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Hair loss also called as baldness. Baldness involves the condition of barrening hair where it often grows, especially on the head. Baldness basically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp and can be the because of heredity, some medications or an underlying medical condition. Hair loss generally develops evenly and may be patchy or diffuse (all over). Nearly 100 hairs are lost from your head every day. The average scalp comprises about 100,000 hairs. Roughly 30% of people have hair loss by age 30 years, and about 50% have hair loss by age 50 years.

Hair loss is so common that most of the time it is regarded a normal change and not a disease. A number of factors may cause excessive hair loss. Male pattern baldness is featurized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead, known as “receding hairline”. Retreating hairlines are usually seen in males above the ages of 25.

Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. Some medicines can cause hair loss. Hair loss from menopause or childbirth often returns to normal 6 months to 2 years later. Medicines which can result in hair loss include blood thinners (also called anticoagulants), medicines used for gout, medicines used in chemotherapy to tract cancer, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills and antidepressants. Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can reason hair loss in children. The infection is easily tracted with antifungal medicines.

Eventually, hair loss may happen as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. Poor eating can subscribe to hair loss. Between adults, particularly men, the most natural cause of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, also known as male-pattern baldness. Female hair loss is connected to the adrenal glands.The oral medication Propecia (finasteride) is dynamic in some men. This medicine can decrease sex drive. Another medicine, finasteride (brand name: Propecia) is gettable with a prescription. Eating a balanced, healthy diet is necessary for a lot of reasons, and it really supples your hair. Hair weaves, hair pieces, or variations of hair style may disguise hair loss. This is normally the least expensive and safest technique of hair loss. Anthralin may encourage new hair growth for cases of alopecia areata. Various transplant sessions may be required as hereditary hair loss progresses with time.

Treatment of hair loss may needs topical or injectable steroids or ultraviolet light. Ointments and creams can also be applied, but they may be less effective than injections. A tea of marshmallow and burdock is ideal for dry hair. To make the tea, add 1 tsp of marshmallow and 1 tsp of burdock to a cup of hot water.

There are many herbs which are helpful in hair loss treatment. Herbs such as aloe, nettles, stinging nettle, birch leaves are good blood and skin cleaners and stimulate hair growth. Rosemary or stinging-nettle may help battle dandruff, a source of hair loss. Toil the mixture through a sieve into a jug containing a few drops of wheatgerm or any oil. Use this as a rinse after you have washed your hair with a very mild shampoo.

Arnica, marigold, rosemary, or southernwood are also fruitful for hair loss. For better results, massage an infused oil into the scalp. Horsetail is a excellent source of silica and helps keep hair strong and shiny. Honey is additional of nature’s gift to humankind, and is beneficial for solving almost every problem known to human body, both internal and external.

Home Remedies for Hair Loss Tips

1. Licorice extract may help reduce hair loss.

2. Arnica, marigold, rosemary, or southernwood are also suitable for hair loss.

3. Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens), a well-examined herb, is known to block the formation of the hormone DHT.

4. Oyster and clam shell. Mash and decoct into a tea to increase kidney qi.

5. Honey is another of nature’s gift to humankind, and is helpful for solving almost every problem known to human body, both internal and external.

6. Increasing blood circulation to the scalp and hair roots to inspire and strengthen hair roots for healthy new hair.

7. Nourishing and stimulating hair follicles: saturates your follicles with the nutrition you need to promote hair growth.

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Split ends in the hair are the most natural hair problem which every woman faces. The hair is dry, fragile and prone to form tangles and can split at the end or anywhere along the shaft. Split ends are more likely to form in dry or brittle hair, and typical causes of damage including excessive dying or strenuous brushing. Once the hair cuticle is removed, it is impossible to reinstate. Consistently the hair splits into two or three strands, and can be as long or two to three centimeters in length.

Causes of Split Ends is coloring , over perming or coloring , careless use of spiky rollers and hair pins and overmuch heat styling and not having the hair trimmed regularly. The hair will split into two or three strands, for a length of two to three centimeters in length. The perfect way to get rid of spilt ends is to short them off. There is no other persuasive medication for split ends.

Always use coated or sheltered rubber bands. Never use a dryer too close to the hair, or set it on too high a temperature. Try to cut about the same quantity of hair. Cutting your hair is the perfect way of getting rid of split ends. It is the natural and least expensive way to remove split ends. Minimize the use of heated appliances. Try conditioners and serums that are outlined to seal split ends temporarily and give resistance to further splitting.

Apply a moisturizer since split ends are because of hair dryness. Don’t brush too vigorously, as tension reasoned by brushing promotes splitting. Instead, brush softly from crown to ends using a soft-bristled brush. Wait at least two weeks between chemical treatments as perming and coloring, which, when used one after the other, can be extremely harmful to hair. Avoid hair products that have alcohol, which causes hair dryness.

Split Ends Home Remedies Treatment Tips

1. Use a moisturizer since split ends.

2. Try to cut about the same amount of hair.

3. Cutting your hair is the best way of getting rid of split ends.

4. Do not follow the brush when dry, and comb when wet rule.

5. Treat your hair as the fragile living thing it is.

6. A satin pillow case will minimize tangles.

7. Always use coated or covered rubber band.

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Shaving rash is a normal problem for men with curly hair. Shaving rash associated skin ailments should not limit your chances of a preferential and regular clean shave. Curing shaving rash is tedious and will leave you with bristly for a few weeks. Do not pull your skin tight during shaving. Hairs are most probably to ingrow if you pull the skin while you are shaving, to get a close shave. This makes the hairs pop out of the follicle. Laterwards, the cut tip recants into the follicle and then turns into the wall of the follicle. Shave in the direction of the growth of the hairs. If the hairs grows naturally in downward direction, pull the razor downwards.

Men are normally suggested to shave with the growth of the beard and not against the growth, and though this is a good rule to follow, it becomes a bit unnecessary if the beard is soft enough when shaving, as no extra stress is placed on the skin or hair follicle. When shaving against the development, and the beard is not soft enough, it can result in not only shaving rash and razor burn, but also in ingrown hair. Avoid a close shave.

Vitamin A related products such as Retin A also help to exfoliate the skin and surrounding hair follicle area. Facial scrubs normally have tiny particles of pumice. Alpha hydroxy acids (fruit acids), in creams and face washes, have an exfoliant action. Use an electric razor or an ordinary single-blade razor. Double-blade or triple-blade razors give too stuffy shave. Prepare your skin before shaving, by applying a good shaving gel, oil or foam, and perfectly wet it into the hairs. If you do notice infection, stop shaving and apply a mild antiseptic that contains tea tree oil as one of its active ingredients.

Applying a good type of medium, like our Herbal After Shave Balm, will also help to reduce shaving rash and razor burn after shaving, since it cools, calms and tightens the skin. Before applying cologne, first apply a moisturizing product on your freshly shaven skin, as the high alcohol content in cologne will burn and irritate a freshly shaved skin, as some dead skin is removed during shaving.

Shaving Rash prevention Tips

1. Small red bumps can appear if you don’t use the correct shaving techniques.

2. Prepare your skin before shaving, by using a good shaving gel, oil or foam, and thoroughly wet it into the hairs.

3. Do not pull your skin tight during shaving.

4. Use a good shaving brush.

5. Use a good quality glycerin-based shave cream which lubricates and protects the skin.

6. Facial scrubs usually contain tiny particles of pumice.

7. Alpha hydroxy acids (fruit acids), in creams and face washes, have an exfoliant action.

8. Use an electric razor or an ordinary single-blade razor.

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Folliculitis is the name granted to a group of skin situations in which there are inflamed hair follicles. The answer is a tender red spot, sometimes with a surface pustule. Folliculitis can be because of infection, occlusion, irritation and specific skin diseases. Folliculitis is reaction of one or more hair follicles. Chronic blisters of superficial folliculitis or lesions which are manipulated can results in deep folliculitis, which, in turn, can result in scarring. Perifolliculitis, on the other side, is described as the presence of inflammatory cells in the perifollicular tissues and can involve the adjacent reticular dermis. Folliculitis and perifolliculitis can ecident independently or together as a reply of follicular disruption and irritation. The true type of inflammatory cells can differ and may be dependent on the etiology of the folliculitis and/or the stage at which the biopsy specimen was obtained. Patients with superficial folliculitis generally appears with multiple small papules and pustules that are punctured by a central hair.

Patient may complain of pruritus or mild discomfort. It is generally because of bacteria , especially the type called staph ( Staphylococcus ). It can also because of yeast and another type of fungus. Folliculitis resulted by a fungus is mostly seen in people who have trouble fighting infections as they have an impaired immune system. Most common superficial type of infectious folliculitis is named as impetigo of Bockhart or barbers itch and is caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The blisters are visible in the bearded area, usually on the upper lip near the nose, as erythematous follicular-based papules or pustules that may breaks and leave a yellow crust. The pustule is normally perforated by a hair that is easily extracted from the follicle. This form of folliculitis may happens more frequently in staphylococcal nasal carriers.

Causes of Folliculitis

Common causes of Folliculitis

• Friction from shaving or tight clothing
• Excess perspiration.
• Inflammatory skin conditions.
• Abrasions.
• Surgical wounds.
• Occlusion from plastic dressings.
• Adhesive tape.
• Exposure to coal tar.
• Infection.
• Friction.
• Follicular trauma.

Symptoms of Folliculitis

Common Symptoms of Folliculitis

• Pain.
• Erythema (inflammation and redness of the skin).
• Edema.
• Rash.
• Itching.
• Pimples or pustules.
• Yellow pus-filled lesions.
• Fever.
• Malaise.

Treatment of Folliculitis

Common Treatment of Folliculitis

• Medicated shampoos are available to treat folliculitis on the scalp or beard.
• Hot moist compresses may promote drainage of extensive folliculitis.
• Usually mild folliculitis heals on its own in about 2 weeks. Warm compresses made with white vinegar or Burow’s solution may help relieve itching and aid healing
• Antibiotic( Erythromycin, Clindamycin,Mupirocin, Cephalexin and Dicloxacillin ) or antifungal cream will usually clear up the condition.
• Pseudofolliculitis barbae is a best treatment for this condition is preventive. Shaving with an electric razor, which doesn’t cut as compared to as a razor blade does, can help. After using blade, massage your beard area with a warm, moist washcloth or facial sponge to lift the hairs so they can be cut more easily.
• Use a shaving gel instead of cream, and shave in the direction of the hair growth. When finished, rinse thoroughly with warm water and apply a moisturizing after-shave. If these measures don’t help, doctor may prescribe the acne medication tretinoin (Retin-A).

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Flexural Psoriasis is also called Inverse Psoriasis. It is categirised by intense inflammation and little scaling. Flexural psoriasis is more regular and harsh in people that are overweight. Normal skin has two layers: outer layer named as epidermis and inner layer named as dermis. Skin cells are formed in the dermis and slides up through the epidermis to the skin surface. Skin cells are constantly dying and being restored. The types of psoriasis are plaque psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis, flexural psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and nail psoriasis. Guttate psoriasis is a Small, drop-like blister appears on the trunk, limbs, and scalp. Guttate psoriasis is normally triggered by bacterial infections. This type of psoriasis often affects children and young adults. Pustular psoriasis can affect small or large areas of the body.

Flexural psoriasis is annoyed by sweat and friction. Nail symptoms include: Tiny pits in the nails (not found with fungal nail infections); Yellowish discoloration of the toenails and probably the fingernails; deatchment of the end of the nail from the nail bed; Less often, a buildup of skin debris under the nails. Nail ailment in nearly half of people with psoriasis. They are usually suffered with fever and chills. Pustular psoriasis may be crippling when it affects the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Flexural Psoriasis is knowledged most naturally and is most severe and qiuck in overweight people because it is in the skin folds where it is specially prone to irritation from rubbing and sweating. It is in the flexural surfaces of the skin, i.e., armpit, groin, under the breast, and other skin folds.

Causes of Flexural Psoriasis

Common causes of Flexural Psoriasis

• Smoking.
• Diet imbalances.
• Stress, depression, and anxiety.
• Arthritis.
• Colitis.
• Beta blockers.
• Antidepressant drugs.

Symptoms of Flexural Psoriasis

Common Symptoms of Flexural Psoriasis

• Smooth, vivid red, moist patches.
• Sensitivity to friction.
• Sweating
• Pain and
• Itchiness.
• Nail disorders.
• Bleeding.
• Mild scaling.

Treatment of Flexural Psoriasis

Common Treatment of Flexural Psoriasis

• Phototherapy include light-wave radiation treatments using ultraviolet B (UVB) or psoralen with ultraviolet A (PUVA). This therapy is effective for moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
• Calcipotriol cream is an effective and safe treatment for psoriasis in the flexures and should be applied twice daily. If it irritates, it may be applied once daily and hydrocortisone cream 12 hours later.
• Systemic agents treatment employs various oral drugs that affect the whole body system, not just the skin. These instruments have substantial side effects and are generally reserved for severe psoriasis.
• Sunshine may help to clear psoriasis. It is found that in many people it improves dramatically during sunny holidays.
• Stronger topical steroids need to be used with care, only for a few days, thinly and very accurately applied to the psoriasis.

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Colitis Treatment with Apple Cider Vinegar

Colitis can become a serious disorder. It is an inflammation of the colon. Symptoms include watery stools with mucus and pus in the stool. There is abdominal tenderness, pain, and swelling. Dip a flannel cloth in apple cider vinegar and place on the abdomen. Cover with plastic and allow to stay in place for at least 4 hours. This should provide relief.

Colitis Treatment with Epsom Salts

Mix 2 cups of Epsom salts in 2 cups of water. Saturate a flannel cloth in the salt solution and place over the abdomen. Keep warm with a heating pad or water bottle for 3-4 hours.

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Canker sores (or “stomatitis” as they are sometimes called) have many causes. They may be caused by bacteria or viruses, irritants such as alcohol and tobacco, or by sensitization to chemical substances in toothpastes or commercial mouthwashes. They can also be caused by iron or vitamin deficiencies, especially from a lack of folic add and vitamin B12.

If canker sores occur in an infant, the milk should be sterilized before giving it to the child and the mouth should be washed frequently; using a fresh cloth each time.

Canker Sore Mouthwash with Thyme

Adults should attempt to correct any disturbances of the gastric system. Using a weak solution of boric acid as a wash seems to help. If that is not available, use thyme, as it is a very good astringent. Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon thyme and steep Covered 15 minutes. Strain and use as a gargle.

Canker Sore Treatment with Baking Soda

Put 2 teaspoons of baking soda in 1 glass of water and use the solution to rinse the mouth and relieve the pain.

Cold Sore Treatment with Buttermilk

Apply buttermilk to the cold sore to help dry it up.

Canker Sore Treatment with Cinquefoil

Add 1 teaspoon of cinquefoil to 4 cups water. Boil gently until liquid is reduced by half. Strain well, adding 2 tablespoons of borax to herb mixture. Use as a mouthwash. Caution: Do not swallow.

Cold Sore Treatment with Red Clover

Add 2 teaspoons of red clover to 1 cup of boiling water. Allow to steep until cool. Strain and dip cloth in the tea. Apply to the cold sore repeatedly for 15 minutes several times a day.

Cold Sore Treatment with Sage and Ginger

Add 1teaspoon of dried sage to 1 cup of boiling water. Allow to steep 15minutes. Strain and add 1 teaspoon of ginger and honey to sweeten. Drink 3 cups throughout the day. Bring relief within 24 hours.

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The main problem with psoriasis however, is that this treatment does not prevent the appearance of new lesions and thus the same treatment has to be repeated, wherever and whenever new lesions appear. With regular application of these medicines, it should be possible to keep the skin almost.completely normal except when the disease takes a serious turn.

A psoriasis patient does not need any precautions and there are no prohibitions. He/she should thoroughly clean his /her skin and hair regularly with a normal soap and shampoo, eat food of choice (no dietary restrictions), and not be afraid of any damage to the internal organs. Thus, except for a small amount of effort in applying the ointment on the skin lesions, twice or more number of times as and when required, a psoriasis patient can lead a perfectly normal life. We often compare the precautions/prohibitions/ risks in a diabetic state with psoriasis and make the psoriasis patient realise that he is much better off (and luckier) than a patient having diabetes because

(1) a diabetic patient can neither overeat nor avoid eating as per his fancies / fads, whereas a psoriasis patient need not observe any dietary precautions;

(2) a diabetic patient never undergoes a spontaneous remission, whereas several psoriasis patients become completely alright during summer and may even have a remission for several years;

(3) a diabetic patient lives under the threat of damage to almost all the important organs of the body and can develop a heart attack, hypertension, paralysis (brain damage), gangrene, kidney damage, etc., while psoriasis does not involve any of these organs and therefore, the patient can lead a fearless life.

Both the diseases though, are incurable and require continuous surveillance and treatment.

During the phases when psoriasis is severe, the patient requires intensive treatment which should be under the supervision of a dermatologist. The various modalities of treatment include:

(1) use of Psoralen orally followed by exposure to ultraviolet light from the special apparatus (PUVA) or from sunlight (PUVASOL);

(2) oral or intramuscular injections of Methotrexate or other immuno-suppressive drugs, including Cyclosporin; or

(3) oral retinoid drugs. Each of these drug regimens are highly effective in controlling the severe forms of psoriasis; but they have to be administered only under proper medical supervision.

The treatment must be continued till the severity of the disease has been controlled completely. Appropriate laboratory tests are mandatory during this period to prevent side effects of these drugs, but once the severity of the disease has been controlled, the intensive phase of treatment can be withdrawn and the patient reverted back to routine management of psoriasis.

We once again often compare psoriasis with cockroaches in the house, because whatever you do for eliminating them, they keep on appearing somewhere or the other. A proper surveillance on a regular basis is therefore, very essential. Killing a few cockroaches does not prevent the re-appearance of the next batch of cockroaches which have to be treated in the same manner. Taking the similarity still further, whenever there are too many cockroaches one generally
needs the help of pest control people for a quick and appropriate control. Similarly, a psoriasis patient also has to learn to manage the psoriasis lesions on a regular basis, but, whenever the disease becomes severe, the management has to be handed over to experts.

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In contrast to the tuberculosis of the lungs and other organs, tubercular infection of the skin is very uncommon. It is slow to develop and most of the cases have had infection in some other part of the body. The manifestations of cutaneous tuberculosis generally belong to three categories: a slowly progressive large area of the skin which is thickened and red and may be ulcerated and/or crusted (lupus vulgaris); tubercular infection in the lymph nodes or bones /joints starting as a cluster of swellings which burst through the skin to produce multiple sinuses which continue to discharge pus (scrofuloderma); and multiple recurrent eruptions which keep on appearing on the skin from time to time (tuberculids). Generally, tuberculosis of the skin does not produce fever or other general signs and symptoms unless the patient has concomitant active tubercular infection in some other organ of the body.

For confirmation of the diagnosis, a piece of the involved skin is usually taken for histopathological examination. Occasionally, it may be possible to demonstrate the organism in the pus discharge.

Treatment

The treatment of tubercular infection of the skin is generally very easy but as a rule it is necessary to give three different drugs over a period of six to nine months for complete healing. Use of multiple drugs in every case is necessary because the organism has a tendency to develop resistance to the anti-tubercular drugs, if used alone. The first indication of improvement is usually visible in one to two months.

In case there is no improvement in two months time, in spite of regular treatment, one should suspect that the organism is resistant to the drugs used and a change of drugs is called for. Even after complete healing of the skin lesion, the treatment should be stopped only under the advice of the doctor who should ensure that the infection has been completely eradicated; otherwise the infection can recur. It is therefore better to take the treatment for a longer period to ensure that the recurrence.will not occur. There is no need for any topical treatment except for routine thorough cleaning of the skin area with a normal soap. Dressing or bandaging the area is also not necessary, unless the pus discharge tends to soil the clothes. Surgical intervention in the form of incision and drainage of the pus should be avoided, unless it is undertaken for the sake of making a diagnosis. There is no need for any special diet or dietary restrictions.

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Insects like mosquitoes, ticks and others which bite the skin generally do not produce any reaction in the skin of the individual unless the individual has developed an allergy to the insect. Thus, most individuals who are bitten by mosquitoes experience only a mild temporary itching when bitten by mosquitoes. The itching usually disappears within a few minutes without leaving any marks. Some individuals however, develop a red spot at each of the sites bitten by
the mosquitoes. Such spots are usually located at the exposed parts of the body. They persist for a few days and are completely asymptomatic.

Some individuals however, develop an allergic hypersensitivity to the mosquito bites and tend to develop either urticarial wheals at the sites of the mosquito bites or red bumps (papules). The urticarial wheals are common in adults while the papular reactions are common in children and are called ‘papular urticaria’. This term
is however, inaccurate because it denotes only a transient phase during which the individual develops a papule as well as an urticarial wheal at the site of the mosquito bite.

Generally,allergy to mosquito bites starts during childhood within the first few years, leading to itchy red papules which are usually located on the face, hands, forearms, feet, legs, thighs and the lower part of the abdomen (areas not covered with clothes). The papules cause severe itching which leads to excoriations and frequently get secondarily infected. The papules generally subside within a few days but further bites and new papules keep on replacing the old ones. Each papule leaves behind a pigmented scar upon healing, and possible disfigurement of the skin.

The eruptions occur throughout the year although these are likely to be more common during the monsoon season when the mosquitoes are abundant, and keep recurring year after year. After a few years however, the child tends to develop an urticarial response to the mosquito bite while the papular response tends to disappear. During the period when the urticarial response has already developed, while the papular response has not disappeard, the child would develop an urticarial wheal around each papule at the sites of the mosquito bites.

As the child grows further and the papular resp~mse disappears, he/she develops only an urticarial response and no papules. Subsequently however, even the urticarial response tends to disappear and only a mild transitory itching is seen. It is therefore, important to know that allergy to a mosquito bite is a self-limiting disease and will disappear in all cases.

Treatment

Management of this condition should thus be directed towards protecting the child from mosquitoes, by taking the following steps:

• The child should wear full-sleeved shirts and pyjamas to cover as much of the skin as possible. Even a thin cloth is useful.
• Mosquitoes in the house, especially in the bedrooms must be destroyed through insecticide sprays, fumigation with mosquito repellant mats, regular use of
  mosquito repellants in the bedrooms or on the skin.
• Sleeping under high speed fans or in air-conditioned rooms is helpful.
• The lesions which are already present or appear in spite of the above precautions have to be treated with local applications of a topical corticosteroid ointment.
• Oral anti-histamines can be used to reduce the itching, or one can use even oral corticosteroids if the lesions are too profuse. Antibiotics may be necessary if there is
  superadded infection.

These precautions/treatment have to be carried out till the individual is no longer allergic to mosquito bites.

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