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Safer household cleansers?
Almost all household cleaning products contain some toxic ingredients, and many contain carcinogens or suspected carcinogens. However, the danger the chemicals pose really depends on how often you use the products and the length of time you're exposed to the fumes. If you use an air cleaning filtering system, check to make sure it filters more than just dust.Here's a list of several of the common chemicals found in household products and the symptoms they can cause:
The Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) advises buying only nontoxic, unscented cleaning products. Look for them in health-food and other specialty stores. Another possibility is to substitute gentler products such as lemons, baking soda, Borax, vinegar, salt and vegetable oil-based liquid soap for most household cleaning.
- Petroleum distillates. Found in metal polishes, these chemicals can irritate the eyes and lungs; longer-term exposure can damage the nervous system, kidneys, eyes, and skin.
- Phenol and cresol. Found in disinfectants; if ingested can cause diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, and kidney and liver damage.
- Nitrobenzene. Found in furniture and floor polishes; if inhaled can cause shallow breathing; if ingested can cause poisoning and death. The substance has also been linked to cancer and birth defects.
- Hydrochloric acid or sodium acid sulfate. Found in toilet-bowl cleaners, these chemicals can burn the skin and cause blindness if splashed in the eyes, and can burn the stomach if ingested.
Skin cancer examinations:
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommend that people should perform a skin self-exam once a month. The easiest time to do the exam is after you take a bath or shower. Women may wish to perform their skin self-exam at the same time that they perform their monthly breast self-exam. Ideally, the room should have a full-length mirror and bright lights so that you can see your entire body well. It is very important to be able to examine all areas of your skin, including hard-to-see areas, such as the genitals, buttocks, scalp, and back.
When you are performing the skin self-exam, look for:
* NEW skin markings (e.g., moles, blemishes, colorations, bumps)
* Moles that have CHANGED their size, texture, color, or shape
* Moles or lesions that won't heal or that continue to bleed
* Moles with ragged edges, differences in coloration, or lack of symmetry
# Observe and examine your entire body, both front and back, in the mirror.
# Check under your arms and both sides of each arm.
# Examine your forearms after bending your arms at the elbows, and then look at the palms of your hands and underneath your upper arms.
# Look at the front and back of both legs.
# Look at your buttocks and between your buttocks.
# Examine your genital area.
# Observe your face, neck, back of neck, and scalp. It is best to use both a hand mirror and full-length mirror, along with a comb, to see areas of your scalp.
# Look at your feet, including the soles and the space between your toes.
# Have a partner, friend, or relative help by examining hard-to-see areas.
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What is Pityriasis Rosea?
The cause of Pityriasis Rosea is not known, but it is commonly believed to be caused by a virus. It is usually seen in children, adolescents, and young adults. More than 75 percent of people with the rash are 10 to 35 years of age.
The condition is more prevalent in spring and fall.What are the symptoms of Pityriasis Rosea?
Pityriasis Rosea usually starts with a pink or tan oval area (sometimes called a herald or mother patch) on the chest or back. The main patch is usually followed (after a couple of weeks) by smaller pink or tan patches elsewhere on the body - usually the back, neck, arms, and legs. The scaly rash usually lasts between four to eight weeks and will usually disappear without treatment.
The following are other common symptoms of Pityriasis Rosea. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:The symptoms of Pityriasis rosea may resemble other skin conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
- headaches
- fatigue
- aches
- itching
How is Pityriasis Rosea diagnosed?
Pityriasis rosea is usually diagnosed based on a medical history and physical examination. The rash of Pityriasis rosea is unique, and the diagnosis is usually made on the basis of a physical examination. In addition, your physician may order the following tests to help aid in the diagnosis:
- blood tests
- skin biopsy - the removal of some of the diseased skin for laboratory analysis. The sample of skin is removed after a local anesthetic is administered.
Treatment for Pityriasis rosea:
Specific treatment for Pityriasis rosea will be determined by your physician based on:
The goal of treatment for pityriasis rosea is to relieve symptoms associated with the condition, such as itching. There is no cure for pityriasis rosea. The condition will resolve spontaneously. Treatment may include:
- your age, overall health, and medical history
- extent of the rash
- your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- expectations for the course of the rash
- your opinion or preference
- medicated lotions and creams (to soothe the itching)
- oral supplements (to soothe the itching, relieve inflammation and redness)
- cool baths with or without oatmeal, Dead Sea Salts, MSM crystals and Apple Cider Vinegar (to soothe the itching)
- ultraviolet exposure (under a physician's supervision)
- cool compresses (to soothe the affected skin)
- Add natural anti-inflammatories to your daily diet, like ginger root, lemon zest, turmeric, green tea, mint and cilantro.
Pityriasis versicolor
Pityriasis versicolor is a common skin condition caused by infection of the dead outer layer of skin cells with a yeast fungus. This causes spots or patches that have either reduced or increased pigmentation - they may be pale and white, brown or even salmon pink. The rash usually begins on the back (or at least this is where people tend to notice it) and slowly spreads. There are often no other symptoms, although sometimes the spots are a little dry and flaky.
A dose of sunshine can make the difference in pigmentation more obvious so many people first discover the rash when they start unwrapping themselves in the spring or summer.
The condition isn't contagious. Most of us carry the yeast which causes it on our skin without problems, until some event or trauma to the skin allows the yeast to set up an infection.
Treatment is simple - you can get antifungal creams or lotions from the pharmacy that must be used regularly all over the skin to clear the fungus. This usually gets rid of the yeast very quickly. However, the skin colour of the spots won't change back to normal until the depigmented areas have been shed, which can take weeks. Gently exfoliate the areas on a daily basis to speed this process up. Support your immune system by having a medical or naturopathic doctor treat the systemic yeast (Candida) and make dietary recommendations for you.
Rosacea and Demodex Mites
One of the most common theories is that Rosacea is caused or aggravated by a microscopic pest known as the Demodex mite (Demodex Follicularum). I feel that it is just one of the causes of skin disorders characterized by redness, lumped together in a catch-word known as Rosacea.
Many experts feel that demodex mites are of no consequence to rosacea, but when we remove them safely we find that there can be a huge reduction in rosacea symptoms.
It is entirely possible that the removal procedure has a side effect that is providing the main benefits.
The mites frequently lay in pairs.
The head and neck contain 4 legs
Demodex live around hair follicles and have four short legs, choosing to move mostly at night. The level of infestation increases with age. This infestation is a world-wide phenomenon called "demodicosis" and is usually symptom-free. Reactions and accompanying inflammation can occur in humans. It also occurs in animals, including family pets, leading to skin irritation, hair loss and red rash - known as Mange.
Fresh skin scrapings viewed under a microscope can reveal the mites which feed on dead cells and skin fats.
The prevalence of this mite in people with rosacea has been recorded as significantly higher than people without rosacea:
- an infestation of 51% in rosacea;
- an infestation of 28% in eczema;
- an infestation of 31% in lupus discoides.
Demodex mites are microscopic, small enough to live inside the weave and fibers of your clothing, bedding carpet and such. They don't bite - they are too small .. they actually live on the skins flakes we shed. When people have problems with dust mites it is because they are actually allergic to the proteins in their saliva and excrement! They are transferred from pets to household fabrics where they wait for a new host to attach to! You!
The irradication of them is a matter of aggressive house cleaning and pet grooming practices - but be careful not to use harmful chemicals as you may cause harm to your family and pets. Before you get all grossed out and shave the dog or spray the house down, breathe! Remember, all mammals have these critters - its a fact of life. Control is more a matter of physically exfoliating the mites by frequent vacuuming and cleaning, scrubbing and rinsing well, using steam iron on mattresses and tossing pillows and fabrics in the dryer to kill the parasites. Those zippered pillow protectors are good. Turning mattresses and sofa cushions as you vacuum is recommended. At our house we use Baking Soda, organic vinegar, lemons and other natural cleansers in every day use. Check out www.Bi-O-Kleen.com, a line of natural and very effective cleaning products made in Vancouver Washington! We love their BAC-Out Enzymatic Cleanser for stains and spots, pet accidents and molds.
.Keratosis Pilaris is a condition of the skin in which the hair follicles become plugged with hair and with dead cells from the outermost layer of skin as the skin renews itself. Normally dead cells would shed off easily but when this genetic condition is present they get stuck in the hair follicles, and due to their excessive adherence form a scaly plug. The follicles redden and inflame causing papules: tiny rough pink bumps on the surface of the skin. They are numerous in the affected area, which itself may become chronically red, or periodically redden when patient is emotional or physically active, cold or hot. Each one is a cutaneous plug, sometimes rather red but only rarely itchy and never sore, unless scratched or otherwise infected.
The phenomenon whereby the outer skin scales are excessively adherent and do not shed easily is known as abnormal keratinization or hyperkeratinization. The fact that it is localized to the individual follicles and occurs in each and every one in a certain area, explains its characteristic "millions of bumps" appearance.
Pathophysiology: Apparently because of lack of proper desquamation of keratinocytes, the follicular orifice (the opening of the pore) becomes plugged with keratin (dead skin cells, hair cells and debris) and results in a keratotic papule. A variable degree of perifollicular erythema occurs (the hyperkeratotic buildup entraps the hair within the follicle. The trapped hair gets bunched up and may lead to a red irritated bump that may fill with pus, sometimes referred to as an ingrown hair. These pus filled red bumps are often confused with bacterial folliculitis or with acne). The papules of Keratosis Pilaris are usually seen on the upper arms and thighs but also appear on the face, back, and buttocks. Each bump is a conical (spiny) plug resembling Goosebumps. Sometimes, the skin surrounding the follicles might be slightly irritated, making it look like a red "rash".
When Keratosis Pilaris occurs on the cheeks, the affected area is not only red but it also feels rough. The characteristic "reddish" aspect of this type of facial Keratosis Pilaris gives it the clinical name of KP Rubra Faceii. Another variant on the face, called "keratosis pilaris atrophicans faceii", causes a worm-eaten like atrophy of skin. When the outer eyebrows are affected the condition is known as "ulerythema ophryogenes. To see specialty products formulated for daily skin care, click here.
Keratosis Pilaris is a very common finding on the outer aspect of the upper arms of teenagers. It is particularly prevalent in those with Celtic backgrounds. There is current research looking into relationships to diabetes and kidney disease as factors as well as family history of skin allergies, eczema and dermatitis.
Keratosis Pilaris is estimated to affect roughly half of the world's over-all population. The inheritance pattern of the condition is dominant. This means that only one copy of the Keratosis Pilaris gene is required to result in a person developing this condition. The practical implications of this are that if one parent has Keratosis Pilaris, the chance of the couple's child having Keratosis Pilaris is over 50%. If both parents have the condition, the odds are even higher.
Keratosis Pilaris is a very common genetic follicular disease manifested by the appearance of rough bumps on the skin. Primarily, it appears on the back and outer sides of the upper arms, but can also occur on thighs and buttocks or any body part except palms or soles. There are several different types of Keratosis Pilaris, including Keratosis Pilaris Rubra (red, inflamed bumps), alba (rough, bumpy skin with no irritation), Rubra faceii (reddish rash on the cheeks) and related disorders.
Related disorders include: Darier Disease (Keratosis Follicularis) - also called lichen pilaris, or follicular xeroderma, are all conditions in which abnormal keratinization (failure of skin to desquamate properly) is limited to the hair follicles, manifesting itself as discrete, tiny follicular papules (solid, usually conical elevations).
Most types of keratosis pilaris are evident during childhood, even infancy, sometimes disappearing, just to come back on the onset of teen years. Some sufferers outgrow symptoms, but others experience KP for many years. Keratosis Pilaris may also appear spontaneously during different stages of life, even if it was never apparent before. Currently, there is no cure, only treatments that help relieve symptoms (see our products by clicking here).Face occurrences often affect babies where it tends to be most obvious on the cheeks. It may remain for years but generally becomes less obvious in adult life; keratoses pilaris is uncommon in elderly people although they can be afflicted with other dry skin/keratinized problems due to poor hygiene and inhibited sloughing action of the epidermis due to poor circulation and loss of collagen production in the dermis.
People with a family history of skin allergies are most susceptible to this condition. The papules tend to occur in association with allergic dermatitis and several types of dry skin disorders like Icthyosis. The term Icthyosis comes from the Greek ichthys, meaning fish, and refers to the clinical appearance of scaly skin. Icthyosis can be present at birth or develop later in life, be limited to the skin, or occur in association with abnormalities of other organ systems. Cutaneous (skin) manifestations span a broad spectrum of severity. For many Icthyosis patients, diagnosis can be uncertain. Without a specific diagnosis, genetic counseling and predictions based on family history and pedigree can be unreliable. Accurate genetic counseling is important..
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