The Pimples Hassle. Thisday. 

Lagos. Nigeria. 20.10.12

Having pimples (called acne vulgaris in medical diction) is almost an experience that all of us have had at one time in our life. It isn’t a curse to have pimples; as a matter of fact for the emerging adolescence it is one common sign of ‘growing up’.
Similarly, in some women, having pimples is a regular occurrence on a monthly basis, “cropping” pimples is a sign that the menses is fast approaching or that she is presently “on”.
Pimples occur when the oil-secreting glands in the skin are clogged and become inflamed or infected. Ninety percent of teenagers get acne, although this can still persist into the middle age, particularly in women during their reproductive years.
Pimples are caused by inflammation or infection of the oil glands in the skin and at the base of hairs called the sebaceous glands. In the teenage years, hormones stimulate the growth of body hair, and the oil glands secrete more oil. The skin pores, through which nourishing oil passes to the body hairs, become clogged and bacteria grow in the clogged pores.
Such that as the body defense mechanism works to kill the bacteria, whiteheads, blackheads, and pustules form in these areas.​

Symptoms

Whiteheads: these are closed plugged of oil glands in the skin at the root of the body hairs.
Blackheads: these are open plugged oil glands (the oil turns black when it’s exposed to the air).
Pustules: these are red, inflamed, infected plugged oil glands, sometimes filled with pus. Pustules could turn out to be complications of futile effort at pressing out the content of a pimple.
•Some pimples may be painful. In severe cases, cysts (large fluid-filled bumps) may develop under the skin.

Signs

Usually, this is often self-evidenced in that a skin elevation of the skin can be seen or felt, which could come in the various forms outlined above. However, a professional guide by a doctor or better still a specialist dermatologist is better encouraged.
The health care provider will check the skin to assess the existing problem (such as whiteheads, blackheads. pustules or cysts). The provider will look to see where the problems are located, for example, the face or back.
It is also important for the provider to want to know how long the problem has been on, or if there is a cyclical nature to it occurrence as it might be the case in menstruating ladies.
In the same vein, the doctor will also certainly be interested in what treatment methods have been previously applied.

Treatment options

Treatment is aimed at keeping oil and dirt out of the pores and reducing inflammation. The knowledge of how one has been taken care of the pimples is important here, in order to know how to advance the treatment.
On a conservative approach, what is required is a simple soft toilet soap that will keep the body less oily and hence, discourage the plugging of the skin pore by excess oil.
The best approach is, when having ones bath, to allow the lather of the soap to remain on the skin for some time, say for five to ten minutes, before rinsing off with water. This is to allow sufficient time for the soap to penetrate the skin pores and to dissolve out the potential plugging oil substance in the pores.
Meanwhile, several products are available to help prevent pimples or blackheads.
Treatment usually begins with putting products containing “benzoyl peroxide” on the areas of skin with acne.
If benzoyl peroxide alone is not effective, then one may also need to put antibiotic medications on the skin, as contained in some medicated soap. In some situation of stubborn pimples, the health care provider may prescribe antibiotics to be taken by mouth. Usually, for good result this medication may have to be taken for several weeks.
Similarly, an affected individual may also need to use a special skin cream or gel containing tretinoin (Retin-A).
In some instance, the health care provider may have to inject large cysts with special medication so that there will be better resolution and less scarring.

Expectations
As mentioned above, new whiteheads usually stop appearing after 4 to 6 weeks of treatment, but one may probably need to continue the treatment for several months.
If an affected person is taking antibiotics, at some point the doctor will ask the person to stop taking them to see if they are still needed. Sometimes acne treatment must be continued for several years.

Factors that worsens acne

Many factors may worsen acne temporarily. For example, women may notice that their acne gets worse before each menstrual period. So even with proper treatment, results may vary over time. It is, however, important to try to discover and change, when possible, the factors in ones environment or lifestyle that make the pimples worse.
Tips for helping out the pimples
In addition to following the full treatment prescribed by the health care provider, the tips below might also assist with helping out the pimples:
Wash the face 2 times a day with a gentle soap.
Change your washcloth every day (bacteria can grow on damp cloth). Have your bath as soon as possible after exercise or a sweaty physical activity.
Wash the hands more frequently and avoid touching your face unnecessarily. Don’t squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your skin. Scars may form if you   squeeze pimples.
Don’t rest your face on your hands while you read, study, or watch TV.

Any food to avoid?

Although researchers have not been able to show that any foods cause acne, some people have found that certain foods seem to worsen their acne.
The idea here is to keep a record of the foods an affected person eats and see if the food appears to make the pimples worse. And subsequently avoid these foods.

Other measures

For those with fragile skin to sun as in whites and albinos, they should try not to get sunburned.
Avoid extreme stress if possible. Practice stress reduction strategies such as exercise, meditation and counseling if stress is extreme.

Exercise regularly.

It is important to keep follow-up appointments with the health care provider. Keep a record of the treatments received and tried and also how they have worked or otherwise.
Even if the ongoing treatment protocol fails, please do not get depressed or give up easily, knowing that there are many other treatment options. The best way to conquer pimples is to keep the face hopeful and happy knowing that it is a common problem and it is a battle that is winnable.

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Turmeric, mistletoe may provide ‘cures’ for liver damage, cancer .

Guardian. Lagos. Nigeria. 18.10.12

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Can extracts of turmeric and mistletoe provide the elusive cures for liver damage and cancers? CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes.
RESEARCHERS have found that the primary polyphenol in turmeric, curcumin, is able to repair and even regenerate the liver tissues in diabetic rats.
Researchers at the Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, Thailand, in a study published last week in the Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, administered curcumin to rats afflicted with diabetes and whose livers demonstrated the characteristic pathology and destruction of tissues and microvasculature. The curcumin was able to trigger a significant reversal of the condition.
Turmeric is a spice that comes from the root of Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family, Zingaberaceae. It is called atale pupa in Yoruba; gangamau in Hausa; nwandumo in Ebonyi; ohu boboch in Enugu (Nkanu East); gigir in Tiv; magina in Kaduna; turi in Niger State; onjonigho in Cross River (Meo tribe).
Also, researchers have reported how mistletoe injections cured a man of cancer that should have killed him five years ago. The report published online by the Daily Mail London has reported that the treatment has been widely used in Europe, particularly in Germany. According to the report, the plant may contain compounds that affect leukaemia cells.
Mistletoes depend on other trees to survive. They grow on their branches and trunks from where they obtained moisture, nutrients, shade and support. Mistletoe is a parasitic tree. The African variety is parasitic on many species of trees. They grow on palm tree, avocado, kola nut, neem, oil bean, lemon and guava trees, among others.
Several kinds of mistletoe have been identified. There is the African mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus and bengwensis). American Mistletoe is sometimes called “False Mistletoe” to distinguish it from the European genus, Viscum album.
The Thai research team wrote: “Fascinatingly, liver microvasculature in curcumin treated group developed into regenerate and repair into healthy and normal characteristics. These results optimistically demonstrated the potential use of curcumin as a novel therapeutic agent in liver pathology of diabetic rats.”
The Thai research is just the latest - albeit most promising to date - research showing a treatment link between curcumin and both forms of diabetes, Type I and Type II.
Researchers, who published their results in the journal Diabetes Care in July, said they discovered that over nine months, a daily dose of curcumin - a compound in curry spice - appeared to prevent new cases of diabetes among people with so-called pre-diabetes, or abnormally high blood sugar levels that could eventually progress into full-blown Type II diabetes, which is also linked to obesity.
That study, which was also Thai-based, followed 240 adults with pre-diabetes who were randomly assigned to either take curcumin capsules or a placebo that looked identical but contained no active ingredient, Reuters reported.
After nine months, 19 of the 116 placebo patients had developed Type II diabetes, compared to none of the 119 patients who took the curcumin.
The researchers, led by Dr. Somlak Chuengsamarn of Srinakharinwirot University in Nakornnayok, Thailand, said their findings were an endorsement.
The research team wrote: “Our study showed that the curcumin extract can effectively prevent the prediabetes population from developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although we found that the results were quite remarkable, a longer trial may be required to see if the curcumin-treated prediabetes population will eventually develop type 2 diabetes mellitus.”
Meanwhile, with a little help from mistletoe, an international cricketer, John Edrich, is applying the same determination to fighting cancer.
The opening batsman, who played 77 tests for England between 1963 and 1976, has credited the experimental tumour treatment with saving his life.
Edrich was given just seven years to live when he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer in 2000. His health deteriorated so badly by 2005 that he told his wife Judith he was on the brink of death.
Shortly afterwards, he heard about Stefan Geider, an Aberdeen GP who uses injections of mistletoe extract as a cancer treatment. He has never looked back. The 75-year-old is on the golf course three times a week and says he feels on top of the world.
Speaking from his home in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, Mr Edrich told Daily Mail: “My quality of life was grim. I said to my wife, Judith, ‘This is the end’. I was so tired and lethargic, I couldn’t do anything. Then three or four days later a friend of a friend rang me and said I had to see Dr Geider because his treatment had worked wonders with another patient.”
There is some evidence that compounds found in mistletoe can have an effect on cancer cells, but there is little concrete proof of its value as a treatment at present.
Scientists claim extracts from the plant: stimulate the immune system; kill off cancer cells; and protect healthy cells against harmful effects of radiation and chemotherapy.
The use of mistletoe extract is widespread in Europe, particularly in Germany, but the third mistletoe symposium in that country - reported on in the British Medical Journal - detailed a long list of possible side effects from mistletoe, from nausea to herpes