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Tackle your hair and skin problems with expert help from Dr Dinesh Jain.
Hi, I am 25.
I have dark circles under my eyes.
I also have dry, loose, dull skin and my neck is kinda blackish.
I have a medium complexion.
I do a lot of home remedies.
Right now, I am using a herbal cream which costs Rs 160.
I use egg white with face pack nowadays.
Please suggest some cheap remedy.
Shweta Sharma
There can be many causes of dark circles.
In case you are aware of the exact problem, you can try and correct it because, with medical remedies, it is very important to treat the root cause.
The commonest reasons for dark circles are:
Lack of sleep or poor sleeping habits
Overuse of gadgets, especially cell phones, and laptops. This causes eyestrain.
Allergies, including asthma
Hyper-pigmentation and related disorders
Reduced levels of fatty tissue around the eyes, causing thinning of the skin
Anaemia from iron deficiency
Overexposure to sunlight
Frequent rubbing of the eyes
Ageing
Diabetes
Obesity
Smoking
Skin inflammation like dermatitis
Many of the above causes also cause dull skin and pigmentation around the neck.
Home remedies for dark circles and pigmentation around the eye include:
Cold compress: Apply a cold compress for about 10-15 minutes
Cucumber juice plus lemon juice
Rose water application
Cold tea bags
Potato slices
Cold milk
Moisturise your skin regularly
However, most home remedies and Ayurvedic creams can help you with cases of mild pigmentation around the eye or neck only.
When the problem is more serious, treatment at a specialist clinic or advice from an expert does the job.
The professional treatment options which you should consider are:
Apply sunscreen every morning and afternoon in the affected areas, including the dull skin on the face and neck.
Remember, using a mobile or laptop for longs spells and exposure to strong LED lights is also radiation. Even if you are a homemaker, do use sunscreen till you go to sleep.
Moisturise the skin on your eyes, neck and face.
As far as good, reasonably priced options are concerned, you can look at creams containing kojic acid and vitamin C. However, I would still recommend consulting a dermatologist first.
Laser treatment
There are specialised vascular lasers which work best for under-eye dark circles. You can explore this option with your skin doctor.
Dear Dr Jain,
For the past couple of months, I have been experiencing an itchy scalp along with blisters on the scalp.
I have to regularly colour my hair to hide my grey hair.
I am a 40-year-old woman.
Could you please give me a remedy for my hair problem?
Regards,
Suchira Sen
Scalp pruritus, known as an itchy scalp, is a common condition.
There are a wide range of causes.
Dandruff and an inflammatory skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis are the most common causes of an itchy scalp.
However, as per the history you have shared, it looks like you have developed allergic contact dermatitis due to the hair dye you have used to colour your grey hair.
There could be many reasons for the skin boils/blisters coupled with an itchy scalp. These include:
Dermatitis or fungal infections
Boils or pyoderma, which are normally bacterial infections
Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis
Allergy to chemicals and products
There are cases too, where people who use hair dyes may not notice any problem initially.
However, over a period of time, your scalp can become sensitive and you can develop boils and itching with the same product that you have been using for a while.
Treatment
Get yourself examined by a dermatologist to find out the cause.
If it is related to the hair dye, stop using it and change to an ammonia-free dye which is safer.
There are pharmaceutical companies which make these hair colours, so please take advice from your doctor.
Wash your hair with a mild shampoo and conditioner -- if possible, a medicated one with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
Dear doctor,
I have a lot of brown and black small, circular marks on my face.
I have these on my hands and other parts of my body as well, but much more on my face.
Their number is increasing with each passing day.
The problem can be genetic as my mother also has these.
Kindly suggest what I should do.
V Mishra
These marks are nothing but freckles and generally they run in families as it is a genetic predisposition.
Freckles are caused by an increased production of melanin by melanocytes, which are the colour forming cells in your body.
They develop in those parts of your body that are frequently exposed to sunlight -- like your hands and face and shoulders.
Even though no one is born with freckles, your genetics play a large role in determining how prone you are to developing them.
Natural remedies you can try
There are several natural remedies people swear by to get rid of freckles.
While none of them are scientifically proven, most are unlikely to cause harm when used in moderation.
These natural remedies include:
Lemon juice: Apply lemon juice directly to your skin with a gauze or cotton, then wash it off. Lemon juice is thought to lighten skin.
Honey: Combine honey with salt or sugar to make a scrub. Honey may help lighten pigmentation.
Buttermilk: Apply buttermilk directly to your skin. You should leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water.
You can also create a mask by combining buttermilk with oatmeal.
Buttermilk has lactic acid, which could potentially help lighten your freckles.
Sour cream: Apply sour cream directly to your skin, then wash it off after a few minutes.
Like buttermilk, sour cream contains lactic acid, which has pigmentation reducing properties.
Yogurt: Apply yogurt directly to your skin and leave it on for a few minutes. Yogurt also contains lactic acid.
Onion: Rub onion over your skin, then rinse in warm water. Onion can act as an exfoliate and may help lighten spots.
Treatment for freckles
Laser is by far the most effective treatment of freckles; most or all of them can be taken care of in a single session.
An expert can also get rid of the freckles by freezing them with liquid nitrogen.
Do use sunblock on the complete area; ideally, apply it on all areas exposed to the sun.
Also, avoid being in the sun as much as possible because it is one of the most important causes when it comes to freckles.
Hello doctor.
I am a 44-year-old female.
Over the last few years, I have been having very heavy hairfall and the strands have become very, very thin and light.
Is there any natural remedy to make the hair strands thick, stop hairfall and regrow hair?
Otherwise my hair is very shiny and silky.
Thanks,
Pratima
There are many causes for hair thinning and hairfall in women.
The most common causes are:
Hair style. The way you style your hair can cause hair loss when your hair is arranged in ways that pull at your roots… like tight ponytails, braids, etc.
Vitamin deficiency
Excessive dieting or rapid weight loss
Restrictive diets
Over-processed scalp hair (breakage)
Post pregnancy
Hormonal/Genetic
Thyroid ailments
Home remedies for hair fall include:
These treatments have been tried, but have limited success.
Egg mask: Eggs are rich in sulphur, phosphorous, selenium, iodine, zinc and protein, which together help promote hair growth.
Licorice root
Coconut milk
Green tea
Beetroot juice
Greek yoghurt and honey
Aloe vera
Fenugreek seeds
Professional treatment
Do meet a dermatologist or hair regrowth specialist who will run some blood tests pertaining to your vitamins, hormones and thyroid status.
I am a firm believer in the fact that until the root internal cause is treated, external treatment will not be effective.
Until you control factors like diet, smoking, stress, etc, your hair fall may not get arrested.
Your dermatologist/hair growth expert will guide you with the treatment needed for your hair type, suggest a diet that can thicken hair and arrest hair fall and correct vitamin deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.
General hair care
Shampoo your hair twice a week; condition if required.
Massaging your scalp gently will improve blood circulation
Proper diet
Exercise and yoga
Hi Sir.
My son, 12 years old, had spina bifida surgery in 2016 and has developed keloid (pinkish) since then.
We consult with a skin specialist but no result.
Is there any treatment for the same? Really worried.
Thanks,
Suraj Sharma
We need to assess how big the keloid is.
Keloids are nothing but raised scar tissue. This scar tissue is hard due to fibrosis which has occurred in the skin.
There are various remedies to soften or dissolve this fibrotic tissue but need to be done by a doctor who specialises in dealing with scars successfully.
The treatment for keloids include:
Injections in the scar
Surgical removal
Cryosurgery
Silicone gel application
Tight garments over the scar
Dr Dinesh Jain is based in Mumbai and practises at Sparsh -- the Aesthetic Clinic. He is a well known cosmetologist and specialises in anti-ageing regenerative medicine, hair regrowth and stem cell-based treatment.
His qualifications include an MBBS, DV&D, MD and an MSc.
In his two decades of practice, he has treated thousands of patients including many Bollywood stars.
Please mail your skin care queries to Dr Jain at getahead@rediff.co.in (SUBJECT: Ask Dr Jain)
Do note: This column is an advisory. Please consult your doctor before beginning any treatment.
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