Posts Tagged ‘treatment’

At Home Acne Treatment – 8 Great at Home Acne Treatment Tips March 12th, 2010

Acne is a chronic disease of the skin. It is already at a high rate prevailed in those days. It is estimated that nearly 90% of adolescents suffer from various diseases, such as acne pimples, blacks points, spots, scars, blemishes, swelling, inflammation, irritation and anger. Today, acne has become a major cause of depression. Many adults are saddened always difficult because of acne and pimples. Am At this point in time, I'll kill youIPS for treatment of acne big house. These are:

1. One of the acne treatment is proactive. This is a special product that will be repeated at various newspapers, magazines, articles, books published, and new stories by leading manufacturers. Proactiv is really a system that contains the active ingredient, such as degree of benzoyl peroxide. Those days are hordes of people with this product compared to the treatment of acne home.

2. Accutane is also considered one ofbest home acne resources. They have been widely used by people who have chronic symptoms, such as blacks and points acne whiteheads.

3. Eating carrots help very much like an acne treatment at home. This amount will meet the nutrition in your body and get rid of pimples quickly.

4. Eat chromium volume. The reason is that these are all important ingredients such as vitamins and minerals. As a result you get in a position to get rid of;Acne and pimples fast with chrome.

5. Drink plenty of fluids, and disorders such as acne, orange, pomegranate, apple, apple, pear, guava, cucumber, carrots, pine, and mango, etc., your pimples and swelling are reduced.

6. Eat the fresh seeds, such as pumpkin and sunflower.

7. Drinking an adequate amount of fiber-rich foods such as cereals, pulses, lentils, beans and fruit.

8. Avoid alcohol as much as possible, drink, and 12 glasses of waterdaily.

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

Healthy Skin – How Chinese Herbs Benefit Your Skin January 16th, 2010

Author: Albert Leung
Source: articleage.com

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Chinese herbs are an excellent source of modern drugs and treatment cosmetics, provided one knows where and how to look. To those who are not familiar with it, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is mysterious and full of “mumbo jumbo,” as its theory and practice are steeped in esoteric terminology. Terms such as qu feng (wind dispelling), qing re (heat removing or dispersing), xie (evil), and yi qi (replenishing vital energy) are certainly difficult to comprehend, though others such as jie du (removing toxins), sheng ji (growing muscles/flesh),ming mu(brightening vision), and an shen (calming the spirit) are more obvious. The terminology may seem archaic and sometimes downright superstitious, but the TCM system has evolved over many centuries in a logical way. One just hasto view it form another perspective. Then it will make sense.
Although I never had formal training in TCM, my research over the past 20 years has enabled me to figure out a few things, especially in the correlation between traditional properties and modern scientific findings, as well as in predicting an herb’s pharmacological activities by analyzing its traditional properties. Thus, an herb with qu feng properties most likely has anti-inflammatory activity, such as Job’s tear, wu jia pi (bark of several Eleutherococcus spp.), ginger, du huo (Angelica pubescens root), and many other less commonly known ones. Herbs with qing re jie du (heat dispersing and detoxifying) properties generally have antimicrobial and febrifuge effects. Examples include honeysuckle (flower and vine), forsythia fruit, purslane herb, chuan xin lian (Andrographis paniculata herb), yu xing cao(Houttuynia cordata herb), etc.
Herbs Beneficial to Skin
Many herbs are beneficial to the skin and are used both internally and externally for this purpose. They normally have one or more of the following traditional properties: benefits/improves complexion, removes heat, removes toxins, removes swelling, invigorates/nourishes blood, lightens skin, moistens the skin/removes dryness, prevents scar formation, promotes flesh growth, etc. The following are some common ones: lycium fruit, ligustrum, astragalus, licorice, Chinese hawthorn, sanqi (Panax notoginseng), reishi (ganoderma), common jujube, red and white peony root, luffa, safflower flower, Sichaun lovage (Ligusticum chuanxiong rhizome), gaoben (Ligusticum sinense root/rhizome), etc.
Astragalus, licorice, and sanqi are well known for their healing properties. Either alone, or in combination, they can be used in various forms (extracts, powder, etc.) for treating wounds, chapped skin, bruises, dry skin, skin peeling, and other minor skin irritations. You could also add to the formulation one or two of the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial herbs, such as xinyi (magnolia flower bud), purslane herb, honeysuckle flower, or forsythia fruit.
In TCM, Sichuan lovage, gaoben, ligustrum, and Chines hawthorn are used topically to treat brown patches on the skin. The former two have been demonstrated to have tyrosinase inhibitory activity, scientific evidence indicating that these herbs can block excessive pigmentation of the skin.
Studies of the Benefits of Herbs for the Skin
The following are derived from two short reports from my file describing results of using Chinese hawthorn and sanqi for treating brown patches and chapped skin, respectively.
Chinese hawthorn (sanzha) for treating facial brown patches (melasma) [Hubei Zhongyi Zazhi, 16(5): 47(1994)]. Results are described for shanzha treatment of 12 patients with melasma, afflicting mostly the forehead and cheeks, and less so the nose and upper lip. Patients’ ages ranged from 23 to 45 years. Shortest duration of illness was 5 months and longest 12 years. Method: Grind 300g of dried raw shanzha to fine powder and reserve for later use. Wash face with warm water and wipe dry with towel. Mix 5g of shanzha powder with an adequate amount of fresh egg white to form a paste and apply it to the face to form a thin film. Let it sit for 1 hour, during which time the face can be massaged to help the herb’s absorption. Do this once in the morning and once at night. Sixty (60) applications constituted one course of treatment. Results: After treatment, pigmentation disappeared in 6 patients, whose skin color had returned to normal; it turned lighter in 4 patients; and 2 did not respond. A case example was described for a 23-year-old single woman with melasma on her cheeks, which had been unsuccessfully treated for 6 months and had started to spread to her forehead and bridge of the nose. After 2 courses of shanzha treatment (120 applications; 2 months), the patient’s melasma was completely resolved.
In western medical practice, melasma is usually treated with bleaching agents such as hydroquinone, which is rather harsh. Chinese hawthorn fruit has never been known to be toxic and is a common food and medicine. If it doesn’t work, it certainly won’t hurt. You can buy shanzha from any Chinese herb shop and probably many food markets in Chinatown. But be sure to get the dried raw kind (usually in twisted slices of 1-2 cm in diameter and about 0.5 cm thick), and not the shanzha candy that comes in thin wafers stacked 3-4 cm high and wrapped in paper. If the raw shanzha is not dry enough for grinding, you can dry it in the oven at low heat until it is brittle.
Sanqi (Panax notoginseng) powder for treating severely chapped skin [Jiangxi Zhongyiyao, 23(1): 35(1992)]. In addition to other effects (immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, etc), sanqi is well known for its hemostatic and wound-healing properties. In this report, results of treating 68 patients with chapped skin are presented. Thirty-six patients were complicated with ringworm of the feet and 41 experienced different degrees of pain or bleeding. Duration of illness ranged form 6 months to 15 years. Method: Mix 30g of sanqi powder well with an adequate amount of sesame oil to form a uniform paste, place it in a sealed clean container, and reserve for later use. Soak the afflicted areas with hot but tolerable water for 10-20 minutes before applying the oily paste. Do this 3-4 times daily for 30 days. Results: After treatment, 45 patients were healed, with no recurrence after more than 1 year; and 23 showed improvements, with longer periods between recurrences, which again responded to the same treatment. The fastest response was 3 weeks and the longest 7 weeks, with an average of 3.7 weeks. It is recommended that the paste be also used as a preventive by applying it to affected areas once every 1 to 2 days.
Sanqi or tienchi ginseng is readily available in any Chinese herb shop. It comes in spindle-shaped whole roots, 2-4 cm long and 1-3 cm in diameter, and is very hard. Unless you have a Chinese bronze mortar and pestle with a lid, it is not easy to powder this herb. You may have to break it up witha hammer first and then grind it in a sturdy coffee mill.
copyright 2005
Albert Y. Leung PhD. – is an internationally renowned pharmacognosist (a scientist who specializes in botanical medicine) and author in Glen Rock, New Jersey. He is also the formulator of many popular herbal products such as PhytoChi. http://www.earthpower.com

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

End To Gray Hair December 14th, 2009

Author: Rikabr
Source: articledashboard.combr
br
As a kid I used to wonder as to why my grandpa had a full head of gray hair when he had thick black hair in his older pictures and why mom had to color her strands of gray hair? Now I know it. As one tends to grow older, the hair starts getting gray, silver or white. And then starts the search for gray hair treatment as well as for all the related things like cure for hair loss, baldness treatment etc.

So what is it that causes the hair to go gray, causing so much anguish in its wake?

Under the scalp, the root of the hair is surrounded by a thick layer of tissue called the hair follicles. Hair follicles contain certain number of pigment cells, melanocytes, which continuously produce a chemical called melanin that is responsible for giving natural color to the hair. The dark or light color of hair depends on how much melanin each hair contains.

With age, hair follicles gradually die, leading to reduction in the number of hair follicles as well as the melanin pigment content. Fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle means that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color – like gray, silver, or white. Continuous loss of hair follicles leads to complete graying of hairs.

Graying of hair is not always related to age, however. It has often been noticed that some people have gray hair at a very young age. The reason for it may be attributed to genes in which the number of hair follicles in the root is less. Hence, melanin pigment is produced in a lesser amount. Added to it there are some conditions in which premature graying of hair takes place- thyroid disorders, deficiency of vitamin B12 or lack of absorption of it by the body due to stomach disorders, vitiligo; a condition in which skin starts losing melanocytes early. Even smoking is known to cause premature hair loss and graying of hair.

Though there are no concrete proofs to suggest any hair loss remedy or gray hair treatment, it is widely believed that herbal products are very effective in restricting graying of hair by increasing the life of hair follicles and promoting melanocytes to secrete melanin for a longer duration. Also, numerous hair loss doctors have been advocating the use of herbal products for gray hair treatment.

Brahmi, a north Indian herb for hair grows in the Brahmi plateau some 14000 feet above sea level. It takes around five years for the herb to mature and is known to promote hair growth and retain hair follicles and pigment cells. It encourages natural oil production in the scalp, thus preventing premature graying of hair.

Shikakai, another powerful herb for hair is found in south India and is also termed as the south Brahmi. It contains 100 times more vitamin C than a grapefruit. It detoxifies the blood in the scalp and stimulates hair growth while enriching the thickness of the hair. Also, it contains numerous anti-oxidants like Vitamin A, D, E and K that encourage healthy hair growth and prevent graying of hair.

The advocates of Ayurveda in India also advise a herb called Bringaraja or The King Of Hair, to prevent gray hair. It is taken by mouth to strengthen the liver and kidneys and overall, to improve the blood circulation in the hair. It also forms part of the ayurvedic tonics which are applied to the scalp.

If you want to reduce graying of your hair or to prevent it completely, opt for the herbal products and follow them regularly to allow your hair to grow back in its natural color./pbr
br
br
br

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

Acne Laser Rosacea Treatment – Get Rid Of Marks November 20th, 2009

Author: Stephanie Young
Source: isnare.com

Acne laser rosacea treatment is being offered by many cosmetic outfits and many people have opted for such treatments. Acne rosacea occurs in people within 30-50 years of age. The cheeks and the nose are most common areas affected by this inflammatory disease. The chin, forehead, chest, scalp and ears may also get affected. First a few pimples may occur some of which may have pus followed by tiny blood vessels that appear on the face giving it a flushed or reddish appearance. The disease may progress into a condition called Rhinophyma.

Acne laser rosacea treatment has indeed made a drastic change as people are symptom free. Such treatment gives them a chance to look youthful, have a more even color, free from the flushing/redness associated with rosacea. VBeam Pulsed Dye laser and Intense Pulsed Light (laser like light treatment) have both been successful in treating patients suffering from rosacea. The VBeam laser has been used in treating patients with vascular problems since the last two decades. Many are treated using a combination of the pulsed dye laser as well as the IPL technology. A non coherent, broad spectrum light is emitted by the IPL device which is used to treat rosacea. The light is absorbed by the skin and it successfully destroys the abnormal vessels reducing the redness.

Acne laser rosacea treatment is done using the VBeam dye pulsed laser. An intense burst of laser is directed at the affected area. This is safe on the skin as the skin is cooled seconds prior to the laser treatment by a dynamic cooling device. The small blood vessels in the area absorb the light which greatly reduces the redness.

It is recommended that patients seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare practitioner before they decide to opt for treatment. This consultation is crucial as it helps the dermatologist to determine if it is safe for you to get treated based on your health, skin condition and family history. The Acne laser rosacea treatment is best done after a patch test has been performed. Be sure to find out how many treatments may be required. The procedure may cost $100 – $450 or more per session for a laser treatment where as an IPL treatment may cost as much as $3000 for the entire treatment process. The treatment is done with gaps of 3-4 weeks between each sitting.

The patch test is required and you need to wait and see if any redness, swellings, sores and/or hypo/hyper pigmentation occurs. If there are no adverse reactions to your patch Acne laser rosacea treatment you may be advised on what you can and cannot do two weeks prior to the treatment. It is better not to consider going in for a treatment if you are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant.

The skin may appear to be reddish and swollen for 1-2 days after treatment. In some cases hypo/hyper pigmentation may occur which may be permanent, scarring is possible too. It is best that you consult a physician who is reputable and has successfully treated many other people using the Acne laser rosacea treatment technology.

No Comments »

Continue reading...


 

Hemochromatosis November 13th, 2009

Author: sanjoea
Source: articledashboard.com

Hemochromatosis is charaterized by the excessive accumulation of body iron, most of which is deposited in parenchymal organs such as the liver and pancreas. Because humans do not have a major excretory pathway for iron hemochromatosis results either from a genetic defect causing excessive iron absorption or as a consequence of parenteral administration of iron (usually in the form of transfusions). Genetic hemochromatosis, also called hereditary hemochromatosis is a homozygous recessive heritable disorder. Acquired forms of hemochromatosis with known sources of excess iron are called secondary hemochromatosis.

The total body iron pool ranges from 2 to 6 gm in normal elders about 0.5 gm is stored in the liver, 98% of which is in hepatocytes. In genetic hemochromatosis, total iron accumulation may exceed 50 gm more than one third of which accumulates in the liver. The following features characterize this disease:

Fully developed cases exhibit (micronodular cirrhosis- all patients; (2)diabetes mellitus- 75% to 80% and (3) skin pigmentation – 75%to 80% of cases.
(4)n accumulation is lifelong; symptoms usually first appear in the fifth to sixth decades of life.
(5)hemochromatosis gene is located on the short arm of chromosome.
(6) close to the HLA gene locus. This gene called HLA-H encode a novel HLA class I-like molecule that in some uncharacterized manner influences iron absorption. The most common mutation is a cystein to tyrosine substitution at amino acid 282, which inactivates this 343-amino acid protein; other alleles have also been identified. HLA-H is in linkage disequlibrium with HLA-A3 thus accounting for the association of this haplotype with genetic hemochromatosis. Males predominate with slightly earlier clinical presentation , partly because physiologic iron loss delays iron accumulation in women.

In white populations of northern European extraction the gene frequency has been estimated at approximately 6%. The frequency for homozygosity is 0.45% and 11% for heterozygosity, making genetic hemochromatosis one of the most common inborn errors of metabolism.

It may be recalled that the total body content of iron is tightly regulated whereby the limited daily losses of iron are matched by gastrointestinal absorption. In genetic hemochromatosis, there is a primary defect in the intestinal absorption of dietary iron leading to net iron accumulation of 0.5 to 1.0 gm/year. The disease manifests itself typically after 20gm of storage iron has accumulated. The exact mechanism by which a defect in HLA-H engenders excessive iron absorption is not yet known. Regulated transfer of iron from intestinal mucosal cells to plasma may be involved , since HLA-H is expressed on the mucosal cell surface and interacts with circulating β2- microglobulin develop a syndrome resembling genetic hemochromatosis.

Excessive iron appears to be directly toxic to host tissues by the following mechanisms: (1) lipid peroxidation through iron-catalized free radical reactions: (2) stimulation of collagen formation and (3) direct interactions of iron with DNA leading to lethal injury or predisposition to hepatocellular carcinoma. Whatever the deleterious effects or iron, they are reversible in cells not fatally injured and removal of excess iron during therapy promotes recovery of tissue function.

The most common causes of secondary hemochromatosis are the hemolytic anemias associated with ineffective erythropoiesis, In thiese disorders the excess iron may result not only from transfusions but also from increased intestinal absorption. Transfusions alone as in aplastic anemias lead to systemic hemosiderosis in which parenchymal organ injury tends to occur only in extreme cases. Alcholic cirrhosis is often associated with a modest increase in staiable iron within liver cells. However this represents alchohol induced redistribution of iron since total body iron is not significantly increased. A rather unusual form of iron overload resembling genetic hemochromatosis occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, the result of ingesting large quantities of alcholic beverages fermented in iron utensils. Home brewing in steel drums continues to this day, and a genetic susceptibility in this population has been implicated.

Clinical features

Genetic hemochromatosis is more often a disease of males and rarely becomes evident befoe age 40 years. The principal manifestations include hepatomegaly, abdominal pain, skin pigmentation, deraged glucose homestasis or frank diabetes mellitus due to destruction of pancreatic islets, cardiac dysfunction and atypical arthritis. In some patients, the presenting compliant is hypogonadism. The classic triad of pigment cirrhosis with hepatomegaly, skin pigmentation, and diabetes mellitus may not develop until late in the course of the disease. Death may result from cirrhosis or cardiac disease. A significant cause of death is hepatocellular carcinoma; the risk is 200 fold greater than in the general population and treatment for iron overload does not remove the risk for this aggressive neoplasm.

Fortunately genetic hemochromatosis can be diagnosed long before irreversible tissue damage has occurred. Screening involves demonstration of high levels of serum iron and ferritin exclusion of secondary causes of iron overload, HLA gene molecular analysis and liver biopsy if indicated. Screening of family members of probands is important. Heterozygotes for genetic hemochromatosis also accumulate excessive iron, but not to the degree required to cause significant tissue damage. Homozygotes may be identified before onset of clinical disease. Patients with genetic hemochromatosis diagnosed in the subclinical precirrhotic stage and treated by regular phlebotomy have normal life expectancy.

No Comments »

Continue reading...