Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff

Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) and dandruff are common dermatological problems. It is estimated that SD and dandruff combined affect half of the adult population. However their etiology is not well understood. The skin changes are thought to result from an inflammatory response to a common skin organism, Malassezia yeast. 

In infants up to three months of age (42%), SD involves the scalp (termed “cradle cap”), the face, and diaper area. In adolescents and adults (1-3%), SD affects the scalp and other seborrheic areas on the face, upper-chest, axillae, and inguinal folds.Men are affected more frequently than women (3.0% vs. 2.6%) in all age groups, suggesting that SD may be associated with sex hormones such as androgens.

SD is more prevalent in immune-compromised patients such as HIV/AIDS (30-83%), organ transplant, and lymphoma. Most cases of SD in HIV patients are diagnosed with CD4+ T lymphocyte counts between 200 and 500/mm3. These observations suggest that immunological defects may play a role in SD.

SD is also associated with neurological disorders and psychiatric diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, neuroleptic induced parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, facial nerve palsy, spinal cord injury and mood depression, chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, hepatitis C virus , and in patients with congenital disorders such as Down syndrome. 

Comparing with SD, dandruff is much more common, and affects approximately 50% of the general adult population worldwide( males > females). Dandruff starts at puberty, reaches peak incidence and severity at the age of about 20 years, and becomes less prevalent among people over 50. Incidence varies between different ethnic groups: in a study in the U.S. and China, dandruff prevalence was 81–95% in African Americans, 66–82% in Caucasians, and 30–42% in Chinese.

 (Borda, L. and Wikramanayake, T., 2015)

Reference 

Borda, L. and Wikramanayake, T., 2015,' Borda, L. and Wikramanayake, T., 2015) ', J Clin Investig Dermatol., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 10.

Clark, G. et al., 2015,' Diagnosis and Treatment of Seborrheic Dermatitis ', Am Fam Physician., vol. 91, no. 3, pp. 185-190.

Beauty Corner : Best Food for Healthy Skin

Having healthy skin is very important to everyone especially for women. Who does'nt want glowing, youthful, and clear skin?  Because healthy skin very important, many people spending their money to buy skincare products, right ? But, people often forget that nutrition to have beautiful skin not only comes from the outside, but also from the inside. Older cells are constantly shed and replaced by younger ones and a steady supply of key nutrients is essential to support this rapid growth. Remember the term "you are what you eat"? Actually, your skin naturally reflects your body's internal needs, including what nutrients it requires. If your diet is lacking key vitamins, it is likely that your skin will start to show this. It may look discoloured, dry and spots can start to appear.

Food that good for skin

Zinc is very important for maintaining healthy skin, especially for acne sufferers. The skin contains about 20% of the body’s zinc, if the skin is lacking in this, acne is often a symptom. Foods rich in zinc:

• fish/seafood
• eggs
• whole grains.

If you’re suffering inflamed or dry skin, upping your intake of essential fatty acids may help. EFAs contribute to the moisture of our skin and also help to repair it. The body can't produce these, so they are an essential part of your diet. Foods rich in EFAs:

• salmon
• nuts and seeds
• vegetable oils.

Selenium is a mineral that helps the skin maintain its elasticity and firmness. The mineral has also been found to help reduce sun damage. Foods rich in selenium:

• whole grains
• meat
• garlic.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that converts into vitamin A in the body, helping to grow and repair body tissues. It is thought that beta-carotene can help prevent premature ageing as it helps to reduce environmental damage. Foods rich in beta-carotene:

• carrots
• sweet potato
• apricots.

On the other side, some foods seem to be associated with skin damage. For example, some research suggests that a diet high in processed or refined sugars or other carbohydrates and unhealthy fats promotes skin aging.

Remember, best food for skin is also promote our health overall. So, rather than focusing on specific foods for healthy skin, concentrate on a healthy diet in general. Weight loss alone is not the goal. Weight loss alone may not improve acne or reduce the risk of CVD or cancer. The goal, rather, should be healthy eating patterns.

Reference :

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/healthy-skin/faq-20058184

https://www.nutritionist-resource.org.uk/articles/skin-health.html#healthyeatingisyourdietdamagingyourskin

 Katta, R, Desai, S.P., 2014, Diet and Dermatology: The Role of Dietary Intervention in Skin Disease, J Clin Aesthetic Dermatology, vol. 7, no.7, pp 46-51

Beauty Corner : How To Deal With Oily Face?

Everyone has oil in their skin. Natural oil that produced by sebaceous gland helps preserve the skin.So actually oil is really good for our skin. But,  excess oil in your face gonna give you shiny appearance. If you don’t treat you oily skin, pores can become clogged and enlarged, and dead skin cells may accumulate. Blackheads, pimples and acne are very common with this skin type.

Why Can I Have Oily Face ?

Actually there are many factors to cause oily face. They could be genetic, hormone level, environment, wrong skin care, and lifestyle. So it's really important to identify the underlying causes. 

How to Deal with Oily Face?

Based on American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), there are 10 do's and don'ts to help control oily skin. 

1. DO wash your face every morning, evening, and after exercise. While washing, resist the temptation to scrub your skin, even to remove makeup. Scrubbing will irritate your skin.

2. DO choose skin care products that are labeled “oil free” and “noncomedogenic.” This means that products that have these labels — including cleansers, moisturizers and makeup — won’t clog your pores or cause acne.

3. DO use a gentle, foaming face wash. Using a face wash that is too harsh can irritate your skin and trigger increased oil production. Instead, look for a mild, gentle face wash.

4. DON’T use oil-based or alcohol-based cleansers. These can irritate your skin.

5. DO apply moisturizer daily. Although you have oily skin, it is still important to apply moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. To save time and protect your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, look for a moisturizer that also contains a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

6. DO wear sunscreen outdoors. Sunscreen helps prevent sun damage that could lead to wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer. To prevent acne breakouts, look for sunscreens that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and do not use sunscreens that contain fragrance or oils.

7. DO choose oil-free, water-based makeup.

8. DON’T sleep in your makeup. Always remove all makeup before going to sleep.

9. DO use blotting papers throughout the day. Gently press the paper against your face and leave it on for a few seconds to absorb the oil. Don’t rub the paper on your face, as this will spread the oil to other areas.

10. DON’T touch your face throughout the day. Only touch your face when you’re cleansing, moisturizing or applying sunscreen or makeup, and make sure your hands are clean first.

Note : 

Oily skin is complex . It’s  possible to have more than one cause of oily skin. So, I suggest, beside doing skin care, please pay attention to your lifestyle as well. Having good eating habits is also important factor to have healthy skin. (I will post about this topic later). Last but not least, once you’ve come up with your oily skin action plan, you’ll need to give it some time to work. Be patient! Sometimes it take a month until two months to see the major improvements.

Reference : 

www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/oily-ski

www.healthline.com/health/oily-skin-causes

nowmi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/oily-skin-1024x1024.jpg (pic)

Difference Between Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are two distinct gastrointestinal disorders, eventhough the differences between the them can be confusing for many people.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 

IBS is also known as spastic colon, irritable colon, mucous colitis, and spastic colitis. IBS is a group of intestinal symptoms that typically occur together. The symptoms  last at least three months for at least three days per month.

The risk of developing IBS was double for person with anxiety and depression.

IBS pain may feel like cramping. With this cramping, you will also have at least two of the following experiences:

1. some relief of pain after a bowel movement
2. a change in how often you have a bowel movement
3. changes in the way your stools look

There is no cure for IBS. Treatment is aimed at symptom relief. 

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) 

IBD is a term for two conditions (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) that are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. 

Reference

Sibelli, A. et al., 2016,'A systematic review with meta-analysis of the role of anxiety and depression in irritable bowel syndrome onset', Journal of Psychological Medicine, pp. 1-16.

www.cdc.gov/ibd/what-is-IBD.htm#:~:text=Inflammatory%20bowel%20disease%20(IBD)%20is,the%20gastrointestinal%20(GI)www.researchgate.net/figure/Comparision-of-Crohns-disease-vs-ulcerative-colitis_tbl1_267572261

www.celgene.com/ulcerative-colitis-chrons-different-strategies/

www.healthline.com/health/irritable-bowel-syndrome

Difference between Common Cold and Influenza ( Common Cold vs Flu )

Common cold and influenza are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. 

Influenza viruses are single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the Orthomyxovirus family. They can mutate quickly, which makes development of effective vaccines and antiviral agents a challenge. Influenza A viruses cause most outbreaks and are more pathogenic than other types of influenza viruses. In the spring of 2009, a triple-reassortant strain of influenza A (H1N1) that contained swine, avian, and human genes caused several outbreaks in Mexico and the United States; new cases were soon reported worldwide. On June 11, 2009, WHO declared a global pandemic based on 30,000 cases of H1N1 influenza in 74 countries.

Common Cold can be caused by more than 200 types of viruses. However, the rhinovirus and coronavirus are the most common causes. 

• Rhinovirus is most active in early fall, spring, and summer (10%-40%). They rarely make you seriously sick. 
• Coronavirus is most active in the winter and early spring (20%).
• RSV and parainfluenza (20%). They sometimes lead to severe infections, like pneumonia, in young children.

On the other hand, research suggests that stress and allergies that affect your nose or throat may raise your chances of getting infected by a cold virus. There is no evidence that you can get a cold from exposure to cold weather or from getting chilled or overheated.

Reference

Erlikh, I. V., et al., 2010, ' Management of influenza', Am Fam Physician, vol. 82, no.9, pp. 1087-1095.

Worrall, G., 2007,'Common cold', Can Fam Physician, vol. 53, no. 10, pp. 1735–1736.

www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.htm

www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/common_cold_causes

Stress and Psoriasis

Psoriasis is chronic skin disease that has high impact to patient's quality of life. In the last decade, many scientists doing some research to prove the relation between psoriasis and mental health problem. The result is very unique. Psoriasis has stronger association with mental health than other skin disease. Psoriasis can be maintained and exaxerbated by an underlying stress condition within a vicious cycle. You can look to the scheme below for understand more about the cycle.  

Stress condition will activate our nerve system to release stress hormon that induce inflammatory factor. This factor will affect epidermal barrier which is important mechanism of psoriasis. But if you look more to the scheme, we can also conclude that psoriasis may lead or worsen stress condition too. Chronic itch, disfigurement, and stigmatization lead to stress. 

Mind and our body has really strong connection. It's really important to keep our body and mind healthy. 

Reference :

Connor, C. J., Liu, V., and Fiedorowicz, J. G., 2015, 'Exploring the Physiological Link between

Psoriasis and Mood Disorders', Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Dermatology Research and Practice, vol. 2015, no. -, pp. -.

Ferreira, B et al., 2016, 'Psoriasis and Associated Psychiatric Disorders A Systematic Review on Etiopathogenesis and Clinical Correlation', J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, vol.9, no.6, pp. 36–43.