Tag: Stretch Marks

The Latest In Skin Care Treatments

With people all worried about their appearances, the skin care treatment industry has become a worldwide moneymaker, earning billions of dollars each year from people across all demographics.

Microdermabrasion

This is one of the most popular surgical and laser treatment in the country. It improves the skin tone of the body and brings back its luster. Microdermabrasion also helps in getting rid of superficial scars from acne.

For some, a total of six peelings are needed to achieve the best results. Others can get away with less depending on the condition of the skin. Often the procedure is done every one to two weeks. It makes use of aluminum crystals that create a micro-dermabrasion effect that helps peel the skin.

Although the skin is the most common area treated by the procedure, it is also done on the neck, chest, arms, hands or any area that are damaged by the sun. It is also used for skins with irregular pigmentation such as sun spots and melasma; those with irregular and rough skin; and even those with some wrinkles and stretch marks.

Effects of the procedure is said to better than those seen in glycolic acid peels. Another advantage is the longer healing and recovery time compared to other procedures. There is also a shorter treatment time as well very minimal discomfort. It is also said to be very safe for all skin types as well as all races.

Although it is less expensive, it can be expensive on the long run as it requires multiple treatments. So, before having yourself treated, make sure that you have already determined the total cost.

Photorejuvenation

This is another skin treatment in the country. Through the use of laser or broadband light, mild acne scarring can be improved by causing a new layer of collagen to form on the skin. Often, this procedure will require five to six treatments that are performed every three to four weeks.

Scar Revision

This is a surgical procedure conducted to remove acne scars, especially the ice pick and box cars, which are pretty deep. An excision is made during the procedure through a punch. This hole is then closed with sutures that are often about seven days later.

Another technique used in this procedure is the subcision, which uses a sharp instrument to undercut the scar being treated.

Laser Treatments

Other forms of skin treatments are the Laser resurfacing (CO2 laser, Erbium Yag laser);
Pulsed dye laser and Laser skin resurfacing.

Eczema Treatment Different Methods

There are many things you can do to keep eczema under control. Prevention of flare ups is your first line of defense in eczema treatment. Although there is not much your doctor can do to actually cure the skin disease, because there is no known cure for it today, however, he or she can prescribe certain treatments or medications which can help relieve the symptoms.

Corticosteroid Creams

For milder cases, there are over-the-counter creams and ointments containing corticosteroids. But for moderate to severe cases, you will need a doctors prescription of a stronger variant. For many years now, corticosteroids a class of steroid hormones produced by the body for stress, immune and inflammatory responses have been a staple treatment for eczema. If the condition does not respond to topical corticosteroids successfully, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids taken orally or injected into the blood stream.

Topical Immunomodulators

Because of the side effects brought about by corticosteroids in the treatment of eczema, it was necessary for experts to look for an alternative treatment for the skin disease. Topical immunomodulators do not contain corticosteroids, so corticosteroids-related side effects such as thinning of the skin, dilatation of blood vessels, formation of stretch marks and infections are averted. They work by changing some of the functions of your bodys immune system so that inflammation of the eczematous skin is managed properly. But topical immunomodulators are mostly recommended for a short-term treatment course, application only on skin areas affected by eczema, and not intended to be used on children below 2 years of age or those who are immunocompromised.

Oral Antihistamines

Ask anyone afflicted with eczema and he or she will tell you that skin itching may just be the worst symptom to put up with. Scratching the eczematous skin will not help in fact it will only aggravate the situation by making the inflammation and the itchiness itself even worse. This is where oral antihistamines come to the rescue. Antihistamines are commonly used for the control of allergies; they work by suppressing the action of histamines, which is produced by your body as part of its natural defenses. Oral antihistamines will help relieve itching and can be very useful during night time to help you get some sleep despite of the symptom.

Ultraviolet Light Therapy

Ultraviolet light therapy is often employed for the treatment of various skin conditions such as psoriasis, vitiligo and eczema. The person afflicted with eczema is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light for a certain amount of time, and is usually as part of a total treatment course. Depending on the severity of the case, most patients require 20-30 sessions to see results.

For self-care treatment, moisturizing the eczematous skin well will greatly help in keeping the symptoms at bay especially itching. Itchiness is achieved when the affected skin gets dry. That is why anyone afflicted with the skin disease is recommended to apply moisturizers 2-3 times a day or even more, depending on certain factors such as the weather. There are a wide variety of moisturizers which you may use.

Usually they are in the form of lotions, ointments, creams and foams. You may also find some moisturizers containing extracts of herbs that are proven effective in relieving inflammation and itchiness. Aloe gel, chamomile, rosemary, witch hazel and walnut leaf extracts are some of the commonly known additives for moisturizers effective for eczema treatment.

Corticosteroid Creams and Ointments Are Commonly Used For Eczema Treatment

Corticosteroid Creams and Ointments Are Commonly Used For Eczema Treatment

Corticosteroid medication is usually prescribed for eczema treatment because these are derivatives of something we naturally produce in our adrenal glands. It helps us manage the inflammation especially in the case of eczema and against other skin disorders.

There are two ways that this medication is given namely topically or orally. When we say topically, this is applied to the skin and the absorbed by the body.

Once applied, they stop the skin cells from producing various forms of inflammation that are released when they come into contact with an allergen or irritation. Thus, you are able to reduce the inflammation and in some cases relieve the itchiness.

Examples of topical corticosteroids for eczema include betametasone, fluticasone, hydrocortisone and mometasone. This is available in creams, lotions and ointments which can be purchased over the counter.

It must be pointed out that there are 4 different strengths for topical corticosteroids namely mild, moderate, potent and very potent. Hydrocortisone is used for mild and moderate cases of eczema while the others are used in potent and very potent cases of this skin condition.

In some cases, you will have to use one or two different types for different parts of the body but when you have to take it, remember that the more potent it is, the shorter the time that you have to use it rather than suffering the side effects.

The most common side effect is the thinning of the skin which usually results to permanent stretch marks later on. Your blood vessels may also swell and become prominent under the skin surface. You may even look like someone beat you up because these will appear like bruises. This is why doctors rarely recommend this to patients when the skin is already inflamed.

In rare cases, the use of corticosteroids may cause growth suppression or adrenal suppression. You have to remember that these are also naturally produced by the body and if this should happen, you may not be producing the same number as you are used to.

Children are the ones who are at a higher risk of experiencing these side effects. To prevent this from happening, their case should be monitored by a trained dermatologist.

To reduce the risk of side effects, you have to use corticosteroid creams or ointments that are the least potent. When you apply it to your skin, make sure that this is confined only in the area where the skin disease is present. If this is prescribed by your doctor, make sure that this is only applied once or twice in one day.

When eczema is finally under your control, stop using it. Just use moisturizers to prevent flare ups from taking place because corticosteroid creams or ointments can only reduce the symptoms and not make this go away.

Although corticosteroid creams or ointments are common, you should know that women who are pregnant should never use it. Studies have shown that using it could endanger the fetus and result and abnormalities when the child finally comes out of the womb. It is also not safe for nursing mothers so the child does not absorb the steroids when it is time to feed them.

It is for these reasons that if you have this skin disorder, you should ask your doctor about other forms of eczema treatment like light therapy or wet wrap therapy.