smartest's comments

Quick Household Remedies For Skin Problems

07 Oct 2006 09:06 AM

The article is a lovely one.However,I would want us to look at skin cancer(melanoma) as one of the skin problems apart from acne,eczema,etc.

EXCELLENT TIPS:HOW TO CONTROL MELANOMA---REVEALED BY WORLD’S BEST DERMATOLOGISTS ! Melanoma is tumor of the skin that is cancerous (malignant). It grows from the melanocytes, the cells that color and tan the skin. Melanoma is also called cutaneous melanoma or malignant melanoma. The incidence of melanoma is increasing worldwide at a rate of about 5% per year.

It is a more serious problem than the more common skin cancers, basal cell cancer or squamous cell cancer. Unlike these cancers, melanoma often will spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. About 47,300 patients will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2000, and 7700 will die from recurrent, metastatic disease. Melanoma can spread by local extension (through lymphatics) and/or by hematogenous routes (through the bloodstream) to distant sites. The risk of relapse may decrease over time, but late relapses are not uncommon.

Melanoma can appear on the body as a new mole, or one that has changed in size, shape, feeling or color, or developed oozing or bleeding. Adult men most often get melanoma on the trunk, especially between the shoulder blades, or on the head or neck. Women most often get melanoma on the arms and legs. It can rarely form in children.

Most melanomas are dark, but some are not, and may be flesh colored or pink to red. If there is a serious question of skin cancer, the mole or pigmented area will be cut out (local excision). This is usually done in a doctor's office. It is important that this remove the entire mole if possible. The lab will analyze the removed skin. If melanoma is found they will report how deep and aggressive it appears. Then a physical exam and lab tests will be done to look for signs that cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. A doctor needs to know the stage of the disease to plan treatment.

In the earliest melanomas, the abnormal cells are found only in the outer layer of skin cells and do not invade the body. It is more advanced if the growth goes deeper than 4 millimeters (less than 1/6 of an inch) into the skin. Most melanomas fall between these two extremes. More serious still are melanomas that have spread to the body tissue below the skin, show additional tumor around original tumor (satellite tumors), or have spread to lymph nodes or other organs.

Surgery is the primary treatment of all stages of melanoma. A second procedure is normally done to ensure complete removal of the melanoma. Complete removal of all the melanoma before it has spread is the only sure cure for melanoma. Usually, the biopsy site and a rim of apparently normal skin are removed. This is called a re-excision. The amount removed depends on how deep the melanoma has grown. Skin may have to be taken from another area of the body and put (or "grafted") where the cancer has been taken out. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. However, chemotherapy has not been shown to be very effective in treating melanoma. Clinical studies are being done to find chemotherapy drugs that are more effective. Radiation uses x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation shrinks and slows, but does not usually cure, melanoma.

Treatment of advanced (stage III) melanoma may involve surgical removal of the tumors and any affected lymph nodes, followed by systemic or local chemotherapy with single or multiple agents. The five-year survival rate for treated Stage III patients is about 60 percent, and both the disease and the treatment often compromise quality of life.

Melanoma vaccines are the most promising new treatment for advanced melanoma. These try to teach the body to fight the cancer. Different centers make their own vaccine different ways. Some seem to work better than others, but results are still inconclusive. 15-20% of patients receiving melanoma vaccines experience partial or complete regression of metastases. Patients who react to the vaccine therapy have significantly longer survival. However, no one has yet demonstrated an unequivocal survival benefit for melanoma so it is still experimental.

Raymond chijioke http://www.skinebook.com [e-mail]skinissues@freeautobot.com[/e-mail]

Razor Bumps

07 Oct 2006 08:37 AM

I enjoyed the article but I would like to talk about "shaving without tears"

Pre-Shaving Techniques: Many people experience razor burn or other forms of shaving discomfort simply because they don’t take the time to properly soften the hairs before shaving. You need two or three minutes of soaking the hairs before you actually start shaving. Wet hair in the area to be shaved with a hot towel for 15 seconds before shaving or at the end of a shower. With the use of a good razor blade, hair that is wet through and through cuts smoothly and effortlessly. Hair that is not completely wet, however, can be as strong as reinforced concrete.

Cutting through such tough hair often causes hairs to be pulled up from their follicles as they are being cut. These hairs then retract below the flush surface to skin where they are at risk for curving back into the skin as they grow rather than out through the follicle. The forces required to cut such hair also can translate into more friction on the skin that can promote razor bump, ingrown hair, or razor burn. The key is to not dry your skin. While your skin is still wet, apply a shaving gel, Imperial Touch Medicated Shaving Gel. Wait a minute or two and then shave. Shaving Direction: Many people shave against the grain, thinking they will get a closer shave. While this may be true, this also causes razor burns. Shave in the same direction your hair grows, (going with the grain). The objective is to angle the razor at 90 degrees. This shaving technique cuts the hair in an effortless fashion nipping the hairs at the grain and not against it. Shaving in the same direction, will also result in less pull on the hairs and less tendency to cut them too short. Hairs cut too short are at risk of curling into the skin causing razor bumps and ingrown hairs. Minimize repeat shaving strokes Going over and over the same area may result in hairs cut too short. Repeated shaving strokes increase the risk of razor bumps, ingrown hairs, or razor burns. It is best to shave with just enough overlap to avoid skipping areas. Use short strokes. With long strokes, you tend to press down harder. This causes friction resulting in razor burns. Skin Position: Shave with the skin in a neutral relaxed position. This is the best way to shave hair close but not too close. Sometimes the skin must be stretched very slightly to allow the razor to pass smoothly without nicking. Excessive tightening of the skin when shaving, however, tends to result in hairs being shaved below the resting surface of the skin. This occurs because as the skin is stretched tight the hairs actually protrude out a bit farther than when the skin is relaxed. Shaving over stretched skin may cut the hairs below the flush surface of resting skin, increasing the risk of ingrown hairs and also increasing the risk of skin irritation. Shaving Gel: Shaving gels are important in the treatment of razor bumps, ingrown hairs and razor burns. A good shaving gel will minimize the friction associated with shaving and reduce the likelihood of ingrown hairs and skin irritations. In addition, avoid using double or triple-edge razors when possible.

Raymond Chijioke www.skinebook.com skinissues@freeautobot.com