How heat can cause varicose veins

MANILA -- Spending time in the sauna or soaking your feet in a tub of warm water after jogging or working out in the gym can cause varicose veins, a dermatologist warned.

In an interview on DZMM's "Magandang Gabi Dok," Dr. Gwen Wong, a dermatologist, explained that heat can cause veins to bulge and become visible on the surface of the skin.

"I think the heat, it's contributing to 'yung lumalabas ang ugat," she said.

Although the condition may be temporary, repeated exposure to heat may cause the condition to be permanent.

"Pwedeng temporary, pero kapag paulit-ulit, gym tapos sauna tapos gym, maaring maging permanent," Wong said.

Varicose veins and spider veins are caused by poor blood circulation.

"Pag ang blood nagfo-flow, let's say sa lower legs, hindi na nakakabalik dahil dun sa ating mga valves eh depektibo na, especially pagka medyo nagkakaedad na tayo. At minsan eh hormonal, or minsan nga, tama 'yun, dahil sa pagiging obese ng isang tao o mabigat ang timbang, hindi na po nakakabalik [ang dugo] ng maayos sa puso," Wong explained.

People who spend many hours standing or sitting can also suffer from varicose veins.

"Depende po ito sa lifestyle, kung ano 'yung trabahong ginagawa. Halimbawa, buong araw nakatayo, o buong araw nakaupo, kailangan meron din tayong ginagawang mga ehersisyo," Wong added.

One can prevent varicose veins from developing on the legs by raising it above the heart while resting at home.

"Kailangan ini-li-lift po 'yung legs above the heart. Hindi po effective yung inilalagay lang sa silya," Wong said.

Although varicose veins can be treated through sclerotherapy, severe cases of varicose and spider veins may require surgery.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Difference between psoriasis, eczema explained

MANILA - Psoriasis and eczema are similar skin conditions but with different symptoms.

In an interview on radio DZMM, Dr. Maria Deanna Santos-Ramiscal, a dermatologist, explained the difference between the two skin conditions.

Both psoriasis and eczema are chronic inflammatory skin conditions that are genetic. However, eczema is more common than psoriasis, which only has a prevalence of 2% in people with no relatives with the same condition.

Ramiscal also explained that both psoriasis and eczema are not contagious nor infectious, and are not viral, bacterial or fungal in origin.

Symptoms of psoriasis, which include dark red patches of skin, with thick, silvery white scales, often appear later in life, between the ages of 20 to 30.

Unlike psoriasis, eczema manifests itself early in life, with infants sometimes suffering from flaky, scaly skin.

Psoriasis often involve parts of the skin that are prone to trauma, like the scalp, elbows, knees and buttocks, while symptoms of eczema often appear on flexural areas, or parts of the bodies with skin folds.

Both skin conditions make the skin itchy, but Ramiscal warned against scratching the affected skin, as it can worsen the condition.

"We have this thing called Koebner phenomenon. The more you scratch, kunyari you scratch the area, so na-traumatize mo 'yung area na yun 'di ba, the area that is traumatized, new lesions may come out in that area," she said.

This phenomenon is common with people suffering with psoriasis, wherein small lesions appear on the affected skin.

To avoid itchiness, Ramiscal advised patients to keep their skin moisturized. The doctor also warned against too much use of topical steroids, as well as self-medication, can cause the skin to be thinner.

"Ang local side effect, ninipis 'yung balat. 'Siguro you've seen some chronic users of topical steroids, nakikita na 'yung ugat, parang may corned beef sa face, or sa hands," the doctor said.

Aside from using too much ointment on the skin, Ramiscal also warned against using home remedies, as these may contain certain chemicals that can make the skin condition worse.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Why Kris allowed son Joshua to get Botox

MANILA -- Although Botox is usually given to older patients who want to get rid of signs of aging like wrinkles, actress-host Kris Aquino admitted on Wednesday that her eldest son Joshua got injections of the drug.

Botox is a drug commonly used cosmetically to remove wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles.

But in the case of Aquino's 19-year-old son with veteran actor Philip Salvador, the Botox injections were for his armpits as this reportedly helps control excessive sweating.



"Oh my God, nagwo-work talaga 'yung Botox sa kili-kili kay Josh. It really stopped," Aquino told her guest co-hosts KC Concepcion and Karla Estrada on her morning show "Kris TV "aired on Wednesday.

According to the actress-host, it was her "The Buzz" co-host Toni Gonzaga who told her about this little-known effect of Botox.

"And it really helped Josh dati ang dami niyang sweat stains," Aquino said. "Now his kili-kilio is not pawis-pawis anymore."

According to celebrity dermatologist Dr. Vicki Belo, injecting Botox in the armpits can stop sweating and also whiten the area.




Botox of the armpit is a short procedure and only uses cream anesthesia for zero pain. The procedure takes one hour, while the effects of the procedure last for six months.

"The Botox stops the sweat glands from secreting the sweat by paralyzing temporarily the muscles around the sweat glands that causes the sweat glands to be squeeze and release the perspiration," Belo explained.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How to prevent pimple scars

MANILA -- Acne may be easy to treat, but it becomes a bigger problem once scars develop on the skin, especially on the face.

In an interview on radio DZMM on Tuesday, Dr. Lia Nebrida-Idea, a dermatologist from St. Luke's Medical Center, advised listeners on how to prevent acne or pimples from causing scars.

Acne is a very common skin condition that affects almost everyone. It usually affects teenagers due to the increase in the production of sebum. It can also be caused by hormonal imbalance, or other conditions.

Nebrida-Idea noted that children as young as 10 years old, or even infants can get acne. Neo-natal acne affects infants, and is usually caused by the mother's hormones. It can also be considered an early sign that a person will have acne.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome can also suffer from acne breakouts due to hormonal imbalance.

According to Nebrida-Idea, the key to avoiding acne breakouts is to have clean skin.

"You have to wash your face at least twice a day, morning and evening. You don't have to use mga expensive na mga sabon, 'yung ordinary mild cleanser will do. Actually, if you keep on rubbing and scrubbing your face, kung minsan, mas nakakadamage 'to at nakakapagtrigger ng pimples," she added.

There are different ways to treat pimples, but treatment becomes more difficult once scars develop.

"We have to be honest, mahirap mawala ang scars. Sometimes to use incision, or dermabrasion, or laser to treat scars," Nebrida-Idea noted.

The dermatologist also reminded those suffering from acne that there is no "magic" solution for acne.

"Akala nila kapag nagpatingin ka sa derma, kaagad-agad, maganda na. Usually it takes two months, three months, up to six months, depending on the severity of the pimples," she explained.

She also advised those with acne to avoid buying facial cleansers with beads or granules, and just go for hypoallergenic, unscented ones.

Oil-free and water-based facial cleansers are also best for acne-prone skin, she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Hair loss, pimples linked to stress

MANILA – If you are shedding hair more than usual or develop dry, itchy skin, you may need a change of scenery or lifestyle.

According to dermatologist Dr. Grace Beltran, hair loss and skin problems may be caused by too much stress.

Beltran said stress can induce pimples, lesions and rashes, which may develop into a skin disease affecting a person’s entire body.

“Ang stress pwedeng directly mag-induce ng skin lesions, pwede ding may genetic problem to begin with tapos na-aggravate ng stress,” she told dzMM’s “Magandang Gabi, Dok.”

“The more stressed you are, the more sensitive you become,” she added.

Beltran said shedding and thinning of hair is also linked to stress, and may occur 3 to 4 months after a stressful episode in a person’s life, including sickness, surgery and pregnancy.

Beltran said a person experiencing stress should try and control it by relaxing, engaging in a new hobby or a change in lifestlye.

“Baguhin mo ‘yung lifestyle mo. Kapag nai-istress ka na, do something about it. Parang mag-liwaliw ka na kaunti,” she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Anne Curtis clarifies cancer scare

MANILA, Philippines – While her cancer examination was a cause for alarm for many of her fans, Anne Curtis said the move was an initiative on her part to proactively attend to her health.

"The main reason why I asked to begin with, is you want to be safe 'di ba, especially ako ang dami kong nunal," Curtis told reporters after a press conference held Friday by a fast food chain she endorses.


"So ‘pag lumalaki, wala namang masama kung tanungin mo o ipa-check mo kaagad, especially us na may Asian blood, marami talaga tayong mga nunal," the Kapamilya actress added.

Early this week, Curtis expressed relief over being cleared of cancer. The "It's Showtime" host had sought the counsel of celebrity dermatologist Vicki Belo on the increasing size of her moles.

The prized ABS-CBN star shared, the medical practitioner had also advised her to closely monitor her moles for any possible symptoms of cancer.

"I never really noticed it, because it's part of your body 'di ba? Until one day, napansin ko, parang lumalaki 'yung mga nunal ko, especially on my face, so naging concerned ako," she said.

"Kasi I don't really know about it, but then you hear about moles being cancerous, so I just asked," Curtis added.

In an earlier interview with ABS-CBN News, Belo pointed to Curtis being half-Australian and her skin features as a cause for caution when it comes to the likelihood of having cancerous moles.

"We also live in a tropical country," Curtis said on Friday, "So prone ka to being exposed to the sun, so hindi na masama, at least naklaro. At least alam ko, nalinawan ako."

The "A Secret Affair" star also said she has no plans of surgically removing the moles on her face, even if they have been confirmed to pose no threat to her health.

"Basta hindi siya nagko-cause ng any harm to my health, syempre hindi [ko papatanggal]. I love my moles. That's me, it's part of me. If I have to have them removed, it would break my heart," she said.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Anne Curtis tests moles for cancer

 

Belo gives tips on spotting cancerous moles

MANILA, Philippines -- Anne Curtis has had to undergo annual tests to ascertain she is clear of cancer, according to celebrity dermatologist Vicki Belo.


The prized Kapamilya actress, a patient of Belo for over nine years, has been advised by the doctor to closely monitor any possible symptoms of cancer, pointing to the skin features of the "A Secret Affair" star.

"[Anne] has so many moles, so we have to watch out for that," Belo told ABS-CBN News on Tuesday at the sidelines of Curtis' pictorial as an endorser of the doctor's medical clinic franchise.

"Because of her being half-Australian and the incidence of cancer in Australia being quite high, we monitor her moles and make sure that they're all healthy, and that nothing's happening to her. That's what we do every year. We examine her moles," Belo added.

As of their recent test, the celebrity doctor has cleared the "It's Showtime" host of cancer, pointing to the features of Curtis' moles compared to those that are known to be cancerous.

How to spot cancerous moles

"It's not cancerous. We want to give a little lesson here: the bigger the mole, and the more mataba it is, and the more even the color, the less dangerous," Belo said.

"Actually, it's the flat ones, that's not round [that may be cancerous]. If it changes shape, or it's two-color, like brown and black, those are the ones you have to watch out for," she added.

Learning of the good news, Curtis, in a separate interview with ABS-CBN News, expressed relief. She explained that she has grown "curious" of the increasing size of some of her moles.

"Praise God! Kasi they are in places that people know where they are, like my face, my mole on my chest. So talagang as they get bigger kasi, you tend to get curious na baka it can get cancerous, especially if you get exposed a lot to the sun," she said.

"[Vicki Belo] looked at them naman, sabi niya, 'No, you're safe,'" Curtis added.

"Youth is on her side," Belo added, referring to the actress. "But we have to keep an eye on her. As of now, she still feels she's superhuman. Walang mangyayari sa kanya because she's only 25."

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Children with psoriasis may also be obese

Children with the skin disease psoriasis are about twice as likely to be overweight or obese as children who don't have the disease, U.S. researchers said.

Lead author Dr. Amy Paller of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and pediatric dermatologist at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago said U.S. children with psoriasis have much higher odds than psoriatic children in other countries of being obese or overweight.

The study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, found U.S. children with psoriasis had four times the odds of being overweight or obese as healthy controls.

"Within this U.S. population, Hispanics and African-American children had significantly greater rates of being obese and overweight than whites and Asians," the study authors wrote in the study. "The odds ratio of being obese were particularly high for U.S. children with more severe psoriasis."

source: upi.com

Children with the skin disease psoriasis are about twice as likely to be overweight or obese as children who don't have the disease, U.S. researchers said.
Lead author Dr. Amy Paller of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and pediatric dermatologist at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago said U.S. children with psoriasis have much higher odds than psoriatic children in other countries of being obese or overweight.
The study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, found U.S. children with psoriasis had four times the odds of being overweight or obese as healthy controls.
"Within this U.S. population, Hispanics and African-American children had significantly greater rates of being obese and overweight than whites and Asians," the study authors wrote in the study. "The odds ratio of being obese were particularly high for U.S. children with more severe psoriasis."


Read more: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2012/11/28/Children-with-psoriasis-may-also-be-obese/UPI-12631354085676/#ixzz2DWbNsNIu