Traction Alopecia

Traction alopecia

Traction alopecia is a form of alopecia, or gradual hair loss, caused primarily by pulling force being applied to the hair. This type of hair loss is more common among African Americans, Indian Sikhs and Japanese women who tie their hair too tightly. Also women who tie their hair into a very tight knot, tight beard or turban or ponytail experience this type of hair loss on the front or the sides of the scalp. This increases the tension in the hair giving rise to breakage of hair. Unlike other types of alopecia, Traction alopecia is more common among children, teenagers and young adults due to different styles they make with their hair. People who attach hairpieces on their hair and don’t remove them for long periods of time also suffer through this type of hair loss.

Besides tight hair styles one more cause that leads to Traction Alopecia is over processing of the hair with certain thermal or chemical treatments such as dyes, bleaches, strengtheners etc. The chemicals present in these products are harsh for the hair making them fragile and weak. This damage is irreversible if it has greatly affected the health of the hair. Also the heat from heating instruments such as blow dryers contributes towards traction alopecia. The heat from these devices is harmful for hair follicles causing them to break out.

Traction alopecia can only be stopped if it is diagnosed at an early stage. This can be done by avoiding tight hairstyles that put extra pressure on the roots of the hair causing them to break out. People can make the same hairstyles by avoiding extra tightening or they can switch to loose and gentle hairstyles that are not harsh for their hair follicles. People who have identified that they are suffering through traction alopecia should take immediate action and consult a doctor as soon as possible who usually warns them against hair styles such as braids, cornrows, weaving and chemical processing. Many traction Alopecia patients expect quick results once they have stopped making tight hair styles. This is completely wrong because often it takes several months for the hair to recover from this severe hair disorder. Also there are many cases in which some of the areas on the scalp never fully recover from traction alopecia.

It is advised to treat Traction Alopecia as soon as possible because if ignored for a long period of time it sometimes leads to permanent hair loss. A treatment suggested for advanced stages of Traction Alopecia is hair transplant and this is a very effective treatment. The best way to treat hair loss related to traction alopecia and Trichotillomania is with the help of a strict hair care regimen and by showing patience. Hair transplant is the solution for long standing cases.

Juvederm Voluma

Juvederm Voluma

Juvederm Voluma is injectable hyaluronic volumiser that recontours the face to restore volume to chin, cheeks, and cheekbones that have become hollow or thin due to weight loss or age-related facial fat loss. Over time, skin can lose its firmness (thinning skin), elasticity (sagging skin) or both (volume loss). As we lose facial volume, cheeks appear to deflate and descend. Loss of volume and deflation can also cause one’s face to lose definition, balance, and even change shape. However, the deep hollowed look that’s revealed is slowly becoming a thing of the past!

Juvederm VOLUMA offers revolumisation that is characterised by smooth round contours, high cheekbones, hollow jowls and a well defined jaw line

How does Juvederm Voluma works?

An attractive face is characterised by smooth, round contours, high cheekbones, hollow jowls and a thin, well-defined jaw line. These features together comprise the “triangle of beauty” or “heart of face’’. As we age, facial fat loss, gravity, and loss of the skin’s natural elasticity conspire to reverse this triangle’s composition, leading to a narrower, less youthful forehead and temple area, and a wider, heavier jaw line.

Fortunately, Juvederm Voluma can restore the face’s balance and heart-shaped proportions, revolumising facial hollows and  lost volume and recontouring the cheeks, cheekbones, and nose for a fuller, softer, more youthful appearance. Juvederm Voluma helps recapture the facial volume that age and weight loss can diminish. With Juvederm Voluma, an innovative injectable hyaluronic volumiser, you can enjoy a smoother more youthful appearance of your cheeks, cheekbones, and chin.

How long results remain?

The results are immediate, however it will continue to improve for a few days and the effects of treatment have been shown to last up to 18 months. There is no downtime required after Juvederm treatment. Patients who undergo Juvederm treatment can expect to be able to return to work or other normal activities immediately, with only mild redness or soreness at the site of the injections which goes off in 1-2 days.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis

Seborrhoeic dermatitis

What is seborrhoeic dermatitis

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a common, harmless, scaling rash affecting the face, scalp and other areas. It is most likely to occur where the skin is oily. The American spelling is ‘seborrheic’, and ‘dermatitis’ is sometimes called ‘eczema’.

Dandruff (also called ‘pityriasis capitis’) is an uninflamed form of seborrhoeic dermatitis. Dandruff presents as scaly patches scattered within hair-bearing areas of the scalp.

What does seborrhoeic dermatitis look like?

Within the scalp, seborrhoeic dermatitis causes ill-defined dry pink or skin coloured patches with yellowish or white bran-like scale. It may spread to affect the entire scalp.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is common within the eyebrows, on the edges of the eyelids (blepharitis), inside and behind the ears and in the creases beside the nose. It can result in pale pink round or ring shaped patches on the hairline.

Sometimes it affects the skin-folds of the armpits and groin, the middle of the chest or upper back. It causes salmon-pink flat patches with a loose bran-like scale, sometimes in a ring shape (annular). It may or may not be itchy and can be quite variable from day to day.

What is the cause of seborrhoeic dermatitis?

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is believed to be an inflammatory reaction related to a proliferation of a normal skin inhabitant, a yeast called Malassezia. The main species found in the scalp is M. globosa. It produces toxic substances that irritate the skin. Patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis appear to have a reduced resistance to the yeast.

Infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis

It is uncertain whether infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis is the same condition. This arises in newborn babies up to the age of six months. It usually presents as cradle cap, but infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis may also affect skin creases such as armpits and groin (when it presents as a type of napkin dermatitis). Non-itchy salmon pink flaky patches may appear on the face, trunk and

Treatment

Seborrhoeic dermatitis in adults may be very persistent. However, it can generally be kept under control with regular use of antifungal agents and intermittent applications of topical steroids.
Infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis usually clears up completely before the baby is six months old and rarely persists after one year. If treatment is required, mild emollients, hydrocortisone cream and / or topical ketoconazole are useful.

Scabies

Scabies is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and animals. It is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite—the mite Sarcoptes scabiei—which burrows under the host's skin, causing intense allergic itching. The word scabies is derived from the Latin word scabere, which means scratch. The disease in humans may be transmitted from objects or bedding (like mattresses,etc.), but is most often transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact, with prolonged contact being more efficient. Initial infections of scabies require four to six weeks to become symptomatic. Scabies mites prefer thin hairless skin, and for this reason concentrate on intertriginous parts of the body below the neck (e.g., between fingers and in skin folds), avoiding callused areas. Infants may be infected over any part of the body, as may also immunosuppressed persons. Otherwise healthy persons with good hygiene may be infected with only an average of 11 mites. Crusted scabies, formerly known as "Norwegian scabies," is a more severe form of the infection often associated with immunosuppressed hosts. In crusted scabies, the mites, numbering thousands in such cases, cause scaly rashes and thick crusts of skin.

In both humans and animals, the disease can be effectively treated with a number of medications. Permethrin cream is the most effective, but expensive compared to other treatments. Crotamiton is less effective, but also nontoxic and soothing, allowing it to be used more often. Ivermectin is also used orally and topically, subject to restrictions involving treatment toxicity differences between hosts. Treatment with lindane preparations have fallen out of favor due to high toxicity and parasitSigns and symptoms

The characteristic symptoms of a scabies infection include intense itching and rashes.The symptoms are caused by an allergic reaction of the host's body to mite proteins, though exactly which proteins remains a topic of study. The mite proteins are also present from the gut, in mite feces, which are deposited under the skin.  

 Prevention

Mass treatment programs that use topical permethrin or oral ivermectin have been effective in reducing the prevalence of scabies in a number of populations. There is no vaccine available for scabies. The simultaneous treatment of all close contacts is recommended, even if they show no symptoms of infection (asymptomatic), to reduce rates of recurrence. Asymptomatic infection is relatively common. Fomites pose little risk of transmission except in the case of crusted scabies thus cleaning of the environment is of little importance.In hospitals, rooms used by a patient who was diagnosed with crusted scabies are often thoroughly cleaned because an outbreak is hard to control.

 

 

Body Lice

Body Lice
(pediculus humanus corporis)

Definition & Overview: Body lice are small, parasitic insects that live on the body and in the clothing and bedding of those who are infested. Body lice feed off small amounts of blood that is sucked which can cause itching, irritation and infection. In the United States, body lice are common and most prevalent in homeless people and transients who may not have regular access to laundry equipment, showers or changes of clean clothes. Body lice are similar, but not the same as head lice, pediculosis capitis, and pubic lice, phthirus pubis.

 Causes: Body lice live mostly in the clothing and feed off their hosts once or twice a day. Infestations of body lice spread easily in crowded conditions where hygeine is poor. "Body lice are frequently seen among the homeless and others living in overcrowded conditions, where clothes are not washed often and where overall cleanliness is lacking."

According to IntelliHealth, female lice glue their eggs onto infected clothing. The victim's body heat allows these eggs to hatch in about a week. A female louse (one lice) can lay 10 eggs a day and 300 or more eggs in her adult life. Once hatched, the nymphs (young lice) can grow to adult stage within 9 days. Once they reach adulthood, the females will become reproductive and the infestation can exponentially worsen.

 Symptoms: Symptoms of body lice are obvious as intense itching, rashes, and red welts on the skin. A long and severe infestation can lead to a general darkening and thickening of the skin. If left untreated, scratching can lead to bacterial infection. Symptoms of body lice also include infestations in one's clothing and bedding.

Diagnosis: A diagnosis of body lice can be made if the patient is subject to poor hygeine, lack of laundry facilities and skin itching and irritation with lice eggs, called nits, and lice themselves being present on the body and body hair, as well as in the clothing of the individual. Nits, nymphs and adult lice are yellow, tan and brown in color, smaller then a sesame seed and have six legs.

Treatment: Body lice are easily treated with improved hygeine practices. Patients should take a hot shower and have a clean change of clothes. Infected clothing should be discarded or burned. If this is not an option, body lice in clothing and bedding can be killed if laundered in strong soap and hot water with temperatures exceeding 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Medicated shampoos for head lice can be used on the body, but only with caution and should not be applied to sensitive areas such as the face, genital area, and anus. Medications should be applied according to the directions on the bottle or advice of a physican. Delousing agents (a type of pesticide) may be required for patients with excessive body hair