Natural Remedies for Nail Fungus

Posted on 2013/03/15 by Karen

Toenail fungus can be icky and smelly, so we do our best to protect our feet. These fungi that cause toenail fungus like warm, moist places, so we must do our best to keep our feet dry.

However, we can’t prevent the occasional soak if we get caught in a sudden shower, so when we go home, we have to take a shower immediately and dry our bodies.

Do not forget to dry your shoes as well, because they can be a hotbed for all sorts of fungi if we use them and these can infect our feet.

What Are The Symptoms of Nail Fungus?

When a fungus has chosen our feet as its latest home, the toenail infected looks thicker than it normally does. The shape also becomes distorted and it can flake off, become brittle, crumble and break apart.

Worse, there are cases of the nail falling off the nail bed and that’s not just painful. It can make matters worse because dirt can enter.

Homemade Treatments for Nail Fungus

Combine two parts warm water with one part vinegar and soak your feet in it. This will stop the bacteria from spreading and stop the infection from worsening.
Pour some apple cider vinegar onto a washcloth and rub it between your toes. This can remove the scales and dead skin as well as relieve the itch.
Tinctures, ointments and creams made from calendula which is diluted in warm water have astringent and healing properties which can be used as anti-fungal treatments. Use this twice a day.
A cup of chamomile tea three times a day and application of the same tea directly onto the affected toenail also three times a day can soothe the affected part.
One of the best herbal antifungal remedies is garlic. Put a raw garlic in the blender and apply it to the infected toenail three times a day. Or you can take six teaspoons of garlic every day. You can also dust your feet and shoes with garlic powder. The antifungal properties of garlic have been documented in clinical studies which had people taking garlic. The fungal activity in their bodies lessened when their blood serum showed high amounts of garlic.
Tea made from two ounces of ginger root contains twenty kinds of antifungal compounds. Drink this three times a day, and you can make compresses out of the excess. Apply this to the affected area for five minutes three times a day.
Another good antifungal agent is goldenseal. Add 5 drops of this tincture to any juice and drink it three times a day. You can also simmer six teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of water to make tea. Apply this to the infected area directly, too.

Don’t let your feet stay wet and don’t wear shoes until they are completely dry. Take a shower immediately after getting caught in the rain or after you use a swimming pool or public bath.

Rosacea: The Top 7 Ways To Reduce Flare-Ups Of Rosacea

Posted on 2013/03/05 by Karen

You could not knock a certain condition down without you using the right method to do so.

You must be rest assured that if you are about to treat it, the solution you have on hand would definitely comply with your requirements of dealing with your health issue. Your body is not a place for trials or anything related.

As much as possible, you give way to understanding that your body needs formal treatment, which would not even trigger under sensitivities in your body.

You could relate the treatment for rosacea to the above notion. You have got to bear in mind that your skin would likely suffer from rosacea for a long period of time, since there are still no clear solutions for its permanent treatment. The only choice you have is to manage the symptoms of the condition.

There are various causes that could be related to Rosacea, yet there is still no clear perception regarding this.

It is thought that rosacea could be caused by the inability of your body to digest food correctly, fair skin color, deficiency of certain proteins, family history, H.pylori bacteria, as well as skin mites among others.

In order to provide you better management of the condition, here are the top 7 ways of managing the symptoms of rosacea:

Avoid alcohol.

Drinking beverages that contain alcohol would likely cause your flare-ups. This is due to the fact that it could raise your blood pressure, resulting in the ultimate flushing of your skin.

Avoid spicy foods.

You have to let go of your spicy and curry favorites if you want to manage the symptoms of rosacea. These foods would only cause redness of your skin and immediate flushing.

It is evident even to people that do not have rosacea. Even though the effects of the spicy foods are temporary, it is still uncontrollable and unlikely for rosacea-affected people.

Avoid hot beverages.

If you would drink such beverages, you would likely cause flare-ups. This is simply because of the fact that it is warm in temperature, which would cause mild flushing.

Avoid extreme temperatures.

As obvious as it gets, you should avoid anything that is hot or warm. However, do you know that even extreme cold could trigger flare-ups? In that case, you should always keep yourself cool.

Avoid sun exposure.

You should wear sunscreens in order to ensure that you would be protecting your skin from direct sunlight, which would keep you suffering from flare-ups. You could relatively select a cream made of SPF30.

Avoid products that contain alcohol.

As said above, alcohol could raise your blood pressure, which would trigger flare-ups.

Avoid doing heavy work.

This type of work would likely promote the increase in blood pressure in your body. In that case, you should always have alternatives.

These alternatives could include the replacement of running to swimming and running.

The above tips are among the best things you could do everything in order to drastically reduce the flare-ups of rosacea.

Acne: The Top Soaps For Your Acne-Prone Skin

Posted on 2013/02/23 by Karen

There are too many solutions in the market, which would definitely help you work out your acne fighting mission.

You could simply use topical creams, practice natural routines of taking care of your skin, as well as live a healthy lifestyle. Bear in mind that what have been said are all contributing to your skin health.

In that case, you must have a way to maintain them in every way possible. Don’t you worry for there are too many guidelines that would help you determine the right solution for your acne.

There are various products that could keep your work of fighting acne easy. In order to give you one good example, you could consider the effective soaps fro acne-prone and sensitive skin.

To give you the top soaps for your acne-affected skin, you could consider the following ones in the market:

Dove Coil Moisture Facial Cleansing Cloths

These are clothes that are necessarily thick and could hold up well whenever you wash your face. This is a cleanser that is embedded in the cloth, which would definitely work on any skin type.

Furthermore, it is added that it could be effective even if your skin is way too oily. The product has exceptional cool moisture, which naturally comes from its green tea and cucumber compounds.

However, the amounts of the said ingredients are small. It would not cause you irritation, yet it would definitely benefit your skin.

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild Formula

This is a formula that would work for most skin types. However, there are exceptions in terms of very oily and very dry skins.

The product does not contain any fragrances and it could be rinsed off easily. Despite being the most expensive among the top products for acne, it could provide you satisfying results like you wanted.

Clean and Clear Daily Pore Cleanser

This is another soap cleanser that would give you a light lather. In addition to this, it has the power to scrub your skin with its microbeads.

Moreover, it could help in scrubbing off the dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin. The beads would not cause cuts on your skin since it breaks down when in contact with water.

Also, it could be a perfect soap for your very oily skin. It contains fragrance and hazel, yet their amounts are small. This would not cause problems for people with oily skin.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

This is a cleanser that is guaranteed state-of-the-art product. It is available at a low price and it could provide you ceramides, which are oils that would provide a good barrier to your sensitive skin.

It is perfect for normal to dry skin and it could give you natural oils back for repair and replenishment.

Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

This is another perfect cleanser that would provide solution to your normal to oily skin. It could give you a great benefit in removing your make up and preventing the irritation of your skin.

Questions About Cellulite

Posted on 2013/02/13 by Karen

Cellulite is a condition which occurs where we have fat deposits like the bottom and thighs, tummy and upper arms. It makes the skin lumpy, and rippled.

The reason why the skin looks this way is because excess fat has squeezed between the bands of tissue under the skin. This is commonly seen in women both young and old.

But just because you’re a man doesn’t mean you can escape cellulite. It also occurs in men, but not as often as women.

Why Can Cellulite Be Seen In Women More Than Men?

The storage of subcutaneous fat in women is stimulated by estrogen, the female hormone secreted by the ovaries.

Men have a lower estrogen level, so their subcutaneous fat is thinner, and cellulite doesn’t show as much as in women. For men, it is testosterone that has higher levels.

This hormone stimulates protein production, so their connective tissues with protein are thicker. It reduces the development of cellulite.

Cellulite Distribution

The fat deposits in men tend to accumulate more on the tummy and just above the waist, so slightly overweight men have pot bellies or love handles, giving them an apple shape.

The largest part would be the middle. In women, fat deposits are in the hips, bottom and thighs, so slightly overweight women have what is called a pear shape.

This is because the largest diameter of the pear starts at its bottom.

What Can I Do About It?

The first thing to do with cellulite is to diet. Lessen your oil intake by boiling instead of frying your food. Fiber rich and whole grain food like cereals and oatmeal can help remove waste and toxins from our bodies. Pair that with fruits and vegetables.
Drink plenty of water. Increasing your daily intake will make your body shed excess fat and strengthen the collagen in your body to reduce the orange peel look.
Regular exercise can eliminate the extra pounds on you that can cause cellulite. Walking, yoga, swimming and your personal workout choices work well if done several times a week.
Massage can help lessen cellulite by enhancing circulation and breaking up those pesky fluids that have gotten stuck beneath your skin. A massage even with just a roller can help even out the appearance.
Exfoliators can help with cellulite as well. Choose one that has caffeine, and rub it onto your problem part because it will tighten the skin and lessen the lumps that show.
Use a serum that lessens the signs of dimpling. Follow the instructions on the label as to how many times a day you use it.

No one who has it will ever be completely free of cellulite. If it runs in your family, then you really can’t escape it.

You don’t need to undergo expensive treatment or surgery to minimize cellulite, as you can see. However, you can diminish them and keep them control by following the steps above. Just change your lifestyle a little.

Causes of Wrinkles That You Need To Know

Posted on 2013/02/03 by Karen

We all age and as the process continues, we get fine lines and wrinkles on our faces. This is particularly true on our forehead. These are determined by genetics, but the environment and your own habits can also play a huge part in wrinkle development.

What Are Wrinkles?

These are folds, ridges and creases in the skin that appear most commonly as we grow older. They may also appear if we stay in water for a long time. As our skin grows older, it loses its elasticity, gets thinner and drier.

It also can’t protect itself from the sun as much as it did before. As mentioned above, genetics is also a huge factor in the development of wrinkles.

The Aging Process and Genetics

Aging can start very early for some people, even in their mid-twenties. Less collagen and elastin is produced by the skin and so there is less elasticity and springiness.

Skin doesn’t return to its normal position when pulled. And as the skin becomes more transparent, thinner and dryer, we get wrinkles and fine lines.

Aging as before can start in the mid twenties, but others don’t notice any signs of aging on their skin until they are well into their forties.

Facial Expressions

Exercises of the facial muscles were believed to stop signs of aging, but stop! They actually increase wrinkles more.

Since muscles are used to make our expressions, they can make grooves and lines appear on our face every time we scowl, frown or smile.

When the skin isn’t as elastic as before, the grooves become embedded into our faces, hence the laugh lines, puppet lines and other wrinkles.

Photo aging

Sometimes, when wrinkles appear before they should, ultraviolet radiation and exposure to it may be the reason. Collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis are broken down by sun exposure.

Photo aging take place over a long period and cannot be reversed. Dark-skinned individuals show the effect of photo-aging less than fair-skinned ones.

Sleeping Positions

If you lie in the same position and press your face into the same part of the mattress or pillow, then this can cause you wrinkles as time pass by.

Women usually sleep on their side, so they get sleep lines on their cheeks and chin, while men get forehead wrinkles from sleeping face down on the pillow. People who lay face upwards however don’t get this kind of wrinkles.

Smoking

The aging process is speed up by smoking. Studies in the past have shown that smoking ten cigarettes a day for ten years have a higher chance of developing leather skin and wrinkles.

The aging process cannot be stopped whether we like it or not. However, if you stop smoking, stop doing facial exercises and protecting your skin from the sun, then wrinkles will be minimized.

Wear protective clothing and a sun block with high SPF if you really can’t avoid going out when the sun’s rays are strong. The sun’s strength is at its zenith at 10am to 4pm.

You may also try using wrinkle cream to minimize the wrinkles and fine lines.

Kinds of Nail Fungus and How to Prevent Them

Posted on 2012/12/19 by Karen

Keeping healthy is one of the most important things we need to do, and so we exercise, eat a balanced diet and practice good hygiene.

There are times though that when we spend most of the day outdoors or playing with our pets, we can’t help but have fungi enters our bodies.

The most common infections we can get are in our toenails, and sometimes, they can enter our fingernails as well.

What Are The Kinds Of Toenail Fungus?

Distal Subungual Onychomycosis – this is caused by Trichphyton rubrum and the most common kind of toenail fungus. Part of the nail changes color from green, yellow, white or a combination of these three during the infection’s early stages. It most often occurs on the tip or edges of the toenail and then the nail will detach itself from the skin beneath it. Later, the entire toenail will become thick, rough and discolored. If it becomes too thick, it will be painful when it rubs against your shoe.
White Superficial Onychomycosis – the second most common type of fungus infection that affects the toenail. It is caused by another fungus called Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Only the outer surface of the toenail becomes affected and turns white. It’s easy to scrape off, but later on, the whole nail can become white. It looks like its dry and falling apart, but there is no pain.
Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis – also caused by Trichophyton rubrum, but it’s the least common type of toenail fungus. It enters the nail close to the cuticle and works itself deeper into it. It looks white or yellow, and in later stages, the entire nail can look crumbly, thick and discolored. There is pain when the nail pulls away from the skin.
Candida – this type of fungal infection is more common in the fingernails rather than the toenails. The cause is a type of yeast called Candida albicans. The nail looks cloudy and the skin around it becomes inflamed in the early stages of the infection. In later stages, the nail deforms and becomes thick. The nail bed would look thick and callused, and the nail may separate from it.

How To Prevent Toenail Fungus?

If you are in a public place with a lot of water, wear protective footwear.
Keep your nails dry and clean. Trim and file them regularly so that they will be clean. Wash your hands and feet with soap and water and dry them thoroughly.
If you have already been infected, use antifungal sprays and powders to fight them off. Air and dry out your shoes and try to wear sandals more often.
Sterilize your nail cleaning tools, or if you go to a salon, always check if they do the same to theirs.

Treat developing symptoms as soon as possible and don’t wait for it to become worse. Proper hygiene is the best form or prevention, so make sure you don’t neglect your feet. Keep them clean and dry.

The Basics Of Facial Washing Correctly To Treat Rosacea-Affected Skin

Posted on 2012/10/13 by Karen

Considering the health of your skin could be very difficult if you are not way cognizant of the right ways to treat your skin.

Bear in mind that if you are suffering from a certain condition, you would likely find it more difficult to deal with the skin care procedures you should follow.

Be reminded that when your skin is affected by some sort of allergic reaction or symptoms of a certain ailment, you should consider how it is mostly sensitive. It could react differently when an ineffective or harsh product affects it.

To give you one interesting condition to mull over about, you could consider rosacea. This is a condition that could make your skin flush and cause flare-ups.

This condition could make you embarrassed and its blemishes on your skin could be mistaken as acne.

The condition is untreatable, yet you would still have ways to deal with it correctly.

To give you effective methods, you could consider the basics of washing your rosacea-affected skin:

Right ways of choosing a cleaner.

It is necessary to select a cleanser that would comply with your skin type.

You should be reminded that the best option for you is a soap cleanser that contains less than 10% soap, unless your skin is oily. It could be rinsed off easily and it has a neutral pH closer to that pH of your skin.

If you have a dry to normal or combination of the said type, you would likely have the options to use non-soap cleansers, which would include those that are redness-prone and sensitive.
If you have a very dry skin, you should use a non-soap cleaner, which is low-foaming and creamy. This type of cleanser would help leave behind the thin film that could hold moisture in your skin.
On the other hand, if you have oily skin, you should wash using mild soap, with the added reminder to avoid scrubbing. Over-cleansing or aggressive scrubbing could irritate your skin.

Use your fingertips.

Every time you would wash your skin, make sure to use your fingertips, which would definitely give you better treatment of your skin.

Also, make sure to prevent the use of sponge or abrasive washcloth, which could irritate your skin.

Use lukewarm.

Extreme hot or cold could actually cause irritation and flushing of your skin. In that case, in addition to your lukewarm water, you should use a soothing cream cleanser.

Don’t rub your skin.

Instead of rubbing your skin, you must gently blot your face dry. You could do this with the use of thick-pile cotton towel.

Use topical medication.

Every time you would apply topical medication to your skin, make sure to wait for about 5 to 10 minutes more before applying sunscreen, moisturizer, or even makeup.

Drying your face.

You must wait for your skin to dry out completely for 30 minutes before applying any medication to your skin.

You should slowly reduce this waiting time until you find the time when the stinging sensation of your skin is gone.

Acne: The Top 5 Correct Ways Of Washing Your Face

Posted on 2011/09/19 by Karen

Combating acne would be among the most difficult things you could deal with every day if you are on your teenage years and struggling to find the right adjustment in order to assure that your skin would be clearer.

This is due to the fact that during puberty years, you would be suffering from hormonal changes, which would the result to the development of acne in your skin.

Acne could associate cysts, white heads, blackheads, as well as other papules that could contain pus.

However, despite your problem regarding pimples, there are still options for you to consider when it comes to reducing acne in your skin. One of the most important things you could consider is washing your face correctly.

In order to provide you top 5 ways of correctly washing your acne-prone face, here are the right tips:

Wash daily.

It is necessary for you to wash your face daily. However, it is not a good practice to believe that you should wash your face for acnes are caused by bad hygiene.

It is one of the biggest myths and make sure that you should bear in mind that acnes are caused by testosterone, which would cause the follicles in your skin to develop more sebum or oil than normal.

When washing your face, you should do this two times a day, but make sure that you should prevent using soaps.

This is due to the fact that soaps could rob the protective barrier between your skins and there are ones that contain more pH than your skin.

Furthermore, there are soaps containing chemicals, called as surfactants, which would be very irritable for your skin. Instead, use gentle facial wash to beat your acne.

Avoid scrubbing your face.

You should not scrub your skin for it is a bad strategy do so. Instead, you should clear things up by avoiding excessive scrubbing, which could cause existing ruptures to get more inflamed.

In that case, you should avoid gritty exfoliant facial washes as well as cleansing tools like scrubbers or scratchy loofahs.

Try salicylic acid.

Salicylic acid is commonly found from plants and it is one of the most effective solutions for your acnes.

It could work by entering your follicles, where it would promote the shedding of skin cells, which are dead and potentially pore-clogging. It could also help in reducing whiteheads and blackheads.

Use cleanser containing benzoyl peroxide.

This is another chemical that would help by working through breakup dead skin cells that could clog your pores.

It also has an added benefit of reducing bacteria, which helps in developing acne. It is an active ingredient found in ProActive and Clearasil.

Avoid letting your skin dry.

Make sure to avoid acne preparations that would leave your skin. Over drying could make your acne worse. As a solution, you should keep your skin moisturized.

You should then avoid ingredients, such as witch hazel and certain alcohols in the moisturizing products you would use to blast annoying pimples.

Cellulite Whys and Wherefores Answered

Posted on 2011/08/19 by Karen

Many people have different explanations on what cellulite is. Some say its trapped waste and toxic substances as well as excess water underneath the skin.

Others say it’s fat and that’s that. Cellulite is neither of these. Rather, it’s a condition caused by collagen. If this protein which helps form the connective tissues is damaged or malformed, then the tissues will become weak with many holes or too thin.

The fat underneath the skin can then push up to the surface and there you have cellulite.

What Happens to Collagen?

Collagen requires nutrients and oxygen from the blood to be effective.

However, age and increased hormone levels particularly of estrogen and when the function of blood vessels particularly in the legs goes awry, then circulation, along with nutrients and oxygen slows down.

Who Gets Cellulite?

Women mostly get cellulite compared to men. It’s not because you are obese however that you have cellulite, though it can make the appearance worse.

Older women tend to have the lumpy cellulite that we have, but younger women can also get affected, particularly if they have high levels of estrogen.

This may be due to a hormonal imbalance or their diet has too many packaged and processed foods and soy.

Physical inactivity, too many calories, pregnancy, birth control medication, pregnancy as well as fat deposits can contribute to the appearance of cellulite.

Lastly, genetics can also be a reason for having cellulite. If it runs in your family, you can’t run from it.

Why Does It Appear More In Women Than In Men?

We go back to collagen for the explanation of this. For women as mentioned before, collagen is the main protein of our connective tissue, and they look more like a pocket fence.

In the case of men, it is like a cross-linked fence. It will hold fat better and they usually store it a little bit deeper under the skin. Women have fat storage directly under the skin.

How Do I Reduce The Formation of Cellulite?

Creams – skin hydration is necessary and can increase the formation of collage and elastin. Look for creams that have soy protein, vitamin C, vitamin E, aloe vera, yeast extract, hyaluronic acid and vitamin A. Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients in the creams though. It may irritate your skin and give you rashes. Some creams have caffeine for blood circulation, but you might have insomnia or the jitters because of it.
Exercise – improves blood flow and strengthens the muscles. Nuff said.
Nutrition – eat healthy food and don’t eat too much at one time.
Clothing – as mentioned before, when pantyhose, underwear or other clothing are too tight, it can cut off or lessen blood flow to collagen and it wouldn’t be able to do its job properly.

There you have it. You can avoid or lessen cellulite using the simple steps above. Be more active, choose the proper fit of clothes, eat well and always stay happy.

Natural Wrinkle Prevention Tips

Posted on 2011/03/19 by Karen

Women want to take care of their skin always. They do this to make it look healthy, stay young looking and beautiful. However, as we age, our skin does too.

This causes fine lines and wrinkles. This may be because we spent too long running around under the sun without the proper protection, drinking too much alcohol or smoking.

These may not be the only reasons for wrinkles, though. Our skin may look older because of oxidative damage. Oxidative damage happens when skin cells are filled with free radicals that may harm over time. As we age, our skin does not produce the same amount of collagen it did before and that results in wrinkles.

Despite not being as smooth as it once was, you can still enjoy your skin by making it looks its best at your age, without invasive treatments.

There are natural solutions you can look to so that no new wrinkles will develop, or the ones that are already there will be hidden.

Get enough sleep. Skin cells repair and regenerate while we are asleep, so these processes will not be completed if we don’t sleep enough. Individual sleep patterns may vary, but a solid eight hours of sleep each night is best. Stress hormones will also become elevated if you don’t get enough shut eye, and so oxidation and inflammation will occur, and say hello to more wrinkles.
Water. There are not enough researches done on the effect of hydration on skin, but many experts believe that wrinkles will be controlled by drinking enough water daily. Skin looks more refreshed and shows fewer fine lines when you rehydrate with water. If you don’t drink enough, you will be leaving yourself open to the growth of new lines. It can interfere with proper body detoxification and speed up the aging and inflammation process.
Moisturize! As we grow older, the skin loses the ability to maintain moisture, so wrinkles increase even more. Our body does not produce as much oil as it did in order to protect skin cells Transepidermal loss of water dries out the skin at this point, so wrinkles become more apparent. There are also less ceramides, the lipids that trap moisture on the outer surface of the skin. If there aren’t enough ceramides, the outer skin will look more aged.
Eat vegetables. Antioxidant rich food help to neutralize free radicals to slow the aging process, and vegetables are the best source of this. They are also digested slowly, so the blood sugar doesn’t go up.
Application of Antioxidant-rich Topicals. In order to control oxidative damage and slow the development of new wrinkles, use a daily facial serum which has a lot of free radical-fighting antioxidants like dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) vitamin A, vitamin C or alpha-lipoic acid (ALA).

Follow these simple steps and complete it with perfect sun protection daily. Exercise can also keep you fit, and the benefits of this will also affect your skin. Keep young and beautiful!