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Skin, Hair Care & Treatments |
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Hitech Skincare Services include diagnosis and management of skin, hair and nail problems with advice on skin and hair care. |
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How can I keep my skin radiant and healthy? |
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Proper life style, sun protection, specialist medical advice, use of prescription cosmetics and drugs, special procedures help in rejuvenating and maintaining a blemish-free, well-toned, and radiant skin. A regular home skin care regimen, depending on your skin type and condition could be supplemented by peels and/ or microdermabrasion once in a few weeks. They cause gentle shedding of the dead outer skin and increase the supporting tissue in the skin, resulting in a firm and well toned skin with a healthy glow. They are a good alternative to the usual facials as there is no pore irritation or blockage. There is also a cumulative beneficial effect on the skin. They slow down ageing changes in the skin and at the same time are very efficient for acne in the young. |
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What is a basic skin and hair care regimen? |
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Skin care regimen consists of cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Unlike simple washing, Cleansers deep clean the pores and wash them thoroughly. It is applied once or twice a day on the face and neck and then rinsed off, followed by the application of a toner ( Astringent ). Astringents increase the blood supply to the skin, help contract the pores and tighten and refresh the skin. Moisturizer is important especially in dry and sensitive skins. Regular application of a sunscreen provides a protective barrier against the environmental pollutants to a certain extent and helps prevent long term skin damage due to solar radiation.
A daily haircare routine is important to maintain healthy hair. Hair can be fine, medium-textured or coarse. We often have fine hair in the hairline and temple region, the rest of our hair being medium or coarse. A basic hair care regimen consists of regular washing, conditioning, drying and brushing. The frequency of washing and type of shampoo depends on the type of hair and if there are any associated hair problems like dandruff, damaged and weak hair due to excessive/ harsh salon procedures like perming, coloring etc. Avoid very hot blow drying of hair. Natural air drying is the best. Avoid too much sun and wind on the hair. Brush with a soft haired brush after the hair has dried. Combs should have broad and blunt teeth. |
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Why is early treatment of acne important? |
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Early and appropriate treatment can effectively control acne. Any delay in treatment can lead to the formation of scars. Acne scar treatment is aimed at reducing the severity of the scars and improving the appearance of the skin. The choice of treatment is decided by the dermatologist depending on the type of scar. |
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What is Vitiligo/ Leucoderma? What are the treatment options? |
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Vitiligo is a disorder of pigment producing cells (melanocytes) of the skin leading to white patches in different parts of the body. Its cause is not known.
The main goal of treating vitiligo is to recolour the patches. Treatment options include medical, surgical, and adjunctive therapies. The choice of therapy depends on the number, location, size, and extent of the white patches.
Most medical therapies are applied topically and help stimulate the skin to produce more pigment. Surgical options include introducing artificial pigment into the skin and grafting pigment cells from normal skin. Surgical options are considered only when medical treatments have been ineffective, and when the patches have remained stable without spreading for at least 2 years. |
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What is eczema? Do itchy patches on my skin indicate eczema? |
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Eczema is a term which implies a reaction of the skin and presents as redness and itching. If severe, there could be some wetness or watery discharge. Eczema is classified as either external or internal, depending on the cause, and based on this the treatment varies.
Though itching is commonly seen in eczema, not all itchy patches are eczemas. Itchy patches are also seen in ringworm, scabies and other infections; and in some skin disorders like psoriasis, lichen planus, etc. The dermatologist will question and examine you to find out the cause for the itchy patch and will treat you accordingly. |
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When should I suspect skin allergy? |
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Skin is one of the commonly affected organs in allergies. It usually manifests as hives/ urticaria, atopic eczema, stubborn itchy reddish or dry patches. The allergy causing substances (allergens ) may be breathed in (inhalants), eaten (ingestants ), or may come in contact with the skin surface.
The common inhaled allergens are pollen, molds, dust & dust mites, animal hair & waste products. Ingested allergens are food, chemicals, drugs etc. Contact allergy can be caused by metals, chemicals, plant substances, cosmetics etc.
Cases of allergy are treated by certain medicines to control the reaction and by avoiding allergens causing it. If the cause of allergy is not known, the search for the same is helped by performing Skin allergy tests, patch tests and some special blood tests. |
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What is Hives/ Urticaria/ Wheals? Why does it tend to persist and recur? Hives or Urticaria is an allergic reaction seen on |
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The skin and consists of one or more multiple reddish elevations of the skin. They are very itchy and tend to heal spontaneously without scarring. There are multiple causes for urticaria. They could be caused by infections, drug allergies, food allergy, medical conditions and sometimes even cancers. Most often the exact cause cannot be identified and hence they tend to persist for a long time. They tend to recur even after regular treatment because the treatment generally controls just the reaction and does not treat the real cause. |
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How do skin peels and microdermabrasion help? |
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Peel is a simple and popular skin rejuvenative and maintenance treatment which uses a chemical to dissolve and peel off the dead outer skin layers and dust / grime deposits. It is quick, with no downtime. Peels help cleanse the pores and surface layers of the skin, stimulate production of collagen in the skin and smoothen out the skin giving it a glow and brightness. It improves skin texture, and reduces uneven pigmentation, fine lines and scars. There are different types of peel, based on the chemical used and the depth of the peel. Glycolic peel is one of the commonly done peels.
Microdermabrasion is a gentle, painless procedure to mechanically remove the outer dead layers of the skin using a stream of fine inert microcrystals and the debris is then vacuumed off. It makes the skin soft and youthful with a healthy glow. It evens out skin tone and also reduces fine lines and wrinkles. |
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What can I do about warts, skin tags, growths on the skin? |
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Skin tags are small extra growths of the skin, seen commonly in the neck and armpits, They tend to increase in number with age, with increasing body weight and also in some medical conditions like diabetes.
Warts caused by virus, are infectious and they tend to grow and spread to other areas of the body. They are commonly seen on the hands and feet, and can spread to other areas like the body and face.
Genital warts are infectious growths in the genital area and tend to grow rapidly
Skin blemishes, scars and growths are treated in a gentle manner by Fulguration/ Cryo-freezing/ Radiofrequency/Laser. A dermatology consultation is advisable to find out the nature of the growth and the best option for its removal, suited to the condition and type of the person’s skin. |
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What can I do about marks, and colour changes on the skin? |
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Brown spots or warts, also called as age spots, are usually seen on the face and hands. They are seen in older people and are induced by cumulative sun exposure.Q-switched Yag laser is a safe and effective method for removal of brown spots, age spots, freckles, some types of birth marks, unwanted tattoos, and also permanent tattooed makeup of the skin.
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What are the causes for hair fall / hair loss and how do I prevent it? |
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Since hair growth follows a cyclical pattern, there is a regular hair fall of about 50-100 hairs per day. When more than 100 hairs are lost per day, then it is not natural and we need to find out the cause for it. Hair loss can be sudden or gradual; patchy or generalized involving the whole scalp; reversible or nonreversible, due to scarring and loss of the hair roots. It could also be due to thinning of the hair strands giving a feeling of excess hair fall.
A thorough questioning and examination by the dermatologist, along with a few laboratory tests, will help in finding out the cause in each case.
Some of the causes are |
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Natural genetic balding in the males |
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Nutritional deficiencies, commonly iron deficiency |
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Harsh and very frequent chemical and thermal hair treatments, like perming, coloring etc |
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Certain medicines |
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Medical conditions like thyroid dysfunction, diabetes etc |
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Sudden or long standing stress, like surgery, after delivery, stressful jobs etc |
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Hair and scalp infections including the common dandruff |
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A healthy lifestyle with well balanced diet and regular exercise regimen is an important factor. A good hair care regimen should be followed so as to prevent undue stress to the hair. Any associated medical and skin condition should be correctly diagnosed and appropriately treated by a dermatologist. |
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What are the options available to get rid of unwanted hair? |
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Lasers and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) are effective in long term reduction of hair. They are fast, safe, and painless, in the hands of an experienced dermatologist. Laser hair removal works by selectively targeting and disabling the hair follicle.
Electrolysis destroys the hair root and hence is a permanent removal of hair but it is a slow and painful procedure. Mechanical modalities like shaving, tweezing, waxing and chemical depilatories remove the visible hair without destroying the hair root and hence the benefit is temporary. |
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What are the anti-ageing therapy options? What benefit do they provide? |
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Ageing is a natural process of any living organism. Skin, especially the face being exposed to the sun, is also subjected to external factors, which contribute to faster ageing changes. In addition diet and life style choices also influence the health of the skin.
Skin can be imparted a more healthy and youthful look with Glycolic peels and Photorejuvenation. Wrinkles and sagging skin are countered by Botox pricks to relax and flatten the lines. Dermal fillers provide the lost volume to fill up the hollowness & deep lines on the face. Non invasive Face lift is a pleasant procedure to tighten the sagging skin. |
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Some of the anti-aging treatments are |
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- Glycolic Peel is a simple and quick skin treatment to chemically peel off dead skin & grime. It improves skin texture, and reduces uneven pigmentation, fine lines and scars.
- Photorejuvenation uses IP light to stimulate the skin to regenerate thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles. The response occurs over a period of time, and the skin will gradually take on a more youthful and healthy appearance.
- Non-surgical Face-lift uses electromagnetic wave energy to treat skin laxity by facial tightening, and is best suited for patients with mild to moderate sagging of facial skin.
- Botox injections relax the facial muscles thus reducing the wrinkles on the face. This gives a natural, relaxed, more youthful appearance.
- Fillers are injected into the skin to restore its volume thus correcting moderate to deep wrinkles and folds of the skin. It gives a more youthful look to the skin and the results are immediate and long-lasting. It is also used for enhancing the lips.
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| Disclamer: This web site has been created for your educational and informative needs. Any and all communications are intended to provide general information, and in no way is a substitute for face-to-face medical care. No implication of a doctor-patient relationship should be assumed by the reader. |
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