Skin Care GuideThe Ultimate Guide to Skin Care

Treatment will depend in part on the location, the age of the patient, as well as the size and immune status of the individual. The treatment choice will depend in part on previous experience of the patient and the patient’s preference. Many of the treatments can be uncomfortable and therefore difficult to use in children.

Treatments can be either destructive as in the use of liquid nitrogen or most recently there is an immunological approach to boost the patient’s own immune system.

Common Warts

Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy is most commonly used in those who can tolerate the pain. Repeat treatments are frequently required. Excising or scraping off these warts is less desirable as it will scar. The use of pulse dye laser or very occasionally the Co2 laser can be used in resistant lesions. Cantharone can be used particularly in children as it is more easily tolerated. Other treatments involve the use of immune therapy. Substances such as DNCB involve painting the substance on the warts in order to develop an allergic reaction. This immune allergic reaction will be useful for destroying the wart.

Flat Warts

Flat warts frequently occur on the face and on the legs. Care needs to be taken not to use a treatment that will have a high risk of scarring. Very light liquid nitrogen cryotherapy can be used.

It is important that shaving is done very carefully or is stopped for a while as this is known to spread these warts. Treatments such as Aldara have been used. Topical treatments such as vitamin A acids (Tretinoin) can sometimes be of benefit. Efudex cream has also been used.

Plantar Warts

Plantar warts can be stubborn. Because of their location aggressive use of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy is difficult in that it can not only be painful but swelling and soreness can prevent walking for a number of days. Often paring the warts by thinning them down can be helpful. The use of salicylic acid preparations that are applied daily and cover the affected area will eat away at the surface of the wart allowing it to be pared down. This may make it more responsive to liquid nitrogen. The use of duct tape to soften the lesions in some individuals can be in itself curative. It appears that changing the water content and making the skin mushy enhances the patient’s ability to eradicate these warts. Treatments such as surgery and scraping of these warts is discouraged as scars can sometimes be painful on the weight-bearing parts of the foot. The pulse dye laser can be used once the wart has been thinned as it does not produce scarring. Occlusion combining these therapies with Aldara cream in some individuals is helpful.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are usually sexually transmitted. It is important that woman be checked to rule out any atypical changes on the cervix. Small warts can be treated with liquid nitrogen although this is uncomfortable. Podophyllin or podophyllotoxin can be applied every few days and this can be helpful.

Oily skin care is a difficult topic to address. On one hand you need a certain amount of oil on your skin to keep it healthy and young looking. Natural skin oils are necessary to prevent problems such as dry skin. Oily skin is also less susceptible to the development of fine lines and wrinkles, discolouration, and freckles.

On the other hand, skin that is oily attracts more dust and dirt to the skin surface and excessive oil build-up can clog pores leading to problems such as acne breakouts. Oily skin leads to the development of larger than normal skin pores (often mistaken as acne scars) that give the skin a rough appearance. Therefore, because oily skin has some advantages, but also disadvantages, proper skincare (especially on the face) is a challenge.

As skin ages, the tendency is for dry skin to be more of a problem. However, skin that is too oily can occur at any age, for any gender, or for any race group. It is a problem that cannot be ignored.

Before discussing skin care for oily skin, it is important to identify your skin type. Is it oily or is it just normal? This is necessary information to know in order to diagnose that you actually have an oily skin problem. You do not want to treat a condition that may not actually exist.

The next step is to examine the causes of oily skin. There are many reasons why skin becomes oily. It could be genetics or diet. Understanding the causes is essential before undertaking treatments, because simply avoiding some of the causes may actually be the only treatment necessary.

When treatments are required, please take note that remedies to restore skin to its natural oil balance can vary substantially. For example, oily skin can be managed by following a set of basic treatments for oily skin care such as proper washing and use of common products for skin that is oily. However, many people prefer all natural remedies in dealing with this problem. Finally, diet and nutrition (what you eat or don’t eat) can play a significant role in a treatment plan.