Monthly Archives - January 2022

Bowen’s Diseas (Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Situ)

Bowen’s Diseas (Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Situ)

What  is  squamous  cell  carcinoma  in  situ?

Squamous  cell  carcinoma  in  situ,  often  called  Bowen’s  disease,  is  a  growth  of cancerous  cells  that  is  confined  to  the  outer  layer  of  the  skin.

It  is  not  a serious  condition,  and  its  importance  rests  on  the  fact  that,  very  occasionally, it can  progress  into  an  invasive  skin  cancer  known  as  squamous  cell carcinoma  . For  this  reason,  dermatologists  usually  treat,  or  at  least monitor,  Bowen's  disease.

What  causes  it?  

Most  cases  of  Bowen’s  disease  develop  as  a  result  of  long-term  sun exposure,  and  it  is  more  likely  in  those  receiving  long  term immunosuppression  medication.

Bowen’s Diseas (Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Situ)

Very  occasionally,  Bowen’s  disease  may  be seen  following  radiotherapy,  longstanding  arsenic  ingestion  (very  rare nowadays)  or  on  the  genitals  in  association  with  the  virus  that  causes  warts (the  human  papillomavirus).  Bowen's  disease  is  neither  infectious,  nor  due  to an  allergy.

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Fillers

Fillers

Did you know that many visible signs of aging can be traced back to volume loss?

As facial tissues thin out, lines become etched around the nose and mouth and cheeks look a little hollow. Dermal fillers can replace lost volume to help smooth wrinkles, plump the lips, and restore a more youthful appearance.

What are Injectable Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are gel-like substances that are injected beneath the skin to restore lost volume, smooth lines and soften creases, or enhance facial contours. More than 1 million men and women annually choose this popular facial rejuvenation treatment, which can be a cost-effective way to look younger without surgery or downtime.

Fillers

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Botox

Botox

Botox injections are noted primarily for the ability to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles. They're also used to treat conditions such as neck spasms (cervical dystonia), excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), an overactive bladder and lazy eye. Botox injections may also help prevent chronic migraines.

Botox injections use a toxin called onobotulinumtoxinA to temporarily prevent a muscle from moving. This toxin is produced by the microbe that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning.

Why it's done

Botox injections block certain chemical signals from nerves, mostly signals that cause muscles to contract. The most common use of these injections is to temporarily relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles in the forehead and around the eyes.

Risks

Botox injections are relatively safe when performed by an experienced doctor. Possible side effects and complications include:

  • Pain, swelling or bruising at the injection site

  • Headache or flu-like symptoms

  • Droopy eyelid or cockeyed eyebrows

  • Crooked smile or drooling

  • Eye dryness or excessive tearing

  • Select your doctor carefully

Botox

Botox must be used only under a doctor's care. It's important that injections be placed precisely in order to avoid side effects. Botox therapy can be dangerous if it's administered incorrectly.

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Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis

How  can  it  be  treated?

Most  people  with  hyperhidrosis  will  have  tried commercial  antiperspirants.  If  these fail, and  if  the  sweating  is  bad  enough  to  interfere with your  work  or  social  activities,  you should  ask  your  doctor  for  advice.  The  doctor  will  assess  whether  there might  be an underlying  cause and  may  start treatment. If  necessary,  you may  be referred to a dermatologist

One of the most effective treatments is

Botulinum toxin  derived  from  bacteria (one  brand  name is  “Botox”)  can be injected  into  the  skin  in  very  small  carefully  controlled  doses  to  block  the  action of  the nerves  which activate the sweat  glands.  This  treatment  usually  works very well,  is  quite  widely  available privately,  but  is  only  available in a  few  NHS centres  in the UK.  The  effect  usually  lasts  2-6  months,  although some patients may  continue to benefit  for  12  months,  and  the treatment  can  be  repeated.

Hyperhidrosis

Botulinum  toxin is  only  licensed  for  underarm  sweating  and  not  for  large areas. The skin can be numbed  with an anaesthetic  cream  or  injection,  but  this  is  often not  needed as  underarm  skin is  not  very  sensitive.  Botulinum  toxin is  not commonly  used  in  the palms  and  soles  because it  can cause  temporary weakness  of  hand and  foot  muscles  and is  painful.

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Vitiligo

Vitiligo

Self care (What can I do?)

Top sun safety tips

  • Protect your exposed skin with clothing, and don’t forget to wear a hat that protects your face, neck and ears, and a pair of UV protective sunglasses.
  • Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm when it is sunny.
  • When choosing a sunscreen look for a high protection SPF (SPF 50 or more) to protect against UVB, and 4 or 5 UVA stars to protect against UVA. Apply plenty of sunscreen on all sun-exposed areas 15 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun, and reapply every two hours and straight after swimming, towel-drying and strenuous exercise.
Vitiligo
  • Sunscreens should not be used as an alternative to clothing and shade, rather they offer additional protection. No sunscreen will provide 100% protection. Keep babies and young children out of direct sunlight as far as possible. It may be necessary to take Vitamin D supplement tablets as strictly avoiding sunlight can reduce Vitamin D levels. You should ask your doctor or dermatologist about this.

Vitamin D advice

  • The evidence relating to the health effects of serum Vitamin D levels, sunlight exposure and Vitamin D intake remains inconclusive. Avoiding all sunlight exposure if you suffer from light sensitivity, or to reduce the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, may be associated with Vitamin D deficiency.
  • Individuals avoiding all sun exposure should consider having their serum Vitamin D measured. If levels are reduced or deficient they may wish to consider taking supplementary vitamin D3, 10-25 micrograms per day, and increasing their intake of foods high in Vitamin D such as oily fish, eggs, meat, fortified margarines and cereals. Vitamin D3 supplements are widely available from health food shops.

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Psoriasis

Psoriasis

What  is  Psoriasis?

Psoriasis  is  NOT  infectious  (cannot  be  ‘caught’).  Psoriasis  is  a  common  condition that  causes  areas  of  the  skin  to  become  inflamed,  scaly  and  itchy.  Psoriasis  varies  in different  people,  both  in  how  extensive  it  is  and  what  treatments  help.  Although  there is  no  cure  for  psoriasis  there  are  many  types  of  treatments  depending  on  where  it  is on  the  body  and  how  much it  is  affecting  you.

Why  have  I got  this  condition?

Psoriasis  affects  about  1  in  every  50  people.  It  can  develop  at  any  age  –  from  a  baby to  an  old  person.  About  one  third  of  psoriasis  develops  before  the  age  of  20  years.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis  is  a  complicated  disease  and  although  the  exact  cause  is  not  known  it seems  that  many  different  factors  are  involved.  We  know  that  the  way  your  immune system  (the  cells  designed  to  fight  infection)  works  is  important.  In  people  with psoriasis  the  immune  system  is  active  and  the  cells  in  the  skin  grow  faster  than normal.  All  skin  has  cells  that  constantly  grow  and  then  fall  off.  This  normally  takes around  2-3  weeks  to  happen.  In  the  skin  with  psoriasis  the  cells  do  this  very  quickly (10  times  quicker  than  normal)  which  is  why  the  skin  becomes  scaly.

It  can  be  more  likely  that  you  will  get  psoriasis  if  someone  in  your  family  has  it  too. Sometimes  injury  to  the  skin  or  certain  infections  can  cause  psoriasis  to  start  or make  the  psoriasis  reappear.  Up  to  half  of  children  or  young  people  with  psoriasis will  have  more  psoriasis  after  infectious  illnesses  (including  colds,  throat  and  ear infections).   It  is  important  to  remember  your  psoriasis  is  not  because  you  have  done  something wrong  or  not  done  something  right.

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Cysts

Cysts

What  do  these cysts look like?

They  are round,  sometimes  dome-shaped bumps,  lying  just  under the skin surface. Some are yellow  or  whitish.  A  small  dark  plug  is  often present,  through which it  may be possible  to squeeze out  some  of  the cyst’s  contents.

The  cysts  range in size  from those  that  are  smaller  than  a pea  to those  that  are several  centimeters  across.   They  can occur  anywhere on  the skin,  but:

Pilar  cysts  are  most  common  on  the  scalp,  where several  can often  be  found. Epidermoid cysts  are  most  common  on  the  faceneckgenital  skin  and upper trunk.

Cysts

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Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata

What  is  alopecia  areata?

Alopecia  is  a  general  term  for  hair  loss.  Alopecia  areata  is  a  common  cause  of non-scarring  (does  not  cause  scarring  to  the  scalp)  hair  loss  that  can  occur  at any  age.

It  usually  causes  small,  coin-sized,  round  patches  of  baldness  on  the scalp,  although  hair  elsewhere  such  as  the  beard,  eyebrows,  eyelashes,  body and  limbs  can  be  affected.  In  some  people  larger  areas  are  affected  and occasionally  it  can  involve  the  whole  scalp  (alopecia  totalis)  or  even  the  entire body  and  scalp  (alopecia  universalis). It  is  not  possible  to  predict  how  much  hair  will  be  lost.

Regrowth  of  hair  in typical  alopecia  areata  is  usual  over  a  period  of  months  or  sometimes  years, but  cannot  be  guaranteed.

Alopecia Areata

The  chances  of  the  hair  regrowing  are  better  if  less hair  is  lost  at  the  beginning.  Most  people,  with  only  a  few  small  patches  get full  regrowth  within  a  year.  If  more  than  half  the  hair  is  lost  then  the  chances  of a  full  recovery  are  not  good.  The  hair  sometimes  regrows  white,  at  least  in  the first  instance.  Most  people  get  further  attacks  of  alopecia  areata.

In  alopecia totalis  and  alopecia  universalis,  the  likelihood  of  total  regrowth  is  less.

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Is It OK to Have Sex during Pregnancy?

Is It OK to Have Sex during Pregnancy?

Your developing baby is protected by the amniotic fluid in your uterus, as well as by the strong muscles of the uterus itself. Sexual activity won't affect your baby, as long as you don't have complications such as preterm labor or placenta problems. However, pregnancy can cause changes in your level of comfort and sexual desire

Can sex during pregnancy cause a miscarriage?
Having sex during pregnancy won't provoke a miscarriage. Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn't developing normally.

What are the best sexual positions during pregnancy?
As long as you're comfortable, most sexual positions are OK during pregnancy. Oral sex is also safe during pregnancy.

Is It OK to Have Sex during Pregnancy?

Are there times when sex should be avoided?
‏Breast stimulation, female orgasms and certain hormones in semen called prostaglandins can cause uterine contractions.
‏Your health care provider might recommend avoiding sex if:

  • You have unexplained vaginal bleeding
  • You're leaking amniotic fluid
  •  Your cervix begins to open prematurely (cervical incompetence)
  • Your placenta partly or completely covers your cervical opening (placenta previa)
  • You have a history of preterm labor or premature birth
  • Your partohas sexual transmitted disease .

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Atopic Eczema

Atopic Eczema

Self care (What can I do?)

  • Moisturise your skin as often as possible, ideally at least 2-3 times each day. The most greasy, non-perfumed moisturiser tolerated is the best. This is the most important part of skin care. Smooth the moisturiser on in the direction of hair growth. Do not put your fingers back and forth into the pot of moisturiser, as it may become contaminated and be a source of infection. It is best to remove an adequate amount to cover the skin with a spoon or spatula and put this on a saucer or piece of kitchen roll.
  • Wash with a moisturiser instead of soap (known as a soap substitute), and avoid soap, bubble baths, shower gels and detergents.
  • Treat eczema early - the more severe it becomes, the more difficult it is to control.
Atopic Eczema

keep an eye on your habbits!

  • Wear non-powdered, non-rubber gloves (e.g. vinyl gloves) to protect your hands and avoid skin contact with irritants when doing jobs such as housework.
  • Rinse well after swimming and apply plenty of moisturiser after drying. Make sure the shower at the swimming pool contains fresh water and not chlorinated water from the swimming pool.
  • Wear comfortable clothes made of materials such as cotton and silk, and avoid wearing wool next to your skin.
  • Try to resist the temptation to scratch. It may relieve the itch briefly, but it will make the skin itchier in the long term. Smooth a moisturiser onto itchy skin.
  • Avoid close skin contact with anyone who has an active cold sore as patients with eczema are at risk of getting a widespread cold sore infection.
  • Do not keep pets to which there is an obvious allergy.
  • Keep cool. Overheating can make eczema itch more.
  • Wash clothes with a non-biological washing powder and use a double rinse cycle to remove detergent residues from the clothing

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