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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Growing epidemic of skin allergies Heart disease number one killer of Indians Spouses can influence dieting measures Health Notes
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Growing epidemic of skin allergies Allergens that surround us have increased manifold and the number is steadily on the rise with man-made allergens now dominating the list of potentially harmful agents. There are now about 9 million agents in our immediate environment that can act as allergens (agents causing allergy) to the skin. How allergy develops Skin allergy occurs when these allergens bind with carrier proteins in our skin and present them to the immune system of the skin and the body. The skin is our largest defender against invaders. It is constantly bombarded by various agents, including harmful organisms and usually fends off trouble quite successfully. Sometimes, however, an allergen gets the better of our skin, causing a reaction. This is because of the hyperactive behaviour of the skin's immune system and its failure to differentiate between a friend and a foe due to the unique ability, as mentioned, of allergens to get attached to skin-carrier proteins. Types of allergies Though most of us are prone to some allergy or the other but there are some people who are more prone to developing skin allergies and might be chronic sufferers. Not only among adults, skin allergies are one of the fastest-growing chronic diseases in children too. This is a consequence of the changing environment superimposed on a range of genetic susceptibilities. Children, who have one parent suffering from allergies (skin or respiratory), are 25 per cent more likely to have allergies than kids whose parents do not have allergies. Those children whose mother and father both suffer from allergies are up to 70 per cent more likely to have allergies. There are various types of skin allergies: contact dermatitis, airborne dermatitis, occupational dermatitis, chrome dermatitis, industrial dermatitis, nickel dermatitis, parthenium dermatitis, photo-allergic contact dermatitis, urticaria, etc. Symptoms Symptoms of allergies can include a rash or hives, or swelling, itching, and cracking of the skin. Our hands, arms, neck and face come in contact with so many substances every day. These are the most common sites for an allergic skin reaction, but no part of our anatomy is immune. Itching is the most common symptom in almost all skin allergies. Itching sensation occurs when there is skin irritation. The ordinary reaction to an itch is to scratch. What follows afterwards can be a mess. The more you scratch, the more you damage your skin and the nerves just below the surface of the skin. The skin and nerves become increasingly inflamed, which only results in more itching thus creating a vicious itch-scratch-itch cycle, which, finally, can lead to a more severe and chronic condition known as lichen simplex chronicus. Silent allergies Sometimes, the allergies do not manifest with these usual visible signs and symptoms on the skin. These can be more dangerous. In such cases, a person occasionally might feel his/her skin suddenly turning warm, slight flushing, a slight prickly sensation around the nose, heaviness around the eyes, early fatigability, mentally a person suffering from silent allergies can get agitated at the smallest of things. Atopic dermatitis: Atopic dermatitis is the most common skin condition in children younger than 12 years of age. The percentage of children diagnosed with it has increased from 3 per cent in the 1960s to 20 per cent in the 2010. Contact dermatitis: Contact dermatitis is a common allergic skin disorder and accounts for a significant proportion of visits to the dermatologist. It may take only minute quantities of an allergen touching the skin to provoke such a reaction. In addition to a thorough evaluation, patch testing is frequently needed to determine the culprit allergen. Generally, there is itching, redness in the area, and, in acute phase, oozing and vesiculation, pain and swelling may also accompany acute eruptions. In sub-acute stage, there is crusting and scaling with drying up of the oozing fluid. In chronic contact dermatitis, the skin becomes thickened and hardened with pigmentation. Care in rainy season During the rainy season the high humidity in the air and the wet environment makes it more favourable for the allergens to penetrate the skin folds. The chances of those already having skin allergies to become superinfected are extremely high during the rainy season. New triggers While the skin-care products and the cosmetics market have grown exponentially, evolving into a multibillion-dollar industry, few people know whether their skin is actually being benefited or harmed with the usage of these products. Everyday new beauty and cleaning products are now being blamed for causing skin allergies. The main culprits are the preservatives used in skin lotions, some skin creams and even cleaning wipes which are now being linked to an outbreak of acute allergic contact dermatitis, mostly in women over 40.The Methylisothiazolinone (MI) and Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) have been used since the 1980s in wall paints and have more recently been used by various manufacturers in routinely used cosmetic products. These ingredients are also found in eye mascaras, shower gels and washing liquids. The incidence of allergies to an ingredient, Para-Phenylene diamine (PPD) found in hair dyes has also increased tremendously. Modern allergens Modern-day allergens include various metals. One has to be extra cautious and inform the surgeon if one already has proven nickel or titanium sensitivity before undergoing procedures like surgeries for endovascular stents, orthodontic wires, pacemakers, knee transplants etc. Even before going in for body piercing on various body parts or even purchasing expensive jewellery, one needs to rule out the presence of the potential sensitisers. Always look for hypoallergenic, fragrance-free skin creams, anti-ageing products, sunscreens and hair products if you have very sensitive hair and skin. Diagnosis At times, allergy sufferers tend to undergo various allergy tests haphazardly spending thousands on such tests. In many cases these tests are not even required and in some cases only specific skin allergy tests such as the skin-patch test or blood allergy test such as ELISA are needed to be done but only if and when recommended by a skin specialist. The allergy tests are suggestive to a certain extent. Since the cross-reactivity between many common allergens is quite frequent that if tests detect one or two allergens there is likelihood that these tests might miss some more allergens to which a patient might also be sensitive to. So the treatment approach is to not only avoid the suspected allergens but to stabilise the hyperactive skin cells. — The writer is a
Panchkula-based dermatologist |
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Heart disease number one killer of Indians
Washington: Heart disease has emerged as the number one killer among Indians, a new survey has revealed. According to a recent study by the Registrar General of India and the Indian Council of Medical Research about 25 per cent of deaths in the age group of 25-69 years occur because of heart diseases. If all age groups are included, heart diseases account for 19 per cent of all deaths. It is the leading cause of death among males as well as females in India. India, with more than 1.2 billion people, is estimated to account for 60 per cent of heart disease patients worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation, heart-related disorders will kill almost 20 million people by 2015, and these are exceptionally prevalent in the Indian sub-continent. Half of all heart attacks in this population occur under the age of 50 years and 25 per cent under the age of 40. India will have over 1.6 million strokes per year by 2015, resulting in disabilities on one third of them. It is in this context that the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin has launched educational "Networks" of renowned thought leaders in the areas of cardiology, diabetes, and stroke to foster high-quality medical education of physicians of Asian-Indian origin in the US. — ANI |
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Spouses can influence dieting measures
Washington: Women who are frequently encouraged by their significant other to lose weight are more likely to resort to unhealthy measures, such as fasting and diet pills, to do so, a new study has revealed. The study finds that unhealthy weight control behaviour, such as fasting, using diet pills, and self-induced vomiting, are common among young adults and are often the beginning of more severe eating disorders, depression and other health problems. The study surveyed 1,294 young adults in Minnesota between the ages of 20 and 31 who were in relationships. Almost half of the participants said their significant other encouraged them to diet. Encouragement, however, was often viewed as negative or critical rather than supportive. Binge eating among women was nearly doubled if their significant other encouraged dieting.Overall, more than 40 per cent of the people surveyed had used extreme diet tactics in the past year, which were more common among women (51.2 per cent) than men (29.9 per cent). Clinical psychologist Jennifer McClure, associate director of research, Group Health Research Institute, said that young adults' eating habits are influenced both positively and negatively by significant others as a result of so-called modelling or peer pressure. The study is published in the American Journal of Health Promotion. — ANI
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Health Notes Regular wound cleaning tied to faster healing
New York: Chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers may heal faster when they are cleaned out frequently, a new study suggests. So-called debridement involves removing dead or infected tissue and any foreign bodies or bacteria from slow-healing wounds, such as with a scalpel or special cream. — Reuters Health |
Melbourne: Sugar has been branded more addictive than heroin, according to a new study. While foods high in fat were once accused of increasing our waistlines, experts said it was foods high in sugar, such as cereals and yoghurts that are making us fatter and more prone to long-term illness, the Daily Telegraph reported. Nutritionist Jacqueline Alwill said foods high in refined sugar increased our risk of diabetes, caused us to age faster, sapped our energy levels and often led to obesity. She said that the impact of sugar on our hormones is a huge issue and we can see this with the increasing number of individuals with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. The average Australian consumes about 53kg of sugar per year, or 29 teaspoons a day, according to health fund NIB. Alwill likened our dependency on sugar to a junkie's drug addiction - with each hit only feeding a craving before the body screams out for more. - ANI