Archive for May, 2009

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How to Remove Chicken Pox Scars on Face

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Though chicken pox does not leave behind permanent scars on the face, sometimes the patient, especially if s/he is a child, scratches the blisters or the scabs, which might cause the infection to spread through fingernails and cause scarring. Thus, it is essential to keep the patient’s nails short during the period of the infection to prevent him/her from scratching his/her skin raw. Using mildly salted bath water is an easy way of reducing the itch and soothing the skin. You may also steep margosa tree leaves in the bath water of the patient in order to relieve him/her of the tendency to scratch the skin. Adding a spoonful of turmeric powder into the bathwater also helps, as turmeric has natural antibacterial properties that help to kill the germs in the scabs and blisters. Bathing in a tub of water to which some oatmeal has been added is also helpful in soothing itchy skin.

Home Remedies to Reduce Chicken Pox Scars

Besides these preventive measures, you can also follow a few home remedies to prevent and reduce the appearance of scars. Apply sandalwood oil on the blisters from the first day of their appearance till the day that the scabs fall off on their own. This soothes the skin and prevents itching. Massaging the skin with vitamin E oil is also useful in speeding up the natural healing process. You must apply this oil twice every day in order to make the scars disappear faster.

For another remedy, use a few cloves of raw garlic to rub the area around the scars. The strong chemicals in the juice of garlic help remove scars naturally. Alternatively, use a slice of fresh lemon to massage your skin with, as the acidic nature of its juice heals scarred skin and leaves it looking smoother and lighter. Once the scabs fall off, apply cucumber juice on the scars daily for at least 15 minutes. Then wash it away with cold water. You could also apply honey on the scars every night before going to bed and wash it away the next morning with water. Honey tones up the skin naturally and gives it a firmer, smoother texture.

Eating natural sources of vitamin K like spinach, broccoli, cabbage, turnip, lean meats and dairy products is useful for treating chicken pox scars, as this vitamin quickens the natural healing process of the skin. It is also necessary to stay away from carbonated and artificially sweetened drinks and beverages.

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How to Get Glowing Skin Naturally and Tips for Glowing Skin

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Dull skin is a common problem that most people living in urban environments and leading a hectic life face. The natural complexion and glow of the skin is often lost through overexposure to harsh ultraviolet radiation, either from direct sunlight or artificial lamps, prolonged stay in air-conditioned environments, and contact with air and water pollutants. At the end of the day, the physical exhaustion and mental stress caused by a busy lifestyle also result in dull looking skin.

Glowing Skin Tips

There are a few lifestyle and dietary measures that you must follow to keep your skin in good health. Regular exercise in fresh, open air is essential to ensure proper blood circulation in the body. This is crucial for the health of your skin too, as proper circulation of blood makes your skin look naturally glowing. Proper and undisturbed sleep is also necessary for the skin to look soft and glowing.

Also, drinking plenty of water and eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in minerals, vitamins and fibers keeps the skin well hydrated and prevents it from looking dull. Besides these general measures, you should also make sure to keep your skin clean at all times. Cleansing is an essential component of your daily skin care routine. At least twice a day, use a mild cleanser to remove grime and dust from your face. Of course, use a cleanser that suits your skin type and be careful not to overdo it, as excessive use of cosmetic products can rob the skin of its natural moisture and oil that keeps it glowing. Every alternate day, exfoliate your skin in order to open up the clogged pores on its surface.

Home Remedies for Glowing Skin

You can make a good face scrub at home by soaking a few apricots in water overnight and crushing them to a pulp the next morning and then adding a little olive oil to this. Apply this paste all over your face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Then wash it away with water. This is an effective natural way of moisturizing your skin and removing dirt, oil and dead skin cells from the pores of the skin. For another remedy, make a fine paste by grinding the rind of an unripe papaya with two tablespoons each of honey and gram flour and apply this thick paste on your face. Wash it off once it dries. Following this natural exfoliating regime twice a week restores to the skin its lost glow.

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How to Get Rid of Dark Armpits

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Causes of  Dark Armpits

Dark armpits and underarms can be a cause of social embarrassment. This condition is mostly caused by the accumulation of dead skin cells in the region owing to a lack of personal hygiene. Excessive shaving of the armpits or the use of hair removal creams and the use of deodorants containing harsh chemicals, too, can cause this problem. Sweating and friction between the skin of the underarms and the fabric of the clothes you wear may also cause the darkening of the skin of your armpits. Sometimes the darkness is accompanied by bad body odor and itching, which is a clear indication of bacterial growth in the armpits.

Home Remedies for Dark Armpits

There are several easy home remedies to treat dark armpits. One of the most effective and popular remedies is to rub the area with a juicy lemon every day sometime before taking a bath. The juice of lemon has acidic properties and acts as a natural bleaching agent that lightens the color of the skin. Another useful remedy is to make a mixture by adding together some gram flour, yoghurt, the juice of a lime and a pinch of turmeric powder and applying this paste on the affected area every alternate day. You must wait till it dries before washing your skin with water. A mixture of lime juice, cucumber juice and turmeric powder is also helpful in lightening dark armpits. Potato is also known to have natural bleaching properties so applying thinly sliced potato on the armpits may help reduce pigmentation too. Another time-tested remedy is to make a paste by adding sandalwood powder in two teaspoons of rose water.

For another remedy, soak a pinch of saffron in two spoonfuls of milk cream and rub this paste gently into your armpits before going to bed every night. Wash your armpits with water the next morning. This will gradually make your armpits look lighter in color. This not only lightens the armpits but also destroys the germs that cause bad body odor. Also, instead of using deodorants, apply an anti-fungal powder or alum powder in your armpits. Moreover, wax your armpits instead of shaving them, as this not only gets rid of armpit hair but also removes dead skin cells and prevents darkening. It is also advisable to wear clothes made of natural fibers like cotton or linen instead of those made of synthetic materials, as this ensures that the skin of your underarms in not irritated through contact with your clothes.

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How to Get Rid of Pimples Fast using Home Remedies

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Pimples, technically also known as acne vulgaris, are a common problem faced mostly by teenagers and sometimes by adults too. Pimples are basically inflammations that occur on the surface of the skin when the excessive sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands underneath the skin rises up into the pores on the surface and gets solidified along with dirt particles on coming into contact with air. The excessive production of sebum may be the result of rise in hormonal activity in the body during adolescence and pregnancy, or the consequence of a faulty diet.

How to Cure Pimples

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the skin is prevented from becoming too oily to remain pimple-free. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to drink plenty of water throughout the day, as this flushes away wastes from the body as well as keeps the skin naturally well moisturized without turning it oily. Washing your face frequently with water is also a good idea, as this ensures that at no point is there a build-up of dust and oil on the surface of your skin. Also, eating raw fruits and green vegetables keeps the skin healthy and prevents it from becoming too oily. Sometimes, the appearance of pimples may also be the result of the use of cosmetic products that do not suit the skin. Check whether you tend to get more pimples after using a particular skin product, and if it so, discontinue its use immediately. It is also advisable to keep the use of make-up as minimal as possible, as the oils present in most cosmetic products may clog the pores of the skin and make it more susceptible to pimples. It is also absolutely essential to wash away all make-up from your face at the end of the day so that the skin pores can breathe naturally throughout the night.

Home Remedies for Pimples

Besides these general measures, a few home remedies can solve the problem of pimples. Apply cucumber juice on the pimples and let it dry for a few minutes before washing your face with cold water. This helps absorb excess oil from the face and cures pimples naturally. Another remedy is to mix a pinch of cinnamon powder in two tablespoons of honey and massage your face gently with this paste at bedtime. The next morning, wash your face with warm water. Applying garlic juice on the skin around the pimples also helps destroy germs and gets rid of pimples in a few days.

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How to Treat Acne During Pregnancy

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

During pregnancy, the body undergoes drastic hormonal changes and results in various problems, one of the most common being the appearance of acne. The reason behind this is that the level of a hormone called progesterone in the body increases, which stimulates the sebaceous glands underneath the surface of the skin to secrete greater amount of sebum, which tends to get accumulated in the skin pores with dust particles and takes the form of acne.

Home Remedies to Treat Acne during Pregnancy

Once the baby is born, the acne disappears naturally; but it is useful to follow a few simple home remedies to treat acne during pregnancy. Make sure to keep your face clean at all times. Simply washing your face at regular intervals with cold water helps keep away dust, sweat and oil from the face. Also, use a water-based moisturizer as oil-based cosmetic products make the skin more prone to acne. Before going to bed, remove all make-up from your face with a mild cleanser in order to open up the pores of the skin and prevent the eruption of acne. Eat lots of fresh fruits and raw and leafy vegetables, as these are rich natural sources of vitamins and minerals, which act as oxidants by improving blood circulation throughout the body and keep the skin in good health. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily to flush out toxins from the body.

A useful home remedy for treating pimples is to apply the pulp or the juice of a tomato on the face and washing it away after it dries. Applying the juice of a lemon mixed with an equal amount of rose water on the area around the pimples before going to bed also has similar effects. For another remedy, crush a fresh few fenugreek leaves and massage the skin gently with the juice extracted from these. Wash your face with water after it feels dry. In addition, you may also add a pinch of turmeric powder to mint juice and apply this paste on the affected area to get rid of acne. While mint juice has a soothing effect on inflamed skin, turmeric has natural antibacterial properties that destroy the bacteria that may be breeding in the acne. Alternatively, slice a potato finely and cover your face with these slices for around 10 minutes. You may also apply raw mashed potato as a face pack. This tones up the skin and cures acne.

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What are Hives and What Causes,Symptoms,Remedies for Hives

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Hives Symptoms and Causes

Hives is a kind of skin disorder in which red patches and swollen blotches appear in groups, in certain parts of the skin. These skin rashes are generally circular in shape and are itchy. They may disappear naturally after some time, but they reappear in another part of the body. Technically known as urticaria, this is a skin reaction that takes place due the secretion of a chemical inside the body called histamine. This happens when the body comes into contact with certain irritants, though you might not necessarily be allergic to them.  Hives mostly affect the face, arms, chest and back.

The most common symptoms are the sudden appearance of welts on the skin that look somewhat like mosquito bites. These welts cause irritation and keep appearing and disappearing periodically in different parts of the body. This skin reaction is mostly triggered by food items like peanuts, strawberries, eggs, seafood, artificial coloring, flavoring or preservative agents in manufactured food items, and chemicals in certain medicines like aspirin and antibiotics. Exposure to extreme temperatures can also cause hives. Excessive perspiration is also known to trigger an attack of hives. Insect bites and contact with animal excreta are among the other possible causes. Sometimes, stress and even other serious ailments like thyroid and hepatitis can be signaled by hives.

Tips for Treating Hives

You may take a few preventive measures to avoid hives. Do not wear tight, ill-fitting clothes that prevent the free passage of air around the surface of the skin, as this can lead to accumulation of excessive sweat and cause hives. Avoid stepping into an air-conditioned environment from direct sunlight, and vice versa, as this can cause a sudden change in temperature on the surface of the skin and lead to hives. Most importantly, try to detect which allergens cause irritation to your skin, and avoid those at all costs.

Besides these preventive measures, you can follow a few tips at home to treat hives. Applying cold compresses is useful in soothing the skin and reducing inflammation and itching. You may wrap a few cubes of ice in a towel and massage the affected areas with this for 10-15 minutes at regular intervals throughout the day. If the itching is severe, you may even apply the ice cubes directly on the skin for a couple of minutes. Alternatively, soak a piece of soft cotton cloth in some cold milk and dab the affected area with it for 10 minutes thrice a day. This provides some relief from the irritation.

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Daily Skin Care for Acne and Oily Skin Types

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Daily Skin Care Tips

The health of your skin is largely determined by what you eat, so taking care of your diet is crucial in maintaining healthy, glowing skin without acne and other skin disorders. Most teenagers and many adults often suffer from acne because of the excessive secretion of sebum by the glands underlying the surface of the skin.

The best way to deal with this problem is to make a few basic changes in your diet and lifestyle. Make sure that you eat plenty of fruits and raw vegetables. These are rich natural sources of water, minerals, vitamins, and fibers, which ensure proper and easy digestion of food. They also prevent the build-up of toxic wastes in the system. This in turn keeps the skin healthy and acne-free, as skin disorders are often the consequence of digestive problems. You should also cut down on your intake of deep-fried, oily and spicy food. Carbonated beverages, artificially flavored and sweetened foodstuff along with nicotine, caffeine based food items and alcoholic beverages should be completely avoided. Also, drink at least 8-10 ounces of water daily, as this keeps the skin as well as the rest of the body well hydrated and prevents the eruption of pimples.

Daily Facial Care Routine

Since acne occurs when the natural body oil also known as sebum, comes into contact with dead skin cells and dust particles, the best way to prevent it is to maintain personal hygiene at all times. Wash your face several times a day at regular intervals with cold water. This not only washes away the excess sebum that rises to the surface of the skin but also gets rid of the dirt on your skin and thereby prevents the appearance of pimples. The chemicals present in cosmetic products are often responsible for trapping dust and oil, thus leading to blackheads and pimples. Therefore, you must always wash your face with a gentle cleanser before going to bed every night. Avoid using make-up as far as possible, and if you must use cosmetic products, ensure that every bit of it is removed from the face at the end of the day.

Every alternate day wash your face with a natural scrub made by mixing a tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of fresh lime juice and a few drops of jojoba oil into half a cup of crushed strawberries. Apply this thick paste on your face and wash it away with water after it dries. Unflavored yogurt is another excellent cleanser that cleans the face without leaving it too dry.

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How to Get Rid of Acne - Suggest Home Remedies to Remove Acne

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Home Remedies for Treating Acne - Natural Cure for Acne

Acne generally begins as blackheads, when oil and dead skin cells accumulate in skin pores and become inflamed. The most common cause behind acne is the sudden increase in the level of hormones in the body during puberty. Thus, most adolescents have to go through a phase when their face, back and chest become highly prone to acne.

There are several simple home remedies to get rid of acne:

i.    Mix some oatmeal in yogurt till the mixture attains a thick consistency; then apply this paste on the affected area and let it dry. Wash your skin with water after this and apply a gentle lotion.

ii.    Boil 50gms each of black berries, raspberry and strawberry leaves in a liter of water for a couple of minutes and let the solution cool down. Then massage your skin with this decoction. This is highly effective in treating acne.

iii.    A natural face scrub made by mixing powdered orange peel with a little curd is also highly useful in unclogging skin pores and getting rid of acne.

iv.    You could also add a spoonful of gram flour into half a cup of fresh milk and apply this on your skin. Wait till the mixture dries and then wash it away with water.

v.    A mixture of cinnamon powder and honey is also known to be of great help in treating acne. Apply this paste daily before going to bed allowing it to dry. Just before sleeping wash it away with water and pat your skin dry.

vi.    Another remedy is to dab a cotton ball soaked in a mixture containing equal proportions of rose water and lime juice for around ten minutes. This helps in reducing acne significantly within a couple of weeks.

vii.    You could also gently rub the skin around the pimples with a small piece of raw garlic. The strong natural chemicals in garlic destroy germs and help reduce pimples.

viii.    You can use the pulp of avocado or a paste made by adding avocado extract into a little water and apply this on your skin in order to treat acne.

ix.    The juice of mint leaves may also be applied around the pimples in order to make them slowly disappear.

x.    Alternatively, extract the juice of a raw papaya by pulping it and apply this on your skin to get rid of acne.

xi.    The juice of tomato is a natural astringent and can therefore be applied on the skin to cure acne.

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Natural Cures to Remove Burn Scars

Friday, May 15th, 2009

How to Get Rid of Burn Scars

A burn often leaves behind a mark if it is not treated properly in the first instance. The best way of preventing a burn mark is to treat the burnt area with a mixture of cold water and turmeric immediately after the injury. While the cold water soothes the burnt skin, the turmeric acts as a natural antiseptic as well as prevents the appearance of a scar. You may also dab the area with some cotton wool soaked in cold milk. Start massaging the area with vitamin E oil and aloe vera gel once the skin starts healing, as both of these help in the quick regeneration of new skin cells and give the skin a uniform tone and texture. They also help fade the scar if it has already appeared.

Besides these preventive measures, you may also follow a few tips at home in order to lighten burn scars. Gently massage the area with almond oil twice every day in order to gradually lighten the scar. You could also soak some fenugreek seeds in water overnight and grind them to a paste the next morning. Apply this paste on the burn scars and leave it on till it dries; then wash it away with water.

Home Remedies for Burn Scars

For another remedy, extract the juice of a few margosa leaves by crushing them to a pulp and massage the affected area with this. Wash the skin with water after the juice dries. A very popular remedy for treating burn marks is to apply the fresh juice of a lemon on the skin. The acidic properties of lime juice help lighten scars naturally over a period of time. Another effective way of getting rid of burn marks is to massage the skin with the pulp of a tomato twice a day. Tomato acts as a natural bleaching agent and helps remove burn marks.

Another useful remedy for burn scars is to make a paste by mixing some fuller’s earth with a little water and apply this paste on the skin. Wash the area with water after the paste dries. In addition, you could also make a paste by mixing sandalwood powder in a little rose water and massage the affected area with it. Daily application of honey on the scars is also known to help. Before going to bed every night, you may also apply a little olive oil or coconut oil on the scars. This will lighten them gradually.

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How to Remove Blackheads using Home Remedies

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Tips to Get Rid of Blackheads

Blackheads appear when the sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands that lie beneath the surface of the skin rises up to the pores of the skin and gets accumulated and solidified there along with particles of dirt and dead skin cells. The most effective way of keeping blackheads at bay is to keep your face clean and oil-free all the time. Wash your face with cold water several times throughout the day. You may use a mild face wash or an exfoliating scrub at the end of the day to unclog the pores on the surface of the skin. Make sure you wash your face well and remove all traces of make-up before going to bed every night, as the chemicals present in cosmetic products can trap oil and dust thereby leading to blackheads. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day as this keeps the skin naturally moisturized and healthy.

Home Remedies to Removing Blackheads

Besides these general tips, you may also follow a few home remedies to treat blackheads. Grind a few pods of drumsticks into a paste and mix it with a teaspoon of lime juice. Apply this on your face and leave it on till it dries. Then wash your face with water. You may also massage your face with warm honey and wash it away after 10-15 minutes to get rid of blackheads. Alternatively, mix groundnut oil and fresh lime juice in equal proportions and apply this mixture on your face. Wash it off after it dries. Follow this process daily to remove blackheads.

You may also apply beaten egg white on your face once every couple of days, as this acts as a natural scrub and removes trapped dust and oil from the skin pores. Green tea is another natural face scrub that may be used in getting rid of blackheads. For another remedy, mix three tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of cinnamon powder and apply this paste on your face before going to bed. The next morning, wash your face very gently with water and pat it dry with a towel. Repeat this procedure every night for a couple of weeks to get rid of blackheads. You may also mix four tablespoon of yogurt and two tablespoons of powdered orange peel and massage your face with this paste in gentle circular motions. After about 15 minutes, wash your face with water. This helps open up clogged skin pores and is an effective remedy for blackheads.

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