Negligence of your feet will soon project itself with painful, hard skin problem feet. Let's take a look at the common foot problems, their causes and remedial treatment.


Bunions:- Bunions are characterised by the painful thickening of skin. The big toe bends towards the other toes forming a painful lump on the side of the foot.


Cause:- It is basically caused by the use of ill-fitting, pointed footwear.


Treatment:-

* Combine equal parts of iodine and castor oil on the bunions for temporary relief.

* Use a soothing lotion/gel for relief. Aloe vera is good for this problem.



* Consult your Chiropodist

CORNS

Corns:- A painful thickening of the skin that can be recognized by its raised central core and red cuticles.


Cause:- It is caused by tight footwear and their continual pressure against your feet causes friction and irritation that leads to the formation of corns.


Treatment:-

* Use a corn cap. A corn cap helps o loosen the hard centre of the corn.

* Dip a cotton bud into pure, undiluted lemon juice and keep on the corn. Saturate and rub gently a couple of times.

* Apply fresh orange peel paste to the hard corn skin. It helps to soften the skin in a short period of time.

* Can be removed surgically.

CALLUSES

Calluses:- Thick, hard patches of skin found on the palms of hands and soles of feet are called callus.


Causes:- It is caused by regular pressure or friction in that particular spot.


Treatment:-


* Slough off dead cells with a pumice stone/foot scrubber and massage in some castor oil.

* After bath, massage in some lanolin or lanolin based cream.

* Calluses are said to be effectively scrubbed away with an almond scrub.

* Apply warm olive oil to the callus and massage well for sometime.

* Equal quantities of glycerine, lemon juice and orange peel powder to be mixed well and applied for 1/2 an hour before scrubbing off

* Mix together castor oil and lemon juice and apply on the calluses to soften it.

CHILBLAINS

Chilblains:- Chilblains are recognised by the red, itchy, irritating sensation near the heels and soles.


Cause:- It is caused by extremely cold weather or bad circulation of blood in the foot region.


Treatment:-


* Soak feet in warm soapy water 10-15 mins. Rinse well and apply rich olive oil and massage well.

* Epsom salt foot bath is also beneficial

* Apply soothing lotions/gels like Aloe Vera.

ATHLETE'S FOOT

Athlete's Foot:- Athlete's Foot is a fungal infection, which is found to be highly contagious. The fungus manifests itself between and under the toe region.


Cause:- Excess moisture between toes causes the skin to split and blister.

Treatment:-
* Make it a point to keep the region between your toes always dry.

* Use anti-fungal solution like Suthol or a powder like Neosporin Powder.

* Change socks regularly

* Use a separate towel for your feet


* Discard socks and towels used, once you have been cured.

* In extreme cases, consult your doctor.




** All images are taken from random google search**


Also read Part II & Part III

What is Pigmentation?

Pigmentation problem can be a serious skin concern among women. In addition to ugly marks and patches on the skin, there is a lot of emotional stress on the person. This is why it is incredibly difficult to deal with pigmentation problem. Moreover, if you don't apply the right type of skin care products, the skin condition may aggravate and lead to more serious problems

Causes:- Skin pigmentation can be caused by a variety of factors. While some are natural some happen because of skin care negligence. Here are some of the common causes of skin pigmentation. The most common reasons are pregnancy and exposure to sun. During pregnancy the hormone level can increase the body’s production of melanin, a pigment that tints the skin.

Kinds:- Melasma, Chloasma, Solar Lentigines (Sun Damage), Ephelides (Freckles), PIH or post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation

Home Remedies:-

* Mix together Dhalia- 2 tbspn, Honey- 2 tspn and Juice of 1/2 a Lemon. Apply on your face and when its semi-dry scrub it off gently. Wash off.

*Mix together granulated sugar and raw milk. Keep scrubbing gently till the sugar dissolves. Wash off.

*Take a tomato and puree it and apply on your face. Leave it on for 15-20 mins, wash off.

*Papaya pulp also helps if used similar to tomato pulp.

Prevention:- Proper sun protection is the only way to prevent pigmentation. Use a sunscreen lotion with atleast 15-20 SPF all over your face and neck and also on other exposed body parts.

                    

               
              Acne is a common inflammatory disorder of the sebaceous glands just below the skin surface. It is characterized by the recurring formation of blackheads, whiteheads and acne. Primarily, acne occurs on the face but in some cases, it may be noticed on the back, shoulders, chest and arms.




Causes:- Hormones, are the main culprits and when they are at their peak of activity, influencing the secretion of the sebaceous glands. The excess production of sebum causes breakouts that are highly incidental during puberty and menstruation. At times, psychological stress cause acne.




Prevention:- Balanced nutrition and diet, skin hygiene, adequate sleep, exercise, fresh air, sunlight, meditation help in combating acne.




Role of Diet:- Diet is an important factor in acne. Carbohydrates and food with high fat content should be avoided from diet. The high content of oxalic acid that is present in chocolates, cocoa and rhubarb inhibits the body's absorption of calcium. Since Calcium maintains the acid-alkali balance of the body, it is important for a clear complexion. Reducing salt intake in your diet also shows a remarkable improvement in complexion. Vitamins are necessary for your lovely, smooth skin. Vitamin A is important for clear, healthy skin. Vitamin B Complex reduces facial greasiness and the formation of blackheads.






Treatment:-


*Saturate cotton wool in mint juice extract and apply everyday.


* Apply crushed marigold leaves on acne.


* Boil and mash plums to get roughly 8 tspns. Combine with 1 tspn of almond oil and apply.


* Make a smooth paste of Kasturi Turmeric and apply evenly on acne.


* Apply a mask made out of fresh margosa leaves ground to a fine paste. Add 1/4 tspn each of turmeric powder, sandal paste and gram flour. Let it dry completely before rinsing.