behind your peeling lips. It does not matter if the source of your vitamin A comes from whole foods or supplements, if you are taking in more than 25,000 I.U. per day then you might want to take a closer look at this.
7. In addition to excessive vitamin A, your body may be taking in too much Vitamin B12 supplements. What happens is that you develop an allergy to cobalt from taking your B12 supplements and causes crusty and swollen lips.
8. Cinnamon flavoring can also cause lip chapping. This flavoring is found in candy, gum, mouthwashes, etc.
9. Eating too many figs can also cause your allergic reaction due to photo-toxicity.
10. And interestingly enough, metal objects like paper clips and pocket change is a very likely cause of chronic chapped lips. An allergic reaction may show itself on your lips.
chapped lips, lip, lips, skin, skin care
March 27, 2007
Natural remedies for skin rashes and itchiness
Aloe Vera: Widely known for treating burns and sunburns, aloe vera also helps in healing wounds and minor skin irritations such as itchiness and rashes. This plant produces anti inflammatory, anti bacterial, and anti fungal properties. It also contains folic acid, zinc, and vitamins C and E.
The best way to reap the benefits of aloe vera is to use the actual fresh gel from the plant. At the time of application, slice off a portion of the leaf and directly apply the gel to the affected area.
Calendula Cream (Golden marigold): Widely used in Germany, it is used for reducing inflammation and treating diaper rash. Experts say that Calendula works by stimulating the production of white blood cells that aid in destroying harmful microbes. You may purchase the cream form in pharmacies and health food stores. You may also use the actual herb by mixing it with boiling water, one cup of the boiling water to two teaspoons of the herb. Steep for about ten minutes. Once the mixture is cooled, apply to the affected area by using a clean cloth.
Chamomile: Has anti inflammatory properties that soothes and eliminates irritations. Chamomile is also used in treating eczema, psoriasis, and sunburn. People who are allergic to grass and ragweed may acquire an allergic reaction to chamomile.
Jewelweed: Provides relief from poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac. To use, crush the fresh leaves and spread over rash.
Wild pansy: Soothes and relieves itching associated with eczema. This is also used for soothing acne.
Witch hazel: Acts as an astringent that relieves itching and minor skin inflammation. Also used for treating sunburns. For maximum benefit, use fresh witch hazel bark. Simmer one ounce of the bark with one pint of water and leave for ten minutes. Strain and cool. Apply with a clean cloth and leave it on for about thirty minutes.
aloe vera, care, health, skin, skin care, skin itchiness, skin rashes
March 21, 2007
Top three ways to deal with sensitive skin
People with sensitive skin require more demanding attention to their skin care routine than those with normal skin. They need skin care products with less chemicals, less fragrance, less additives, and less preservatives. Using these kinds of products can lower the risk of getting an allergic reaction and irritation to your skin. Although it is not very realistic to use only natural ingredients for fear of a breakout, it is possible to enjoy a wide variety of skin care products while reducing the risk of getting a bad reaction and irritation.
Keeping in mind that aside from skin care products, there are several foods and items that can trigger a negative reaction to your skin. The following are suggestions to avoid these problems:
- Keep your surroundings dust free, especially in your home and workplace.
- Try to avoid wearing wool and other synthetic fabrics. Wear cotton instead.
- Wash your face and hands after being close to irritating materials such as pollen or perfume.
Here are three ways of dealing with sensitive skin:
1. As much as possible, try wearing clothes that are made of natural fabrics. People with sensitive skin are more likely to get an allergic reaction to some fabrics. The major culprits are the dyes and formaldehyde that are in the fabric. Here are some tips to avoid this problem:
- Wear loose fitting clothes.
- Wash new clothes at least twice before wearing them.
- Those who are allergic to dyes should steer clear from clothes that are made from nylon, spandex, acrylic, or polyester.
2. Use the dilution method. It is almost impossible to completely eliminate contact with everyday products. But you can use the method of diluting to weaken the amount of harmful chemicals and dyes that contain in these products. Here are some suggestions:
- Add a tablespoon of baking soda and half the amount of shampoo that you use to rinse off waxy buildup from hair conditioners.
- Adding baking soda to your laundry that is not stained can reduce that required amount of detergent by up to fifty percent.
- Dilute your shampoo by using only half the amount and adding water as the other half.
3. Treat your skin as you would treat a baby’s. Just like a baby’s skin, people with sensitive skin needs the plainest products and those that offer the most protection against irritating factors.
health, information, sinsitive skin, skin, skin care
March 15, 2007
Severe acne problems torment many men and women. Are you one of them?
There a many treatments available, some of which may come as a surprise to you. If you have been wanting to research different treatment options but just haven’t had the time to hit the books and study up, then the following list of treatments will help guide you into finding what might work for you.
1. Anti-biotic treatments are warranted by those people that have severe blemishes caused by pimples that are clustered together. This is a long term approach. The types of antibiotics include; but are not limited to: Tetracycline, Minocycline, Doxycycline, Erythromycin, and Bactrim.
2. Birth control pills are a way that women can treat her acne. Many women have acne problems from too many androgens in their system (male hormones). In order to balance this out, certain birth control pills can be administered that will either reduce the level of androgens circulating in the bloodstream, block the androgens from reaching their cellular receptors, or prevent the formation of androgens all-together.
3. Injectable steroids may be used for that stray acne cyst. The steroid solution best used for this type of application is called triamcinolone (Kenalog). The good news is that this can be a great quick fix for small acne problems but it cannot be used to treat a very widespread acne issue.
4. Topical therapies are a very popular and easy way to attack a nasty acne problem. They are simple to use, by just rubbing them on, and are available from stores, online shopping, or by Television ads.
5. Antibiotic Topical therapies also work well and are a step above the standard topicals mentioned previously. An example would be Clindamycin or Sodium sulfacetamide.
6. Benzoyl Peroxide is a tried and true way of treating acne. It has extreme bacteria killing abilities.
7. A prescription medication that contains Azelaic Acid works very well for acne treatment. Azelaic Acid is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid found in grains like wheat and rye.
8. Last but not least, Sulfur helps inhibit the growth of P. acnes and unclog pores.
This can be found as a solo-ingredient as both a prescription or an over-the-counter product
acne, acne treatments, health, skin, skin care
March 10, 2007
Getting rid of those dark circles under your eyes
Do you want to completely eradicate those annoyingly nasty looking dark circles that are under your eyes? Read on…
No other facial flaw is more noticeable to everyone else that is looking at your face than dark circles are. The appearance of dark circles increases how old you look and is a sure sign of someone who is unhealthy, whether by stress or by poor living habits. The culprit is generally a combination of things like sun damage, heredity, allergies, aging, and of course – lack of sleep!
But even if you get enough sleep and are stress free, as you age there is a likelihood that you may develop dark circles anyway. This is a result of the layer of fat underneath your eyes that actually thicken in time and gives the illusion of dark circles when you are in certain lighting.
In addition to that extra fat layer that contributes to dark circles, years of sun damage causes microscopic blood vessels underneath your eyes to loose their stability and add to the problem.
So what can you do about dark circles? Below are 3 simple ways that you can take advantage of to help with your tired looking eyes.
1. For a quick fix try using a concealer. Using yellow will neutralize the blues, purples, and husky hues on the skin. This does not rid the problem, but can build your confidence for the day to alleviate the ‘tired look’.
2. Use tea bags and cucumbers! Yes there definitely is something to seeing those commercials with women having cucumbers and tea bags on top of their eyes. Both tea bags and cucumbers reduce inflammation and decrease swelling. Tea bags are especially good to use for dark swollen circles because there is tannin inside of the tea that helps with eliminating the puffiness.
3. Use more anti-oxidants. Antioxidant treatments help to reduce fluid buildup under the eyes, which decreases the look of the dark circles. Go for treatments that involve a lot of vitamin C and GHK copper peptides. Also, vitamin K is great for restoring stability and strength to the blood vessels under the eyes, which reduces their proliferation.
darc circles eyes, eyes, health, information, skin, skin care
March 7, 2007
The best treatment for nail fungus
In order to cure nail fungus, you are going to have to penetrate the nail plate to reach the infection. Up until recently, the best known solution was to include three systemic prescription anti-fungal medications and one prescription topical therapy. Today, the best known therapy for nail fungus is called Lamisil (terbinafine). What makes Lamisil a superior solution for nail fungus? The answer is that this medication remains in the nail bed. And because of how well the medicine stays in the nail bed, the therapy time is significantly reduced. The time it takes to completely heal the infection compared to a standard prescription is shortened by up to 75%.
Many doctors may prescribe a drug called griseofulvin for nail fungus, which could take up to 2 years to eradicate the problem entirely. With Lamisil, toenails that are infected with fungus require only up to three months of treatment and fingernails require approximately six to eight weeks to be completely healed when using Lamisil. You can obviously see the huge difference in the time it takes.
Another benefit of Lamisil is that the medicine does not react negatively with other medications, if you are taking any. It is also not as hard on your body and has a low risk of systematic effects, such as liver problems. The only common problem that you might experience is diarrhea. However, this is extremely rare as Lamisil has basically been a very well tolerated prescription medication for nail fungus.
care, health, lip, lips, nail fungus, skin, skin care
