Archive for the ‘Skin Problems’ Category

How to Get Rid of Oily Face Issues

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Many people suffer from oily facial skin which is caused by the excess production of skin oil. An oily face besides looking unattractive and unappealing can also damage a person’s self confidence to a great extent. These days although there are a number of cosmetic oily face control products available commercially, not all of them give you the desired results. Besides many of these products can have several side effects which do more harm than good for your skin.

Therefore many people prefer using natural home remedies as an alternative oily face treatment option. The simplest home remedy to avoid an oily face is to wash the face at least 3-4 times a day with cold water. Cold water helps in tightening the skin pores and also refreshes your skin. However excessive washing should be avoided as it can make the skin very dry. Normal water with a few drops of lemon juice can be used for steaming the face to get rid of the excess oil in the skin. This should be done only once a week for 15 minutes to get rid of an oily face. Cucumber juice and lemon juice mixed in equal amounts can be applied on the face everyday for 20 minutes and then washed off with cold water to get rid of excess facial oil.

Home Remedies for Oily Face

There are also a number of natural face packs which serve as good home remedies for oily face such as;

•    An egg white beaten with a teaspoon of honey and lemon juice can be applied on the face for half an hour everyday and then washed off with cold water.

•    Another good remedy for oily face control is applying a face pack of mashed ripe tomatoes.

•    Fresh yogurt can be directly applied on the face or can even be mixed with fuller’s earth as an effective oily face treatment.

•    Another good face pack can be prepared by mixing six strawberries, 2 teaspoons of fuller’s earth, 2 teaspoons of ice cold rose water and 1 teaspoon of brandy. This paste can be applied on the face for 30 minutes everyday and washed off with cold water. This too is an effective to treat an oily face.

Apart from these home remedies, healthy lifestyle changes such as avoiding greasy foods, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, maintaining adequate fluid intake and regular exercise can go a along way in maintaining healthy oil free skin.

Age Spots Treatment | Removing Age Spots

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Human skin is made up of many layers that help it form a thick, protective layer over the tissues of the body. The top layer of skin regularly flakes off and is replaced by the layer below it. This process rejuvenates the skin and makes sure that it is always fresh looking. The location of the skin makes it vulnerable to a lot of infection. Age spots are one of the conditions that tend to cause concern to a lot of individuals since it affects the aesthetics of an individual. Age spots treatment becomes all the more a necessity if the person concerned is young and within the teenage years.

Age spots are dark colored spots that appear on various parts of the skin. This tends to be a problem for individuals who have lighter colored skin. People with darker colored skin do not usually face such issues. Age spots are small areas where darkened spots may appear in clumps or individually. These darker spots tend to be just a few shades darker than the individual’s normal skin color. One may use age spots treatment to get rid of such spots.

Treatment for Age Spots on Face

When it comes to removing age spots, one can make the use of lemon juice. Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent and thus an excellent treatment for age spots on face and other parts of the body. Lemon juice can be applied on any area of the skin that is not cut or scraped. The application of lemon juice on damaged skin will cause itching and burning and is not recommended. Lemon juice can be applied over the age spots to dull down their appearance. This has to be done repeatedly throughout the day and must be repeated for several days. Once one has wiped the area with lemon juice, it can be left there for a few minutes. After this, one must wash off the lemon juice with cool water. The use of lemon juice as a natural age spots treatment is the best option possible for an individual.

There are medical methods for removing age spots as well. Some of these include the use of laser devices while others may be used with creams or ointments. Generally speaking, one should focus on natural remedies for age spot treatment as the condition has no medical significance. Medical methods for treatment of skin conditions should be restricted to those conditions that are caused by or that themselves cause health problems. It is understood that some people will go in for plastic surgery or laser surgery to deal with age spots. However, it is recommended to try a natural method first before seeking such an alternative.

How to Get Rid of Brown Spots on Skin

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Brown Spots on Skin

Brown spots on the skin occur due to an increase in melanin production. Melanin is the pigment which gives the skin its color and is produced by cells known as melanocytes. Melanin deposits in the skin take the appearance of brown spots which are also commonly referred to as freckles, age spots, liver spots, sun spots or hyper pigmentation. Brown spots on skin are usually benign, but they can tarnish the complexion. Individuals above the age of 50 years are most prone to brown spots on the skin. These spots could affect the face, hands, back and scalp. The areas of skin that are exposed to the sun are likely to undergo more hyper pigmentation.

A large number of individuals develop discoloration on the skin. Even though it is a harmless condition, it is helpful to know what causes brown spots on skin. One of the most common causes of skin hyper pigmentation is excessive sun exposure. The UV radiation of the sun stimulates the production of melanin. Itchy brown spots on skin may occur in individuals who suffer from conditions such as melasma, seborrhea keratosis and liver dysfunction. Brown spots start occurring more commonly as an individual advances in age. Brown spots that tend to itch persistently can be dangerous in some cases. Melanomas are an example of such spots and are a form of skin cancer. One should be aware of any changes in the color, size, texture and shape of spots on the body. Such discoloration requires immediate medical attention and treatment.

Brown Spots Treatment

The best way to prevent brown spots on the skin from developing is to apply a sunscreen when going outdoors. Ensure that you use a good quality sunscreen or sun block with a minimum SPF of 15. There are many over-the-counter topical applications which help to lighten dark brown spots on skin. Lotions and creams that contain substances such as kojic acid, lactic acid, vitamin E and vitamin C are known to be effective in getting rid of dark spots.

•    Brown spots treatment can also be done by applying lemon juice to the affected areas. Lemon has natural bleaching properties and hence has a lightening effect on the skin.

•    A paste of sesame seeds and turmeric is also believed to work well in lightening skin discoloration.

•    To get rid of freckles, apply horseradish juice to the affected areas.

•    Regular use of fruits packs on the skin also helps in removing brown spots.

How to Cure Facial Skin Irritation Naturally

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Skin Irritation Causes,Symptoms

Skin irritation is quite common and can be caused by any number of things. Skin irritation which can be in the form of basic red inflammation to severe pus filled infected areas. One of the major skin irritation causes are dirt and pollutants. Besides these, allergens like detergents, synthetics, soaps and chemicals and sometimes even a reaction to food or to stress form part of the other skin irritation causes.

Common skin irritations include eczema, hives, psoriasis, contact dermatitis and many others. Basic skin irritation treatment includes over-the –counter creams and ointments and anti histamines which treat the irritation as an allergy. But one needn’t always use medicated creams. There are even plenty of home remedies for skin irritations.

Primary treatment is, of course, avoiding the basic irritant. But once you have developed the irritation, there are many quick things you can do to reduce the irritation. You can apply soothing aloe vera gel directly on the inflamed areas. It is known to be soothing for skin irritations. You can also apply milk which has been diluted with water. Milk is known to soothe irritated skin. Application of dissolved baking soda can also relieve irritation on the skin.

Along with skin irritation, which can appear anywhere on the body, you can also get facial skin irritation. This could mean an allergic reaction on the face. It could be for any number of reasons. Before you apply any home remedy on the face, clean the face with a gylcerin based unscented soap so as not to aggravate the irritation further.

Home Remedies for Skin Irritation

There are different aroma therapy oils and herbs that can help relieve this irritation along with also treating the skin irritation symptoms.

•    Chamomile and lavender are two such main ingredients that are useful in reducing the irritation on the face.  Chamomile tea bags can be steeped and cooled and then applied to the irritated areas on the face. The application of green tea bags has also been known to help.

•    You can even massage your face with aloe vera juice.

•    You can even apply cucumber juice with cubes of ice on the inflamed face.

•    Though a tad sticky, you can massage your face with honey. Honey’s microbial properties really benefit the skin.

•    Massaging your face with yogurt mixed with honey is also very good for skin irritations.

•    Application of lavender oil on the inflamed areas on the face is known to have a quick effect.

Application of vitamin E with milk can soothe skin irritation. Cold compresses of ice are also very beneficial. It is very important to first point out the skin irritation causes when seeking treatment for the same. This will also help in future prevention of the occurrence of the condition.

Home Remedies for Skin Allergies | Skin Allergy Treatment

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Skin Allergy on Face

A skin allergy is when the skin reacts, usually inflammatory, after coming in contact with something allergic. A skin allergy and the resultant inflammation are usually itchy. The worst kind of skin allergy is the skin allergy on the face.

Skin allergy on the face can be caused by any number of things. You could be allergic to beauty products, food, fabric, pollutants, liquids – it could be anything. You could get rashes, blisters, hives, scaling on the skin or just a general redness. All this coupled with itching are the skin allergy symptoms that could cause much concern in people. Skin allergies, like most allergies, have no definite cure. The typical skin allergy treatment first is to identify what is causing the skin allergy. Once you know what is causing the itchy skin allergy, ensure that you avoid using that particular thing in your life.

Home Remedies for Skin Allergies

You can also try some home remedies for skin allergies on the face or any other part of your body.

•    Lemon juice has many anti allergy properties. You can mix it with many things.  A paste of sandalwood and lemon juice on the rashes can provide quick relief.

•    Mashed papaya seeds or papaya skin on the inflamed area is quick to give relief. This is an excellent treatment for skin allergy on the face as it would also help in treating the skin of other facial issues like acne and so on. Papaya skin and the flesh have enzymes in them that can fight allergens.

•    Crushed poppy seeds with lemon juice are also a very effective home remedy for skin allergies.

•    Soaked almonds made into a paste can also reduce irritation.

•    Lemon juice with coconut oil is also very good as an anti allergy, especially if your skin could react to any sort of scented creams.

You need to maintain a balanced diet where you take adequate protection so that you do not come in contact with any of your allergens. Castor oil ingested with any vegetable juice can go a long way in fighting your allergies.  A juice of carrot and beetroot is fortified with vitamin C and is great to beat your allergies. Eliminating stress from your life and learning meditation can go a long way in helping your allergy not to aggravate. Try and get regular exercise to boost your immunity. You should also cut down the use of cosmetics on your skin at least until you have the allergy under control or you know what you are allergic to.  You should also give up smoking and drinking, if you do so. It will improve your immunity. You can also increase the intake of vitamin C which boosts your immunity.

How to Get Rid of Brown Spots on Face

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

Brown Spots on Face

Brown spots on face are called age spots or liver spots.  Brown spots on face are also a sign of aging. Brown spots are formed on face due to an excess exposure to the sun.

Causes of brown spots on face are largely long term exposure to the sun. Brown spots on face are usually spots that occur from an excess melanin production. This excess melanin gathers under the skin forming dark spots. This leads to the formation of brown spots.

Home Remedies for Brown Spots on Face

There are plenty of home remedies for brown spots on face.

•    A mix of apple cider vinegar and orange juice can be repeatedly applied on these spots till they fade.

•    Adding a grated onion to apple cider vinegar is also very helpful to reduce brown spots. Just plain onion juice as well has a positive effect on the brown spots.

•    You can also apply lemon juice on these spots as lemon juice has bleaching qualities.

•    Oatmeal with sandalwood powder, milk and rose water makes for a great scrub and can help to slowly fade the brown spots.

•    Application of aloe vera gel is also very soothing and beneficial for brown spots. This gel has anti inflammatory properties which can really work.

•    Rubbing a watermelon peel or a papaya peel can also be good. These peels have immense healing properties. Actually any fruit with vitamin E has enzymes in its skin which works well to make the brown spots disappear.

•    Mashed potato when applied to these spots also helps these spots disappear.

•    Dabbing these spots with buttermilk also makes these spots fade due to the lactic acid in buttermilk.

•    Castor oil can be directly applied to the brown spots to reduce and make them disappear.

•    Vitamin E can also be applied directly to the brown spots.

•    Another mixture that can help reduce brown spots is yogurt, apple cider, lemon juice and aloe vera gel. This mask lightens your skin and the brown spots. Follow this up with a moisturizer and sunscreen.

Basic treatment for brown spots on face includes mostly preventive care. Application of sunscreen is a must when stepping out. Repeated application of sunscreen when you are out in the sun for long is also necessary. Keep your head and face covered to prevent aggravation. There are even chemical peels and treatments like microdermabrasions and laser treatments. These treatments not only reduce brown spots on the face but also help in treatment of other skin issues like uneven texture and coloring.

How to Remove Age Spots on Hands

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

Age Spots on Hands

Age spots on hands are also called liver spots. These brown age spots on the hands are caused by an overexposure to the sun. They appear on hands of people over the age of 55. Age spot on hands are basically collection of melanin under the first layer of the skin. Age spots on hands are also considered evidence of free radicals’ damage on your body.

You can remove age spots with a variety of treatments, some natural and some chemical, all which have a different time frame of curing these age spots. There are treatments like laser treatment, application of acidic lotion and freezing treatment. The freezing treatment including freezing the upper layer of the skin with liquid nitrogen in a technique called cryotherapy. After a few weeks the skin of the age spots falls off. Lasers are quite commonly used to treat age spots. Lasers lighten these particular spots. It burns the spot, making it gray and eventually developing a crust. The crust eventually falls off to show brand new skin. There are even chemical peels that are used to treat liver spots. The peels, as they are acidic, peel away the skin layer by layer, lightening the spots. Bleach is then used to bring the skin to a normal color. But using acid, even diluted or even directly on your skin can have some after effects on your skin. There are also many treatments that easily available over the counter.

Home Remedies for Age Spots

You can also treat age spots with home remedies. Home remedies for age spots include application of items easily found either in your kitchen or in your garden.

• Aloe vera, the multi faceted plant, also helps here. Application of the gel on the age spots repeatedly can help these age spots to fade. This plant fights inflammation and is good for burn injuries so can even be used to soothe the skin after chemical peels.

• A mixture of orange juice and apple cider vinegar can be applied on areas with age spots. You can also leave it on the spot by attaching a cotton swab of this mixture to it.

• Castor oil has great efficacy on age spots on hands as also on any other part of your body. Applying it regularly on these spots can cure them in a month.

• A paste of chickpeas applied on these spots is also known to make them fade.

• The lactic acid in buttermilk is also known to help reduce the appearance of age spots.

Home Remedies for Treating Sunburns

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

Sunburn is excessive exposure to the sun which results in burning of the skin. The sun emits harmful rays and an excess of these rays can cause all kinds of skin afflictions, including skin cancer in the long run. Treating sunburns is easy, with the help of many home remedies for sunburns. Sunburns treatment include ingredients that are easily available and quickly put together. The best remedy is prevention. Sun block and sun screen are not foolproof methods but are known to minimize damage if used in the long run.

Sunburns Treatment

For immediate relief, soak the sunburned area of the body in cold or ice water. This will reduce the pain and the sting and take away the immediate discomfort. If you are sunburned all over, add ground oatmeal to a bath and sit in that bath for some time for treating the sunburns. Green tea compress is also known to help as green tea can combat effects of ultraviolet and other harmful radiation. Mint is also known to have such cooling properties. Applying peppermint tea or adding peppermint oil to bath water, both of which can help and soothe the burned areas. Sometimes vegetables like potato slices or cucumber slices can also provide relief to the burned areas. Aloe vera gel, straight from the pods, can provide cooling relief and also reduce inflammation and chances of infection.

•    Applying vitamin E directly to the burned areas can help the healing process to begin quicker.

•    Mix a little lemon in unpasteurized milk and apply the milk fats on the burned areas. Wash only after it has dried. Repeat this until the burn is completely gone.

•    Apply a salve of baking soda and vinegar or dissolve vinegar in a bath. Both these remedies can really help reduce the suffering of sun burnt areas.

•    Vinegar combined with fragrant essential oils like rose or lavender can be used as a continual spray for treating sunburns.

•    Sprinkling cornstarch on your bedding can minimize chafing when you have to lie down or sleep.

•    Applying mustard oil to the burn will reduce the burning sensation and thus help in treating sunburns.

•    Application of cold tea bags will not only help reduce the tan but also cool the burn.

•    Washing the burnt areas with a mixture of tomato juice and buttermilk is known to cure a sun burn rather quickly.

•    Wheat flour mixed with olive oil, honey and raw egg white can prove to be a very effective salve for sun burned skin.

For sun burns that are severe, you can seek medical help but there is no real medication for sun burn.

Controlling Skin Redness during Winter

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Skin Redness

Skin redness could be a result of winter dryness or dermatitis. Skin redness could take place all over the body and causes itchiness with flakes falling off because of the dryness. If its only dryness then there are several home remedies and ways of combating the dry skin and skin redness, however, if the problem is related to other skin infections then it is best to see the doctor and take his advice on the course of treatment to follow. Often only the exposed parts become red during winter when the skin becomes very dry.

Skin Redness on Face

Skin redness on face can be due to the person being flushed with activity which has increased the blood circulation to the face, or if the person is hypertensive and this reddens the facial skin. Extreme cold conditions or heat also make the skin on the face red. During winter the red patches are dry skin and need to be moisturized regularly to make them soft and smooth once again while in summer the skin redness is because of sunburn and this only happens to the areas of skin which are exposed to the sun.

Other causes for redness of skin could be an allergic condition to any of the products which you are using like soaps, face wash gels, creams or perfumes. Even hair dyes could cause an allergic reaction. Check to see if you have included a new product and whether this is the cause of the allergy.

Skin Redness Treatment

Skin redness treatment would depend on the cause of it. If it is dermatitis then the dermatologist would have to be consulted. If the redness is an allergic condition then try and find out the cause and stop using that product. However, if it is extreme heat or cold then you would have to use remedies which help the condition to subside.

For dry winter skin use a moisturizer regularly. There are several different kinds of moisturizers available in the form of lotions, creams, oils and ointments. There are moisturizers which are rich and can be used only on the body while the face would need something which will not block the pores and cause black heads. Lotions get absorbed and are least greasy to use on the face.

If the skin is red because of sunburn then it is essential to use a good sunscreen religiously. It does not matter whether you are indoors or out doors you should use a sunscreen all the time. While the skin is damaged avoid using harsh cleansers and scrubs. Treat your skin gently and allow the redness to heal.

How to Get rid of Dark Marks on Face

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Dark Marks on Face

Dark marks on face are a common skin problem faced by many individuals. These marks are also referred to as age spots and are caused by excessive exposure to the sun. Even though the condition of having dark spots on face is termed age spots, they can occur in individuals of any age. However, older individuals are more prone to dark marks on the facial skin due to sun exposure over the years. The pigment melanin is responsible for giving the skin its color. With prolonged sun exposure, the melanin production in the body increases and the extra melanin accumulates in small clumps beneath the skin. This leads to the appearance of dark spots.

Dark marks from acne are also a common occurrence. Excess production of melanin also occurs in response to inflammation caused by acne. It tends to occur more commonly in those with darker skin. Dark marks on face are not harmful and do not pose any serious concern to the health of the individual but could pose aesthetic problems in the individual. Therefore they are considered as blemishes on the face which almost everyone would like to get rid of.

There are various ways to get rid of dark marks on face. Some people go in for laser therapy to lighten the dark marks on face. This involves directing an intense light beam at the facial skin. The light enters the skin and destroys the cells that lead to dark marks. The healthy cells are left intact. Laser treatment can be quite expensive. Chemical peels also help to remove dark spots. This involves application of a chemical solution on the face. This is then peeled away and the dark spots are removed along with it. Many lightening creams are also available in the market today. These contain bleaching agents which help to lighten the spots and also control melanin production.

Home Remedies for Dark Marks on Face

Home remedies for dark marks on face are also very popular among many individuals. Those with sensitive skin will benefit from these remedies as they do not contain any harsh chemicals.

•    One of the most popular remedies for dark spots is lemon juice. You can gently rub a lemon slice over the affected skin. You can also add some honey to the lemon juice and apply using a cotton ball.

•    A beneficial facial mask for getting rid of dark spots on the face involves the use of oat meal, honey and milk. Boil the oatmeal in milk and then add honey. After it cools down, apply to the face and allow it to stay on for ten minutes.

One could also consult a skin specialist when considering different methods to treat dark spots on face. Natural methods for dark spots on face are considered beneficial as they tend to be less harmful to the skin.