Avinav

How to Minimize Pores with Laser Treatment?

August 1, 2013 by Avinav Leave a Comment

Are you struggling to get by with everyday activities with the fear that people may notice your large pores? For some people, this is a cosmetic issue worth addressing, as it could lead to other skin conditions in the future; primarily acne. When you have large pores, it makes it easier for infections, bacterium and makeup particles to seep into your skin. Once particles get beneath your primary skin layer, it may or may not cause skin reactions. Large pores are essentially openings on your skin, which may look like depth spots. The cause of large pores is still unknown, but much of it has been linked to DNA, genetics, exposure to the sun and increased bodily oil production.

A laser system is used to minimize large pores, as incisions do not help at all. Part of the treatment is done manually as well, through a process known as resurfacing. Prior to the treatment, you would be asked to completely wash down your face with warm water. When you face has been dried, a numbing cream would be applied about an hour before the procedure. The one hour wait time is to ensure that your skin and its pores absorb the contents of the cream. After an hour of waiting, the cream would have set well into your skin, so it is removed and laser treatment will begin. In most cases, the cosmetic procedure for treating large pores only takes about fifteen minutes.

The recovery period is only a few hours, as there is no real pain involved. You can get back to your everyday dealings right after treatment. However, even after your treatment; you will still not have all the sensation back on your face as it takes about an hour more to completely lose its effectiveness. Since a laser treatment was used on your skin, it may show a little redness or swelling, but it usually disappears after two to four days. During this time, the doctor may give you a prescription medication to ease the swelling and redness on your skin. One thing you need to remember is that makeup and lotions should be avoided for a few hours after treatment!

Through various sessions that are spaced out every two to four weeks, you would notice a change in the size of your pores. If you had wrinkles or lines on your face, this laser surgery treatment would have made it better as well. Since the laser beam imposes heat on your skin, it allows the sebum glands to become fully lose and tight again. When this happens, your skin would be less likely to show signs of aging. Going to the appointment sessions after your laser treatment is important, as this is how you will minimize your pores. Depending on the extent of the treatment, your costs will vary as well, so that is something you should definitely consider looking into!

Can I fight hair loss?

October 19, 2012 by Avinav 1 Comment

If you are losing your hair do not give up hope. There are many ways you can fight it. First of all stop worrying. Stress is a major factor in hair loss, so the more you worry, the more your loose your hair. Solution for hair loss ranges from surgery to just having a better diet.

Take hair fiber powder for example:

If your hair has just started thinning than this is just the solution for you. This powder is made specially to attach itself to your existing hair, giving the impression that it is fuller and thicker. This is not a permanent solution, it is meant as a temporary filler until the medication you are taking (Rogaine, Propencia) kicks in. It is quite affordable, prices start at twenty dollars. And the risk for side effects is minimal.

Propencia and Rogaine. These are very good solutions. If you are young and are being plagued by male or female pattern baldness this is the solution for you. These medications are approved by the FDA in the United States of America. Depending on where you live maybe you will need a prescription to buy Propencia. They can be taken individually but they work best in a combo.

If you have been taking them for a few months and they do seem to be working do not worry. It may take about 6 months for this medication to kick in so persevere. The thing with pattern baldness is that timing can save your scalp. The earlier you start treatment, the bigger the chance for it to work.

Surgical Options:
You can choose this option if all others fail and if you can afford it. It can be done by transplanting hair from other areas of your body like your back. Another way is by reducing the scalp. The doctor will remove the bald area from your scalp and stich the remaining areas together.

But please be careful when choosing this option. Do your homework. Inform yourself about the risk and always go to a good doctor. After the said surgery it is recommended to take Propencia to maintain the hair and not let it die off.

A very impressive type of hair transplant is that of micrografts. It is a very delicate procedure where individual hairs are taken and transplanted onto the balding scalp. This method however, is slow and will take many sessions so I repeat: choose your doctor carefully! Not only is it time consuming but it is also expensive ranging from 10 to 20 thousand dollars.

Wigs and Hair pieces:
This option I would not recommend personally. It is a time-honored tradition for balding men to wear wigs. But the wig degrades over time, does not look natural and if discovered it is a great source of shame for many people.

In conclusion there are many ways to fight baldness but one method out of all of them is most effective and its dirt cheap. Do not lose your confidence along with your hair.

Why am I Losing my Hair?

October 7, 2012 by Avinav Leave a Comment

We all fear hair loss. But why do we fear it? It is a normal part of the human life cycle and it is still one of the most feared things that can happen to you. Some people even prefer getting a dangerous disease than actually losing their hair.

The short answer is that nobody wants to look unattractive. I know it is not fair that other people get to keep their hair and you must lose yours but we must all play the hand that we are dealt. First of all do not panic. Not all types of hair loss are permanent, and the ones that are permanent can be delayed by even 10-15 years. So why does our body shed our scalp hair? To understand this we must go through the growth cycle.

There are 3 phases in the life cycle of the human hair: The first phase (anagen) is the most active phase where the hair actually grows in length. The second phase (catagen) is the phase where the hair starts to weaken and get thinner. And the third phase is the telogen phase that is a resting period for the hair.

As I previously said not all hair loss is permanent. It is perfectly normal to lose about 100-150 hairs a day. Do not panic if your hair is shedding .It is also normal on the course of a life time for your hair to get progressively thinner. If you are losing more than 150 hairs a day, that is a reason to worry. The causes can range from head fungus, bad diet, stress, menopause, thyroid disease, iron deficiency, genetic etc… For all the other causes there is a way to repair the hair loss. Avoiding fatty foods and keeping yourself hydrated and healthy can save your scalp.

The most feared of these causes is the genetic one. A common misconception is that if your father is bald, you will be bald to. That is actually not true. The gene responsible for male pattern baldness is transmitted by your mother….so if you are losing your hair stop blaming your father. However, being said that, men whose fathers had experienced hair loss are twice more likely to experience hair loss themselves, regardless of the mother’s side of the family.

But why would this gene survive in us? Evolution is known for facilitating survival not impeding it? Well, it is speculated that it is a built-in anti-adultery mechanism. The way it works is: You keep your hair for long enough to have children (early or mid-20’s) and then this gene kicks in. It is making you less appealing to the opposite sex and limits your sexual options, thereby assuring that you stay with your partner and help raise the kids. That is why we still have this gene; it has survival benefit for our children.

This is just a short background to make you understand why this is happening to you, to see that it is perfectly normal and make no mistake there are ways to fight it

Nail fungal Infection

June 6, 2012 by Avinav Leave a Comment

Nail fungal infections, also called as onychomycosis (onycho means nail and mycosis means fungal growth) are due to overgrowth of fungus in your nails. Common fungi that can cause this nail infection are called as dermatophytes. Nail fungal infections is very common and may involve both the nails of hands and foot. But most commonly is seen in foot nails because of humidity while wearing shoes and socks. Toe nail is most susceptible to this infection. It can lead to nail deformity and it is difficult to treat.

Risk factors for Nail Fungal Infection
Following are the major risk factors that can favor this fungal infection.

Excessive heat
Humidity
Low immunity like in AIDS
Diabetic person
Trauma to nail
Poor hygiene
excessive shoes wearing
Microangiopathies
Old age

Sign and Symptoms of Fungal nail Infection
Your nails look pale, yellow or black but yellowish discoloration is most common presentation. Nails may be thick, rough and brittle. Nail may be deformed like humped or broken, there may be local discharge. Nail may be separated from its bed. Dull looking nail with streaks, laxity in nail bed is common. Systemic symptoms and sign may also be presented in some patients. Nail may be tough, with or without pain and may be associated with foul smelling.

Usually your doctor will diagnose it just by direct examination, and may perform fungal scraping to see the fungus under microscope and confirm the case.

Prevention and Treatment

Prevention is better than cure so following points must be kept in mind if you really want to avoid fungal infections.

Always maintain good hygiene
Take care of your foot and nails
Degrade long nails proper nail cutting with sterilized cutter.
Don’t go bear footed in dirty places
Proper care of foot and nail wounds
Temperature regulation
Care in old age
Take proper control of your diabetes if you have it, because diabetes predisposes to infection.

Medical Treatment
Treatment of nail fungal infection is long term usually requiring 3 months or more. Most commonly used drugs are those of azoles family and some other antifungal agents like Itraconazole, fluconazole and terbinafine. Other drug like griseofulvin is also used with success. These drugs are for oral use only. NSAIDs used as symptomatic treatment as it slow down deformity process and reduce pain and discharge. During treatment, history of patient about drug allergy and other hepatic diseases is very important. Because these drugs have side effects like hepatotoxicity and renal problem and some have bad effect on heart pump action.

There is also topical treatment for this disease. Antifungal nail polish and topical creams can be used, these have low efficacy due to less absorption. But these can be used for mild to moderate infection.

Surgical Treatment:
Nail can be surgically removed with excision of nail while preserving nail bed. And in some severe conditions onychectomy removal of nail with nail bed is performed.

Tips to Avoid Tooth Decay in Children

June 1, 2012 by Avinav Leave a Comment

Cavities are one of the worst things that could happen to your teeth. If you don’t take good care of your teeth from an early age; it could cause some very harmful effects. You’ll have to deal with the pain that tooth decay give you, treatment, the costs involved and all those days off work. For kids, cavities are more commonly noticed before they enter their teenage years. In terms of keeping your teeth in good dental health, you need to follow some of the tips we are going to be talking about in order to avoid tooth decay in children. As parents, you might also want to make sure that your kids are following these tips.

Tip #1 – Just like you maintain your hair and skin, your teeth need to be taken care of as well. Follow a good dental hygiene routine, where you brush a minimum of two times a day. It is actually recommended by dentists to brush and floss in-between meals as well. When you are able to take good care of your teeth, you will be able to avoid tooth cavities and tooth decay, which all arise from the creation of plaque. Additionally, you should be using a proper toothbrush and toothpaste. The toothpaste should have fluoride, which is the single most effective ingredient that helps remove plaque from your teeth.

Tip #2 – There are dental shields that you can use on your teeth, so that you can avoid the formation of plaque. The bacteria in your mouth will always be interactive with food particles, so you could use dental sealants on the biting surface of each tooth. If you are interested in getting sealants for your teeth, you should talk to your dentist, as there is a small treatment that goes along with it.

Tip #3 – The types of food you eat makes a huge difference on the health of your teeth, so always eat nutritious foods. Fruits and vegetables have a considerable level of natural ingredients, so it not only is beneficial for your health but for your dental health as well. Calcium is a well known addition for the growth of strong teeth, so make sure to have enough milk each and every day. You could also eat other calcium rich foods such as cheese, which is also made from milk.

Tip #4 – One of the reasons why tooth decay and cavities come about is because of the formation of plaque. If you can fully avoid the creation of plaque; you would be able to prevent cavities. When your mouth is dry, plaque formation is expected to take affect at a much faster rate. To ensure that plaque does not start to form, you should always keep your mouth fresh with liquids such as water. If you don’t want to be drinking water every few hours, you should think about chewing sugarless gum.

Lastly, you should take some time out of your day to visit the dentist every six months. I know you may be thinking that there is nothing wrong with your teeth, but not all dental changes are visible. Going through routine checkups is beneficial for your own health, so try to be on the safe side.

How to Stay Away from the Pitfalls of Bad Cosmetic Surgery

October 29, 2011 by Avinav 1 Comment

Cosmetic surgery exists already for some time, but there are unfortunately not that well qualified surgeons who can qualitatively perform such an intervention.

You could as well be one of the victims of such bad cosmetic surgery with doctors to be here today and tomorrow, when the things get worse, to simply vanish away while you are left with the swelling that is not going away, but it even gets worse.

As with any other matter related to the well being of your body, when it comes to cosmetic surgery you need to have various options, and the first one is to start with your physician. This is due to the fact, that cosmetic surgery needs to be performed on a healthy body in a good physical condition.

In case you do not have this consultation, you may find yourself suffering from bad results of a cosmetic surgery due to the complications that might emerge. Your physician is also the one who can have reliable referrals for a competent cosmetic surgeon and as such to ensure you of a good direction.

Whenever a cosmetic surgery is performed there are scars involved. Make sure that you ask the surgeon about credentials in this way, and get more info from former patients knowing how he had kept track of them after the cosmetic surgery was over. This is a method that can make you star away from the pitfalls of a bad cosmetic surgery.

Many claims are present when it comes to cosmetic surgery. There is good cosmetic surgery but also bad cosmetic surgery. Just think of a car lot when reaching for one, you hear stories of how good one is and how bad one can perform. Therefore ensure yourself to ask about the potential side-effects as well as complications. If you inquire more in this respect, you will have fewer chances to be stigmatized by a bad cosmetic surgery.

You need to be aware of the fact that cosmetic surgery can present bad results on occasion even if the surgeon is a famous one. In case you hear the statement that the things will go 100% smoothly without any problem, then this surgeon should be not taken into account. Complications may arise and whoever says that there is no risk involved is either a liar or overconfident.

Once you have decided over some surgeons, you should consult your physician, as he may have some useful info on who to go with, and also reach for different organizations representing the cosmetic surgeons and check for their qualifications. At the same time, be well informed with a lot of opinions before making the choice, that thoroughly weighed can lead to the right decision.

Homemade Acne Remedies

June 23, 2011 by Avinav 7 Comments

When it comes to fighting acne the effectiveness of homemade acne remedies should never be discredited. Homemade acne remedies are fast acting, effective, convenient and easy on your wallet. What’s more, most of the ingredients used in these remedies may be things that you already have in your kitchen and since they are 100% natural you won’t need to worry about unwanted side effects.

Below are some homemade acne remedies that you can use to get rid of your acne.

Lemon Juice to clean up clogged pores: Make a solution by mixing equal parts lemon juice with rose water. Soak the acne affected areas with this solution and leave it on for about 30 minutes and wash with warm water.

Raw Potatoes for removing dead skin cells from the skin’s surface: To effectively remove acne scars from your skin slice raw potatoes into thin slices and rub the flat surface on the areas affected by acne. This will remove dead skin cells along with any bacteria that would have made their way into the pores and caused infection.

Glycerin based soaps for cleansing the skin: Keep away the oil and dirt from the surface of your skin by washing with a glycerin based soap. This soap will remove the excess oil from your skin without drying it out. It also helps to balance the acidity of the skin creating an unfriendly environment for bacteria the main culprit behind acne.

Oatmeal masks to reduce oiliness: Oatmeal will absorb the excess oils on the skin’s surface. This goes a long way in preventing acne. Make a thick paste of oatmeal and water and apply to your face. Leave it for 15-30 minutes and rinse off with cool water. Do this once or twice daily to get clean, clear and oil free skin.

Cucumber masks to clear clogged pores: Place a few pieces of cucumber into your blender and make into the puree by blending for a few seconds. Place the puree into a jar and allow it to chill in the refrigerator. Apply to your face twice daily for clear pores.

Honey and apples help to reduce oiliness: Make an apple paste by blending a few apples and adding 2-3 tablespoons of honey. Make sure that the mixture is well blended before applying to your face and leaving for 15 minutes. Remove the mixture by washing with warm water.

Reduce swelling with toothpaste: If you have a swollen zit that you will like to get rid of simply dab a bit of toothpaste on it before you go to bed at night and by the next morning the swelling will diminish.

A lot of these homemade acne remedies attack the symptoms and the things that lead to acne. For instance they will reduce the oiliness and clogged pores. But it is important to eliminate the cause, so sometime these at home acne remedies may not work. Seek the advice of a doctor if you will like to treat the root cause of acne which is overactive sebaceous gland.

Protect Your Skin From The Sun

March 26, 2011 by Avinav 2 Comments

If you have either dark or black complexion, you might feel the need to protect your skin from the sun exposure. Whether you are using dark skin care, African American skin care, Asian skin care, or other ethnic skin care products, you will usually find a sun protection cream in any of those treatments.

When your skin is prone to acne, sun exposure can be damaging and cause acne aggravation. Further, it can cause acne black spots and other skin discolorations. For people with black acne, which is acne occurring on dark to black skin, excessive sun exposure can cause post inflammatory hyper pigmentation, which is the darkening of the skin in areas of acne inflammation. Additionally, the risk of acne scarring will also be increased.

There are various acne treatments for black skin that encourage protection against damaging effects of sun exposure. Various African American skin care products are being offered to the market addressing this problem.

The damage of sun exposure for your skin can be explained in few points:

1) It can aggravate your acne.
2) It can cause premature aging.
3) It can cause various pigmentation and skin discoloration effects.
4) It can cause dryness and promote acne scarring.
5) It can cause instant redness and irritation if you have oily and sensitive skin.

Those are basic damaging effects of too much exposure of sunlight.

Each day, you should not expose your skin to the sun exposure for more than 15 minutes. You should only allow the morning sunlight to penetrate the skin. Other than in the morning, you should always wear a sun block lotion wherever you go outside. This simple skin care advice can save your skin from the damage caused by excessive sun exposure and prevent sunburn from peeling.

There is no exact difference in skin care treatments for men and women. Usually, the damage of sun exposure is related to two main skin problems such as acne and premature aging. Therefore, sun protection is commonly found in natural acne skin care products and natural anti-aging products.

So, if your complexion is dark, sun exposure may damage your skin. Therefore, you should only expose your skin to natural sunlight in the morning for no more than 15 minutes each day. Whenever you have to go outside, you should always remember to apply a sun block lotion to prevent the sunburn.

Here are some tips to choose the best sun block for your skin:

1) Avoid harmful ingredients such as Benzophenone-3 (Bp-3), Octyl-Dimethyl-PABA (OD-PABA), Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC), Oxybenzone, Homosalate (HMS), Dioxybenzone, and 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC). Those ingredients may damage your skin and unfortunately, those ingredients can easily be found in various popular sun block products.

2) The usage of natural sun protective lotion is encouraged and must be applied whenever you go outside. Choose safe products with natural ingredients such as virgin coconut oil, aloe vera, and shea butter.

Herbal Acne Treatments to Diminish Severe Acne Quickly

March 25, 2011 by Avinav 1 Comment

Everyone is talking about herbal acne treatment and how to cure acne using herbal plants. Which plant is the best to treat your acne? I’m talking about severe acne that sticks on your face like glue. What is the best herbal acne treatment for your acne problem?

In this article, you will find the top 3 herbal acne treatments that are effective to cure severe acne. Here are the top herbal treatment for acne:

1. Fenugreek

The Benefits:
Fenugreek is useful to reduce swelling and inflammation on your face. It is also useful to reduce blackheads and whiteheads and ease the symptoms of acne.

How to use:
You can use the seeds of fenugreek as topical treatment. Grind the seeds of fenugreek with the spice grinder until the seeds become powder. Now, add some water to the fenugreek powder and apply the paste to your acne three times a day. Wash your face after that.

You can also use the leaves of fenugreek as topical acne treatment. First, crush the leaves of fenugreek until the leaves become paste. Then, apply the paste of fenugreek as herbal acne treatment in the night. Cover the full area of your face and leave it for 15 minutes before you rinse with cold water.

2. Garlic

The Benefits:
The main benefits of garlic are to reduce acne symptoms such as swelling and inflammations. This herb is also useful to prevent acne and heal acne scars.

How to Use:
Before using garlic, here is what to expect. You will have a kind of burning sensation in your skin once you put garlic extract to your skin surface. Therefore, it is recommended for you to leave garlic for no more than 5 minutes before washing your face.

To use garlic as herbal acne treatment, prepare one to two cloves of garlic in a small bowl. Then, crush the cloves of garlic until the cloves become pulp. Then use the extract of garlic for acne treatment. It is good to use a cotton bud for this process.

Use garlic extract as topical treatment after washing your face with fresh water. Remember to put the extract all over your face. You will feel immediate burning sensation when you do this. Just leave it alone for approximately 5 minutes, and then wash your face immediately with fresh water. You should feel your skin becomes softer after this treatment.

3. Tea Tree Oil

The Benefits:
Tea tree oil is an herbal acne treatment that can help to eliminate bacteria in your skin surface. It will prevent bacteria from spreading in your skin surface. Therefore, it can help to reduce your acne symptoms.

How to Use:
First of all, don’t use tea tree oil directly. You must dilute it with water before using this herbal acne treatment. It is because tea tree oil is a strong substance that will react immediately with your skin. If you are using this oil directly, it will cause harm to your skin. Also, do not take this oil orally as it is not recommended.

To use tea tree oil, dilute 3 drops of tea tree oil with 27 drops of fresh water. Next, use cotton bud to apply this herb to your acne. Don? forget to wash your face before applying this treatment. Wait for at least 15 minutes and wash your face with warm water. For maximum result, use this treatment before you sleep in the night.

Those are the list of top herbal acne treatments, along with the benefits and how to use, that will help you to diminish your severe acne quickly. Use only one of the treatments above at a time. Do not use them simultaneously as this will not effectively cure your severe acne. Too many treatments can aggravate your acne and this approach should be avoided.

Acne Treatment Tips

March 24, 2011 by Avinav 1 Comment

If you want to find useful skin care advices to cure your acne, fasten your seatbelt and let your eyes glued to this article. In this article, you will find complete skin care tips to help you cure your acne immediately. Here are 16 Acne treatment tips that you can start to apply today.

1. Choose your skin care product carefully
Choosing the right skin care product is the first step to treat your acne correctly. Choose only natural acne skin care products and avoid chemical and synthetic products that will harm your skin.

2. Do not squeeze or scratch your acne
Squeezing or scratching your acne can cause acne scars and hyper pigmentation in your skin. In the time when you’ve successfully eliminated your acne, there will be various new problems arise such as acne black spots, dark spots, scars, and post inflammatory hyper pigmentation.

3. Drink eight glasses of water a day
Water is important for your skin. As your skin consists mostly of water, you need water to keep your skin smooth and radiant. Eight glasses of water a day may help treat your acne problem and avoid dryness and inflammation.

4. Wash your face regularly
Wash your face regularly in the morning and night. If you wash your face regularly, you will keep your face clean and fresh. If you want use cleansers, moisturizers, or scrubs, you should use only natural acne skin care products for sensitive skin.

5. Move out and exercise
Exercise will help you to open up clogged pores and let the oxygen penetrates your skin. It can make your skin smooth and radiant. So, practicing small exercises every day can be beneficial for your skin.

6. Detoxify your body
You should detoxify your body regularly to get rid of toxins and free radicals inside your body. Eat foods with high fiber to smooth the detoxification process inside of your body. If you want faster detoxification, using detoxification supplements will do the trick.

7. Change the way you eat
Toxins and free radicals are usually come from your foods. Junk and greasy foods are usually the culprit of toxic buildup inside your body. If you want to get rid of your acne, change the way you eat. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

8. Juices from fruits and vegetables
If possible, consume more juices from various fruits and vegetables. Juices from apples, cucumbers, spinach, and other nutritious foods will help your skin to fight free radicals inside your body, which help to eliminate acne quickly.

9. Take a bath in regular basis
Personal cleansing is important for your skin. When you have a clean body, you will tend to have a clean skin. So, bathe your body regularly. It will remove dirt, germs, and bacteria in your body.

10. Use natural soap and shampoo
Remember to use natural soap and shampoo to prevent irritation in your skin. Chemical soap and shampoo can worsen your acne and irritate your skin.

11. Avoid excessive sun exposure
Excessive sun exposure will burn your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. It can also cause dark spots, acne black spots, and hyper pigmentation in your skin. So, it is better for you to avoid excessive sun exposure. Always protect your skin with good sun block lotion.

12. Eliminate your stress
It is already known through scientific research that stress can aggravate your acne. So, it is better for you to relax your body and mind by practicing some relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and meditation.

13. Use natural acne masks
Natural acne masks can boost your acne healing process significantly. When using a natural acne mask, choose the mask that has refreshing and soothing effects for your skin. Cucumber and honey masks are good for treating your acne.

14. Have 8 hours of quality sleep a day
Having quality sleep may assist your healing. Your body needs enough rest to make it efficient in treating your acne. Basically, your body has a natural healing mechanism during your sleep period. So, if you have eight hours of quality sleep a day, you can help your skin to heal itself.

15. Keep your hair clean and oil free
Keep your hair clean and oil free and avoid covering your forehead or face with hair. This will prevent additional oil or dirt from clogging your pores.

16. Choose the right makeup brand
When you buy your favorite makeup, don’t forget to see the label with “nonacnegenic” or “noncomedogenic”. Always remove your makeup before bed.

If you want to treat your acne correctly, apply the 16 Acne treatment tips above, and you will see great improvements in your skin.