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Key Services

We offer a wide range of Beauty Services

Super Hair Removal Clinic

Waxing and shaving have been the traditional methods of getting rid of body hair. But both these...

Chronic Skin Diseases Clinic

Most skin diseases are recurrent and progressing, which can be frustrating. Skin City offers...

Scar Removal Treatment

(Burns, Accidental Scars, Surgical and Acne scar treatments) - Any injury beyond body's repair...

Safe Liposuction without general anaesthesia

It is the 'GOLD STANDARD' procedure for permanent removal of skin fat.

Hair Transplantation

This is the most sought after procedure today to regain one's lost hairline.

Platinum Circle

How do I benefit from Platinum Circle?

Skin City is the largest Aesthetic Dermatology set-up in India and the only one that practices Aesthetic Dermatology with an institutional approach. There are many players in this field but they work either dermatology.

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Your Doctor Speak's

Dr. Niteen Dhepe
    Autologous fat is the most natural and economical filler used to improve the contours of the body.
    Children’s skin is very tender and supple.
    One of the most annoying beauty problems is a dark circle.
Read more

Success Stories

Read why they love us so much

I was got a beautiful face after Fat Transplant which made be happy and confident.
Varsha. S.
Solapur, Maharashtra
Skincity has the most advanced body shaping technique which helped me to keep me in shape.
Smita P.
Solapur, Maharashtra
Skincity is greatest center for skin treatment. They have all the solutions under one umbrella and have a team of expert consultants and doctors.
Ahsan K
Pune, Maharashtra
Thanks to Skincity. I have got a new confidence which has transformed my life.
Dipti B
Solapur, Maharashtra
Thanks to all the doctors, staff who are very friendly and caring.
Prashant H.
Buldhana, Maharashtra
We came here for our son's Hair Transplant treatment from Gulbarga and were very impressed by the huge infrastructure, hospitality of all the doctors, staff..
D.D. Oni
Gulbarga, Karnataka
I am very satisfied with my treatment. You have a very warm and efficient staff here. My congratulations..
Dr. Y. Patil
Pune, Maharashtra
Skincity India

Blogs

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What Is Autologous Fat Transfer? How It Is Treated?

Autologous Fat Transfer

Autologous fat is the most natural and economical filler used to improve the contours of the body. SkinCity, empowered with SafeLIPO, is a dermatological centre of excellence for fat transfer. Depressed cheeks, depressed accidental scars, under eyes hollows (tear trough), lip augmentation are some indications for which fat from the same individual is used as a filler. Dr. Dhepe is an ‘International Travelling Master’ of ASDS: American Society of Dermatology surgery to train Dermatologists across the world on Fat transfer, lasers, and other technologies. What is autologous fat transfer? An Autologous Fat Transfer treatment is a procedure where excess fat from one part of the body is harvested, and then re-injected into another part of the body to either enhance or replace the lost volume. Fat is removed from unwanted fat pouches of a person’s body is injected at the sites which require filling e.g. scars, hollow cheeks, temples, lips, breasts. Since it is one’s own fat cells, there are no allergic reactions or unwanted side effect seen. Which areas can be treated? Almost every part of the body can be treated using a fat transfer procedure. The most common areas are:
  • Breasts: an autologous fat transfer breast or fat grafting breast augmentation to give fuller and uplifted looking breasts;
  • Buttocks: an autologous fat transfer for buttock augmentation to achieve the Brazilian butt lift;
  • Face: to fill in the hollowness of the temples, cheeks, brows, and folds to create a more youthful appearance;
  • Hands: to restore subcutaneous fat loss on the back of the hands; and
  • Scars: an autologous fat is injected beneath the skin surface to elevate depressed surgical and acne scars.
The entire procedure is done under local anaesthesia and the patient walks out an hour after the 2- 3 hours procedure. How long will the results last? The duration of the results of autologous fat transfer procedure differs from person to person. The body reabsorbs the injected fat over a period of time but more than 50% of the injected volume remains in place permanently. Repeat sessions help to maintain the desired volume. Everything you need to know about gentle and natural body contouring is right here at Skin City. Visit our website to know more about the procedure: www.skincityindia.com
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Why You Need Laser Vaginal Tightening

laser-vaginal-tightening-treatements

Lifecycle processes such as childbirth; hormonal changes that accompany aging and severe weight fluctuations can overstretch vaginal tissue, damage collagen and alter the muscle tone in the vaginal wall. These anatomical changes often lead to symptoms such as vaginal laxity, vaginal atrophy, and involuntary bladder leakage. These feminine health conditions negatively affect women’s quality of life and often prevent them from carrying out a normal lifestyle.

Skin City offers a quick, safe and highly effective, non-invasive solution that addresses a wide range of feminine health concerns. It is a comprehensive treatment solution that can be performed in an outpatient setting with no need for anaesthesia and no pain, achieving immediate improvement with lasting results.

There is no patient downtime and women can regain their daily routine immediately post procedure. At Skin City, we observe complete confidentiality and sensitivity exercised by towards the patient’s privacy and comfort.

Like every other part of the female body, the vagina and vulva too tend to age and the process often tends to speed up during and immediately after menopause. When the natural levels of oestrogen start to decline in the body, the female genital tract shows effects, first. Studies have shown that almost half the women who are above the age of 40 tend to face such problems, and this tends to affect their sex life too.

Effects of Hypotonic (loose) Vaginal Muscles:

  • vaginal dryness
  • vaginal burning
  • dysuria
  • urgency
  • Stress incontinence
  • Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners

Fractional CO2 laser vaginal rejuvenation or LVR is a revolutionary new procedure, which is non-surgical in nature and can be used to treat vaginal atrophy and Stress Urinary Incontinence that is often caused due to age. Though this is currently more popular as Vaginal tightening procedure.

Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Advantages

  • The procedure does not take more than 15 minutes
  • There is next to no pain or discomfort
  • You will be able to return to your normal routine within a day
  • The level of risks are really low and there are little to no side effects
  • The vaginal tightening procedure results will last a long time
  • Improvements are visible immediately after the first session
  • The procedure is suitable for almost all women, including those who have breast cancer

The basic concept of laser vaginal rejuvenation is simple – tiny columns of laser energy are used in multiples, and these stimulate the production of collagen and help with the regeneration of vaginal tissue.

How the Procedure is Performed:

After a direct vaginal examination and PAP smear test, the candidate is taken for the procedure and is cleaned. Sterilised laser probe is inserted in vagina and laser light is passed on vaginal tissue. The treatment takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Most women experience that the probe emits a gentle vibration and warmth, but there is no pain. In most cases, the regeneration of vaginal tissue will start in about 30 days, the result of which will be a stronger and tighter vagina, which has better elasticity and hydration. You should be able to return to your normal routine, immediately, but you might be asked to refrain from exercise for at least 24 hours and sexual intercourse for about 5 days.

For most women, the results become obvious right after the first session, but for the best results, you should go for 3 treatments, 1 month apart. The results will last a long time. As the natural process of aging continues, you can always go for top up treatments.

Just as cosmetic procedures have been used for decades to improve facial skin and to restore its youthfulness, non-surgical vaginal tightening with Skin City improves the health and vitality of vaginal tissue. We are focused on a women’s health and have the most up-to-date technology to guarantee patient satisfaction. Our minimally invasive techniques allow women to enjoy the benefits of cosmetic procedures without the inconvenience of downtime and pain.

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What Is Vaginal Tightening And How It Is Treated?
Vaginal Tightening

Vaginal muscles must be able to contract to maintain continence, and to relax allowing for urination and bowel movements, and for sexual intercourse as well as for giving birth. They also support and protect the organs of the abdomen and hold the bladder in its proper place.

The pelvic muscles can become stretched or weakened due to ageing and more specifically due to pregnancy. This often happens after a difficult childbirth which overstretches or tears the pelvic muscles and can also be the result of giving birth to several babies within a very short time span. Their under use can also cause pelvic floor weakness.

This set of muscles, also known as the muscles of the perineum, forms the floor of the pelvic cavity and supports the pelvic organs such as the bladder, uterus and colon and intestine.

These muscles act like a rubber band, they need to be tense but neither too tight to avoid pelvic floor muscle disorder nor too loose, because in both cases they will lose the right degree of elasticity and therefore their main function and could potentially create a pelvic floor dysfunction.

Symptoms of Hypotonic Pelvic Muscles: •    Stress incontinence •    Urge incontinence •    Pelvic organ prolapse •    Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners

Vaginal tightening is the tightening of the pelvic muscles to achieve or maintain the right degree of elasticity of the pelvic floor muscles.

Vaginal tightening can be achieved in different ways, all effective in their own way and can be complementary. Vaginoplasty is a reconstructive plastic surgery and cosmetic procedure for the vaginal canal and its mucous membrane, and of vulvovaginal structures that might be absent or damaged because of congenital disease (e.g. vaginal hypoplasia) or because of an acquired cause (e.g. childbirth physical trauma, cancer)

Skin City’s cutting edge treatment tightens the vaginal walls which restores tone to tissue, and increases blood flow—that increases lubrication and strengthens the supporting ligaments surrounding the bladder and urethra to reduce the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence.

Read More
Scalp Micropigmentation and Its Wonderful Benefits

Scalp Micropigmentation

Scalp coverage is the name of the game in the treatment of baldness. Thicker hair even if less in number have more volume and hence better scalp coverage. The problem arises with thinner hair and a lighter scalp

Micro pigmentation is a technique used to implant small amounts of pigment into the upper layer of the scalp in a dot or line pattern, and this creates an optical illusion of a full scalp even without hair restoration. This is a painless walk in-walk out procedure which takes a few hours and is performed without any anesthesia. Skin City is one of the very few centers to launch this procedure.

In patients with significant hair loss being treated with mesotherapy/ PRP or even hair transplantation, scalp micro pigmentation can be added at the completion of these procedures to give maximum scalp coverage look.

What is Scalp Micropigmentation:

Scalp Micropigmentation (medical hairline tattoo) is the ultimate in non-surgical male and female scalp grooming; an incredible life-changing treatment where natural pigments are applied at the epidermal level of the scalp to replicate the natural appearance of the real hair follicles or strands – depending on your hair loss extent, and desired look.

The human head has on average 2,000 hairs per square inch. When thinning occurs, it can be a depressing time, stigmas attached to balding & premature ageing in both men and women can affect confidence and mood. Scalp Micropigmentation can restore even a completely bald head to look like a full head of well-groomed hair.

The follicle/strand build up of Scalp Micropigmentation normally takes place over 2- 3 sessions, each taking approx 2-3 hours with at least 2 weeks to 1 month between sessions. The process allows for a very gradual and subtle rejuvenation/infill of the hairline, rarely identified even by close friends and family.

During the procedure, topical anaesthetic cream is applied over the area to be treated prior to starting micropigmentation, hence the procedure becomes completely painless. A cartridge containing  few very fine needles working in symphony gently inject natural pigment into the 2nd dermal skin layer and Skin City uses the latest innovative technology and the Pigment spacing is determined by replicating the remaining natural hair follicles.

Benefits of Scalp Micropigmentation :

  • Give the look of a full, youthful head of cropped hair
  • Restore hairlines on part-bald or fully bald heads
  • Camouflage scarring resulting from previous hair transplant surgery
  • Hide scars, burns and birthmarks
  • Boost the visual effect of a hair transplant

Though there are many types of hair loss treatments available, not all of them work, leaving men suffering hair loss with few options. That’s why scalp micropigmentation is the best course of action for those in this position, because of the numerous benefits this procedure can offer to those suffering from hair loss.

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Medical Body Shaping - Its Treatments And Who Should Go For It?

Medical Body Shaping

There are multiple options available for body shaping and surgical liposuction, laser liposuction, injection lipolysis are some of them. Patients, who are unwilling for surgical options or are unfit for any invasive procedure because of uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease or any other serious health condition, can opt for medical body shaping options.

This treatment involves non-invasive Lipolysis with HIFU Ultra sound and Accent non-ablative radio frequency. These high intensity ultrasound and radio-frequency waves mobilize fat cells, destroy them and facilitate their expulsion from the body through lymphatic drainage.

These techniques especially give good results for facial fat reduction and contouring the face.

What is Hifu/Ultherapy?

It is a highly precise medical procedure that applies high-intensity focused ultrasound energy which delivers heat to the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers collagen remodeling thus increasing the elasticity of the skin resulting in tightening. It also destroys excess fat cells in the face, neck by heat energy. These dead fat cells undergo a process of cellular death called apoptosis and then expelled through body’s lymphatic drainage.

Accent Non-Ablative Radio Frequency Ttherapy:

Unipolar (or 3rd generation Monopolar) one is for a deep controlled penetration depth of the RF energy for fat reduction and cellulite treatment.

  1. Tightening of the underlying tissues, which in turn causes a production of new collagen and collagen remodelling;
  2. Increased blood circulation to the area being treated and drainage of the fatty deposits to the lymphatic system; and
  3. Fatty acid decomposition and heat-induced fat cell death.

What is It Used to Treat?

 Treatment applications (using either the Unipolar (3rd generation Monopolar) or Bipolar head) include:

  • Cellulite treatment
  • Fat reduction on the arms, abdomen, buttocks and legs
  • Skin tightening on the face, arms, abdomen, buttocks and legs
  • Complete body contouring
  • Pre liposuction skin tightening
  • Post liposuction smoothing
  • Lipoma (benign tumour composed of fat tissue) treatment

How Long Does It Last?

Results may last up to 2-3 years. However, ongoing maintenance will be required more frequently for older people and for those with poor skin quality to begin with, as a result of smoking, sun exposure, alcohol consumption etc.

For body contouring applications, the improvement in the skin quality is said to be long lasting, similar to the facial tightening results; however keeping the body contours in check is also subject to a person’s diet, calorie intake, exercise and lifestyle. Fat cells have the capability of expanding to 500 times their size, thus an unbalanced diet and unhealthy lifestyle plays a center roll in keeping body contours in good shape more than any treatment can, effective as it is.

Body contouring is an area of medical aesthetics that is developing rapidly, with many new devices coming to market every year, using multiple different technologies. For these treatments, patient selection is probably the most challenging. The choice of equipment for an individual practice will depend on a variety of factors, including cost, patient demographics, space available and staffing levels.

Read More
Why Consulting a Trichologist Is Best to Resolve Hair Fall Problems

Why-Consulting-Trichologist-Is-Best-to-Resolve-Hair-Fall-Problems

While hair loss may not usually be a threat to your health, it can have devastating effects on your self-image and sense of well-being. Your hair has much more significance than the physiological purpose of regulating your temperature and providing protection for your scalp. For most people, it is a definition of their personality, style, and fashion. When hair loss occurs, it has a damaging effect on our psyche. Your dermatologist is a highly skilled medical professional that diagnoses and treats a wide variety of conditions that can affect the scalp and cause hair loss.

What Causes Hair Loss?

The medical term for hair loss is Alopecia but there are many different types and causes. Both men and women may experience it in varying degrees from a slight thinning of the hair to complete baldness.

Examples of the most common hair loss disorders are:

  • Alopecia Areata- an autoimmune condition in which the hair follicles are attacked by the body’s immune cells
  • Androgenetic Alopecia- patterned baldness that develops in males and females due to hereditary and hormonal factors
  • Telogen Effluvium- a condition associated with excessive hair shedding of hair several months after the body experiences a major stressful event.
  • Chemical Hair Damage- hair becomes dry, and brittle and breaks off in pieces after being exposed to a chemical that is too harsh
  • Traction Alopecia- hair loss due to pulling on the hair from tight braids or hair pieces

Hair loss may also be the result of underlying health issues such as anemia or thyroid abnormalities.  Changes to your hair and scalp might indicate health problems such as diabetes or lupus or any number of other conditions, therefore, it is important that you take sudden changes in your hair seriously.

So, What Should You Do If You Start Losing Your Hair?

The first step in the treatment of hair loss is to determine the cause. Visit your dermatologist to have them examine your hair and scalp and diagnose your disorder. Many forms of hair fall are temporary or can be reversed with the proper medications or therapies. Other forms may cause scarring which can lead to permanent baldness but can be slowed significantly through regular treatment sessions if the process is started early.

 To properly diagnose your type of hair fall your dermatologist will ask about your medical history, any recent illnesses you may have had and any medications you may be taking including over the counter medicines. Are you experiencing hair loss on your body as well as your scalp? Your hair care routine is also vital information to share with your doctor. Such things as the hair care products you use, how often you shampoo and whether you color your hair or use a hair dryer are valuable bits of information that can help with your diagnoses.  It is useful to bring these products in when you see the dermatologist for a consultation. They will also ask questions about other family members who may also have experienced hair loss to determine your genetic predisposition to baldness. Most diagnoses’ are made through skillful evaluation of your scalp, hair and medical history but occasionally further medical testing is necessary. Again, these tests may include blood work to rule out underlying medical conditions, examination of a hair sample under a microscope or a skin biopsy to evaluate the scalp tissue of the affected area.

Skin City has expertise in using a combination approach to hair fall to minimize the side effects and to improve the safety of the therapies adopted. Skin City is one of the very few centers to give excellent results in hair fall.

Read More
The Best Anti-Aging Treatments in India for a Youthful You
Anti-Aging Treatments in India

With wrinkles, fine lines, brown spots and a sallow blotchy skin creeping in, anybody can tell you are almost hitting the dreaded aging phase. Skin aging is a natural process that presents itself relatively early in life, sometimes as early as the late 20s. But, thanks to various anti-aging non-surgical treatments, women can now hop back in time. A few years ago, the most popular anti-aging remedies were plastic surgery procedures like brow lifts and facelifts. However, the trend has drastically changed over time with the development of non-invasive anti-aging treatments. Often referred to as minimally invasive methods, the skin treatments improve skin texture, rid of lines and maintain a youthful look.

Various cosmetologists and dermatologists now perform cutting-edge anti- ageing treatments in India, which can show longer lasting results within a few sessions only. Some of the anti- ageing treatments available in India are:- BOTOX

BOTOX is a toxin produced by a strain of bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. In case you're wondering, this is the same bacteria that can cause botulism, which is a type of food poisoning. Botox is used for the treatment of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows. Today, it is used to treat other areas of the face, including the forehead and the crow's feet at the corners of the eye.

CHEMICAL PEELS

Most commonly used to treat those with sun-damaged or unevenly pigmented skin, chemical peels have become one of the most popular non-invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. Chemical peels are one form of anti-aging treatment. Although chemical peels are not able to prevent or slow down the aging process they are certainly able to improve facial blemishes, acne, wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation.

DERMAL FILLERS

One non-surgical method that has become extremely popular is the use of dermal fillers. Dermal fillers such as hyaluronic acid should not be confused with Botox. Botox may be used for anti-aging skin care but works through a completely different process. Plastic surgeons refer to the use of dermal fillers as soft tissue augmentation. Soft tissue augmentation is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure performed to correct eye wrinkles, other facial wrinkles, and depressions in the skin and/or scarring.

 FACELIFT

As you get older, a number of factors contribute to the aging of your face. Stress, sun and wind exposure, and even gravity conspire to leave you older-looking. A facelift can help address some of the effects of aging. During a facelift, your plastic surgeon removes excess fatty deposits, tightens the muscles that support your face, removes excess skin and rewraps the skin of your face. Quite often, the facelift surgery is performed along with other facial surgeries such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) or a browlift (forehead lift surgery).

LASER PEEL & SKIN REJUVENATION

Laser skin resurfacing is one of the fastest growing and most effective skin rejuvenation procedures performed by plastic surgeons. Laser skin resurfacing can be used to treat a wide variety of skin conditions that result from or relate to the effects of aging. Acne Scars, Age Spots, Brown Spots, Fine Lines, Large Pore Size, Stretch Marks, Sun Spots, and Wrinkles can be treated with laser skin rejuvenation.

MICRODERMABRASION

Like dermabrasion, microdermabrasion involves removing some of the upper skin layers. Microdermabrasion, however, doesn't go as deep. Microdermabrasion is ideally suited for a person who has aged skin or skin that has been damaged by overexposure to the sun.  Microdermabrasion treatments polish and soften the skin, reducing fine lines on the face.

While the best non-surgical anti-aging face treatments are affordable and effective compared to plastic surgery treatments, patients ought to be cautious when picking their health providers.

 
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Pros & Cons of Skin Pigmentation Treatment

 What Are The Pros and Cons -  Pigmentation Treatment

Dark spots, age spots, sun spots – what is pigmentation? We explain your uneven complexion and suggest solutions for clearer, brighter skin. You may not have deep frown lines or crow's feet, but if you feel like you're ageing, chances are it's thanks to uneven skin tone. Now, we're not talking a sweet smattering of freckles, but bigger, uneven brown patches on not only the face but hands, décolletage, and shoulder areas. It's these aging dark spots of bother that is known as pigmentation, caused by sun exposure and specifically the UVA rays which penetrate deep into your skin and cause ageing. Types Of Pigmentation Which Can Be Treated With Laser Therapy
  • Melasma, solar lentigos or sun spots, birthmarks, port-wine stains and freckles
  • Melasma is a patchy brown discoloration of the skin on the face
  • Solar lentigines, are small brown pigmented spot on the skin with a clearly defined edge, surrounded by normal-appearing skin. These mainly appear in sun exposed areas like the tops of the hands and face
  • Birthmarks are normally flat and are brown or black in color
  • Port-wine stains are the kind of pigmentation defects in which some reddish-purple discolorations appear on the skin as a result of some swollen red blood vessels in the body
  • Freckles are small, brownish spots on the skin that are caused by deposition of pigment and that increase in number and darken on exposure to sunlight
Pros of Laser Treatment
  • Quite effective. When done from a reputed clinic there is a chance that 90% , even 100% of your pigmentation will vanish in a set of sessions provided
  • Less painful than other laser treatments
  • Improved appearance
  • The duration of each laser session is quite short, aprox 30mins
  • Require a very short recovery time
  • No age limit
Cons of Laser Treatment
  • Dangerous if you go to someone inexperienced
  • May require several sessions
  • Some may feel a slight stinging or burning
  • Redness, swelling, bruising, and dry patches can be seen on a person who had undergone layer treatment. Proper aftercare is required
We at SkinCity advocate that the ideal anti ageing treatment should address all the tightening & lifting, filling for hydrating & Skin brightening of skin. Thus we advise the 3D facelift for optimum results.
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Golden Rules for a Fabulous and Wonderful Looking Skin

Fabulous and Wonderful Looking Skin

To keep skin looking healthy, you need to adopt a tailored skincare routine. If you want to enjoy a radiant skin, all you have to do is adopt the 10 essential beauty commandments! During the day, your skin is exposed to damage, and this makes it tired. Over the years, it changes. What it needs is plenty of pampering! Discover our beauty tips for beautiful skin at any age. Firstly, understand your skin type. Dry Skin Dry skin can feel tight throughout the day and may experience noticeable flaking. Dry skin is largely due to genetics, environmental factors such as lifestyle & diet, hormonal changes, and climate. Dehydration is also a leading cause of dry skin, so drinking plenty of water and avoiding diuretics like alcohol and caffeine can make a significant difference in how your skin feels and looks. Normal/Combination Skin People with normal/combination skin often experience dryness on the cheeks, making it important to find a moisturizer that is not too heavy but one substantial enough to retain moisture where needed most. Those with normal skin are not prone to breakouts on their cheeks and tend to have a well-moisturized t-zone. Oily Skin Excess oil can oftentimes leave pores congested and clogged. The happy news, however, is that oily skin looks younger and suppler because it has more natural moisture and is less prone to wrinkle. How to Take Care of Your Skin Type Dry Skin
  • Use a creamy cleanser that is Soap-free before going to bed; wash your face with the cleanser thoroughly as part of your daily routine. Make sure you rinse it with cool water.
  • Use a moisturizer on your face at least thrice a day to keep the skin hydrated and to avoid tightness and roughness of the facial skin.
  • Applying a facial mask is also another great additional benefit to your routine, in which it helps rejuvenate the skin and makes it smooth.
  • Exfoliate your dry skin using a slightly abrasive cleaner like a loofah or sponge. You may also use an exfoliating product that is suitable for your skin! However always remember to use natural products! Do not over exfoliate.
Normal/Combination Skin
  • Wash your face at least two times each day with a regular skin care face wash having pH similar to your skin pH.
  • Always apply sunscreen with a large SPF every day.
  • Apply a light lotion in the evening to keep your skin hydrated.
  • To remove makeup use the same cleansing milk and a face wash.
  • Use an exfoliating scrub once in 2 weeks; thereafter use a non-drying face mask.
Oily Skin
  • Cleanse it! Find a cleanser marked specifically for oily skin. It will prevent your skin from looking like an oil slick without stripping it of necessary oils.
  • Use a foaming face wash which contains alpha hydroxy acids, salicylic acid etc. This should be used 3-4 times in a day and followed up with an alcohol-free toner.
  • Use non-comedogenic wide spectrum large SPF sunscreen for oily skin.
  • Use only water based makeup.
  • Use of an exfoliating scrub weekly and anti-acne mask if you have an acne problem.
Having great skin is a desire of many and when it’s summer, a lot of us want to make sure that our skin is clear and radiant. If you’re striving for a better-looking skin, the above-mentioned golden rules of skin care will help you achieve glowing skin in no time!
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Misconceptions About Dermatology - Debunking The Myths

Misconceptions-About-Dermatology

For many people, the world of dermatology is baffling. Most people have an idea of what dermatology is – they know that dermatologists treat skin but that’s about it. Here are some of the common myths and misconceptions about dermatology, and the real truth, too!

Myth #1: Scrubbing Your Face with Soap Will Soften Your Skin

You’ve probably heard it before: Wash your face twice a day for healthy skin. While removing make-up and other grime is important, if you overdo it, you can remove the healthy oils and protective barriers your skin secretes to keep out harmful antigens and dirt. To stay on the safe side, use a mild cleanser in the morning and do the same at night, always remembering to wash gently. Harsh scrubbing will only aggravate sensitive skin cells.

Myth #2: Dermatologists Just Treat Acne

This is a common reason people visit a dermatologist, but dermatologists can do far more than that. Laser and cosmetic dermatology encompass a wide variety of skin care treatments. Scar revision, birthmark removal, and nearly any other condition or issue that affects the skin can be handled using laser and cosmetic dermatology! If you are suffering from acne, of course you should see a dermatologist, but you can visit for many other reasons, too. Skin City is here to help with any and all skin conditions and concerns.

Myth #3: Picking at Blemishes Makes Them Go Away

It may be tempting to scratch at a pussy pimple as soon as it appears, but what you’re actually doing is creating an acne scar which will linger for months while a pimple generally vanishes after 5 – 7 days. Resist the temptation to itch and try one of our soothing facial masks instead to calm irritable skin.

Myth #4: Sunlight Helps Cure Acne

While it’s true that sunlight can help dry out your pimples and reduce inflammation, as with most things, too much can have the opposite effect. A tan may actually make your acne scars more noticeable and the heat can irritate pimples. It’s best to use a combination of natural cleansers, moisturizers and healthy foods to get rid of scarred and pimply skin.

Myth #5: All Moisturizers Are the Same

Many of us just slap on our moisturizing lotion and lip balm without much thought. Actually, there are various moisturizers you can choose from to suit your skin’s needs. Moisturizers come in lotions, creams, emulsions, and serums. They are formulated for the body, or the face, or the eye area.

Are you guilty of any of the above? Hopefully these facts have convinced you to change things around so you can finally have the healthy, glowing skin you’ve always dreamed of.

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Why Vitamin D is Necessary for Your Body?
Skin and Hair Benefits of Vitamin D There are plenty of benefits to getting the proper amount of Vitamin D, and it’s worth the time and efforts to make sure that you’re topped up on it. This should be done with a combination of food, sunshine, and a supplement if needed. Vitamin D is one of a unique vitamins out there because your body can actually manufacture it by getting regular exposure to the sun, and you can run a deficiency if you avoid the sun altogether. Vitamin D has plenty of benefits for skin, hair, and health. Vitamin D benefits include the following: Here are the Health Benefits of Vitamin D
  • It helps the intestine to absorb nutrients, calcium and phosphorus. This ensures strong bones and a healthy immune system.
  • Vitamin D provides calcium balance in the body and prevents arthritis.
  • Vitamin D regulates blood pressure and reduces stress and tension. It also relieves body aches and pains by reducing muscle spasms. It also reduces respiratory infection.
  • Vitamin D is recommended in the treatment of several diseases. It may prevent preeclampsia by improving kidney functions.
  • Vitamin D optimizes our body’s ability to absorb other important weight loss nutrients, especially calcium.
  • It is an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like cold and flu.
  • It also reduces the risk of developing sclerosis.
  • Vitamin D keeps the brain active even at later stages of life. It also helps to maintain body weight.
  • Vitamin D also helps to improve mental sharpness.
Skin Benefits of Vitamin D:
  • Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 are most beneficial for skin health.
  • Vitamin D Cream or supplements can be effective for treatment of psoriasis.
  • Vitamin D also repairs skin damage prevents infections that might be caused due to skin injuries and rejuvenates the skin.
  • Vitamin D can treat psoriasis.
  • Vitamin D3 contains strong anti-inflammatory properties which make it effective for treating burns, skin injuries, skin damage and stretch marks.
  • The anti-oxidant present in Vitamin D prevents skin damage and premature ageing of skin when taken via supplements or included in diet.
  • Vitamin D absorbed through limited exposure to the sun might prevent skin damage and sunburns by strengthening the skin.
  • Vitamin D also helps to treat eczema and is a potential savior of rosacea sufferers.
Hair Benefits of Vitamin D:
  • Vitamin D reduces stress, and depression, and has often been linked to hair loss and various other problems.
  • Vitamin D is also a precursor to the hair growth cycle. Vitamin D acts on the keratinocytes to initiate hair follicle cycling and stimulate hair growth.
Looking at the benefits of vitamin D we must ensure that we get adequate doses of it from sunlight and from our diet. Always consider a doctor before popping pills as an overdose of vitamin D can be harmful. Take vitamin pills on your doctor’s advice and enjoy the sunshine. Stay fit, stay healthy!
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5 Simple Lifestyle Habits for a Healthy Living
Lifestyle Habits For A Healthy Living Most people think that living a healthy lifestyle is a challenge. Well, it’s not unless you make it. When you look at the super fit and healthy people out there, it can seem almost impossible to get what they have. But it’s not impossible. The trick is to focus on making the healthy choice at any given moment, rather than looking at all the things you must do in the long term. With that in mind, here is a list of habits you can adopt that will add up to a healthy lifestyle. 1. Drink a Glass of Water Before Every Meal Everyone needs to drink more and more water. That's a given. Plus when you drink a glass of water before you eat you'll already feel a little fuller and won't be as tempted to eat past the point of hunger. 2. Exercise Often Again this too is not news that you don’t know. The truth, simple as it is, is that adding exercise to your life on daily basis is one of the best ways to promote a healthy lifestyle in general. The health related benefits are huge, as is the step you are taking towards self-improvement. 3. Sleep Matters Do you sleep solid seven or eight hours most nights? Many of us don’t but experts say this is a marker of good heart health. Good sleep doesn’t just give you more energy; it can also help with healthy eating goals. When you’re short on sleep, it reduces your body’s production of hormones that suppress appetite, which can contribute to weight gain. 4. Focus on Sitting Up Straight Having good posture can prevent aches and pain and it can also reduce stress on your ligaments. You can try to leave yourself a note to sit up straight, until it becomes an unconscious habit. Walking with your shoulders back and head held high can also make you feel good about yourself. 5. Eat a Healthy Breakfast Every Day Eat something high in fiber that includes protein to keep you full and energized. If you start the day out right, you tend to eat better overall. Remember that building new healthy habits can take some time. Stay focused on your goal, and if you slip along the way, well, it does not harm in starting it again.
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How You Can Stay Fit and Healthy - Follow These 6 Lifestyle Tips
6 lifestyle tips to stay fit and healthy

It's the little things that you do each day that adds up to being healthy and fit. While we do what we can to be as health-conscious as we can, it is always a work in progress since there are many elements to a healthy lifestyle. Use these tips as a guide on your journey on the path to good health.

1. Eating Breakfast Daily

A healthy breakfast starts your day off right. It sets you up so that you have energy and fuel for optimal mental and physical performance. Eating breakfast helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels and a healthy weight because you are less likely to overindulge later in the day.

2. Eat Small Portions at Regular Intervals

Most people know that small, frequent meals are absolutely the only way to go. Why? Because when we go longer than 3 hours without eating, our levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise. When you eat small, frequent meals long term, the body becomes efficient at keeping cortisol levels low, which helps both men and women reduce belly fat.

3. Make Fitness a Lifestyle

Even if you just get out for a walk a few times a week, exercise is important for being fit and healthy. Cardiovascular exercise helps to strengthen the heart and lungs; strength training helps to strengthen the muscles and stretching helps to reduce the risk of injury by increasing flexibility. Exercise also improves circulation and body awareness, and regular exercise can help combat depression.

4. Eating Whole Foods

Successful fit people tend to eat mainly whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Whole, natural foods—apples, steel-cut oatmeal, broccoli, salads, brown rice—are low-density foods. That is, they take up a lot of room in your stomach because they contain lots of fiber, which satisfies hunger with few calories. Eating mostly low-density foods is the easiest way to keep your weight in check without feeling hungry or like you’re depriving yourself.

5. Expressing Yourself

Keeping emotions bottled up inside can cause mental and emotional stress as well as physical symptoms. Unexpressed feelings can lead to depression, sleep problems, eating disorders, and even physical pain. Learn to talk about your feelings and you’ll soon notice the positive changes in your mind and body.

6.Relax Your Body & Mind

A lot of us have forgotten how to relax. We often find ourselves carrying stress and tensions in our muscles, when sometimes all we need to do is lie down and allow ourselves to relax, clear our minds of all thoughts and just listen to your body. When the body is relaxing it is able to repair your muscles and it will also relax the mind enabling you to mentally focus. Being mentally focused is almost as important as the exercise itself. To achieve any life goals you must believe in yourself.

Often, the biggest hurdle is sluggishness. It's true that it isn't easy to change ingrained habits, however gradually working toward change improves your odds of success. So follow the above-said strategies that will help you enact a healthy change in your life, no matter what change you'd like to make.

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Vitiligo: The White Darkness

Vitiligo The White Darkness

Vitiligo or the ‘white spot’ is not a medical disorder, yet it has been a cause of depression in 1-3% of the population. Smita Gautam takes you through the white darkness of Vitiligo to the light at the end of the tunnel to Skin City where there is hope.

Vitiligo: Myths busted!

Vitiligo is characterized by areas of hypo or de-pigmentation on the skin surface due to destruction or loss of melanocytes, the cells that give pigmentation to the skin.Thus in these areas, normal pigmentation of the skin is missing or deficient.

This is not a life threatening disease, in fact, according to SkinCity’s philosophy; it is not a disease at all. Vitiligo has been an important agenda for Skin City, in terms of creating public awareness. It does not have to be treated says Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City and Founder of the Janaki Medical & Social Charitable trust who has worked very hard to de-stigmatize this condition.

The trust has won the “Pride of India” title by the Maharashtra Journalist foundation for its notable social contribution to the cause.

To bust a few myths about Vitiligo –

  • It is not genetic, it is familial.
  •  It is not contagious and it is definitely not leprosy.
  • It is not incurable.
  • It does not affect any internal organs
  • It is only skin deep.

Why SkinCity?

Skin City is the largest institution that treats Vitiligo with lasers. The first Excimer lasers, XTRAC & VTRAC were launched by Skin City a decade ago. Skin City has also done research on Cyanoacrylate Lamination technique for skin grafting in Vitiligo.

Several surgical procedures like Miniature punch grafting, or MPG, Suction blister grafting and MCS or Melanocyte cell suspension are successfully carried out at Skin City regularly.

In some cases, Micropigmentation or skin tattooing can be done when other options are contraindicated. If the hair on the eyebrow or scalp and in the case of men, facial hair is affected, then hair transplantation can be considered.

Depending on the areas affected, age and progression of the condition, those affected can enjoy long periods of remission and even permanent cure.

So people with vitiligo can choose to come out of this ‘white darkness’. They can choose the colour of their skin!

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Want a Clear And Glowing Skin This Summer? Here’s How You Can Get One

Clear And Glowing Skin

Summer is here! Those long warm days are finally upon us! This also means the harsh sun is beaming down on your skin! Make sure to protect yourself at the pool, the beach, and even during your day-to-day activities. Here are a few suggestions that can help you keep your skin healthy and glowing throughout the summer months. Sunscreen, Sunscreen, and more Sunscreen! About a teaspoon is needed for the face and a shot glass for the body to give a good amount of coverage. This needs to be applied and reapplied every two hours. Most people think they only need to protect themselves if they are going to be out in the sun – WRONG – even running errands can lead to too much sun exposure! Keep your skin exfoliated and hydrated! Exfoliating removes the dead skin cells, cleans your pores, and helps your skin care products penetrate the skin deeper. Hydrating your skin to keep the skin barrier protected. I recommend applying a moisturizing mask two or three a week. Make friends with H20! More time spent outside in the heat leads to dehydration, which can result in headaches and dizzy spells. Eight glasses of water day can help maintain moisture balance in the body and skin. Also, seasonal summer foods like: watermelons, leafy greens, and berries have higher concentration of water to help you stay hydrated. Protect your feet Use a foot scrub and a file in the shower once or twice per week. Make sure to use sunscreen on the top of your feet too! Pay attention to your lips Avoid menthol and camphor based lip treatments. Instead, use ingredients like Shea butter balm and make sure there is sun protection with a high enough SPF. Avoid applying lip gloss as it actually attracts the sun, while balms tend to hydrate. Remember when in doubt, reapply!!! See your dermatologist I always find more skin cancers on my patients’ skin after summer. Self skin exams and professional skin exams done by your dermatologist save lives. Learn what to look for on your own skin and schedule an appointment with your doctor. Get your diet back on track What you eat matters to the appearance and health of your skin. Brush up on the facts, and then tweak your diet accordingly. Don’t expect that taking a supplement will give you a “dietary bypass;” there’s no substitution for getting the vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber that you need for optimal skin health by eating a diet composed of whole foods, fruits, and veggies. During the summer month your routines needs to change to keep your skin healthy and glowing. These tips should help.
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Baby Skin Clinic: Managing and Diagnosing Infant Skin Concerns
Caring Treatment for Pediatric Skin Conditions Children’s skin is very tender and supple. The dermatosis of young, immature and tender skin often requires a specialized expertise to treat. Many genetic diseases are first present with skin manifestations; hence it’s very important that they are diagnosed correctly at the right age. This helps parents and later the child for managing the disease well. Children with vascular or pigmented lesions may also be offered treatment with the latest laser technology, either in our department or in a specially designated operating room. We provide diagnostic and therapeutic services for infants, children and adolescents with skin disorders. This includes the evaluation and treatment of disorders of the skin such as:
  • Dermatitis-Atopic
  • Dermatitis - Contact
  • Diaper Rash
  • Dry Skin/Itchy Skin
  • Hives
  • Rashes/Red Skin
  • Scars
  • Chicken pox
  • AcanthosisNigricans
  • Blisters
  • Acne
  • Birthmarks
  • Eczema
  • Hair disorders such as Alopecia (hair loss)
  • Hemangiomas and vascular malformations
  • Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
  • Molluscum and warts
  • Moles
  • Nail disorders
  • Psoriasis
  • Seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff)
  • Skin cancer
  • Tinea (ringworm)
  • Vitiligo
Our paediatric dermatologists at Skin City specialize in common skin, hair and nail disorders, as well as complex genetic and infectious dermatologic complications. We provide clinical evaluation, diagnostic biopsies, and advanced therapies when needed.
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What Causes Allergy on the Skin? Understand Their Types
What-Is-Skin-Allergy

In today’s world which is full of stress and contaminations, skin and other allergies have evolved as lifestyle disorders. One can be allergic to certain substances by birth or develop them over a period of years. Some common allergens include foods, cosmetics, fragrances, plantations, sunlight and dust.

Allergies are common in all age groups. It is a response of one’s own body immune system to agents like dust, metal, fibre, chemical, pollen grains. These agents are also known as allergens are not harmful, occur freely in the environment and do not bother most people they come in contact with. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one allergen. When an allergen comes in contact with an individual with allergy, it triggers an allergic or hypersensitive reaction. Heredity and environmental exposures contribute to susceptibility of an individual to allergies.

At Skin City, we offer a thorough consultation and allergy testing for patients suffering from skin allergies to known and unknown allergens and a treatment protocol suitable for patient’s needs.

What Is An Allergy?

The human immune system is programmed to combat any foreign substance (allergen, infectious agents) entering our body. In this process of dealing with allergens, the immune system produces a number of antibodies and activates blood called eosinophils. Together they attack the allergen with chemical substances. Sometimes the same chemicals can result in symptoms of allergy.

Symptoms of allergies may be obvious such as hay fever or not so obvious such as breathlessness after taking certain medicines. An allergic reaction can occur anywhere in the body (e.g. sneezing and stuffy nose, itching rash of urticaria and asthma). However other symptoms like severe urticaria, migraine, and even life- threatening symptoms (reactions to drugs, foods and cosmetics) can occur.

•    Specific allergic disease

•    Allergic rhinitis / sinusitis

•    Allergic conjunctivitis

•    Allergic bronchitis

•    Eczema, Atopic dermatitis

•    Urticaria, Angioedema

•    Contact Dermatitis

It is important to detect what is causing the allergy in an individual. After detecting the allergens, the best way is to avoid them (drug allergy), use control measures (house dust mites), create tolerance to them (food allergies), skin protection (urticaria) or treat them with oral vaccines (allergic colds or asthma). We detect allergies by the skin Prick tests which in the hand of an allergy specialist are 90-100% sensitive.

At Skin City we manage skin, respiratory and food allergies by careful consultation, ‘In vitro’ allergy testing and treatment as per international guidelines and advanced Desensitization for those who require it.

 
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All You Need To Know About Birthmark Removal

How Do You Treat Birthmarks

Skin blemishes that are present at birth or appear soon after are generally referred to as "birthmarks". These may vary in red or brown and represent an overgrowth of superficial blood vessels or pigment cells. The treatment of these birthmarks depends on the type of lesion. Before determining how to remove these birthmarks, here is some information on the more common types and how to identify them:

Pigmentation-Type Birthmarks – These can include various types of birthmarks including moles (congenital nevi), Coffee-cream spots, and Mongolian spots.

Macular Stains (Salmon Patches) – These are very thin, light pink, flat patches of discoloration. These are usually found on babies, either on the back of their neck, or on their upper eyelids.

Vascular Malformations – These are caused by abnormal development of blood vessels and are almost always present from birth. Port-wine stains, a very common birthmark, are a type of vascular malformation and can be found anywhere on the body. These birthmarks may be a concern if located on the face above or around the eye because they may be associated with eye and/or brain problems.

Hemangiomas – These are lesions that develop on infants within a couple of weeks after birth. These are caused by many tiny blood vessels that are bunched together and can grow quite rapidly during the child’s first six to nine months. These are the most common tumors found in babies and usually develop around the head and neck.

How is Birthmark Removal Performed?

There are different ways that a birthmark can be removed, depending upon its type, size, location and other factors. The effective birthmark removal treatments as follows:

  1. Laser Therapy: Lasers are used to treat birthmarks that are close to the surface of the skin. This method can be performed at any age. During treatment, short bursts of laser light are aimed at the birthmark in order to shrink it or cause it to stop growing. Multiple visits may be necessary to achieve optimal results. Laser therapy may also be used for hemangioma, however it is not used to treat cases where it is found on an internal organ, or deep within the skin.
  2. Surgery: This method is used when other non-surgical treatments have not worked. A hemangioma that is large, or found on an internal organ also requires surgery and general anesthesia.

There are many laser systems used to treat birthmarks - some more appropriate than others. However, as important as the technology is the competence and experience of the medical professional operating the machine. Not one type of laser treatment is the answer for every problem or skin type. Expert dermatological diagnosis and correct assessment is vital. Skin City is able to offer years of laser expertise gleaned from Dr. Niteen Dhepe’s years of heading the Department of Dermatology at Skin City.

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What is Aesthetic Dermatology? How Does It Work?

What is Aesthetic Dermatology

Aesthetic Dermatology is a new and uniquely different dermatology practice, setting a standard for cosmetic dermatology in India. It is a group of treatments that are used to improve personal appearance rather than address an underlying disease. Some might argue that a few treatments that are classified as "cosmetic" are actually medical in nature, such as procedures for acne. The different types of treatments covered under aesthetic dermatology are chemical peels, wrinkle fillers, microdermabrasion, liposuction, enhancements, and laser resurfacing. Aesthetic dermatology's primary purpose is to improve a person's looks by reducing or eliminating imperfections. The majority of these imperfections are related to the skin, in particular the face, while a few treatments address the nails, scalp and hair.

Most aesthetic dermatology treatments are focused on improving the appearance and texture of the skin, especially on the face. The medical professionals at Skin City offer a wide range of cosmetic procedures that keep your skin looking and feeling fantastic. Whether you’re concerned about the early signs of aging or varicose veins, Aesthetic Dermatology offers the cosmetic procedure you’re looking for.

  • Botox
  • Fillers
  • Facials
  • Chemical Peels
  • Liposuction

Those who wish to look younger may undergo treatment to fill in wrinkles or remove age spots. Fillers and injections of patented substances are used to improve the condition of facial muscles and plump up depressions in the skin. Several periodic treatments may be needed since the results are usually temporary.

Skin City offers advanced expertise in cosmetic procedures like no other in Pune, India. And we believe in the procedures and products we offer. We won’t leave you confused with a large and overwhelming portfolio of lasers, treatments and skin care products because we don’t believe everything out there is worth your time and money. What we offer, we believe in. What we do, works!

Schedule a cosmetic consultation today and look forward to a better tomorrow!

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How Caffeine Can be of a Great Benefit to Your Skin

How Caffeine Can be of a Great Benefit to Your Skin

It may be more than just an energy boost that comes from drinking your morning coffee. This powerful bean also has the ability to awaken your skin from the inside out. Not sure how? Check out some of the ways caffeine doubles up as a natural skin care product and helps you look more vibrant and youthful. Coffee can be Used as Body Scrubs Caffeine acts as a natural exfoliant which boosts collagen production and reduces cellulite! By mixing coffee grounds with water and olive oil you can create a cellulite-removing scrub for your body. The caffeine in the coffee grounds works especially well to help firm skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite. Coffee is Good For Hair Shampoos and other hair products based on caffeine immediately penetrate to the hair roots and increase blood circulation in the nearby capillaries. As a result, hair follicles are more easily and quickly renewed. Caffeine-based preparations are therefore very efficient hair growth enhancers. Caffeine can be a great ally for men who suffer from baldness caused by an excess of testosterone. Coffee Can be Used as An Anti-aging Treatment Another way to indulge in the benefits of coffee is using it as a face mask treatment. Mix organic grounds with cocoa powder, whole milk, lemon juice and honey for a deep-cleaning facial mask. Apply it to your skin for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it away for clean pores and smoother skin. Caffeine Fights Free Radicals Free radicals are responsible for causing premature skin aging. This results in the appearance of wrinkles, sunspots and loss of elasticity. The antioxidants contained in caffeine can attack these free radicals and eliminate them, improving the overall look of your skin. Caffeine Can Treat Under-eye Circles Under eye dark circles can be caused by various factors such as dehydration, allergies, lack of sleep or genetics. Although caffeine cannot cure hereditary dark circles, its anti-inflammatory properties make it beneficial in reducing puffiness and inflammation associated with dark circles. It can also reduce the accumulation of blood under your eyes, which contributes to dark shadows. Look for eye creams that contain caffeine or if you want a cheaper option, try applying moist tea bags under your eyes for 5 minutes to reduce dark circles and puffiness. So, these are some of the pretty perks of your morning brew (and just be sure to stick to the recommended limit of 400 mg of caffeine per day to avoid dehydrating yourself).
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How to Take Care of Dry Lips in Winters
How to Take Care of Dry Lips in Winters Usually, we do not pay much attention to lips so they tend to become dry and flaky. You color them up but forget to take care of them. But in reality, lips need much more attention than any other body part, the reason being they do not contain oil glands. This is why they need proper attention and care, especially during winters, to save them from dryness, cracks and even bleeding. The harsh winter climate strips your skin of its moisture, so you can imagine the harm it causes to lips that do not have natural moisture restore system. Our facial skin has oil glands that protect it from dryness but as lips do not have oil glands so we need to follow a disciplined routine to maintain their supple and soft feel. All you need to do is tweak your daily care regime a bit, and you are all set to combat winter dryness. Here’s how:
  1. First, it is very important to get rid of your dead skin from time to time so that new skin tissues get space to grow. To do so, you should weekly exfoliate your lips using lip scrubs. For the homemade scrub, mix one spoon of sugar with half spoon of honey, scrub the mixture on your lips for 1 minute and rinse thoroughly, followed by moisturizer.
  2. During the winter season, cold conditions contribute to lip chapping and dryness so after bathing or face wash, gently rub towel on your lips to avoid chapping and dead skin accumulation. You can do this activity every alternate day.
  3. Moisturizing is the most important factor in winters. You should keep a lip balm handy, carry it in your handbag and keep reapplying it after every few hours. Ideally, beeswax lip balms and petroleum jelly work best in healing dry chapped lips. At night you should apply ghee or honey to recuperate lips from the damage of harsh cold weather.
  4. Drink plenty of fluids to keep your skin well-hydrated. It does more good to your skin than the creams do.
  5. Most of us have a habit of licking or chewing our lips. Irrespective of how itchy your lips feel do not bite, lick or chew them. If you keep on licking your lips again and again this will aggravate their condition and can even cause bleeding. Plus, frequently touching your lips with hands may generate bacteria, which then could worsen lips’ problem.
  6. If you have a habit of wearing lipstick or lip gloss regularly, then use lip balm underneath or use lipstick/lip gloss with a moisturizing ingredient. And never ever forget to apply a moisturizer after removing your lipstick/lip gloss.
So these are some ways by which you can take care of your chapped lips this winter and get lips that are real fresh, soft, and attractive.
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Most Effective Benefits of Milk for Skin and Hair

Most Effective Benefits of Milk for Skin And Hair

“Doctor, is milk good for skin and hair?” Many ask me this question redundantly and to this, my answer is yes! Milk can do wonders for your face; it hydrates dry skin, exfoliates mature skin, soothes irritated skin and lightens dark skin. Both my research and experience speak volume about the extraordinary benefits of milk for skin. Here is a list of the most effective benefits of milk for skin and hair. Milk Benefits for Skin 1. Natural cleanser: Raw milk is an amazing natural skin cleanser, as it removes all the dirt and dead-cells from your skin; blackheads or whiteheads becomes softer and can be easily removed by steaming. Just apply some raw milk on your skin and rub gently. Wash it off with lukewarm water. 2. Natural Moisturizer: Raw milk works as an amazing natural moisturizer which can help you get rid of lifeless dull and dry skin in winter season. Make a smooth paste with mashed banana and some cold milk, apply this paste all over the face, leave it on for about 20 minutes then rinse it off with warm water. Apply this mask regularly for better results. 3. Natural Toner: Milk is a wonder ingredient if you are looking to use a natural and chemical-free toner. All you need to do is mix few drops of raw milk and green tea together in a bowl. Dab a cotton ball in it and apply it all over your face. Leave it on for a few minutes, and wash it off. You can clearly see an instant glow and radiance in your skin if you do this regularly. Milk can make your skin feel silky and rejuvenated if your skin is dull and lifeless. It cleanses the pores and moisturizes the dry skin. Milk Benefits for Hair 1. For dry hair: Applying milk on your scalp and washing it off after few minutes makes your hair super soft and silky. Avoid this method if you have dandruff. 2. Use as a conditioner: Use milk for conditioning for your hair Instead of using a shampoo conditioner. Just fill a spray bottle with some cold milk and spray it on your hair by combing hair gently. Wash off milk from hair after 10-15 minutes. 3. Hair repairing properties: Milk is extremely beneficial for hair repairing; it nourishes, strengthens and softens hair. Especially goat milk provides much healthier and shinier looking. So rinsing the hair with fresh goat milk will help you the most. So thus, these are few benefits of milk for skin & hair, use all these tips and make use of all the benefits milk has to offer you.
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Foods That Make Your Skin Glow in Winter

Foods That Make Your Skin Glow in Winter

The chilly dry wind, the decreasing temperature and low humidity that come with winter can play havoc on your skin, lips and other parts of the body. It can leave your skin dry, harsh and flaky as well as cause a dull complexion, cracked lips, itchiness and skin irritation. Along with a proper skin care routine, you need to keep a close eye on what you are eating to maintain a healthy glow throughout the winter season. Your diet can help protect your skin against dryness and ultraviolet (UV) sun damage, minimize wrinkles and other signs of aging, and promote smooth and glowing skin. Here are some of the foods that do wonder for your skin in winter. Olive Oil: Olive oil is extremely good for your skin, especially during winters when the skin tends to become drier. Being highly rich in vitamins A and E as well as several other minerals and natural fatty acids, it helps hydrate the skin to maintain its elasticity and softness. It also prevents skin aging, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and protects the skin from free radical damage. Carrot: Carrots are loaded with vitamin A and other antioxidants that can keep your skin healthy, vivacious and shining even during the harsh winter days. Carrots also prevent the signs of aging like wrinkles, pigmentation and an uneven skin tone. Plus, carrots contain the carotenoids beta-carotene and lycopene that help protect your skin against UV damage. Being rich in potassium, they also help solve the problem of dry skin. Broccoli Though you may not find it exciting to eat, but broccoli is another highly healthy vegetable for your skin. It is packed with skin-boosting ingredients like vitamins A and C as well as natural estrogens that can do wonders for your skin. While vitamin C fuels collagen production to keep the skin healthy, vitamin A guards the skin cell membranes and averts skin damage due to sun exposure. Additionally, the vitamins B in broccoli helps you get rid of dry, flaky patches, one of the most common skin problems that you may experience during winters. Almond Almonds contain powerful antioxidants that can do wonders for your skin, especially during the dry and cold winter days. They are also a good source of vitamin E that helps nourish your skin and protect it from the sun’s damaging UV rays. They are additionally packed with many anti-aging properties that help reduce wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of aging. Green Tea Not only is green tea loaded with skin-nourishing antioxidants, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that can heal damaged skin and prevent blemishes. Cold, harsh winter weather can take a toll on your skin. Fight back with this arsenal of skin-nourishing foods that will keep your skin healthy and glowing all season long.
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Can You Reverse Aging? Regain Your Lost Youth With Liquid Facelift Treatments

 Regain Your Lost Youth With Liquid Facelift Treatments

Ageing of skin occurs in all the layers of the skin. The texture roughens, the collagen thickness gets depleted, water content dries up, the fat layer shifts and muscle tone goes down. It is unscientific to expect a single treatment or a single cream to reverse all these changes. Ageing of the face causes a 3 dimensional change so treatment should address the changes in all layers. We at SkinCity advocate that the ideal anti ageing treatment should address all of the following - tightening & lifting, filling for hydrating & Skin brightening. Thus we advise the 3D facelift for optimum results.   Liquid Facelift Botulinum Toxin (Botox): The Wrinkle Smoothner: At Skin City, our doctors are striving to provide solutions for anti ageing. Looking good does wonders for our confidence & helps us be successful in every field. Wrinkles are formed on the face over time due to sun exposure & continuous muscle activity. These lines often make us look tired, angry or older than we are. Botulinum Toxin is one of the best & the most popular wrinkle reduction treatment available today. What is Botulinum Toxin? Botulinum Toxin is a US FDA approved natural, purified protein that relaxes wrinkle-causing muscles & creates a rejuvenated and more youthful appearance. According to US FDA, anybody in the age group of 18-80 yrs (not in pregnant or breastfeeding women) of age who desires to get rid of their wrinkles & have a smoother appearance can get the treatment done. What are The Indications for Botulinum Toxin? To remove frown lines between the eyebrows, Crow’s feet around the eyes, horizontal forehead wrinkles, Bunny Lines on the nose, Downturned corners of the lips, Neck bands (chicken legs) and horizontal lines, Chin creasing, to reduce broad jaws, to improve the facial contour, to lift sagging jowls. For improving gummy smile Hyperhidrosis: To reduce excessive sweating on palms & underarms How is The Treatment Done? Few injections with a very fine, small sterile needles are given in the desired area. No anaesthesia is required. The pain is minimal, often described like an ant bite sting. For those who have a low pain threshold, ice packs can be used to alleviate pain. One can resume normal activities immediately. It takes effect after 4-5 days, with full effect 7-15 days post treatment. How Long Does The Effect Last? Effect may last for 4-6 months or longer, results vary from patient to patient. May last longer with repeated treatments. But result will wear off progressively (not suddenly). Will my lines worsen if I discontinue Botulinum Toxin? NO. Eventually, wrinkles will return as they were before the treatment. What are The Side Effects? No long-term side effects reported in the 20 years of use. Most common side effect is tenderness and bruising at the site of injection. Some people may have a feeling of heaviness in the head for a few hours. Is It Safe? Botulinum Toxin is a purified protein derivative of botulinum toxin A & has been used for the last 20 years safely. It is US FDA approved. It is also used for treatment of migraine. Botulinum Toxin is also approved for use in children over 2 years of age with cerebral palsy. CAUTION: IT SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY QUALIFIED TRAINED DOCTORS ONLY. Fillers: Fill in The Youth Do you want to have high cheek bones/ sharp sculpted nose/ attractive pout like your favourite actresses? Nothing is impossible to achieve at Skin City, whether you wanted to have higher cheek bones, sculpted jawline or a narrow or straight nose, an oval face or full lips. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Esthelis, Fortelis&Modelis are used for non surgical face lift which give you an instant result which could last upto 2 years. Fillers are injections given into the deeper layers of skin and subcutaneous tissue to make one look youthful. What is a HA Filler? HA is a safe, US FDA approved dermal filler that is injected into deeper layers of skin and suncutaneous tissue for the correction of facial lines and wrinkles, such as nasolabial folds. HA provides long lasting correction of smile lines and wrinkles around the nose and mouth, and hands with a natural look. What are The Indications for Fillers? Filling the tear trough giving tired look to your eyes Deep laugh lines, nasolabial folds Sunken or hollow cheeks Mental crease, Chin augmentation, Nose shaping without surgery, Lip plumping, lip defining, Prominent marionette lines, Non surgical face lift, Filling shallow hands. How Does It Work? HA filler is gently injected into the skin in small amounts with a very fine needle. HA stimulates the body to produce new collagen. It absorbs water, increases in size and lifts up the surrounding area. This unique response provides immediate, visible improvement of folds and wrinkles and provides long-lasting and excellent results. How is The Procedure Performed? It is done in a clinic setting by our trained dermatologists by injecting into the skin through a thin needle. It is simple, safe, quick. Most patients return to normal activities almost immediately after treatment. When The Results Are Seen? The results are immediate and continue to improve as it stimulates your body to produce new collagen. Results may last a year or more in many patients. How Many Treatments Are Needed? Many patients will achieve their desired result after just one treatment. In the follow-up visit, a touch up treatment might be recommended if required. Side Effects? Mild irritation, edema, swelling, itching, discoloration, or tenderness at the injection site may occur. They typically resolve within one to two days.. How Safe are They? Hyaluronic acid is a substance of natural origin, which is safe and completely biocompatible and wholly biodegradable with no risk of allergy. As described, liquid facelifts helps to improve laxity in the face and will give a person a youthful and refreshing look. If this seems like a procedure that is a good option for you, take the time to set up a free consultation with an expert at Skin City.
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Best Exercises for Glowing and Fresh Looking Skin

Best Exercises for Glowing and Fresh Looking Skin

It’s not a secret that your entire body can benefit from the effects of exercise. Your skin is the largest organ you have, so cleansing it from the inside out with a good workout is the key to looking your best. Working out isn’t all about dropping pounds or prepping for your next triathlon. Regular exercise also gives you a healthy, glowing look that you just can’t get any other way. With so many exercise options available, it’s important to know how each type of workouts can affect your skin.

Cardio= Instant Glow Cardio is undoubtedly a fantastic way to improve your blood circulation and get that instant glow. An increase in blood flow helps the cells throughout your body receive the oxygen and nutrients they need. That increase will also enhance the cell renewal process and help draw toxins out of your body. Speaking of toxins, sweating is another way your body gets rid of them. When you sweat, your pores open and dirt/oil is pushed out. Concerned about breakouts? Sweat has natural anti-biotic properties, which may actually help reduce acne! Weight Training= Give a Boost of Collagen Higher collagen levels equate to firmer and more elastic skin, something we all could use! Weight training is a fun way to extend each workout due to the seemingly endless variety of moves to choose from. Another benefit of lifting weights: it can reduce the appearance of cellulite. Try incorporate lifting in your next workout to get firmer, smoother skin from head to toe. Yoga= Normal Sebum Production The stress hormone cortisol can cause excess sebum production and acne. Yoga is one of the best ways to ease stress and lower the hormone. This will normalize sebaceous glands and decrease stress related breakouts. Cardio, weight training, and yoga each do their part to help to improve circulation, boost collagen and ease stress to give your skin a youthful look and feel. Most importantly, it’s important to choose exercises that you enjoy. Mix it up regularly to eliminate boredom and to ensure your success in achieving healthier skin. I believe skin matters and you should always love your skin, so get moving and get glowing today! Note* you are advised to take proper precautions if you have any health limitations, Consult a physician if you do. Conduct workouts in the presence of a trained fitness professional.
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Amazing Benefits Of Water on Your Body, Hair & Skin

 Amazing Benefits Of Water on Your Body, Hair & Skin

You should at least drink 8 glasses of water a day. You have been hearing this idiom since centuries. So how does drinking water benefit skin? What is the relationship between drinking water and hair growth? How effective is drinking water for weight loss? Water is vital for the human body to work or function properly. Your body constantly loses water from skin evaporation, breathing and urine. These losses must be replaced daily by drinking sufficient water, other fluids or water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. So, what are these incredible drinking water benefits that you need to know? Clear, Glowing Skin Drinking water keeps your skin cleansed and hydrated, making your skin feel cheering and fresh. By drinking water you flush out toxins and get rid of the dirt that clogs the pores of your skin, giving you a healthier glow. Natural Weight Loss It may come to your surprise that drinking water actually helps you to lose weight. A lot of the time when you feel hungry, you are actually thirsty, and when you drink water you feel fuller. This will stop you snacking unnecessarily. Swapping water with your usual aerated drinks or caffeine-based drinks will work wonders for your body. As well as the health benefits that water provides, it means that you are cutting out sugary junk drinks that are bad for you. Toning Skin Water helps to keep your skin tight and toned, cleansed and flushes out toxins. Your body naturally fills cells with water to make them firm and tight, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles for a smooth finish. When the cells are filled with water they become bulged and push against your skin from the inside, and this can help to reduce unsightly marks such as cellulite and flabby skin. Glossy & Healthy Hair Drinking water hydrates cells, and your hair is no exception. Drink plenty of water to make your hair naturally soft and silky. If you have frizzy or brittle hair, just drink more water and you will see a difference in no time. A Healthier You What you consume is what you are. Drinking water makes your blood thinner, leading to a faster blood flow and nourishment to your body cells. Lowering your blood pressure will give you a healthier heart and gives you much needed energy. With your body feeling cleansed and in an excellent working condition you will feel and look great. How Much Water You Should Drink Every Day? As recommended by many experts 2.5 liters a day, that is about 6–8 glasses, but as all bodies are different, check for your weight, height, and age. The more you drink the more your body will crave water, so give it a go. You will quickly notice positive results. Whether you want shinier hair, younger skin, a healthier body (or all three!), pure, clear water is the world's best beauty elixir. So next time you want a beauty boost, grab a glass!
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Skin Lightening: The Causes and Effective Treatments

Skin Lightening - The Causes and Effective Treatments

Skin colour is decided by nature. SkinCity does not believe in changing the natural skin tone from dark to fair or vice versa. Healthy skin care routines, use of sun protection and optimum use of skin brightening agents like peels & lasers advised by an expert, can enhance the natural beauty of your skin. All kinds of skin shades whether white/ brown/ yellow/ black are beautiful, but dark patches, uneven skin tone, pigmentation, under eye dark circles can definitely lower one’s confidence as the face is the first thing the world notices. At SkinCity, Dermatologists will analyze your skin and customize a treatment for your pigmentation, ranging from medicines to procedures. Procedures for pigmentation include Fractional Q switched NdYag laser and an array of peels such as Glycolic peels, TCA peel, Yellow peel, Obagi peel, Nomelan peel, Cosmelan peel and much more. Skin is the largest organ of the body. It is made up of two layers, the upper ‘epidermis’ and the lower ‘dermis’. The epidermis and the dermis are further divided into other layers. The lowermost layer of the epidermis is known as the basal layer and it contains organelles called ‘melanosomes’. These melanosomes contain cells called melanocytes which produce a pigment called ‘melanin’. The color of skin depends mainly on this melanin and the amount of melanin present in the other layers of the epidermis. The thickness of epidermis and vascularity of the epidermis are other factors affecting the color of skin. Causes of Hyper Pigmentation Hyper pigmentation may either be due to increased melanin deposition in the epidermis or dermis. Epidermal pigmentary disorders respond well to treatment while dermal pigmentation may take a long time to lighten. Photomelanosis: This is increased pigmentation due to sun exposure. The pigmentation occurs on the exposed skin, commonly on the face, neck, and the back. The pigmentation may be patchy or as diffused darkening of the exposed skin. Sun burn(tan): A condition commonly encountered in fair skinned people due to excessive sun exposure. Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation: It may be seen after healing has occurred, like in acne, eczemas, contact dermatitis etc. Drug-induced pigmentation is caused due to cosmetics especially those containing fragrance. Melasma: Seen as brown patches on the face, it is more commonly seen in females. It occurs due to hormonal changes in the body. The pigmentation increases on sun exposure. Peri-orbital Melanosis: Also known as ‘dark circles’ may be hereditary, due to stress or eye strain. Freckles and Lentigines: These are tiny black spots on the face and are genetic in origin. Macular Lichen Amyloidosis: It occurs over the years due to dryness of skin, friction, sun exposure, mainly on back, arms, legs. Nevus or ‘Birthmark’: Usually seen at birth but may also appear at a later age. Tattoo: Tattoos are pigments inserted into the skin for a decorative purpose which may at times be a part of the tradition. Usually, these artificial pigments are inserted deep into the dermis which makes them permanent and stubborn. Treatment Options for Hyper-pigmented Disorders: Melasma, Photomelanosis and post inflammatory hyper pigmentation can be treated with topical creams such as hydroxy quinine, tretinoin, topical steroids, alpha hydroxy acid creams, azelaic acid, arbutin, licorice, kojic acid. Medications are usually combined with chemical peels, dermabrasion, IPL, Nd YAG laser procedures for getting best results. Chemical Peels
  • Chemical peeling is a application of a solution/gel on the treatment area for a particular time period. It is an office procedure. It does not require any hospitalization. After properly studying the skin type and its sensitivity, the dermatologist decides on the type of peeling agent and their concentration. The skin is first cleansed. The peeling agent is then applied gently onto the lesion or on the full face till the ‘end point’ is achieved. During or shortly after the procedure, the patient might experience warmth or stinging sensation for a few minutes. the procedure can be repeated after 2- 3 weeks.
  • Glycolic acid peel : it is an Alpha hydroxy peel .it is derived from sugarcane extract. It is done to remove blemishes and superficial acne scars.also to give an even skin tone. it is also used as an anti aging peel since it stimulates collagen thus reduces and prevents fine lines & wrinkles.
  • Lactic acid peel -AHA from fermented milk: Helps maintain skin pH and also useful in adjusting the pH of formulations.Moisturizes skin as is the skin’s own natural moisturizer done in those people who have acne or pigmentation but have a sensitive skin.
  • Arginine peel derived from Brown sugar used to treat dark circles
  • Kojic Acid peel produced by mushrooms of family Aspergillus and Penicillium
  • Glow peel - Reduces blemishes & pigmentation
  • Beta hydroxy peel – salicylic acid peel done for acne ( whiteheads& blackheads).
  • Obagi blue peel – Trichloroacetic acid peel : should be done with extreme caution by a dermatologist.done to reduce pigmentation & fine lines.
  • Cosmelan peel – is a whitening peel. To be done by a professional
  • Yellow peel : vitamin A peel done for skin lightening and brightening.
  • Black peel : excellent for acne which doesn’t respond to conventional medical treatments.
  • Nomelanpeel : done to treat increased pigmentation.
Advantages of peel:
  • Safe office procedure
  • Easy availability
  • Easy to use
  • Affordable
  • Compliments the drug therapy & brings about faster
  • Therapeutic effect, reducing the downtime to treatment
  • Excellent cosmetic results
Dermabrasion: It involves Mild to moderate exfoliation of superficial dead skin layer, thus helping in better penetration of medication/ peeling agents/ laser light. It improves the texture of the skin as well as the results of the pigmentation reducing procedures. IPL/ Nd YAG Laser: These Laser technologies help in breaking the melanin pigment responsible for hyper pigmentation. It gets destructed and scattered by the laser light rays and discarded from the body with metabolism process. They are safe techniques and downtime is minimal. They give excellent results when combined with medications and sun protection. Skin Brightening or Rejuvenation:
  • Medifacials include various modalities such as microdermabrasion, cavitation, RF skin tightening, water jet, oxygen therapy with misoporation. These techniques cause mild exfoliation of the superficial dead skin layer, collagen stimulation, deliver concentrated oxygen, stimulation of metabolic process of the skin. The cells remove metabolic products more efficiently with the dead and dull cells from the surface of the skin and hence the skin seems fresher and glowing.This is followed by application of skin brightening solution on the face and helping its movement through the skin to its deeper layers with a misoporation device. This device helps open channels in the skin through which the absorption of the skin brightening solutions would be enhanced. These solutions, a cocktail of vitamins, micronutrients, amino acids and antioxidants, then work where they are most effective and the end result is a rejuvenated and a smoother looking skin with a reduction in the fine lines and open pores. This procedure can be repeated every 15days to maintain the effect.
  • Restylane vital/mesolis :procedures with longer lasting results are the newer injections that have been introduced. these are the skin booster injections. Here, the skin is injected with hyaluronic acid, a natural constituent of the skin lost with aging. Hyaluronic acid has the property of binding and holding water in the skin, hence it improves skin hydration giving it a glowing complexion by naturally smoothening the skin from within. Multiple tiny injections are given in the skin after numbing the skin for 45mins to an hour, reducing the discomfort to a maximum. Injections are spaced at 3-4 weeks for three sessions and repeat sessions are needed no earlier than 6 months. so with just 3 sessions brides can sit back and relax, without having to worry about their skin and further visits to the clinic.
  • PRP (platelet rich plasma) or the vampire face lift is called so because your own blood is taken and after separation of different constituents, red cells from the plasma, it is reinjected into the skin. This plasma is rich in platelets and it contains growth factors which stimulate skin regeneration. As a result skin regains vitality and becomes more smooth and elastic. there is improvement in skin colour and best of all its all natural without any risk of allergic reactions. Sessions are repeated at an interval of 4-8 weeks as per the requirement and existing damage of the skin.
Our comprehensive guide above tells you all that you need to know before getting a skin lightening treatment. Skin City’s timeless skin care services offer best and effective Skin Lightening Treatment that helps to rejuvenate and lighten your skin tone. Contact and book your consultation with us today.
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7 Amazing Benefits of Honey on Your Skin

 7 Amazing Benefits of Honey on Your Skin

Legend has it that honey was Cleopatra’s preferred weapon in her beauty arsenal, and it is not surprising that her beauty was the talk of town then! Honey, especially raw or unpasteurized, is a fabulously versatile and all-natural ingredient to use on skin. It’s full of antioxidants, which are good for wrinkles and aging skin. It is antibacterial, which helps with acne treatments and prevention. It clarifies skin by opening up and unclogging pores. It’s also a great moisturizer that soothes irritation and blemishes, and it leaves a lovely afterglow. Honey's benefits for skin care work in a few different ways. Here are the seven benefits of using honey on skin: Anti-acne: Honey reduces pimples especially the red ones due to its anti-bacterial properties. You can either put raw honey directly on pimples at night or try this supper-effective honey based anti-acne spot treatment. Anti-ageing: Honey attributes its anti-ageing properties to skin repairing action, exfoliation, the amino acids and vitamin content. You can avail anti-aging benefits of honey by using this easy to make rejuvenating face pack; choose the recipe based on your skin type: Exfoliation: The organic acid in honey like gluconic acid accelerates shedding dead skin cells and tan from your face and body just like a scrub but without mechanical rubbing. Due to tanning and aging, dead cells stick to skin surface giving dull and patchy look because their shedding is delayed. Hence, honey helps in improving the dull, patchy look of your skin with regular use. Cuts and Burns: Honey is used as an antiseptic, especially Manuka honey has been used in the patient of burns and resistant bacterial infections. You can put raw honey on minor burns, cuts, abrasion, boils, ringworm, etc. twice a day until they heal. Kindly note if honey has already absorbed moisture, it is unlikely to work as antiseptic. Anti-fungal: Honey especially Manuka honey can be used to treat fungal infections of skin commonly called as ringworm. Moisturizer: Honey is hygroscopic like glycerine. Honey moisturizes your skin by absorbing water from the environment. Therefore, it should not be used alone especially in dry weather because it might extract water from your skin making it drier. Skin Repair: Honey helps in skin repair with the help of antioxidants that remove free radicals. These free radicals are produced in the skin on exposure to dust, pollution, stress, lack of sleep, the sun, disease, etc. A rarity in its own right, honey is nothing short of wonderful. It's sticky, a full-flavored substance not only tastes amazing, but it’s medicinal and therapeutic advantages are almost too good to be true. Use honey to the optimum and see the blissful benefits for yourself.
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Permanent Hair Removal With the Revolutionary Alexandrite Technology

Permanent Hair Removal With the Revolutionary Alexandrite Technology

Super smooth skin FOREVER!!! Super hair removal the Skin City way!! Skin City, India's largest skin and hair restoration centre, has installed the Alexandrite laser with 755nm wavelength.The technologies available are The Soprano ICE and The Platinum Plus Technologies. This is the solution for complete, permanent body hair removal. This technique is apparently so efficient, that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Q: Dr. Dhepe, can you throw some light on the need and concept of Super Hair Removal? A: Today people have become very conscious and particular about their looks and they take every possible step to look presentable. A smooth hairless body, that includes underarms, legs, arms, chest, etc. is the first step to acquiring a pleasant personality. In today’s busy times, it might not be possible to go for waxing and shaving every few days. People want a permanent solution to body hair problems. Laser technology is the answer to their needs. However the new Alexandrite laser is the latest, state of the art technology for painless, swift and permanent hair removal and the process is called Super Hair Removal. Q: How is the Alexandrite Laser different? A: Skin City is the first in the country to have installed this laser technology. This technology takes a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area. This is because of the speed of the machine and the fact that the treatment is painless, so large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Q: What are the benefits of Super Hair Removal? A: Because of the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, clients are able to take treatments on large body parts comfortably. This is especially beneficial for clients who opt for full body hair removal. This is also a special boon for male clients who wish to remove excess body hair which is the trend now. With older technologies local anesthesia was required due to the density and thickness of hair in males which made it a very painful experience. However with Super Hair Removal the process has become quick and painless. Skin City has attractive laser packages for both male and female clients. Q: How long does the process take? A: A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body requires 3-4 hours; as against other lasers which require the treatment to be done in stages which can take upto 3 days due to the pain and the time it consumes. The Suprano ICE and Platinum Plus Laser machines are quick and efficient and Skin City has highly trained therapists to carry out the treatments. Q: Does it have any side-effects? A: Absolutely none. Super Hair Removal is a safe method of permanent laser hair removal. It targets the hair follicles in the skin without any side effects to the skin or body. Skin City has a team of highly trained professionals who impart customized treatment based on individual requirement for safe and efficacious results. Q: Is it expensive? A: The treatment cost for Super Hair Removal is on par with other laser hair removal treatments, but is more quick and efficient. However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing. Q: How many sittings are required for optimum results? A: For permanent hair removal a client may require up to 8 to 12 sittings, depending on the hair growth. Skin City advocates a clear expectation alignment with the client to ensure client satisfaction with excellent results. In case anyone reading this blog has any more questions about Super Hair Removal, he/she can write to me on director@skincityindia.com. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City be happy to answer their questions.
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What to Eat and What Not to Eat to Stay Healthy

 What to Eat and What Not to Eat to Stay Healthy

Who doesn’t wish for a long and healthy life? While there are many factors contributing to your health, maintaining a good diet is one of the important factors for overall good health. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, nuts, and legumes will provide you with the essential nutrients for optimal energy levels, for a strong immune system and healthy internal organs. In addition, consuming the right foods can help protect you from a plethora of the most common chronic diseases. Below we shall see a list of healthy foods which you should consume and a list of unhealthy foods which you should definitely steer clear from. Healthy Foods These foods are sure to boost your willpower, help you slim down, and shape up for good.>
  1. Include all the 6 food groups comprising of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans and oils.
  2. Limit your servings based on your age, body frame and the level of physical activity of each person.
  3. Choose whole grains because they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, (3 servings daily is a must!)
  4. Eat lots of fresh vegetables because they are very rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers which will make you feel full.
  5. Eat a variety of fruits from each color to get the different vitamins that you need.
  6. Consume lean meat (beef or veal, skinless chicken breast, fish filet)
  7. Use low-fat milk (1% fat) or skimmed milk. Also, have low fat yogurt and cheese; these contain fewer calories and the same amount of calcium.
  8. Include legumes in your diet (lentils, chickpeas, beans) 2 to 3 times per week because they are nutritious and rich in fiber.
Unhealthy Foods Steer clear from these foods if you want to walk on the path of getting a healthy body.
  1. Bread. Due to the high Glycemic Index, these foods affect your blood sugar levels. Do not get tricked with ‘whole wheat’ or ‘healthy-grain’ labels.
  2. Processed Meat. These foods just have excess salt, fat, cholesterol, and very few nutrients, like fiber.
  3. Colas. Artificial sweeteners spike the production of insulin and that is not good for the body.
  4. Fruits Juices. Many fruit juices are actually little more than fruit-flavored sugar water. In fact, fruit juice contains just as much sugar as a sugary drink like Coke or Pepsi, and sometimes even more.
  5. Gluten-Free foods. The problem with many gluten-free diets is that people replace the gluten-containing foods with processed junk foods that happen to be gluten-free. These refined starches lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and are extremely low in essential nutrients.
  6. Coffee drinks. It is loaded with liquid, empty calories, and will be just as unhealthy as any other sugar-sweetened beverage.
  7. Junk foods. These are little devils in disguise! The more you consume, the more it will lead to major diseases.
A good rule to remember is that real food doesn’t need an ingredients list, because real food IS the ingredient.
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Treat Excessive Sweating and Odor with MiraDry & LSA Treatment

Treat Excessive Sweating and Odor with MiraDry & LSA Treatment

Excessive Sweating ( Hyperhidrosis): Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating is a debilitating condition for many people. The sweating stains clothes, produces bad odour and is tremendously embarrassing at work as well as at social outings. It affects personal as well as professional life. Types: Hyperhidrosis can either be generalized, or localized to specific parts of the body. Hands, feet, armpits, and the groin area are among the most active regions of perspiration due to the high number of sweat glands in these areas. When excessive sweating is localized (e.g. palms, soles, face, underarms, scalp) it is referred to as primary hyperhidrosis or focal hyperhidrosis. Excessive sweating involving the whole body is termed generalized hyperhidrosis or secondary hyperhidrosis. It is usually the result of some other, underlying condition. Hyperhydrosis can be associated with:
  1. Bromhidrosis which means a foul odour due to a water-rich environment that supports bacteria growth, caused by an abnormal increase in perspiration especially in the axillary area
  2. Chromhydrosis: secretion of coloured sweat may be yellow, green, blue, brown or black
Dermatology Life Quality Index ( DQLI ): It evaluates the impact of hyperhidrosis on daily activities. This score can be as high as 9/10 without treatment, indicating hyperhidrosis can cause severe impact on patient’s daily life. Treatment Options:
  1. Antiperspirants: Aluminium chloride is used in higher concentration in antiperspirants required to control hyperhidrosis. They become effective after 3-5 days but daily and multiple applications is needed and recurrence is common.
  2. Autosuggestion: Meditation , psychotherapy may help to some extent in stress induced hyperhidrosis.
  3. Medicines: Prescription medications called anticholinergics, taken by mouth, are sometimes used in the treatment of both generalized and focal hyperhidrosis eg: propantheline, glycopyrronium bromide or glycopyrrolate, oxybutynin, methantheline, and benzatropine. But they have side-effects, including dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation, and visual disturbances such as mydriasis (dilation of the pupils) and cycloplegia hence can’t be used long term.
  4. Botox:can be used to block neural control of sweat glands. The effect can last from 3–9 months depending on the site of injections. The duration of the beneficial effect in primary palmar hyperhidrosis has been found to increase with repetition of the injections.
Skin City Protocol for Hyperhidrosis: Microwave Therapy: miraDRY MiraDRY is microwave therapy. MiraWave TM energy is delivered to the affected area, primarily underarms and the sweat and odour glands are destroyed. All the while, soothing cooling is applied to protect your skin. This MiraDRY Treatment is very effective for underarm sweating and gives long lasting to permanent results. Laser Sweat Ablation ( LSA ): At Skin City, we offer Laser Sweat Ablation Treatment as a very effective and long lasting solution for hyperhidrosis. The procedure is minimally invasive and done under local tumescent anaesthesia. The process involves making a small incision; then a laser thread is passed directly underneath the skin to destroy the sweat glands. The laser destroys the sweat glands. 1470 nm Diode laser technology is used. Most people return to work the following day. There may be some soreness for a few days and the risks are minimal. The process eliminates or significantly reduces sweating in 80-100% patients. The areas that can be treated effectively are: Underarms, Feet. Since the sweat glands are destroyed completely, the effects are considered permanent. Both miraDry treatment and LSA treatment are walk in and walk out procedures giving very satisfactory results and making a big difference to the patient’s personal, social and professional lives.
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Keloids Guide - Definition, Causes & Treatment

Keloids Guide - Definition, Causes & Treatment Keloids are scars that grow beyond the original borders of the wound. Like hypertrophic scars they are raised, but they are often dark in colour and hard to the touch. Without treatment, they will often continue to grow. Keloid scars can make you self-conscious, but you don't have to live with them. Treatment can diminish the appearance of keloids or sometimes get rid of them altogether.

How Keloids Form The cause is exactly not known. They are the result of an overactive healing response. To bridge the gap caused by skin damage, your body creates granular tissues, which are made primarily of collagen, across the injury site. Imbalance between collagen stimulators and inhibitors lead to formation of keloid. Sometimes, the fibroblasts that lay down this bed of collagen don't get the message to turn off and continue creating the granular fibres, actually overlaying your natural skin with them.The result is a scar that continues to grow outward, often in all directions, expanding beyond the original site of the wound. • Risk Factors:
  1. 10-30 years of age
  2. Women
  3. Individuals with darker skin
  4. People with a family history of keloids
  5. Oily and hairy areas
  6. Commonest sites: Areas of highest friction and hair growth: elbows, shoulders, lateral thighs, back of the neck, chest
  7. Poorly cared and badly healed wounds
• Complications:
  1. Recurrent infections, abscesses
  2. Additional scarring and hypertrophy
Skin City Protocol of Keloid Management: 1) Control the trigger factors:
  1. Laser hair removal: hair follicle and sebum production act as a trigger, hence laser hair removal can be added
  2. Treat infection in time, remove/ drain abscess/sinus, coiled hair inside the keloid
  3. Vascularity: to decrease the vascular supply of keloid tissue by IPL or vascular lasers
2) Collagen Suppression Therapy
  1. Steroids/ 5FU injections are often used to stop the growth of keloids. They cause the fibroblasts to stop their work, and encourage your body to remodel the scar tissue into normal skin. This will diminish and change the appearance of keloids, but rarely eliminates them entirely.
  2. Pressure garments: It suppresses collagen production
  3. Silicon
• Collagen Remodelling Therapy:
  1. Combination of Ultrapulse SCAAR Fx and fractional drug delivery has given wonderful results. This unique protocol developed at Skin city, PG institute of Dermatology & lasers have shown results as effective as complete clearance in most of the cases.
  2. Ultrapulse SCAAR FX is known to create deep channels into thick scar tissue with minimal lateral thermal damage. This coupled with fractional drug delivery of collagen remodelling agents can almost flatten the hypertrophic scar and keloids if used for sufficient period of time.
  3. A typical treatment protocol for keloid and hypertrophic scar management will extend from 6 months to 18 months involving monthly or bimonthly OPD based treatment sessions.
• Why Choose Skin City for Keloid Treatment: Skin City India, PG institute of Dermatology & lasers has pioneered and revolutionised the technique of keloid treatment. We have extensive experience in keloid treatment. Our protocols and expertise to adapt laser technologies in Indian patients are being followed as the Gold standard in the field of Dermatology.
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Simple Ways to Reduce Hair Fall Naturally

Simple Ways to Reduce Hair Fall Naturally ‘Hair loss’ the most dreaded words today. Not only because of systemic or physiological reasons like aging, family history or poor diet, but normal life variations such as stress, restlessness, and tension also result in subsequent hair fall; horrifically leading to baldness. Cutting to the chase, let’s talk about overcoming hair fall naturally.

Let us first see what the major causes of hair loss are: 1. Genetics: This is the primary cause of hair loss. If your ancestors or close relatives have hair loss or thinning of hair in their lineage, you are likely to suffer from hair loss. 2. Lack of Nutrition: When hair does not receive proper nutrition, it causes a deficiency of iron / folic acid and B vitamins which leads to hair loss. 3. Stress: Like any other organic cells, Hair cells too need rest and relaxation to rejuvenate. 4. Chronic and Viral Diseases: Typhoid, Jaundice, High fever for longer periods and Viral Diseases, etc. affects your immune system leading to loss and thinning of hair. 5. Pregnancy and Childbirth: During pregnancy, women are prone to mineral deficiencies which cause hair loss in women. 6. Chemicals: Excessive usage of Hair Shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products containing chemicals over long periods also causes hair loss and hair thinning. 7. Dandruff: Dandruff leads to scaly scalp resulting into hair loss. 8. Hard Water or Chemically Treated Water: Washing your hair with hard water or chemically treated water also causes hair loss and thinning of hair. Now that you know what could have been the cause of your hair fall, here are some of the tips which will help you control hair fall effectively if you earnestly follow it. 1. The first natural beauty tip is to bring changes in your lifestyle and abolish the causes that lead to hair loss, as much as possible. 2. Massage your scalp with lukewarm coconut / olive oil to increase blood circulation which will stimulate the hair follicle and in return will strengthen your hair roots. 3. Consume a healthy balanced diet rich in iron, protein, calcium and vitamins B. Foods rich in proteins are turkey & chicken breast, fish (tuna & salmon), lean beef, cheese, tofu, beans, eggs, yogurt, milk, buttermilk, soy milk, nuts and seeds (peanuts, almonds). Consume iron rich foods like beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, spinach, sweet potatoes, peas, broccoli, strawberries, watermelon, raisins, dates, figs, tofu, beans etc. 4. Avoid stressing too much as it will cost you! To avoid stress you can do yoga, meditation, exercises or go for long walks. 5. Follow a healthy hair care routine. As you know if you want to keep any organ of your body healthy including hair, you need to keep it clean. 6. Use the least amount of chemicals and fragrance-free products. The chemicals can irritate your scalp aggravating hair loss. In the case of persistent hair loss, you can consult our experts at Skin City, who after checking the deficiencies and other health issues, can suggest you right treatments. Talk to us today. Telephone: + 91-9890225577 / + 91-9422458130 Email Id: customerservice@skincityindia.com
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How to Effectively Cure Pimples With Simple Home Remedies

How to Effectively Cure Pimples With Simple Home Remedies

Pimples or acne can cause even the most beautiful person, male or female, to lose his/her aesthetic value. Getting rid of pimples naturally is an art. While you might have already popped many pimples only to see that they leave behind nothing but ugly scars and blemishes. However, you need not resolve to such “DIY Surgeries” and this is the least thing your skin needs. The following 8 natural remedies to get rid of pimples will leave you with beautiful, acne-free skin without any side effects. Honey Honey’s antibiotic properties improve acne. Apply a teaspoon of honey to affected areas, or make a mask by mixing 1/2 cup of honey with 1 cup of plain oatmeal and leaving it on for 30 minutes. Mint Mint can help remove pore-clogging oil. To help clear acne before it begins, mix 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh mint with two tablespoons each of plain yogurt and oatmeal (use a blender to grind the oatmeal to powder). Leave the concoction on your face for 10 minutes, and then rinse off with water. Asprin The salicylic acid in aspirin is a go-to for acne treatments, and the aspirin can dry up pimples and reduce inflammation. To take advantage of its benefits, form a paste by mashing aspirin in a little water, or dissolve four pills in 2 tablespoons of water and see the results yourself. Aloe Aloe, known for its burn-relieving properties, can promote healing, fight infection, and even reduce scarring. Scrape the gel from an aloe plant out with a spoon, and apply to acne. You can also buy aloe gel from health-food stores—just make sure it’s pure aloe blend, with no added ingredients. Lemon A lemon act as an excellent exfoliant, skin lightener, and is an antiseptic to reduce the appearance of scars and prevent new pimples from forming. On a clean face, dab acne with a cotton ball or cotton swab dipped in lemon juice, and then rinse it with cool water. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar contains malic and lactic acids that can exfoliate, reduce red marks, and treat acne. For a DIY toner, mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water and apply to skin with a cotton ball, making sure to shake well before use. Citrus Fruits Acidic foods like citrus fruit juice or vinegar can flush pores. Dab a little onto a cotton ball to help battle acne; gently swipe the cotton on the affected areas. Turmeric Remember how your grandmother always insisted on sprinkling a little turmeric on your wounds, saying it would help it heal? Well, it is a fact that turmeric contains ingredients that make it a powerful antimicrobial. Mix a little turmeric powder with a little coconut oil and apply directly onto the pimples at night and rinse it well in the morning. Whether you are a teenager or an adult-you do not have to live with acne. Use these natural acne fighting remedies to get rid of acne quickly and easily.
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What is Cryolipolysis? Safety and Efficacy of Cryolipolysis Treatment
Cryolipolysis for Fat Reduction and Body Contouring Body shaping: Body shape majorly affects your confidence. If you have bulging tummy, love handles, bulky thighs, you feel shy to go out for social occasions and get restricted to wear certain kinds of clothes, eventually affecting your personal, social financial growth. At Skin City, we haven’t stopped at providing just world class skin, hair and cosmetic services, but we are also offering body shaping services.
  1. Cryolipolysis
  2. Safe Liposuction
Cryolipolysis: What is cryolipolysis? • Cryo = cold, lipo = fat, lysis = breakdown. It literally means fat breakdown through cold. • Fat cells are sensitive to low temperatures and get destroyed by apoptosis process after being exposed to cold probe of the machine. • The device safely targets the fat layer without affecting the overlying skin and slowly crystallizes the fat cell contents. During the following two months, the melted fat is gradually eliminated via natural metabolic processes. What are the indications for cryolipolysis? Small to moderately full fat bulges resistant to diet and exercise eg: tummy, waist, buttocks, thighs. How is the procedure performed • The probe of cryolipolysis machine is placed on the area to be treated, it sucks the stubborn fat by creating vaccum and then it is exposed to -8 degree celcius temperature. • The initial intense cold feeling gradually disappears because of the cold’s numbing effect. • Normally there is no discomfort post procedure. Some patients may experience a tingling sensation for few hours to few days in which resolves on its own. • Results are visible usually within two months. • Depending on the initial thickness of the fat pad, more than one treatment can be performed. • Because there are no needles, no injections and no drugs involved, there is no aftercare. Patients may drive home and resume all activities. How many treatments? How often? • The treatments are performed 2 times per area spaced 3 months apart • Cryolipolysis can be associated with complementary treatments (cavitation, radiofrequency) At Skin City, we feel proud and excited to offer Cryolipolysis to our patients as a painless, liposuction alternative. Patients experience an initial cool sensation with no discomfort during their CoolSculpting procedure. After having CoolSculpting performed in our comfortable rooms, patients can immediately resume their normal activities, including work and exercise. For more information about Cryolipolysis contact your nearest Skin City clinic today!
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Antiageing Solutions: Botulinum Toxin (Botox)

Antiageing solutions Botulinum Toxin - Botox

At Skin City, our doctors are striving to provide solutions for antiageing. Looking good does wonders for our confidence & helps us be successful in every field. Wrinkles are formed on the face over time due to sun exposure & continuous muscle activity. These lines often make us look tired, angry or older than we are. Botulinum Toxin (Botox) is one of the best & the most popular wrinkle reduction treatment available today. What is Botulinum Toxin? Botulinum Toxin is a US FDA approved natural, purified protein that relaxes wrinkle-causing muscles & creates a rejuvenated and more youthful appearance.According to US FDA, anybody in the age group of 18-80 yrs (not in pregnant or breastfeeding women) of age who desires to get rid of their wrinkles & have a smoother appearance can get the treatment done. What are the indications for Botulinum Toxin? - To remove frown lines: - Between the eyebrows - Crows feet around the eyes - Horizontal forehead wrinkles - Bunny Lines on the nose - Down turned corners of the lips - Neck bands (chicken legs) & horizontal lines - Chin creasing - To reduce broad jaws - To improve the facial contour - To lift sagging jowls - For improving gummy smile Hyperhidrosis : to reduce excessive sweating on palms & underarms How is the treatment done? Few injections with a very fine, small sterile needles are given in the desired area. No anesthesia is required. The pain is minimal, often described like an ant bite sting. For those who have a low pain threshold, ice packs can be used to alleviate pain. One can resume normal activities immediately. It takes effect after 4-5 days, with full effect 7-15 days post treatment. How long does the effect last? Effect may last for 4-6 months or longer, results vary from patient to patient. May last longer with repeated treatments. But result will wear off progressively (not suddenly). Will my lines worsen if I discontinue Botulinum Toxin? NO. Eventually, wrinkles will return as they were before the treatment. What are the side effects? No long-term side effects reported in the 20 years of use. Most common side effect is tenderness and bruising at the site of injection. Some people may have a feeling of heaviness in the head for a few hours. Is it safe? Botulinum Toxin is a purified protein derivative of botulinum toxin A & has been used for the last 20 years safely. It is US FDA approved. It is also used for treatment of migraine. Botulinum Toxin is also approved for use in children over 2 years of age with cerebral palsy. CAUTION: IT SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY QUALIFIED TRAINED DOCTORS ONLY .
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Antiageing solutions: Fillers

Antiageing Solutions - Fillers

Do you want to have high cheek bones/ sharp sculpted nose/ attractive pout like your favourite actresses? Nothing is impossible to achieve at Skin City, whether you wanted to have higher cheek bones, sculpted jawline or a narrow or straight nose, an oval face or full lips. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Esthelis, Fortelis & Modelis are used for non surgical face lift which give you an instant result which could last up to 2 years. Fillers are injections given into the deeper layers of skin and subcutaneous tissue to make one look youthful. What is a HA filler? HA is a safe, US FDA approved dermal filler that is injected into deeper layers of skin and suncutaneous tissue for the correction of facial lines and wrinkles, such as nasolabial folds. HA provides long lasting correction of smile lines and wrinkles around the nose and mouth, and hands with a natural look. What are the indications for fillers? Filling the tear trough giving tired look to your eyes
  • Deep laugh lines
  • Nasolabial folds
  • Sunken or hollow cheeks
  • Mental crease
  • Chin augmentation
  • Nose shaping without surgery
  • Lip plumping, lip defining
  • Prominent marionette lines
  • Non surgical face lift
  • Filling shallow hands
How does it work? HA filler is gently injected into the skin in small amounts with a very fine needle. HA stimulates the body to produce new collagen. It absorbs water, increases in size and lifts up the surrounding area. This unique response provides immediate, visible improvement of folds and wrinkles and provides long-lasting and excellent results. How is the procedure performed? It is done in a clinic setting by our trained dermatologists by injecting into the skin through a thin needle. It is simple, safe, quick. Most patients return to normal activities almost immediately after treatment. When the results are seen? The results are immediate and continue to improve as it stimulates your body to produce new collagen. Results may last a year or more in many patients. How many treatments are needed? Many patients will achieve their desired result after just one treatment. In the follow-up visit, a touch up treatment might be recommended if required. Side effects? Mild irritation, edema, swelling, itching, discoloration, or tenderness at the injection site may occur. They typically resolve within one to two days.. How safe are they? Hyaluronic acid is a substance of natural origin, which is safe and completely biocompatible and wholly biodegradable with no risk of allergy.
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Skin Darkening: Types, Causes & Prevention

Skin Darkening Types Causes Prevention

Skin darkening or Hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin area caused by the overproduction of a pigment in the skin called melanin. It is common and usually harmless, but it is a cause of concern for a few who get demoralized with it. There are two occurrences resulting in Hyperpigmentation: One; abnormal production of melanin, Two; when melanocytes are hyperactive. For instance, over exposure to the sun stimulates melanin. Hyperpigmentation can affect any part of the body including the face, neck, and hands. The following are the certain types of Hyperpigmentation: - Lentigo/Lentigenes: It simply means freckles on the skin. - Solar Lentigenes: Known as sun spots, age spots, and liver spots, Solar Lentigenes are freckles caused by sun exposure. - Melasma: Known as the ‘pregnancy mask,’ melasma is caused by hormonal changes due to pregnancy and is characterized by splotchy, pigmented areas usually on the face (except the eye area). Causes of Hyperpigmentation: Some of the main reasons which may cause dark patches on the skin are because of the following. - Inherited Factors: Inherited factors caused by birth are responsible for the change in complexion. - Skin Disorders: Certain skin disorders give you patchy, thick and dark skin. - Vitamin Deficiency: Deficiency of Vitamin A,C,E and B-Complex and result to a dull, dark and rough skin. - Liver Disorder: Liver not functioning up to its level could result in skin darkening. - Hormonal Changes: Darkening of skin can be due to hormonal changes or pregnancy. - Overexposure to UV Rays: Overexposure to the sun can cause tanning of the skin, resulting in over production of melanin causing skin darkening. Ways you can prevent Hyperpigmentation: - Avoid direct exposure to sun rays. - Always apply a good sunscreen before you go out in the sun. - Keep yourself hydrated to avoid blemishes. - Avoid excessive consumption of oily and spicy foods. - Consume lots of fruits and vegetables containing vitamin A, B, C & E. With a customized skin care regime, you can minimize the appearance of pigmentation to the minimum.
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Life is Beautiful!

Life is Beautiful In this age of crazy schedules, impossible deadlines and demanding lifestyles, people look for ways to distress and unwind by indulging in various spa treatments and therapies.

However, the effects of stress on the body is not limited to just mental and physical exhaustion. The negative effects of this silent menace are very visible on the Skin & Hair. Hair loss, adult acne breakouts, weight gain and early ageing of Skin are some of the fallouts. Every individual should take responsibility for their own good health. Making time for a regular exercise regime, getting a regular medical checkup, following a healthy diet and controlling late nights and alcohol intake will help you look and feel better and therefore build your confidence and energy levels , thereby improving the quality of life. For your skin and hair the importance of a visit to a dermatologist cannot be emphasized enough. A skin & Hair analysis once in six months will alert you to any specific as well as systemic problems and enable early intervention. A regular, Body composition analysis will help you identify early unhealthy fat gain and slowing metabolism. Looking good is now as important as enjoying good health. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City says “There is nothing wrong with maintaining and enhancing your natural beauty. Having healthy hair and skin and height weight ratio is a matter of taking pride in you. There is everything right in that.” Wanting lustrous hair and optimum weight and shape is an important development in the mindset of both men and women. There is no need to live with any condition that lowers your self esteem. Be it a balding pate, loss of body shape, small breasts, wrinkles, unwanted hair or any other condition that makes you unhappy with your appearance. Skin City offers solutions to all of the above problems and more. Also most solutions which were once considered risky and requiring downtime are now daytime procedures and completely safe. For example, Skin City’s SafeLIPO gives you your desired body shape in a day. You walk in at 10 am and walk out at 4pm with your desired figure. The same is with Hair Transplantation; you can start growing a whole head of hair in a day. So the next time you decide to take some time off and pamper yourself, check in to Skin City and make all your dreams come true! Look beautiful, because that’s what life is.
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What Body Shape Are You? And the Foods You Should Eat and Avoid

Dr. Dhepe - Skin City

Yes, every individual has a distinct body type (or known as somatotype), mainly categorized into three basic body types. Endomorphs - The fat retainer’s type Mesomorphs - The athletic type Ectomorphs- The skinny type Different body types are largely dependent upon genetics, it is impossible to change your body type but you can learn to make the best of what you have. Different body types have different body shapes, in addition to the 3 body types; women are typically classified having 4 body shapes, namely hourglass, pear, apple and ruler/Banana body shape. Let’s get to know the peculiarities of each body shape in detail. Hourglass Considered as the dream figure, the hourglass is probably the most envied of all the shapes. The Hourglass shaped women have well-proportioned upper and lower bodies with a narrow waist. They are inclined to gain weight all over the body, in particular, the hips and chest area. Best foods:
  • Lean and high-quality proteins (skinless chicken, tuna, turkey breast)
  • High fiber
  • Non-starchy vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini and all leafy vegetables)
Worst foods:
  • Cooked starchy vegetables (carrot, beet, potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Foods in high sugar
Pear Pear shaped women have larger lower bodies and small upper bodies. Hips are slightly wider than the shoulders and weight is gained below the waist. They usually have small chests and flat stomachs. Best foods:
  • Lean and high-quality proteins (skinless chicken, tuna, turkey breast)
  • Cooked raw fibers
  • Non-starchy vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini and all leafy vegetables)
  • Fruits that are less in sugar content (berries, apples, cherries)
Worst foods:
  • High sugar content fruits (pear, melon, apricot, grapes, pineapple)
  • Cooked starchy vegetables (carrot, beet, potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
Apple Apple shaped women are bigger on the top half of their bodies than the lower half. Hips are slim and chest and stomach are larger. Best foods:
  • High-quality proteins (chicken, tuna, turkey, beans, whole wheat)
  • Complex carbs (all fruits, vegetables, and brown rice)
  • High in Omega 3 (salmon, flax seeds, olive oil, avocados, nuts)
Worst foods:
  • Simple carbs ( high starches like white rice, wheat products and potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Foods high in sugar
Ruler/Banana Ruler-shaped women have no significant differences between the size of their hips, waist and shoulders. Weight is gained on their stomach and back sides whilst retaining slender arms and legs. Best foods:
  • High-quality proteins (chicken, tuna, turkey, beans, whole wheat)
  • All complex carbs (all fruits, non starchy vegetables, and brown rice)
  • High in Omega 3 (salmon, flax seeds, olive oil, avocados, nuts)
Worst foods:
  • Simple carbs ( high starches like white rice, wheat products and potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Foods high in sugar
Every body shape has its peculiarities, while you cannot change it, it is best to keep it fit and healthy.
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What is liposuction?

What is liposuction

What is liposuction: Liposuction is a process of surgical removal of stubborn fat resistant to diet and exercise, by using small cannualas to give slimmer contour to the body and face. What are the indications for liposuction: It can be done in any age group beyond 18 years. It works best for stubborn localised fat deposits which are resistant to diet and exercise from areas like tummy, buttocks, thighs, legs, back, arms, chin, face. What is safe liposuction: Liposuction was traditionally performed under general anaesthesia. General anaesthesia can predispose patient to complications leading to sudden death during the procedure. As per the data, acquired in India and internationally, all the deaths related to liposuction were due to complications of general anaesthesia. Also large bore cannulas were used during this process to shorten the time period of whole procedure which has caused multiple complications leading to injury to internal organs. Even today, majority of liposuctions are done under general anaesthesia. At Skin City, we perform Safe liposuction, meaning liposuction using tumescent local anaesthesia. Patient is completely awake and comfortable during the procedure. Very small bore cannuals are used to prevent the injury to internal organs and surrounding tissues. A fine laser fibre is also used along with cannula to burn and remove the fat cells. Patient walks in for the procedure and walks out without requiring any admission. There are no reports of complications or death during Safe Liposuction anywhere in the world. Is the fat loss permanent? The number of fat cells in body are constant. With Liposuction the liposuction cells that are removed, will not be replaced. So the resultant loss of fat is permanent. But to maintain this newly acquired shape, healthy eating habits, exercise and lifestyle changes are advised. When can I join my work? You can join your work next day. What is the post operative advice? Withhold the strenuous activities for a week and you need to wear pressure garments for3-6 months. What happens to the excess skin? Skin by virtue of its elasticity undergoes contracture and adheres to underlying musculature. Liposuction can be complemented with non surgical skin tightening procedures eg Radiofrequency. Will I have any scar? Small scars of 3-5 mm size will be there but usually hidden under skin creases which will fade eventually and become undetectable. When will be the results seen? There is immediate post procedure reduction in size and shape to certain extent and it continues to improve with time, best appreciated by 3 months.
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Best Hair Oil for Stronger and Faster Growing Hair

Best Hair Oil for Stronger and Faster Growing Hair

Oil is a vital ingredient that is really valuable to make your hair strong and healthy for a long time. Most women tend to face multiple hair problems such as dry hair, hair thinning, split ends, hair loss, etc. To get liberated from all such hair problems, people in general seek the help of various hair oils, while some people dismiss the “hair oil growth” theory. So what’s the fact behind it? So, here’s a list of the best hair oils that would aid in faster hair growth. 1. Castor Oil Castor oil, known as a vegetable oil is said to be a good laxative too. This oil has been used for hair fall since ancestral times. One of the other specialties is that it is equally good for skin infections. Some of the benefits of Castor Oil are: • It contains vitamin B and omega-9 fatty acids which are excellent for hair growth. • It helps in the maintenance of the scalp pH. • It is a good moisturizer for the curly hair. • It aids in clearing scalp infection. 2. Jojoba Oil Refined jojoba oil which is an extract from the seeds of jojoba tree, has neither any color nor smell; it is colorless and odorless oil. It moisturizes the skin without making the skin too oily. Jojoba oil adds a good volume to your hair as it contains powerful ingredients that are needed for the hair growth. Some of the benefits of Jojoba Oil are: • It is packed with vitamin B, vitamin E, copper, chromium, zinc, iodine, selenium etc. • It can be used to moisten flaky scalp for the hair with dandruff • It has antibacterial properties. • It can be used to get rid of split ends. 3. Almond Oil Benefits of using Almond oil is said to be shown wonderful effects on the skin and on the hair as well. It relieves the itchiness of the skin and helps to keep the skin moisturized. Some of the benefits of Almond Oil are: • It is said to remove the dead cells from skin hence clearing dandruff too. • Magnesium deficiency can lead to heavy hair fall. Almond oil has high magnesium properties to restore healthy hair growth • It helps to reduce the split ends. Is oiling really that good for hair? Yes, you do need to oil your hair as it promotes healthy hair growth. If you are still not convinced, these benefits will change your mind: • It acts as a good conditioner. • If your hair is dry, applying a little oil can drastically improve the texture and adds the shine. • It hydrates and moisturizes your hair, preventing from getting frizzy. • It helps the follicles become stronger. Best Hair Treatments Skin City Hair Clinic (Hair Analysis) offers a wide array of services in hair diagnostics, treatments, and surgeries. • CAS Lite Hair Analysis The unique caslite microscopic hair analysis offers a detailed investigation of hair thickness miniaturization, hair length at various scalp areas and is an excellent tool for hair research. • Medical Hair Fall Treatments Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is a procedure where hair is transplanted from the permanent zone, the area in the back and sides of the scalp where hair is more resistant to balding, to the bald or balding areas of the scalp. Know more about medical hair fall treatments. • Skin Transport Mesotherapy It is a unique approach developed at Skin City that makes use of selective trans-cutaneous delivery of certain hair growth activators, serums, hair nutrients with fine needles or needle-less 'skin transportation'. Know more about skin transport mesotherapy. • PRP Skin Transportation It is a unique Skin City treatment using skin transportation delivering autologous PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) into the balding scalp. • Laser Hair Grow Bio-modulation of the balding scalp with a unique light emitting diode LED technology is a recent hair growth therapy. It yields best hair growth when used along with skin transportation meso therapy. • Scalp Laser Clear Unique laser combs targeting irritated scalps are the latest approach in the treatment of severe dandruff, seborrhic dermatitis or scalp psoriasis. • Hair Transplantation This is the most sought after procedure today to regain one's lost hairline. It is the surgical technique that involves moving skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body to bald or balding parts. Know more about hair transplantation. In a nut shell, oiling your hair has “a multi-dimensional effect”, and it helps increase the tensile strength of the hair, reducing the frizziness and roughness and also preventing breakage.
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Skin Lightening & Skin Whitening Treatment - Should You Even Get It?

Skin lightening, skin whitening, and skin bleaching is a process that lightens your skin tone using chemical substances.

Skin Lightening and Skin Whitening Treatment

  How is the skin color determined? A specific amount of melanin determines the color of the skin. Melanin is a type of skin pigment that is produced by the melanocytes. Hormonal factors, skin damage, excess exposure to sunlight, or over exposure to some chemicals may also influence the production of melanin. Though the skin color changes on instances such as when direct exposure to sunlight is reduced, sun tans fade away. However, over a certain period of time, some discolorations such as “liver” spots or “age” spots become more or less permanent. What does skin bleaching mean? Skin bleaching is a type of cosmetic procedure to diminish skin discolorations and to even out the uneven skin color. Some even apply to change their complexion, but this may incur danger to the body. Since some of the skin lighteners contain mercury, so skin bleaching may at times result into mercury poisoning. A word of caution for pregnant ladies would be to steer clear of using skin lighteners as it can impact their unborn child and may cause birth defects. What are the uses of skin whitening? Areas affected by high pigmentation like birth marks may be depigmented to match up to the skin around the area, where in cases like Vitiligo, unaffected skin may be whitened / lightened for a uniform look. But if skin lighteners are frequently used, it may result in pigmentation spreading to the ears, fingers, buttocks and joints of toes. It could also lead to thinning of skin in the region surrounding the eye which is like a ‘bleach panda effect’. Skin lightening treatment at Skin City Skin Lightening Systems - These consist of two services, which have been formulated specifically to reduce skin pigmentation as well as to exfoliate and clarify the skin: Skinvitalite: In this service a light microdermabrasion is done to remove the dead cells from the surface of the skin, this is followed by a lactic acid peel which is also a gentle exfoliant as well as a skin clarifying agent. Know more In summary, Skin lightening or skin whitening is a cosmetic dermatological procedure where chemical agents are used for lightening the skin tone. Always consider, the beauty of skin is not only about the skin color, but an even skin tone. Hence consult the best Cosmetic Dermatologist who can address all your queries and put all your concerns to rest.
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Skin Care Regime- Fundamental Rules for a Glowing and Healthy Looking Skin
With heaps of beauty practitioners in big cities claiming their expertise in advance beauty treatments’, it can seldom confuse consumers to choose that one dermatologist who understands your skin concerns and gives you a proper solution. Firstly, it is very important to understand your skin type and the skin treatments you can do when you face natural skin issues. Regular Skin: Regular skin is smooth with good circulation with no noticeable trace of blemishes or sebum (oil) is seen on the tissue. It has a soft, smooth, even skin tone and has its own natural shine. Dry Skin: Dry Skin has the lowest level of sebum and has its own natural skin oil, which can often feel flaky if not well hydrated or when wiped too often. It often requires the need to apply moisturizer to keep the skin soft and supple. Oily Skin: Oily skin produces natural oil more than necessary, and as a result, the skin appears to be very shiny and lifeless. To maintain your skin texture and to keep acne at bay, regular use of soap-free cleansers is recommended. Combination Skin: The ‘T-Zone’ of your face, which is basically the forehead, nose and chin are usually greasy, while the remaining part of the face is reasonably dry. You need to use products as per the changes in climatic conditions to suit your skin. Now that you are aware of your skin type, following a regime will help your skin to maintain a natural balance, and choosing to use products that are made exclusively for your complexion. So, here’s how you can care for your own skin complexion by following a regime. Regular Skin Treatment: - Wash your face at least 2 times a day with a regular PH balanced face wash to keep the skin pores tight. - Apply sunscreen lotions with high SPF to regulate epidermis. - Apply a night lotion/light lotion in the evening to keep your skin hydrated. - Use a cleansing milk to remove make up and finish off with a good face wash. - Exfoliate your skin at least once in two weeks and apply a non-drying face mask thereafter. Dry Skin Treatment: - Use a face wash only once a day that has a creamy texture, and is 230PH balanced which matches your skin texture. - Avoid using toners. - Once you are done with the cleansing of your face, use a moisturizer consisting Squalene, Vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acid, etc. - Use a broad spectrum high SPF sunscreen post cleansing. - Cream based makeup products are ideal for your skin. - Pampering your skin with weekly hydrating masks and facials done once a month works wonders for your skin. Oily Skin Care Treatment: - When using a face wash, use a foaming face wash consisting of hydroxyl acids, salicylic acid etc. The usage should not exceed more than 3-4 times in a day, following it up with an alcohol free toner. - You need not need a moisturizer. - Usage of non-comedogenic with large SPF sunscreen is highly advised. - Water based makeup products are ideal for your skin. - Use an exfoliating scrub, anti-acne mask on a weekly basis if you have acne issues. Combination Skin Care Treatment: - Always wash your face with a gentle, water-soluble based cleanser to prevent dryness. - Avoid soap on your face, regardless of their claims. - Use toners filled with skin-repairing ingredients. - Sunscreen must be used every day, regardless of climate. As we know that skin is the most delicate and biggest organ of human body, it should hence be treated with utmost care. Follow these handy tips to keep your skin supple, healthy and beautiful.
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Ways to Treat Dark Circles

One of the most annoying beauty problems is a dark circle. Fighting it can take its due course of time, so what are the quick ways to fix it?     

  • Creams for Dark Circles:

Various topical creams, ointments, and gels are available to minimize the appearance of dark circles. You have to ensure that the creams contain active ingredients such as vitamin K that helps to reduce dilated blood vessels, and vitamin C and alpha hydroxyl acids that aid the stimulation of collagen production of the skin. These nutrients also help lessen the appearance of dark circles caused by aging and genetics.

  •  Chemical Peeling:

Chemical peeling involves a number of chemical agents to treat various skin conditions like hyper-pigmentation on the face or body, scars due to acne or wounds, and fine wrinkles. It is a non-invasive treatment for dark circles. A chemical peel is generally performed by a dermatologist. Chemical peels help in rejuvenating the skin around the eyes by exfoliating the damaged upper layer of the skin to reveal a new and healthier skin layer. The current most effective peel for dark circles is the Argi peel, which contains arginine, lactic acid, allantois, and aloe vera. Arginine is an amino acid derived from brown sugar that boosts collagen, increases elasticity, and moisturizes the skin. Lactic acid exfoliates and lightens the skin, and also fades hyper-pigmentation. Allantoin and aloe vera help to moisturize and soften the skin. This is used in conjunction with vitamin C and matrixyl that provide firmness and resistance to the skin around the eye. The effect of the treatment depends on the duration and the type of treatment.

  • Intense Pulsed Light Treatment:

IPL treatment reduces dark circles by destroying the pigment cells that cause discoloration. It also smoothens the skin under the eye due to its high energy light waves that penetrate the skin under the eye. The light waves constrict blood vessels, which results in less prominent discoloration. IPL treatment is one of the most effective treatments for dark circles, but is an expensive one. A person will be required to sit for several sessions (each about an hour long) to achieve the desired results. The frequency of the treatment depends on the magnitude of the circles and overall health and lifestyle of the patient.

  • Laser treatment:

Laser treatment is another effective way to remove dark circles. Here, the fat deposited under the eye is targeted. Post the treatment, the skin under the eye becomes smooth and less discolored. Ultraviolet or infrared invisible light is used in the treatment to create a wavelength that releases energy as the light moves across the skin. The energy is absorbed through the skin layers and gives a soothing effect while correcting the dark and irregular skin pigments causing dark circles. The treatment is basically an outpatient procedure that can be performed within an hour. However, one can’t note improvement right away – the best results take about three to six sessions.

  • Surgery:

Eye surgery for dark circles is known as blepharoplasty that is performed by plastic surgeons. The under eye fat deposits are removed, resulting in less puffiness, less discoloration, and more lively eyes. The procedure can take anywhere between one to three hours. Recovery from the surgery can take up to several weeks.

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The Best Approach to Treating Vitiligo

As discussed earlier, vitiligo is a skin disease of much social concern. If you haven’t read it, head here to gain more information - Vitiligo – What Should Be the Target of Treatment?.

Vitiligo is a condition that has been stigmatized for wrong reasons. Because of lack of awareness about it, vitiligo patients often have to bear the brunt of society’s judgment and ridicule. This disease that manifests onto a person’s appearance often acts as a deal breaker in relationships and matrimonial matters, owing to society’s standards of beauty.

Many believe that vitiligo is a result of an impure body, and suggest that the system needs to be cleansed from the inside, so as to get to the root of the problem and getting rid of it. The act of cleansing the body from the inside is also known as the ‘internal approach’. In this internal approach, we treat the problem using medication that alters the problem inside the body.

The internal approach, however, has its limitations. Most scientists believe that any defect in the body is highly linked to the person’s gene makeup, and vitiligo is one of those defects. A person can either have a defect coded into their genomes, in which case a cure may not be available, or the person can have susceptible genes wherein they have a disease which goes with medication/restrictions. In both these cases, allopathy works differently.

Why does ‘cure’ attract patients so much? The answer is simple: Wishful thinking. Most patients think that these diseases are a result of abnormalities in the body that are caused by external toxins, but this stands true only for infections. But like most other lifestyle diseases, a cure is not possible because there’s nothing external to work on – it’s the internal defect that has to be worked on. So, like any other lifestyle diseases, treatment can merely restore old bodily functions, not cure them. Vitiligo can be treated both externally and internally – externally using creams, focused treatments etc. Some might recommend dietary restrictions, or drinking water in order to help cure the disease. However, these are unbalanced and biased approaches.

The internal treatment for vitiligo has two approaches: 1. controlling the offending RBCs using medication, and 2. Salvaging or supporting the re-function of melanocytes.

Controlling the offending WBCs: the medication given in this approach targets the offending WBCs, and stops them from causing further damage. However, this has its side effects. This is because only a small amount of WBCs are actually causing the discolouration issue, and the medication targets all the healthy WBCs as well. Hence, all the internal treatments for WBCs can have side effects like lowered hemoglobin, reduced RBC count, and reduced function of WBCs.

For external approach: creams, injections in the targeted patches, and phototherapy are common. Some different grades of phototherapy are ultra v A and ultra v B, sunlight, excimer lasers, etc.

Each treatment has a different advocate supporting them.

Dr. Dhepe of Skin City proposes a combination approach. In this, there is a judicious combination of both internal and external approaches pose fewer side effects, and makes for efficient treatment. The safest internal as well as external approaches should be chosen to get the desired effects, as the requirement of possible doses/sessions is less, as are the side effects. A combination of creams, lasers, injectable immune modulators, and miniature punch grafting skin surgeries can be selected from, depending on the choice of the patient.

On a personal note, Dr. Dhepe suggests that the best way to deal with vitiligo is to undergo no treatment at all, but treat it as a natural part of one’s body. This will help disable the stigma around this harmless skin condition.

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Vitiligo - What Should Be the Target of Treatment?

The skin is the most sensitive part of the body, but it is often the most ignored. Not taking proper care of the skin can end up in minor or major problems. However, some skin troubles are unprecedented and out of one’s control. One such condition that is not talked about often is vitiligo. And it is essential to educate ourselves about it.

Vitiligo is a skin pigmentation disorder where a person gets white or discolored patches on the skin. The reason behind this pigmentation is the permanent destruction of colour producing cells of the skin, namely melanocytes.

There are many accepted theories for the development of vitiligo, but the most plausible one among all is the auto-immune theory. White blood cells in the body are essential as they provide us with immunity by attacking viruses. However, in the case of vitiligo, the WBCs end up attacking and killing their own cells. These damaged cells fail to produce pigment, which leads to the discolouration of skin. In some cases, vitiligo develops on the lips and fingertips, and in some cases, it ends up on other parts of the body.

An important thing to note about vitiligo, though, is that it is a harmless skin condition that has no repercussions or harmful effects on the body.

Vitiligo has been a social stigma for a very long time. The stigma around this skin condition goes back to Ayurvedic ages. It was misclassified as leprosy, a disease that was dreaded heavily by mankind. Laprosy patients often developed red spots on their body, and were isolated from society because there was no cure. This isolation was practical in medieval times, but the scenario is different now. In fact, scientific studies have shown that leprosy and vitiligo have no connection to each other, and vitiligo is a harmless condition wherein spots are developed. It is important to note the irony that in today’s world, people with leprosy are treated easily and they can live happy, healthy lives, but the stigma around vitiligo still persists.

Vitiligo is a harmless condition, but most often, patients are thrust with societal pressure to go under procedures to reduce or delete the discolouration. Due to this, patients that refuse treatment live lives of embarrassment and shame, which leads to strains in their relationships and overall well-being.

Many treatments for vitiligo are available - medical ones, phototherapy, surgical treatments, etc. These treatments can clear vitiligo from 10% to 100%. It was impossible to treat vitiligo in the past, but medicine has progressed over the years.

What is the target of the treatment of vitiligo?

Researchers suggest two approaches to treating it - targeting and controlling the offending WBCs that kill their own cells: abnormal WBCs that are called T - lymphocytes. Another approach is to support the surviving melanocytes with oral medication or phototherapy. A truly successful treatment is a combination of both approaches.

Dr. Dhepe of Skin City put forth a third aspect - Vitiligo patients don’t need to be treated at all.

The condition is not contagious, serious or bothersome, so why do people still opt for surgeries? The treatments patients needlessly go through can have undesirable side-effects, and can prove to be a financial burden as well. The fact of matter is simple: Vitiligo is not a disease, and it shouldn’t be stigmatized.

There’s no harm in not treating vitiligo. It does not affect any part of the body, and if the patient chooses to opt for treatment, they should without any external pressure to do so. It is neither the WBC nor the melanocytes that need treatment - it is the mind of society that needs it. We need to spread social awareness about vitiligo.

Dr. Dhepe, in collaboration with Janki Medical Foundation are working towards creating awareness about vitiligo and its implications in society. For this work, Dr. Dhepe received an award from the chief minister of Goa.

Vitiligo is a condition less for the patient, and less for the society. We must stop the stigmatization of the same.

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Double Chin – A Problem with a Simple Solution

The face of a person can speak volumes. Facial beauty has been a topic of wonder and importance since time immemorial. For example, ancient Egypt was home to the beautiful Nefertiti, a queen well known for her flawless beauty. Her beauty was so well known in all of Egypt that her sculptures made were the most recognizable everywhere, by everyone. The most striking feature of her beauty was her face – specifically, her clear cut jaw line and high cheekbones. So, it is safe to say that the jaw line is an integral part of the beauty of the face.

Take a look at Indian celebrities, for example. Be it Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Tiger Shroff, or Ranveer Singh, their facial features show a distinct jaw line that enhances their beauty and looks, making them doubly photogenic on screen and on cameras. Most of us are blessed with sharp features. However, we often forget to take care of ourselves to let our features shine.

Sharp jaw lines are a sign of less/appropriate amount of fat around your mandible, i.e. the soft area under your chin. How is it that we fail to take care of it? Having excess fat or muscle on the mandible is the reason for losing the sharpness of the jaw. Excess fat on the mandible, right under your chin, is referred to as the ‘double chin’. For some people, a double chin is developed as a result of weight gain that causes excess fat to pile on different areas of the body (including the mandible). However, some people are inherently left with a double chin which has nothing to do with weight. In such cases, heredity is a major factor and one can trace it within the family itself.

There are several ways in which people try to reduce double chins. Some natural methods of reducing them are exercise and proper diet, which helps them lose fat and restore their original jaw structure. However, in some cases like hereditary factors or persistent fat on the mandible despite losing weight, it becomes tough to use natural methods. People often try massage oils, creams, lotions, etc that promise to reduce fat, but more often than not, with no results. These oils and creams are easily available, but the science behind their working is hardly enough support to prove their effectiveness.

Here comes a way when natural methods don’t work – reducing double chins medically.

Doctors first analyze the nature of the double chin. A double chin is a combination of excess fat under the chin, often accompanied by loose skin. It is a hypertrophy of the chewing muscle that gives a thick, tyre-like look. The doctors check whether the fold is persistent only under the chin, or is an extension of fat in the cheeks as well, and decide what needs to be done accordingly.

The medical treatment of a double chin includes the tightening of skin by re-modeling the collagen layer of the skin. The skin of the entire face can also be lifted, and the volume of the masseter muscle is reduced. Skin tightening is achieved by polar radio frequency devices, ultrasound devices, etc that help lift the double chin and provide firmness, provided that there is enough loose skin available. Sometimes there is more fat than there is loose skin, so the treatment might not help.

Another approach hence is reducing the volume of fat in the area. There are several FDA approved scientific methods of reducing fat around the area, like injection lipolysis – injections diluted in saline are placed between the layer of fat, which helps destroy a considerable amount of fat cells in the area. About 8-24 injections are required in various places as a part of the process, but more might be required in the future. This is a great way to give shape to the area below the chin without surgery.

Another method of reducing fat cells is through ultrasound lipolysis. The vibrations of cavitational ultrasound work directly to destroy the fat cells by breaking through the walls of these cells.

The finest way of removing fat through liposuction is the micro-cannula liposuction, also known as Safe Lipo, a protocol developed by Skin City. The fat is sucked in a small quantity from the depths of the fat layer, keeping the contour of the face intact. The fat layer then collapses, paving way for a new collagen layer to be formed. This creates firmness in the skin, thus reducing the double chin and makes the skin tighter.

Yet another method of reducing the double chin is through high intensity focus ultrasound. Very high density of focus ultrasound is delivered that penetrates through the depths of the skin, and specifically targets collagen. The destruction of the walls of the adipose stimulates the formation of new collagen layers, which tighten the septa and hypersepta. Thus, the double chin is compressed and the volume is reduced.

All these services are available at Skin City, so feel free to walk in and get them done. The best part is – these procedures take about 30 minutes, so you don’t have to be pressed for time to get them done and look your best.

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Understanding the Types of Hair Loss: Check your Symptoms!

Hair loss can be temporary or long lasting, based on its identification, cause and treatment. However, when the cause isn’t clear, hair loss that was first temporary may become permanent as a result of incorrect diagnosis.

Alopecia is the medical term for excessive or abnormal hair loss. There are different kinds of alopecia. As hair loss is fairly common with both the sexes, symptoms show that there’s something that is going wrong in the body. Hormonal imbalance, stress, pregnancy, medications , diseases or something as fairly simple as genes can be the cause of baldness, also known as Areata. In this situation, hairs often, but not always grow back when the event has passed. There are many types of hair loss, also called alopecia.

Involutional alopecia

The rate of hair growth slows as you age, causing the thickness as well as volume to reduce. In this type of hair loss, the hair follicles gradually go into the telogen (resting) phase and the remaining hair become shorter and less in number, sometimes even brittle.

Telogen effluvium

You may experience temporary hair loss after a stressed episode like childbirth, fever, severe illness, stress or sudden weight loss, which decreases gradually. This happens due to changes in the growth cycle of hair, when a large number of hair go into the resting phase (telogen) at the same time.

Anagen effluvium

Hair shedding and thinning usually occur as the result of exposure to chemicals or toxins (such as cancer treatments) during anagen, the growth phase of the hair lifecycle.

Traction alopecia

Pressure on hair because of particular hairstyles causing small, localized areas a type of hair loss called traction alopecia.

Trichotillomania

Some people have the habit of twisting or pulling their own hair from the scalp and eyelashes. This is referred to as trichotillomania or hair pulling disorder.

Trichorrhexis Nodosa

A defect in hair fibers characterized by fraying and swelling nodes along the hair shaft is the cause of hair to break off easily.

Let us now see the difference in male, female & children baldness pattern is:

For male:

If you experience a receding hairline and gradual disappearance of hair from the crown, you may be suffering from androgenic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness). In this condition, you may experience hair loss in your teens or early 20s. Men may notice hair loss at the top of the scalp and a receding hairline particularly along the temples. The typical pattern forms an ‘M’ shape. Lastly, the hair becomes finer, shorter and thinner creating a U-shaped pattern around the sides of the head. It is a genetically predisposed condition that can affect both men and women.

For female:

If you experience a general thinning of the hair over the entire scalp, extensive hair loss at the crown with your hairline at the front intact, you may be suffering from female pattern baldness. Your hair parting may become wider with time due to hair thinning. You may notice hair thinning in your 20s but you are not very likely to experience noticeable thinning until your 40s or later because the pace of hair loss tends to be gradual.

For children:

When a child or a young adult experiences one - two totally smooth, round patches of hair loss mostly on the scalp, they may be suffering from alopecia areata. The hair loss may also be seen in the eyebrows, arms, legs or facial hair. It is often sudden in onset and the hair usually grows back in six months to a year. However, when the hair grows back in one area, it may fall out in another. In some cases, the hair becomes thinner, while in others, it may grow and break off, leaving short stubs. Alopecia areata is generally considered an autoimmune condition, while alopecia totalis, an extensive form, the entire scalp goes bald.

Scalp conditions and its causes:

Scarring alopecia

It is a permanent loss of hair. Inflammatory skin conditions and other skin disorders often result in scars that destroy the ability to regenerate hair. Hot combs and hair too tightly woven or pulled can also result in permanent hair loss.

Lichen Planopilaris

It is a type of scarring in the scalp that occurs from a skin disease known as lichen planus, which affects areas of the skin with hair. It can cause redness, irritation, and in some cases, permanent hair loss.

 Tinea Capitis

In simple words, it’s the ringworm of the scalp, a fungal infection. Hair usually breaks off at areas that are infected causing bald scalp with small black dots. The skin is inflamed, round, scaly areas with pus-filled sores called kerions. It is contagious and can spread from sharing combs and hats. Once the infection is cured, the hair grows back.

If you happen to experience any of the above symptoms, our expert dermatologists at Skin City will aid to your concerns and implement effective treatments.

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What Is Hair Loss? Are you suffering from hair loss?

Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from the head or body. Baldness can refer to general hair loss or male pattern hair loss. Alopecia affects hair growth and can lead to permanent hair loss. Hair loss can be difficult to come to terms with, especially when it comes to your self-esteem. When you lose your hair, you are losing your self-esteem as well. This can affect your confidence and sometimes lead to depression. Let’s understand hair loss in a gist.

  • Hair loss is a common condition and affects most people at some time in their lives.
  • Hair loss from breakage of the hair shaft is different than hair loss from decreased hair growth.
  • Androgenetic hair loss is seen in both men and women but is worse in men.
  • Thyroid disease, anemia, protein deficiency, and low vitamin levels may cause hair loss.
  • Alopecia areata is a relatively common cause of patchy or localized hair loss
  • Prevention of hair loss includes good hair hygiene, regular shampooing, and good nutrition.
  • Medical health screening for hair loss may include blood tests such as complete blood count (CBC), iron level, vitamin B, and thyroid function tests (TFT).

Some signs and symptoms are such as:

  • Gradual thinning on top of the head. This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting both men and women as they age. In men, hair often begins to recede from the forehead in a line that resembles the letter’ M’. Women typically retain the hairline on the forehead but have a broadening of the part in their hair.
  • Circular or patchy bald spots. Some people experience smooth, coin-sized bald spots. This type of hair loss usually affects just the scalp, but it sometimes also occurs in beards or eyebrows. In some cases, your skin may become itchy or painful before the hair falls out.
  • Sudden loosening of hair. A physical or emotional shock can cause hair to loosen. Handfuls of hair may come out when combing or washing your hair or even after gentle tugging. This type of hair loss usually causes overall hair thinning and not bald patches.
  • Full-body hair loss. Some conditions and medical treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer, can result in the loss of hair all over your body. The hair usually grows back.
  • Patches of scaling that spread over the scalp. This is a sign of ringworm. It may be accompanied by the broken hair, redness, swelling and, at times, oozing.

When to see a Dermatologist?

See a dermatologist, when you are distressed by hair loss and want to pursue treatment. Also, talk to us if you notice sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your hair. Sudden hair loss can signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.

What you can do?

  • List key personal information.
  • Make a list of all medications.
  • List questions to ask your doctor.

For hair loss, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
  • Are there other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
  • What kinds of tests do I need?
  • Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?

Before making a diagnosis, your doctor will likely ask you to perform tests, such as the following:

  • Blood test. This may help uncover medical conditions related to hair loss, such as thyroid disease.
  • Pull test. Your doctor gently pulls several dozen hairs to see how many come out. This helps determine the stage of the shedding process.
  • Scalp biopsy. Your doctor scrapes samples from the skin or from a few hairs plucked from the scalp to examine the hair roots. This can help determine whether an infection is causing hair loss.
  • Light microscopy. Your doctor uses a special instrument to examine hairs at their bases. Microscopy helps uncover possible disorders of the hair shaft.

Effective treatments for some types of hair loss are available. But some hair loss is permanent. Treatments for hair loss include medications, surgery, laser therapy, and wigs or hairpieces. The goals of treatment are to promote hair growth, slow hair loss or hide hair loss. Contact Skin City for further clarifications.

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Hair Loss: The Causes, the Impact and its Treatment

Hair grows everywhere on the human skin except on the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet, but many hairs are so fine, that they're virtually invisible. Hair is made up of a protein called keratin, which is produced from the hair follicles in the outer layer of skin. As follicles produce new hair cells, old cells are being pushed out through the surface of the skin at the rate of about six inches a year. The hair you can see is actually a string of dead keratin cells.

The average adult head has about 100,000 to 150,000 hair and it loses up to 100 of them a day; finding few stray hair on your hairbrush is not necessarily a cause for alarm. That's normal, and in most people, those hair grow back. But many men and some women lose hair as they grow older. While daily shedding is normal, people who notice their hair shedding in large amounts after combing or brushing and those whose hair becomes thinner , should consult a dermatologist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing; each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:

  • Anagen – is active hair growth that lasts between two to six years
  • Catagen – is transitional hair growth that lasts two to three weeks
  • Telogen – is a resting phase that lasts about two to three months; and at the end of the resting phase the hair is shed and a new hair replaces it and the growing cycle starts again.

As people age, their rate of hair growth slows.

Causes of hair loss

Causes of hair loss, some of which are temporary, include:

  • Excessive or improper use of styling products which cause weathering or hair breakage.
  • Hairstyles that pull the hair, like ponytails and braids.
  • Frequent shampooing, pulling, combing or brushing of hair too hard.
  • A variety of diseases, including thyroid.
  • Childbirth, major surgery, a high fever or severe infection, stress, or even the flu.
  • Inadequate protein or iron in the diet, or eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
  • Certain prescription drugs, including blood thinners, high-dose vitamin A, and medicines for arthritis, depression, gout, heart problems and high blood pressure.
  • Use of birth control pills (usually in women with an inherited tendency for hair thinning).
  • Hormonal imbalances, especially in women.
  • Ringworm of the scalp, a contagious fungal infection which is most common in children.
  • Some cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
  • Alopecia areata, a type of hair loss that affects all ages, which causes hair to fall out in round patches.

 Psychosocial impact of hair loss

  • While the physical symptoms of hair loss can be traumatic for patients, the psychosocial impact of hair loss can be just as severe.
  • Hair loss can cause dramatic and devastating emotions in patients that can negatively impact their quality of life. Psychosocial studies have found patients’ self-esteem, body image and self-confidence to be negatively affected.
  • Known psychosocial complications include depression, low self-esteem, altered self-image, and less frequent and enjoyable social engagement.
  • The negative quality of life may be worse in women due to societal pressure to be attractive. Treatment from a dermatologist may be sought in order to improve the quality of life.

Treatment of hair loss

  • Medical management: It includes topical and systemic medicines
  • Modern Drug Delivery System: It includes Mesotherapy and PRP therapy
  • Hair transplantation is a permanent form of hair replacement utilizing dermatological surgery that involves moving some existing scalp hair to bald or thinning parts. It may benefit men, with male pattern baldness, some women with thinning hair, and people who have lost some but not all hair from burns or other scarring injuries to the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes.
  • Restoration surgery is another treatment option. In scalp reduction surgery, the bald scalp is removed and hair-bearing scalp is brought closer together to reduce balding. In scalp expansion surgery, a physician temporarily inserts devices under the scalp to stretch hair-bearing areas, which also reduces balding. In scalp flap surgery, a hair-bearing piece of scalp is surgically moved and placed where hair is needed.

When you experience acute hair loss and want to pursue a treatment, talk to us and at Skin City, we can help you in regaining lost hair with our wide range of advance services in hair diagnostics, treatments and surgeries.

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Get the Underarm Skin you were Born with, at Skin City India

Look into your closet; if there are no sleeveless & strappy outfits or swimwear, you are hiding something, your dark underarms. Smita Gautam of Skincity gives you the solution to this embarrassing problem.

More often than not, you are not quite sure about how and why it happened, it creeps up on you and before you know it, you feel helpless about how to get rid of it. The hype around quick fixes and ineffective solutions in the form of topical creams, deodorants, and bleaching agents, just delay finding the right and permanent solution.

WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?

It is important for you to understand what causes dark underarms and what you need to do to get rid of it permanently. There are three main causes of dark underarms:

  1.  The first is a tendency for hyper pigmentation usually due to hormonal imbalance;
  2. The second is thick underarm hair growth, the associated problems and the wrong removal techniques used.
  3. The third is excessive sweating, the associated problems and ineffective solutions adopted;

THE LIGHT…

Getting a clear diagnosis is important to finding the right solution to this problem. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical director, Skin City says that hormonal imbalances and infections associated with the above- mentioned problems need to be addressed first following which, the latest available technologies, like Laser Skin lightening, can be done to get rid of the pigmentation. This method shows excellent results, not only in the under arms, but also in other hyper pigmented areas like the inner thighs, buttocks and other intimate areas.

He also wishes to impress upon those affected with this embarrassing condition, that shaving and waxing are redundant methods of hair removal. They cause ingrowths, folliculitis and other infections which further darken the underarms. Laser Hair reduction is the best method of hair removal, which will prevent and resolve these problems.

He further states that deodorants and anti-perspirants do more harm than good to people with Hyperhydrosis or excessive sweating; the chemicals in these products may react with the skin causing darkening. Besides, people with this condition are prone to bacterial infections, which worsen the body odour caused by sweating, hence causing terrible embarrassment and social ostracization of the affected person. There are several medical and minimally invasive surgical treatments available to rid you of this condition.

SkinCity has the largest range of lasers and treatments available to treat the causes of dark underarms thus resolving this problem and restoring your confidence.

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What is Female Pattern Baldness?

Mistakenly thought to be a strictly male disease, women actually make up 40% of hair loss sufferers. Hair loss in women can be devastating for the sufferer's self-image and emotional well being.

Unfortunately, it is considered far more acceptable for men to go through the same hair loss process. Since hair loss doesn't appear to be life threatening, most physicians pay little heed to women's complaints .Of course what these physicians don't seem to realize is that it can be just as devastating as any serious disease, and in fact, can take an emotional toll on physical health. Female pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women.

Causes

Each strand of hair sits in a tiny bulb in the skin called a follicle. In general, baldness occurs when the hair follicle shrinks over time, resulting in shorter and finer hair. Eventually, the follicle does not grow new hair. The follicles remain alive, which suggests that it is still possible to grow new hair.

The reason in female pattern baldness may be related to:

  • Aging
  • Changes in the levels of androgens (male hormones). In simpler terms, when you reach menopause phase.
  • Family history of male or female pattern baldness.

Natural history

Without treatment, Female Pattern Hair Loss is a progressive condition; however, it is highly variable. Hair shedding is often episodic. The condition’s unpredictability and relentless progression contributes greatly to the distress of affected women.

Symptoms

Hair thinning is different from that of male pattern baldness. In female pattern baldness:

  • Hair thins mainly on the top and crown of the scalp. It usually starts with a widening through the center hair part.
  • The front hairline remains unaffected except for normal recession, which happens to everyone as time passes.
  • The hair loss rarely progresses to total or near total baldness, as it may in men. Itching or skin sores on the scalp are generally not seen.

Diagnosis

Female pattern baldness is usually diagnosed based on:

  • Ruling out other causes of hair loss.
  • The appearance and pattern of hair loss.
  • Your medical history.

The doctor will examine you for other signs of too much male hormone (androgen), such as:

  • Abnormal new hair growth at other body parts (e.g. face)
  • Changes in menstrual periods
  • New acne

A skin biopsy or other procedures or blood tests may be used to diagnose skin disorders that cause hair loss in some cases. Looking at the hair under a microscope may be done to check for problems with the structure of the hair shaft itself.

Treatment

Hair loss in female pattern baldness is permanent, if not treated. In most cases, hair loss is mild to moderate. You do not need treatment if you are comfortable with your appearance. Treatment for hair loss includes medical management, advanced treatments like mesotherapy, platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy and laser stimulation of hair roots. Hair transplant can be done in select patients, though it is more uncommon than in men.

To summarize, Female Pattern Baldness is an under-recognized entity. Significant hair loss is seen in over ¼ of females over the age of 50. Satisfactory cure of this condition requires knowledge of underlying causes, physical co-morbidities, psychological effects, possible differential diagnoses, and the various therapeutic modalities available.

The condition is progressive without treatment, regardless of medication, the response is slow, and requires patience and persistence in both patient and clinician.

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What is Male Pattern Baldness?

Skin City India - Male Baldness SolutionAndrogenetic alopecia or common male pattern baldness (MPB) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By the age of 35 two-thirds of men will experience some degree of hair loss, and by the age of 50 approximately 85% of men have significant thinning hair. Approximately 25 % of men suffer MPB process before they reach the age of 21.Hair loss affects every aspect of sufferer's life, it affects interpersonal relationships as well as the professional lives of those suffering.

While there are many possible reasons men lose their hair, like serious disease, reaction to certain medications, and in rare cases extremely stressful events, most hair loss in men can be blamed on heredity. What MPB sufferers are actually inheriting their hair follicles with a genetic sensitivity to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT begin to lessen, shortening the lifespan of each hair follicle affected. Eventually, these affected follicles stop producing cosmetically acceptable hair. MPB is generally characterized with the onset of a receding hairline and thinning crown. This pattern eventually progresses into leaving only a rim or "horseshoe" pattern of hair remaining in the more advanced stages of MPB. For some men even this remaining rim of hair can be affected by DHT.

What is DHT?

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a derivative or by-product of testosterone. Testosterone converts to DHT with the aid of the enzyme Type II 5-alpha-reductace, which is held in the hair follicle's oil glands. While the entire genetic process of male pattern baldness is not completely understood, it is known that DHT shrinks hair follicles, and that when DHT is suppressed, hair follicles continue to thrive. Hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT must be exposed to the hormone for a prolonged period of time in order for the affected follicle to complete the miniaturization process. Today, with proper intervention this process can be slowed or even stopped if caught early enough.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Classic male-pattern hair loss begins above the temples and vertex, of the scalp. As it progresses, a rim of the hair at the sides and at the rear of the head remains. This is referred to as 'Hippocratic wreath', and rarely progresses to complete baldness.

Diagnosis

Typical MPB is usually diagnosed based on the appearance and pattern of the hair loss, along with a detailed medical history, including questions about the prevalence of hair loss in your family. An experienced medical hair loss expert will examine the scalp under magnification, in order to assess the degree of miniaturization of the hair follicles. This assessment is very important when recommending the proper course of treatment.

Treatment

In the past few years, medicine has made tremendous strides in the treatment of men's hair loss. With the advent of medicines and the evolution of surgical hair restoration, for many, living with noticeable hair loss is no longer inevitable. For the first time in the history of mankind, it is now possible to stop or slow the progression of hair loss and to replace lost hair through surgery with completely natural results.

Remember, successful treatment of hair loss is greatly dependent on early intervention. It is critical to begin treatment with an effective product as soon as you notice the onset of hair loss.

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Haute Bridal Therapies

Femina Special

Wedding-day beauty shouldn’t begin on the day while sitting in the stylist’s chair. Whether it’s three or thirty weeks to the big day; start now to ensure that you look your bridal best advises Smita Gautam of SkinCity.

HAIR CARE

Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Director Skin City, says that a diet enriched with Vitamin B helps bring out your hair’s natural shine, as dull hair is actually a symptom of Vitamin B deficiency. An invigorating scalp massage and deep conditioning treatment about four weeks prior to the event, not only feels good, but stimulates the hair follicles and adds body. For more serious problems like hair-loss and early balding, Skin City’s Trichology Clinic offers a wide array of services in hair diagnostics & treatments for both the bride and the groom.

FACE PAMPERING

Start visiting a dermatologist six months before the wedding for an effective treatment for acne and best results. If you’re looking to bring a dull complexion to life, Skin City offers a range of Bridal services for both the bride and the groom and the mothers as well. You should avoid any service for at least 10 days before your wedding, so start now. Drink tons of water before and on your wedding day to make your face look dewy and radiant.

EYE CARE

A nightly application of eye cream, in combination with adequate sleep, will improve the appearance of dark circles. Skin City’s Dark circle clinic has a range of services for stubborn dark circles, puffiness and bags under your eyes. Skin City possesses a unique expertise and experience of treatments around the eyes. Dr. Dhepe has been the first and only dermatologist in India who has worked as an expert faculty consultant for 3 years in India’s largest Ophthalmology research Institute L P Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad.

BEAUTIFUL BACK

Since Bridal Couture no doubt shows off a lot of your back, start taking care of this overlooked region as soon as you can. Beautiful Back Services at Skin City are specifically designed to take care of the often-neglected part of the body - the back. Both - Microdermabrasion and Peels help in exfoliation and removes discoloration and pigmentation, thus making your back beautiful again. The Helios Laser gives complete clarity to dull pigmented skin, with an immediate brightening and whitening of the affected part.

BODY - FIGURE CORRECTION

Weight management needs to address diet planning, activity planning, lifestyle modification and stress management. For that stubborn fat for an otherwise healthy person, Skin City’s Figure correction Clinic offers you Cryo Liposuction and Safe Liposuction. Both are daytime procedures. Cryo Liposuction takes an hour to get rid of fat from the abdomen or arms or thighs, so you fit perfectly into your lehenga choli or Sherwani. For Safe liposuction, you walk in at 10am and walk out at 4pm in beautiful shape.

ARMS & LEGS

Skin City’s Laser Super Hair Removal Clinic’s Soprano ICE laser offers you the most pain-free, hair free experience in the quickest possible time for small and large body parts. The Soprano ICE laser works painlessly and effectively for the removal of excessive body hair for males as well. So men dealing with unwanted hair on their neck, back, arms or even chest, underarms and feet as is the fashion norm these days, we have the most suitable technology to take care of your needs. Start your Beauty Regime today and look Haute on your special day!!

Dr Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City

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Beauty Redefined

Femina Special

Skin City India, in keeping with its pioneering image, introduces HIFU, the latest FDA approved, non- invasive technology for a face lift. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City, brings this new Anti-Ageing treatment to Pune informs Smita Gautam.

We all experience this moment at least once in our life when we see an old friend who looks much younger than her age or yours and you feel that little tinge of envy. She is blessed you say. Well, there are those who are blessed and there are the rest of us who could do with some human intervention in the form of this new non- invasive face lift.

RECLAIM YOUR YOUTH

Your skin age is not just defined by your age in years, but by other factors as well like lifestyle, stress, poor sleeping and eating habits and lack of exercise. This causes collagen and elastin depletion, fatty tissue descent and sagging of muscles. Though ageing is inevitable, you can delay the process and actually lose several years from your face with the new HIFU technology.

HIGH FIVE FOR HIFU

HIFU is a highly precise medical procedure that applies high-intensity focused ultrasound energy which delivers heat to the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers collagen remodeling, thus increasing the elasticity of the skin, resulting in tightening. It helps in brow lifting, reducing wrinkles around the eyes & neck, smoothening naso-labial folds and removal of the double chin. It improves skin texture by closing pores and reducing acne scars. It also causes whitening and tightening of the skin. All in all the result is a younger looking you. That, my dear friends, is called a facelift.

TIME MACHINE

Conventional facelifts involve surgery, pain, complications, sub optimum results and long periods of time for recovery. Also there is a limit to what can be achieved with a surgical facelift without the obvious tell tale signs. Redefining Beauty with HIFU takes around 30 minutes. A lunch hour procedure and with no downtime, it is the answer to every one’s dream of looking younger. All you need to do is walk in to Skin City today to turn back the hands of time.

Dr Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City

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Taking Vows to Look Beautiful Together

The bold, beautiful and successful couples take their common interests and healthy competition from the professional world to the grooming world discovers Smita Gautam, the Business Strategy Consultant.

Skin City has a range of ‘skintillating’ services for men and women. Narcissism was essentially considered a feminine trait which has now caught the fancy of men of all ages. This led to the coining of the term Metrosexual , for men who not only like to take care of their personal grooming but also go a mile further to actually getting professional help to look better. The beauty and wellness industry has progressed leaps and bounds to cater to the demands of men who are now conscious of their appearance and like to indulge themselves and their partners in the best beauty and cosmetic services available.

FOR HIM:

Common problems faced by men are oily skin, acne break outs, excessive underarm sweating and tanning of the face, neck and hands. Skin City has a range of services which address all of the above problems. With new age technology and quick in and out time, it is very convenient to take care of all minor and major concerns. Men are now increasingly conscious of problems ranging from balding to excessive body hair. Skin City has a team of hair experts who perform the latest technique in hair transplantation called FUE. So go ahead and show your woman how you can beat her at her own game. In fact, women, gift your men a pampering session at Skin City and maybe he will return the favor.

FOR HER:

From time immemorial, women have been pampering themselves to look and feel beautiful. Skin City understands the unique need of every woman and has services that range from fairness treatments to removal of unwanted hair, anti-ageing services and body shaping. Skin City has the latest technology in laser hair removal which is quick and painless and has patented the Safelipo service which allows you to enter at 10 AM and exit at 4 PM with the ideal body shape. One of Skin City’s taglines, ‘Creating Timeless Beauty’ appeals to the innate desire of every woman.

So take your relationship to the next level by encouraging each other to look and feel good! Spice it up with a visit to Skin City.

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‘Hair-Raising’ Experience- A Femina Special Feature

Hair-raising literally means extremely alarming, astonishing or frightening. It aptly describes the emotions we experience when we first notice the receding hairline or visible scalp in the mirror. Thanks to the huge hair restoration market that has emerged, everyone is now aware of how to restore lost hair. It is, in fact, the most accessible, affordable luxury available on the market, in the looking good department, today says Smita Gautam of SkinCity

People are spoilt for choice as far as the availability of places for hair replacement treatments is concerned. However, when shopping for a suitable place, it is important to go with a reliable surgeon rather than the best price offering. There is a price war waging in the market today and everyone is talking about the cost per graft and not quality assurance. Just getting a bunch of grafts transplanted on your head doesn’t assure you of achieving what you need. Hair transplantation has become a commodity. Many places offering the same are thriving on numbers based on rock bottom prices, much to the detriment of gullible people and to the dismay of an ethical surgeon.

NEW THERAPIES

There are several new treatments available for hair restoration and a good doctor will advise you accordingly. It is important to choose a clinic where all these treatments are available. If you choose a place that offers Hair Transplantation exclusively, that is what you will be sold. Once you have done your research and decided on the place you wish to go to for your hair replacement treatment, the difficult part is over. The treatment itself is as simple as ordering a bag of French fries and coke. In the hands of a good surgeon, you get the best quality grafts and a good follow up routine to give you the best results.

EXPERT ADVICE

Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City India is of the opinion, every individual should be treated with a customized approach, following a treatment plan. Surgery is not the first line of treatment for any other problem, then why should it be the first approach in this case? For those of you who have not yet seen that moment of truth in the reflection in the mirror, he says, prevention is better than cure. Nourish your hair with lots of care, oil massages, vitamin supplements, iron rich diet, good cleansing and conditioning. Avoiding stress, chemicals and heat treatments will help you defer or completely avoid balding if it is not a hereditary problem. Good luck on raising your hair, either way! Why have hair-raising days?

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NEW YEAR, NEW YOU - A Femina Special Feature
Resolutions often prove pretty tough to keep. Start with something simple; like taking better care of yourself. Unlike certain resolutions which can sometimes turn into regrets, giving yourself the TLC you deserve is always a good plan, which is exactly why we should all make it a point to step up our skincare and body care game in the year ahead says Smita Gautam of SkinCity which is the largest skin and hair restoration center in India and offers solutions for all skin, hair and body shape problems. JANUARY Get a skin analysis done. Assess the partying, lifestyle and makeup damage to your skin carried over from the previous year. Replenish your skincare products and update your regime to include routine cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. Add an anti-ageing product if you’ve turned 25 during the previous year. Get rejuvenating skin services to revive your skin beauty. FEBRUARY Get a body analysis done. Assess your diet plan and exercise regime and decide if it suits you and is working towards achieving what you want. Get lifestyle guidance from an expert. With summer approaching, if you have excessive sweating this is the time to get your zero sweat solution. MARCH Get a cleanup if you are acne prone; buy your summer skincare products. Keep your skin protected from the sun. Acne and acne scar treatments go hand in hand. Get started now to get the best results by the time summer peaks. APRIL Get a hair analysis done for an early diagnosis of hair fall and thinning. Start a hair care regime. Get a hair transplant if you need it, this will ensure you have a full head of hair by the end of the year. MAY it’s summer time; do you need a little nip and tuck to flaunt that bikini bod? Now is the time to do it. The choice is wide. From an hour long Cryolipolysis to a few hours of Safe Liposuction, you can look fabulous in a day and wear a two piece for that beach holiday. JUNE To battle frizzy hair and dull skin during the monsoon, get pampering treatments for your skin and hair. The Helios laser skin toning will get rid of the beach tan and give you bright and beautiful skin, not only on your face but on any pigmented part of your body, like the back, upper thighs, buttocks etc. JULY if you are a bride to be, start your bridal package now. Mothers of the bride and groom can get a non-surgical facelift. The famous Ulthera HIFU treatment will make you look years younger by October. This service is perfect for anything from a mild loss of skin tone to frank sagging. AUGUST With festivities around the corner, get a Medifacial to suit your skin type and look lovely for the whole month. SEPTEMBER Start your Laser hair reduction package now; you will be completely hair free by the time summer arrives. Sport a smooth and silky skin next summer. OCTOBER it’s the month of festive offers, celebrations, and fun. Invest in your skin and hair by signing up for good packages for the season. Brides to be, you are almost at the D- day, if you haven’t already started it’s never too late. Start your Bridal beauty regime, now. NOVEMBER  Add deep moisturizers and nourishing skin treatments to prevent dryness of skin and hair that winter brings. Winter causes additional dryness to aging skin and the sun causes further damage. Avail of replenishing treatments to keep your skin, healthy and youthful. DECEMBER it’s party time. Indulge in pampering treatments for your skin and hair to give you an immediate glow and look radiant wherever you go.
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Everything You Want to Know About Spider Veins
Spider Vein

Spider veins (also called telangiectasias) are clusters of tiny blood vessels that develop close to the surface of the skin. They are often red, blue, or purple; and they have the appearance of a spider web. They are commonly found on the face and legs.

Causes of Spider veins

  • Heredity
  • Occupations that involve a lot of standing, such as nurses, hairstylists, teachers, and factory workers
  • Obesity
  • Hormonal influences of pregnancy, puberty, and menopause.
  • The use of birth control pills.
  • Postmenopausal hormonal replacement
  • A history of blood clotting problems
  • Conditions that cause increased pressure in the abdomen such as tumors and constipation.
  • Other reported causes include trauma or injury to the skin, previous vein surgery, and exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Varicose veins and spider veins develop more often in women than in men. They increase in frequency with age. An estimated 30% to 60% of adults have varicose veins or spider veins.

Symptoms of Spider Veins

The most obvious sign of spider veins is their web-like appearance on the skin. These veins can be red, blue, or purple. Other symptoms include:

  • an uncomfortable feeling in the legs
  • swelling
  • rash
  • throbbing, cramping, or aching
  • restless legs
  • itching around the veins
  • skin ulcers

Treating Spider Veins

Unless you are experiencing pain or other symptoms, spider and varicose veins don’t require treatment. If you have symptoms or would like the veins removed for aesthetic reasons, treatment options include:

  • Support stockings: Compression stockings put pressure on your veins and relieve discomfort. These can be purchased over-the-counter or by prescription.
  • Sclerotherapy: This common treatment is used for spider veins and varicose veins. In this procedure, a doctor injects a chemical into your veins, causing them to seal shut. With blood flow stopped, the vein becomes scar tissue and eventually fades. This treatment must be repeated every four to six weeks.
  • Laser treatments: This procedure uses a laser to send bursts of light through your skin and into your vein, making the vein fade.
  • Surgery: Various surgical techniques are generally reserved for the largest and most unsightly veins.
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LHR: Is it Laser Hair Removal or Laser Hair Reduction?
Dr.Niteen Dhepe Hair removal is one of the oldest elements of beauty treatments, and shaving was the earliest way to get rid of excess unwanted hair. Then were introduced salon treatments like waxing and threading. Some chemical creams that dissolve hair shaft are used as depilatory creams. All these give temporary relief from hair growth. Shaving leaves behind thick hair stubs that give a rough look while threading and waxing, and can induce follicular damage. Usage of depilatory creams can cause contact allergy.

So what’s the quick fix to this? The real revolution in hair removal came with the advent of lasers and light technology. The initial enthusiasm was to be believed that hair removal with laser and light is permanent; however, the first company who got a patent for IPL hair removal marketed it as a complete hair removal within three sessions, though they believed it to be one session. Soon their claims of getting hair removed in 3 sessions fizzled, hundreds of lawsuits were filed and eventually the company got bankrupt. Since this fiasco, the term ‘hair removal’ was replaced with ‘hair reduction’ and it’s no more permanent. It is now known as ‘long term hair reduction’.

What are the scientific facts here? First, Laser can treat thick and black hair shafts and NOT thin and pale hair. Second, there is no need of removal of fine less visible hair. Most of laser physicians now believe that the laser should be used only on thick hair and complete removal of all the hair shafts is not desired.

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SKIN MATTERS

The most important factors that decide the quality of your skin and hair are your genes, emotions and your immunity. Copy: Feed your skin well Food you put in your body are as vital as the products you put on it. Diet can play an important role in all skin conditions; to combat wrinkles and lines and other skin problems as well, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, dry or oily skin. Caring for your skin and hair

• Eat a variety of healthy foods rich in vitamins and nutrients

• Keep physically active

• Manage stress

• Practice sun safety

• Limityour alcohol intake

• Don’t use tobacco and/or other recreational drugs

• Drink plenty of water

• Habits like smoking and sunbathing dry out skin and cause wrinkles.

Practice sun safety to prevent skin cancer. Sun exposure puts you at greater risk of skin cancer, whatever your skin color or ethnicity. Dr. NiteenDhepe, Medical Director of Skin City, says, “The Skin is like a mirror reflection of your general health. Most people are particular about keeping tabs on their heart health after a certain age. Whereas they neglect the skin, which actually shows warning signs of all systemic diseases related to the heart, kidneys, lungs, stomach and even nervous system. So visit your dermatologist regularly.” Stay Alert Check your skin for sun damage. Ask your doctor how often you should have a clinical skin exam to check for signs of skin cancer. Check for age spots that appear on your face.They are not harmful, but if the look of age spots bothers you, ask your doctor about skin-lightening creams, laser therapy, and cryotherapy (freezing).

Use sunscreen to prevent more age spots. Ask your doctor if the medicines you are taking can affect your skin. For instance, blood thinners and aspirin can cause you to bruise more easily. Some antibiotics and vitamins make skin sunburn more easily. Knowing how your skin and hair normally look and feel will help you notice changes to ask your doctor about. Acne or Pimples Acne is most common in the teen years, however many women get pimples in their 50s. Acne is also common during pregnancy and menopause, when hormonal changes take place. Medicines, such as birth control pills, can also lead to breakouts. Acne also appears to run in some families. Excessive Hair Loss Some women have hair loss called Alopecia.

It tends to run in families. Hormonal changes occur during and after pregnancy.Underlying health problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),diabetes and thyroid disease can cause hair loss. Also certain medicines, such as birth control pills or those to treat cancer, arthritis, depression, or heart problems,extreme stress, such as from a major illness. Hairstyles that twist or pull hair too cause hair loss. Whether or not hair will grow back depends on the cause of hair loss. If your hair loss is permanent, talk with your doctor about options, such as a hair transplant. Hirsutism-Excessive Hair Gain When dark, thick hair grows on a woman’s face, chest, belly, or back, the condition is called Hirsutism. Health problems and family genes can cause high levels of male hormones result in Hirsutism. If you are overweight, try losing weight. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome suffer of Hirsutism.Whatever the cause you can consider permanent methods for removal of unwanted hair like Laser Hair Reduction.

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SkinCity Allergy clinic

In today’s world full of stress and contaminations, skin and other allergies have evolved as lifestyle disorders. One can be allergic to certain substances by birth or develop them over the years. Some common allergens include foods, cosmetics, fragrances, plantations, sun light, dust. Allergies are common in all age groups. It is a response of one’s own body immune system to agents like dust, metal, fibre, chemical, pollen grains. These agents also known as allergen are not harmful, occur freely in environment and do not bother most people they come in contact with. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one allergen. When an allergen comes in contact with an individual with allergy, it triggers an allergic or hypersensitive reaction. Heredity and environmental exposures contribute to susceptibility of an individual to allergies.

At SkinCity , we offer a thorough consultation and allergy testing for patients suffering from skin allergies to known and unknown allergens and a treatment protocol suitable for patient’s needs. What is allergy? The human immune system is programmed to combat any foreign substance (allergen, infectious agents) entering our body. In this process of dealing with allergens, the immune system produces a number of antibodies and activates blood called eosinophils. Together they attack the allergen with chemical substances. Sometimes the same chemicals can result in symptoms of allergy.

Symptoms of allergies may be obvious such as hay fever or not so obvious such as breathlessness after taking certain medicines. An allergic reaction can occur anywhere in the body (e.g. sneezing and stuffy nose, itching rash of urticaria and asthma). However other symptoms like severe urticaria, migraine and even life- threatening symptoms (reactions to drugs, foods and cosmetics) can occur.

• Specific allergic disease

• Allergic rhinitis / sinusitis

• Allergic conjunctivitis

• Allergic bronchitis

• Eczema, Atopic dermatitis

• Urticaria, Angioedema

• Contact Dermatitis

It is important to detect what is causing the allergy in an individual. After detecting the allergens , the best way is to avoid them (drug allergy), use control measures (house dust mites), create tolerance to them (food allergies), skin protection (urticaria) or treat them with oral vaccines (allergic colds or asthma). We detect allergies by the skin Prick tests which in the hand of an allergy specialist are 90-100% sensitive. At Skin City we manage skin, respiratory and food allergies by careful consultation, ‘In vitro’ allergy testing and treatment as per international guidelines and advanced Desensitization for those who require it.

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SCAR WAR

In a world that is obsessed with appearance, the standard of beauty is difficult to match. Women are especially hard on themselves when it comes to their appearance. Plastic surgery statistics are at an all-time high, and this beauty obsession is to blame Copy: Women scour the covers of magazines, glorify actresses and models, and wish for a body like their idols. What women may not know is that their skin and emotional health are directly related. When a woman is upset about her appearance or skin, this emotion has the potential to wreak havoc on the mind.Probably one of the most upsetting problems is a scar, be it on a visible or covered part of the body. Scars can cause anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder in women, all of which have the potential to severely affect a woman psychologically. Causes of scars Scars can result from accidents, diseases, skin conditions such as acne or from surgeries and are a natural part of the body's healing process. A scar results from the biologic process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues.

Most wounds, except for very minor ones, result in some degree of scarring. Any injury beyond the body’s repair mechanism is filled by raw collagen and is called a scar. While scars cannot be cured, most of them can be made to merge with surrounding skin to an extent of 30 to 100%, thanks to revolutionary technologies. Some scars can have a sunken or pitted appearance. This kind of scarring occurs when underlying structures supporting the skin like fat or muscle are lost. Some surgical scars have this appearance, as do some scars from acne.Scars also can appear as stretched skin. Such scars result when the skin stretches rapidly as in growth spurts or during pregnancy. In addition, this type of scar can occur when the skin is under tension like near a joint, during the healing process.

SkinCity’s scar war Dr. NiteenDhepe, Medical Director, Skin City says “Most scars can be made to merge with the surrounding skin to an extent of 30 to 100%, thanks to technologies like Ultra Pulse Scaar FX, Deep FX, Active FX, Pixel and DYE VL. All scars are now well treated with a holistic combination approach. Lasers like Scaar FX and our signature Derma Transport are Skin City’s unique weapons in the ‘Scar War’.” The scar improvement in burn and hypertrophic scars is measured according to four parameters - thickness, elasticity (flexibility), surface & textural regularity and color – to matchwith the surrounding skin. The ScaarFx – Derma Transport Combination achieves 60 to 100% improvement in all four parameters. Skin City’s revolutionary scar research has been presented in six International conferences through nine research papers and Skin City is now exploring avenues to use this knowhow to treat acid burn victims.

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Regain Your Youthful Appearance with Laser Skin Tightening Treatment

Hundreds and thousands of searches are made on internet daily to find an effective way to get rid of lose, wrinkled skin. If you are also one of those who have been searching for an effective skin tightening procedure of late, stop your search right here. You have finally landed in the right place. Laser

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Practice Building and Marketing in Aesthetics

Traditionally word of mouth was the only way to develop medical practice. Networking for referral of a prospective new patient by an old patient or other physician was the only way of marketing. In recent years because of rapid technological advancement and increment in investment of medical practice and non emergency nature of aesthetic procedures, need for marketing has evolved.

Essentials of building of an Aesthetic Practice 1. Marketing Plan 2. Accreditations 3. Develop portfolio 4. Office appearance 5. External marketing 6. Internet marketing 7. Staffing 8. Internal marketing

Develop a marketing plan: What sets your practice apart from others? Consistent message & logo:

How do you want to project yourself? As an individual expert doctor or as an Institute? If you are planning a large investment in multiple location with many doctors involved, brand yourself as Institute rather an individual.A consistent logo and catch line spreading the primary motive of your organization goes a long way.

Understand Your Market

Aesthetic Practice being intensive in investment, it is absolutely essential to survey the market for the services you are providing.

Who is your customer?Whether you are catering to metro or nonmetro clients, young or middle aged, computer literate and netsavy or non -techy, middle class or affluent class

How does your customer think and gather information? Once you know who are your clients, then get to know how they gather their information. It may be television, newspaper, internet, clubs, panel displays of bigger hospitals. Who are their opinion leaders? Politicians, celebrities, religious personalities, beauticians?

Define goals for the practice What do you expect out of your aesthetic practice over time? Set the goals in term of clear and achievable tangential parameters. How many patients per month, how much of revenue per month, how many presentations or publications, how many clinics, in how many years.

Create budget, timeline, and measurement criteria: Accreditation means approval of your quality from any body that is perceived by people as an authority in that field. Some examples include ISO, JACO, NABH for hospitals. MD, DNB degrees itself is an Accreditation perceived rightfully as a benchmark of quality. • It is necessary as it is a visible sign of Public recognition, benchmark of professional achievement, quality of care and demonstrates self confidence and commitment to quality. • It is a useful tool of marketing • Regulatory compliance for these accreditations actually elevates the level of your practice. Consultative guidance from these agencies is a great source of learning and Quality Improvement. • Memberships of professional organizations in related field will indirectly highlight your excellence in the field. Moreover inputs from the memberships in journals, conferences, courses, opportunity for interaction with the Masters is an invaluable source of professional development. Examples include IADVL, ACSI, ASDS, ASLMS, AAD, EADV, etc. • Accreditation need not be academic alone. Association with other bodies publicly perceived as quality makes a useful accreditation. Being appointed as the Official Dermatologist of a opinion leader, beauty contest, column writer in a magazine or news paper, Consultant Post in a reputed hospital help to win confidence of a prospective client.

Develop a Portfolio of your good results The best way of winning confidence of a prospective client is to share good results of your treatment. It is fortunate that in Aesthetic Practice, it is easy to document the outcome of our expertise that can easily be shared with other patients

Accumulate your own Beforeand-After photos: Treat staff members, family and close friends and get them to be a part of the portfolio. Get permission to use treatment photos for patient consultation, presentations and website. Review photos prior to treating. Take good “before” photos Often staff members are unaware the photos are of poor quality and if you don’t check them prior to treating your patient, you’ve lost a great opportunity to show your skills to future patients.There are many opportunities to get good “after” photos but only one chance to get the actual “before” photo.

In Photography Remember the 3D’s. Distance, Detail and Development. Distance should be appropriate to the problem. If the distance is too far - photographs of peri-ocular tretaed by CO2 would not show well in a full face photograph .If too close – A facelift photograph would not show well if you can not see the full lower third of the face and neck. Detail : Show the lumps, bumps, lines, creases, hills, and valleys. This is achieved by adjusting Focus, Change the angle • Development : Look at the photographs in the imaging program.What looks like a good photograph immediately after it’s taken may actually be out of focus when seen on the full screen. Remember only one chance to get “before” photos Factors influencing patients decision to chose YOU for aesthetic procedure

55% Visual 38% Communication with staff 7% Consultation with physician The decision to choose you has almost been made (93%) before you even meet with the client.

Office Appearance In an interesting survey conducted in USA on patients seeking aesthetic procedure, it was highlighted that 55% of their decision was influenced by what the client actually sees in your clinic. Remember, cosmetic surgery is an emotional decision. The patient should feel like they’ve made the right choice as soon as they walk in the door. Everything should be “high-class” and authentic be it the Office décor, Displays, Forms, Warm reception. Displaying your credentials, certificates, trophies, membership will help in winning confidence of the patient. A screen constantly displaying your pre and post result portfolio and credentials at the most visible location is a useful tool.

Print Media Marketing In India, print media is still an influential media. Which media to choose depends upon your market and who your customers are. Media marketing involves two important segments, namely advertisement and media PR (public relation) management. Regular advertisements help registering the brand but authenticity is created when editorial coverage highlights your product. Print advertisements budget should be spared for small sized but repetitive ads instead of bigger sized infrequent ads. Local woman’s magazine or other community papers

Networking Networking with other physicians is traditional but still very effective way getting new patient leads. Keep other doctors aware of what you do. It is surprising to know that very few physicians know of your newly acquired skill or newly owned laser machine than you expected. Periodic newsletters, “email blasts”, practice announcement SMS (texts) will keep them in touch. You may request your friend physician to post information and brochures in their offices. If you are attached as a consultant in any multispecialty hospital, be particular that your name is displayed on wall panel with your correct credentials like Dermatologist and cosmetic laser surgeon, hair transplant surgeon, allergologist etc. Your business card should proudly mention all your credentials and affiliations. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to your college or anyone as ‘Myself Dr ABC, Dermatologist and Vitiligo surgeon.’ Take interest in knowing similar skills your other colleague have acquired. Networking through Community involvement Participating in community works like Rotary clubs help networking with opinion leaders in other fields. Participating in interactive shows on channels as an expert, writing a column in a news paper, donating for a community cause opens many channels of networking. Seminars: Organizing seminars for general public, prospective clients or CME activities for other doctors help to spread the awareness of what you are doing.

Internet Marketing Internet marketing is the Best value, High source of new cosmetic patients. Good website, search engine connections and social media marketing is the triad of successful internet marketing. It supplies “Educated” patients those know much of the things already. Your job is then rather easy. You can refer caller to your web site for information and pictures. Some of the features of a good website are right content keys, Easy to read,Easy to navigate,Contact information on every page. Updating the contents regularly is essential. Design of website should classy and user friendly

Search Engine Optimization with leading search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing with appropriate keywords is must to make your website available in first few results for a specific keywords. Keywords should be derived by putting yourself in the shoes of the client and imagining how a new client will seek information

Social Media Marketing In current days, social media marketing has become more important than website and search engine optimization. People allover world are now more on Facebook and twitter than Google. Few important tips for social media marketing are as follows: create your practice’s profile and pages on Facebook, twitter and other social networking sites. Give link to these pages on your every stationary like business card, prescription, email signatures. Request every patient to FOLLOW or LIKE your pages. Offer updates and discount announcements of facebook pages. Request your happy patients to write favorable reviews about your services on blogs. Make your happy patients your brand ambassadors.

Staffing Your Practice Marketing Plans, Accreditation, and Beautiful Office settings make no difference in building your practice if you don’t have the right staff. Hire the right people to make the perfect team. Maximize employees skills, strengths, and weakness Encourage employee education and advancement.All employees contribute to patient relationships and comfort. They should be cross-trained. They should be given motivation to take initiative in patient comfort. Build A Team Along with Your Practice. Most important employee in your practice should be front desk staff. Whenever you plan to hire a new employee, don’t take a decision on your own. Other staff working directly with the new hire should be consulted. This help build a team spirit. If you want your employee to handle your patient well, you handle the employee well. Treat the employee as if they are your clients. These quotations from management textbooks underline the importance of staff management. 75% to 90%times, Patient’s first contact to the practice is by telephone. Staff answering phone must be friendly, knowledgeable and not rushed. Ultimate aim should be smooth patient flow. It is observed that 68% times, patient’s that decide to seek treatment elsewhere did so because of staff discourtesy.

Typical Staff designations Front Receptionist Patient Coordinator Internal Marketing Director Business Manager Houseman or assistant doctors Aestheticians Nurses Positive Telephone Image Answer phone on the first or second ring Listen Acknowledge a request Show interest and care Be considerate Follow through on all promises Apologize for errors or delays Don’t leave people on hold Internal marketing: Retaining your clients It costs much more to attract a new patient than to retain an existing one. Best and cheapest way to get a new patient is a Happy patient referring his friend to you. How much percentage of patients comes for second and third treatments in multiple session treatments must be tracked. Any patient not continuing treatment must be assessed for the reason of discontinuation. Appropriate measures to be taken to make the old patient a happy and regular one. • Keep them informed: patients must be made aware of what services your catering to. o Display of pre and post treatment photographs in waiting hall o Posters of practice announcements and special discount offers o Periodic news letters o SMS alerts of new announcements o Brochures and leaflets – easily accessible • Cross selling: Patients consulting for one indication are softly and indirectly promoted with other service or treatment. In author’s experience, patients coming for body shaping are easily converted to neurotoxin injections and laser hair removal. Doctor, nurse executing treatment are to be trained in cross selling. • Loyalty appreciation: old patients of one treatment seeking second treatment must be discounted. Offer launches of new treatments at concessional charges. • Cross referrals: patients referring his or her friend as a new patient must be appreciated and given discounts if possible. Ethical and legal issues in marketing While open advertising is legally allowed in some western countries, there are some restrictions on advertisements in India. Remember the following principles A doctor can not advertise himself but a clinic or hospital or a business can Advertisement highlighting credentials of a doctors to sell a service is not allowed Doctors can write in editorials to answer the queries Sponsored editorial intended to inform the public are allowed and are called Advertorials Any claim made in black and whiteis subject to verification in future also. So be cautious about the claims made in advertisment

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Microdermabrasion for Facial Skin Rejuvenation

Microdermabrasion comprises one of the most popular non-invasive cosmetic procedures used for effective and dramatic facial skin rejuvenation. It is a relatively easy, simple and pain free technique that is being advanced as an effective alternative to surgical facelift. It works by gently peeling off the damaged top layer of skin to reveal clear, smooth

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Obesity In India

According to an international research firm that reviews industry trends and creates forecasts, demand for cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures is expected to grow at a rate of nearly 8.5% annually through 2013. Demand for minimally-invasive procedures is expected to grow at an even faster rate, as more people reorganize their budgets and look for Aesthetic Procedures to achieve their ideal look. Usual surgical procedures consist of three steps: cutting the patient open; removing or repairing an organ or tissue; and closing the patient up again. In minimal access surgery, the impact of the first and last of these is reduced as far as possible, either by gaining access to the body through natural orifices or by operating through very small holes (typically 5-15 mm across) cut into the body.

The development of fibre optic light sources, miniature video cameras and specially designed tools has allowed increasingly complex surgery to be performed, with the surgeon being guided by high resolution, magnified video images. This issue talks about obesity in India. India is one of the top 5 countries that has a high demand for liposuction services. The reason for India to embrace liposuction and other minimally invasive procedures for weight loss is due to our tendency to put weight coupled with bad eating habits and a total lack of exercise. This explains the rapid growth of cosmetic offering this service. Moreover today people have more disposable income than before, which they invest in looking good. -

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Long Term Safety and Efficacy of Laser Hair Removal with Diode Laser
Laser hair removal is one of the very popular laser treatments offered by dermatologist for the removal of unwanted body hair. Today not only females who are suffering from hirsutism or hypertrichosis get this treatment but this it's gaining much more popularity amongst males as well to get rid of unwanted body hair. Now a day varieties of laser and light technologies are available in market for the purpose of laser hair reduction, some of those are ILP, Diode Laser, LP Nd:YAG 1064 laser etc. Though it is the most popular laser treatment but not enough data regarding the long term efficacy and safety of laser hair removal is available. Method: Before starting laser treatment complete clinical history and physical examination was carried out. Base line investigation was carried out in case of hirsutism or in case of history of menstrual irregularities or history suggestive of some hormonal imbalance. Those are given below
  • Family history of hirsutism
  • MC irregularity
  • Documented PCOD
  • Patient is on hormonal treatment
  • Obesity
  • Other endocrine disorders
Informed written consent was taken from every patient before starting the laser treatment. Pre treatment and post treatment photographs were taken at each visit. First marking of the area was done, followed by shaving of the area to be treated. External Cooling in form of application of Ice or external cooler zimmer (cryo 5) was applied to skin to bring the surface temperature to around 10⁰C. Treatment with Diode laser was given in the marked area with slight overlapping (around 10%). Energy (fluence) was adjusted by the clinical response of mild to moderate erythema and perifollicular edema. Pulsed width of 30 ms was used for non tanned patients were as pulsed with of 100ms was used for very dark skin or tanned skin. Post treatment emollient and Sunscreen of at least 30 SPF was prescribed for the exposed treated part. Gap of not less than 2 months was given in between two laser treatment sittings. At Dr Dhepe's SkinCity , PG institute of Dermatology, we have an experience of more than 10 years for Laser hair removal with different technologies available in market. The technologies we have for laser hair removal are – 3 Diode lasers, 1- LP Nd:YAG laser, 1-IPL. So, we conducted study to find out long term efficacy and safety of laser hair removal in Indian patients. 920 cases including study from around 15 districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka over a period of 3 years, Most of them completed 4 to 8 sittings. Final analysis of data was done of the basis of Efficacy, Long term efficacy, Safety and economics (cost of entire treatment).
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Laser Hair Removal for Men

The fact is that having or developing any trait that makes an individual not conform to norms detaches him from normal life and makes him self-conscious. Excessive hairiness in men is one such trait that makes them feel self-conscious. Thick coarse hair on face – beard and mustaches – and on arms and legs add […]

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Laser Tattoo Removal Before and After

Laser tattoo removal is the finest treatment in its category. Many people regret their tattoos and want to get rid of them. Traditional methods like salabrasion and dermabrasion are highly invasive and cost a lot of pain. Laser treatment does not cause such issues. After 1st session A marked decrease in the appearance of the […]

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Laser and Combination Treatment of Birthmarks
Birth marks are developmental anomalies where particular cell line will proliferate more to form a benign growth, still it is distinct from malignancy because the cells are of normal nature and growth is well controlled. Birth marks are classified base on which cells are proliferating. E.g. birth mark of keratinocytes is epidermal nevus; birth mark of blood vessels is hemangioma or lymphangioma. Treatments of Birthmarks Types of birth marks Which cell proliferates? Clinical type Keratinocytes Verrucous epidermal nevus Endothelium of vessels Hemangioma Lymphangioma Angiokeratoma Adipocyte NevusLipomaticus Sebaceous Glands Nevus sebaceous Nevus Comedonicus Nerve Cells Neurofibromatosis Melanocytes Melanocytic Nevus Nevus Spilus Nevus of Ota & Ito Becker's Nevus How birth marks grow? Birth marks may grow in-utero or start growing soon after birth. Some birth marks may start growing at age of 10 years to 20 years. Many cutaneous birthmarks have extensions of dormant cells in hair follicles, that's why they tend to recur after treatment. Principles of treatment of birthmarks: ŸExcision, ŸSerial excision ŸDermabrasion ŸSelective photo-thermolysis ŸDon't treat Leave as it is. Which birth marks need to be treated? 1)Hemangioma: rapidly growing, compressing vital structures, ulcerated & bleeding ones 2)Nevus sebaceous: long standing nevus sebaceous can transform into malignancy at age 40 and above. 3)Melanocytic nevus: Larger than 2 cm nevi and multiple nevi need to be excised. 4)Cosmetically disturbing nevi are better treated in time. Combination with ILS will reduce scarring of laser Becker’s Nevus with LEO 540 Radiofrequency removal of mole: follow-up of 4 years How birth marks grow? Birth marks may grow in-utero or start growing soon after birth. Some birth marks may start growing at age of 10 years to 20 years. Many cutaneous birthmarks have extensions of dormant cells in hair follicles, that's why they tend to recur after treatment. Principles of treatment of birthmarks: ŸExcision, ŸSerial excision ŸDermabrasion ŸSelective photo-thermolysis ŸDon't treat Leave as it is. Which birth marks need to be treated? 1)Hemangioma: rapidly growing, compressing vital structures, ulcerated & bleeding ones 2)Nevus sebaceous: long standing nevus sebaceous can transform into malignancy at age 40 and above. 3)Melanocytic nevus: Larger than 2 cm nevi and multiple nevi need to be excised. 4)Cosmetically disturbing nevi are be treated in time.
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How Can You Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Appearance of stretch marks on various parts of body is a normal part of puberty for most girls and boys. Sudden changes in body size, such as pregnancy or rapid weight loss or weight gain can also lead to stretch marks. These indentions mostly appear on thighs, buttocks and arms, near the armpits.

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Important Lessons for an Entrepreneur

How to Be Assertive (Without Losing Yourself) Conventional wisdom says that assertive people go ahead. They tell people what they think, request the resources they need, and don't take no for an answer. So what are non-assertive people supposed to do, if their company's culture rewards these actions? If you're shy or reserved, don't fret. You can ask for what you need and get what you want, while still being yourself. What the Experts Say Managers need some degree of selfconfidence to be effective. "The right amount of assertiveness, respect for others, and intelligence is what makes a great leader there needs to be a balance.”There's a sweet spot for assertiveness. If you're below the range, you're not going to get your way.

If you're above it, you're not getting along with others. The good news is being shy is not a permanent condition. Assertiveness can be learned. The key is to understand the context, assess your behavior, and then make the appropriate adjustments. Understand the context Assertiveness is not universally understood to be a positive trait. Before you make changes to your behavior, know the context you are working in. Does the culture national, regional, or organizational truly value forcefulness? Or do you work in a situation where a persuasive, quiet approach is sometimes more esteemed? Consider the implications of your behavior before you alter it. Evaluate your level of assertiveness You can do this by either assessing your own behavior or asking others for input. Are you willing to talk to anyone about what you want? Objectively rating your own behavior can be difficult. "The connection between what we think we're doing and what others see is very weak. Often it's not greater than chance," Therefore, it might help to get feedback from trusted colleagues or to conduct a 360-degree review Set goals and stick to them If you find in your assessment that you are holding back in situations where you shouldn't, ask yourself what you aren't saying and why you're keeping quiet.

Next time you enter a similar situation, rehearse what you are going to say and how you will say it beforehand, challenge yourself with a specific timebounded behavioral goal. For example, give yourself a week to initiate three difficult conversations with colleagues. Or tell yourself that for the next two weeks, whenever you're in a group discussion, you'll speak up within the first two minutes. "Focused incremental changes add up to real change," If you're successful, set another goal and stick to it. If it doesn't work, don't beat yourself up. Try a different one. "Approach it with an attitude of playfulness," Build relationships Often time’s people hold back because they are uncomfortable in a situation, either because they don't know people or they're afraid of what others might think. Therefore, it can help to get to know people outside of work. Connect with work colleagues who are only casual acquaintances. Socialize with colleagues in a way that breaks down barriers.

You may be less cautious about speaking up if you're at ease socially. Stay true to yourself Altering your style to be more assertive can feel inauthentic, but it doesn't have to be. You're not changing your character; you are making deliberate choices about how you behave. Don't feel you have to muster interpersonal coldness to accompany your assertion. Feel free to be friendly and empathic while asking for your needs to be met. Find your own style instead of trying to imitate others. Nor do you need to be more assertive in every context every day. You can bring out your competitive side when it's useful and you can dial back and be accommodating when it's helpful. There's a line — know when you've crossed it Be careful that in your quest, you don't become a bully or a nuisance. being overly assertive is often interpreted as self-promotional or arrogant. Monitor the impact you have on others. The costs of being overly assertive are not immediately apparent to us.

If you yell at a subordinate, she may do what you asked but she may also go home and update her resume. Be sure your efforts to push more are well intended. Assertiveness is most appreciated when it's in the service of the team. Principles to Remember Do: Assess your own degree of assertiveness and ask others for feedback. Set realistic goals to make small changes in your behavior and stick to them. Forge relationships with colleagues outside of work so that you feel more comfortable speaking up. Don't: Assume that assertiveness is always a good thing — the context you work in and your gender both matter. Try to imitate someone else's behavior — you can change while still being true to who you are Overcompensate and become aggressive — balance assertiveness with consideration of others. 2) Why Aren't You Delegating? You have way too much to do, you're buried in work, and it seems there's no way out from under it all. But there is: delegation. Yes, yes, you know it's important to do and you know it will save you time and help others develop new skills.

So why aren't you doing it? What the Experts Say Delegation is a critical skill. Your most important task as a leader is to teach people how to think and ask the right questions so that the world doesn't go to hell if you take a day off. Delegation benefits managers, direct reports, and organizations. Yet it remains one of the most underutilized and underdeveloped management capabilities. Most people will tell you they are too busy to delegate — that it's more efficient for them to just do it But it's time to drop the excuses. Here's how. Watch for warning signs You may not realize that you're unnecessarily hoarding work. There are warning signs, however. A classic sign of insufficient delegation is that you are working long hours and feel totally indispensable, while your staff isn't terribly energized and keeps strangely regular hours. You may also feel that your team doesn't take ownership over projects and that you're the only one that cares.

If they use phrases like, "I'm happy to help you with this," it may be an indication that you're doling out tasks, not handing over responsibility. Understand why you're not delegating There are plenty of reasons why managers don't delegate. Some are perfectionists who feel it's easier to do everything themselves, or that their work is better than others this is "selfenhancement bias." Some believe that passing on work will detract from their own importance, while others lack self-confidence and don't want to be upstaged by their subordinates. No matter how self-aware you are, don't assume that you're immune to these biases. Instead, you need to proactively ask yourself what you're going to do to counterbalance them.

Letting go of these misconceptions can be extremely difficult and often organizational culture doesn't help. Giving up being 'the go-to expert' takes tremendous confidence and perspective even in the healthiest environments. "It's even more challenging in the average company, where being a good manager is seen as a 'nice to have,' but where producing the core deliverable is what is truly esteemed." But accepting that you can't do everything yourself is a critical first step to delegating. Measure how you're doing Once you've recognized what's standing in your way, the next logical step is to adjust your behavior. In reality, however, very few people know what to change or how to change it. "If you asked most managers how they spent their day, they are not going to be able to recall it accurately. He advises keeping a daily diary of how you spend your time. After a week, you'll start to see patterns. You're likely to find that a lot of time is spent on low-leverage activities that can be delegated. Choose the right people Some managers fear delegation because they've been burned in the past. It's important that you pass on work to people who have the necessary skills and are motivated to get the job done right. Ideally, you should be able to delegate some form of work to everyone on your team.

If you push work as far down the hierarchy as possible, you will free up time and help all your staff members grow. Integrate delegation into what you already do Delegation shouldn't be yet another task. Make it part of your process for creating staff development plans. Discuss which types of projects and tasks you will passon to them so that they can build the skills they need. Make sure it's written down as part of their performance goals and discuss how you will be mutually accountable for making it happen. Then create a cheat sheet that lists each person's development plan and put it somewhere visible. This should help to spur your thinking about opportunities to delegate as they arise normally in your work. And the assignment will be welcomed because the employee understands clearly how it fits into the development plan.

Ask others to hold you accountable Give your direct reports permission to call you out when you haven't delegated something you should. Remember that it's never easy to give your boss feedback, so be crystal clear that you are open to and expect this kind of input. Also, let them know that they're responsible for their own growth and if they see a project they want to take on, they should ask for it. Really let go After you delegate, your job as a manager is to observe and support your direct reports, not dictate what they do. It's not about making the decisions for them. Develop their critical thinking skills so they become better at intervening in their own situations. Give your employees space. If you want people to learn, you have to permit them to make mistakes and figure out how to correct them. Micromanaging defeats the whole purpose.

Be careful though. It's possible to be too hands off. While you don't want to tell people how to do the job, you must be in a position to evaluate their performance and development. Don't walk away from a task you've delegated. Stay involved but let your employee lead the way. Learn from experience Once you've started delegating more, pay attention to the results, and learn from your mistakes. Ask yourself how you can tweak your approach. Can you delegate more involved tasks? Should you give your direct reports more freedom? Do you need to monitor progress more closely? Be patient with yourself while you practice. You're going from an 'I'm going to do everything because I know better than everyone' mindset to 'I'm going to let people learn' mindset". It may take time, but the payoff is great. Principles to Remember Do: Take note if you're overwhelmed and your team members don't seem to have enough to do — it's a warning sign Keep a visual reminder of your team's development goals so you can easily identify opportunities to delegate Ask your direct reports to call you out when you haven't delegated enough. Don't: Assume that you aren't biased about other people's performance Give someone else responsibility for something and then micromanage the task to death Be impatient — practice and learn from your mistakes.

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How to Avoid Dark Circles

Dark circles around the eyes is quite a common problem that really has an ill effect on the overall persona. People want to get rid of them which can be done with the help of certain treatments. However, as the ages old cliché goes that prevention is better than cure, it is ideal that you […]

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What are Side Effects of Laser Scar Removal?

Laser scar removal comprises one of the most popular and most demanded scar removing techniques nowadays, reason being its non-invasive nature and instant results. But like any other procedure, laser scar removal also has some side effects associated with it that every potential candidate should be aware of before committing to the procedure. Luckily laser

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Add that Dash of Confidence

Clear spotless skin is something we all want. Having that perfect skin adds a lot to our confidence. But not everyone is blessed with glowing skin. That though is no longer a cause of worry as Auyon Acharya tells you how Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Leading Dermatologist in India as well as the Medical Director, Skin City PG Institute of Dermatology has just the right tips when it comes to acquiring that perfect blemish free skin. Copy: A person's skin color is, after all, perhaps the very first thing you notice about him, since skin is our largest and most visible organ. And though the days when a particular complexion was the ultimate sign of beauty may be behind us, your skin tone can still say a lot about you.

Discovering the Problem Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect the color of your skin. Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin produced by melanocyte cells in the skin. The darker the skin, the more melanin it contains. Freckles and beauty marks likewise indicate a higher concentration of the pigment in certain areas. Special cells in the skin make melanin. When these cells become damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. Some pigmentation disorders affect just patches of skin. Others affect your entire body. Melanin also performs another vital function: It protects the skin against harmful UV rays. For something that only reaches the thin upper layers of our skin, pigmentation can have a huge impact on the way others see us and the way we see ourselves.

A person's skin color is, after all, perhaps the very first thing you notice about him, since skin is our largest and most visible organ. And though the days when a particular complexion was the ultimate sign of beauty may be behind us, your skin tone can still say a lot about you. Skin City has state of the art technology in the form of the Helios Laser which addresses various pigmentation disorders like simple tanning to deeper melasma and dark circles. Besides the darkening of face and arms due to exposure to sunlight, many of us are unhappy with dark skin in places like the elbows, knees, underarms, back of the neck, buttocks and inner thighs.

The Skin City Advantage Helios Laser Toning is the latest trend in the world for pigmentation & tanning. The Helios laser successfully removes dark patches from all the areas mentioned above, giving you a skin you will be proud to flaunt. No more fear of wearing sleeveless dresses, low back saree blouses or shorts. There is no downtime and immediate brightening is visible within a single session. However for deeply pigmented areas, several sittings will give you the desired results. So brighten your skin with and your outlook by calling Skin City today.

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Hair Transplantation Your Ticket to Hair Growth & Confidence.

Baldness, especially in males, has been a topic of discussion and research for years. The degree and pattern of baldness varies, but it’s most common cause is androgenic alopecia, alopecia androgenetica.

More than 95% of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness. Its incidence varies from population to population and is based on genetic background. Environmental factors do not seem to affect this type of baldness greatly. Approximately 25 percent of men begin balding by age 30; two-thirds begin balding by age 60. Apart from the genetic factor, baldness can be caused by other factors such as lifestyle, health problems and stress. Men typically associate a full head of hair with youth and vigor. Although they may be aware of baldness in their family, many are uncomfortable talking about it as it is a sensitive issue. For sufferers, it can represent a loss of control and feelings of isolation. People experiencing hair thinning often find themselves in a situation where their physical appearance is at odds with their own self-image and commonly worry that they appear older than they are or less attractive to others. Psychological problems due to baldness, if present, are typically most severe at the onset of symptoms. A decline in one’s confidence is the most common psychological effect of baldness. Skin City has one of the very few expert teams in hair transplantation proficient in FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) & FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) methods. The Mantis Stereo microscope is the hallmark and benchmark for quality in hair transplantation, and Skin City is one of the few centers in India to use the mantis microscope lab for the preparation of hair grafts in hair transplantation surgery. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Director - Skin City, answers some of the most asked questions pertaining to hair transplantation, the most reliable and sought after treatment for baldness :- Q: Why does baldness occur? A: Causes of baldness are different for males and females. In males, who predominantly suffer from it, mostly it's the effect of hormones on the hair follicle that is responsible. Apart from that, there could be other medical conditions responsible for baldness. Q: What are the treatments for baldness? A: There are several options for treatment of baldness depending on the extent and severity, like:
  • • Hair Transplantation (FUT / FUE)
  • • Mesotherapy
  • • Medical treatment
  • • Scalp Reduction / Expansion surgeries
  • • Flap surgeries
Q: What is Hair Transplantation? (HT) A: It's the surgical technique that involves moving skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body (the donor site) to bald or balding parts (the recipient site). Q: What are the Objective(s) of HT? A: HT surgery addresses the following issues
  • a) To recreate hairline
  • b) More extensive hair replacement
  • c) To add density to existing hair
  • d) To correct transplanted hair line if you are not happy with previous surgery
Q: What is the best available method for hair transplantation? A: Follicular Unit Hair Transplant (FUT) is the best available method of HT as gives the most natural look. Q: What is Follicular Unit Hair Transplant? (FUT) A: Most hair follicles in the scalp are naturally grouped together in units of 1, 2 or 3 hair, called follicular units. This natural pattern is replicated in the surgery. This kind of transplantation of follicular units gives the most natural look after surgery. After 3 to 4 months, transplanted hair begins to grow and continue to grow at half inch per month for the rest of your life. Q: Is it Painful? A: No. Not at all. Only a couple of pricks to give local anesthesia and after that our patient can relax and enjoy listening to music during the procedure. Q: What should I expect after surgery? A: After the surgery, no dressing is placed on the grafted area. Most people do not have significant pain after surgery and is mostly controlled by simple pain killers taken orally. Some itching and swelling occurs but is generally mild. The transplanted hair may fall out in about 2 to 4 weeks and begins to grow back in about three months. Once the hair has grown, another session may be performed to improve the density of hair. 3 weeks after the surgery, some oral medication is prescribed. Mesotherapy of scalp is added to accelerate re-growth of transplanted hair and preserve existing hair growth. Q: How many sessions of surgery will be needed? A:A single mega-session is usually enough. Those with extensive baldness may require 2 -3 sessions. Correct evaluation & estimation is possible after personal consultation. Q: How long will it take to cover bald areas after transplant? A: It takes 3 to 4 months to start showing re-growth. It takes 9 to 10 months to show full growth. For more details, please feel free to write to director@skincityindia.com
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Vaginal Tightening

Vaginal muscles must be able to contract to maintain continence, and to relax allowing for urination and bowel movements, and for sexual intercourse as well as for giving birth. They also support and protect the organs of the abdomen and hold the bladder in its proper place. The pelvic muscles can become stretched or weakened due to ageing and more specifically due to pregnancy. This often happens after a difficult childbirth which overstretches or tears the pelvic muscles and can also be the result of giving birth to several babies within a very short time span. Their under use can also cause pelvic floor weakness.

This set of muscles, also known as the muscles of the perineum, forms the floor of the pelvic cavity and supports the pelvic organs such as the bladder, uterus and colon and intestine. These muscles act like a rubber band, they need to be tense but neither too tight to avoid pelvic floor muscle disorder nor too loose, because in both cases they will lose the right degree of elasticity and therefore their main function and could potentially create a pelvic floor dysfunction. Symptoms of hypotonic pelvic muscles:

• Stress incontinence

• Urge incontinence

• Pelvic organ prolapse

Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners Vaginal tightening is the tightening of the pelvic musclesto achieve or maintain the right degree of elasticity of the pelvic floor muscles. Vaginal tightening can be achieved in different ways, all effective in their own way and can be complementary. Vaginoplasty is a reconstructive plastic surgery[and cosmetic procedure for the vaginal canal and its mucous membrane, and of vulvovaginal structures that might be absent or damaged because of congenital disease (e.g. vaginal hypoplasia) or because of an acquired cause (e.g. childbirth physical trauma, cancer)

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Get Back in Shape with Laser Liposuction

The fight against an out of shape body is always on the cards. People want to get back in shape though it is not always easy. Even if a good diet control and exercise regime is maintained, it is entirely possible that some fat may remain on certain parts of the body. Laser liposuction is […]

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4 Facts about Laser Treatment for Acne Scars That You Did Not Know
Home » 4 facts about Laser treatment for acne scars that you did not know  Primary tabs      View(active tab)     Edit  Laser treatment for acne scars, also known as laser skin resurfacing, uses high-energy beams to break hard scar tissues and remove damaged skin to reveal fresh and smooth skin underneath. Lasers not only deliver quick results but also involve minimal downtime, allowing the individuals continue their routine activities along with acne scar treatment. For years
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The Future Of Dermatology

Dermatology as a specialty choice in India was not very popular. Up until a decade ago many seats in this specialty would go unused due to it being an unglamorous and mundane subject. Mainstream Dermatology was always associated with Skin diseases, leprosy and Venereal Diseases. Though the Global scenario in Cosmetic Dermatology started changing a while ago, in India it started getting recognized as a lucrative and glamorous option about a decade ago. Cosmetic Dermatology has become a very aspirational branch of dermatology which is being practiced in all sectors of the Industry, organized and unorganized, Government and private. With Global trends and awareness on the possibilities for solutions to various skin and beauty concerns being available, the demand for such services has gone through a huge growth curve in this decade.

With Aesthetics, cosmetology and Plastic surgery coming together to offer people solutions to every possible beauty concern, the need for practitioners in this area of expertise is also witnessing a huge growth trend. The Cosmetic Dermatology Society of India is a body that brings together experts in the beauty, dermatology and plastic surgery arenas to share trends and updates in this dynamic industry. Though India has seen the demand in this industry grow, this growth curve has only just started here. The demand for qualified experts in this domain is going to grow by leaps and bounds in the years to come. There are no conventional Government run training Institutes for dermatologists in the revolutionary and ever changing industry of cosmetic dermatology.

Some industry leaders and key opinion leaders run institutes with structured courses and fellowships in these technologies. Skin City which is the biggest Skin and Hair Restoration Center in India offers several short and long term courses in Cosmetic Dermatology. Besides the DDV for MBBS students, we have fellowships and short and long term observation courses for, MD, MBBS BAMS and BHMS doctors respectively. Which include, the study of Lasers, Chemical Peels, Mesotherapy, M i c r o d e r m a b r a s i o n , H a i r transplantation, Safe Tumescent liposuction, Botox and fillers etc. Because of the number of patients seen and the size of the Institute and operations the hands on experience that an aspiring aesthetician can get at Skin City is unmatched anywhere else in the country.

Skin City has the largest number of  lasers in India available under one roof, some of which are:

1.Micro Derma Abrasion + Jet Peel

2.Q-Switch ND YAG - for skin

rejuvination, Tanning and for Tattoo

removal.

3.Fractional CO2 Laser

4. Ultra pulse (Fractional CO2 laser)

5. Micro Needle RF

6. Erybium YAG

7. Q-Swtich ND YAG for tattoo removal,

Brightening of skin (with carbon peel)

8. Ultra Liposys.

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Systems and Processes for Aesthetic Business

It is important for any business to have systems and processes. This applies to a business in the Medical and Aesthetic Business as well. Systems and processes help to:

• ensure that staff understand how things work.

• eliminate duplication.

• reduce the learning process for new staff.

• increase efficiency and eliminate wastage.

• make information readily accessible.

• add value to your business.

• engender an open and transparent workplace.

While policies, procedures and processes may have been established, as the business grows and competes at a different level, its complexity will demand more control mechanisms, better communication and systems to drive efficiency. Stepping up to the next level will also bring new and sophisticated competition. This may mean looking at new ways of doing things and employing new thinking to make sure that your business is as efficient and streamlined as possible, while still delivering a high level of satisfaction to the customer. Policies, procedures and processes:

All businesses benefit from policies, procedures and processes combined into a documented system under which the business operates. A policy is a written or verbal statement of a firm’s stance on a topic. It defines how things are done in the business and what rules apply. Policies can include HR policies like:

• Attendance

• Leave entitlement

• Communication

• Travel • Dress code

• Appraisals and increment

• Recruitment and training

• Employee welfare

• Separation Based on the size and the structure of your set up, the list can be added on to.

A procedure is usually a step-by-step instruction to achieve a certain outcome. Some procedures can be quitedetailed. Others can be more general in nature. Specialist procedures, such as surgeries and handling equipment, should be written by someone with experience in the field. Standard operating procedures for any treatment or service should define the following:

• Principle

• Objective

• Scope

• Steps

Benefit In a benefit driven procedure which is of paramount importance in an aesthetic set up, it is important to align expectations and outline clearly the number of sessions required and the expected outcome. Non technical SOP’s which will define the experience you wish to offer at your setup will afford a professional impression to your customer. Some of which are as follows:

• Soft skill

• Telephone skills

Grooming A process is a method or system for achieving a certain outcome. Companies can put in place a manufacturing process or there can be a process for obtaining sales. In the aesthetic business, the treatment process and the experience from entry to exit is what defines the USP of the business. Therefore having a front office reception process for greeting and meeting the customer, the flow to complete the treatment and complete the billing, next appointment and exit completes the feel good experience for the client:

• Customer handling

• Form filling

• Scheduling

• Follow up

• Reconfirmation

• Billing

• Incident handling

• Enquiry handling

  Loyalty programmes The back office and support systems and process also ensure that the business is productive and growing. Some of them are:

• Sales reporting

• Customer tracking

• Database capturing

• Inventory management

It is important that company policies, procedures and processes are properly documented and can be easily obtained by each member of staff. Electronic systems can be useful to ensure that staff members have the information readily available when they need it. It is also important that when policies, procedures or processes form part of an employee’s conditions of employment that they are either attached to the employment contract or given directly to an employee for consideration. Benefits of a documented system are: • better succession options for the business, including saleability.

• ensuring that record keeping, compliance and reporting obligations are met.

• smooth running of the business.

• effective training of new staff.

• reduction of administrative time.

• assists in reducing risk.

• clear direction for employees on how to operate within the business.

• consistency in product or service delivered.

• the business not totally dependent on the owners.

Policies, procedures and processes should be reviewed and updated regularly – at least annually. Updates should also be made when legislation or compliance changes impact on the business. Any changes to policies, procedures or processes should be communicated to staff

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Development in Cosmetic Practice

Cosmetic practice has remained no more a practice but become the backbone of a Dermatologist’s practice today. It not only involves your professional expertise but also a huge investment. Once you invest your money into your practice, your money handling skills become equally important as your patient handling skills. Everybody wants not only to recover their investment, but also earn a decent profit, which they definitely deserve. Laser application in Cosmetic Dermatology has grown by leaps and bounds and is now a necessity in any Dermatologist’s clinic. This was evident during the ongoing “Cosmetology Update” lecture series as well as the upcoming “Cosmo Laser Con” where a bulk of topics are centred around Lasers. Your Journal is a Media Partner of both these events. From the most widely used application of laser assisted hair removal, Laser applications in Aesthetic Dermatology have come a long way from its inception.

Over the last decade, there have been tremendous advances in Laser technology for hair removal. Light based system evolved from the earlier version of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) based technology to AFT (Advanced Fluorescent Technology) with contact cooling. Lasers have moved from the days of Ruby laser 694-nm and Alexandrite Laser 755-nm to Long pulsed Nd:YAG laser 1064-nm and Diode laser of 810-nm in-motion technology. This issue continues with our focus to offer a wide range of clinical and scientific studies which gauging from your feedback we are happy to note serves as reference material enabling you to enhance your Aesthetic Practise. As in any business, Dermatologists now need to appreciate that Cosmetology Dermatology is like any other and hence use pro-active Marketing concepts and strategies to boost their business.

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Super Hair Removal for a Super Festive look

Both men and women have always struggled to get rid of unwanted body hair. Skin City, India's largest skin and hair restoration centre, offers the solution for complete, permanent body hair removal. This technique is apparently so efficient, that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Today people are very aware and particular about their looks; they take every possible step to look presentable. You can get clean and smooth skin, which includes face, under arms, legs, arms, chest and back and bikini area. With the festive season fast approaching, the season for backless cholis, sleeveless gowns and the little black dress is around the corner. The conventional and temporary methods of grooming like waxing and shaving regularly are time consuming and unreliable. People want a permanent solution to unwanted hair problems.

Laser technology is the answer to your need. The latest, state of the art technology for painless, swift and permanent hair removal is called Super Hair Removal. This technology takes a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area. This is because of the speed of the machine and the fact that the treatment is painless, so large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Because of the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, clients are able to take treatments on large body parts comfortably. This is especially beneficial for clients who opt for full body hair removal. This is also a special boon for male clients who wish to remove excess body hair which is the trend now. With older technologies local anesthesia was required due to the density and thickness of hair in males which made it a very painful experience.

However with Super Hair Removal the process has become quick and painless. Skin City has attractive laser packages for both male and female clients. A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body requires 3-4 hours; as against other lasers which require the treatment to be done in stages which can take upto 3 days due to the pain and the time it consumes. The technology is quick and efficient and Skin City has highly trained practitioners to carry out the treatments. Super Hair Removal is a safe method of permanent hair removal. It targets the hair follicles in the superficial layer of the skin without any side effects to the skin or body.

Skin City has a team of highly trained professionals who impart customized treatment based on individual requirement for safe and efficacious results. The treatment cost for Super Hair Removal is on par with other laser hair removal treatments, but is more quick and efficient. However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing. For permanent hair removal a client may require up to 8 to 12 sittings, depending on the hair growth. Skin City advocates a clear expectation alignment with the client to ensure client satisfaction with excellent results.

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FREEZE that FAT

Cryolipolysis is a non surgical method used to destroy fat cells. It works on the principle of cooling the localized fat to a temperature of almost- 4 degrees Celsius thus reducing the fat in treated areas, which results in figure correction and body contouring. Cryolipolysis is used for removing fat bulges that are just under the skin. The effectiveness of the treatment can be completely appreciated in 3 to 4 months. Many of us have stubborn fat we can’t seem to lose despite diet and exercise. Cryolipolysis targets and destroys only these fat cells through targeted cooling. In the next 9 to 12 weeks after the procedure these cells are eliminated from the body. Fat cells once eliminated are gone forever. Cool cryo The coolest thing about Cryolipolysis is that there are no contraindications for taking the procedure. Other methods of fat removal like conventional liposuction, which is done under general anaesthesia is not only risky but is also subject to your overall fitness and absence of any systemic diseases.

Even Safe Liposuction which is done exclusively in Skin City under Tumescent anaesthesia requires you to be free from underlying medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension or any other existing heart condition, whereas Cryolipolysis can be performed on anyone suffering from any of the above mentioned medical conditions.

Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City says, “The consumer today is very well read and informed about the latest cosmetic trends available abroad and they are knowledgeable about what clinches it for them.” The clinchers The three most important confidence building criteria of Cryolipolysis are: 1. It is an FDA approved treatment 2. It is non surgical 3. It is safe and effective This procedure takes just one hour and therefore qualifies as a lunchtime procedure. So with all these benefits associated with it, Cryolipolysis is literally the coolest choice for anyone looking to have that perfect body.

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Computerised Hair Analysis

The unique Caslite microscopic hair analysis offers a detailed investigation of hair thickness miniaturization and hair length at various scalp areas it is an excellent tool for hair research and diagnosis. Caslite microscopic hair analysis offers a detailed investigation of hair thickness miniaturization and hair length at various scalp areas it is an excellent tool for hair research and diagnosis.

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Congregation of Cosmetic Dermatology of Cross Functionalities in the Medical Practice

The practice of Cosmetic Dermatology now is not just restricted to Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons but is a part of the other medical faculties as well. You have gynecologists who are referring patients to dermatologists and dermatologists who are referring patients to endocrinologists and vice versa. This is a sign of advancement in the medical domain where, advanced diagnostic tools are available to diagnose problems which were not easily identified. Today the role played by dermatopathologists has become very critical in the diagnosis of skin problems and has become an important tool in practitioners of cosmetic dermatology to serve their patients better. We also have many instances where doctors with an M.D. in medicine are specializing in anti ageing and are working in collaboration with dermatologists and plastic surgeons. This only goes to prove that the future in this field is very bright. This conversion of cross functionalities is healthy and augers well for the industry.

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Causes & Treatments Of Dark Circles

Dark circle refers to conditions that present with relative darkness of the periorbital skin or eyelids. It can affect individuals with a wide range of age, both sexes and all races. It worsens with the aging process of skin sagging and altered subcutaneous fat distribution. It has significant cosmetic concern for female patients and males as well now days.

Excessive Pigmentation

Excessive pigmentation is due to dermal melanocytosis or post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation secondary to some disease like atopic dermatitis. It is seen as slightly brownish curved band along inferior orbital rim. Dermal melanocytosis is due to congenital causes like Nevus of Ota or environmental causes like excessive sun exposure and drug ingestion. Histologicaly characterized by the presence of melanocytes in the dermis.

Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation is due to rubbing or scratching the periorbital area. The causes are air born contact dermatitis, fragrance allergy, atopic dermatitis etc.

Other causes of periorbital hyper pigmentation include Erythema dyschromicum perstans, fixed drug eruption Familial conditions - genetically determined form of hyper-pigmentation involving the periorbital area.

Thin, Translucent Lower Eyelid Skin Overlying The Orbicularis Oculi Muscle Because of thin, translucent lower eyelid the subcutaneous vascular plexus or vasculature contained within the muscle become prominent. The violaceous appearance is more prominent in the inner aspect of the lower eyelids and is usually accentuated during menstruation in females.

Shadowing Due To Skin Laxity And Tear Trough

Another cause of infraorbital dark circles is shadowing due to skin laxity and tear trough associated with aging. Collagen and elastin present in the eyelids and periorbital skin undergo ultraviolet induced and age related degeneration. In addition the damaged epidermis releases collagenases, which further contributes to collagen degeneration resulting in dermatochalasia and periocular rhytides which are common manifestations of aging. Skin laxity due to photo ageing imparts a shadowing appearance on the lower eyelids that results in infraorbital dark circles.

The tear trough is a depression centered over the medial side of the inferior orbital rim. It is also an age-related change due to the loss of subcutaneous fat with thinning of the skin over the orbital rimligament that confers hollowness to the orbital rim area. Combination of the hollowness and the overlying pseudoherniation of the infraorbital fat accentuate the shadow in the tear trough depending on the lighting conditions.

Treatment Options for Dark Circles

  • Topical Agents
  • Chemical Peeling
  • Lasers
  • Autologous Fat Transplantation and fillers
  • Surgery – Laser Blepharoplasty The therapeutic modalities must differ depending on the cause because Periorbital dark circles are due to multiple factors.

Topical Agents:

  • Hydroquinone
  • Topical retinoic acid (RA), 0.01% to 1
  • The Kligman formulation
  • Other compounds used as depigmenting agents include azelaic acid, steroids, kojic acid, and pidobezone etc.
  • Vit-C: in serum form is less irritating and has better penetration into the skin. Daily application or massaging Vit-C (VC-15) after microdermabrasion, chemical peel or Laser treatment gives better lightning of periorbital area.

Chemical Peeling

Chemical peeling is defined as the application of one or more chemical agents that lead to controlled destruction of the skin, resulting in the removal of lesions localized in the epidermis or in the upper dermis.

Peels can be superficial, medium, or deep.

Different peels use around eye for periorbital pigmentation are:

Refinity Peel (Glycolic acid 70%) and Cosmederm Peel (Glycolic acid 50%)

Biphasic Peel: it is composed of two phase in one peeling session. The first phase active ingredients contain a mixture of alpha-hydroxy & beta- hydroxyl acids that help in removing facial blemishes, leaving fresh skin, improving surface and skin tone. The second phase helps in absorption of specific active ingredients effective against pigmentation or controls the progression of premature ageing.

Lasers

Safety should be emphasized when treating dark circles with lasers, because the eye is particularly vulnerable to laser injury. Therefore, use of proper eyewear (goggles, wrap-around glasses, or preferably internal metallic eye shields) is crucial. The retina and the choroid contain the highest concentration of melanin in the body, and eye damage is possible even through closed eyelids. When treatment is necessary near the eyes, a large metal eye shield should be inserted over the Autologous Fat Transplantation And Fillers This modality of treatment is useful when the cause for periorbital darkness is thin and translucent lower eyelid skin overlying the orbicularis oculi muscle. It hides the vascular areas and reduced the transparency of the skin. Use of hyaluronic acid gel to fill the periorbital hollows and restores volume has emerged as a less invasive procedure with good results.

Surgery – Laser Blepharoplasty Trans-conjunctival blepharoplasty is done to remove pseudoherniation of the orbital fat as well as lax skin which reduces the shadowing effects. Removal of excess skin of upper eye lid improves dark circle considerably. Blepharoplasty assisted with Ultra Pulse CO2 Laser is the latest trend in this surgery.

Summary:

1. Multi-factorial in etiology hence find out the cause before you treat.

2. The brown and blue-grey color caused by dermal melanin deposition.

3. Bluish color secondary to the visible dermal capillary network, and shadowing secondary to skin laxity and bulging.

4. When excessive pigmentation is cause, treat with topical bleaching agent, chemical peels and lasers.

5. Dark circles mainly due to the eyelid bulging caused by orbital fat pseudoherniation should be corrected primarily using transconjunctival blepharoplasty.

6. If dark circles are combined with prominent skin laxity, skin tightening or excision is recommended.

7. Autologous fat transplantation may be a treatment option for patients with infraorbital darkening due to prominent vascularity and thin skin.

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Suntan & Sun: Summer Has Begun

With soaring temperatures and the sun beating down on you relentlessly how can you escape a Suntan. sun protection and ultimately when all else fails, to Skin City where you can reverse your Tan and how….. Sunscreen or sun cream or sun block, is a lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun's ultraviolet radiation and thus helps protect against sunburn, especially for fair-skinned individuals There are two types of ultraviolet rays that cause damage to the skin, UVA & UVB rays. UVA rays cause skin ageing or photo ageing and UVB rays cause sunburn and with excessive exposure, skin cancer. SPF measures sunscreen protection from UVB rays, the kind that cause sunburn and contribute to skin cancer.

A broad spectrum sunscreen offers protection from both UVA & UVB rays. Now to untangle the mystery of SPF the simplest way to calculate it is the time taken for the skin to turn red on sun exposure without sunscreen, if that is 15 minutes then an SPF 15 protects the skin from sunburn for 15 times that time, which is 180 minutes or three hours. Sunscreen with SPF 15 has to be reapplied every 2-3 hours, taken into consideration sweating and dampness which reduces the effectiveness. For Indian Skin it is recommended that an SPF 15-30 is good enough. A higher SPF offers higher protection by absorbing a higher percentage of UV rays.  SPF 15 blocks about 93% of all UVB rays  SPF 30 filters out 97%  SPF 50 is an almost complete UVB block, at 98%. People with lighter/fairer skin, infants and ageing skin require a higher SPF.

Having said all of that it is still difficult to protect your skin from sun exposure and therefore sunburn. Reapplication is sometimes not possible, sweating and getting wet on the beach compromises the protection as sunscreens are not water proof, they may be water resistant to some extent. SkinCity takes care of your concerns like skin tan, uneven Skin tone and Pigmentation. Skin assessment is done and a customized protocol is advised to best suit your needs. Various chemical peels are available at Skin city to lighten the skin and reduce suntan. However Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City advocates the use of the Helios – Fractional Q Switched NdYAG laser which can lighten your skin to its original shade in a single session. The Helios Laser works on all pigmented & hyperpigmented skin problems. If you have dark inner thighs or buttocks, back, under arms, elbows or knees and this makes you too self conscious to wear the cool summer shorts, sleeveless top or bikini you’ve been dying to buy, walk into SkinCity today.

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Baby Skin Clinic

Children’s skin is very tender. The dermatosis of young, immature and tender skin often requires a specialized expertise to treat. Many genetic diseases present first with skin manifestations, hence it’s very important that they are diagnosed correctly at the right age. This helps parents and later the child for managing the disease well. Our pediatric dermatologists specialize in common skin, hair and nail disorders, as well as complex genetic and infectious dermatologic complications.

We provide clinical evaluation, diagnostic biopsies and advanced therapies when needed. Children with vascular or pigmented lesions may also be offered treatment with the latest laser technology, either in our department or in a specially designated operating room.

We provide diagnostic and therapeutic services for infants, children and adolescents with skin disorders.

This includes the evaluation and treatment of disorders of the skin such as:

• Dermatitis-Atopic

• Dermatitis - Contact

• Diaper Rash

• Dry Skin/Itchy Skin

• Hives

• Rashes/Red Skin

 • Scars

• Chicken pox

• birthmarks

• eczema

• hair disorders such as Alopecia (hair loss)

 • hemangiomas and vascular malformations

• hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

• molluscum and warts

 • Moles

 • nail disorders

• psoriasis

• seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff)

• skin cancer

• tinea (ringworm)

• vitiligo

• AcanthosisNigricans

• Blisters

• Acne

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Anti-aging Treatment Options

Aging is an inevitable process that cannot be avoided; however you can delay it by eating healthy and following an extensive skincare regimen. But now with a number of really effective anti-aging treatments available, you can effectively reverse the aging process and look young forever. This article discusses some of the really effective anti aging

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Super Hair Removal Process

Dr Niteen Dhepe—leading dermatologist in India as well as the Medical Director, SkinCity PG Institute of Dermatology—about how to get rid of body hair at SkinCity with the Super Hair Removal process. “Oh, God! I need to wax…” is something we women keep saying at regular intervals. Well, not anymore—courtesy Suprano Laser installed at SkinCity, you will be hair-free and carefree permanently. This technique is apparently so efficient that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Out of sight We all want a body that is hairless and smooth as silk. However, we are all lazy as hell to go and get ourselves waxed. Besides waxing, threading and shaving are painful and have to be done time and again. Well, shaking hands with technology, SkinCity’s Suprano Laser is painless, quick—and yes, it’s permanent too! Your body hair is absolutely not visible and you could put on that sexy, backless dress whenever you feel like. Nothing like it It’s a rare facility available in the city and we all know how rare is precious. Suprano Laser barely takes time, maybe a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area because of the speed of the machine.

Since the fact that the treatment is painless, large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Super benefits Dr Dhepe says, “It’s the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, which allows our clients to treat large body parts.” This makes full body hair removal a cakewalk. It’s happy time for the men as there is no local anesthesia required to due to the thickness and density of hair. It’s no more painful. That’s how it works It’s just as easy as it sounds. A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body takes about three-four hours with highly trained practitioners to carry out the treatments. About eight to twelve sittings does it all. Be assured that this super treatment has no side-effects of any kind. Don’t be pricey Super Hair Removal costs are at par with other laser hair removal treatments, and the speed is another feather added to the hat. “However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing,” adds Dr Dhepe. So now we exactly know where to go head when we are absolutely fed up of hitting the parlor.

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Affordable Laser Treatment for Acne Scars Treatment

Is acne scarring causing emotional pain and shattering your confidence? Are you seeking an affordable yet effective treatment for unsightly acne scars? Laser acne scar treatment may be an option worth considering. Acne is a common skin condition that affects both men and women. The probability of developing acne is greatest during adolescence

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Advancements in Aesthetic Practice

The methodology and the systems used in Dermatology treatments in the past were entirely different when compared to those used in the present times. The technological advancements made in the field of Dermatology paved the way for innumerable kinds of methods and procedures which have reduced the risk of side effects. In the early days, lasers were used to treat benign vascular birthmarks and haemangioma. The one disadvantage of the laser treatment then was the occurrence of scars as side effects. The medical field of laser treatment has made such a great advancement in the recent years that the patient is no longer worried about the side effects. With the advancement in medicine, the field of Dermatology and Aesthetic practices is thriving. The future in this domain is bright, and the better is yet to come!

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3 Effective Ways for Skin Rejuvenation

As we age our skin starts to lose it natural fresh, smooth and supple texture, courtesy internal changes, hormonal changes being at the top of the list, and external factors, such hot and cold weather, sun exposure, humidity and dryness etc. All these factors, together with aging, take a toll on your skin, making it

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Skin Whitening Treatment: 3 Simple Steps to a Fair Complexion that You Always Wished for

In most parts of the world fair complexion symbolizes beauty and elegance. Women, in particular, wish to have a celebrity white, glowing skin and are always willing to spend thousands of dollars to get their desired skin tone. Since ancient times women have been trying different home remedies to improve their complexion and skin texture.

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Arogya Expo 2014 - Day 3
Dr Niteen Dhepe is a master of his domain, only in a span of few minutes he told us various ways to lose weight. He also busted many myths about fat and cholesterol level in our body. He told us that it is not our weight but the level of fat content in our body which is a matter of worry. A thin person may have a larger fat and cholesterol content than a fat person.

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His mantra to maintain weight is to eat every two hours. Drink water every two hours and increase your water consumption. He also mentioned the need and importance of exercise in our daily routine. We should have our breakfast within 60 mins of getting up. We should have a heavy breakfast, light lunch and super light dinner. Dinner should be consumed 2 hours before sleeping.

IMG_8575

We should do pull weights anti gravity for reduction of cholesterol and fat in our body. Activities like running and brisk walking only help us with a better blood circulation and do not really work on our cholesterol levels. He tells us to clear off our mental blockages regarding weight and fat levels. We should be comfortable with our body to start with and with the help professionals we can get to the perfect amount of fat and muscle composition.
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Arogya Expo 2014

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Dr Niteen Dhepe talks of how culture has evolved from women wearing ghagra cholis to finally evolving and to a modern woman, who is a bread winner. We look at how beauty is being perceived today and the culture that has changed our definition of beauty for us. He stresses on the fact that a skin can be a combination of oily to dry and it is bound to change with age and climate. The right to treat your skin is to get it analysed by a dermatologist and get it treated accordingly. You should be judicious in applying moisturizer to your skin and do it within three minutes of a bath for good care of the skin.

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The best way to protect your skin is to protect your skin from the Sun and do not go out in the open without covering it. The Ozone layer in the atmosphere has thinned which is causing UV rays to come to the Earth. We need to protect ourselves from those rays and use anti-tan lotions regularly.

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We should all follow a good skin care and hair care regime to maintain our skin and hair. Dr Dhepe’s tips were very useful with which we can protect our skin from any damage.  
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Facial Glow worth 3999/- @ 999/ & Skin analysis worth 500/ FREE
Derma Glow Facial worth 3999/- @ 999/- + Skin analysis worth 500/- complimentary. To Avail the offer Drop your name and number and area in the Facebook page inbox of SkinCity India.  (Offer valid till 5th January 2014) Skincity India offers the Latest in Skincare technology IN INDIA. Every customized treatment begins with a detailed Skin analysis and consultation, followed by a specialized treatment  JUST for You! Let your skin glow, and be rejuvenated with this amazing treatment that takes care of your Dull tired skin/Tan / Pigmentation and dryness.  Signature Derma Glow facial includes, diamond microdermabrasion to remove the dead skin, Helios Laser to lighten your skin and remove tanning and pigmentation, and the Aloe Vera Extracts which will moisturize and hydrate your skin. Our expert doctors will recommend the best combination after analyzing your skin type and requirement, so every treatment is personalized for you.
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Top Winter Tips – #NoNonsenseCosmetology Tip 2
Top Winter Tips – #NoNonsenseCosmetology Tip 2 Your skin needs daily care not repair. Like your brush our teeth every day, take bath, eat food, wear nice clothes, likewise your skin needs a day to day care. For more details…… Do you know of a once a week course of bath, food, wearing clothes, etc… Right skin care for your skin..now you know your skin type, now you must choose right skincare routine as per your skin type. Cleansing, moisturizing, occasionally toning are essential diets for your skin.[twitter count="100" user="@drniteendhepe"]
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Top Winter Tips - #NoNonsenseCosmetology Tip 1
#NoNonSenseCosmetology  #DrDhepeSays Do you know your Skin?  What if your Skin type? (i)  Oily        (ii) Dry (iii) Mixed         (iv) I don’t know I don’t know my Skin Type? I am confused –[twitter count="100" user="@drniteendhepe"] #drdhepesays – It is commonly observed that most people cannot identify their skin type. It is biologically possible for your skin to change its behavior when subjected to various factors like age, seasons of the year and the level of skin damage. Your facial skin can be Oily and Dry at the same time. It is possible and yes very much. Sometimes we do not know what our skin type is, if one cleanses the face too much the cheeks turn dry and if one applies thick moisturizer on the nose and the forehead, it leads to oily skin acne breakout.
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Top Winter Tips - #NoNonsenseCosmetology
Hello Friends, As promised we have come up with Top Winter Skin Care Tips for you directly from our Medical Director, Dr. Niteen Dhepe (Twitter - @drniteendhepe ). Dr. Dhepe believes in tips that speaks no nonsense and science. So we have named the campaign as #DrDhepeSays #NoNonsenseCosmetology These tips are not just advices, we will be talking here for a week, we will communicate, ask questions to each other, you all are free to put in all the doubts/quires that comes in your head and we will have all those answered by our expert team of dermatologists. For More information also visit - Website - www.skincityindia.com Blog - blog.skincityindia.com Videos - www.youtube.com/skincityindia [twitter count="100" user="@drniteendhepe"]
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Axillary Hyperhidrosis: Recent trends in management
WHAT IS SWEATING? Sweat is essential to human survival and serves as the body's coolant, protecting it from overheating. There are two to four million sweat glands distributed all over our bodies. The majority of them are "eccrine" sweat glands, which are found in large numbers on the soles of the feet, the palms, the forehead and cheeks, and in the armpits. The other type of sweat gland is called an "apocrine" gland. Apocrine glands are found in the armpits and genital region. They produce a thick fluid. When this fluid comes in contact with bacteria on the skin's surface, it produces a characteristic potent body odor. Both the eccrine and apocrine sweat glands are activated by nerves. These nerves respond to a variety of stimuli including: • messages from the brain indicating that the body is too hot • hormones • emotions • physical activity or exercise. WHAT IS HYPERHIDROSIS? In some people, the body's mechanism for cooling itself is overactive — so overactive that they may sweat four or five times more than is necessary, or normal. When sweating is this extreme it can be embarrassing, uncomfortable, anxiety-inducing, and disabling. It can disrupt all aspects of a person's life, from career choices and recreational activities to relationships, emotional well-being, and self-image. This kind of excessive sweating is a serious medical condition. Its called hyperhidrosis and it affects millions of people around the world (approximately 3% of the population) but because of lack of awareness, more than half of these people are never diagnosed or treated for their symptoms. Two Types of Hyperhidrosis There are two types of hyperhidrosis: 1) Primary focal and 2) Secondary generalized.   HOW TO DIAGNOSE? Diagnosis of primary hyperhidrosis can be done by asking yourself a few questions as outlined by (and published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2004, Vol. 51, P. 274-86) I.ask yourself if you have experienced focal visible excess sweat for at least six months without apparent cause. II. ask six questions 1) Your sweat is bilateral and relatively symmetrical. 2) Your excess sweat impairs your daily activities. 3) You experience at least one episode a week. 4) The onset of your excess sweat is earlier than age 25. 5) You have a positive family history. 6) You stop sweating when you're sleeping. If you meet at least two of the above criteria, chances are you have primary focal hyperhidrosis and 90 percent of people who present with excessive sweating will be diagnosed with primary hyperhidrosis. III. Secondary generalized hyperhidrosis.
  • caused by another medical condition
  • or is a side effect of a medication.
  • sweating symptoms while sleeping
  • usually starts in adulthood,
  • treatunderlying medical condition or medication condition.
  AXILLARY HYPERHIDROSIS Axillary hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the underarm sweat glands are overactive, producing much more sweat than is needed to cool the body. Excessive underarm sweat is a daily struggle and it can interfere with nearly every aspect of your life. Excessive sweat can have devastating effects on your emotional well-being and self-image, and impact how you feel about yourself and even how others perceive you., shying away from handshakes, hugs, or other physical contact, avoiding social situations and frustration over constantly ruining clothes with sweat stains. In fact, in a large consumer survey, people said that underarm sweat was more embarrassing to them than being overweight, having acne, cold sores or dandruff Hyperhidrosis takes a heavy toll . Patients with axillary (underarms) hyperhidrosis were surveyed. Here's what they said:
  • Excessive sweating affects my emotions (90%)
  • Sweating makes me less confident (50%)
  • I gel frustrated by daily activities (38%)
  • I feel unhappy (34%)
  • I'm depressed (20%)
  Treatment Overview 1. Some traditional treatments, like antiperspirants and iontophoresis, are not very effective. There is big scope for break through in this area. 2. Iontophoresis: Faradic current with dirupt the polarization on cell membrane of sweat gland that is necessary for sweat production. Iontophoresis technologies have been latgely temporary relief. 3. Due to side effects, oral medications are not usually recommended as a long-term solution but they certainly have their place when treating excessive sweating on large parts of the body, or when multiple areas are affected. 4. Local surgeries (meaning surgery localized to the area being treated), such as liposuction, for treating excessive underarm sweating are becoming more common place and the results are improving, although not perfect--yet. Laser liposuction, tumescent liposuction with dermal shaving with specialized canulae are becoming finer in techniques in present days. SkinCity has establish a safe protocol for liposuction with dermal shave in tumescent local anesthesia for axillary hyperhidrosis. 5. ETS surgery, although heavily advertised, is reserved for only certain severe cases of palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the palms) that have not responded to any of the other treatment options, or combinations of the treatments. When ETS is used to treat other focal areas of hyperhidrosis, there appears to be reduced benefit and increased risks 6. Botulinium toxin:If you suffer from excessive sweating, you may feel like you've tried everything. You may have lost hope New treatments, like miraDry and Botox injections, have started giving relief to those who never thought they'd find it. Botulinum toxin for under arm works well. It reduces under arm sweating to great extent. Only limitation of this therapy is its prohibitive cost and that too recurring after every 4 to 6 months. 50 to 100 units per underarms twice a year. Costing anywhere between 30000 to 70000 INR per year. TREATMENT MATRIX Treatments \ Areas Underarms Hands Feet Head\Face Antiperspirants Yes Yes Yes Yes Botox Yes Yes Yes Yes miraDry Yes - - - Iontophoresis - Yes Yes - Local Surgery Yes - - - ETS Surgery With Caution/Last Resort With Caution/Last Resort - -   7. What is the MiraDry Solution? The miraDry procedure is safe and clinically proven to provide a significant reduction of underarm sweat. Now, there is a lasting solution that can make embarrassing sweat a thing of the past. Get lasting results with a quick, non-invasive procedure performed in SKIN CITY , which is the only place in INDIA where miradry is available. The miraDry procedure uses the only non-invasive technology that is US FDA cleared to provide lasting results. This is the first novel treatment option of hyperhidrosis to be introduced in nearly 7 years! miraDry is currently being introduced in the US and is available in INDIA only at SKIN CITY. As of April 2012, clinical data from two study sites affiliated with the University of British Columbia showed miraDry successful in reducing underarm sweat in over 90% of patients through the final study visit--12 months after treatment. The average sweat reduction was 82%. And, patients rated their satisfaction with the treatment at 90%. miraDryhas been developed by Miramar Labs of Sunnyvale, California. Benefits of the miraDry Procedure Dramatic reduction of underarm sweat Lasting results Non-invasive (no surgical incisions or cuts) Minimal to no downtime How it works? MiraDry uses a non-invasive handheld device to deliver precisely controlled electromagnetic energy beneath the underarm skin to the specific location of sweat glands, resulting in thermolysis (decomposition by heat) of the sweat glands. . It's basically a microwave gun (utilizing 5800 MHz wavelength energy) that radiates the sweat glands in your armpits, thereby destroying them. While the sweat glands are being eliminated through electromagnetic technology, the top layers of the skin are simultaneously cooled and protected. Sweat glands do not grow back after treatment so the effect can be seen almost immediately and results are lasting. It’s safe ! While sweating is an essential body function for temperature-control, the underarms house less than 2% of the body's sweat glands. The elimination of these sweat glands should have no effect on body thermoregulation and compensatory sweating. The safety data from the three clinical studies of Mira Dry has been reported as very good.   Its permanent ! Other treatment options, including antiperspirants and toxins, aim to temporarily disable the sweat glands for various durations - requiring repeat treatments to maintain effectiveness. And other options involve surgery, which contain inherent risks. Only the miraDry procedure gives you lasting results with a non-invasive solution.With the miraDry Procedure, you can get on with your life and leave the burden of excessive sweat behind! Protocol Two procedures are typically recommended 3 months apart to maximize the results and duration. Each procedure appointment generally lasts about an hour. You can expect minimal to no downtime following the procedure. You should be able to return to normal activities or work right after the procedure, and you can typically resume exercise within several days. Localized soreness or swelling is normal, and typically clears within a few weeks. Some patients have temporary, short-term altered sensation in the skin of their underarms or upper arms, which gradually disappears. Now there is a real lasting solution for axillary hyperhidrosis is available and that too in India. Is miraDry Expensive? When you compare the cost of neurotoxin (30000-70000 INR per year) miraDry is surprisingly less expensive and lasting. Cost of two years neurotoxin typically balances the miraDry cost of lifelong lasting effect.
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Hair Transplantation Part I: An Overview of Surgery
What is Male pattern Baldness or MPB? In male pattern baldness thick hair in androgen sensitive scalp are turned into small thin hair. This is called miniaturization. Frontal hairs are lost earlier than hair on back of scalp. Classification of MPB Hamilton-Norwood system of classification The Hamilton-Norwood system  of classification of MPB has been the standard of classification since 1941. It ranges from Type I being the normal mature hair line. It pictures minimal temporal recession to Type VII patients have extensive hair loss with only a wreath of hair remaining in the back and sides of the scalp. Diffuse Patterned and Unpatterned Alopecia Two other types of genetic hair loss in men not often considered by doctors, “Diffuse Patterned Alopecia” and “Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia,” pose a significant challenge both in diagnosis and in The progression of male hair loss in Diffuse Patterned Alopecia (DPA) and Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA). What are treatments for Baldness?
  •  Medical treatment
  •  Mesotherapy
  •  Surgical treatments
  •  Follicular unit transplant
  •  Scalp Reduction /
  • Expansion surgeries
  •  Flap surgeries
What is Medical treatment & Mesotherapy? The Standard cocktail of topical minoxidil, antioxidants & finestride is advised before & after hair transplantation for varying length of time. Scalp Mesotherapy is advised before & after transplantation to induce growth of hair roots.For those who are not a candidate for hair transplantation, are maintained on medical therapy and Mesotherapy. What is Hair transplantation? Hair transplantation is the surgical technique that involves moving skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body (the donor site) to bald or balding parts (the recipient site). Usually occipital scalp is the donor area, from which hair follicle units are transplanted to frontal area. What are options in hair transplants?
  •  Punch grafts (10-20 Hair / Graft)-outdated)
  •  Mini grafts (3 to 5 Hairs / Graft)
  •  Micro grafts (1 to 2 Hairs / Graft)
  •  Single hair graft (1 hair)
  • Follicular unit transplant (FUT)
  •  Follicular unit extraction (FUE)
Skincity is specialized in Follicular Unit Hair Transplant (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) which is the best available method to give most natural look. What is follicular hair transplant? (FUT) Most of the hair follicles in scalp are naturally grouped together in units of 1, 2 or 3 hair, called follicular units. Transplantation of follicular units gives most natural look after surgery. It is done in following steps:
  1.  Harvesting the donor hair graft from back of the scalp.
  2.  Separation of the follicular units containing 1, 2 or 3 hair.
  3.  Recipient sites is created in bald area by slits by a needle.
  4.  Placement of the grafts in the recipient area.
  5. Closure of the donor site on back of the scalp by suture that is not at all visible in hair.
After 3 to 4 months transplanted hair begin to grow and continue to grow a half inch per month for rest of your life. Who are candidates for hair transplant?
  •   Any male/female in good health.
  •  Adult above 18 years.
  •  Stabilized hair loss.
  •  Medical treatment tried without success.
  •  No active scalp infection.
  •  Adequate hair available on back & side of scalp.
  •  No smoking, no alcohol two weeks before surgery.
  •  No diabetes/hypertension.
  •  Reasonable expectation.
Consultation:- During consultation at Doctor will discuss in detail about your hair loss pattern, extent of baldness, available donor area, plan of hairline, number of grafts required etc. Investigations:- a) Hemogram blood sugar level. b) Bleeding time, clotting time. c) Routine Urine analysis. d) Additional tests if required. Precautions before Hair Transplant Surgery? Pre-Operation Instruction:
  •   Maintain an adequate length of hair on the back of your head as grafts will be removed from here.
  • Two weeks before surgery No finestride, minoxidil, aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications containing aspirin, vitamin E.
  • One day before surgery No alcohol / tobacco.
On surgery day:
  • Wash your hair in the morning using your regular shampoo. Have a light breakfast two hour prior to your procedure. Wear loose & comfortable Cloths, no gold ornaments, no deodorant & Perfume. You should also bring a scarf along with you. Have someone to take you home after surgery. You should not drive any vehicle after Surgery.
How many sessions of surgery will I need? A single megasession is usually enough to satisfy most of patient needs. Those with extensive baldness may require 2 -3 sessions. Correct evaluation & estimation is possible after personal consultation. How long it will take to cover bald areas after transplant? 3 to 4 months to start showing regrowth. It takes 9 to 10 months to show full growth. How Hair line is designed? Following are the principles of hair line design. 1. Consider Family pattern of alopecia. Assume that patient will reach worst stage of his family pattern in coming few years and design the hairline accordingly. 2. Consider upgrading the patient look from Hamilton grade VII to V rather than upgrading from VII to I. 3. Encourage patient to have thick frontal forelock and deep frontal triangles. Coverage of vertex is not encouraged in advanced alopecia. Hairline Shape The shape of the hairline should be designed in such a way as to match a patient’s head and facial features. For instance, a wider head should have a hairline that matches the wider arc of the frontal scalp. Conversely, a narrower head should be designed with some suppression (concavity) of the outer limit of the hairline. In addition, calculating the number of hairs that must be dedicated to the central scalp, the hairline, and the temple may also influence the possible design of a hairline. All of these considerations must be weighed when contemplating the perfect hairline shape for a particular individual.
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Hair Transplantation: Details Of Surgical Techniques. (Part II)
What is Follicular Unit Transplantation? ImageFollicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is a procedure where hair is transplanted from the permanent zone, the area in the back and sides of the scalp where hair is more resistant to balding, to the bald or balding areas of the scalp. This is accomplished using naturally-occurring groups of 1, 2, 3, or 4 hairs, called follicular units. After the patient’s scalp is anesthetized, the doctor removes a strip of tissue from the donor area, an area within the permanent zone, and, once extracted, the donor strip is cut into many individual follicular units using microscopic dissection techniques. As these follicular unit grafts are being prepared, the doctor makes tiny holes.in the scalp, called recipient sites, where the grafts are placed. STEPS OF THE PROCEDURE: First and the most important step as in any surgery is obtaining a detailed Informed consent from the patient and relatives of the patient. Anesthesia in Hair Transplantation
  •  FUT is done under local anaesthesia and tumescent fluid infiltration.
  •  Tumescent is prepared by adding little Triamcinolone and 1:1000 cc of adrenaline (1 ml) in 100 ml of normal saline.
  •  For the frontal recipient area, Nerve blocks are preferred (supraorbital and supratrochlear).
Tumescent Anesthesia A major advance in the removal of the donor strip is the use of tumescent anesthesia. Tumescence simply means to expand by injecting fluid into the tissues. In this technique, very dilute concentrations of anesthetic fluid are injected into the fat layer of the donor region of the scalp. This serves a number of purposes, the first is to decrease bleeding from the pressure of the fluid on small blood vessels (capillaries), the second is to firm the skin so that the incision can be more easily controlled and third, to increase the distance between the follicles and the deeper tissues of the scalp. The technique for FUT Average donor strip is approximately 1cm wide and of variable length, depending upon the number of follicular units that are needed for the hair restoration. In the average person’s scalp, there are approximately 90-100 follicular units per square cm of donor tissue, so a 2,000 graft hair transplant session would require a 1cm wide strip that is slightly over 20 cm in length. Position of the Donor Incision ImageThe ideal placement of the donor incision is in the mid-part of the permanent zone located in the back and sides of the scalp. This area lies in a band that starts above the occipital protuberance (the bump felt in the middle part of the back of the scalp) and extends to either side in a gentle, upward sloping curve that follows the contour of the scalp.       Trichophytic“Tricho” Closure Image Image In a Trichophytic closure, the surgeons makes the initial incision parallel to the hair follicles and then trims away 1 to 3-mm of tissue of either the upper or lower wound edge (or both), so that the top of the hair follicles at that wound edge are removed. During the “Tricho” closure, the trimmed wound edge is pulled towards the opposite edge so that the bottom parts of the cut hairs are pointing slightly towards the incision (rather than parallel to each other). The goal is that these hairs will eventually grow through the incision and thus decrease the visibility of the scar. Slivering  The first step in stereo-microscopic dissection is a process called “slivering”. In slivering, the dissector divides the long donor strip into smaller sections of approximately 2-2.5mm in width. The sectioning is accomplished by passing a scalpel blade through the spaces around follicular units, rather than merely cutting directly through the block of tissue. This technique generates smaller pieces of hair bearing tissue without breaking up follicular units and without transecting (cutting) hair follicles. Graft Preparation: The dissector then isolates the individual follicular units from these small sections by trimming away excess dermis and fat. The photo shows 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-hair follicular units. Hundreds of these individual units are sorted according to the numbers of hairs they contain. They are then stored in Ringer’s lactate solution and refrigerated while waiting placement into the scalp. Role of Magnification: One of the most important aspects of Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation is stereo-microscopic dissection. This allows follicular units to be removed from the donor strip without being broken up or damaged. During the dissection, it is critical that the whole follicular unit is kept intact as this will maximize its growth. Intact follicular units will also give the most fullness to the hair restoration, as they contain the full, natural complement of 1-4 hairs. Skin city has the most advanced stereo microscopes named “mantis” which helps us to increase the yield of grafts as well as offers the best graft preparation for FUT.   Recipient site creation The recipient sites in all of our hair transplant procedures are made using lateral slits (also called coronal or horizontal slits). Generally, there are three different types of incision:
  • the small slits, or the more anterior, receive one-hair grafts ;
  • the medium-sized slits receive two hair grafts ;
  • The larger slits receive the three or four-hair grafts.
They give the hair transplant surgeon the highest degree of control over the direction and angle in which the transplanted hairs will ultimately grow. The density of recipient sites (the number of sites per area) determines how close together the follicular grafts are placed. Each graft is implanted manually. It is very important to handle the grafts very carefully in order to avoid damaging them. There are various methods which can be used to implant grafts,which includes stick and paste method,use of different type of implanters or implanting grafts in pre made slits. Follicular Unit Extraction(FUE) Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a method of extracting, or “harvesting,” donor hair for transplantation in a follicular unit hair transplant. In an FUE procedure, an instrument is used to make a small, circular incision in the skin around a follicular unit, separating it from the surrounding tissue. The unit is then extracted (pulled) directly from the scalp, leaving a small open hole. This process is repeated until the hair transplant surgeon has harvested enough follicular units for the planned hair restoration. The donor wounds, approximately 1-mm in size, completely heal over the course of seven to ten days, leaving tiny white scars buried in the hair in the back and sides of the scalp. After the grafts are harvested, tiny “recipient sites” are made in the balding area of the scalp using a fine needle-point instrument. The follicular units are then placed into the recipient sites where they will grow into healthy hair-producing follicles. The creation of recipient sites and the placing of follicular unit grafts are essentially the same in both FUE and FUT procedures. The difference lies in the quality and quantity of grafts obtained with each technique. Team Work: Hair transplantation is a team effort. A team of assistants to cut the grafts and place the grafts in the recipient area is an absolute necessity to ensure large sessions. Most transplant sessions last up to 4-5 hours and team work is therefore essential. Skin city has the perfect team for done giga sessions; it includes well trained dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and an excellent cutting team in the state of art operating theatre. Conclusion:- Follicular unit transplantation ( FUT) is a well established method of Hair Transplantation. Magnification with advanced mantis stereoscopes is a hallmark of quality of graft preparation.
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Laser Tattoo Removal

ImageThe term tattoo describes the deliberate placement of permanent colors into the skin or the accidental entry of pigmented material. The word tattoo is derived from the Polynesian (Marquesan) word tattoo, and refers to the accidental or volitional acquisition of pigmented particles of the skin.

Types of tattoos 1. Decorative amateur tattoos These include tattoos placed by tribaland gang members. The amateur tattoo usually consists of black India colored. Since these tattoos are placed unevenly and superficially in the dermis, they respond well to laser treatment, with fewer treatments and  more complete clearance. 2. Professional tattoos In the past, these types of tattoos were commonly seen in military men and bikers. However, with today’s changing trends people of all ages and socioeconomic strata are obtaining professional tattoos. Unfortunately, these tattoos do pose difficulties for the laser surgeon. These tattoos are placed more deeply in the dermis with a greater density of pigment. The colours are very vibrant and diverse in shade. 3. Cosmetic Tattoos Cosmetic tattoos are applied for a variety of reasons including disguising scars, broadening lips, eye and lip liners, covering periorbital pigmentation, or providing rosy cheeks. The colors that are used most frequently are off-white, reddish-brown, red, flesh tones (skin colored), or dull orange. Many of these cosmetic tattoos are made with iron pigments. 4. Medicinal Tattoos These types of tattoos are often placed to designate a radiation port during cancer therapy. After patients are in remission, they are often anxious to remove these signs of illness. Fortunately, these India ink blue-black tattoos are often easily removed in 1 to 2 sessions. 5. Traumatic Tattoos Traumatic tattoos can occur following different types of injury to the skin. This method of introducing tattoo pigment can occur following abrasion or explosion. Gunpowder and particulate matter following motorcycle and bicycle accidents are examples of these types of tattoos. Ink Colors  Tattoo ink is remarkably nonreactive histologically, despite the frequent use of different pigments of unknown purity and identity by tattoo artists. Amateur tattoo inks consist of simple, carbon particles originating from burnt wood, cotton, plastic, or paper, or from a variety of inks, including Indian ink, pen ink, and vegetable matter. Along with Indian ink, the classic tattoo dye, formerly used substances include metal salts such as mercury (red), cadmium (yellow), chrome (green), and cobalt (blue). In recent times, instead of these metal salts ,high-quality industrially manufactured organic pigments have been injected (mono- and di-azo dyes, polycyclic pigments of the phthalocyanine, dioxazine, and quinacridone classes of pigments). Even pigments produced for use as automobile paints are used. Treatment of Tattoos Over the centuries, different methods for tattoo removal have been explored. Previously popular methods of removal included excision with primary closure or skin grafting,mechanical dermabrasion ,salabrasion, cryosurgery, application of caustic chemicals such as phenol or a combination of the above, all of which habitually leave noticeable scars which,depending on the anatomica l location could be hypertrophic or keloidal.Modern tattoo removal involves the use of Q-switched lasers to remove tattoo pigments. Q switching is a means of producing a very short laser pulse in the nanosecond domain. The earliest attempts at removing tattoo pigment with the Qswitched laser were reported by Goldman. Anderson and Parrish’s principle of selective photothermolysis (1983) revolutionized the use of lasers in dermatology and therefore the treatment of tattoos. This principle proposes that if the used wavelength is well absorbed by the target and the pulse width is equal to or shorter than the target’s thermal relaxation time , the heat generated will be confined to the target.  The Q-switched lasers used to remove tattoos are as follows:
  •   Q- switched Ruby Laser (694 nm)
  •   Q-switched Alexandrite laser (755 nm)
  •   Q-switched Neodymium- YAG laser (Nd:YAG laser) ( 532 and 1064nm)
Q-switched Ruby Laser (QSRL) The Q-switched ruby is composed of a ruby crystal (aluminium oxide), which has a crystal lattice with a chromium impurity inside of it. The crystal is surrounded by a helical flashlamp. In the Qswitched mode, very high power is achieved by allowing the energy to build up inside the optical cavity. The laser has a wavelength of 694nm, a 28 to 40 nsec pulse width (over 108 W/cm2), and injures to a depth of about 1mm into skin. Q-switched Alexandrite Laser      The Q-switched alexandrite laser is a solid-state laser containing a chrysoberyl crystal of aluminum tetraoxide (BeO:A12Q) doped with chromium ions. The crystal is placed within the laser cavity where powerful flashlamps excite the chromium ions to produce red photons with 100 ns pulse durations at a wavelength of 755 nm; this wavelength is between those of the QSRL and the QSNd-YAG lasers. Reflectance studies at 755 nm suggest excellent absorption by black pigment, good absorption by blue and green, and poor absorption by red pigment, as confirmed by preliminary studies performed on tattooed Yucatan minipigs. One treatment session provided excellent results in removal of black ink, good results with blue and green, and poor results with red ink. Efficacy was fluence related. Q-switched Nd:YAG Laser The Q-switched neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (QSNd:YAG) laser was developed in 1989. It is a solid state, high fluence laser containing a crystal rod of yttrium-aluminum- garnet doped with 1 to 3% neodynium ions. Its emission is in the near infrared range at 1064nm, with a pulse duration of 10 to 20 nsec.The laser emission can be doubled in frequency by placing a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystal inside the laser cavity and focusing the beam through the crystal, producing a green light at 532nm. The 1064nm option is best suited to black and blue-black tattoos,and the 532nm wavelength is used for red pigment. The Qswitched Nd:YAG laser was explored in anticipation that its longer wavelength (1064 nm) would increase dermal penetration and decrease melanin absorption, thus improving the response of QSRL-resistant tattoos and avoiding pigmentary changes. Number of Treatments Required In skin city, the average number of treatments required for Indian skin type is 6-8 sittings. It is very common to get scars after tattoo removal in Indian Skin. So safe protocol of more sittings with low dose laser is adopted at skin city It minimizes the risk of scarring. Treatment intervals The current recommendation is to treat at 6 to 8 weeks interval unless a longer period is needed for tissue recovery. Recommended treatment parameters             The main parameters include pulse duration, wavelength, fluence, and spot size. All of the Q-switched lasers are in the nanosecond range, and pulse width is predetermined by the laser. Wavelength is chosen based on the best available wavelength for the tattoo ink colour For example, red ink is best treated by a green wavelength (510 or 532 nm), and green ink is best treated by a red wavelength (694 or 755 nm). When melanin is present, the 1064 nm wavelength is the best choice to avoid disruption of the epidermis. Fluence should be sufficient to produce immediate whitening without immediate bleeding or blistering. Larger spot sizes provide deeper penetration and should be used as long as sufficient fluence can be obtained. This maximizes the distribution of laser light to the dermal pigment and minimizes cutaneous injury. Adverse Events and Complications Q-switched laser treatment can lead to different complications.

Primarily epidermal

adverse events

Primarily dermal

adverse events

Other complications

Postoperative blistering Wound infection

Purpura

Wound infection

Postoperative crusting

Pinpoint bleeding

Oxidative darkening of pigment

Hyperpigmentation

Scarring/textural change

Allergic reactions after laser treatment

Hypopigmentation

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Chrysiasis after laser treatment

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Scarring after Q-switched laser treatment of traumatic gunpowder tattoos

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Transient immunoreactivity

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Carcinogenic potent

 
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Liposuction – A Fast and Safe Way of Getting Rid of Excess Body Fat
Diet and activity planning, lifestyle modification and stress management can help in weight management to some extent. Without these basic elements, it’s not advisable to resort to short cuts like crash dieting, weight loss tablets or surgeries. Though weight management gives a generally acceptable shape to certain parts of body, sometimes there could be accumulation of fat that is exercise non-responsive and diet non-responsive. Such areas need localized shaping treatments like Liposuction. Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery that is performed to remove fat from various body parts. It may take one or several sessions to remove the desired amount of fat. Traditionally, it has been performed under the influence of general anesthesia. But now, technology has evolved and now it is possible to get it done by administering local anesthesia. Skin City, India’s largest skin and hair restoration centre, has made use of the some of the world’s most advanced technologies and developed a very safe and effective method of Liposuction. It’s called ‘Skin City SafeLIPO’.  It is performed in a fully awake patient with pure tumescent local anesthesia without any sedation. It is a unique protocol combining safe liposuction, laser liposuction, ultra sound lipolysis and radio frequency skin firming. This ensures guaranteed safety, permanent fat cell destruction, smooth silky skin texture and unbelievable post liposuction skin firming. This process is highly efficient, as the whole procedure is completed within six hours. Even after that, patients don’t have to take any painkillers. Although, depending on the severity and spread of the body fat, treatment can be spread over multiple sessions, each session covering 1 to 2 body parts. In selected patients Skin City uses ‘Orthostatic SafeLIPO’. In this, Liposuction is performed with fine cannulas in an awake, standing patient. This method imparts highly precise shaping and perfect assurance of safety. Common body parts treated with safeLIPO are Tummy, love handles (flanks), buttocks, thighs, double chin and jowls on face. Dermatologists at Skin City, who administer SafeLIPO, are affiliated to international bodies like ASDS, DASIL, ACSI, etc.
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16 steps to a beautiful bride
‘Solah Shringar’ or 16 ways to beautify one’s self encompasses of basic steps of beautification of a woman from head to toe. It is a traditional ritual meant to adorn and bestow gifts of beauty on her. For those who came in late, the word ‘Shringar’ is derived from ‘Shri’ which means ‘Lakshmi’, the goddess of wealth, beauty, luck and prosperity. ‘Solah Shringar’ acknowledges and celebrates the beauty and divinity of the female form. It is generally done on the wedding day, the most significant and important day for a woman. It is the day that marks her transition into womanhood. Other than wedding, it is also carried out during major festivals and religious activities. SkinCity is committed to applying the basic principles and elements of ‘Solah Shringar’ to today’s fast-changing world and makes every bride look the way she aspires to look – Timeless! SkinCity has several services and packages for the Bride to be, the Groom, their families and friends…
  •   Skin Renewal System – for nourishment & glow
  •   Skin Lightening System – for fairness
  •   Skin Restoral System – for skin damage
  •   Skin Revival System – for mature skin
  •   Back to Beautiful – for a beautiful back
  •   Skin Perfection System – for acne & scars
  •   Under-eye Revitalize System
  •   Youth Restoration System – for ageing skin
  •   15 days Beautiful Bride Package
  •  30 days Beautiful Bride Package
  •  60 days Beautiful Bride Package
  •  15 days Package for the Groom
  •  30 days package for the Groom
  •  Special Package for the Mother of the Bride / Groom
  •  Laser Hair Reduction of unwanted hair
  •  Safe Liposuction for unwanted fat – per body part, day time procedure
Though the bridal beautification ritual lives on, these basic tenets have evolved with time and practically each one of them has stemmed into a special science of beauty.  SkinCity works to make these basics as perfect as possible. India’s largest hair and skin restoration centre, it has evolved into an institution and a benchmark unto itself. Equipped with the latest technological know-how and a team of qualified medical professionals, SkinCity takes care of each and every skin and hair related issue meticulously.
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FEMINA JUNE 2013 Article :Super Hair Removal Process
Highlighting the word ‘Super’ Manasi Shroff talks to Dr Niteen Dhepe—leading dermatologist in India as well as the Medical Director, SkinCity PG Institute of Dermatology—about how to get rid of body hair at SkinCity with the Super Hair Removal process.  “Oh, God! I need to wax…” is something we women keep saying at regular intervals. Well, not anymore—courtesy Suprano Laser installed at SkinCity, you will be hair-free and carefree permanently. This technique is apparently so efficient that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Out of sight We all want a body that is hairless and smooth as silk. However, we are all lazy as hell to go and get ourselves waxed. Besides waxing, threading and shaving are painful and have to be done time and again. Well, shaking hands with technology, SkinCity’s Suprano Laser is painless, quick—and yes, it’s permanent too! Your body hair is absolutely not visible and you could put on that sexy, backless dress whenever you feel like. Nothing like it It’s a rare facility available in the city and we all know how rare is precious. Suprano Laser barely takes time, maybe a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area because of the speed of the machine. Since the fact that the treatment is painless, large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Super benefits Dr Dhepe says, “It’s the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, which allows our clients to treat large body parts.” This makes full body hair removal a cakewalk. It’s happy time for the men as there is no local anesthesia required to due to the thickness and density of hair. It’s no more painful. That’s how it works It’s just as easy as it sounds. A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body takes about three-four hours with highly trained practitioners to carry out the treatments. About eight to twelve sittings does it all. Be assured that this super treatment has no side-effects of any kind. Don’t be pricey Super Hair Removal costs are at par with other laser hair removal treatments, and the speed is another feather added to the hat. “However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing,” adds Dr Dhepe. So now we exactly know where to go head when we are absolutely fed up of hitting the parlor.
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An Idea Called Skin City
Skin City is not just a clinic or a spa. It is an idea. An idea that took root with the ambition of providing all the services in dermatology under one roof. It started its journey from Solapur. What started as one clinic in one town of Maharashtra has today become India’s largest skin and hair transplantation centre, with campuses in Solapur and Pune, and a unique mobile laser clinic that caters to the rural areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka. It houses the latest and the best technology pertaining to all body, hair and skin related treatments in the world, under one roof. Skin City is the largest Aesthetic Dermatology set-up in India and the only one that practices Aesthetic Dermatology with an institutional approach. There are many players in this field but they work either purely on a commercial basis or as a traditional dermatology institute and conduct work only in dermatology. Skin City’s services include dermatology and skin surgery, aesthetic dermatology, lasers & cosmetic surgery and hair treatment. It has established itself as the perfect balance between aesthetic dermatology, hardcore dermatology & dermatology teaching. Skin City is affiliated to several international associations like The American Academy of Dermatology, The American Society of Dermatology, The European Academy of Dermatology, The International Society of Hair Transplantation Surgery and The Asian Society of Hair Transplantation Surgery. Skin City is one of the only two private Post Graduate Institutes in Dermatology in India. Skin City offers Post Graduate courses like DNB, Diploma in Dermatology, Fellowship in Aesthetic Dermatology & Fellowship in Hair Transplantation Surgery. The world’s most sought after treatments like liposuction, hair transplant, super hair removal, mesotherapy, scar removal, vitiligo treatment, bridal packages, allergy treatments, chronic skin disease treatments, skin enhancement services, anti-ageing services, acne treatment, right up to the latest MiraDry – the world’s most advance technology for permanent removal of underarm hair and odour – all are a part of Skin City. Just like every successful enterprise runs on a set of values and beliefs, Skin City too has risen to its present self by following a set of scruples and not losing focus of its vision. Not letting cosmetic dermatology transform into a beauty salon or a spa is one of them. Skin City has always treated beauty as a science, and not as a commodity. That is the reason why some of the best dermatologists work for Skin City and help enhance its offerings. Since summer is the most troublesome season for skin and hair, Skin City has come up with special offers for summer that aim at tackling the common problems like excess body fat, stubborn body hair,  hair loss and baldness at discount rates.
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What Is Autologous Fat Transfer? How It Is Treated?

Autologous Fat Transfer

Autologous fat is the most natural and economical filler used to improve the contours of the body. SkinCity, empowered with SafeLIPO, is a dermatological centre of excellence for fat transfer. Depressed cheeks, depressed accidental scars, under eyes hollows (tear trough), lip augmentation are some indications for which fat from the same individual is used as a filler. Dr. Dhepe is an ‘International Travelling Master’ of ASDS: American Society of Dermatology surgery to train Dermatologists across the world on Fat transfer, lasers, and other technologies. What is autologous fat transfer? An Autologous Fat Transfer treatment is a procedure where excess fat from one part of the body is harvested, and then re-injected into another part of the body to either enhance or replace the lost volume. Fat is removed from unwanted fat pouches of a person’s body is injected at the sites which require filling e.g. scars, hollow cheeks, temples, lips, breasts. Since it is one’s own fat cells, there are no allergic reactions or unwanted side effect seen. Which areas can be treated? Almost every part of the body can be treated using a fat transfer procedure. The most common areas are:
  • Breasts: an autologous fat transfer breast or fat grafting breast augmentation to give fuller and uplifted looking breasts;
  • Buttocks: an autologous fat transfer for buttock augmentation to achieve the Brazilian butt lift;
  • Face: to fill in the hollowness of the temples, cheeks, brows, and folds to create a more youthful appearance;
  • Hands: to restore subcutaneous fat loss on the back of the hands; and
  • Scars: an autologous fat is injected beneath the skin surface to elevate depressed surgical and acne scars.
The entire procedure is done under local anaesthesia and the patient walks out an hour after the 2- 3 hours procedure. How long will the results last? The duration of the results of autologous fat transfer procedure differs from person to person. The body reabsorbs the injected fat over a period of time but more than 50% of the injected volume remains in place permanently. Repeat sessions help to maintain the desired volume. Everything you need to know about gentle and natural body contouring is right here at Skin City. Visit our website to know more about the procedure: www.skincityindia.com
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Why You Need Laser Vaginal Tightening

laser-vaginal-tightening-treatements

Lifecycle processes such as childbirth; hormonal changes that accompany aging and severe weight fluctuations can overstretch vaginal tissue, damage collagen and alter the muscle tone in the vaginal wall. These anatomical changes often lead to symptoms such as vaginal laxity, vaginal atrophy, and involuntary bladder leakage. These feminine health conditions negatively affect women’s quality of life and often prevent them from carrying out a normal lifestyle.

Skin City offers a quick, safe and highly effective, non-invasive solution that addresses a wide range of feminine health concerns. It is a comprehensive treatment solution that can be performed in an outpatient setting with no need for anaesthesia and no pain, achieving immediate improvement with lasting results.

There is no patient downtime and women can regain their daily routine immediately post procedure. At Skin City, we observe complete confidentiality and sensitivity exercised by towards the patient’s privacy and comfort.

Like every other part of the female body, the vagina and vulva too tend to age and the process often tends to speed up during and immediately after menopause. When the natural levels of oestrogen start to decline in the body, the female genital tract shows effects, first. Studies have shown that almost half the women who are above the age of 40 tend to face such problems, and this tends to affect their sex life too.

Effects of Hypotonic (loose) Vaginal Muscles:

  • vaginal dryness
  • vaginal burning
  • dysuria
  • urgency
  • Stress incontinence
  • Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners

Fractional CO2 laser vaginal rejuvenation or LVR is a revolutionary new procedure, which is non-surgical in nature and can be used to treat vaginal atrophy and Stress Urinary Incontinence that is often caused due to age. Though this is currently more popular as Vaginal tightening procedure.

Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Advantages

  • The procedure does not take more than 15 minutes
  • There is next to no pain or discomfort
  • You will be able to return to your normal routine within a day
  • The level of risks are really low and there are little to no side effects
  • The vaginal tightening procedure results will last a long time
  • Improvements are visible immediately after the first session
  • The procedure is suitable for almost all women, including those who have breast cancer

The basic concept of laser vaginal rejuvenation is simple – tiny columns of laser energy are used in multiples, and these stimulate the production of collagen and help with the regeneration of vaginal tissue.

How the Procedure is Performed:

After a direct vaginal examination and PAP smear test, the candidate is taken for the procedure and is cleaned. Sterilised laser probe is inserted in vagina and laser light is passed on vaginal tissue. The treatment takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Most women experience that the probe emits a gentle vibration and warmth, but there is no pain. In most cases, the regeneration of vaginal tissue will start in about 30 days, the result of which will be a stronger and tighter vagina, which has better elasticity and hydration. You should be able to return to your normal routine, immediately, but you might be asked to refrain from exercise for at least 24 hours and sexual intercourse for about 5 days.

For most women, the results become obvious right after the first session, but for the best results, you should go for 3 treatments, 1 month apart. The results will last a long time. As the natural process of aging continues, you can always go for top up treatments.

Just as cosmetic procedures have been used for decades to improve facial skin and to restore its youthfulness, non-surgical vaginal tightening with Skin City improves the health and vitality of vaginal tissue. We are focused on a women’s health and have the most up-to-date technology to guarantee patient satisfaction. Our minimally invasive techniques allow women to enjoy the benefits of cosmetic procedures without the inconvenience of downtime and pain.

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What Is Vaginal Tightening And How It Is Treated?
Vaginal Tightening

Vaginal muscles must be able to contract to maintain continence, and to relax allowing for urination and bowel movements, and for sexual intercourse as well as for giving birth. They also support and protect the organs of the abdomen and hold the bladder in its proper place.

The pelvic muscles can become stretched or weakened due to ageing and more specifically due to pregnancy. This often happens after a difficult childbirth which overstretches or tears the pelvic muscles and can also be the result of giving birth to several babies within a very short time span. Their under use can also cause pelvic floor weakness.

This set of muscles, also known as the muscles of the perineum, forms the floor of the pelvic cavity and supports the pelvic organs such as the bladder, uterus and colon and intestine.

These muscles act like a rubber band, they need to be tense but neither too tight to avoid pelvic floor muscle disorder nor too loose, because in both cases they will lose the right degree of elasticity and therefore their main function and could potentially create a pelvic floor dysfunction.

Symptoms of Hypotonic Pelvic Muscles: •    Stress incontinence •    Urge incontinence •    Pelvic organ prolapse •    Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners

Vaginal tightening is the tightening of the pelvic muscles to achieve or maintain the right degree of elasticity of the pelvic floor muscles.

Vaginal tightening can be achieved in different ways, all effective in their own way and can be complementary. Vaginoplasty is a reconstructive plastic surgery and cosmetic procedure for the vaginal canal and its mucous membrane, and of vulvovaginal structures that might be absent or damaged because of congenital disease (e.g. vaginal hypoplasia) or because of an acquired cause (e.g. childbirth physical trauma, cancer)

Skin City’s cutting edge treatment tightens the vaginal walls which restores tone to tissue, and increases blood flow—that increases lubrication and strengthens the supporting ligaments surrounding the bladder and urethra to reduce the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence.

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Scalp Micropigmentation and Its Wonderful Benefits

Scalp Micropigmentation

Scalp coverage is the name of the game in the treatment of baldness. Thicker hair even if less in number have more volume and hence better scalp coverage. The problem arises with thinner hair and a lighter scalp

Micro pigmentation is a technique used to implant small amounts of pigment into the upper layer of the scalp in a dot or line pattern, and this creates an optical illusion of a full scalp even without hair restoration. This is a painless walk in-walk out procedure which takes a few hours and is performed without any anesthesia. Skin City is one of the very few centers to launch this procedure.

In patients with significant hair loss being treated with mesotherapy/ PRP or even hair transplantation, scalp micro pigmentation can be added at the completion of these procedures to give maximum scalp coverage look.

What is Scalp Micropigmentation:

Scalp Micropigmentation (medical hairline tattoo) is the ultimate in non-surgical male and female scalp grooming; an incredible life-changing treatment where natural pigments are applied at the epidermal level of the scalp to replicate the natural appearance of the real hair follicles or strands – depending on your hair loss extent, and desired look.

The human head has on average 2,000 hairs per square inch. When thinning occurs, it can be a depressing time, stigmas attached to balding & premature ageing in both men and women can affect confidence and mood. Scalp Micropigmentation can restore even a completely bald head to look like a full head of well-groomed hair.

The follicle/strand build up of Scalp Micropigmentation normally takes place over 2- 3 sessions, each taking approx 2-3 hours with at least 2 weeks to 1 month between sessions. The process allows for a very gradual and subtle rejuvenation/infill of the hairline, rarely identified even by close friends and family.

During the procedure, topical anaesthetic cream is applied over the area to be treated prior to starting micropigmentation, hence the procedure becomes completely painless. A cartridge containing  few very fine needles working in symphony gently inject natural pigment into the 2nd dermal skin layer and Skin City uses the latest innovative technology and the Pigment spacing is determined by replicating the remaining natural hair follicles.

Benefits of Scalp Micropigmentation :

  • Give the look of a full, youthful head of cropped hair
  • Restore hairlines on part-bald or fully bald heads
  • Camouflage scarring resulting from previous hair transplant surgery
  • Hide scars, burns and birthmarks
  • Boost the visual effect of a hair transplant

Though there are many types of hair loss treatments available, not all of them work, leaving men suffering hair loss with few options. That’s why scalp micropigmentation is the best course of action for those in this position, because of the numerous benefits this procedure can offer to those suffering from hair loss.

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Medical Body Shaping - Its Treatments And Who Should Go For It?

Medical Body Shaping

There are multiple options available for body shaping and surgical liposuction, laser liposuction, injection lipolysis are some of them. Patients, who are unwilling for surgical options or are unfit for any invasive procedure because of uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease or any other serious health condition, can opt for medical body shaping options.

This treatment involves non-invasive Lipolysis with HIFU Ultra sound and Accent non-ablative radio frequency. These high intensity ultrasound and radio-frequency waves mobilize fat cells, destroy them and facilitate their expulsion from the body through lymphatic drainage.

These techniques especially give good results for facial fat reduction and contouring the face.

What is Hifu/Ultherapy?

It is a highly precise medical procedure that applies high-intensity focused ultrasound energy which delivers heat to the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers collagen remodeling thus increasing the elasticity of the skin resulting in tightening. It also destroys excess fat cells in the face, neck by heat energy. These dead fat cells undergo a process of cellular death called apoptosis and then expelled through body’s lymphatic drainage.

Accent Non-Ablative Radio Frequency Ttherapy:

Unipolar (or 3rd generation Monopolar) one is for a deep controlled penetration depth of the RF energy for fat reduction and cellulite treatment.

  1. Tightening of the underlying tissues, which in turn causes a production of new collagen and collagen remodelling;
  2. Increased blood circulation to the area being treated and drainage of the fatty deposits to the lymphatic system; and
  3. Fatty acid decomposition and heat-induced fat cell death.

What is It Used to Treat?

 Treatment applications (using either the Unipolar (3rd generation Monopolar) or Bipolar head) include:

  • Cellulite treatment
  • Fat reduction on the arms, abdomen, buttocks and legs
  • Skin tightening on the face, arms, abdomen, buttocks and legs
  • Complete body contouring
  • Pre liposuction skin tightening
  • Post liposuction smoothing
  • Lipoma (benign tumour composed of fat tissue) treatment

How Long Does It Last?

Results may last up to 2-3 years. However, ongoing maintenance will be required more frequently for older people and for those with poor skin quality to begin with, as a result of smoking, sun exposure, alcohol consumption etc.

For body contouring applications, the improvement in the skin quality is said to be long lasting, similar to the facial tightening results; however keeping the body contours in check is also subject to a person’s diet, calorie intake, exercise and lifestyle. Fat cells have the capability of expanding to 500 times their size, thus an unbalanced diet and unhealthy lifestyle plays a center roll in keeping body contours in good shape more than any treatment can, effective as it is.

Body contouring is an area of medical aesthetics that is developing rapidly, with many new devices coming to market every year, using multiple different technologies. For these treatments, patient selection is probably the most challenging. The choice of equipment for an individual practice will depend on a variety of factors, including cost, patient demographics, space available and staffing levels.

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Why Consulting a Trichologist Is Best to Resolve Hair Fall Problems

Why-Consulting-Trichologist-Is-Best-to-Resolve-Hair-Fall-Problems

While hair loss may not usually be a threat to your health, it can have devastating effects on your self-image and sense of well-being. Your hair has much more significance than the physiological purpose of regulating your temperature and providing protection for your scalp. For most people, it is a definition of their personality, style, and fashion. When hair loss occurs, it has a damaging effect on our psyche. Your dermatologist is a highly skilled medical professional that diagnoses and treats a wide variety of conditions that can affect the scalp and cause hair loss.

What Causes Hair Loss?

The medical term for hair loss is Alopecia but there are many different types and causes. Both men and women may experience it in varying degrees from a slight thinning of the hair to complete baldness.

Examples of the most common hair loss disorders are:

  • Alopecia Areata- an autoimmune condition in which the hair follicles are attacked by the body’s immune cells
  • Androgenetic Alopecia- patterned baldness that develops in males and females due to hereditary and hormonal factors
  • Telogen Effluvium- a condition associated with excessive hair shedding of hair several months after the body experiences a major stressful event.
  • Chemical Hair Damage- hair becomes dry, and brittle and breaks off in pieces after being exposed to a chemical that is too harsh
  • Traction Alopecia- hair loss due to pulling on the hair from tight braids or hair pieces

Hair loss may also be the result of underlying health issues such as anemia or thyroid abnormalities.  Changes to your hair and scalp might indicate health problems such as diabetes or lupus or any number of other conditions, therefore, it is important that you take sudden changes in your hair seriously.

So, What Should You Do If You Start Losing Your Hair?

The first step in the treatment of hair loss is to determine the cause. Visit your dermatologist to have them examine your hair and scalp and diagnose your disorder. Many forms of hair fall are temporary or can be reversed with the proper medications or therapies. Other forms may cause scarring which can lead to permanent baldness but can be slowed significantly through regular treatment sessions if the process is started early.

 To properly diagnose your type of hair fall your dermatologist will ask about your medical history, any recent illnesses you may have had and any medications you may be taking including over the counter medicines. Are you experiencing hair loss on your body as well as your scalp? Your hair care routine is also vital information to share with your doctor. Such things as the hair care products you use, how often you shampoo and whether you color your hair or use a hair dryer are valuable bits of information that can help with your diagnoses.  It is useful to bring these products in when you see the dermatologist for a consultation. They will also ask questions about other family members who may also have experienced hair loss to determine your genetic predisposition to baldness. Most diagnoses’ are made through skillful evaluation of your scalp, hair and medical history but occasionally further medical testing is necessary. Again, these tests may include blood work to rule out underlying medical conditions, examination of a hair sample under a microscope or a skin biopsy to evaluate the scalp tissue of the affected area.

Skin City has expertise in using a combination approach to hair fall to minimize the side effects and to improve the safety of the therapies adopted. Skin City is one of the very few centers to give excellent results in hair fall.

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The Best Anti-Aging Treatments in India for a Youthful You
Anti-Aging Treatments in India

With wrinkles, fine lines, brown spots and a sallow blotchy skin creeping in, anybody can tell you are almost hitting the dreaded aging phase. Skin aging is a natural process that presents itself relatively early in life, sometimes as early as the late 20s. But, thanks to various anti-aging non-surgical treatments, women can now hop back in time. A few years ago, the most popular anti-aging remedies were plastic surgery procedures like brow lifts and facelifts. However, the trend has drastically changed over time with the development of non-invasive anti-aging treatments. Often referred to as minimally invasive methods, the skin treatments improve skin texture, rid of lines and maintain a youthful look.

Various cosmetologists and dermatologists now perform cutting-edge anti- ageing treatments in India, which can show longer lasting results within a few sessions only. Some of the anti- ageing treatments available in India are:- BOTOX

BOTOX is a toxin produced by a strain of bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. In case you're wondering, this is the same bacteria that can cause botulism, which is a type of food poisoning. Botox is used for the treatment of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows. Today, it is used to treat other areas of the face, including the forehead and the crow's feet at the corners of the eye.

CHEMICAL PEELS

Most commonly used to treat those with sun-damaged or unevenly pigmented skin, chemical peels have become one of the most popular non-invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. Chemical peels are one form of anti-aging treatment. Although chemical peels are not able to prevent or slow down the aging process they are certainly able to improve facial blemishes, acne, wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation.

DERMAL FILLERS

One non-surgical method that has become extremely popular is the use of dermal fillers. Dermal fillers such as hyaluronic acid should not be confused with Botox. Botox may be used for anti-aging skin care but works through a completely different process. Plastic surgeons refer to the use of dermal fillers as soft tissue augmentation. Soft tissue augmentation is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure performed to correct eye wrinkles, other facial wrinkles, and depressions in the skin and/or scarring.

 FACELIFT

As you get older, a number of factors contribute to the aging of your face. Stress, sun and wind exposure, and even gravity conspire to leave you older-looking. A facelift can help address some of the effects of aging. During a facelift, your plastic surgeon removes excess fatty deposits, tightens the muscles that support your face, removes excess skin and rewraps the skin of your face. Quite often, the facelift surgery is performed along with other facial surgeries such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) or a browlift (forehead lift surgery).

LASER PEEL & SKIN REJUVENATION

Laser skin resurfacing is one of the fastest growing and most effective skin rejuvenation procedures performed by plastic surgeons. Laser skin resurfacing can be used to treat a wide variety of skin conditions that result from or relate to the effects of aging. Acne Scars, Age Spots, Brown Spots, Fine Lines, Large Pore Size, Stretch Marks, Sun Spots, and Wrinkles can be treated with laser skin rejuvenation.

MICRODERMABRASION

Like dermabrasion, microdermabrasion involves removing some of the upper skin layers. Microdermabrasion, however, doesn't go as deep. Microdermabrasion is ideally suited for a person who has aged skin or skin that has been damaged by overexposure to the sun.  Microdermabrasion treatments polish and soften the skin, reducing fine lines on the face.

While the best non-surgical anti-aging face treatments are affordable and effective compared to plastic surgery treatments, patients ought to be cautious when picking their health providers.

 
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Pros & Cons of Skin Pigmentation Treatment

 What Are The Pros and Cons -  Pigmentation Treatment

Dark spots, age spots, sun spots – what is pigmentation? We explain your uneven complexion and suggest solutions for clearer, brighter skin. You may not have deep frown lines or crow's feet, but if you feel like you're ageing, chances are it's thanks to uneven skin tone. Now, we're not talking a sweet smattering of freckles, but bigger, uneven brown patches on not only the face but hands, décolletage, and shoulder areas. It's these aging dark spots of bother that is known as pigmentation, caused by sun exposure and specifically the UVA rays which penetrate deep into your skin and cause ageing. Types Of Pigmentation Which Can Be Treated With Laser Therapy
  • Melasma, solar lentigos or sun spots, birthmarks, port-wine stains and freckles
  • Melasma is a patchy brown discoloration of the skin on the face
  • Solar lentigines, are small brown pigmented spot on the skin with a clearly defined edge, surrounded by normal-appearing skin. These mainly appear in sun exposed areas like the tops of the hands and face
  • Birthmarks are normally flat and are brown or black in color
  • Port-wine stains are the kind of pigmentation defects in which some reddish-purple discolorations appear on the skin as a result of some swollen red blood vessels in the body
  • Freckles are small, brownish spots on the skin that are caused by deposition of pigment and that increase in number and darken on exposure to sunlight
Pros of Laser Treatment
  • Quite effective. When done from a reputed clinic there is a chance that 90% , even 100% of your pigmentation will vanish in a set of sessions provided
  • Less painful than other laser treatments
  • Improved appearance
  • The duration of each laser session is quite short, aprox 30mins
  • Require a very short recovery time
  • No age limit
Cons of Laser Treatment
  • Dangerous if you go to someone inexperienced
  • May require several sessions
  • Some may feel a slight stinging or burning
  • Redness, swelling, bruising, and dry patches can be seen on a person who had undergone layer treatment. Proper aftercare is required
We at SkinCity advocate that the ideal anti ageing treatment should address all the tightening & lifting, filling for hydrating & Skin brightening of skin. Thus we advise the 3D facelift for optimum results.
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Golden Rules for a Fabulous and Wonderful Looking Skin

Fabulous and Wonderful Looking Skin

To keep skin looking healthy, you need to adopt a tailored skincare routine. If you want to enjoy a radiant skin, all you have to do is adopt the 10 essential beauty commandments! During the day, your skin is exposed to damage, and this makes it tired. Over the years, it changes. What it needs is plenty of pampering! Discover our beauty tips for beautiful skin at any age. Firstly, understand your skin type. Dry Skin Dry skin can feel tight throughout the day and may experience noticeable flaking. Dry skin is largely due to genetics, environmental factors such as lifestyle & diet, hormonal changes, and climate. Dehydration is also a leading cause of dry skin, so drinking plenty of water and avoiding diuretics like alcohol and caffeine can make a significant difference in how your skin feels and looks. Normal/Combination Skin People with normal/combination skin often experience dryness on the cheeks, making it important to find a moisturizer that is not too heavy but one substantial enough to retain moisture where needed most. Those with normal skin are not prone to breakouts on their cheeks and tend to have a well-moisturized t-zone. Oily Skin Excess oil can oftentimes leave pores congested and clogged. The happy news, however, is that oily skin looks younger and suppler because it has more natural moisture and is less prone to wrinkle. How to Take Care of Your Skin Type Dry Skin
  • Use a creamy cleanser that is Soap-free before going to bed; wash your face with the cleanser thoroughly as part of your daily routine. Make sure you rinse it with cool water.
  • Use a moisturizer on your face at least thrice a day to keep the skin hydrated and to avoid tightness and roughness of the facial skin.
  • Applying a facial mask is also another great additional benefit to your routine, in which it helps rejuvenate the skin and makes it smooth.
  • Exfoliate your dry skin using a slightly abrasive cleaner like a loofah or sponge. You may also use an exfoliating product that is suitable for your skin! However always remember to use natural products! Do not over exfoliate.
Normal/Combination Skin
  • Wash your face at least two times each day with a regular skin care face wash having pH similar to your skin pH.
  • Always apply sunscreen with a large SPF every day.
  • Apply a light lotion in the evening to keep your skin hydrated.
  • To remove makeup use the same cleansing milk and a face wash.
  • Use an exfoliating scrub once in 2 weeks; thereafter use a non-drying face mask.
Oily Skin
  • Cleanse it! Find a cleanser marked specifically for oily skin. It will prevent your skin from looking like an oil slick without stripping it of necessary oils.
  • Use a foaming face wash which contains alpha hydroxy acids, salicylic acid etc. This should be used 3-4 times in a day and followed up with an alcohol-free toner.
  • Use non-comedogenic wide spectrum large SPF sunscreen for oily skin.
  • Use only water based makeup.
  • Use of an exfoliating scrub weekly and anti-acne mask if you have an acne problem.
Having great skin is a desire of many and when it’s summer, a lot of us want to make sure that our skin is clear and radiant. If you’re striving for a better-looking skin, the above-mentioned golden rules of skin care will help you achieve glowing skin in no time!
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Misconceptions About Dermatology - Debunking The Myths

Misconceptions-About-Dermatology

For many people, the world of dermatology is baffling. Most people have an idea of what dermatology is – they know that dermatologists treat skin but that’s about it. Here are some of the common myths and misconceptions about dermatology, and the real truth, too!

Myth #1: Scrubbing Your Face with Soap Will Soften Your Skin

You’ve probably heard it before: Wash your face twice a day for healthy skin. While removing make-up and other grime is important, if you overdo it, you can remove the healthy oils and protective barriers your skin secretes to keep out harmful antigens and dirt. To stay on the safe side, use a mild cleanser in the morning and do the same at night, always remembering to wash gently. Harsh scrubbing will only aggravate sensitive skin cells.

Myth #2: Dermatologists Just Treat Acne

This is a common reason people visit a dermatologist, but dermatologists can do far more than that. Laser and cosmetic dermatology encompass a wide variety of skin care treatments. Scar revision, birthmark removal, and nearly any other condition or issue that affects the skin can be handled using laser and cosmetic dermatology! If you are suffering from acne, of course you should see a dermatologist, but you can visit for many other reasons, too. Skin City is here to help with any and all skin conditions and concerns.

Myth #3: Picking at Blemishes Makes Them Go Away

It may be tempting to scratch at a pussy pimple as soon as it appears, but what you’re actually doing is creating an acne scar which will linger for months while a pimple generally vanishes after 5 – 7 days. Resist the temptation to itch and try one of our soothing facial masks instead to calm irritable skin.

Myth #4: Sunlight Helps Cure Acne

While it’s true that sunlight can help dry out your pimples and reduce inflammation, as with most things, too much can have the opposite effect. A tan may actually make your acne scars more noticeable and the heat can irritate pimples. It’s best to use a combination of natural cleansers, moisturizers and healthy foods to get rid of scarred and pimply skin.

Myth #5: All Moisturizers Are the Same

Many of us just slap on our moisturizing lotion and lip balm without much thought. Actually, there are various moisturizers you can choose from to suit your skin’s needs. Moisturizers come in lotions, creams, emulsions, and serums. They are formulated for the body, or the face, or the eye area.

Are you guilty of any of the above? Hopefully these facts have convinced you to change things around so you can finally have the healthy, glowing skin you’ve always dreamed of.

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Why Vitamin D is Necessary for Your Body?
Skin and Hair Benefits of Vitamin D There are plenty of benefits to getting the proper amount of Vitamin D, and it’s worth the time and efforts to make sure that you’re topped up on it. This should be done with a combination of food, sunshine, and a supplement if needed. Vitamin D is one of a unique vitamins out there because your body can actually manufacture it by getting regular exposure to the sun, and you can run a deficiency if you avoid the sun altogether. Vitamin D has plenty of benefits for skin, hair, and health. Vitamin D benefits include the following: Here are the Health Benefits of Vitamin D
  • It helps the intestine to absorb nutrients, calcium and phosphorus. This ensures strong bones and a healthy immune system.
  • Vitamin D provides calcium balance in the body and prevents arthritis.
  • Vitamin D regulates blood pressure and reduces stress and tension. It also relieves body aches and pains by reducing muscle spasms. It also reduces respiratory infection.
  • Vitamin D is recommended in the treatment of several diseases. It may prevent preeclampsia by improving kidney functions.
  • Vitamin D optimizes our body’s ability to absorb other important weight loss nutrients, especially calcium.
  • It is an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like cold and flu.
  • It also reduces the risk of developing sclerosis.
  • Vitamin D keeps the brain active even at later stages of life. It also helps to maintain body weight.
  • Vitamin D also helps to improve mental sharpness.
Skin Benefits of Vitamin D:
  • Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 are most beneficial for skin health.
  • Vitamin D Cream or supplements can be effective for treatment of psoriasis.
  • Vitamin D also repairs skin damage prevents infections that might be caused due to skin injuries and rejuvenates the skin.
  • Vitamin D can treat psoriasis.
  • Vitamin D3 contains strong anti-inflammatory properties which make it effective for treating burns, skin injuries, skin damage and stretch marks.
  • The anti-oxidant present in Vitamin D prevents skin damage and premature ageing of skin when taken via supplements or included in diet.
  • Vitamin D absorbed through limited exposure to the sun might prevent skin damage and sunburns by strengthening the skin.
  • Vitamin D also helps to treat eczema and is a potential savior of rosacea sufferers.
Hair Benefits of Vitamin D:
  • Vitamin D reduces stress, and depression, and has often been linked to hair loss and various other problems.
  • Vitamin D is also a precursor to the hair growth cycle. Vitamin D acts on the keratinocytes to initiate hair follicle cycling and stimulate hair growth.
Looking at the benefits of vitamin D we must ensure that we get adequate doses of it from sunlight and from our diet. Always consider a doctor before popping pills as an overdose of vitamin D can be harmful. Take vitamin pills on your doctor’s advice and enjoy the sunshine. Stay fit, stay healthy!
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5 Simple Lifestyle Habits for a Healthy Living
Lifestyle Habits For A Healthy Living Most people think that living a healthy lifestyle is a challenge. Well, it’s not unless you make it. When you look at the super fit and healthy people out there, it can seem almost impossible to get what they have. But it’s not impossible. The trick is to focus on making the healthy choice at any given moment, rather than looking at all the things you must do in the long term. With that in mind, here is a list of habits you can adopt that will add up to a healthy lifestyle. 1. Drink a Glass of Water Before Every Meal Everyone needs to drink more and more water. That's a given. Plus when you drink a glass of water before you eat you'll already feel a little fuller and won't be as tempted to eat past the point of hunger. 2. Exercise Often Again this too is not news that you don’t know. The truth, simple as it is, is that adding exercise to your life on daily basis is one of the best ways to promote a healthy lifestyle in general. The health related benefits are huge, as is the step you are taking towards self-improvement. 3. Sleep Matters Do you sleep solid seven or eight hours most nights? Many of us don’t but experts say this is a marker of good heart health. Good sleep doesn’t just give you more energy; it can also help with healthy eating goals. When you’re short on sleep, it reduces your body’s production of hormones that suppress appetite, which can contribute to weight gain. 4. Focus on Sitting Up Straight Having good posture can prevent aches and pain and it can also reduce stress on your ligaments. You can try to leave yourself a note to sit up straight, until it becomes an unconscious habit. Walking with your shoulders back and head held high can also make you feel good about yourself. 5. Eat a Healthy Breakfast Every Day Eat something high in fiber that includes protein to keep you full and energized. If you start the day out right, you tend to eat better overall. Remember that building new healthy habits can take some time. Stay focused on your goal, and if you slip along the way, well, it does not harm in starting it again.
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How You Can Stay Fit and Healthy - Follow These 6 Lifestyle Tips
6 lifestyle tips to stay fit and healthy

It's the little things that you do each day that adds up to being healthy and fit. While we do what we can to be as health-conscious as we can, it is always a work in progress since there are many elements to a healthy lifestyle. Use these tips as a guide on your journey on the path to good health.

1. Eating Breakfast Daily

A healthy breakfast starts your day off right. It sets you up so that you have energy and fuel for optimal mental and physical performance. Eating breakfast helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels and a healthy weight because you are less likely to overindulge later in the day.

2. Eat Small Portions at Regular Intervals

Most people know that small, frequent meals are absolutely the only way to go. Why? Because when we go longer than 3 hours without eating, our levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise. When you eat small, frequent meals long term, the body becomes efficient at keeping cortisol levels low, which helps both men and women reduce belly fat.

3. Make Fitness a Lifestyle

Even if you just get out for a walk a few times a week, exercise is important for being fit and healthy. Cardiovascular exercise helps to strengthen the heart and lungs; strength training helps to strengthen the muscles and stretching helps to reduce the risk of injury by increasing flexibility. Exercise also improves circulation and body awareness, and regular exercise can help combat depression.

4. Eating Whole Foods

Successful fit people tend to eat mainly whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Whole, natural foods—apples, steel-cut oatmeal, broccoli, salads, brown rice—are low-density foods. That is, they take up a lot of room in your stomach because they contain lots of fiber, which satisfies hunger with few calories. Eating mostly low-density foods is the easiest way to keep your weight in check without feeling hungry or like you’re depriving yourself.

5. Expressing Yourself

Keeping emotions bottled up inside can cause mental and emotional stress as well as physical symptoms. Unexpressed feelings can lead to depression, sleep problems, eating disorders, and even physical pain. Learn to talk about your feelings and you’ll soon notice the positive changes in your mind and body.

6.Relax Your Body & Mind

A lot of us have forgotten how to relax. We often find ourselves carrying stress and tensions in our muscles, when sometimes all we need to do is lie down and allow ourselves to relax, clear our minds of all thoughts and just listen to your body. When the body is relaxing it is able to repair your muscles and it will also relax the mind enabling you to mentally focus. Being mentally focused is almost as important as the exercise itself. To achieve any life goals you must believe in yourself.

Often, the biggest hurdle is sluggishness. It's true that it isn't easy to change ingrained habits, however gradually working toward change improves your odds of success. So follow the above-said strategies that will help you enact a healthy change in your life, no matter what change you'd like to make.

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Vitiligo: The White Darkness

Vitiligo The White Darkness

Vitiligo or the ‘white spot’ is not a medical disorder, yet it has been a cause of depression in 1-3% of the population. Smita Gautam takes you through the white darkness of Vitiligo to the light at the end of the tunnel to Skin City where there is hope.

Vitiligo: Myths busted!

Vitiligo is characterized by areas of hypo or de-pigmentation on the skin surface due to destruction or loss of melanocytes, the cells that give pigmentation to the skin.Thus in these areas, normal pigmentation of the skin is missing or deficient.

This is not a life threatening disease, in fact, according to SkinCity’s philosophy; it is not a disease at all. Vitiligo has been an important agenda for Skin City, in terms of creating public awareness. It does not have to be treated says Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City and Founder of the Janaki Medical & Social Charitable trust who has worked very hard to de-stigmatize this condition.

The trust has won the “Pride of India” title by the Maharashtra Journalist foundation for its notable social contribution to the cause.

To bust a few myths about Vitiligo –

  • It is not genetic, it is familial.
  •  It is not contagious and it is definitely not leprosy.
  • It is not incurable.
  • It does not affect any internal organs
  • It is only skin deep.

Why SkinCity?

Skin City is the largest institution that treats Vitiligo with lasers. The first Excimer lasers, XTRAC & VTRAC were launched by Skin City a decade ago. Skin City has also done research on Cyanoacrylate Lamination technique for skin grafting in Vitiligo.

Several surgical procedures like Miniature punch grafting, or MPG, Suction blister grafting and MCS or Melanocyte cell suspension are successfully carried out at Skin City regularly.

In some cases, Micropigmentation or skin tattooing can be done when other options are contraindicated. If the hair on the eyebrow or scalp and in the case of men, facial hair is affected, then hair transplantation can be considered.

Depending on the areas affected, age and progression of the condition, those affected can enjoy long periods of remission and even permanent cure.

So people with vitiligo can choose to come out of this ‘white darkness’. They can choose the colour of their skin!

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Want a Clear And Glowing Skin This Summer? Here’s How You Can Get One

Clear And Glowing Skin

Summer is here! Those long warm days are finally upon us! This also means the harsh sun is beaming down on your skin! Make sure to protect yourself at the pool, the beach, and even during your day-to-day activities. Here are a few suggestions that can help you keep your skin healthy and glowing throughout the summer months. Sunscreen, Sunscreen, and more Sunscreen! About a teaspoon is needed for the face and a shot glass for the body to give a good amount of coverage. This needs to be applied and reapplied every two hours. Most people think they only need to protect themselves if they are going to be out in the sun – WRONG – even running errands can lead to too much sun exposure! Keep your skin exfoliated and hydrated! Exfoliating removes the dead skin cells, cleans your pores, and helps your skin care products penetrate the skin deeper. Hydrating your skin to keep the skin barrier protected. I recommend applying a moisturizing mask two or three a week. Make friends with H20! More time spent outside in the heat leads to dehydration, which can result in headaches and dizzy spells. Eight glasses of water day can help maintain moisture balance in the body and skin. Also, seasonal summer foods like: watermelons, leafy greens, and berries have higher concentration of water to help you stay hydrated. Protect your feet Use a foot scrub and a file in the shower once or twice per week. Make sure to use sunscreen on the top of your feet too! Pay attention to your lips Avoid menthol and camphor based lip treatments. Instead, use ingredients like Shea butter balm and make sure there is sun protection with a high enough SPF. Avoid applying lip gloss as it actually attracts the sun, while balms tend to hydrate. Remember when in doubt, reapply!!! See your dermatologist I always find more skin cancers on my patients’ skin after summer. Self skin exams and professional skin exams done by your dermatologist save lives. Learn what to look for on your own skin and schedule an appointment with your doctor. Get your diet back on track What you eat matters to the appearance and health of your skin. Brush up on the facts, and then tweak your diet accordingly. Don’t expect that taking a supplement will give you a “dietary bypass;” there’s no substitution for getting the vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber that you need for optimal skin health by eating a diet composed of whole foods, fruits, and veggies. During the summer month your routines needs to change to keep your skin healthy and glowing. These tips should help.
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Baby Skin Clinic: Managing and Diagnosing Infant Skin Concerns
Caring Treatment for Pediatric Skin Conditions Children’s skin is very tender and supple. The dermatosis of young, immature and tender skin often requires a specialized expertise to treat. Many genetic diseases are first present with skin manifestations; hence it’s very important that they are diagnosed correctly at the right age. This helps parents and later the child for managing the disease well. Children with vascular or pigmented lesions may also be offered treatment with the latest laser technology, either in our department or in a specially designated operating room. We provide diagnostic and therapeutic services for infants, children and adolescents with skin disorders. This includes the evaluation and treatment of disorders of the skin such as:
  • Dermatitis-Atopic
  • Dermatitis - Contact
  • Diaper Rash
  • Dry Skin/Itchy Skin
  • Hives
  • Rashes/Red Skin
  • Scars
  • Chicken pox
  • AcanthosisNigricans
  • Blisters
  • Acne
  • Birthmarks
  • Eczema
  • Hair disorders such as Alopecia (hair loss)
  • Hemangiomas and vascular malformations
  • Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
  • Molluscum and warts
  • Moles
  • Nail disorders
  • Psoriasis
  • Seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff)
  • Skin cancer
  • Tinea (ringworm)
  • Vitiligo
Our paediatric dermatologists at Skin City specialize in common skin, hair and nail disorders, as well as complex genetic and infectious dermatologic complications. We provide clinical evaluation, diagnostic biopsies, and advanced therapies when needed.
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What Causes Allergy on the Skin? Understand Their Types
What-Is-Skin-Allergy

In today’s world which is full of stress and contaminations, skin and other allergies have evolved as lifestyle disorders. One can be allergic to certain substances by birth or develop them over a period of years. Some common allergens include foods, cosmetics, fragrances, plantations, sunlight and dust.

Allergies are common in all age groups. It is a response of one’s own body immune system to agents like dust, metal, fibre, chemical, pollen grains. These agents are also known as allergens are not harmful, occur freely in the environment and do not bother most people they come in contact with. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one allergen. When an allergen comes in contact with an individual with allergy, it triggers an allergic or hypersensitive reaction. Heredity and environmental exposures contribute to susceptibility of an individual to allergies.

At Skin City, we offer a thorough consultation and allergy testing for patients suffering from skin allergies to known and unknown allergens and a treatment protocol suitable for patient’s needs.

What Is An Allergy?

The human immune system is programmed to combat any foreign substance (allergen, infectious agents) entering our body. In this process of dealing with allergens, the immune system produces a number of antibodies and activates blood called eosinophils. Together they attack the allergen with chemical substances. Sometimes the same chemicals can result in symptoms of allergy.

Symptoms of allergies may be obvious such as hay fever or not so obvious such as breathlessness after taking certain medicines. An allergic reaction can occur anywhere in the body (e.g. sneezing and stuffy nose, itching rash of urticaria and asthma). However other symptoms like severe urticaria, migraine, and even life- threatening symptoms (reactions to drugs, foods and cosmetics) can occur.

•    Specific allergic disease

•    Allergic rhinitis / sinusitis

•    Allergic conjunctivitis

•    Allergic bronchitis

•    Eczema, Atopic dermatitis

•    Urticaria, Angioedema

•    Contact Dermatitis

It is important to detect what is causing the allergy in an individual. After detecting the allergens, the best way is to avoid them (drug allergy), use control measures (house dust mites), create tolerance to them (food allergies), skin protection (urticaria) or treat them with oral vaccines (allergic colds or asthma). We detect allergies by the skin Prick tests which in the hand of an allergy specialist are 90-100% sensitive.

At Skin City we manage skin, respiratory and food allergies by careful consultation, ‘In vitro’ allergy testing and treatment as per international guidelines and advanced Desensitization for those who require it.

 
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All You Need To Know About Birthmark Removal

How Do You Treat Birthmarks

Skin blemishes that are present at birth or appear soon after are generally referred to as "birthmarks". These may vary in red or brown and represent an overgrowth of superficial blood vessels or pigment cells. The treatment of these birthmarks depends on the type of lesion. Before determining how to remove these birthmarks, here is some information on the more common types and how to identify them:

Pigmentation-Type Birthmarks – These can include various types of birthmarks including moles (congenital nevi), Coffee-cream spots, and Mongolian spots.

Macular Stains (Salmon Patches) – These are very thin, light pink, flat patches of discoloration. These are usually found on babies, either on the back of their neck, or on their upper eyelids.

Vascular Malformations – These are caused by abnormal development of blood vessels and are almost always present from birth. Port-wine stains, a very common birthmark, are a type of vascular malformation and can be found anywhere on the body. These birthmarks may be a concern if located on the face above or around the eye because they may be associated with eye and/or brain problems.

Hemangiomas – These are lesions that develop on infants within a couple of weeks after birth. These are caused by many tiny blood vessels that are bunched together and can grow quite rapidly during the child’s first six to nine months. These are the most common tumors found in babies and usually develop around the head and neck.

How is Birthmark Removal Performed?

There are different ways that a birthmark can be removed, depending upon its type, size, location and other factors. The effective birthmark removal treatments as follows:

  1. Laser Therapy: Lasers are used to treat birthmarks that are close to the surface of the skin. This method can be performed at any age. During treatment, short bursts of laser light are aimed at the birthmark in order to shrink it or cause it to stop growing. Multiple visits may be necessary to achieve optimal results. Laser therapy may also be used for hemangioma, however it is not used to treat cases where it is found on an internal organ, or deep within the skin.
  2. Surgery: This method is used when other non-surgical treatments have not worked. A hemangioma that is large, or found on an internal organ also requires surgery and general anesthesia.

There are many laser systems used to treat birthmarks - some more appropriate than others. However, as important as the technology is the competence and experience of the medical professional operating the machine. Not one type of laser treatment is the answer for every problem or skin type. Expert dermatological diagnosis and correct assessment is vital. Skin City is able to offer years of laser expertise gleaned from Dr. Niteen Dhepe’s years of heading the Department of Dermatology at Skin City.

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What is Aesthetic Dermatology? How Does It Work?

What is Aesthetic Dermatology

Aesthetic Dermatology is a new and uniquely different dermatology practice, setting a standard for cosmetic dermatology in India. It is a group of treatments that are used to improve personal appearance rather than address an underlying disease. Some might argue that a few treatments that are classified as "cosmetic" are actually medical in nature, such as procedures for acne. The different types of treatments covered under aesthetic dermatology are chemical peels, wrinkle fillers, microdermabrasion, liposuction, enhancements, and laser resurfacing. Aesthetic dermatology's primary purpose is to improve a person's looks by reducing or eliminating imperfections. The majority of these imperfections are related to the skin, in particular the face, while a few treatments address the nails, scalp and hair.

Most aesthetic dermatology treatments are focused on improving the appearance and texture of the skin, especially on the face. The medical professionals at Skin City offer a wide range of cosmetic procedures that keep your skin looking and feeling fantastic. Whether you’re concerned about the early signs of aging or varicose veins, Aesthetic Dermatology offers the cosmetic procedure you’re looking for.

  • Botox
  • Fillers
  • Facials
  • Chemical Peels
  • Liposuction

Those who wish to look younger may undergo treatment to fill in wrinkles or remove age spots. Fillers and injections of patented substances are used to improve the condition of facial muscles and plump up depressions in the skin. Several periodic treatments may be needed since the results are usually temporary.

Skin City offers advanced expertise in cosmetic procedures like no other in Pune, India. And we believe in the procedures and products we offer. We won’t leave you confused with a large and overwhelming portfolio of lasers, treatments and skin care products because we don’t believe everything out there is worth your time and money. What we offer, we believe in. What we do, works!

Schedule a cosmetic consultation today and look forward to a better tomorrow!

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How Caffeine Can be of a Great Benefit to Your Skin

How Caffeine Can be of a Great Benefit to Your Skin

It may be more than just an energy boost that comes from drinking your morning coffee. This powerful bean also has the ability to awaken your skin from the inside out. Not sure how? Check out some of the ways caffeine doubles up as a natural skin care product and helps you look more vibrant and youthful. Coffee can be Used as Body Scrubs Caffeine acts as a natural exfoliant which boosts collagen production and reduces cellulite! By mixing coffee grounds with water and olive oil you can create a cellulite-removing scrub for your body. The caffeine in the coffee grounds works especially well to help firm skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite. Coffee is Good For Hair Shampoos and other hair products based on caffeine immediately penetrate to the hair roots and increase blood circulation in the nearby capillaries. As a result, hair follicles are more easily and quickly renewed. Caffeine-based preparations are therefore very efficient hair growth enhancers. Caffeine can be a great ally for men who suffer from baldness caused by an excess of testosterone. Coffee Can be Used as An Anti-aging Treatment Another way to indulge in the benefits of coffee is using it as a face mask treatment. Mix organic grounds with cocoa powder, whole milk, lemon juice and honey for a deep-cleaning facial mask. Apply it to your skin for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it away for clean pores and smoother skin. Caffeine Fights Free Radicals Free radicals are responsible for causing premature skin aging. This results in the appearance of wrinkles, sunspots and loss of elasticity. The antioxidants contained in caffeine can attack these free radicals and eliminate them, improving the overall look of your skin. Caffeine Can Treat Under-eye Circles Under eye dark circles can be caused by various factors such as dehydration, allergies, lack of sleep or genetics. Although caffeine cannot cure hereditary dark circles, its anti-inflammatory properties make it beneficial in reducing puffiness and inflammation associated with dark circles. It can also reduce the accumulation of blood under your eyes, which contributes to dark shadows. Look for eye creams that contain caffeine or if you want a cheaper option, try applying moist tea bags under your eyes for 5 minutes to reduce dark circles and puffiness. So, these are some of the pretty perks of your morning brew (and just be sure to stick to the recommended limit of 400 mg of caffeine per day to avoid dehydrating yourself).
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How to Take Care of Dry Lips in Winters
How to Take Care of Dry Lips in Winters Usually, we do not pay much attention to lips so they tend to become dry and flaky. You color them up but forget to take care of them. But in reality, lips need much more attention than any other body part, the reason being they do not contain oil glands. This is why they need proper attention and care, especially during winters, to save them from dryness, cracks and even bleeding. The harsh winter climate strips your skin of its moisture, so you can imagine the harm it causes to lips that do not have natural moisture restore system. Our facial skin has oil glands that protect it from dryness but as lips do not have oil glands so we need to follow a disciplined routine to maintain their supple and soft feel. All you need to do is tweak your daily care regime a bit, and you are all set to combat winter dryness. Here’s how:
  1. First, it is very important to get rid of your dead skin from time to time so that new skin tissues get space to grow. To do so, you should weekly exfoliate your lips using lip scrubs. For the homemade scrub, mix one spoon of sugar with half spoon of honey, scrub the mixture on your lips for 1 minute and rinse thoroughly, followed by moisturizer.
  2. During the winter season, cold conditions contribute to lip chapping and dryness so after bathing or face wash, gently rub towel on your lips to avoid chapping and dead skin accumulation. You can do this activity every alternate day.
  3. Moisturizing is the most important factor in winters. You should keep a lip balm handy, carry it in your handbag and keep reapplying it after every few hours. Ideally, beeswax lip balms and petroleum jelly work best in healing dry chapped lips. At night you should apply ghee or honey to recuperate lips from the damage of harsh cold weather.
  4. Drink plenty of fluids to keep your skin well-hydrated. It does more good to your skin than the creams do.
  5. Most of us have a habit of licking or chewing our lips. Irrespective of how itchy your lips feel do not bite, lick or chew them. If you keep on licking your lips again and again this will aggravate their condition and can even cause bleeding. Plus, frequently touching your lips with hands may generate bacteria, which then could worsen lips’ problem.
  6. If you have a habit of wearing lipstick or lip gloss regularly, then use lip balm underneath or use lipstick/lip gloss with a moisturizing ingredient. And never ever forget to apply a moisturizer after removing your lipstick/lip gloss.
So these are some ways by which you can take care of your chapped lips this winter and get lips that are real fresh, soft, and attractive.
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Most Effective Benefits of Milk for Skin and Hair

Most Effective Benefits of Milk for Skin And Hair

“Doctor, is milk good for skin and hair?” Many ask me this question redundantly and to this, my answer is yes! Milk can do wonders for your face; it hydrates dry skin, exfoliates mature skin, soothes irritated skin and lightens dark skin. Both my research and experience speak volume about the extraordinary benefits of milk for skin. Here is a list of the most effective benefits of milk for skin and hair. Milk Benefits for Skin 1. Natural cleanser: Raw milk is an amazing natural skin cleanser, as it removes all the dirt and dead-cells from your skin; blackheads or whiteheads becomes softer and can be easily removed by steaming. Just apply some raw milk on your skin and rub gently. Wash it off with lukewarm water. 2. Natural Moisturizer: Raw milk works as an amazing natural moisturizer which can help you get rid of lifeless dull and dry skin in winter season. Make a smooth paste with mashed banana and some cold milk, apply this paste all over the face, leave it on for about 20 minutes then rinse it off with warm water. Apply this mask regularly for better results. 3. Natural Toner: Milk is a wonder ingredient if you are looking to use a natural and chemical-free toner. All you need to do is mix few drops of raw milk and green tea together in a bowl. Dab a cotton ball in it and apply it all over your face. Leave it on for a few minutes, and wash it off. You can clearly see an instant glow and radiance in your skin if you do this regularly. Milk can make your skin feel silky and rejuvenated if your skin is dull and lifeless. It cleanses the pores and moisturizes the dry skin. Milk Benefits for Hair 1. For dry hair: Applying milk on your scalp and washing it off after few minutes makes your hair super soft and silky. Avoid this method if you have dandruff. 2. Use as a conditioner: Use milk for conditioning for your hair Instead of using a shampoo conditioner. Just fill a spray bottle with some cold milk and spray it on your hair by combing hair gently. Wash off milk from hair after 10-15 minutes. 3. Hair repairing properties: Milk is extremely beneficial for hair repairing; it nourishes, strengthens and softens hair. Especially goat milk provides much healthier and shinier looking. So rinsing the hair with fresh goat milk will help you the most. So thus, these are few benefits of milk for skin & hair, use all these tips and make use of all the benefits milk has to offer you.
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Foods That Make Your Skin Glow in Winter

Foods That Make Your Skin Glow in Winter

The chilly dry wind, the decreasing temperature and low humidity that come with winter can play havoc on your skin, lips and other parts of the body. It can leave your skin dry, harsh and flaky as well as cause a dull complexion, cracked lips, itchiness and skin irritation. Along with a proper skin care routine, you need to keep a close eye on what you are eating to maintain a healthy glow throughout the winter season. Your diet can help protect your skin against dryness and ultraviolet (UV) sun damage, minimize wrinkles and other signs of aging, and promote smooth and glowing skin. Here are some of the foods that do wonder for your skin in winter. Olive Oil: Olive oil is extremely good for your skin, especially during winters when the skin tends to become drier. Being highly rich in vitamins A and E as well as several other minerals and natural fatty acids, it helps hydrate the skin to maintain its elasticity and softness. It also prevents skin aging, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and protects the skin from free radical damage. Carrot: Carrots are loaded with vitamin A and other antioxidants that can keep your skin healthy, vivacious and shining even during the harsh winter days. Carrots also prevent the signs of aging like wrinkles, pigmentation and an uneven skin tone. Plus, carrots contain the carotenoids beta-carotene and lycopene that help protect your skin against UV damage. Being rich in potassium, they also help solve the problem of dry skin. Broccoli Though you may not find it exciting to eat, but broccoli is another highly healthy vegetable for your skin. It is packed with skin-boosting ingredients like vitamins A and C as well as natural estrogens that can do wonders for your skin. While vitamin C fuels collagen production to keep the skin healthy, vitamin A guards the skin cell membranes and averts skin damage due to sun exposure. Additionally, the vitamins B in broccoli helps you get rid of dry, flaky patches, one of the most common skin problems that you may experience during winters. Almond Almonds contain powerful antioxidants that can do wonders for your skin, especially during the dry and cold winter days. They are also a good source of vitamin E that helps nourish your skin and protect it from the sun’s damaging UV rays. They are additionally packed with many anti-aging properties that help reduce wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of aging. Green Tea Not only is green tea loaded with skin-nourishing antioxidants, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that can heal damaged skin and prevent blemishes. Cold, harsh winter weather can take a toll on your skin. Fight back with this arsenal of skin-nourishing foods that will keep your skin healthy and glowing all season long.
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Can You Reverse Aging? Regain Your Lost Youth With Liquid Facelift Treatments

 Regain Your Lost Youth With Liquid Facelift Treatments

Ageing of skin occurs in all the layers of the skin. The texture roughens, the collagen thickness gets depleted, water content dries up, the fat layer shifts and muscle tone goes down. It is unscientific to expect a single treatment or a single cream to reverse all these changes. Ageing of the face causes a 3 dimensional change so treatment should address the changes in all layers. We at SkinCity advocate that the ideal anti ageing treatment should address all of the following - tightening & lifting, filling for hydrating & Skin brightening. Thus we advise the 3D facelift for optimum results.   Liquid Facelift Botulinum Toxin (Botox): The Wrinkle Smoothner: At Skin City, our doctors are striving to provide solutions for anti ageing. Looking good does wonders for our confidence & helps us be successful in every field. Wrinkles are formed on the face over time due to sun exposure & continuous muscle activity. These lines often make us look tired, angry or older than we are. Botulinum Toxin is one of the best & the most popular wrinkle reduction treatment available today. What is Botulinum Toxin? Botulinum Toxin is a US FDA approved natural, purified protein that relaxes wrinkle-causing muscles & creates a rejuvenated and more youthful appearance. According to US FDA, anybody in the age group of 18-80 yrs (not in pregnant or breastfeeding women) of age who desires to get rid of their wrinkles & have a smoother appearance can get the treatment done. What are The Indications for Botulinum Toxin? To remove frown lines between the eyebrows, Crow’s feet around the eyes, horizontal forehead wrinkles, Bunny Lines on the nose, Downturned corners of the lips, Neck bands (chicken legs) and horizontal lines, Chin creasing, to reduce broad jaws, to improve the facial contour, to lift sagging jowls. For improving gummy smile Hyperhidrosis: To reduce excessive sweating on palms & underarms How is The Treatment Done? Few injections with a very fine, small sterile needles are given in the desired area. No anaesthesia is required. The pain is minimal, often described like an ant bite sting. For those who have a low pain threshold, ice packs can be used to alleviate pain. One can resume normal activities immediately. It takes effect after 4-5 days, with full effect 7-15 days post treatment. How Long Does The Effect Last? Effect may last for 4-6 months or longer, results vary from patient to patient. May last longer with repeated treatments. But result will wear off progressively (not suddenly). Will my lines worsen if I discontinue Botulinum Toxin? NO. Eventually, wrinkles will return as they were before the treatment. What are The Side Effects? No long-term side effects reported in the 20 years of use. Most common side effect is tenderness and bruising at the site of injection. Some people may have a feeling of heaviness in the head for a few hours. Is It Safe? Botulinum Toxin is a purified protein derivative of botulinum toxin A & has been used for the last 20 years safely. It is US FDA approved. It is also used for treatment of migraine. Botulinum Toxin is also approved for use in children over 2 years of age with cerebral palsy. CAUTION: IT SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY QUALIFIED TRAINED DOCTORS ONLY. Fillers: Fill in The Youth Do you want to have high cheek bones/ sharp sculpted nose/ attractive pout like your favourite actresses? Nothing is impossible to achieve at Skin City, whether you wanted to have higher cheek bones, sculpted jawline or a narrow or straight nose, an oval face or full lips. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Esthelis, Fortelis&Modelis are used for non surgical face lift which give you an instant result which could last upto 2 years. Fillers are injections given into the deeper layers of skin and subcutaneous tissue to make one look youthful. What is a HA Filler? HA is a safe, US FDA approved dermal filler that is injected into deeper layers of skin and suncutaneous tissue for the correction of facial lines and wrinkles, such as nasolabial folds. HA provides long lasting correction of smile lines and wrinkles around the nose and mouth, and hands with a natural look. What are The Indications for Fillers? Filling the tear trough giving tired look to your eyes Deep laugh lines, nasolabial folds Sunken or hollow cheeks Mental crease, Chin augmentation, Nose shaping without surgery, Lip plumping, lip defining, Prominent marionette lines, Non surgical face lift, Filling shallow hands. How Does It Work? HA filler is gently injected into the skin in small amounts with a very fine needle. HA stimulates the body to produce new collagen. It absorbs water, increases in size and lifts up the surrounding area. This unique response provides immediate, visible improvement of folds and wrinkles and provides long-lasting and excellent results. How is The Procedure Performed? It is done in a clinic setting by our trained dermatologists by injecting into the skin through a thin needle. It is simple, safe, quick. Most patients return to normal activities almost immediately after treatment. When The Results Are Seen? The results are immediate and continue to improve as it stimulates your body to produce new collagen. Results may last a year or more in many patients. How Many Treatments Are Needed? Many patients will achieve their desired result after just one treatment. In the follow-up visit, a touch up treatment might be recommended if required. Side Effects? Mild irritation, edema, swelling, itching, discoloration, or tenderness at the injection site may occur. They typically resolve within one to two days.. How Safe are They? Hyaluronic acid is a substance of natural origin, which is safe and completely biocompatible and wholly biodegradable with no risk of allergy. As described, liquid facelifts helps to improve laxity in the face and will give a person a youthful and refreshing look. If this seems like a procedure that is a good option for you, take the time to set up a free consultation with an expert at Skin City.
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Best Exercises for Glowing and Fresh Looking Skin

Best Exercises for Glowing and Fresh Looking Skin

It’s not a secret that your entire body can benefit from the effects of exercise. Your skin is the largest organ you have, so cleansing it from the inside out with a good workout is the key to looking your best. Working out isn’t all about dropping pounds or prepping for your next triathlon. Regular exercise also gives you a healthy, glowing look that you just can’t get any other way. With so many exercise options available, it’s important to know how each type of workouts can affect your skin.

Cardio= Instant Glow Cardio is undoubtedly a fantastic way to improve your blood circulation and get that instant glow. An increase in blood flow helps the cells throughout your body receive the oxygen and nutrients they need. That increase will also enhance the cell renewal process and help draw toxins out of your body. Speaking of toxins, sweating is another way your body gets rid of them. When you sweat, your pores open and dirt/oil is pushed out. Concerned about breakouts? Sweat has natural anti-biotic properties, which may actually help reduce acne! Weight Training= Give a Boost of Collagen Higher collagen levels equate to firmer and more elastic skin, something we all could use! Weight training is a fun way to extend each workout due to the seemingly endless variety of moves to choose from. Another benefit of lifting weights: it can reduce the appearance of cellulite. Try incorporate lifting in your next workout to get firmer, smoother skin from head to toe. Yoga= Normal Sebum Production The stress hormone cortisol can cause excess sebum production and acne. Yoga is one of the best ways to ease stress and lower the hormone. This will normalize sebaceous glands and decrease stress related breakouts. Cardio, weight training, and yoga each do their part to help to improve circulation, boost collagen and ease stress to give your skin a youthful look and feel. Most importantly, it’s important to choose exercises that you enjoy. Mix it up regularly to eliminate boredom and to ensure your success in achieving healthier skin. I believe skin matters and you should always love your skin, so get moving and get glowing today! Note* you are advised to take proper precautions if you have any health limitations, Consult a physician if you do. Conduct workouts in the presence of a trained fitness professional.
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Amazing Benefits Of Water on Your Body, Hair & Skin

 Amazing Benefits Of Water on Your Body, Hair & Skin

You should at least drink 8 glasses of water a day. You have been hearing this idiom since centuries. So how does drinking water benefit skin? What is the relationship between drinking water and hair growth? How effective is drinking water for weight loss? Water is vital for the human body to work or function properly. Your body constantly loses water from skin evaporation, breathing and urine. These losses must be replaced daily by drinking sufficient water, other fluids or water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. So, what are these incredible drinking water benefits that you need to know? Clear, Glowing Skin Drinking water keeps your skin cleansed and hydrated, making your skin feel cheering and fresh. By drinking water you flush out toxins and get rid of the dirt that clogs the pores of your skin, giving you a healthier glow. Natural Weight Loss It may come to your surprise that drinking water actually helps you to lose weight. A lot of the time when you feel hungry, you are actually thirsty, and when you drink water you feel fuller. This will stop you snacking unnecessarily. Swapping water with your usual aerated drinks or caffeine-based drinks will work wonders for your body. As well as the health benefits that water provides, it means that you are cutting out sugary junk drinks that are bad for you. Toning Skin Water helps to keep your skin tight and toned, cleansed and flushes out toxins. Your body naturally fills cells with water to make them firm and tight, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles for a smooth finish. When the cells are filled with water they become bulged and push against your skin from the inside, and this can help to reduce unsightly marks such as cellulite and flabby skin. Glossy & Healthy Hair Drinking water hydrates cells, and your hair is no exception. Drink plenty of water to make your hair naturally soft and silky. If you have frizzy or brittle hair, just drink more water and you will see a difference in no time. A Healthier You What you consume is what you are. Drinking water makes your blood thinner, leading to a faster blood flow and nourishment to your body cells. Lowering your blood pressure will give you a healthier heart and gives you much needed energy. With your body feeling cleansed and in an excellent working condition you will feel and look great. How Much Water You Should Drink Every Day? As recommended by many experts 2.5 liters a day, that is about 6–8 glasses, but as all bodies are different, check for your weight, height, and age. The more you drink the more your body will crave water, so give it a go. You will quickly notice positive results. Whether you want shinier hair, younger skin, a healthier body (or all three!), pure, clear water is the world's best beauty elixir. So next time you want a beauty boost, grab a glass!
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Skin Lightening: The Causes and Effective Treatments

Skin Lightening - The Causes and Effective Treatments

Skin colour is decided by nature. SkinCity does not believe in changing the natural skin tone from dark to fair or vice versa. Healthy skin care routines, use of sun protection and optimum use of skin brightening agents like peels & lasers advised by an expert, can enhance the natural beauty of your skin. All kinds of skin shades whether white/ brown/ yellow/ black are beautiful, but dark patches, uneven skin tone, pigmentation, under eye dark circles can definitely lower one’s confidence as the face is the first thing the world notices. At SkinCity, Dermatologists will analyze your skin and customize a treatment for your pigmentation, ranging from medicines to procedures. Procedures for pigmentation include Fractional Q switched NdYag laser and an array of peels such as Glycolic peels, TCA peel, Yellow peel, Obagi peel, Nomelan peel, Cosmelan peel and much more. Skin is the largest organ of the body. It is made up of two layers, the upper ‘epidermis’ and the lower ‘dermis’. The epidermis and the dermis are further divided into other layers. The lowermost layer of the epidermis is known as the basal layer and it contains organelles called ‘melanosomes’. These melanosomes contain cells called melanocytes which produce a pigment called ‘melanin’. The color of skin depends mainly on this melanin and the amount of melanin present in the other layers of the epidermis. The thickness of epidermis and vascularity of the epidermis are other factors affecting the color of skin. Causes of Hyper Pigmentation Hyper pigmentation may either be due to increased melanin deposition in the epidermis or dermis. Epidermal pigmentary disorders respond well to treatment while dermal pigmentation may take a long time to lighten. Photomelanosis: This is increased pigmentation due to sun exposure. The pigmentation occurs on the exposed skin, commonly on the face, neck, and the back. The pigmentation may be patchy or as diffused darkening of the exposed skin. Sun burn(tan): A condition commonly encountered in fair skinned people due to excessive sun exposure. Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation: It may be seen after healing has occurred, like in acne, eczemas, contact dermatitis etc. Drug-induced pigmentation is caused due to cosmetics especially those containing fragrance. Melasma: Seen as brown patches on the face, it is more commonly seen in females. It occurs due to hormonal changes in the body. The pigmentation increases on sun exposure. Peri-orbital Melanosis: Also known as ‘dark circles’ may be hereditary, due to stress or eye strain. Freckles and Lentigines: These are tiny black spots on the face and are genetic in origin. Macular Lichen Amyloidosis: It occurs over the years due to dryness of skin, friction, sun exposure, mainly on back, arms, legs. Nevus or ‘Birthmark’: Usually seen at birth but may also appear at a later age. Tattoo: Tattoos are pigments inserted into the skin for a decorative purpose which may at times be a part of the tradition. Usually, these artificial pigments are inserted deep into the dermis which makes them permanent and stubborn. Treatment Options for Hyper-pigmented Disorders: Melasma, Photomelanosis and post inflammatory hyper pigmentation can be treated with topical creams such as hydroxy quinine, tretinoin, topical steroids, alpha hydroxy acid creams, azelaic acid, arbutin, licorice, kojic acid. Medications are usually combined with chemical peels, dermabrasion, IPL, Nd YAG laser procedures for getting best results. Chemical Peels
  • Chemical peeling is a application of a solution/gel on the treatment area for a particular time period. It is an office procedure. It does not require any hospitalization. After properly studying the skin type and its sensitivity, the dermatologist decides on the type of peeling agent and their concentration. The skin is first cleansed. The peeling agent is then applied gently onto the lesion or on the full face till the ‘end point’ is achieved. During or shortly after the procedure, the patient might experience warmth or stinging sensation for a few minutes. the procedure can be repeated after 2- 3 weeks.
  • Glycolic acid peel : it is an Alpha hydroxy peel .it is derived from sugarcane extract. It is done to remove blemishes and superficial acne scars.also to give an even skin tone. it is also used as an anti aging peel since it stimulates collagen thus reduces and prevents fine lines & wrinkles.
  • Lactic acid peel -AHA from fermented milk: Helps maintain skin pH and also useful in adjusting the pH of formulations.Moisturizes skin as is the skin’s own natural moisturizer done in those people who have acne or pigmentation but have a sensitive skin.
  • Arginine peel derived from Brown sugar used to treat dark circles
  • Kojic Acid peel produced by mushrooms of family Aspergillus and Penicillium
  • Glow peel - Reduces blemishes & pigmentation
  • Beta hydroxy peel – salicylic acid peel done for acne ( whiteheads& blackheads).
  • Obagi blue peel – Trichloroacetic acid peel : should be done with extreme caution by a dermatologist.done to reduce pigmentation & fine lines.
  • Cosmelan peel – is a whitening peel. To be done by a professional
  • Yellow peel : vitamin A peel done for skin lightening and brightening.
  • Black peel : excellent for acne which doesn’t respond to conventional medical treatments.
  • Nomelanpeel : done to treat increased pigmentation.
Advantages of peel:
  • Safe office procedure
  • Easy availability
  • Easy to use
  • Affordable
  • Compliments the drug therapy & brings about faster
  • Therapeutic effect, reducing the downtime to treatment
  • Excellent cosmetic results
Dermabrasion: It involves Mild to moderate exfoliation of superficial dead skin layer, thus helping in better penetration of medication/ peeling agents/ laser light. It improves the texture of the skin as well as the results of the pigmentation reducing procedures. IPL/ Nd YAG Laser: These Laser technologies help in breaking the melanin pigment responsible for hyper pigmentation. It gets destructed and scattered by the laser light rays and discarded from the body with metabolism process. They are safe techniques and downtime is minimal. They give excellent results when combined with medications and sun protection. Skin Brightening or Rejuvenation:
  • Medifacials include various modalities such as microdermabrasion, cavitation, RF skin tightening, water jet, oxygen therapy with misoporation. These techniques cause mild exfoliation of the superficial dead skin layer, collagen stimulation, deliver concentrated oxygen, stimulation of metabolic process of the skin. The cells remove metabolic products more efficiently with the dead and dull cells from the surface of the skin and hence the skin seems fresher and glowing.This is followed by application of skin brightening solution on the face and helping its movement through the skin to its deeper layers with a misoporation device. This device helps open channels in the skin through which the absorption of the skin brightening solutions would be enhanced. These solutions, a cocktail of vitamins, micronutrients, amino acids and antioxidants, then work where they are most effective and the end result is a rejuvenated and a smoother looking skin with a reduction in the fine lines and open pores. This procedure can be repeated every 15days to maintain the effect.
  • Restylane vital/mesolis :procedures with longer lasting results are the newer injections that have been introduced. these are the skin booster injections. Here, the skin is injected with hyaluronic acid, a natural constituent of the skin lost with aging. Hyaluronic acid has the property of binding and holding water in the skin, hence it improves skin hydration giving it a glowing complexion by naturally smoothening the skin from within. Multiple tiny injections are given in the skin after numbing the skin for 45mins to an hour, reducing the discomfort to a maximum. Injections are spaced at 3-4 weeks for three sessions and repeat sessions are needed no earlier than 6 months. so with just 3 sessions brides can sit back and relax, without having to worry about their skin and further visits to the clinic.
  • PRP (platelet rich plasma) or the vampire face lift is called so because your own blood is taken and after separation of different constituents, red cells from the plasma, it is reinjected into the skin. This plasma is rich in platelets and it contains growth factors which stimulate skin regeneration. As a result skin regains vitality and becomes more smooth and elastic. there is improvement in skin colour and best of all its all natural without any risk of allergic reactions. Sessions are repeated at an interval of 4-8 weeks as per the requirement and existing damage of the skin.
Our comprehensive guide above tells you all that you need to know before getting a skin lightening treatment. Skin City’s timeless skin care services offer best and effective Skin Lightening Treatment that helps to rejuvenate and lighten your skin tone. Contact and book your consultation with us today.
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7 Amazing Benefits of Honey on Your Skin

 7 Amazing Benefits of Honey on Your Skin

Legend has it that honey was Cleopatra’s preferred weapon in her beauty arsenal, and it is not surprising that her beauty was the talk of town then! Honey, especially raw or unpasteurized, is a fabulously versatile and all-natural ingredient to use on skin. It’s full of antioxidants, which are good for wrinkles and aging skin. It is antibacterial, which helps with acne treatments and prevention. It clarifies skin by opening up and unclogging pores. It’s also a great moisturizer that soothes irritation and blemishes, and it leaves a lovely afterglow. Honey's benefits for skin care work in a few different ways. Here are the seven benefits of using honey on skin: Anti-acne: Honey reduces pimples especially the red ones due to its anti-bacterial properties. You can either put raw honey directly on pimples at night or try this supper-effective honey based anti-acne spot treatment. Anti-ageing: Honey attributes its anti-ageing properties to skin repairing action, exfoliation, the amino acids and vitamin content. You can avail anti-aging benefits of honey by using this easy to make rejuvenating face pack; choose the recipe based on your skin type: Exfoliation: The organic acid in honey like gluconic acid accelerates shedding dead skin cells and tan from your face and body just like a scrub but without mechanical rubbing. Due to tanning and aging, dead cells stick to skin surface giving dull and patchy look because their shedding is delayed. Hence, honey helps in improving the dull, patchy look of your skin with regular use. Cuts and Burns: Honey is used as an antiseptic, especially Manuka honey has been used in the patient of burns and resistant bacterial infections. You can put raw honey on minor burns, cuts, abrasion, boils, ringworm, etc. twice a day until they heal. Kindly note if honey has already absorbed moisture, it is unlikely to work as antiseptic. Anti-fungal: Honey especially Manuka honey can be used to treat fungal infections of skin commonly called as ringworm. Moisturizer: Honey is hygroscopic like glycerine. Honey moisturizes your skin by absorbing water from the environment. Therefore, it should not be used alone especially in dry weather because it might extract water from your skin making it drier. Skin Repair: Honey helps in skin repair with the help of antioxidants that remove free radicals. These free radicals are produced in the skin on exposure to dust, pollution, stress, lack of sleep, the sun, disease, etc. A rarity in its own right, honey is nothing short of wonderful. It's sticky, a full-flavored substance not only tastes amazing, but it’s medicinal and therapeutic advantages are almost too good to be true. Use honey to the optimum and see the blissful benefits for yourself.
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Permanent Hair Removal With the Revolutionary Alexandrite Technology

Permanent Hair Removal With the Revolutionary Alexandrite Technology

Super smooth skin FOREVER!!! Super hair removal the Skin City way!! Skin City, India's largest skin and hair restoration centre, has installed the Alexandrite laser with 755nm wavelength.The technologies available are The Soprano ICE and The Platinum Plus Technologies. This is the solution for complete, permanent body hair removal. This technique is apparently so efficient, that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Q: Dr. Dhepe, can you throw some light on the need and concept of Super Hair Removal? A: Today people have become very conscious and particular about their looks and they take every possible step to look presentable. A smooth hairless body, that includes underarms, legs, arms, chest, etc. is the first step to acquiring a pleasant personality. In today’s busy times, it might not be possible to go for waxing and shaving every few days. People want a permanent solution to body hair problems. Laser technology is the answer to their needs. However the new Alexandrite laser is the latest, state of the art technology for painless, swift and permanent hair removal and the process is called Super Hair Removal. Q: How is the Alexandrite Laser different? A: Skin City is the first in the country to have installed this laser technology. This technology takes a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area. This is because of the speed of the machine and the fact that the treatment is painless, so large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Q: What are the benefits of Super Hair Removal? A: Because of the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, clients are able to take treatments on large body parts comfortably. This is especially beneficial for clients who opt for full body hair removal. This is also a special boon for male clients who wish to remove excess body hair which is the trend now. With older technologies local anesthesia was required due to the density and thickness of hair in males which made it a very painful experience. However with Super Hair Removal the process has become quick and painless. Skin City has attractive laser packages for both male and female clients. Q: How long does the process take? A: A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body requires 3-4 hours; as against other lasers which require the treatment to be done in stages which can take upto 3 days due to the pain and the time it consumes. The Suprano ICE and Platinum Plus Laser machines are quick and efficient and Skin City has highly trained therapists to carry out the treatments. Q: Does it have any side-effects? A: Absolutely none. Super Hair Removal is a safe method of permanent laser hair removal. It targets the hair follicles in the skin without any side effects to the skin or body. Skin City has a team of highly trained professionals who impart customized treatment based on individual requirement for safe and efficacious results. Q: Is it expensive? A: The treatment cost for Super Hair Removal is on par with other laser hair removal treatments, but is more quick and efficient. However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing. Q: How many sittings are required for optimum results? A: For permanent hair removal a client may require up to 8 to 12 sittings, depending on the hair growth. Skin City advocates a clear expectation alignment with the client to ensure client satisfaction with excellent results. In case anyone reading this blog has any more questions about Super Hair Removal, he/she can write to me on director@skincityindia.com. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City be happy to answer their questions.
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What to Eat and What Not to Eat to Stay Healthy

 What to Eat and What Not to Eat to Stay Healthy

Who doesn’t wish for a long and healthy life? While there are many factors contributing to your health, maintaining a good diet is one of the important factors for overall good health. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, nuts, and legumes will provide you with the essential nutrients for optimal energy levels, for a strong immune system and healthy internal organs. In addition, consuming the right foods can help protect you from a plethora of the most common chronic diseases. Below we shall see a list of healthy foods which you should consume and a list of unhealthy foods which you should definitely steer clear from. Healthy Foods These foods are sure to boost your willpower, help you slim down, and shape up for good.>
  1. Include all the 6 food groups comprising of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans and oils.
  2. Limit your servings based on your age, body frame and the level of physical activity of each person.
  3. Choose whole grains because they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, (3 servings daily is a must!)
  4. Eat lots of fresh vegetables because they are very rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers which will make you feel full.
  5. Eat a variety of fruits from each color to get the different vitamins that you need.
  6. Consume lean meat (beef or veal, skinless chicken breast, fish filet)
  7. Use low-fat milk (1% fat) or skimmed milk. Also, have low fat yogurt and cheese; these contain fewer calories and the same amount of calcium.
  8. Include legumes in your diet (lentils, chickpeas, beans) 2 to 3 times per week because they are nutritious and rich in fiber.
Unhealthy Foods Steer clear from these foods if you want to walk on the path of getting a healthy body.
  1. Bread. Due to the high Glycemic Index, these foods affect your blood sugar levels. Do not get tricked with ‘whole wheat’ or ‘healthy-grain’ labels.
  2. Processed Meat. These foods just have excess salt, fat, cholesterol, and very few nutrients, like fiber.
  3. Colas. Artificial sweeteners spike the production of insulin and that is not good for the body.
  4. Fruits Juices. Many fruit juices are actually little more than fruit-flavored sugar water. In fact, fruit juice contains just as much sugar as a sugary drink like Coke or Pepsi, and sometimes even more.
  5. Gluten-Free foods. The problem with many gluten-free diets is that people replace the gluten-containing foods with processed junk foods that happen to be gluten-free. These refined starches lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and are extremely low in essential nutrients.
  6. Coffee drinks. It is loaded with liquid, empty calories, and will be just as unhealthy as any other sugar-sweetened beverage.
  7. Junk foods. These are little devils in disguise! The more you consume, the more it will lead to major diseases.
A good rule to remember is that real food doesn’t need an ingredients list, because real food IS the ingredient.
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Treat Excessive Sweating and Odor with MiraDry & LSA Treatment

Treat Excessive Sweating and Odor with MiraDry & LSA Treatment

Excessive Sweating ( Hyperhidrosis): Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating is a debilitating condition for many people. The sweating stains clothes, produces bad odour and is tremendously embarrassing at work as well as at social outings. It affects personal as well as professional life. Types: Hyperhidrosis can either be generalized, or localized to specific parts of the body. Hands, feet, armpits, and the groin area are among the most active regions of perspiration due to the high number of sweat glands in these areas. When excessive sweating is localized (e.g. palms, soles, face, underarms, scalp) it is referred to as primary hyperhidrosis or focal hyperhidrosis. Excessive sweating involving the whole body is termed generalized hyperhidrosis or secondary hyperhidrosis. It is usually the result of some other, underlying condition. Hyperhydrosis can be associated with:
  1. Bromhidrosis which means a foul odour due to a water-rich environment that supports bacteria growth, caused by an abnormal increase in perspiration especially in the axillary area
  2. Chromhydrosis: secretion of coloured sweat may be yellow, green, blue, brown or black
Dermatology Life Quality Index ( DQLI ): It evaluates the impact of hyperhidrosis on daily activities. This score can be as high as 9/10 without treatment, indicating hyperhidrosis can cause severe impact on patient’s daily life. Treatment Options:
  1. Antiperspirants: Aluminium chloride is used in higher concentration in antiperspirants required to control hyperhidrosis. They become effective after 3-5 days but daily and multiple applications is needed and recurrence is common.
  2. Autosuggestion: Meditation , psychotherapy may help to some extent in stress induced hyperhidrosis.
  3. Medicines: Prescription medications called anticholinergics, taken by mouth, are sometimes used in the treatment of both generalized and focal hyperhidrosis eg: propantheline, glycopyrronium bromide or glycopyrrolate, oxybutynin, methantheline, and benzatropine. But they have side-effects, including dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation, and visual disturbances such as mydriasis (dilation of the pupils) and cycloplegia hence can’t be used long term.
  4. Botox:can be used to block neural control of sweat glands. The effect can last from 3–9 months depending on the site of injections. The duration of the beneficial effect in primary palmar hyperhidrosis has been found to increase with repetition of the injections.
Skin City Protocol for Hyperhidrosis: Microwave Therapy: miraDRY MiraDRY is microwave therapy. MiraWave TM energy is delivered to the affected area, primarily underarms and the sweat and odour glands are destroyed. All the while, soothing cooling is applied to protect your skin. This MiraDRY Treatment is very effective for underarm sweating and gives long lasting to permanent results. Laser Sweat Ablation ( LSA ): At Skin City, we offer Laser Sweat Ablation Treatment as a very effective and long lasting solution for hyperhidrosis. The procedure is minimally invasive and done under local tumescent anaesthesia. The process involves making a small incision; then a laser thread is passed directly underneath the skin to destroy the sweat glands. The laser destroys the sweat glands. 1470 nm Diode laser technology is used. Most people return to work the following day. There may be some soreness for a few days and the risks are minimal. The process eliminates or significantly reduces sweating in 80-100% patients. The areas that can be treated effectively are: Underarms, Feet. Since the sweat glands are destroyed completely, the effects are considered permanent. Both miraDry treatment and LSA treatment are walk in and walk out procedures giving very satisfactory results and making a big difference to the patient’s personal, social and professional lives.
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Keloids Guide - Definition, Causes & Treatment

Keloids Guide - Definition, Causes & Treatment Keloids are scars that grow beyond the original borders of the wound. Like hypertrophic scars they are raised, but they are often dark in colour and hard to the touch. Without treatment, they will often continue to grow. Keloid scars can make you self-conscious, but you don't have to live with them. Treatment can diminish the appearance of keloids or sometimes get rid of them altogether.

How Keloids Form The cause is exactly not known. They are the result of an overactive healing response. To bridge the gap caused by skin damage, your body creates granular tissues, which are made primarily of collagen, across the injury site. Imbalance between collagen stimulators and inhibitors lead to formation of keloid. Sometimes, the fibroblasts that lay down this bed of collagen don't get the message to turn off and continue creating the granular fibres, actually overlaying your natural skin with them.The result is a scar that continues to grow outward, often in all directions, expanding beyond the original site of the wound. • Risk Factors:
  1. 10-30 years of age
  2. Women
  3. Individuals with darker skin
  4. People with a family history of keloids
  5. Oily and hairy areas
  6. Commonest sites: Areas of highest friction and hair growth: elbows, shoulders, lateral thighs, back of the neck, chest
  7. Poorly cared and badly healed wounds
• Complications:
  1. Recurrent infections, abscesses
  2. Additional scarring and hypertrophy
Skin City Protocol of Keloid Management: 1) Control the trigger factors:
  1. Laser hair removal: hair follicle and sebum production act as a trigger, hence laser hair removal can be added
  2. Treat infection in time, remove/ drain abscess/sinus, coiled hair inside the keloid
  3. Vascularity: to decrease the vascular supply of keloid tissue by IPL or vascular lasers
2) Collagen Suppression Therapy
  1. Steroids/ 5FU injections are often used to stop the growth of keloids. They cause the fibroblasts to stop their work, and encourage your body to remodel the scar tissue into normal skin. This will diminish and change the appearance of keloids, but rarely eliminates them entirely.
  2. Pressure garments: It suppresses collagen production
  3. Silicon
• Collagen Remodelling Therapy:
  1. Combination of Ultrapulse SCAAR Fx and fractional drug delivery has given wonderful results. This unique protocol developed at Skin city, PG institute of Dermatology & lasers have shown results as effective as complete clearance in most of the cases.
  2. Ultrapulse SCAAR FX is known to create deep channels into thick scar tissue with minimal lateral thermal damage. This coupled with fractional drug delivery of collagen remodelling agents can almost flatten the hypertrophic scar and keloids if used for sufficient period of time.
  3. A typical treatment protocol for keloid and hypertrophic scar management will extend from 6 months to 18 months involving monthly or bimonthly OPD based treatment sessions.
• Why Choose Skin City for Keloid Treatment: Skin City India, PG institute of Dermatology & lasers has pioneered and revolutionised the technique of keloid treatment. We have extensive experience in keloid treatment. Our protocols and expertise to adapt laser technologies in Indian patients are being followed as the Gold standard in the field of Dermatology.
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Simple Ways to Reduce Hair Fall Naturally

Simple Ways to Reduce Hair Fall Naturally ‘Hair loss’ the most dreaded words today. Not only because of systemic or physiological reasons like aging, family history or poor diet, but normal life variations such as stress, restlessness, and tension also result in subsequent hair fall; horrifically leading to baldness. Cutting to the chase, let’s talk about overcoming hair fall naturally.

Let us first see what the major causes of hair loss are: 1. Genetics: This is the primary cause of hair loss. If your ancestors or close relatives have hair loss or thinning of hair in their lineage, you are likely to suffer from hair loss. 2. Lack of Nutrition: When hair does not receive proper nutrition, it causes a deficiency of iron / folic acid and B vitamins which leads to hair loss. 3. Stress: Like any other organic cells, Hair cells too need rest and relaxation to rejuvenate. 4. Chronic and Viral Diseases: Typhoid, Jaundice, High fever for longer periods and Viral Diseases, etc. affects your immune system leading to loss and thinning of hair. 5. Pregnancy and Childbirth: During pregnancy, women are prone to mineral deficiencies which cause hair loss in women. 6. Chemicals: Excessive usage of Hair Shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products containing chemicals over long periods also causes hair loss and hair thinning. 7. Dandruff: Dandruff leads to scaly scalp resulting into hair loss. 8. Hard Water or Chemically Treated Water: Washing your hair with hard water or chemically treated water also causes hair loss and thinning of hair. Now that you know what could have been the cause of your hair fall, here are some of the tips which will help you control hair fall effectively if you earnestly follow it. 1. The first natural beauty tip is to bring changes in your lifestyle and abolish the causes that lead to hair loss, as much as possible. 2. Massage your scalp with lukewarm coconut / olive oil to increase blood circulation which will stimulate the hair follicle and in return will strengthen your hair roots. 3. Consume a healthy balanced diet rich in iron, protein, calcium and vitamins B. Foods rich in proteins are turkey & chicken breast, fish (tuna & salmon), lean beef, cheese, tofu, beans, eggs, yogurt, milk, buttermilk, soy milk, nuts and seeds (peanuts, almonds). Consume iron rich foods like beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, spinach, sweet potatoes, peas, broccoli, strawberries, watermelon, raisins, dates, figs, tofu, beans etc. 4. Avoid stressing too much as it will cost you! To avoid stress you can do yoga, meditation, exercises or go for long walks. 5. Follow a healthy hair care routine. As you know if you want to keep any organ of your body healthy including hair, you need to keep it clean. 6. Use the least amount of chemicals and fragrance-free products. The chemicals can irritate your scalp aggravating hair loss. In the case of persistent hair loss, you can consult our experts at Skin City, who after checking the deficiencies and other health issues, can suggest you right treatments. Talk to us today. Telephone: + 91-9890225577 / + 91-9422458130 Email Id: customerservice@skincityindia.com
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How to Effectively Cure Pimples With Simple Home Remedies

How to Effectively Cure Pimples With Simple Home Remedies

Pimples or acne can cause even the most beautiful person, male or female, to lose his/her aesthetic value. Getting rid of pimples naturally is an art. While you might have already popped many pimples only to see that they leave behind nothing but ugly scars and blemishes. However, you need not resolve to such “DIY Surgeries” and this is the least thing your skin needs. The following 8 natural remedies to get rid of pimples will leave you with beautiful, acne-free skin without any side effects. Honey Honey’s antibiotic properties improve acne. Apply a teaspoon of honey to affected areas, or make a mask by mixing 1/2 cup of honey with 1 cup of plain oatmeal and leaving it on for 30 minutes. Mint Mint can help remove pore-clogging oil. To help clear acne before it begins, mix 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh mint with two tablespoons each of plain yogurt and oatmeal (use a blender to grind the oatmeal to powder). Leave the concoction on your face for 10 minutes, and then rinse off with water. Asprin The salicylic acid in aspirin is a go-to for acne treatments, and the aspirin can dry up pimples and reduce inflammation. To take advantage of its benefits, form a paste by mashing aspirin in a little water, or dissolve four pills in 2 tablespoons of water and see the results yourself. Aloe Aloe, known for its burn-relieving properties, can promote healing, fight infection, and even reduce scarring. Scrape the gel from an aloe plant out with a spoon, and apply to acne. You can also buy aloe gel from health-food stores—just make sure it’s pure aloe blend, with no added ingredients. Lemon A lemon act as an excellent exfoliant, skin lightener, and is an antiseptic to reduce the appearance of scars and prevent new pimples from forming. On a clean face, dab acne with a cotton ball or cotton swab dipped in lemon juice, and then rinse it with cool water. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar contains malic and lactic acids that can exfoliate, reduce red marks, and treat acne. For a DIY toner, mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water and apply to skin with a cotton ball, making sure to shake well before use. Citrus Fruits Acidic foods like citrus fruit juice or vinegar can flush pores. Dab a little onto a cotton ball to help battle acne; gently swipe the cotton on the affected areas. Turmeric Remember how your grandmother always insisted on sprinkling a little turmeric on your wounds, saying it would help it heal? Well, it is a fact that turmeric contains ingredients that make it a powerful antimicrobial. Mix a little turmeric powder with a little coconut oil and apply directly onto the pimples at night and rinse it well in the morning. Whether you are a teenager or an adult-you do not have to live with acne. Use these natural acne fighting remedies to get rid of acne quickly and easily.
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What is Cryolipolysis? Safety and Efficacy of Cryolipolysis Treatment
Cryolipolysis for Fat Reduction and Body Contouring Body shaping: Body shape majorly affects your confidence. If you have bulging tummy, love handles, bulky thighs, you feel shy to go out for social occasions and get restricted to wear certain kinds of clothes, eventually affecting your personal, social financial growth. At Skin City, we haven’t stopped at providing just world class skin, hair and cosmetic services, but we are also offering body shaping services.
  1. Cryolipolysis
  2. Safe Liposuction
Cryolipolysis: What is cryolipolysis? • Cryo = cold, lipo = fat, lysis = breakdown. It literally means fat breakdown through cold. • Fat cells are sensitive to low temperatures and get destroyed by apoptosis process after being exposed to cold probe of the machine. • The device safely targets the fat layer without affecting the overlying skin and slowly crystallizes the fat cell contents. During the following two months, the melted fat is gradually eliminated via natural metabolic processes. What are the indications for cryolipolysis? Small to moderately full fat bulges resistant to diet and exercise eg: tummy, waist, buttocks, thighs. How is the procedure performed • The probe of cryolipolysis machine is placed on the area to be treated, it sucks the stubborn fat by creating vaccum and then it is exposed to -8 degree celcius temperature. • The initial intense cold feeling gradually disappears because of the cold’s numbing effect. • Normally there is no discomfort post procedure. Some patients may experience a tingling sensation for few hours to few days in which resolves on its own. • Results are visible usually within two months. • Depending on the initial thickness of the fat pad, more than one treatment can be performed. • Because there are no needles, no injections and no drugs involved, there is no aftercare. Patients may drive home and resume all activities. How many treatments? How often? • The treatments are performed 2 times per area spaced 3 months apart • Cryolipolysis can be associated with complementary treatments (cavitation, radiofrequency) At Skin City, we feel proud and excited to offer Cryolipolysis to our patients as a painless, liposuction alternative. Patients experience an initial cool sensation with no discomfort during their CoolSculpting procedure. After having CoolSculpting performed in our comfortable rooms, patients can immediately resume their normal activities, including work and exercise. For more information about Cryolipolysis contact your nearest Skin City clinic today!
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Antiageing Solutions: Botulinum Toxin (Botox)

Antiageing solutions Botulinum Toxin - Botox

At Skin City, our doctors are striving to provide solutions for antiageing. Looking good does wonders for our confidence & helps us be successful in every field. Wrinkles are formed on the face over time due to sun exposure & continuous muscle activity. These lines often make us look tired, angry or older than we are. Botulinum Toxin (Botox) is one of the best & the most popular wrinkle reduction treatment available today. What is Botulinum Toxin? Botulinum Toxin is a US FDA approved natural, purified protein that relaxes wrinkle-causing muscles & creates a rejuvenated and more youthful appearance.According to US FDA, anybody in the age group of 18-80 yrs (not in pregnant or breastfeeding women) of age who desires to get rid of their wrinkles & have a smoother appearance can get the treatment done. What are the indications for Botulinum Toxin? - To remove frown lines: - Between the eyebrows - Crows feet around the eyes - Horizontal forehead wrinkles - Bunny Lines on the nose - Down turned corners of the lips - Neck bands (chicken legs) & horizontal lines - Chin creasing - To reduce broad jaws - To improve the facial contour - To lift sagging jowls - For improving gummy smile Hyperhidrosis : to reduce excessive sweating on palms & underarms How is the treatment done? Few injections with a very fine, small sterile needles are given in the desired area. No anesthesia is required. The pain is minimal, often described like an ant bite sting. For those who have a low pain threshold, ice packs can be used to alleviate pain. One can resume normal activities immediately. It takes effect after 4-5 days, with full effect 7-15 days post treatment. How long does the effect last? Effect may last for 4-6 months or longer, results vary from patient to patient. May last longer with repeated treatments. But result will wear off progressively (not suddenly). Will my lines worsen if I discontinue Botulinum Toxin? NO. Eventually, wrinkles will return as they were before the treatment. What are the side effects? No long-term side effects reported in the 20 years of use. Most common side effect is tenderness and bruising at the site of injection. Some people may have a feeling of heaviness in the head for a few hours. Is it safe? Botulinum Toxin is a purified protein derivative of botulinum toxin A & has been used for the last 20 years safely. It is US FDA approved. It is also used for treatment of migraine. Botulinum Toxin is also approved for use in children over 2 years of age with cerebral palsy. CAUTION: IT SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY QUALIFIED TRAINED DOCTORS ONLY .
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Antiageing solutions: Fillers

Antiageing Solutions - Fillers

Do you want to have high cheek bones/ sharp sculpted nose/ attractive pout like your favourite actresses? Nothing is impossible to achieve at Skin City, whether you wanted to have higher cheek bones, sculpted jawline or a narrow or straight nose, an oval face or full lips. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Esthelis, Fortelis & Modelis are used for non surgical face lift which give you an instant result which could last up to 2 years. Fillers are injections given into the deeper layers of skin and subcutaneous tissue to make one look youthful. What is a HA filler? HA is a safe, US FDA approved dermal filler that is injected into deeper layers of skin and suncutaneous tissue for the correction of facial lines and wrinkles, such as nasolabial folds. HA provides long lasting correction of smile lines and wrinkles around the nose and mouth, and hands with a natural look. What are the indications for fillers? Filling the tear trough giving tired look to your eyes
  • Deep laugh lines
  • Nasolabial folds
  • Sunken or hollow cheeks
  • Mental crease
  • Chin augmentation
  • Nose shaping without surgery
  • Lip plumping, lip defining
  • Prominent marionette lines
  • Non surgical face lift
  • Filling shallow hands
How does it work? HA filler is gently injected into the skin in small amounts with a very fine needle. HA stimulates the body to produce new collagen. It absorbs water, increases in size and lifts up the surrounding area. This unique response provides immediate, visible improvement of folds and wrinkles and provides long-lasting and excellent results. How is the procedure performed? It is done in a clinic setting by our trained dermatologists by injecting into the skin through a thin needle. It is simple, safe, quick. Most patients return to normal activities almost immediately after treatment. When the results are seen? The results are immediate and continue to improve as it stimulates your body to produce new collagen. Results may last a year or more in many patients. How many treatments are needed? Many patients will achieve their desired result after just one treatment. In the follow-up visit, a touch up treatment might be recommended if required. Side effects? Mild irritation, edema, swelling, itching, discoloration, or tenderness at the injection site may occur. They typically resolve within one to two days.. How safe are they? Hyaluronic acid is a substance of natural origin, which is safe and completely biocompatible and wholly biodegradable with no risk of allergy.
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Skin Darkening: Types, Causes & Prevention

Skin Darkening Types Causes Prevention

Skin darkening or Hyperpigmentation is a darkening of the skin area caused by the overproduction of a pigment in the skin called melanin. It is common and usually harmless, but it is a cause of concern for a few who get demoralized with it. There are two occurrences resulting in Hyperpigmentation: One; abnormal production of melanin, Two; when melanocytes are hyperactive. For instance, over exposure to the sun stimulates melanin. Hyperpigmentation can affect any part of the body including the face, neck, and hands. The following are the certain types of Hyperpigmentation: - Lentigo/Lentigenes: It simply means freckles on the skin. - Solar Lentigenes: Known as sun spots, age spots, and liver spots, Solar Lentigenes are freckles caused by sun exposure. - Melasma: Known as the ‘pregnancy mask,’ melasma is caused by hormonal changes due to pregnancy and is characterized by splotchy, pigmented areas usually on the face (except the eye area). Causes of Hyperpigmentation: Some of the main reasons which may cause dark patches on the skin are because of the following. - Inherited Factors: Inherited factors caused by birth are responsible for the change in complexion. - Skin Disorders: Certain skin disorders give you patchy, thick and dark skin. - Vitamin Deficiency: Deficiency of Vitamin A,C,E and B-Complex and result to a dull, dark and rough skin. - Liver Disorder: Liver not functioning up to its level could result in skin darkening. - Hormonal Changes: Darkening of skin can be due to hormonal changes or pregnancy. - Overexposure to UV Rays: Overexposure to the sun can cause tanning of the skin, resulting in over production of melanin causing skin darkening. Ways you can prevent Hyperpigmentation: - Avoid direct exposure to sun rays. - Always apply a good sunscreen before you go out in the sun. - Keep yourself hydrated to avoid blemishes. - Avoid excessive consumption of oily and spicy foods. - Consume lots of fruits and vegetables containing vitamin A, B, C & E. With a customized skin care regime, you can minimize the appearance of pigmentation to the minimum.
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Life is Beautiful!

Life is Beautiful In this age of crazy schedules, impossible deadlines and demanding lifestyles, people look for ways to distress and unwind by indulging in various spa treatments and therapies.

However, the effects of stress on the body is not limited to just mental and physical exhaustion. The negative effects of this silent menace are very visible on the Skin & Hair. Hair loss, adult acne breakouts, weight gain and early ageing of Skin are some of the fallouts. Every individual should take responsibility for their own good health. Making time for a regular exercise regime, getting a regular medical checkup, following a healthy diet and controlling late nights and alcohol intake will help you look and feel better and therefore build your confidence and energy levels , thereby improving the quality of life. For your skin and hair the importance of a visit to a dermatologist cannot be emphasized enough. A skin & Hair analysis once in six months will alert you to any specific as well as systemic problems and enable early intervention. A regular, Body composition analysis will help you identify early unhealthy fat gain and slowing metabolism. Looking good is now as important as enjoying good health. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City says “There is nothing wrong with maintaining and enhancing your natural beauty. Having healthy hair and skin and height weight ratio is a matter of taking pride in you. There is everything right in that.” Wanting lustrous hair and optimum weight and shape is an important development in the mindset of both men and women. There is no need to live with any condition that lowers your self esteem. Be it a balding pate, loss of body shape, small breasts, wrinkles, unwanted hair or any other condition that makes you unhappy with your appearance. Skin City offers solutions to all of the above problems and more. Also most solutions which were once considered risky and requiring downtime are now daytime procedures and completely safe. For example, Skin City’s SafeLIPO gives you your desired body shape in a day. You walk in at 10 am and walk out at 4pm with your desired figure. The same is with Hair Transplantation; you can start growing a whole head of hair in a day. So the next time you decide to take some time off and pamper yourself, check in to Skin City and make all your dreams come true! Look beautiful, because that’s what life is.
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What Body Shape Are You? And the Foods You Should Eat and Avoid

Dr. Dhepe - Skin City

Yes, every individual has a distinct body type (or known as somatotype), mainly categorized into three basic body types. Endomorphs - The fat retainer’s type Mesomorphs - The athletic type Ectomorphs- The skinny type Different body types are largely dependent upon genetics, it is impossible to change your body type but you can learn to make the best of what you have. Different body types have different body shapes, in addition to the 3 body types; women are typically classified having 4 body shapes, namely hourglass, pear, apple and ruler/Banana body shape. Let’s get to know the peculiarities of each body shape in detail. Hourglass Considered as the dream figure, the hourglass is probably the most envied of all the shapes. The Hourglass shaped women have well-proportioned upper and lower bodies with a narrow waist. They are inclined to gain weight all over the body, in particular, the hips and chest area. Best foods:
  • Lean and high-quality proteins (skinless chicken, tuna, turkey breast)
  • High fiber
  • Non-starchy vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini and all leafy vegetables)
Worst foods:
  • Cooked starchy vegetables (carrot, beet, potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Foods in high sugar
Pear Pear shaped women have larger lower bodies and small upper bodies. Hips are slightly wider than the shoulders and weight is gained below the waist. They usually have small chests and flat stomachs. Best foods:
  • Lean and high-quality proteins (skinless chicken, tuna, turkey breast)
  • Cooked raw fibers
  • Non-starchy vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, zucchini and all leafy vegetables)
  • Fruits that are less in sugar content (berries, apples, cherries)
Worst foods:
  • High sugar content fruits (pear, melon, apricot, grapes, pineapple)
  • Cooked starchy vegetables (carrot, beet, potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
Apple Apple shaped women are bigger on the top half of their bodies than the lower half. Hips are slim and chest and stomach are larger. Best foods:
  • High-quality proteins (chicken, tuna, turkey, beans, whole wheat)
  • Complex carbs (all fruits, vegetables, and brown rice)
  • High in Omega 3 (salmon, flax seeds, olive oil, avocados, nuts)
Worst foods:
  • Simple carbs ( high starches like white rice, wheat products and potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Foods high in sugar
Ruler/Banana Ruler-shaped women have no significant differences between the size of their hips, waist and shoulders. Weight is gained on their stomach and back sides whilst retaining slender arms and legs. Best foods:
  • High-quality proteins (chicken, tuna, turkey, beans, whole wheat)
  • All complex carbs (all fruits, non starchy vegetables, and brown rice)
  • High in Omega 3 (salmon, flax seeds, olive oil, avocados, nuts)
Worst foods:
  • Simple carbs ( high starches like white rice, wheat products and potatoes)
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Foods high in sugar
Every body shape has its peculiarities, while you cannot change it, it is best to keep it fit and healthy.
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What is liposuction?

What is liposuction

What is liposuction: Liposuction is a process of surgical removal of stubborn fat resistant to diet and exercise, by using small cannualas to give slimmer contour to the body and face. What are the indications for liposuction: It can be done in any age group beyond 18 years. It works best for stubborn localised fat deposits which are resistant to diet and exercise from areas like tummy, buttocks, thighs, legs, back, arms, chin, face. What is safe liposuction: Liposuction was traditionally performed under general anaesthesia. General anaesthesia can predispose patient to complications leading to sudden death during the procedure. As per the data, acquired in India and internationally, all the deaths related to liposuction were due to complications of general anaesthesia. Also large bore cannulas were used during this process to shorten the time period of whole procedure which has caused multiple complications leading to injury to internal organs. Even today, majority of liposuctions are done under general anaesthesia. At Skin City, we perform Safe liposuction, meaning liposuction using tumescent local anaesthesia. Patient is completely awake and comfortable during the procedure. Very small bore cannuals are used to prevent the injury to internal organs and surrounding tissues. A fine laser fibre is also used along with cannula to burn and remove the fat cells. Patient walks in for the procedure and walks out without requiring any admission. There are no reports of complications or death during Safe Liposuction anywhere in the world. Is the fat loss permanent? The number of fat cells in body are constant. With Liposuction the liposuction cells that are removed, will not be replaced. So the resultant loss of fat is permanent. But to maintain this newly acquired shape, healthy eating habits, exercise and lifestyle changes are advised. When can I join my work? You can join your work next day. What is the post operative advice? Withhold the strenuous activities for a week and you need to wear pressure garments for3-6 months. What happens to the excess skin? Skin by virtue of its elasticity undergoes contracture and adheres to underlying musculature. Liposuction can be complemented with non surgical skin tightening procedures eg Radiofrequency. Will I have any scar? Small scars of 3-5 mm size will be there but usually hidden under skin creases which will fade eventually and become undetectable. When will be the results seen? There is immediate post procedure reduction in size and shape to certain extent and it continues to improve with time, best appreciated by 3 months.
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Best Hair Oil for Stronger and Faster Growing Hair

Best Hair Oil for Stronger and Faster Growing Hair

Oil is a vital ingredient that is really valuable to make your hair strong and healthy for a long time. Most women tend to face multiple hair problems such as dry hair, hair thinning, split ends, hair loss, etc. To get liberated from all such hair problems, people in general seek the help of various hair oils, while some people dismiss the “hair oil growth” theory. So what’s the fact behind it? So, here’s a list of the best hair oils that would aid in faster hair growth. 1. Castor Oil Castor oil, known as a vegetable oil is said to be a good laxative too. This oil has been used for hair fall since ancestral times. One of the other specialties is that it is equally good for skin infections. Some of the benefits of Castor Oil are: • It contains vitamin B and omega-9 fatty acids which are excellent for hair growth. • It helps in the maintenance of the scalp pH. • It is a good moisturizer for the curly hair. • It aids in clearing scalp infection. 2. Jojoba Oil Refined jojoba oil which is an extract from the seeds of jojoba tree, has neither any color nor smell; it is colorless and odorless oil. It moisturizes the skin without making the skin too oily. Jojoba oil adds a good volume to your hair as it contains powerful ingredients that are needed for the hair growth. Some of the benefits of Jojoba Oil are: • It is packed with vitamin B, vitamin E, copper, chromium, zinc, iodine, selenium etc. • It can be used to moisten flaky scalp for the hair with dandruff • It has antibacterial properties. • It can be used to get rid of split ends. 3. Almond Oil Benefits of using Almond oil is said to be shown wonderful effects on the skin and on the hair as well. It relieves the itchiness of the skin and helps to keep the skin moisturized. Some of the benefits of Almond Oil are: • It is said to remove the dead cells from skin hence clearing dandruff too. • Magnesium deficiency can lead to heavy hair fall. Almond oil has high magnesium properties to restore healthy hair growth • It helps to reduce the split ends. Is oiling really that good for hair? Yes, you do need to oil your hair as it promotes healthy hair growth. If you are still not convinced, these benefits will change your mind: • It acts as a good conditioner. • If your hair is dry, applying a little oil can drastically improve the texture and adds the shine. • It hydrates and moisturizes your hair, preventing from getting frizzy. • It helps the follicles become stronger. Best Hair Treatments Skin City Hair Clinic (Hair Analysis) offers a wide array of services in hair diagnostics, treatments, and surgeries. • CAS Lite Hair Analysis The unique caslite microscopic hair analysis offers a detailed investigation of hair thickness miniaturization, hair length at various scalp areas and is an excellent tool for hair research. • Medical Hair Fall Treatments Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is a procedure where hair is transplanted from the permanent zone, the area in the back and sides of the scalp where hair is more resistant to balding, to the bald or balding areas of the scalp. Know more about medical hair fall treatments. • Skin Transport Mesotherapy It is a unique approach developed at Skin City that makes use of selective trans-cutaneous delivery of certain hair growth activators, serums, hair nutrients with fine needles or needle-less 'skin transportation'. Know more about skin transport mesotherapy. • PRP Skin Transportation It is a unique Skin City treatment using skin transportation delivering autologous PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) into the balding scalp. • Laser Hair Grow Bio-modulation of the balding scalp with a unique light emitting diode LED technology is a recent hair growth therapy. It yields best hair growth when used along with skin transportation meso therapy. • Scalp Laser Clear Unique laser combs targeting irritated scalps are the latest approach in the treatment of severe dandruff, seborrhic dermatitis or scalp psoriasis. • Hair Transplantation This is the most sought after procedure today to regain one's lost hairline. It is the surgical technique that involves moving skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body to bald or balding parts. Know more about hair transplantation. In a nut shell, oiling your hair has “a multi-dimensional effect”, and it helps increase the tensile strength of the hair, reducing the frizziness and roughness and also preventing breakage.
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Skin Lightening & Skin Whitening Treatment - Should You Even Get It?

Skin lightening, skin whitening, and skin bleaching is a process that lightens your skin tone using chemical substances.

Skin Lightening and Skin Whitening Treatment

  How is the skin color determined? A specific amount of melanin determines the color of the skin. Melanin is a type of skin pigment that is produced by the melanocytes. Hormonal factors, skin damage, excess exposure to sunlight, or over exposure to some chemicals may also influence the production of melanin. Though the skin color changes on instances such as when direct exposure to sunlight is reduced, sun tans fade away. However, over a certain period of time, some discolorations such as “liver” spots or “age” spots become more or less permanent. What does skin bleaching mean? Skin bleaching is a type of cosmetic procedure to diminish skin discolorations and to even out the uneven skin color. Some even apply to change their complexion, but this may incur danger to the body. Since some of the skin lighteners contain mercury, so skin bleaching may at times result into mercury poisoning. A word of caution for pregnant ladies would be to steer clear of using skin lighteners as it can impact their unborn child and may cause birth defects. What are the uses of skin whitening? Areas affected by high pigmentation like birth marks may be depigmented to match up to the skin around the area, where in cases like Vitiligo, unaffected skin may be whitened / lightened for a uniform look. But if skin lighteners are frequently used, it may result in pigmentation spreading to the ears, fingers, buttocks and joints of toes. It could also lead to thinning of skin in the region surrounding the eye which is like a ‘bleach panda effect’. Skin lightening treatment at Skin City Skin Lightening Systems - These consist of two services, which have been formulated specifically to reduce skin pigmentation as well as to exfoliate and clarify the skin: Skinvitalite: In this service a light microdermabrasion is done to remove the dead cells from the surface of the skin, this is followed by a lactic acid peel which is also a gentle exfoliant as well as a skin clarifying agent. Know more In summary, Skin lightening or skin whitening is a cosmetic dermatological procedure where chemical agents are used for lightening the skin tone. Always consider, the beauty of skin is not only about the skin color, but an even skin tone. Hence consult the best Cosmetic Dermatologist who can address all your queries and put all your concerns to rest.
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Skin Care Regime- Fundamental Rules for a Glowing and Healthy Looking Skin
With heaps of beauty practitioners in big cities claiming their expertise in advance beauty treatments’, it can seldom confuse consumers to choose that one dermatologist who understands your skin concerns and gives you a proper solution. Firstly, it is very important to understand your skin type and the skin treatments you can do when you face natural skin issues. Regular Skin: Regular skin is smooth with good circulation with no noticeable trace of blemishes or sebum (oil) is seen on the tissue. It has a soft, smooth, even skin tone and has its own natural shine. Dry Skin: Dry Skin has the lowest level of sebum and has its own natural skin oil, which can often feel flaky if not well hydrated or when wiped too often. It often requires the need to apply moisturizer to keep the skin soft and supple. Oily Skin: Oily skin produces natural oil more than necessary, and as a result, the skin appears to be very shiny and lifeless. To maintain your skin texture and to keep acne at bay, regular use of soap-free cleansers is recommended. Combination Skin: The ‘T-Zone’ of your face, which is basically the forehead, nose and chin are usually greasy, while the remaining part of the face is reasonably dry. You need to use products as per the changes in climatic conditions to suit your skin. Now that you are aware of your skin type, following a regime will help your skin to maintain a natural balance, and choosing to use products that are made exclusively for your complexion. So, here’s how you can care for your own skin complexion by following a regime. Regular Skin Treatment: - Wash your face at least 2 times a day with a regular PH balanced face wash to keep the skin pores tight. - Apply sunscreen lotions with high SPF to regulate epidermis. - Apply a night lotion/light lotion in the evening to keep your skin hydrated. - Use a cleansing milk to remove make up and finish off with a good face wash. - Exfoliate your skin at least once in two weeks and apply a non-drying face mask thereafter. Dry Skin Treatment: - Use a face wash only once a day that has a creamy texture, and is 230PH balanced which matches your skin texture. - Avoid using toners. - Once you are done with the cleansing of your face, use a moisturizer consisting Squalene, Vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acid, etc. - Use a broad spectrum high SPF sunscreen post cleansing. - Cream based makeup products are ideal for your skin. - Pampering your skin with weekly hydrating masks and facials done once a month works wonders for your skin. Oily Skin Care Treatment: - When using a face wash, use a foaming face wash consisting of hydroxyl acids, salicylic acid etc. The usage should not exceed more than 3-4 times in a day, following it up with an alcohol free toner. - You need not need a moisturizer. - Usage of non-comedogenic with large SPF sunscreen is highly advised. - Water based makeup products are ideal for your skin. - Use an exfoliating scrub, anti-acne mask on a weekly basis if you have acne issues. Combination Skin Care Treatment: - Always wash your face with a gentle, water-soluble based cleanser to prevent dryness. - Avoid soap on your face, regardless of their claims. - Use toners filled with skin-repairing ingredients. - Sunscreen must be used every day, regardless of climate. As we know that skin is the most delicate and biggest organ of human body, it should hence be treated with utmost care. Follow these handy tips to keep your skin supple, healthy and beautiful.
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Ways to Treat Dark Circles

One of the most annoying beauty problems is a dark circle. Fighting it can take its due course of time, so what are the quick ways to fix it?     

  • Creams for Dark Circles:

Various topical creams, ointments, and gels are available to minimize the appearance of dark circles. You have to ensure that the creams contain active ingredients such as vitamin K that helps to reduce dilated blood vessels, and vitamin C and alpha hydroxyl acids that aid the stimulation of collagen production of the skin. These nutrients also help lessen the appearance of dark circles caused by aging and genetics.

  •  Chemical Peeling:

Chemical peeling involves a number of chemical agents to treat various skin conditions like hyper-pigmentation on the face or body, scars due to acne or wounds, and fine wrinkles. It is a non-invasive treatment for dark circles. A chemical peel is generally performed by a dermatologist. Chemical peels help in rejuvenating the skin around the eyes by exfoliating the damaged upper layer of the skin to reveal a new and healthier skin layer. The current most effective peel for dark circles is the Argi peel, which contains arginine, lactic acid, allantois, and aloe vera. Arginine is an amino acid derived from brown sugar that boosts collagen, increases elasticity, and moisturizes the skin. Lactic acid exfoliates and lightens the skin, and also fades hyper-pigmentation. Allantoin and aloe vera help to moisturize and soften the skin. This is used in conjunction with vitamin C and matrixyl that provide firmness and resistance to the skin around the eye. The effect of the treatment depends on the duration and the type of treatment.

  • Intense Pulsed Light Treatment:

IPL treatment reduces dark circles by destroying the pigment cells that cause discoloration. It also smoothens the skin under the eye due to its high energy light waves that penetrate the skin under the eye. The light waves constrict blood vessels, which results in less prominent discoloration. IPL treatment is one of the most effective treatments for dark circles, but is an expensive one. A person will be required to sit for several sessions (each about an hour long) to achieve the desired results. The frequency of the treatment depends on the magnitude of the circles and overall health and lifestyle of the patient.

  • Laser treatment:

Laser treatment is another effective way to remove dark circles. Here, the fat deposited under the eye is targeted. Post the treatment, the skin under the eye becomes smooth and less discolored. Ultraviolet or infrared invisible light is used in the treatment to create a wavelength that releases energy as the light moves across the skin. The energy is absorbed through the skin layers and gives a soothing effect while correcting the dark and irregular skin pigments causing dark circles. The treatment is basically an outpatient procedure that can be performed within an hour. However, one can’t note improvement right away – the best results take about three to six sessions.

  • Surgery:

Eye surgery for dark circles is known as blepharoplasty that is performed by plastic surgeons. The under eye fat deposits are removed, resulting in less puffiness, less discoloration, and more lively eyes. The procedure can take anywhere between one to three hours. Recovery from the surgery can take up to several weeks.

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The Best Approach to Treating Vitiligo

As discussed earlier, vitiligo is a skin disease of much social concern. If you haven’t read it, head here to gain more information - Vitiligo – What Should Be the Target of Treatment?.

Vitiligo is a condition that has been stigmatized for wrong reasons. Because of lack of awareness about it, vitiligo patients often have to bear the brunt of society’s judgment and ridicule. This disease that manifests onto a person’s appearance often acts as a deal breaker in relationships and matrimonial matters, owing to society’s standards of beauty.

Many believe that vitiligo is a result of an impure body, and suggest that the system needs to be cleansed from the inside, so as to get to the root of the problem and getting rid of it. The act of cleansing the body from the inside is also known as the ‘internal approach’. In this internal approach, we treat the problem using medication that alters the problem inside the body.

The internal approach, however, has its limitations. Most scientists believe that any defect in the body is highly linked to the person’s gene makeup, and vitiligo is one of those defects. A person can either have a defect coded into their genomes, in which case a cure may not be available, or the person can have susceptible genes wherein they have a disease which goes with medication/restrictions. In both these cases, allopathy works differently.

Why does ‘cure’ attract patients so much? The answer is simple: Wishful thinking. Most patients think that these diseases are a result of abnormalities in the body that are caused by external toxins, but this stands true only for infections. But like most other lifestyle diseases, a cure is not possible because there’s nothing external to work on – it’s the internal defect that has to be worked on. So, like any other lifestyle diseases, treatment can merely restore old bodily functions, not cure them. Vitiligo can be treated both externally and internally – externally using creams, focused treatments etc. Some might recommend dietary restrictions, or drinking water in order to help cure the disease. However, these are unbalanced and biased approaches.

The internal treatment for vitiligo has two approaches: 1. controlling the offending RBCs using medication, and 2. Salvaging or supporting the re-function of melanocytes.

Controlling the offending WBCs: the medication given in this approach targets the offending WBCs, and stops them from causing further damage. However, this has its side effects. This is because only a small amount of WBCs are actually causing the discolouration issue, and the medication targets all the healthy WBCs as well. Hence, all the internal treatments for WBCs can have side effects like lowered hemoglobin, reduced RBC count, and reduced function of WBCs.

For external approach: creams, injections in the targeted patches, and phototherapy are common. Some different grades of phototherapy are ultra v A and ultra v B, sunlight, excimer lasers, etc.

Each treatment has a different advocate supporting them.

Dr. Dhepe of Skin City proposes a combination approach. In this, there is a judicious combination of both internal and external approaches pose fewer side effects, and makes for efficient treatment. The safest internal as well as external approaches should be chosen to get the desired effects, as the requirement of possible doses/sessions is less, as are the side effects. A combination of creams, lasers, injectable immune modulators, and miniature punch grafting skin surgeries can be selected from, depending on the choice of the patient.

On a personal note, Dr. Dhepe suggests that the best way to deal with vitiligo is to undergo no treatment at all, but treat it as a natural part of one’s body. This will help disable the stigma around this harmless skin condition.

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Vitiligo - What Should Be the Target of Treatment?

The skin is the most sensitive part of the body, but it is often the most ignored. Not taking proper care of the skin can end up in minor or major problems. However, some skin troubles are unprecedented and out of one’s control. One such condition that is not talked about often is vitiligo. And it is essential to educate ourselves about it.

Vitiligo is a skin pigmentation disorder where a person gets white or discolored patches on the skin. The reason behind this pigmentation is the permanent destruction of colour producing cells of the skin, namely melanocytes.

There are many accepted theories for the development of vitiligo, but the most plausible one among all is the auto-immune theory. White blood cells in the body are essential as they provide us with immunity by attacking viruses. However, in the case of vitiligo, the WBCs end up attacking and killing their own cells. These damaged cells fail to produce pigment, which leads to the discolouration of skin. In some cases, vitiligo develops on the lips and fingertips, and in some cases, it ends up on other parts of the body.

An important thing to note about vitiligo, though, is that it is a harmless skin condition that has no repercussions or harmful effects on the body.

Vitiligo has been a social stigma for a very long time. The stigma around this skin condition goes back to Ayurvedic ages. It was misclassified as leprosy, a disease that was dreaded heavily by mankind. Laprosy patients often developed red spots on their body, and were isolated from society because there was no cure. This isolation was practical in medieval times, but the scenario is different now. In fact, scientific studies have shown that leprosy and vitiligo have no connection to each other, and vitiligo is a harmless condition wherein spots are developed. It is important to note the irony that in today’s world, people with leprosy are treated easily and they can live happy, healthy lives, but the stigma around vitiligo still persists.

Vitiligo is a harmless condition, but most often, patients are thrust with societal pressure to go under procedures to reduce or delete the discolouration. Due to this, patients that refuse treatment live lives of embarrassment and shame, which leads to strains in their relationships and overall well-being.

Many treatments for vitiligo are available - medical ones, phototherapy, surgical treatments, etc. These treatments can clear vitiligo from 10% to 100%. It was impossible to treat vitiligo in the past, but medicine has progressed over the years.

What is the target of the treatment of vitiligo?

Researchers suggest two approaches to treating it - targeting and controlling the offending WBCs that kill their own cells: abnormal WBCs that are called T - lymphocytes. Another approach is to support the surviving melanocytes with oral medication or phototherapy. A truly successful treatment is a combination of both approaches.

Dr. Dhepe of Skin City put forth a third aspect - Vitiligo patients don’t need to be treated at all.

The condition is not contagious, serious or bothersome, so why do people still opt for surgeries? The treatments patients needlessly go through can have undesirable side-effects, and can prove to be a financial burden as well. The fact of matter is simple: Vitiligo is not a disease, and it shouldn’t be stigmatized.

There’s no harm in not treating vitiligo. It does not affect any part of the body, and if the patient chooses to opt for treatment, they should without any external pressure to do so. It is neither the WBC nor the melanocytes that need treatment - it is the mind of society that needs it. We need to spread social awareness about vitiligo.

Dr. Dhepe, in collaboration with Janki Medical Foundation are working towards creating awareness about vitiligo and its implications in society. For this work, Dr. Dhepe received an award from the chief minister of Goa.

Vitiligo is a condition less for the patient, and less for the society. We must stop the stigmatization of the same.

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Double Chin – A Problem with a Simple Solution

The face of a person can speak volumes. Facial beauty has been a topic of wonder and importance since time immemorial. For example, ancient Egypt was home to the beautiful Nefertiti, a queen well known for her flawless beauty. Her beauty was so well known in all of Egypt that her sculptures made were the most recognizable everywhere, by everyone. The most striking feature of her beauty was her face – specifically, her clear cut jaw line and high cheekbones. So, it is safe to say that the jaw line is an integral part of the beauty of the face.

Take a look at Indian celebrities, for example. Be it Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Tiger Shroff, or Ranveer Singh, their facial features show a distinct jaw line that enhances their beauty and looks, making them doubly photogenic on screen and on cameras. Most of us are blessed with sharp features. However, we often forget to take care of ourselves to let our features shine.

Sharp jaw lines are a sign of less/appropriate amount of fat around your mandible, i.e. the soft area under your chin. How is it that we fail to take care of it? Having excess fat or muscle on the mandible is the reason for losing the sharpness of the jaw. Excess fat on the mandible, right under your chin, is referred to as the ‘double chin’. For some people, a double chin is developed as a result of weight gain that causes excess fat to pile on different areas of the body (including the mandible). However, some people are inherently left with a double chin which has nothing to do with weight. In such cases, heredity is a major factor and one can trace it within the family itself.

There are several ways in which people try to reduce double chins. Some natural methods of reducing them are exercise and proper diet, which helps them lose fat and restore their original jaw structure. However, in some cases like hereditary factors or persistent fat on the mandible despite losing weight, it becomes tough to use natural methods. People often try massage oils, creams, lotions, etc that promise to reduce fat, but more often than not, with no results. These oils and creams are easily available, but the science behind their working is hardly enough support to prove their effectiveness.

Here comes a way when natural methods don’t work – reducing double chins medically.

Doctors first analyze the nature of the double chin. A double chin is a combination of excess fat under the chin, often accompanied by loose skin. It is a hypertrophy of the chewing muscle that gives a thick, tyre-like look. The doctors check whether the fold is persistent only under the chin, or is an extension of fat in the cheeks as well, and decide what needs to be done accordingly.

The medical treatment of a double chin includes the tightening of skin by re-modeling the collagen layer of the skin. The skin of the entire face can also be lifted, and the volume of the masseter muscle is reduced. Skin tightening is achieved by polar radio frequency devices, ultrasound devices, etc that help lift the double chin and provide firmness, provided that there is enough loose skin available. Sometimes there is more fat than there is loose skin, so the treatment might not help.

Another approach hence is reducing the volume of fat in the area. There are several FDA approved scientific methods of reducing fat around the area, like injection lipolysis – injections diluted in saline are placed between the layer of fat, which helps destroy a considerable amount of fat cells in the area. About 8-24 injections are required in various places as a part of the process, but more might be required in the future. This is a great way to give shape to the area below the chin without surgery.

Another method of reducing fat cells is through ultrasound lipolysis. The vibrations of cavitational ultrasound work directly to destroy the fat cells by breaking through the walls of these cells.

The finest way of removing fat through liposuction is the micro-cannula liposuction, also known as Safe Lipo, a protocol developed by Skin City. The fat is sucked in a small quantity from the depths of the fat layer, keeping the contour of the face intact. The fat layer then collapses, paving way for a new collagen layer to be formed. This creates firmness in the skin, thus reducing the double chin and makes the skin tighter.

Yet another method of reducing the double chin is through high intensity focus ultrasound. Very high density of focus ultrasound is delivered that penetrates through the depths of the skin, and specifically targets collagen. The destruction of the walls of the adipose stimulates the formation of new collagen layers, which tighten the septa and hypersepta. Thus, the double chin is compressed and the volume is reduced.

All these services are available at Skin City, so feel free to walk in and get them done. The best part is – these procedures take about 30 minutes, so you don’t have to be pressed for time to get them done and look your best.

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Understanding the Types of Hair Loss: Check your Symptoms!

Hair loss can be temporary or long lasting, based on its identification, cause and treatment. However, when the cause isn’t clear, hair loss that was first temporary may become permanent as a result of incorrect diagnosis.

Alopecia is the medical term for excessive or abnormal hair loss. There are different kinds of alopecia. As hair loss is fairly common with both the sexes, symptoms show that there’s something that is going wrong in the body. Hormonal imbalance, stress, pregnancy, medications , diseases or something as fairly simple as genes can be the cause of baldness, also known as Areata. In this situation, hairs often, but not always grow back when the event has passed. There are many types of hair loss, also called alopecia.

Involutional alopecia

The rate of hair growth slows as you age, causing the thickness as well as volume to reduce. In this type of hair loss, the hair follicles gradually go into the telogen (resting) phase and the remaining hair become shorter and less in number, sometimes even brittle.

Telogen effluvium

You may experience temporary hair loss after a stressed episode like childbirth, fever, severe illness, stress or sudden weight loss, which decreases gradually. This happens due to changes in the growth cycle of hair, when a large number of hair go into the resting phase (telogen) at the same time.

Anagen effluvium

Hair shedding and thinning usually occur as the result of exposure to chemicals or toxins (such as cancer treatments) during anagen, the growth phase of the hair lifecycle.

Traction alopecia

Pressure on hair because of particular hairstyles causing small, localized areas a type of hair loss called traction alopecia.

Trichotillomania

Some people have the habit of twisting or pulling their own hair from the scalp and eyelashes. This is referred to as trichotillomania or hair pulling disorder.

Trichorrhexis Nodosa

A defect in hair fibers characterized by fraying and swelling nodes along the hair shaft is the cause of hair to break off easily.

Let us now see the difference in male, female & children baldness pattern is:

For male:

If you experience a receding hairline and gradual disappearance of hair from the crown, you may be suffering from androgenic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness). In this condition, you may experience hair loss in your teens or early 20s. Men may notice hair loss at the top of the scalp and a receding hairline particularly along the temples. The typical pattern forms an ‘M’ shape. Lastly, the hair becomes finer, shorter and thinner creating a U-shaped pattern around the sides of the head. It is a genetically predisposed condition that can affect both men and women.

For female:

If you experience a general thinning of the hair over the entire scalp, extensive hair loss at the crown with your hairline at the front intact, you may be suffering from female pattern baldness. Your hair parting may become wider with time due to hair thinning. You may notice hair thinning in your 20s but you are not very likely to experience noticeable thinning until your 40s or later because the pace of hair loss tends to be gradual.

For children:

When a child or a young adult experiences one - two totally smooth, round patches of hair loss mostly on the scalp, they may be suffering from alopecia areata. The hair loss may also be seen in the eyebrows, arms, legs or facial hair. It is often sudden in onset and the hair usually grows back in six months to a year. However, when the hair grows back in one area, it may fall out in another. In some cases, the hair becomes thinner, while in others, it may grow and break off, leaving short stubs. Alopecia areata is generally considered an autoimmune condition, while alopecia totalis, an extensive form, the entire scalp goes bald.

Scalp conditions and its causes:

Scarring alopecia

It is a permanent loss of hair. Inflammatory skin conditions and other skin disorders often result in scars that destroy the ability to regenerate hair. Hot combs and hair too tightly woven or pulled can also result in permanent hair loss.

Lichen Planopilaris

It is a type of scarring in the scalp that occurs from a skin disease known as lichen planus, which affects areas of the skin with hair. It can cause redness, irritation, and in some cases, permanent hair loss.

 Tinea Capitis

In simple words, it’s the ringworm of the scalp, a fungal infection. Hair usually breaks off at areas that are infected causing bald scalp with small black dots. The skin is inflamed, round, scaly areas with pus-filled sores called kerions. It is contagious and can spread from sharing combs and hats. Once the infection is cured, the hair grows back.

If you happen to experience any of the above symptoms, our expert dermatologists at Skin City will aid to your concerns and implement effective treatments.

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What Is Hair Loss? Are you suffering from hair loss?

Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from the head or body. Baldness can refer to general hair loss or male pattern hair loss. Alopecia affects hair growth and can lead to permanent hair loss. Hair loss can be difficult to come to terms with, especially when it comes to your self-esteem. When you lose your hair, you are losing your self-esteem as well. This can affect your confidence and sometimes lead to depression. Let’s understand hair loss in a gist.

  • Hair loss is a common condition and affects most people at some time in their lives.
  • Hair loss from breakage of the hair shaft is different than hair loss from decreased hair growth.
  • Androgenetic hair loss is seen in both men and women but is worse in men.
  • Thyroid disease, anemia, protein deficiency, and low vitamin levels may cause hair loss.
  • Alopecia areata is a relatively common cause of patchy or localized hair loss
  • Prevention of hair loss includes good hair hygiene, regular shampooing, and good nutrition.
  • Medical health screening for hair loss may include blood tests such as complete blood count (CBC), iron level, vitamin B, and thyroid function tests (TFT).

Some signs and symptoms are such as:

  • Gradual thinning on top of the head. This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting both men and women as they age. In men, hair often begins to recede from the forehead in a line that resembles the letter’ M’. Women typically retain the hairline on the forehead but have a broadening of the part in their hair.
  • Circular or patchy bald spots. Some people experience smooth, coin-sized bald spots. This type of hair loss usually affects just the scalp, but it sometimes also occurs in beards or eyebrows. In some cases, your skin may become itchy or painful before the hair falls out.
  • Sudden loosening of hair. A physical or emotional shock can cause hair to loosen. Handfuls of hair may come out when combing or washing your hair or even after gentle tugging. This type of hair loss usually causes overall hair thinning and not bald patches.
  • Full-body hair loss. Some conditions and medical treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer, can result in the loss of hair all over your body. The hair usually grows back.
  • Patches of scaling that spread over the scalp. This is a sign of ringworm. It may be accompanied by the broken hair, redness, swelling and, at times, oozing.

When to see a Dermatologist?

See a dermatologist, when you are distressed by hair loss and want to pursue treatment. Also, talk to us if you notice sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your hair. Sudden hair loss can signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.

What you can do?

  • List key personal information.
  • Make a list of all medications.
  • List questions to ask your doctor.

For hair loss, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
  • Are there other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
  • What kinds of tests do I need?
  • Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?

Before making a diagnosis, your doctor will likely ask you to perform tests, such as the following:

  • Blood test. This may help uncover medical conditions related to hair loss, such as thyroid disease.
  • Pull test. Your doctor gently pulls several dozen hairs to see how many come out. This helps determine the stage of the shedding process.
  • Scalp biopsy. Your doctor scrapes samples from the skin or from a few hairs plucked from the scalp to examine the hair roots. This can help determine whether an infection is causing hair loss.
  • Light microscopy. Your doctor uses a special instrument to examine hairs at their bases. Microscopy helps uncover possible disorders of the hair shaft.

Effective treatments for some types of hair loss are available. But some hair loss is permanent. Treatments for hair loss include medications, surgery, laser therapy, and wigs or hairpieces. The goals of treatment are to promote hair growth, slow hair loss or hide hair loss. Contact Skin City for further clarifications.

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Hair Loss: The Causes, the Impact and its Treatment

Hair grows everywhere on the human skin except on the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet, but many hairs are so fine, that they're virtually invisible. Hair is made up of a protein called keratin, which is produced from the hair follicles in the outer layer of skin. As follicles produce new hair cells, old cells are being pushed out through the surface of the skin at the rate of about six inches a year. The hair you can see is actually a string of dead keratin cells.

The average adult head has about 100,000 to 150,000 hair and it loses up to 100 of them a day; finding few stray hair on your hairbrush is not necessarily a cause for alarm. That's normal, and in most people, those hair grow back. But many men and some women lose hair as they grow older. While daily shedding is normal, people who notice their hair shedding in large amounts after combing or brushing and those whose hair becomes thinner , should consult a dermatologist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing; each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:

  • Anagen – is active hair growth that lasts between two to six years
  • Catagen – is transitional hair growth that lasts two to three weeks
  • Telogen – is a resting phase that lasts about two to three months; and at the end of the resting phase the hair is shed and a new hair replaces it and the growing cycle starts again.

As people age, their rate of hair growth slows.

Causes of hair loss

Causes of hair loss, some of which are temporary, include:

  • Excessive or improper use of styling products which cause weathering or hair breakage.
  • Hairstyles that pull the hair, like ponytails and braids.
  • Frequent shampooing, pulling, combing or brushing of hair too hard.
  • A variety of diseases, including thyroid.
  • Childbirth, major surgery, a high fever or severe infection, stress, or even the flu.
  • Inadequate protein or iron in the diet, or eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
  • Certain prescription drugs, including blood thinners, high-dose vitamin A, and medicines for arthritis, depression, gout, heart problems and high blood pressure.
  • Use of birth control pills (usually in women with an inherited tendency for hair thinning).
  • Hormonal imbalances, especially in women.
  • Ringworm of the scalp, a contagious fungal infection which is most common in children.
  • Some cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
  • Alopecia areata, a type of hair loss that affects all ages, which causes hair to fall out in round patches.

 Psychosocial impact of hair loss

  • While the physical symptoms of hair loss can be traumatic for patients, the psychosocial impact of hair loss can be just as severe.
  • Hair loss can cause dramatic and devastating emotions in patients that can negatively impact their quality of life. Psychosocial studies have found patients’ self-esteem, body image and self-confidence to be negatively affected.
  • Known psychosocial complications include depression, low self-esteem, altered self-image, and less frequent and enjoyable social engagement.
  • The negative quality of life may be worse in women due to societal pressure to be attractive. Treatment from a dermatologist may be sought in order to improve the quality of life.

Treatment of hair loss

  • Medical management: It includes topical and systemic medicines
  • Modern Drug Delivery System: It includes Mesotherapy and PRP therapy
  • Hair transplantation is a permanent form of hair replacement utilizing dermatological surgery that involves moving some existing scalp hair to bald or thinning parts. It may benefit men, with male pattern baldness, some women with thinning hair, and people who have lost some but not all hair from burns or other scarring injuries to the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes.
  • Restoration surgery is another treatment option. In scalp reduction surgery, the bald scalp is removed and hair-bearing scalp is brought closer together to reduce balding. In scalp expansion surgery, a physician temporarily inserts devices under the scalp to stretch hair-bearing areas, which also reduces balding. In scalp flap surgery, a hair-bearing piece of scalp is surgically moved and placed where hair is needed.

When you experience acute hair loss and want to pursue a treatment, talk to us and at Skin City, we can help you in regaining lost hair with our wide range of advance services in hair diagnostics, treatments and surgeries.

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Get the Underarm Skin you were Born with, at Skin City India

Look into your closet; if there are no sleeveless & strappy outfits or swimwear, you are hiding something, your dark underarms. Smita Gautam of Skincity gives you the solution to this embarrassing problem.

More often than not, you are not quite sure about how and why it happened, it creeps up on you and before you know it, you feel helpless about how to get rid of it. The hype around quick fixes and ineffective solutions in the form of topical creams, deodorants, and bleaching agents, just delay finding the right and permanent solution.

WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?

It is important for you to understand what causes dark underarms and what you need to do to get rid of it permanently. There are three main causes of dark underarms:

  1.  The first is a tendency for hyper pigmentation usually due to hormonal imbalance;
  2. The second is thick underarm hair growth, the associated problems and the wrong removal techniques used.
  3. The third is excessive sweating, the associated problems and ineffective solutions adopted;

THE LIGHT…

Getting a clear diagnosis is important to finding the right solution to this problem. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical director, Skin City says that hormonal imbalances and infections associated with the above- mentioned problems need to be addressed first following which, the latest available technologies, like Laser Skin lightening, can be done to get rid of the pigmentation. This method shows excellent results, not only in the under arms, but also in other hyper pigmented areas like the inner thighs, buttocks and other intimate areas.

He also wishes to impress upon those affected with this embarrassing condition, that shaving and waxing are redundant methods of hair removal. They cause ingrowths, folliculitis and other infections which further darken the underarms. Laser Hair reduction is the best method of hair removal, which will prevent and resolve these problems.

He further states that deodorants and anti-perspirants do more harm than good to people with Hyperhydrosis or excessive sweating; the chemicals in these products may react with the skin causing darkening. Besides, people with this condition are prone to bacterial infections, which worsen the body odour caused by sweating, hence causing terrible embarrassment and social ostracization of the affected person. There are several medical and minimally invasive surgical treatments available to rid you of this condition.

SkinCity has the largest range of lasers and treatments available to treat the causes of dark underarms thus resolving this problem and restoring your confidence.

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What is Female Pattern Baldness?

Mistakenly thought to be a strictly male disease, women actually make up 40% of hair loss sufferers. Hair loss in women can be devastating for the sufferer's self-image and emotional well being.

Unfortunately, it is considered far more acceptable for men to go through the same hair loss process. Since hair loss doesn't appear to be life threatening, most physicians pay little heed to women's complaints .Of course what these physicians don't seem to realize is that it can be just as devastating as any serious disease, and in fact, can take an emotional toll on physical health. Female pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women.

Causes

Each strand of hair sits in a tiny bulb in the skin called a follicle. In general, baldness occurs when the hair follicle shrinks over time, resulting in shorter and finer hair. Eventually, the follicle does not grow new hair. The follicles remain alive, which suggests that it is still possible to grow new hair.

The reason in female pattern baldness may be related to:

  • Aging
  • Changes in the levels of androgens (male hormones). In simpler terms, when you reach menopause phase.
  • Family history of male or female pattern baldness.

Natural history

Without treatment, Female Pattern Hair Loss is a progressive condition; however, it is highly variable. Hair shedding is often episodic. The condition’s unpredictability and relentless progression contributes greatly to the distress of affected women.

Symptoms

Hair thinning is different from that of male pattern baldness. In female pattern baldness:

  • Hair thins mainly on the top and crown of the scalp. It usually starts with a widening through the center hair part.
  • The front hairline remains unaffected except for normal recession, which happens to everyone as time passes.
  • The hair loss rarely progresses to total or near total baldness, as it may in men. Itching or skin sores on the scalp are generally not seen.

Diagnosis

Female pattern baldness is usually diagnosed based on:

  • Ruling out other causes of hair loss.
  • The appearance and pattern of hair loss.
  • Your medical history.

The doctor will examine you for other signs of too much male hormone (androgen), such as:

  • Abnormal new hair growth at other body parts (e.g. face)
  • Changes in menstrual periods
  • New acne

A skin biopsy or other procedures or blood tests may be used to diagnose skin disorders that cause hair loss in some cases. Looking at the hair under a microscope may be done to check for problems with the structure of the hair shaft itself.

Treatment

Hair loss in female pattern baldness is permanent, if not treated. In most cases, hair loss is mild to moderate. You do not need treatment if you are comfortable with your appearance. Treatment for hair loss includes medical management, advanced treatments like mesotherapy, platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy and laser stimulation of hair roots. Hair transplant can be done in select patients, though it is more uncommon than in men.

To summarize, Female Pattern Baldness is an under-recognized entity. Significant hair loss is seen in over ¼ of females over the age of 50. Satisfactory cure of this condition requires knowledge of underlying causes, physical co-morbidities, psychological effects, possible differential diagnoses, and the various therapeutic modalities available.

The condition is progressive without treatment, regardless of medication, the response is slow, and requires patience and persistence in both patient and clinician.

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What is Male Pattern Baldness?

Skin City India - Male Baldness SolutionAndrogenetic alopecia or common male pattern baldness (MPB) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By the age of 35 two-thirds of men will experience some degree of hair loss, and by the age of 50 approximately 85% of men have significant thinning hair. Approximately 25 % of men suffer MPB process before they reach the age of 21.Hair loss affects every aspect of sufferer's life, it affects interpersonal relationships as well as the professional lives of those suffering.

While there are many possible reasons men lose their hair, like serious disease, reaction to certain medications, and in rare cases extremely stressful events, most hair loss in men can be blamed on heredity. What MPB sufferers are actually inheriting their hair follicles with a genetic sensitivity to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT begin to lessen, shortening the lifespan of each hair follicle affected. Eventually, these affected follicles stop producing cosmetically acceptable hair. MPB is generally characterized with the onset of a receding hairline and thinning crown. This pattern eventually progresses into leaving only a rim or "horseshoe" pattern of hair remaining in the more advanced stages of MPB. For some men even this remaining rim of hair can be affected by DHT.

What is DHT?

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a derivative or by-product of testosterone. Testosterone converts to DHT with the aid of the enzyme Type II 5-alpha-reductace, which is held in the hair follicle's oil glands. While the entire genetic process of male pattern baldness is not completely understood, it is known that DHT shrinks hair follicles, and that when DHT is suppressed, hair follicles continue to thrive. Hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT must be exposed to the hormone for a prolonged period of time in order for the affected follicle to complete the miniaturization process. Today, with proper intervention this process can be slowed or even stopped if caught early enough.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Classic male-pattern hair loss begins above the temples and vertex, of the scalp. As it progresses, a rim of the hair at the sides and at the rear of the head remains. This is referred to as 'Hippocratic wreath', and rarely progresses to complete baldness.

Diagnosis

Typical MPB is usually diagnosed based on the appearance and pattern of the hair loss, along with a detailed medical history, including questions about the prevalence of hair loss in your family. An experienced medical hair loss expert will examine the scalp under magnification, in order to assess the degree of miniaturization of the hair follicles. This assessment is very important when recommending the proper course of treatment.

Treatment

In the past few years, medicine has made tremendous strides in the treatment of men's hair loss. With the advent of medicines and the evolution of surgical hair restoration, for many, living with noticeable hair loss is no longer inevitable. For the first time in the history of mankind, it is now possible to stop or slow the progression of hair loss and to replace lost hair through surgery with completely natural results.

Remember, successful treatment of hair loss is greatly dependent on early intervention. It is critical to begin treatment with an effective product as soon as you notice the onset of hair loss.

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Haute Bridal Therapies

Femina Special

Wedding-day beauty shouldn’t begin on the day while sitting in the stylist’s chair. Whether it’s three or thirty weeks to the big day; start now to ensure that you look your bridal best advises Smita Gautam of SkinCity.

HAIR CARE

Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Director Skin City, says that a diet enriched with Vitamin B helps bring out your hair’s natural shine, as dull hair is actually a symptom of Vitamin B deficiency. An invigorating scalp massage and deep conditioning treatment about four weeks prior to the event, not only feels good, but stimulates the hair follicles and adds body. For more serious problems like hair-loss and early balding, Skin City’s Trichology Clinic offers a wide array of services in hair diagnostics & treatments for both the bride and the groom.

FACE PAMPERING

Start visiting a dermatologist six months before the wedding for an effective treatment for acne and best results. If you’re looking to bring a dull complexion to life, Skin City offers a range of Bridal services for both the bride and the groom and the mothers as well. You should avoid any service for at least 10 days before your wedding, so start now. Drink tons of water before and on your wedding day to make your face look dewy and radiant.

EYE CARE

A nightly application of eye cream, in combination with adequate sleep, will improve the appearance of dark circles. Skin City’s Dark circle clinic has a range of services for stubborn dark circles, puffiness and bags under your eyes. Skin City possesses a unique expertise and experience of treatments around the eyes. Dr. Dhepe has been the first and only dermatologist in India who has worked as an expert faculty consultant for 3 years in India’s largest Ophthalmology research Institute L P Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad.

BEAUTIFUL BACK

Since Bridal Couture no doubt shows off a lot of your back, start taking care of this overlooked region as soon as you can. Beautiful Back Services at Skin City are specifically designed to take care of the often-neglected part of the body - the back. Both - Microdermabrasion and Peels help in exfoliation and removes discoloration and pigmentation, thus making your back beautiful again. The Helios Laser gives complete clarity to dull pigmented skin, with an immediate brightening and whitening of the affected part.

BODY - FIGURE CORRECTION

Weight management needs to address diet planning, activity planning, lifestyle modification and stress management. For that stubborn fat for an otherwise healthy person, Skin City’s Figure correction Clinic offers you Cryo Liposuction and Safe Liposuction. Both are daytime procedures. Cryo Liposuction takes an hour to get rid of fat from the abdomen or arms or thighs, so you fit perfectly into your lehenga choli or Sherwani. For Safe liposuction, you walk in at 10am and walk out at 4pm in beautiful shape.

ARMS & LEGS

Skin City’s Laser Super Hair Removal Clinic’s Soprano ICE laser offers you the most pain-free, hair free experience in the quickest possible time for small and large body parts. The Soprano ICE laser works painlessly and effectively for the removal of excessive body hair for males as well. So men dealing with unwanted hair on their neck, back, arms or even chest, underarms and feet as is the fashion norm these days, we have the most suitable technology to take care of your needs. Start your Beauty Regime today and look Haute on your special day!!

Dr Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City

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Beauty Redefined

Femina Special

Skin City India, in keeping with its pioneering image, introduces HIFU, the latest FDA approved, non- invasive technology for a face lift. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City, brings this new Anti-Ageing treatment to Pune informs Smita Gautam.

We all experience this moment at least once in our life when we see an old friend who looks much younger than her age or yours and you feel that little tinge of envy. She is blessed you say. Well, there are those who are blessed and there are the rest of us who could do with some human intervention in the form of this new non- invasive face lift.

RECLAIM YOUR YOUTH

Your skin age is not just defined by your age in years, but by other factors as well like lifestyle, stress, poor sleeping and eating habits and lack of exercise. This causes collagen and elastin depletion, fatty tissue descent and sagging of muscles. Though ageing is inevitable, you can delay the process and actually lose several years from your face with the new HIFU technology.

HIGH FIVE FOR HIFU

HIFU is a highly precise medical procedure that applies high-intensity focused ultrasound energy which delivers heat to the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers collagen remodeling, thus increasing the elasticity of the skin, resulting in tightening. It helps in brow lifting, reducing wrinkles around the eyes & neck, smoothening naso-labial folds and removal of the double chin. It improves skin texture by closing pores and reducing acne scars. It also causes whitening and tightening of the skin. All in all the result is a younger looking you. That, my dear friends, is called a facelift.

TIME MACHINE

Conventional facelifts involve surgery, pain, complications, sub optimum results and long periods of time for recovery. Also there is a limit to what can be achieved with a surgical facelift without the obvious tell tale signs. Redefining Beauty with HIFU takes around 30 minutes. A lunch hour procedure and with no downtime, it is the answer to every one’s dream of looking younger. All you need to do is walk in to Skin City today to turn back the hands of time.

Dr Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City

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Taking Vows to Look Beautiful Together

The bold, beautiful and successful couples take their common interests and healthy competition from the professional world to the grooming world discovers Smita Gautam, the Business Strategy Consultant.

Skin City has a range of ‘skintillating’ services for men and women. Narcissism was essentially considered a feminine trait which has now caught the fancy of men of all ages. This led to the coining of the term Metrosexual , for men who not only like to take care of their personal grooming but also go a mile further to actually getting professional help to look better. The beauty and wellness industry has progressed leaps and bounds to cater to the demands of men who are now conscious of their appearance and like to indulge themselves and their partners in the best beauty and cosmetic services available.

FOR HIM:

Common problems faced by men are oily skin, acne break outs, excessive underarm sweating and tanning of the face, neck and hands. Skin City has a range of services which address all of the above problems. With new age technology and quick in and out time, it is very convenient to take care of all minor and major concerns. Men are now increasingly conscious of problems ranging from balding to excessive body hair. Skin City has a team of hair experts who perform the latest technique in hair transplantation called FUE. So go ahead and show your woman how you can beat her at her own game. In fact, women, gift your men a pampering session at Skin City and maybe he will return the favor.

FOR HER:

From time immemorial, women have been pampering themselves to look and feel beautiful. Skin City understands the unique need of every woman and has services that range from fairness treatments to removal of unwanted hair, anti-ageing services and body shaping. Skin City has the latest technology in laser hair removal which is quick and painless and has patented the Safelipo service which allows you to enter at 10 AM and exit at 4 PM with the ideal body shape. One of Skin City’s taglines, ‘Creating Timeless Beauty’ appeals to the innate desire of every woman.

So take your relationship to the next level by encouraging each other to look and feel good! Spice it up with a visit to Skin City.

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‘Hair-Raising’ Experience- A Femina Special Feature

Hair-raising literally means extremely alarming, astonishing or frightening. It aptly describes the emotions we experience when we first notice the receding hairline or visible scalp in the mirror. Thanks to the huge hair restoration market that has emerged, everyone is now aware of how to restore lost hair. It is, in fact, the most accessible, affordable luxury available on the market, in the looking good department, today says Smita Gautam of SkinCity

People are spoilt for choice as far as the availability of places for hair replacement treatments is concerned. However, when shopping for a suitable place, it is important to go with a reliable surgeon rather than the best price offering. There is a price war waging in the market today and everyone is talking about the cost per graft and not quality assurance. Just getting a bunch of grafts transplanted on your head doesn’t assure you of achieving what you need. Hair transplantation has become a commodity. Many places offering the same are thriving on numbers based on rock bottom prices, much to the detriment of gullible people and to the dismay of an ethical surgeon.

NEW THERAPIES

There are several new treatments available for hair restoration and a good doctor will advise you accordingly. It is important to choose a clinic where all these treatments are available. If you choose a place that offers Hair Transplantation exclusively, that is what you will be sold. Once you have done your research and decided on the place you wish to go to for your hair replacement treatment, the difficult part is over. The treatment itself is as simple as ordering a bag of French fries and coke. In the hands of a good surgeon, you get the best quality grafts and a good follow up routine to give you the best results.

EXPERT ADVICE

Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director Skin City India is of the opinion, every individual should be treated with a customized approach, following a treatment plan. Surgery is not the first line of treatment for any other problem, then why should it be the first approach in this case? For those of you who have not yet seen that moment of truth in the reflection in the mirror, he says, prevention is better than cure. Nourish your hair with lots of care, oil massages, vitamin supplements, iron rich diet, good cleansing and conditioning. Avoiding stress, chemicals and heat treatments will help you defer or completely avoid balding if it is not a hereditary problem. Good luck on raising your hair, either way! Why have hair-raising days?

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NEW YEAR, NEW YOU - A Femina Special Feature
Resolutions often prove pretty tough to keep. Start with something simple; like taking better care of yourself. Unlike certain resolutions which can sometimes turn into regrets, giving yourself the TLC you deserve is always a good plan, which is exactly why we should all make it a point to step up our skincare and body care game in the year ahead says Smita Gautam of SkinCity which is the largest skin and hair restoration center in India and offers solutions for all skin, hair and body shape problems. JANUARY Get a skin analysis done. Assess the partying, lifestyle and makeup damage to your skin carried over from the previous year. Replenish your skincare products and update your regime to include routine cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. Add an anti-ageing product if you’ve turned 25 during the previous year. Get rejuvenating skin services to revive your skin beauty. FEBRUARY Get a body analysis done. Assess your diet plan and exercise regime and decide if it suits you and is working towards achieving what you want. Get lifestyle guidance from an expert. With summer approaching, if you have excessive sweating this is the time to get your zero sweat solution. MARCH Get a cleanup if you are acne prone; buy your summer skincare products. Keep your skin protected from the sun. Acne and acne scar treatments go hand in hand. Get started now to get the best results by the time summer peaks. APRIL Get a hair analysis done for an early diagnosis of hair fall and thinning. Start a hair care regime. Get a hair transplant if you need it, this will ensure you have a full head of hair by the end of the year. MAY it’s summer time; do you need a little nip and tuck to flaunt that bikini bod? Now is the time to do it. The choice is wide. From an hour long Cryolipolysis to a few hours of Safe Liposuction, you can look fabulous in a day and wear a two piece for that beach holiday. JUNE To battle frizzy hair and dull skin during the monsoon, get pampering treatments for your skin and hair. The Helios laser skin toning will get rid of the beach tan and give you bright and beautiful skin, not only on your face but on any pigmented part of your body, like the back, upper thighs, buttocks etc. JULY if you are a bride to be, start your bridal package now. Mothers of the bride and groom can get a non-surgical facelift. The famous Ulthera HIFU treatment will make you look years younger by October. This service is perfect for anything from a mild loss of skin tone to frank sagging. AUGUST With festivities around the corner, get a Medifacial to suit your skin type and look lovely for the whole month. SEPTEMBER Start your Laser hair reduction package now; you will be completely hair free by the time summer arrives. Sport a smooth and silky skin next summer. OCTOBER it’s the month of festive offers, celebrations, and fun. Invest in your skin and hair by signing up for good packages for the season. Brides to be, you are almost at the D- day, if you haven’t already started it’s never too late. Start your Bridal beauty regime, now. NOVEMBER  Add deep moisturizers and nourishing skin treatments to prevent dryness of skin and hair that winter brings. Winter causes additional dryness to aging skin and the sun causes further damage. Avail of replenishing treatments to keep your skin, healthy and youthful. DECEMBER it’s party time. Indulge in pampering treatments for your skin and hair to give you an immediate glow and look radiant wherever you go.
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Everything You Want to Know About Spider Veins
Spider Vein

Spider veins (also called telangiectasias) are clusters of tiny blood vessels that develop close to the surface of the skin. They are often red, blue, or purple; and they have the appearance of a spider web. They are commonly found on the face and legs.

Causes of Spider veins

  • Heredity
  • Occupations that involve a lot of standing, such as nurses, hairstylists, teachers, and factory workers
  • Obesity
  • Hormonal influences of pregnancy, puberty, and menopause.
  • The use of birth control pills.
  • Postmenopausal hormonal replacement
  • A history of blood clotting problems
  • Conditions that cause increased pressure in the abdomen such as tumors and constipation.
  • Other reported causes include trauma or injury to the skin, previous vein surgery, and exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Varicose veins and spider veins develop more often in women than in men. They increase in frequency with age. An estimated 30% to 60% of adults have varicose veins or spider veins.

Symptoms of Spider Veins

The most obvious sign of spider veins is their web-like appearance on the skin. These veins can be red, blue, or purple. Other symptoms include:

  • an uncomfortable feeling in the legs
  • swelling
  • rash
  • throbbing, cramping, or aching
  • restless legs
  • itching around the veins
  • skin ulcers

Treating Spider Veins

Unless you are experiencing pain or other symptoms, spider and varicose veins don’t require treatment. If you have symptoms or would like the veins removed for aesthetic reasons, treatment options include:

  • Support stockings: Compression stockings put pressure on your veins and relieve discomfort. These can be purchased over-the-counter or by prescription.
  • Sclerotherapy: This common treatment is used for spider veins and varicose veins. In this procedure, a doctor injects a chemical into your veins, causing them to seal shut. With blood flow stopped, the vein becomes scar tissue and eventually fades. This treatment must be repeated every four to six weeks.
  • Laser treatments: This procedure uses a laser to send bursts of light through your skin and into your vein, making the vein fade.
  • Surgery: Various surgical techniques are generally reserved for the largest and most unsightly veins.
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LHR: Is it Laser Hair Removal or Laser Hair Reduction?
Dr.Niteen Dhepe Hair removal is one of the oldest elements of beauty treatments, and shaving was the earliest way to get rid of excess unwanted hair. Then were introduced salon treatments like waxing and threading. Some chemical creams that dissolve hair shaft are used as depilatory creams. All these give temporary relief from hair growth. Shaving leaves behind thick hair stubs that give a rough look while threading and waxing, and can induce follicular damage. Usage of depilatory creams can cause contact allergy.

So what’s the quick fix to this? The real revolution in hair removal came with the advent of lasers and light technology. The initial enthusiasm was to be believed that hair removal with laser and light is permanent; however, the first company who got a patent for IPL hair removal marketed it as a complete hair removal within three sessions, though they believed it to be one session. Soon their claims of getting hair removed in 3 sessions fizzled, hundreds of lawsuits were filed and eventually the company got bankrupt. Since this fiasco, the term ‘hair removal’ was replaced with ‘hair reduction’ and it’s no more permanent. It is now known as ‘long term hair reduction’.

What are the scientific facts here? First, Laser can treat thick and black hair shafts and NOT thin and pale hair. Second, there is no need of removal of fine less visible hair. Most of laser physicians now believe that the laser should be used only on thick hair and complete removal of all the hair shafts is not desired.

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SKIN MATTERS

The most important factors that decide the quality of your skin and hair are your genes, emotions and your immunity. Copy: Feed your skin well Food you put in your body are as vital as the products you put on it. Diet can play an important role in all skin conditions; to combat wrinkles and lines and other skin problems as well, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, dry or oily skin. Caring for your skin and hair

• Eat a variety of healthy foods rich in vitamins and nutrients

• Keep physically active

• Manage stress

• Practice sun safety

• Limityour alcohol intake

• Don’t use tobacco and/or other recreational drugs

• Drink plenty of water

• Habits like smoking and sunbathing dry out skin and cause wrinkles.

Practice sun safety to prevent skin cancer. Sun exposure puts you at greater risk of skin cancer, whatever your skin color or ethnicity. Dr. NiteenDhepe, Medical Director of Skin City, says, “The Skin is like a mirror reflection of your general health. Most people are particular about keeping tabs on their heart health after a certain age. Whereas they neglect the skin, which actually shows warning signs of all systemic diseases related to the heart, kidneys, lungs, stomach and even nervous system. So visit your dermatologist regularly.” Stay Alert Check your skin for sun damage. Ask your doctor how often you should have a clinical skin exam to check for signs of skin cancer. Check for age spots that appear on your face.They are not harmful, but if the look of age spots bothers you, ask your doctor about skin-lightening creams, laser therapy, and cryotherapy (freezing).

Use sunscreen to prevent more age spots. Ask your doctor if the medicines you are taking can affect your skin. For instance, blood thinners and aspirin can cause you to bruise more easily. Some antibiotics and vitamins make skin sunburn more easily. Knowing how your skin and hair normally look and feel will help you notice changes to ask your doctor about. Acne or Pimples Acne is most common in the teen years, however many women get pimples in their 50s. Acne is also common during pregnancy and menopause, when hormonal changes take place. Medicines, such as birth control pills, can also lead to breakouts. Acne also appears to run in some families. Excessive Hair Loss Some women have hair loss called Alopecia.

It tends to run in families. Hormonal changes occur during and after pregnancy.Underlying health problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),diabetes and thyroid disease can cause hair loss. Also certain medicines, such as birth control pills or those to treat cancer, arthritis, depression, or heart problems,extreme stress, such as from a major illness. Hairstyles that twist or pull hair too cause hair loss. Whether or not hair will grow back depends on the cause of hair loss. If your hair loss is permanent, talk with your doctor about options, such as a hair transplant. Hirsutism-Excessive Hair Gain When dark, thick hair grows on a woman’s face, chest, belly, or back, the condition is called Hirsutism. Health problems and family genes can cause high levels of male hormones result in Hirsutism. If you are overweight, try losing weight. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome suffer of Hirsutism.Whatever the cause you can consider permanent methods for removal of unwanted hair like Laser Hair Reduction.

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SkinCity Allergy clinic

In today’s world full of stress and contaminations, skin and other allergies have evolved as lifestyle disorders. One can be allergic to certain substances by birth or develop them over the years. Some common allergens include foods, cosmetics, fragrances, plantations, sun light, dust. Allergies are common in all age groups. It is a response of one’s own body immune system to agents like dust, metal, fibre, chemical, pollen grains. These agents also known as allergen are not harmful, occur freely in environment and do not bother most people they come in contact with. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one allergen. When an allergen comes in contact with an individual with allergy, it triggers an allergic or hypersensitive reaction. Heredity and environmental exposures contribute to susceptibility of an individual to allergies.

At SkinCity , we offer a thorough consultation and allergy testing for patients suffering from skin allergies to known and unknown allergens and a treatment protocol suitable for patient’s needs. What is allergy? The human immune system is programmed to combat any foreign substance (allergen, infectious agents) entering our body. In this process of dealing with allergens, the immune system produces a number of antibodies and activates blood called eosinophils. Together they attack the allergen with chemical substances. Sometimes the same chemicals can result in symptoms of allergy.

Symptoms of allergies may be obvious such as hay fever or not so obvious such as breathlessness after taking certain medicines. An allergic reaction can occur anywhere in the body (e.g. sneezing and stuffy nose, itching rash of urticaria and asthma). However other symptoms like severe urticaria, migraine and even life- threatening symptoms (reactions to drugs, foods and cosmetics) can occur.

• Specific allergic disease

• Allergic rhinitis / sinusitis

• Allergic conjunctivitis

• Allergic bronchitis

• Eczema, Atopic dermatitis

• Urticaria, Angioedema

• Contact Dermatitis

It is important to detect what is causing the allergy in an individual. After detecting the allergens , the best way is to avoid them (drug allergy), use control measures (house dust mites), create tolerance to them (food allergies), skin protection (urticaria) or treat them with oral vaccines (allergic colds or asthma). We detect allergies by the skin Prick tests which in the hand of an allergy specialist are 90-100% sensitive. At Skin City we manage skin, respiratory and food allergies by careful consultation, ‘In vitro’ allergy testing and treatment as per international guidelines and advanced Desensitization for those who require it.

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SCAR WAR

In a world that is obsessed with appearance, the standard of beauty is difficult to match. Women are especially hard on themselves when it comes to their appearance. Plastic surgery statistics are at an all-time high, and this beauty obsession is to blame Copy: Women scour the covers of magazines, glorify actresses and models, and wish for a body like their idols. What women may not know is that their skin and emotional health are directly related. When a woman is upset about her appearance or skin, this emotion has the potential to wreak havoc on the mind.Probably one of the most upsetting problems is a scar, be it on a visible or covered part of the body. Scars can cause anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder in women, all of which have the potential to severely affect a woman psychologically. Causes of scars Scars can result from accidents, diseases, skin conditions such as acne or from surgeries and are a natural part of the body's healing process. A scar results from the biologic process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues.

Most wounds, except for very minor ones, result in some degree of scarring. Any injury beyond the body’s repair mechanism is filled by raw collagen and is called a scar. While scars cannot be cured, most of them can be made to merge with surrounding skin to an extent of 30 to 100%, thanks to revolutionary technologies. Some scars can have a sunken or pitted appearance. This kind of scarring occurs when underlying structures supporting the skin like fat or muscle are lost. Some surgical scars have this appearance, as do some scars from acne.Scars also can appear as stretched skin. Such scars result when the skin stretches rapidly as in growth spurts or during pregnancy. In addition, this type of scar can occur when the skin is under tension like near a joint, during the healing process.

SkinCity’s scar war Dr. NiteenDhepe, Medical Director, Skin City says “Most scars can be made to merge with the surrounding skin to an extent of 30 to 100%, thanks to technologies like Ultra Pulse Scaar FX, Deep FX, Active FX, Pixel and DYE VL. All scars are now well treated with a holistic combination approach. Lasers like Scaar FX and our signature Derma Transport are Skin City’s unique weapons in the ‘Scar War’.” The scar improvement in burn and hypertrophic scars is measured according to four parameters - thickness, elasticity (flexibility), surface & textural regularity and color – to matchwith the surrounding skin. The ScaarFx – Derma Transport Combination achieves 60 to 100% improvement in all four parameters. Skin City’s revolutionary scar research has been presented in six International conferences through nine research papers and Skin City is now exploring avenues to use this knowhow to treat acid burn victims.

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Regain Your Youthful Appearance with Laser Skin Tightening Treatment

Hundreds and thousands of searches are made on internet daily to find an effective way to get rid of lose, wrinkled skin. If you are also one of those who have been searching for an effective skin tightening procedure of late, stop your search right here. You have finally landed in the right place. Laser

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Practice Building and Marketing in Aesthetics

Traditionally word of mouth was the only way to develop medical practice. Networking for referral of a prospective new patient by an old patient or other physician was the only way of marketing. In recent years because of rapid technological advancement and increment in investment of medical practice and non emergency nature of aesthetic procedures, need for marketing has evolved.

Essentials of building of an Aesthetic Practice 1. Marketing Plan 2. Accreditations 3. Develop portfolio 4. Office appearance 5. External marketing 6. Internet marketing 7. Staffing 8. Internal marketing

Develop a marketing plan: What sets your practice apart from others? Consistent message & logo:

How do you want to project yourself? As an individual expert doctor or as an Institute? If you are planning a large investment in multiple location with many doctors involved, brand yourself as Institute rather an individual.A consistent logo and catch line spreading the primary motive of your organization goes a long way.

Understand Your Market

Aesthetic Practice being intensive in investment, it is absolutely essential to survey the market for the services you are providing.

Who is your customer?Whether you are catering to metro or nonmetro clients, young or middle aged, computer literate and netsavy or non -techy, middle class or affluent class

How does your customer think and gather information? Once you know who are your clients, then get to know how they gather their information. It may be television, newspaper, internet, clubs, panel displays of bigger hospitals. Who are their opinion leaders? Politicians, celebrities, religious personalities, beauticians?

Define goals for the practice What do you expect out of your aesthetic practice over time? Set the goals in term of clear and achievable tangential parameters. How many patients per month, how much of revenue per month, how many presentations or publications, how many clinics, in how many years.

Create budget, timeline, and measurement criteria: Accreditation means approval of your quality from any body that is perceived by people as an authority in that field. Some examples include ISO, JACO, NABH for hospitals. MD, DNB degrees itself is an Accreditation perceived rightfully as a benchmark of quality. • It is necessary as it is a visible sign of Public recognition, benchmark of professional achievement, quality of care and demonstrates self confidence and commitment to quality. • It is a useful tool of marketing • Regulatory compliance for these accreditations actually elevates the level of your practice. Consultative guidance from these agencies is a great source of learning and Quality Improvement. • Memberships of professional organizations in related field will indirectly highlight your excellence in the field. Moreover inputs from the memberships in journals, conferences, courses, opportunity for interaction with the Masters is an invaluable source of professional development. Examples include IADVL, ACSI, ASDS, ASLMS, AAD, EADV, etc. • Accreditation need not be academic alone. Association with other bodies publicly perceived as quality makes a useful accreditation. Being appointed as the Official Dermatologist of a opinion leader, beauty contest, column writer in a magazine or news paper, Consultant Post in a reputed hospital help to win confidence of a prospective client.

Develop a Portfolio of your good results The best way of winning confidence of a prospective client is to share good results of your treatment. It is fortunate that in Aesthetic Practice, it is easy to document the outcome of our expertise that can easily be shared with other patients

Accumulate your own Beforeand-After photos: Treat staff members, family and close friends and get them to be a part of the portfolio. Get permission to use treatment photos for patient consultation, presentations and website. Review photos prior to treating. Take good “before” photos Often staff members are unaware the photos are of poor quality and if you don’t check them prior to treating your patient, you’ve lost a great opportunity to show your skills to future patients.There are many opportunities to get good “after” photos but only one chance to get the actual “before” photo.

In Photography Remember the 3D’s. Distance, Detail and Development. Distance should be appropriate to the problem. If the distance is too far - photographs of peri-ocular tretaed by CO2 would not show well in a full face photograph .If too close – A facelift photograph would not show well if you can not see the full lower third of the face and neck. Detail : Show the lumps, bumps, lines, creases, hills, and valleys. This is achieved by adjusting Focus, Change the angle • Development : Look at the photographs in the imaging program.What looks like a good photograph immediately after it’s taken may actually be out of focus when seen on the full screen. Remember only one chance to get “before” photos Factors influencing patients decision to chose YOU for aesthetic procedure

55% Visual 38% Communication with staff 7% Consultation with physician The decision to choose you has almost been made (93%) before you even meet with the client.

Office Appearance In an interesting survey conducted in USA on patients seeking aesthetic procedure, it was highlighted that 55% of their decision was influenced by what the client actually sees in your clinic. Remember, cosmetic surgery is an emotional decision. The patient should feel like they’ve made the right choice as soon as they walk in the door. Everything should be “high-class” and authentic be it the Office décor, Displays, Forms, Warm reception. Displaying your credentials, certificates, trophies, membership will help in winning confidence of the patient. A screen constantly displaying your pre and post result portfolio and credentials at the most visible location is a useful tool.

Print Media Marketing In India, print media is still an influential media. Which media to choose depends upon your market and who your customers are. Media marketing involves two important segments, namely advertisement and media PR (public relation) management. Regular advertisements help registering the brand but authenticity is created when editorial coverage highlights your product. Print advertisements budget should be spared for small sized but repetitive ads instead of bigger sized infrequent ads. Local woman’s magazine or other community papers

Networking Networking with other physicians is traditional but still very effective way getting new patient leads. Keep other doctors aware of what you do. It is surprising to know that very few physicians know of your newly acquired skill or newly owned laser machine than you expected. Periodic newsletters, “email blasts”, practice announcement SMS (texts) will keep them in touch. You may request your friend physician to post information and brochures in their offices. If you are attached as a consultant in any multispecialty hospital, be particular that your name is displayed on wall panel with your correct credentials like Dermatologist and cosmetic laser surgeon, hair transplant surgeon, allergologist etc. Your business card should proudly mention all your credentials and affiliations. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to your college or anyone as ‘Myself Dr ABC, Dermatologist and Vitiligo surgeon.’ Take interest in knowing similar skills your other colleague have acquired. Networking through Community involvement Participating in community works like Rotary clubs help networking with opinion leaders in other fields. Participating in interactive shows on channels as an expert, writing a column in a news paper, donating for a community cause opens many channels of networking. Seminars: Organizing seminars for general public, prospective clients or CME activities for other doctors help to spread the awareness of what you are doing.

Internet Marketing Internet marketing is the Best value, High source of new cosmetic patients. Good website, search engine connections and social media marketing is the triad of successful internet marketing. It supplies “Educated” patients those know much of the things already. Your job is then rather easy. You can refer caller to your web site for information and pictures. Some of the features of a good website are right content keys, Easy to read,Easy to navigate,Contact information on every page. Updating the contents regularly is essential. Design of website should classy and user friendly

Search Engine Optimization with leading search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing with appropriate keywords is must to make your website available in first few results for a specific keywords. Keywords should be derived by putting yourself in the shoes of the client and imagining how a new client will seek information

Social Media Marketing In current days, social media marketing has become more important than website and search engine optimization. People allover world are now more on Facebook and twitter than Google. Few important tips for social media marketing are as follows: create your practice’s profile and pages on Facebook, twitter and other social networking sites. Give link to these pages on your every stationary like business card, prescription, email signatures. Request every patient to FOLLOW or LIKE your pages. Offer updates and discount announcements of facebook pages. Request your happy patients to write favorable reviews about your services on blogs. Make your happy patients your brand ambassadors.

Staffing Your Practice Marketing Plans, Accreditation, and Beautiful Office settings make no difference in building your practice if you don’t have the right staff. Hire the right people to make the perfect team. Maximize employees skills, strengths, and weakness Encourage employee education and advancement.All employees contribute to patient relationships and comfort. They should be cross-trained. They should be given motivation to take initiative in patient comfort. Build A Team Along with Your Practice. Most important employee in your practice should be front desk staff. Whenever you plan to hire a new employee, don’t take a decision on your own. Other staff working directly with the new hire should be consulted. This help build a team spirit. If you want your employee to handle your patient well, you handle the employee well. Treat the employee as if they are your clients. These quotations from management textbooks underline the importance of staff management. 75% to 90%times, Patient’s first contact to the practice is by telephone. Staff answering phone must be friendly, knowledgeable and not rushed. Ultimate aim should be smooth patient flow. It is observed that 68% times, patient’s that decide to seek treatment elsewhere did so because of staff discourtesy.

Typical Staff designations Front Receptionist Patient Coordinator Internal Marketing Director Business Manager Houseman or assistant doctors Aestheticians Nurses Positive Telephone Image Answer phone on the first or second ring Listen Acknowledge a request Show interest and care Be considerate Follow through on all promises Apologize for errors or delays Don’t leave people on hold Internal marketing: Retaining your clients It costs much more to attract a new patient than to retain an existing one. Best and cheapest way to get a new patient is a Happy patient referring his friend to you. How much percentage of patients comes for second and third treatments in multiple session treatments must be tracked. Any patient not continuing treatment must be assessed for the reason of discontinuation. Appropriate measures to be taken to make the old patient a happy and regular one. • Keep them informed: patients must be made aware of what services your catering to. o Display of pre and post treatment photographs in waiting hall o Posters of practice announcements and special discount offers o Periodic news letters o SMS alerts of new announcements o Brochures and leaflets – easily accessible • Cross selling: Patients consulting for one indication are softly and indirectly promoted with other service or treatment. In author’s experience, patients coming for body shaping are easily converted to neurotoxin injections and laser hair removal. Doctor, nurse executing treatment are to be trained in cross selling. • Loyalty appreciation: old patients of one treatment seeking second treatment must be discounted. Offer launches of new treatments at concessional charges. • Cross referrals: patients referring his or her friend as a new patient must be appreciated and given discounts if possible. Ethical and legal issues in marketing While open advertising is legally allowed in some western countries, there are some restrictions on advertisements in India. Remember the following principles A doctor can not advertise himself but a clinic or hospital or a business can Advertisement highlighting credentials of a doctors to sell a service is not allowed Doctors can write in editorials to answer the queries Sponsored editorial intended to inform the public are allowed and are called Advertorials Any claim made in black and whiteis subject to verification in future also. So be cautious about the claims made in advertisment

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Microdermabrasion for Facial Skin Rejuvenation

Microdermabrasion comprises one of the most popular non-invasive cosmetic procedures used for effective and dramatic facial skin rejuvenation. It is a relatively easy, simple and pain free technique that is being advanced as an effective alternative to surgical facelift. It works by gently peeling off the damaged top layer of skin to reveal clear, smooth

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Obesity In India

According to an international research firm that reviews industry trends and creates forecasts, demand for cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures is expected to grow at a rate of nearly 8.5% annually through 2013. Demand for minimally-invasive procedures is expected to grow at an even faster rate, as more people reorganize their budgets and look for Aesthetic Procedures to achieve their ideal look. Usual surgical procedures consist of three steps: cutting the patient open; removing or repairing an organ or tissue; and closing the patient up again. In minimal access surgery, the impact of the first and last of these is reduced as far as possible, either by gaining access to the body through natural orifices or by operating through very small holes (typically 5-15 mm across) cut into the body.

The development of fibre optic light sources, miniature video cameras and specially designed tools has allowed increasingly complex surgery to be performed, with the surgeon being guided by high resolution, magnified video images. This issue talks about obesity in India. India is one of the top 5 countries that has a high demand for liposuction services. The reason for India to embrace liposuction and other minimally invasive procedures for weight loss is due to our tendency to put weight coupled with bad eating habits and a total lack of exercise. This explains the rapid growth of cosmetic offering this service. Moreover today people have more disposable income than before, which they invest in looking good. -

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Long Term Safety and Efficacy of Laser Hair Removal with Diode Laser
Laser hair removal is one of the very popular laser treatments offered by dermatologist for the removal of unwanted body hair. Today not only females who are suffering from hirsutism or hypertrichosis get this treatment but this it's gaining much more popularity amongst males as well to get rid of unwanted body hair. Now a day varieties of laser and light technologies are available in market for the purpose of laser hair reduction, some of those are ILP, Diode Laser, LP Nd:YAG 1064 laser etc. Though it is the most popular laser treatment but not enough data regarding the long term efficacy and safety of laser hair removal is available. Method: Before starting laser treatment complete clinical history and physical examination was carried out. Base line investigation was carried out in case of hirsutism or in case of history of menstrual irregularities or history suggestive of some hormonal imbalance. Those are given below
  • Family history of hirsutism
  • MC irregularity
  • Documented PCOD
  • Patient is on hormonal treatment
  • Obesity
  • Other endocrine disorders
Informed written consent was taken from every patient before starting the laser treatment. Pre treatment and post treatment photographs were taken at each visit. First marking of the area was done, followed by shaving of the area to be treated. External Cooling in form of application of Ice or external cooler zimmer (cryo 5) was applied to skin to bring the surface temperature to around 10⁰C. Treatment with Diode laser was given in the marked area with slight overlapping (around 10%). Energy (fluence) was adjusted by the clinical response of mild to moderate erythema and perifollicular edema. Pulsed width of 30 ms was used for non tanned patients were as pulsed with of 100ms was used for very dark skin or tanned skin. Post treatment emollient and Sunscreen of at least 30 SPF was prescribed for the exposed treated part. Gap of not less than 2 months was given in between two laser treatment sittings. At Dr Dhepe's SkinCity , PG institute of Dermatology, we have an experience of more than 10 years for Laser hair removal with different technologies available in market. The technologies we have for laser hair removal are – 3 Diode lasers, 1- LP Nd:YAG laser, 1-IPL. So, we conducted study to find out long term efficacy and safety of laser hair removal in Indian patients. 920 cases including study from around 15 districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka over a period of 3 years, Most of them completed 4 to 8 sittings. Final analysis of data was done of the basis of Efficacy, Long term efficacy, Safety and economics (cost of entire treatment).
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Laser Hair Removal for Men

The fact is that having or developing any trait that makes an individual not conform to norms detaches him from normal life and makes him self-conscious. Excessive hairiness in men is one such trait that makes them feel self-conscious. Thick coarse hair on face – beard and mustaches – and on arms and legs add […]

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Laser Tattoo Removal Before and After

Laser tattoo removal is the finest treatment in its category. Many people regret their tattoos and want to get rid of them. Traditional methods like salabrasion and dermabrasion are highly invasive and cost a lot of pain. Laser treatment does not cause such issues. After 1st session A marked decrease in the appearance of the […]

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Laser and Combination Treatment of Birthmarks
Birth marks are developmental anomalies where particular cell line will proliferate more to form a benign growth, still it is distinct from malignancy because the cells are of normal nature and growth is well controlled. Birth marks are classified base on which cells are proliferating. E.g. birth mark of keratinocytes is epidermal nevus; birth mark of blood vessels is hemangioma or lymphangioma. Treatments of Birthmarks Types of birth marks Which cell proliferates? Clinical type Keratinocytes Verrucous epidermal nevus Endothelium of vessels Hemangioma Lymphangioma Angiokeratoma Adipocyte NevusLipomaticus Sebaceous Glands Nevus sebaceous Nevus Comedonicus Nerve Cells Neurofibromatosis Melanocytes Melanocytic Nevus Nevus Spilus Nevus of Ota & Ito Becker's Nevus How birth marks grow? Birth marks may grow in-utero or start growing soon after birth. Some birth marks may start growing at age of 10 years to 20 years. Many cutaneous birthmarks have extensions of dormant cells in hair follicles, that's why they tend to recur after treatment. Principles of treatment of birthmarks: ŸExcision, ŸSerial excision ŸDermabrasion ŸSelective photo-thermolysis ŸDon't treat Leave as it is. Which birth marks need to be treated? 1)Hemangioma: rapidly growing, compressing vital structures, ulcerated & bleeding ones 2)Nevus sebaceous: long standing nevus sebaceous can transform into malignancy at age 40 and above. 3)Melanocytic nevus: Larger than 2 cm nevi and multiple nevi need to be excised. 4)Cosmetically disturbing nevi are better treated in time. Combination with ILS will reduce scarring of laser Becker’s Nevus with LEO 540 Radiofrequency removal of mole: follow-up of 4 years How birth marks grow? Birth marks may grow in-utero or start growing soon after birth. Some birth marks may start growing at age of 10 years to 20 years. Many cutaneous birthmarks have extensions of dormant cells in hair follicles, that's why they tend to recur after treatment. Principles of treatment of birthmarks: ŸExcision, ŸSerial excision ŸDermabrasion ŸSelective photo-thermolysis ŸDon't treat Leave as it is. Which birth marks need to be treated? 1)Hemangioma: rapidly growing, compressing vital structures, ulcerated & bleeding ones 2)Nevus sebaceous: long standing nevus sebaceous can transform into malignancy at age 40 and above. 3)Melanocytic nevus: Larger than 2 cm nevi and multiple nevi need to be excised. 4)Cosmetically disturbing nevi are be treated in time.
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How Can You Get Rid of Stretch Marks

Appearance of stretch marks on various parts of body is a normal part of puberty for most girls and boys. Sudden changes in body size, such as pregnancy or rapid weight loss or weight gain can also lead to stretch marks. These indentions mostly appear on thighs, buttocks and arms, near the armpits.

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Important Lessons for an Entrepreneur

How to Be Assertive (Without Losing Yourself) Conventional wisdom says that assertive people go ahead. They tell people what they think, request the resources they need, and don't take no for an answer. So what are non-assertive people supposed to do, if their company's culture rewards these actions? If you're shy or reserved, don't fret. You can ask for what you need and get what you want, while still being yourself. What the Experts Say Managers need some degree of selfconfidence to be effective. "The right amount of assertiveness, respect for others, and intelligence is what makes a great leader there needs to be a balance.”There's a sweet spot for assertiveness. If you're below the range, you're not going to get your way.

If you're above it, you're not getting along with others. The good news is being shy is not a permanent condition. Assertiveness can be learned. The key is to understand the context, assess your behavior, and then make the appropriate adjustments. Understand the context Assertiveness is not universally understood to be a positive trait. Before you make changes to your behavior, know the context you are working in. Does the culture national, regional, or organizational truly value forcefulness? Or do you work in a situation where a persuasive, quiet approach is sometimes more esteemed? Consider the implications of your behavior before you alter it. Evaluate your level of assertiveness You can do this by either assessing your own behavior or asking others for input. Are you willing to talk to anyone about what you want? Objectively rating your own behavior can be difficult. "The connection between what we think we're doing and what others see is very weak. Often it's not greater than chance," Therefore, it might help to get feedback from trusted colleagues or to conduct a 360-degree review Set goals and stick to them If you find in your assessment that you are holding back in situations where you shouldn't, ask yourself what you aren't saying and why you're keeping quiet.

Next time you enter a similar situation, rehearse what you are going to say and how you will say it beforehand, challenge yourself with a specific timebounded behavioral goal. For example, give yourself a week to initiate three difficult conversations with colleagues. Or tell yourself that for the next two weeks, whenever you're in a group discussion, you'll speak up within the first two minutes. "Focused incremental changes add up to real change," If you're successful, set another goal and stick to it. If it doesn't work, don't beat yourself up. Try a different one. "Approach it with an attitude of playfulness," Build relationships Often time’s people hold back because they are uncomfortable in a situation, either because they don't know people or they're afraid of what others might think. Therefore, it can help to get to know people outside of work. Connect with work colleagues who are only casual acquaintances. Socialize with colleagues in a way that breaks down barriers.

You may be less cautious about speaking up if you're at ease socially. Stay true to yourself Altering your style to be more assertive can feel inauthentic, but it doesn't have to be. You're not changing your character; you are making deliberate choices about how you behave. Don't feel you have to muster interpersonal coldness to accompany your assertion. Feel free to be friendly and empathic while asking for your needs to be met. Find your own style instead of trying to imitate others. Nor do you need to be more assertive in every context every day. You can bring out your competitive side when it's useful and you can dial back and be accommodating when it's helpful. There's a line — know when you've crossed it Be careful that in your quest, you don't become a bully or a nuisance. being overly assertive is often interpreted as self-promotional or arrogant. Monitor the impact you have on others. The costs of being overly assertive are not immediately apparent to us.

If you yell at a subordinate, she may do what you asked but she may also go home and update her resume. Be sure your efforts to push more are well intended. Assertiveness is most appreciated when it's in the service of the team. Principles to Remember Do: Assess your own degree of assertiveness and ask others for feedback. Set realistic goals to make small changes in your behavior and stick to them. Forge relationships with colleagues outside of work so that you feel more comfortable speaking up. Don't: Assume that assertiveness is always a good thing — the context you work in and your gender both matter. Try to imitate someone else's behavior — you can change while still being true to who you are Overcompensate and become aggressive — balance assertiveness with consideration of others. 2) Why Aren't You Delegating? You have way too much to do, you're buried in work, and it seems there's no way out from under it all. But there is: delegation. Yes, yes, you know it's important to do and you know it will save you time and help others develop new skills.

So why aren't you doing it? What the Experts Say Delegation is a critical skill. Your most important task as a leader is to teach people how to think and ask the right questions so that the world doesn't go to hell if you take a day off. Delegation benefits managers, direct reports, and organizations. Yet it remains one of the most underutilized and underdeveloped management capabilities. Most people will tell you they are too busy to delegate — that it's more efficient for them to just do it But it's time to drop the excuses. Here's how. Watch for warning signs You may not realize that you're unnecessarily hoarding work. There are warning signs, however. A classic sign of insufficient delegation is that you are working long hours and feel totally indispensable, while your staff isn't terribly energized and keeps strangely regular hours. You may also feel that your team doesn't take ownership over projects and that you're the only one that cares.

If they use phrases like, "I'm happy to help you with this," it may be an indication that you're doling out tasks, not handing over responsibility. Understand why you're not delegating There are plenty of reasons why managers don't delegate. Some are perfectionists who feel it's easier to do everything themselves, or that their work is better than others this is "selfenhancement bias." Some believe that passing on work will detract from their own importance, while others lack self-confidence and don't want to be upstaged by their subordinates. No matter how self-aware you are, don't assume that you're immune to these biases. Instead, you need to proactively ask yourself what you're going to do to counterbalance them.

Letting go of these misconceptions can be extremely difficult and often organizational culture doesn't help. Giving up being 'the go-to expert' takes tremendous confidence and perspective even in the healthiest environments. "It's even more challenging in the average company, where being a good manager is seen as a 'nice to have,' but where producing the core deliverable is what is truly esteemed." But accepting that you can't do everything yourself is a critical first step to delegating. Measure how you're doing Once you've recognized what's standing in your way, the next logical step is to adjust your behavior. In reality, however, very few people know what to change or how to change it. "If you asked most managers how they spent their day, they are not going to be able to recall it accurately. He advises keeping a daily diary of how you spend your time. After a week, you'll start to see patterns. You're likely to find that a lot of time is spent on low-leverage activities that can be delegated. Choose the right people Some managers fear delegation because they've been burned in the past. It's important that you pass on work to people who have the necessary skills and are motivated to get the job done right. Ideally, you should be able to delegate some form of work to everyone on your team.

If you push work as far down the hierarchy as possible, you will free up time and help all your staff members grow. Integrate delegation into what you already do Delegation shouldn't be yet another task. Make it part of your process for creating staff development plans. Discuss which types of projects and tasks you will passon to them so that they can build the skills they need. Make sure it's written down as part of their performance goals and discuss how you will be mutually accountable for making it happen. Then create a cheat sheet that lists each person's development plan and put it somewhere visible. This should help to spur your thinking about opportunities to delegate as they arise normally in your work. And the assignment will be welcomed because the employee understands clearly how it fits into the development plan.

Ask others to hold you accountable Give your direct reports permission to call you out when you haven't delegated something you should. Remember that it's never easy to give your boss feedback, so be crystal clear that you are open to and expect this kind of input. Also, let them know that they're responsible for their own growth and if they see a project they want to take on, they should ask for it. Really let go After you delegate, your job as a manager is to observe and support your direct reports, not dictate what they do. It's not about making the decisions for them. Develop their critical thinking skills so they become better at intervening in their own situations. Give your employees space. If you want people to learn, you have to permit them to make mistakes and figure out how to correct them. Micromanaging defeats the whole purpose.

Be careful though. It's possible to be too hands off. While you don't want to tell people how to do the job, you must be in a position to evaluate their performance and development. Don't walk away from a task you've delegated. Stay involved but let your employee lead the way. Learn from experience Once you've started delegating more, pay attention to the results, and learn from your mistakes. Ask yourself how you can tweak your approach. Can you delegate more involved tasks? Should you give your direct reports more freedom? Do you need to monitor progress more closely? Be patient with yourself while you practice. You're going from an 'I'm going to do everything because I know better than everyone' mindset to 'I'm going to let people learn' mindset". It may take time, but the payoff is great. Principles to Remember Do: Take note if you're overwhelmed and your team members don't seem to have enough to do — it's a warning sign Keep a visual reminder of your team's development goals so you can easily identify opportunities to delegate Ask your direct reports to call you out when you haven't delegated enough. Don't: Assume that you aren't biased about other people's performance Give someone else responsibility for something and then micromanage the task to death Be impatient — practice and learn from your mistakes.

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How to Avoid Dark Circles

Dark circles around the eyes is quite a common problem that really has an ill effect on the overall persona. People want to get rid of them which can be done with the help of certain treatments. However, as the ages old cliché goes that prevention is better than cure, it is ideal that you […]

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What are Side Effects of Laser Scar Removal?

Laser scar removal comprises one of the most popular and most demanded scar removing techniques nowadays, reason being its non-invasive nature and instant results. But like any other procedure, laser scar removal also has some side effects associated with it that every potential candidate should be aware of before committing to the procedure. Luckily laser

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Add that Dash of Confidence

Clear spotless skin is something we all want. Having that perfect skin adds a lot to our confidence. But not everyone is blessed with glowing skin. That though is no longer a cause of worry as Auyon Acharya tells you how Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Leading Dermatologist in India as well as the Medical Director, Skin City PG Institute of Dermatology has just the right tips when it comes to acquiring that perfect blemish free skin. Copy: A person's skin color is, after all, perhaps the very first thing you notice about him, since skin is our largest and most visible organ. And though the days when a particular complexion was the ultimate sign of beauty may be behind us, your skin tone can still say a lot about you.

Discovering the Problem Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect the color of your skin. Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin produced by melanocyte cells in the skin. The darker the skin, the more melanin it contains. Freckles and beauty marks likewise indicate a higher concentration of the pigment in certain areas. Special cells in the skin make melanin. When these cells become damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. Some pigmentation disorders affect just patches of skin. Others affect your entire body. Melanin also performs another vital function: It protects the skin against harmful UV rays. For something that only reaches the thin upper layers of our skin, pigmentation can have a huge impact on the way others see us and the way we see ourselves.

A person's skin color is, after all, perhaps the very first thing you notice about him, since skin is our largest and most visible organ. And though the days when a particular complexion was the ultimate sign of beauty may be behind us, your skin tone can still say a lot about you. Skin City has state of the art technology in the form of the Helios Laser which addresses various pigmentation disorders like simple tanning to deeper melasma and dark circles. Besides the darkening of face and arms due to exposure to sunlight, many of us are unhappy with dark skin in places like the elbows, knees, underarms, back of the neck, buttocks and inner thighs.

The Skin City Advantage Helios Laser Toning is the latest trend in the world for pigmentation & tanning. The Helios laser successfully removes dark patches from all the areas mentioned above, giving you a skin you will be proud to flaunt. No more fear of wearing sleeveless dresses, low back saree blouses or shorts. There is no downtime and immediate brightening is visible within a single session. However for deeply pigmented areas, several sittings will give you the desired results. So brighten your skin with and your outlook by calling Skin City today.

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Hair Transplantation Your Ticket to Hair Growth & Confidence.

Baldness, especially in males, has been a topic of discussion and research for years. The degree and pattern of baldness varies, but it’s most common cause is androgenic alopecia, alopecia androgenetica.

More than 95% of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness. Its incidence varies from population to population and is based on genetic background. Environmental factors do not seem to affect this type of baldness greatly. Approximately 25 percent of men begin balding by age 30; two-thirds begin balding by age 60. Apart from the genetic factor, baldness can be caused by other factors such as lifestyle, health problems and stress. Men typically associate a full head of hair with youth and vigor. Although they may be aware of baldness in their family, many are uncomfortable talking about it as it is a sensitive issue. For sufferers, it can represent a loss of control and feelings of isolation. People experiencing hair thinning often find themselves in a situation where their physical appearance is at odds with their own self-image and commonly worry that they appear older than they are or less attractive to others. Psychological problems due to baldness, if present, are typically most severe at the onset of symptoms. A decline in one’s confidence is the most common psychological effect of baldness. Skin City has one of the very few expert teams in hair transplantation proficient in FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) & FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) methods. The Mantis Stereo microscope is the hallmark and benchmark for quality in hair transplantation, and Skin City is one of the few centers in India to use the mantis microscope lab for the preparation of hair grafts in hair transplantation surgery. Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Director - Skin City, answers some of the most asked questions pertaining to hair transplantation, the most reliable and sought after treatment for baldness :- Q: Why does baldness occur? A: Causes of baldness are different for males and females. In males, who predominantly suffer from it, mostly it's the effect of hormones on the hair follicle that is responsible. Apart from that, there could be other medical conditions responsible for baldness. Q: What are the treatments for baldness? A: There are several options for treatment of baldness depending on the extent and severity, like:
  • • Hair Transplantation (FUT / FUE)
  • • Mesotherapy
  • • Medical treatment
  • • Scalp Reduction / Expansion surgeries
  • • Flap surgeries
Q: What is Hair Transplantation? (HT) A: It's the surgical technique that involves moving skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body (the donor site) to bald or balding parts (the recipient site). Q: What are the Objective(s) of HT? A: HT surgery addresses the following issues
  • a) To recreate hairline
  • b) More extensive hair replacement
  • c) To add density to existing hair
  • d) To correct transplanted hair line if you are not happy with previous surgery
Q: What is the best available method for hair transplantation? A: Follicular Unit Hair Transplant (FUT) is the best available method of HT as gives the most natural look. Q: What is Follicular Unit Hair Transplant? (FUT) A: Most hair follicles in the scalp are naturally grouped together in units of 1, 2 or 3 hair, called follicular units. This natural pattern is replicated in the surgery. This kind of transplantation of follicular units gives the most natural look after surgery. After 3 to 4 months, transplanted hair begins to grow and continue to grow at half inch per month for the rest of your life. Q: Is it Painful? A: No. Not at all. Only a couple of pricks to give local anesthesia and after that our patient can relax and enjoy listening to music during the procedure. Q: What should I expect after surgery? A: After the surgery, no dressing is placed on the grafted area. Most people do not have significant pain after surgery and is mostly controlled by simple pain killers taken orally. Some itching and swelling occurs but is generally mild. The transplanted hair may fall out in about 2 to 4 weeks and begins to grow back in about three months. Once the hair has grown, another session may be performed to improve the density of hair. 3 weeks after the surgery, some oral medication is prescribed. Mesotherapy of scalp is added to accelerate re-growth of transplanted hair and preserve existing hair growth. Q: How many sessions of surgery will be needed? A:A single mega-session is usually enough. Those with extensive baldness may require 2 -3 sessions. Correct evaluation & estimation is possible after personal consultation. Q: How long will it take to cover bald areas after transplant? A: It takes 3 to 4 months to start showing re-growth. It takes 9 to 10 months to show full growth. For more details, please feel free to write to director@skincityindia.com
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Vaginal Tightening

Vaginal muscles must be able to contract to maintain continence, and to relax allowing for urination and bowel movements, and for sexual intercourse as well as for giving birth. They also support and protect the organs of the abdomen and hold the bladder in its proper place. The pelvic muscles can become stretched or weakened due to ageing and more specifically due to pregnancy. This often happens after a difficult childbirth which overstretches or tears the pelvic muscles and can also be the result of giving birth to several babies within a very short time span. Their under use can also cause pelvic floor weakness.

This set of muscles, also known as the muscles of the perineum, forms the floor of the pelvic cavity and supports the pelvic organs such as the bladder, uterus and colon and intestine. These muscles act like a rubber band, they need to be tense but neither too tight to avoid pelvic floor muscle disorder nor too loose, because in both cases they will lose the right degree of elasticity and therefore their main function and could potentially create a pelvic floor dysfunction. Symptoms of hypotonic pelvic muscles:

• Stress incontinence

• Urge incontinence

• Pelvic organ prolapse

Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners Vaginal tightening is the tightening of the pelvic musclesto achieve or maintain the right degree of elasticity of the pelvic floor muscles. Vaginal tightening can be achieved in different ways, all effective in their own way and can be complementary. Vaginoplasty is a reconstructive plastic surgery[and cosmetic procedure for the vaginal canal and its mucous membrane, and of vulvovaginal structures that might be absent or damaged because of congenital disease (e.g. vaginal hypoplasia) or because of an acquired cause (e.g. childbirth physical trauma, cancer)

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Get Back in Shape with Laser Liposuction

The fight against an out of shape body is always on the cards. People want to get back in shape though it is not always easy. Even if a good diet control and exercise regime is maintained, it is entirely possible that some fat may remain on certain parts of the body. Laser liposuction is […]

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4 Facts about Laser Treatment for Acne Scars That You Did Not Know
Home » 4 facts about Laser treatment for acne scars that you did not know  Primary tabs      View(active tab)     Edit  Laser treatment for acne scars, also known as laser skin resurfacing, uses high-energy beams to break hard scar tissues and remove damaged skin to reveal fresh and smooth skin underneath. Lasers not only deliver quick results but also involve minimal downtime, allowing the individuals continue their routine activities along with acne scar treatment. For years
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The Future Of Dermatology

Dermatology as a specialty choice in India was not very popular. Up until a decade ago many seats in this specialty would go unused due to it being an unglamorous and mundane subject. Mainstream Dermatology was always associated with Skin diseases, leprosy and Venereal Diseases. Though the Global scenario in Cosmetic Dermatology started changing a while ago, in India it started getting recognized as a lucrative and glamorous option about a decade ago. Cosmetic Dermatology has become a very aspirational branch of dermatology which is being practiced in all sectors of the Industry, organized and unorganized, Government and private. With Global trends and awareness on the possibilities for solutions to various skin and beauty concerns being available, the demand for such services has gone through a huge growth curve in this decade.

With Aesthetics, cosmetology and Plastic surgery coming together to offer people solutions to every possible beauty concern, the need for practitioners in this area of expertise is also witnessing a huge growth trend. The Cosmetic Dermatology Society of India is a body that brings together experts in the beauty, dermatology and plastic surgery arenas to share trends and updates in this dynamic industry. Though India has seen the demand in this industry grow, this growth curve has only just started here. The demand for qualified experts in this domain is going to grow by leaps and bounds in the years to come. There are no conventional Government run training Institutes for dermatologists in the revolutionary and ever changing industry of cosmetic dermatology.

Some industry leaders and key opinion leaders run institutes with structured courses and fellowships in these technologies. Skin City which is the biggest Skin and Hair Restoration Center in India offers several short and long term courses in Cosmetic Dermatology. Besides the DDV for MBBS students, we have fellowships and short and long term observation courses for, MD, MBBS BAMS and BHMS doctors respectively. Which include, the study of Lasers, Chemical Peels, Mesotherapy, M i c r o d e r m a b r a s i o n , H a i r transplantation, Safe Tumescent liposuction, Botox and fillers etc. Because of the number of patients seen and the size of the Institute and operations the hands on experience that an aspiring aesthetician can get at Skin City is unmatched anywhere else in the country.

Skin City has the largest number of  lasers in India available under one roof, some of which are:

1.Micro Derma Abrasion + Jet Peel

2.Q-Switch ND YAG - for skin

rejuvination, Tanning and for Tattoo

removal.

3.Fractional CO2 Laser

4. Ultra pulse (Fractional CO2 laser)

5. Micro Needle RF

6. Erybium YAG

7. Q-Swtich ND YAG for tattoo removal,

Brightening of skin (with carbon peel)

8. Ultra Liposys.

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Systems and Processes for Aesthetic Business

It is important for any business to have systems and processes. This applies to a business in the Medical and Aesthetic Business as well. Systems and processes help to:

• ensure that staff understand how things work.

• eliminate duplication.

• reduce the learning process for new staff.

• increase efficiency and eliminate wastage.

• make information readily accessible.

• add value to your business.

• engender an open and transparent workplace.

While policies, procedures and processes may have been established, as the business grows and competes at a different level, its complexity will demand more control mechanisms, better communication and systems to drive efficiency. Stepping up to the next level will also bring new and sophisticated competition. This may mean looking at new ways of doing things and employing new thinking to make sure that your business is as efficient and streamlined as possible, while still delivering a high level of satisfaction to the customer. Policies, procedures and processes:

All businesses benefit from policies, procedures and processes combined into a documented system under which the business operates. A policy is a written or verbal statement of a firm’s stance on a topic. It defines how things are done in the business and what rules apply. Policies can include HR policies like:

• Attendance

• Leave entitlement

• Communication

• Travel • Dress code

• Appraisals and increment

• Recruitment and training

• Employee welfare

• Separation Based on the size and the structure of your set up, the list can be added on to.

A procedure is usually a step-by-step instruction to achieve a certain outcome. Some procedures can be quitedetailed. Others can be more general in nature. Specialist procedures, such as surgeries and handling equipment, should be written by someone with experience in the field. Standard operating procedures for any treatment or service should define the following:

• Principle

• Objective

• Scope

• Steps

Benefit In a benefit driven procedure which is of paramount importance in an aesthetic set up, it is important to align expectations and outline clearly the number of sessions required and the expected outcome. Non technical SOP’s which will define the experience you wish to offer at your setup will afford a professional impression to your customer. Some of which are as follows:

• Soft skill

• Telephone skills

Grooming A process is a method or system for achieving a certain outcome. Companies can put in place a manufacturing process or there can be a process for obtaining sales. In the aesthetic business, the treatment process and the experience from entry to exit is what defines the USP of the business. Therefore having a front office reception process for greeting and meeting the customer, the flow to complete the treatment and complete the billing, next appointment and exit completes the feel good experience for the client:

• Customer handling

• Form filling

• Scheduling

• Follow up

• Reconfirmation

• Billing

• Incident handling

• Enquiry handling

  Loyalty programmes The back office and support systems and process also ensure that the business is productive and growing. Some of them are:

• Sales reporting

• Customer tracking

• Database capturing

• Inventory management

It is important that company policies, procedures and processes are properly documented and can be easily obtained by each member of staff. Electronic systems can be useful to ensure that staff members have the information readily available when they need it. It is also important that when policies, procedures or processes form part of an employee’s conditions of employment that they are either attached to the employment contract or given directly to an employee for consideration. Benefits of a documented system are: • better succession options for the business, including saleability.

• ensuring that record keeping, compliance and reporting obligations are met.

• smooth running of the business.

• effective training of new staff.

• reduction of administrative time.

• assists in reducing risk.

• clear direction for employees on how to operate within the business.

• consistency in product or service delivered.

• the business not totally dependent on the owners.

Policies, procedures and processes should be reviewed and updated regularly – at least annually. Updates should also be made when legislation or compliance changes impact on the business. Any changes to policies, procedures or processes should be communicated to staff

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Development in Cosmetic Practice

Cosmetic practice has remained no more a practice but become the backbone of a Dermatologist’s practice today. It not only involves your professional expertise but also a huge investment. Once you invest your money into your practice, your money handling skills become equally important as your patient handling skills. Everybody wants not only to recover their investment, but also earn a decent profit, which they definitely deserve. Laser application in Cosmetic Dermatology has grown by leaps and bounds and is now a necessity in any Dermatologist’s clinic. This was evident during the ongoing “Cosmetology Update” lecture series as well as the upcoming “Cosmo Laser Con” where a bulk of topics are centred around Lasers. Your Journal is a Media Partner of both these events. From the most widely used application of laser assisted hair removal, Laser applications in Aesthetic Dermatology have come a long way from its inception.

Over the last decade, there have been tremendous advances in Laser technology for hair removal. Light based system evolved from the earlier version of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) based technology to AFT (Advanced Fluorescent Technology) with contact cooling. Lasers have moved from the days of Ruby laser 694-nm and Alexandrite Laser 755-nm to Long pulsed Nd:YAG laser 1064-nm and Diode laser of 810-nm in-motion technology. This issue continues with our focus to offer a wide range of clinical and scientific studies which gauging from your feedback we are happy to note serves as reference material enabling you to enhance your Aesthetic Practise. As in any business, Dermatologists now need to appreciate that Cosmetology Dermatology is like any other and hence use pro-active Marketing concepts and strategies to boost their business.

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Super Hair Removal for a Super Festive look

Both men and women have always struggled to get rid of unwanted body hair. Skin City, India's largest skin and hair restoration centre, offers the solution for complete, permanent body hair removal. This technique is apparently so efficient, that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Today people are very aware and particular about their looks; they take every possible step to look presentable. You can get clean and smooth skin, which includes face, under arms, legs, arms, chest and back and bikini area. With the festive season fast approaching, the season for backless cholis, sleeveless gowns and the little black dress is around the corner. The conventional and temporary methods of grooming like waxing and shaving regularly are time consuming and unreliable. People want a permanent solution to unwanted hair problems.

Laser technology is the answer to your need. The latest, state of the art technology for painless, swift and permanent hair removal is called Super Hair Removal. This technology takes a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area. This is because of the speed of the machine and the fact that the treatment is painless, so large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Because of the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, clients are able to take treatments on large body parts comfortably. This is especially beneficial for clients who opt for full body hair removal. This is also a special boon for male clients who wish to remove excess body hair which is the trend now. With older technologies local anesthesia was required due to the density and thickness of hair in males which made it a very painful experience.

However with Super Hair Removal the process has become quick and painless. Skin City has attractive laser packages for both male and female clients. A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body requires 3-4 hours; as against other lasers which require the treatment to be done in stages which can take upto 3 days due to the pain and the time it consumes. The technology is quick and efficient and Skin City has highly trained practitioners to carry out the treatments. Super Hair Removal is a safe method of permanent hair removal. It targets the hair follicles in the superficial layer of the skin without any side effects to the skin or body.

Skin City has a team of highly trained professionals who impart customized treatment based on individual requirement for safe and efficacious results. The treatment cost for Super Hair Removal is on par with other laser hair removal treatments, but is more quick and efficient. However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing. For permanent hair removal a client may require up to 8 to 12 sittings, depending on the hair growth. Skin City advocates a clear expectation alignment with the client to ensure client satisfaction with excellent results.

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FREEZE that FAT

Cryolipolysis is a non surgical method used to destroy fat cells. It works on the principle of cooling the localized fat to a temperature of almost- 4 degrees Celsius thus reducing the fat in treated areas, which results in figure correction and body contouring. Cryolipolysis is used for removing fat bulges that are just under the skin. The effectiveness of the treatment can be completely appreciated in 3 to 4 months. Many of us have stubborn fat we can’t seem to lose despite diet and exercise. Cryolipolysis targets and destroys only these fat cells through targeted cooling. In the next 9 to 12 weeks after the procedure these cells are eliminated from the body. Fat cells once eliminated are gone forever. Cool cryo The coolest thing about Cryolipolysis is that there are no contraindications for taking the procedure. Other methods of fat removal like conventional liposuction, which is done under general anaesthesia is not only risky but is also subject to your overall fitness and absence of any systemic diseases.

Even Safe Liposuction which is done exclusively in Skin City under Tumescent anaesthesia requires you to be free from underlying medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension or any other existing heart condition, whereas Cryolipolysis can be performed on anyone suffering from any of the above mentioned medical conditions.

Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City says, “The consumer today is very well read and informed about the latest cosmetic trends available abroad and they are knowledgeable about what clinches it for them.” The clinchers The three most important confidence building criteria of Cryolipolysis are: 1. It is an FDA approved treatment 2. It is non surgical 3. It is safe and effective This procedure takes just one hour and therefore qualifies as a lunchtime procedure. So with all these benefits associated with it, Cryolipolysis is literally the coolest choice for anyone looking to have that perfect body.

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Computerised Hair Analysis

The unique Caslite microscopic hair analysis offers a detailed investigation of hair thickness miniaturization and hair length at various scalp areas it is an excellent tool for hair research and diagnosis. Caslite microscopic hair analysis offers a detailed investigation of hair thickness miniaturization and hair length at various scalp areas it is an excellent tool for hair research and diagnosis.

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Congregation of Cosmetic Dermatology of Cross Functionalities in the Medical Practice

The practice of Cosmetic Dermatology now is not just restricted to Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons but is a part of the other medical faculties as well. You have gynecologists who are referring patients to dermatologists and dermatologists who are referring patients to endocrinologists and vice versa. This is a sign of advancement in the medical domain where, advanced diagnostic tools are available to diagnose problems which were not easily identified. Today the role played by dermatopathologists has become very critical in the diagnosis of skin problems and has become an important tool in practitioners of cosmetic dermatology to serve their patients better. We also have many instances where doctors with an M.D. in medicine are specializing in anti ageing and are working in collaboration with dermatologists and plastic surgeons. This only goes to prove that the future in this field is very bright. This conversion of cross functionalities is healthy and augers well for the industry.

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Causes & Treatments Of Dark Circles

Dark circle refers to conditions that present with relative darkness of the periorbital skin or eyelids. It can affect individuals with a wide range of age, both sexes and all races. It worsens with the aging process of skin sagging and altered subcutaneous fat distribution. It has significant cosmetic concern for female patients and males as well now days.

Excessive Pigmentation

Excessive pigmentation is due to dermal melanocytosis or post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation secondary to some disease like atopic dermatitis. It is seen as slightly brownish curved band along inferior orbital rim. Dermal melanocytosis is due to congenital causes like Nevus of Ota or environmental causes like excessive sun exposure and drug ingestion. Histologicaly characterized by the presence of melanocytes in the dermis.

Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation is due to rubbing or scratching the periorbital area. The causes are air born contact dermatitis, fragrance allergy, atopic dermatitis etc.

Other causes of periorbital hyper pigmentation include Erythema dyschromicum perstans, fixed drug eruption Familial conditions - genetically determined form of hyper-pigmentation involving the periorbital area.

Thin, Translucent Lower Eyelid Skin Overlying The Orbicularis Oculi Muscle Because of thin, translucent lower eyelid the subcutaneous vascular plexus or vasculature contained within the muscle become prominent. The violaceous appearance is more prominent in the inner aspect of the lower eyelids and is usually accentuated during menstruation in females.

Shadowing Due To Skin Laxity And Tear Trough

Another cause of infraorbital dark circles is shadowing due to skin laxity and tear trough associated with aging. Collagen and elastin present in the eyelids and periorbital skin undergo ultraviolet induced and age related degeneration. In addition the damaged epidermis releases collagenases, which further contributes to collagen degeneration resulting in dermatochalasia and periocular rhytides which are common manifestations of aging. Skin laxity due to photo ageing imparts a shadowing appearance on the lower eyelids that results in infraorbital dark circles.

The tear trough is a depression centered over the medial side of the inferior orbital rim. It is also an age-related change due to the loss of subcutaneous fat with thinning of the skin over the orbital rimligament that confers hollowness to the orbital rim area. Combination of the hollowness and the overlying pseudoherniation of the infraorbital fat accentuate the shadow in the tear trough depending on the lighting conditions.

Treatment Options for Dark Circles

  • Topical Agents
  • Chemical Peeling
  • Lasers
  • Autologous Fat Transplantation and fillers
  • Surgery – Laser Blepharoplasty The therapeutic modalities must differ depending on the cause because Periorbital dark circles are due to multiple factors.

Topical Agents:

  • Hydroquinone
  • Topical retinoic acid (RA), 0.01% to 1
  • The Kligman formulation
  • Other compounds used as depigmenting agents include azelaic acid, steroids, kojic acid, and pidobezone etc.
  • Vit-C: in serum form is less irritating and has better penetration into the skin. Daily application or massaging Vit-C (VC-15) after microdermabrasion, chemical peel or Laser treatment gives better lightning of periorbital area.

Chemical Peeling

Chemical peeling is defined as the application of one or more chemical agents that lead to controlled destruction of the skin, resulting in the removal of lesions localized in the epidermis or in the upper dermis.

Peels can be superficial, medium, or deep.

Different peels use around eye for periorbital pigmentation are:

Refinity Peel (Glycolic acid 70%) and Cosmederm Peel (Glycolic acid 50%)

Biphasic Peel: it is composed of two phase in one peeling session. The first phase active ingredients contain a mixture of alpha-hydroxy & beta- hydroxyl acids that help in removing facial blemishes, leaving fresh skin, improving surface and skin tone. The second phase helps in absorption of specific active ingredients effective against pigmentation or controls the progression of premature ageing.

Lasers

Safety should be emphasized when treating dark circles with lasers, because the eye is particularly vulnerable to laser injury. Therefore, use of proper eyewear (goggles, wrap-around glasses, or preferably internal metallic eye shields) is crucial. The retina and the choroid contain the highest concentration of melanin in the body, and eye damage is possible even through closed eyelids. When treatment is necessary near the eyes, a large metal eye shield should be inserted over the Autologous Fat Transplantation And Fillers This modality of treatment is useful when the cause for periorbital darkness is thin and translucent lower eyelid skin overlying the orbicularis oculi muscle. It hides the vascular areas and reduced the transparency of the skin. Use of hyaluronic acid gel to fill the periorbital hollows and restores volume has emerged as a less invasive procedure with good results.

Surgery – Laser Blepharoplasty Trans-conjunctival blepharoplasty is done to remove pseudoherniation of the orbital fat as well as lax skin which reduces the shadowing effects. Removal of excess skin of upper eye lid improves dark circle considerably. Blepharoplasty assisted with Ultra Pulse CO2 Laser is the latest trend in this surgery.

Summary:

1. Multi-factorial in etiology hence find out the cause before you treat.

2. The brown and blue-grey color caused by dermal melanin deposition.

3. Bluish color secondary to the visible dermal capillary network, and shadowing secondary to skin laxity and bulging.

4. When excessive pigmentation is cause, treat with topical bleaching agent, chemical peels and lasers.

5. Dark circles mainly due to the eyelid bulging caused by orbital fat pseudoherniation should be corrected primarily using transconjunctival blepharoplasty.

6. If dark circles are combined with prominent skin laxity, skin tightening or excision is recommended.

7. Autologous fat transplantation may be a treatment option for patients with infraorbital darkening due to prominent vascularity and thin skin.

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Suntan & Sun: Summer Has Begun

With soaring temperatures and the sun beating down on you relentlessly how can you escape a Suntan. sun protection and ultimately when all else fails, to Skin City where you can reverse your Tan and how….. Sunscreen or sun cream or sun block, is a lotion, spray, gel or other topical product that absorbs or reflects some of the sun's ultraviolet radiation and thus helps protect against sunburn, especially for fair-skinned individuals There are two types of ultraviolet rays that cause damage to the skin, UVA & UVB rays. UVA rays cause skin ageing or photo ageing and UVB rays cause sunburn and with excessive exposure, skin cancer. SPF measures sunscreen protection from UVB rays, the kind that cause sunburn and contribute to skin cancer.

A broad spectrum sunscreen offers protection from both UVA & UVB rays. Now to untangle the mystery of SPF the simplest way to calculate it is the time taken for the skin to turn red on sun exposure without sunscreen, if that is 15 minutes then an SPF 15 protects the skin from sunburn for 15 times that time, which is 180 minutes or three hours. Sunscreen with SPF 15 has to be reapplied every 2-3 hours, taken into consideration sweating and dampness which reduces the effectiveness. For Indian Skin it is recommended that an SPF 15-30 is good enough. A higher SPF offers higher protection by absorbing a higher percentage of UV rays.  SPF 15 blocks about 93% of all UVB rays  SPF 30 filters out 97%  SPF 50 is an almost complete UVB block, at 98%. People with lighter/fairer skin, infants and ageing skin require a higher SPF.

Having said all of that it is still difficult to protect your skin from sun exposure and therefore sunburn. Reapplication is sometimes not possible, sweating and getting wet on the beach compromises the protection as sunscreens are not water proof, they may be water resistant to some extent. SkinCity takes care of your concerns like skin tan, uneven Skin tone and Pigmentation. Skin assessment is done and a customized protocol is advised to best suit your needs. Various chemical peels are available at Skin city to lighten the skin and reduce suntan. However Dr. Niteen Dhepe, Medical Director, Skin City advocates the use of the Helios – Fractional Q Switched NdYAG laser which can lighten your skin to its original shade in a single session. The Helios Laser works on all pigmented & hyperpigmented skin problems. If you have dark inner thighs or buttocks, back, under arms, elbows or knees and this makes you too self conscious to wear the cool summer shorts, sleeveless top or bikini you’ve been dying to buy, walk into SkinCity today.

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Baby Skin Clinic

Children’s skin is very tender. The dermatosis of young, immature and tender skin often requires a specialized expertise to treat. Many genetic diseases present first with skin manifestations, hence it’s very important that they are diagnosed correctly at the right age. This helps parents and later the child for managing the disease well. Our pediatric dermatologists specialize in common skin, hair and nail disorders, as well as complex genetic and infectious dermatologic complications.

We provide clinical evaluation, diagnostic biopsies and advanced therapies when needed. Children with vascular or pigmented lesions may also be offered treatment with the latest laser technology, either in our department or in a specially designated operating room.

We provide diagnostic and therapeutic services for infants, children and adolescents with skin disorders.

This includes the evaluation and treatment of disorders of the skin such as:

• Dermatitis-Atopic

• Dermatitis - Contact

• Diaper Rash

• Dry Skin/Itchy Skin

• Hives

• Rashes/Red Skin

 • Scars

• Chicken pox

• birthmarks

• eczema

• hair disorders such as Alopecia (hair loss)

 • hemangiomas and vascular malformations

• hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

• molluscum and warts

 • Moles

 • nail disorders

• psoriasis

• seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff)

• skin cancer

• tinea (ringworm)

• vitiligo

• AcanthosisNigricans

• Blisters

• Acne

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Anti-aging Treatment Options

Aging is an inevitable process that cannot be avoided; however you can delay it by eating healthy and following an extensive skincare regimen. But now with a number of really effective anti-aging treatments available, you can effectively reverse the aging process and look young forever. This article discusses some of the really effective anti aging

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Super Hair Removal Process

Dr Niteen Dhepe—leading dermatologist in India as well as the Medical Director, SkinCity PG Institute of Dermatology—about how to get rid of body hair at SkinCity with the Super Hair Removal process. “Oh, God! I need to wax…” is something we women keep saying at regular intervals. Well, not anymore—courtesy Suprano Laser installed at SkinCity, you will be hair-free and carefree permanently. This technique is apparently so efficient that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Out of sight We all want a body that is hairless and smooth as silk. However, we are all lazy as hell to go and get ourselves waxed. Besides waxing, threading and shaving are painful and have to be done time and again. Well, shaking hands with technology, SkinCity’s Suprano Laser is painless, quick—and yes, it’s permanent too! Your body hair is absolutely not visible and you could put on that sexy, backless dress whenever you feel like. Nothing like it It’s a rare facility available in the city and we all know how rare is precious. Suprano Laser barely takes time, maybe a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area because of the speed of the machine.

Since the fact that the treatment is painless, large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Super benefits Dr Dhepe says, “It’s the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, which allows our clients to treat large body parts.” This makes full body hair removal a cakewalk. It’s happy time for the men as there is no local anesthesia required to due to the thickness and density of hair. It’s no more painful. That’s how it works It’s just as easy as it sounds. A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body takes about three-four hours with highly trained practitioners to carry out the treatments. About eight to twelve sittings does it all. Be assured that this super treatment has no side-effects of any kind. Don’t be pricey Super Hair Removal costs are at par with other laser hair removal treatments, and the speed is another feather added to the hat. “However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing,” adds Dr Dhepe. So now we exactly know where to go head when we are absolutely fed up of hitting the parlor.

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Affordable Laser Treatment for Acne Scars Treatment

Is acne scarring causing emotional pain and shattering your confidence? Are you seeking an affordable yet effective treatment for unsightly acne scars? Laser acne scar treatment may be an option worth considering. Acne is a common skin condition that affects both men and women. The probability of developing acne is greatest during adolescence

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Advancements in Aesthetic Practice

The methodology and the systems used in Dermatology treatments in the past were entirely different when compared to those used in the present times. The technological advancements made in the field of Dermatology paved the way for innumerable kinds of methods and procedures which have reduced the risk of side effects. In the early days, lasers were used to treat benign vascular birthmarks and haemangioma. The one disadvantage of the laser treatment then was the occurrence of scars as side effects. The medical field of laser treatment has made such a great advancement in the recent years that the patient is no longer worried about the side effects. With the advancement in medicine, the field of Dermatology and Aesthetic practices is thriving. The future in this domain is bright, and the better is yet to come!

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3 Effective Ways for Skin Rejuvenation

As we age our skin starts to lose it natural fresh, smooth and supple texture, courtesy internal changes, hormonal changes being at the top of the list, and external factors, such hot and cold weather, sun exposure, humidity and dryness etc. All these factors, together with aging, take a toll on your skin, making it

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Skin Whitening Treatment: 3 Simple Steps to a Fair Complexion that You Always Wished for

In most parts of the world fair complexion symbolizes beauty and elegance. Women, in particular, wish to have a celebrity white, glowing skin and are always willing to spend thousands of dollars to get their desired skin tone. Since ancient times women have been trying different home remedies to improve their complexion and skin texture.

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Arogya Expo 2014 - Day 3
Dr Niteen Dhepe is a master of his domain, only in a span of few minutes he told us various ways to lose weight. He also busted many myths about fat and cholesterol level in our body. He told us that it is not our weight but the level of fat content in our body which is a matter of worry. A thin person may have a larger fat and cholesterol content than a fat person.

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His mantra to maintain weight is to eat every two hours. Drink water every two hours and increase your water consumption. He also mentioned the need and importance of exercise in our daily routine. We should have our breakfast within 60 mins of getting up. We should have a heavy breakfast, light lunch and super light dinner. Dinner should be consumed 2 hours before sleeping.

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We should do pull weights anti gravity for reduction of cholesterol and fat in our body. Activities like running and brisk walking only help us with a better blood circulation and do not really work on our cholesterol levels. He tells us to clear off our mental blockages regarding weight and fat levels. We should be comfortable with our body to start with and with the help professionals we can get to the perfect amount of fat and muscle composition.
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Arogya Expo 2014

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Dr Niteen Dhepe talks of how culture has evolved from women wearing ghagra cholis to finally evolving and to a modern woman, who is a bread winner. We look at how beauty is being perceived today and the culture that has changed our definition of beauty for us. He stresses on the fact that a skin can be a combination of oily to dry and it is bound to change with age and climate. The right to treat your skin is to get it analysed by a dermatologist and get it treated accordingly. You should be judicious in applying moisturizer to your skin and do it within three minutes of a bath for good care of the skin.

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The best way to protect your skin is to protect your skin from the Sun and do not go out in the open without covering it. The Ozone layer in the atmosphere has thinned which is causing UV rays to come to the Earth. We need to protect ourselves from those rays and use anti-tan lotions regularly.

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We should all follow a good skin care and hair care regime to maintain our skin and hair. Dr Dhepe’s tips were very useful with which we can protect our skin from any damage.  
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Facial Glow worth 3999/- @ 999/ & Skin analysis worth 500/ FREE
Derma Glow Facial worth 3999/- @ 999/- + Skin analysis worth 500/- complimentary. To Avail the offer Drop your name and number and area in the Facebook page inbox of SkinCity India.  (Offer valid till 5th January 2014) Skincity India offers the Latest in Skincare technology IN INDIA. Every customized treatment begins with a detailed Skin analysis and consultation, followed by a specialized treatment  JUST for You! Let your skin glow, and be rejuvenated with this amazing treatment that takes care of your Dull tired skin/Tan / Pigmentation and dryness.  Signature Derma Glow facial includes, diamond microdermabrasion to remove the dead skin, Helios Laser to lighten your skin and remove tanning and pigmentation, and the Aloe Vera Extracts which will moisturize and hydrate your skin. Our expert doctors will recommend the best combination after analyzing your skin type and requirement, so every treatment is personalized for you.
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Top Winter Tips – #NoNonsenseCosmetology Tip 2
Top Winter Tips – #NoNonsenseCosmetology Tip 2 Your skin needs daily care not repair. Like your brush our teeth every day, take bath, eat food, wear nice clothes, likewise your skin needs a day to day care. For more details…… Do you know of a once a week course of bath, food, wearing clothes, etc… Right skin care for your skin..now you know your skin type, now you must choose right skincare routine as per your skin type. Cleansing, moisturizing, occasionally toning are essential diets for your skin.[twitter count="100" user="@drniteendhepe"]
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Top Winter Tips - #NoNonsenseCosmetology Tip 1
#NoNonSenseCosmetology  #DrDhepeSays Do you know your Skin?  What if your Skin type? (i)  Oily        (ii) Dry (iii) Mixed         (iv) I don’t know I don’t know my Skin Type? I am confused –[twitter count="100" user="@drniteendhepe"] #drdhepesays – It is commonly observed that most people cannot identify their skin type. It is biologically possible for your skin to change its behavior when subjected to various factors like age, seasons of the year and the level of skin damage. Your facial skin can be Oily and Dry at the same time. It is possible and yes very much. Sometimes we do not know what our skin type is, if one cleanses the face too much the cheeks turn dry and if one applies thick moisturizer on the nose and the forehead, it leads to oily skin acne breakout.
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Top Winter Tips - #NoNonsenseCosmetology
Hello Friends, As promised we have come up with Top Winter Skin Care Tips for you directly from our Medical Director, Dr. Niteen Dhepe (Twitter - @drniteendhepe ). Dr. Dhepe believes in tips that speaks no nonsense and science. So we have named the campaign as #DrDhepeSays #NoNonsenseCosmetology These tips are not just advices, we will be talking here for a week, we will communicate, ask questions to each other, you all are free to put in all the doubts/quires that comes in your head and we will have all those answered by our expert team of dermatologists. For More information also visit - Website - www.skincityindia.com Blog - blog.skincityindia.com Videos - www.youtube.com/skincityindia [twitter count="100" user="@drniteendhepe"]
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Axillary Hyperhidrosis: Recent trends in management
WHAT IS SWEATING? Sweat is essential to human survival and serves as the body's coolant, protecting it from overheating. There are two to four million sweat glands distributed all over our bodies. The majority of them are "eccrine" sweat glands, which are found in large numbers on the soles of the feet, the palms, the forehead and cheeks, and in the armpits. The other type of sweat gland is called an "apocrine" gland. Apocrine glands are found in the armpits and genital region. They produce a thick fluid. When this fluid comes in contact with bacteria on the skin's surface, it produces a characteristic potent body odor. Both the eccrine and apocrine sweat glands are activated by nerves. These nerves respond to a variety of stimuli including: • messages from the brain indicating that the body is too hot • hormones • emotions • physical activity or exercise. WHAT IS HYPERHIDROSIS? In some people, the body's mechanism for cooling itself is overactive — so overactive that they may sweat four or five times more than is necessary, or normal. When sweating is this extreme it can be embarrassing, uncomfortable, anxiety-inducing, and disabling. It can disrupt all aspects of a person's life, from career choices and recreational activities to relationships, emotional well-being, and self-image. This kind of excessive sweating is a serious medical condition. Its called hyperhidrosis and it affects millions of people around the world (approximately 3% of the population) but because of lack of awareness, more than half of these people are never diagnosed or treated for their symptoms. Two Types of Hyperhidrosis There are two types of hyperhidrosis: 1) Primary focal and 2) Secondary generalized.   HOW TO DIAGNOSE? Diagnosis of primary hyperhidrosis can be done by asking yourself a few questions as outlined by (and published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2004, Vol. 51, P. 274-86) I.ask yourself if you have experienced focal visible excess sweat for at least six months without apparent cause. II. ask six questions 1) Your sweat is bilateral and relatively symmetrical. 2) Your excess sweat impairs your daily activities. 3) You experience at least one episode a week. 4) The onset of your excess sweat is earlier than age 25. 5) You have a positive family history. 6) You stop sweating when you're sleeping. If you meet at least two of the above criteria, chances are you have primary focal hyperhidrosis and 90 percent of people who present with excessive sweating will be diagnosed with primary hyperhidrosis. III. Secondary generalized hyperhidrosis.
  • caused by another medical condition
  • or is a side effect of a medication.
  • sweating symptoms while sleeping
  • usually starts in adulthood,
  • treatunderlying medical condition or medication condition.
  AXILLARY HYPERHIDROSIS Axillary hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the underarm sweat glands are overactive, producing much more sweat than is needed to cool the body. Excessive underarm sweat is a daily struggle and it can interfere with nearly every aspect of your life. Excessive sweat can have devastating effects on your emotional well-being and self-image, and impact how you feel about yourself and even how others perceive you., shying away from handshakes, hugs, or other physical contact, avoiding social situations and frustration over constantly ruining clothes with sweat stains. In fact, in a large consumer survey, people said that underarm sweat was more embarrassing to them than being overweight, having acne, cold sores or dandruff Hyperhidrosis takes a heavy toll . Patients with axillary (underarms) hyperhidrosis were surveyed. Here's what they said:
  • Excessive sweating affects my emotions (90%)
  • Sweating makes me less confident (50%)
  • I gel frustrated by daily activities (38%)
  • I feel unhappy (34%)
  • I'm depressed (20%)
  Treatment Overview 1. Some traditional treatments, like antiperspirants and iontophoresis, are not very effective. There is big scope for break through in this area. 2. Iontophoresis: Faradic current with dirupt the polarization on cell membrane of sweat gland that is necessary for sweat production. Iontophoresis technologies have been latgely temporary relief. 3. Due to side effects, oral medications are not usually recommended as a long-term solution but they certainly have their place when treating excessive sweating on large parts of the body, or when multiple areas are affected. 4. Local surgeries (meaning surgery localized to the area being treated), such as liposuction, for treating excessive underarm sweating are becoming more common place and the results are improving, although not perfect--yet. Laser liposuction, tumescent liposuction with dermal shaving with specialized canulae are becoming finer in techniques in present days. SkinCity has establish a safe protocol for liposuction with dermal shave in tumescent local anesthesia for axillary hyperhidrosis. 5. ETS surgery, although heavily advertised, is reserved for only certain severe cases of palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the palms) that have not responded to any of the other treatment options, or combinations of the treatments. When ETS is used to treat other focal areas of hyperhidrosis, there appears to be reduced benefit and increased risks 6. Botulinium toxin:If you suffer from excessive sweating, you may feel like you've tried everything. You may have lost hope New treatments, like miraDry and Botox injections, have started giving relief to those who never thought they'd find it. Botulinum toxin for under arm works well. It reduces under arm sweating to great extent. Only limitation of this therapy is its prohibitive cost and that too recurring after every 4 to 6 months. 50 to 100 units per underarms twice a year. Costing anywhere between 30000 to 70000 INR per year. TREATMENT MATRIX Treatments \ Areas Underarms Hands Feet Head\Face Antiperspirants Yes Yes Yes Yes Botox Yes Yes Yes Yes miraDry Yes - - - Iontophoresis - Yes Yes - Local Surgery Yes - - - ETS Surgery With Caution/Last Resort With Caution/Last Resort - -   7. What is the MiraDry Solution? The miraDry procedure is safe and clinically proven to provide a significant reduction of underarm sweat. Now, there is a lasting solution that can make embarrassing sweat a thing of the past. Get lasting results with a quick, non-invasive procedure performed in SKIN CITY , which is the only place in INDIA where miradry is available. The miraDry procedure uses the only non-invasive technology that is US FDA cleared to provide lasting results. This is the first novel treatment option of hyperhidrosis to be introduced in nearly 7 years! miraDry is currently being introduced in the US and is available in INDIA only at SKIN CITY. As of April 2012, clinical data from two study sites affiliated with the University of British Columbia showed miraDry successful in reducing underarm sweat in over 90% of patients through the final study visit--12 months after treatment. The average sweat reduction was 82%. And, patients rated their satisfaction with the treatment at 90%. miraDryhas been developed by Miramar Labs of Sunnyvale, California. Benefits of the miraDry Procedure Dramatic reduction of underarm sweat Lasting results Non-invasive (no surgical incisions or cuts) Minimal to no downtime How it works? MiraDry uses a non-invasive handheld device to deliver precisely controlled electromagnetic energy beneath the underarm skin to the specific location of sweat glands, resulting in thermolysis (decomposition by heat) of the sweat glands. . It's basically a microwave gun (utilizing 5800 MHz wavelength energy) that radiates the sweat glands in your armpits, thereby destroying them. While the sweat glands are being eliminated through electromagnetic technology, the top layers of the skin are simultaneously cooled and protected. Sweat glands do not grow back after treatment so the effect can be seen almost immediately and results are lasting. It’s safe ! While sweating is an essential body function for temperature-control, the underarms house less than 2% of the body's sweat glands. The elimination of these sweat glands should have no effect on body thermoregulation and compensatory sweating. The safety data from the three clinical studies of Mira Dry has been reported as very good.   Its permanent ! Other treatment options, including antiperspirants and toxins, aim to temporarily disable the sweat glands for various durations - requiring repeat treatments to maintain effectiveness. And other options involve surgery, which contain inherent risks. Only the miraDry procedure gives you lasting results with a non-invasive solution.With the miraDry Procedure, you can get on with your life and leave the burden of excessive sweat behind! Protocol Two procedures are typically recommended 3 months apart to maximize the results and duration. Each procedure appointment generally lasts about an hour. You can expect minimal to no downtime following the procedure. You should be able to return to normal activities or work right after the procedure, and you can typically resume exercise within several days. Localized soreness or swelling is normal, and typically clears within a few weeks. Some patients have temporary, short-term altered sensation in the skin of their underarms or upper arms, which gradually disappears. Now there is a real lasting solution for axillary hyperhidrosis is available and that too in India. Is miraDry Expensive? When you compare the cost of neurotoxin (30000-70000 INR per year) miraDry is surprisingly less expensive and lasting. Cost of two years neurotoxin typically balances the miraDry cost of lifelong lasting effect.
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Hair Transplantation Part I: An Overview of Surgery
What is Male pattern Baldness or MPB? In male pattern baldness thick hair in androgen sensitive scalp are turned into small thin hair. This is called miniaturization. Frontal hairs are lost earlier than hair on back of scalp. Classification of MPB Hamilton-Norwood system of classification The Hamilton-Norwood system  of classification of MPB has been the standard of classification since 1941. It ranges from Type I being the normal mature hair line. It pictures minimal temporal recession to Type VII patients have extensive hair loss with only a wreath of hair remaining in the back and sides of the scalp. Diffuse Patterned and Unpatterned Alopecia Two other types of genetic hair loss in men not often considered by doctors, “Diffuse Patterned Alopecia” and “Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia,” pose a significant challenge both in diagnosis and in The progression of male hair loss in Diffuse Patterned Alopecia (DPA) and Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA). What are treatments for Baldness?
  •  Medical treatment
  •  Mesotherapy
  •  Surgical treatments
  •  Follicular unit transplant
  •  Scalp Reduction /
  • Expansion surgeries
  •  Flap surgeries
What is Medical treatment & Mesotherapy? The Standard cocktail of topical minoxidil, antioxidants & finestride is advised before & after hair transplantation for varying length of time. Scalp Mesotherapy is advised before & after transplantation to induce growth of hair roots.For those who are not a candidate for hair transplantation, are maintained on medical therapy and Mesotherapy. What is Hair transplantation? Hair transplantation is the surgical technique that involves moving skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body (the donor site) to bald or balding parts (the recipient site). Usually occipital scalp is the donor area, from which hair follicle units are transplanted to frontal area. What are options in hair transplants?
  •  Punch grafts (10-20 Hair / Graft)-outdated)
  •  Mini grafts (3 to 5 Hairs / Graft)
  •  Micro grafts (1 to 2 Hairs / Graft)
  •  Single hair graft (1 hair)
  • Follicular unit transplant (FUT)
  •  Follicular unit extraction (FUE)
Skincity is specialized in Follicular Unit Hair Transplant (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) which is the best available method to give most natural look. What is follicular hair transplant? (FUT) Most of the hair follicles in scalp are naturally grouped together in units of 1, 2 or 3 hair, called follicular units. Transplantation of follicular units gives most natural look after surgery. It is done in following steps:
  1.  Harvesting the donor hair graft from back of the scalp.
  2.  Separation of the follicular units containing 1, 2 or 3 hair.
  3.  Recipient sites is created in bald area by slits by a needle.
  4.  Placement of the grafts in the recipient area.
  5. Closure of the donor site on back of the scalp by suture that is not at all visible in hair.
After 3 to 4 months transplanted hair begin to grow and continue to grow a half inch per month for rest of your life. Who are candidates for hair transplant?
  •   Any male/female in good health.
  •  Adult above 18 years.
  •  Stabilized hair loss.
  •  Medical treatment tried without success.
  •  No active scalp infection.
  •  Adequate hair available on back & side of scalp.
  •  No smoking, no alcohol two weeks before surgery.
  •  No diabetes/hypertension.
  •  Reasonable expectation.
Consultation:- During consultation at Doctor will discuss in detail about your hair loss pattern, extent of baldness, available donor area, plan of hairline, number of grafts required etc. Investigations:- a) Hemogram blood sugar level. b) Bleeding time, clotting time. c) Routine Urine analysis. d) Additional tests if required. Precautions before Hair Transplant Surgery? Pre-Operation Instruction:
  •   Maintain an adequate length of hair on the back of your head as grafts will be removed from here.
  • Two weeks before surgery No finestride, minoxidil, aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications containing aspirin, vitamin E.
  • One day before surgery No alcohol / tobacco.
On surgery day:
  • Wash your hair in the morning using your regular shampoo. Have a light breakfast two hour prior to your procedure. Wear loose & comfortable Cloths, no gold ornaments, no deodorant & Perfume. You should also bring a scarf along with you. Have someone to take you home after surgery. You should not drive any vehicle after Surgery.
How many sessions of surgery will I need? A single megasession is usually enough to satisfy most of patient needs. Those with extensive baldness may require 2 -3 sessions. Correct evaluation & estimation is possible after personal consultation. How long it will take to cover bald areas after transplant? 3 to 4 months to start showing regrowth. It takes 9 to 10 months to show full growth. How Hair line is designed? Following are the principles of hair line design. 1. Consider Family pattern of alopecia. Assume that patient will reach worst stage of his family pattern in coming few years and design the hairline accordingly. 2. Consider upgrading the patient look from Hamilton grade VII to V rather than upgrading from VII to I. 3. Encourage patient to have thick frontal forelock and deep frontal triangles. Coverage of vertex is not encouraged in advanced alopecia. Hairline Shape The shape of the hairline should be designed in such a way as to match a patient’s head and facial features. For instance, a wider head should have a hairline that matches the wider arc of the frontal scalp. Conversely, a narrower head should be designed with some suppression (concavity) of the outer limit of the hairline. In addition, calculating the number of hairs that must be dedicated to the central scalp, the hairline, and the temple may also influence the possible design of a hairline. All of these considerations must be weighed when contemplating the perfect hairline shape for a particular individual.
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Hair Transplantation: Details Of Surgical Techniques. (Part II)
What is Follicular Unit Transplantation? ImageFollicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is a procedure where hair is transplanted from the permanent zone, the area in the back and sides of the scalp where hair is more resistant to balding, to the bald or balding areas of the scalp. This is accomplished using naturally-occurring groups of 1, 2, 3, or 4 hairs, called follicular units. After the patient’s scalp is anesthetized, the doctor removes a strip of tissue from the donor area, an area within the permanent zone, and, once extracted, the donor strip is cut into many individual follicular units using microscopic dissection techniques. As these follicular unit grafts are being prepared, the doctor makes tiny holes.in the scalp, called recipient sites, where the grafts are placed. STEPS OF THE PROCEDURE: First and the most important step as in any surgery is obtaining a detailed Informed consent from the patient and relatives of the patient. Anesthesia in Hair Transplantation
  •  FUT is done under local anaesthesia and tumescent fluid infiltration.
  •  Tumescent is prepared by adding little Triamcinolone and 1:1000 cc of adrenaline (1 ml) in 100 ml of normal saline.
  •  For the frontal recipient area, Nerve blocks are preferred (supraorbital and supratrochlear).
Tumescent Anesthesia A major advance in the removal of the donor strip is the use of tumescent anesthesia. Tumescence simply means to expand by injecting fluid into the tissues. In this technique, very dilute concentrations of anesthetic fluid are injected into the fat layer of the donor region of the scalp. This serves a number of purposes, the first is to decrease bleeding from the pressure of the fluid on small blood vessels (capillaries), the second is to firm the skin so that the incision can be more easily controlled and third, to increase the distance between the follicles and the deeper tissues of the scalp. The technique for FUT Average donor strip is approximately 1cm wide and of variable length, depending upon the number of follicular units that are needed for the hair restoration. In the average person’s scalp, there are approximately 90-100 follicular units per square cm of donor tissue, so a 2,000 graft hair transplant session would require a 1cm wide strip that is slightly over 20 cm in length. Position of the Donor Incision ImageThe ideal placement of the donor incision is in the mid-part of the permanent zone located in the back and sides of the scalp. This area lies in a band that starts above the occipital protuberance (the bump felt in the middle part of the back of the scalp) and extends to either side in a gentle, upward sloping curve that follows the contour of the scalp.       Trichophytic“Tricho” Closure Image Image In a Trichophytic closure, the surgeons makes the initial incision parallel to the hair follicles and then trims away 1 to 3-mm of tissue of either the upper or lower wound edge (or both), so that the top of the hair follicles at that wound edge are removed. During the “Tricho” closure, the trimmed wound edge is pulled towards the opposite edge so that the bottom parts of the cut hairs are pointing slightly towards the incision (rather than parallel to each other). The goal is that these hairs will eventually grow through the incision and thus decrease the visibility of the scar. Slivering  The first step in stereo-microscopic dissection is a process called “slivering”. In slivering, the dissector divides the long donor strip into smaller sections of approximately 2-2.5mm in width. The sectioning is accomplished by passing a scalpel blade through the spaces around follicular units, rather than merely cutting directly through the block of tissue. This technique generates smaller pieces of hair bearing tissue without breaking up follicular units and without transecting (cutting) hair follicles. Graft Preparation: The dissector then isolates the individual follicular units from these small sections by trimming away excess dermis and fat. The photo shows 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-hair follicular units. Hundreds of these individual units are sorted according to the numbers of hairs they contain. They are then stored in Ringer’s lactate solution and refrigerated while waiting placement into the scalp. Role of Magnification: One of the most important aspects of Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation is stereo-microscopic dissection. This allows follicular units to be removed from the donor strip without being broken up or damaged. During the dissection, it is critical that the whole follicular unit is kept intact as this will maximize its growth. Intact follicular units will also give the most fullness to the hair restoration, as they contain the full, natural complement of 1-4 hairs. Skin city has the most advanced stereo microscopes named “mantis” which helps us to increase the yield of grafts as well as offers the best graft preparation for FUT.   Recipient site creation The recipient sites in all of our hair transplant procedures are made using lateral slits (also called coronal or horizontal slits). Generally, there are three different types of incision:
  • the small slits, or the more anterior, receive one-hair grafts ;
  • the medium-sized slits receive two hair grafts ;
  • The larger slits receive the three or four-hair grafts.
They give the hair transplant surgeon the highest degree of control over the direction and angle in which the transplanted hairs will ultimately grow. The density of recipient sites (the number of sites per area) determines how close together the follicular grafts are placed. Each graft is implanted manually. It is very important to handle the grafts very carefully in order to avoid damaging them. There are various methods which can be used to implant grafts,which includes stick and paste method,use of different type of implanters or implanting grafts in pre made slits. Follicular Unit Extraction(FUE) Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a method of extracting, or “harvesting,” donor hair for transplantation in a follicular unit hair transplant. In an FUE procedure, an instrument is used to make a small, circular incision in the skin around a follicular unit, separating it from the surrounding tissue. The unit is then extracted (pulled) directly from the scalp, leaving a small open hole. This process is repeated until the hair transplant surgeon has harvested enough follicular units for the planned hair restoration. The donor wounds, approximately 1-mm in size, completely heal over the course of seven to ten days, leaving tiny white scars buried in the hair in the back and sides of the scalp. After the grafts are harvested, tiny “recipient sites” are made in the balding area of the scalp using a fine needle-point instrument. The follicular units are then placed into the recipient sites where they will grow into healthy hair-producing follicles. The creation of recipient sites and the placing of follicular unit grafts are essentially the same in both FUE and FUT procedures. The difference lies in the quality and quantity of grafts obtained with each technique. Team Work: Hair transplantation is a team effort. A team of assistants to cut the grafts and place the grafts in the recipient area is an absolute necessity to ensure large sessions. Most transplant sessions last up to 4-5 hours and team work is therefore essential. Skin city has the perfect team for done giga sessions; it includes well trained dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and an excellent cutting team in the state of art operating theatre. Conclusion:- Follicular unit transplantation ( FUT) is a well established method of Hair Transplantation. Magnification with advanced mantis stereoscopes is a hallmark of quality of graft preparation.
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Laser Tattoo Removal

ImageThe term tattoo describes the deliberate placement of permanent colors into the skin or the accidental entry of pigmented material. The word tattoo is derived from the Polynesian (Marquesan) word tattoo, and refers to the accidental or volitional acquisition of pigmented particles of the skin.

Types of tattoos 1. Decorative amateur tattoos These include tattoos placed by tribaland gang members. The amateur tattoo usually consists of black India colored. Since these tattoos are placed unevenly and superficially in the dermis, they respond well to laser treatment, with fewer treatments and  more complete clearance. 2. Professional tattoos In the past, these types of tattoos were commonly seen in military men and bikers. However, with today’s changing trends people of all ages and socioeconomic strata are obtaining professional tattoos. Unfortunately, these tattoos do pose difficulties for the laser surgeon. These tattoos are placed more deeply in the dermis with a greater density of pigment. The colours are very vibrant and diverse in shade. 3. Cosmetic Tattoos Cosmetic tattoos are applied for a variety of reasons including disguising scars, broadening lips, eye and lip liners, covering periorbital pigmentation, or providing rosy cheeks. The colors that are used most frequently are off-white, reddish-brown, red, flesh tones (skin colored), or dull orange. Many of these cosmetic tattoos are made with iron pigments. 4. Medicinal Tattoos These types of tattoos are often placed to designate a radiation port during cancer therapy. After patients are in remission, they are often anxious to remove these signs of illness. Fortunately, these India ink blue-black tattoos are often easily removed in 1 to 2 sessions. 5. Traumatic Tattoos Traumatic tattoos can occur following different types of injury to the skin. This method of introducing tattoo pigment can occur following abrasion or explosion. Gunpowder and particulate matter following motorcycle and bicycle accidents are examples of these types of tattoos. Ink Colors  Tattoo ink is remarkably nonreactive histologically, despite the frequent use of different pigments of unknown purity and identity by tattoo artists. Amateur tattoo inks consist of simple, carbon particles originating from burnt wood, cotton, plastic, or paper, or from a variety of inks, including Indian ink, pen ink, and vegetable matter. Along with Indian ink, the classic tattoo dye, formerly used substances include metal salts such as mercury (red), cadmium (yellow), chrome (green), and cobalt (blue). In recent times, instead of these metal salts ,high-quality industrially manufactured organic pigments have been injected (mono- and di-azo dyes, polycyclic pigments of the phthalocyanine, dioxazine, and quinacridone classes of pigments). Even pigments produced for use as automobile paints are used. Treatment of Tattoos Over the centuries, different methods for tattoo removal have been explored. Previously popular methods of removal included excision with primary closure or skin grafting,mechanical dermabrasion ,salabrasion, cryosurgery, application of caustic chemicals such as phenol or a combination of the above, all of which habitually leave noticeable scars which,depending on the anatomica l location could be hypertrophic or keloidal.Modern tattoo removal involves the use of Q-switched lasers to remove tattoo pigments. Q switching is a means of producing a very short laser pulse in the nanosecond domain. The earliest attempts at removing tattoo pigment with the Qswitched laser were reported by Goldman. Anderson and Parrish’s principle of selective photothermolysis (1983) revolutionized the use of lasers in dermatology and therefore the treatment of tattoos. This principle proposes that if the used wavelength is well absorbed by the target and the pulse width is equal to or shorter than the target’s thermal relaxation time , the heat generated will be confined to the target.  The Q-switched lasers used to remove tattoos are as follows:
  •   Q- switched Ruby Laser (694 nm)
  •   Q-switched Alexandrite laser (755 nm)
  •   Q-switched Neodymium- YAG laser (Nd:YAG laser) ( 532 and 1064nm)
Q-switched Ruby Laser (QSRL) The Q-switched ruby is composed of a ruby crystal (aluminium oxide), which has a crystal lattice with a chromium impurity inside of it. The crystal is surrounded by a helical flashlamp. In the Qswitched mode, very high power is achieved by allowing the energy to build up inside the optical cavity. The laser has a wavelength of 694nm, a 28 to 40 nsec pulse width (over 108 W/cm2), and injures to a depth of about 1mm into skin. Q-switched Alexandrite Laser      The Q-switched alexandrite laser is a solid-state laser containing a chrysoberyl crystal of aluminum tetraoxide (BeO:A12Q) doped with chromium ions. The crystal is placed within the laser cavity where powerful flashlamps excite the chromium ions to produce red photons with 100 ns pulse durations at a wavelength of 755 nm; this wavelength is between those of the QSRL and the QSNd-YAG lasers. Reflectance studies at 755 nm suggest excellent absorption by black pigment, good absorption by blue and green, and poor absorption by red pigment, as confirmed by preliminary studies performed on tattooed Yucatan minipigs. One treatment session provided excellent results in removal of black ink, good results with blue and green, and poor results with red ink. Efficacy was fluence related. Q-switched Nd:YAG Laser The Q-switched neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (QSNd:YAG) laser was developed in 1989. It is a solid state, high fluence laser containing a crystal rod of yttrium-aluminum- garnet doped with 1 to 3% neodynium ions. Its emission is in the near infrared range at 1064nm, with a pulse duration of 10 to 20 nsec.The laser emission can be doubled in frequency by placing a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystal inside the laser cavity and focusing the beam through the crystal, producing a green light at 532nm. The 1064nm option is best suited to black and blue-black tattoos,and the 532nm wavelength is used for red pigment. The Qswitched Nd:YAG laser was explored in anticipation that its longer wavelength (1064 nm) would increase dermal penetration and decrease melanin absorption, thus improving the response of QSRL-resistant tattoos and avoiding pigmentary changes. Number of Treatments Required In skin city, the average number of treatments required for Indian skin type is 6-8 sittings. It is very common to get scars after tattoo removal in Indian Skin. So safe protocol of more sittings with low dose laser is adopted at skin city It minimizes the risk of scarring. Treatment intervals The current recommendation is to treat at 6 to 8 weeks interval unless a longer period is needed for tissue recovery. Recommended treatment parameters             The main parameters include pulse duration, wavelength, fluence, and spot size. All of the Q-switched lasers are in the nanosecond range, and pulse width is predetermined by the laser. Wavelength is chosen based on the best available wavelength for the tattoo ink colour For example, red ink is best treated by a green wavelength (510 or 532 nm), and green ink is best treated by a red wavelength (694 or 755 nm). When melanin is present, the 1064 nm wavelength is the best choice to avoid disruption of the epidermis. Fluence should be sufficient to produce immediate whitening without immediate bleeding or blistering. Larger spot sizes provide deeper penetration and should be used as long as sufficient fluence can be obtained. This maximizes the distribution of laser light to the dermal pigment and minimizes cutaneous injury. Adverse Events and Complications Q-switched laser treatment can lead to different complications.

Primarily epidermal

adverse events

Primarily dermal

adverse events

Other complications

Postoperative blistering Wound infection

Purpura

Wound infection

Postoperative crusting

Pinpoint bleeding

Oxidative darkening of pigment

Hyperpigmentation

Scarring/textural change

Allergic reactions after laser treatment

Hypopigmentation

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Chrysiasis after laser treatment

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Scarring after Q-switched laser treatment of traumatic gunpowder tattoos

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Transient immunoreactivity

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Carcinogenic potent

 
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Liposuction – A Fast and Safe Way of Getting Rid of Excess Body Fat
Diet and activity planning, lifestyle modification and stress management can help in weight management to some extent. Without these basic elements, it’s not advisable to resort to short cuts like crash dieting, weight loss tablets or surgeries. Though weight management gives a generally acceptable shape to certain parts of body, sometimes there could be accumulation of fat that is exercise non-responsive and diet non-responsive. Such areas need localized shaping treatments like Liposuction. Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery that is performed to remove fat from various body parts. It may take one or several sessions to remove the desired amount of fat. Traditionally, it has been performed under the influence of general anesthesia. But now, technology has evolved and now it is possible to get it done by administering local anesthesia. Skin City, India’s largest skin and hair restoration centre, has made use of the some of the world’s most advanced technologies and developed a very safe and effective method of Liposuction. It’s called ‘Skin City SafeLIPO’.  It is performed in a fully awake patient with pure tumescent local anesthesia without any sedation. It is a unique protocol combining safe liposuction, laser liposuction, ultra sound lipolysis and radio frequency skin firming. This ensures guaranteed safety, permanent fat cell destruction, smooth silky skin texture and unbelievable post liposuction skin firming. This process is highly efficient, as the whole procedure is completed within six hours. Even after that, patients don’t have to take any painkillers. Although, depending on the severity and spread of the body fat, treatment can be spread over multiple sessions, each session covering 1 to 2 body parts. In selected patients Skin City uses ‘Orthostatic SafeLIPO’. In this, Liposuction is performed with fine cannulas in an awake, standing patient. This method imparts highly precise shaping and perfect assurance of safety. Common body parts treated with safeLIPO are Tummy, love handles (flanks), buttocks, thighs, double chin and jowls on face. Dermatologists at Skin City, who administer SafeLIPO, are affiliated to international bodies like ASDS, DASIL, ACSI, etc.
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16 steps to a beautiful bride
‘Solah Shringar’ or 16 ways to beautify one’s self encompasses of basic steps of beautification of a woman from head to toe. It is a traditional ritual meant to adorn and bestow gifts of beauty on her. For those who came in late, the word ‘Shringar’ is derived from ‘Shri’ which means ‘Lakshmi’, the goddess of wealth, beauty, luck and prosperity. ‘Solah Shringar’ acknowledges and celebrates the beauty and divinity of the female form. It is generally done on the wedding day, the most significant and important day for a woman. It is the day that marks her transition into womanhood. Other than wedding, it is also carried out during major festivals and religious activities. SkinCity is committed to applying the basic principles and elements of ‘Solah Shringar’ to today’s fast-changing world and makes every bride look the way she aspires to look – Timeless! SkinCity has several services and packages for the Bride to be, the Groom, their families and friends…
  •   Skin Renewal System – for nourishment & glow
  •   Skin Lightening System – for fairness
  •   Skin Restoral System – for skin damage
  •   Skin Revival System – for mature skin
  •   Back to Beautiful – for a beautiful back
  •   Skin Perfection System – for acne & scars
  •   Under-eye Revitalize System
  •   Youth Restoration System – for ageing skin
  •   15 days Beautiful Bride Package
  •  30 days Beautiful Bride Package
  •  60 days Beautiful Bride Package
  •  15 days Package for the Groom
  •  30 days package for the Groom
  •  Special Package for the Mother of the Bride / Groom
  •  Laser Hair Reduction of unwanted hair
  •  Safe Liposuction for unwanted fat – per body part, day time procedure
Though the bridal beautification ritual lives on, these basic tenets have evolved with time and practically each one of them has stemmed into a special science of beauty.  SkinCity works to make these basics as perfect as possible. India’s largest hair and skin restoration centre, it has evolved into an institution and a benchmark unto itself. Equipped with the latest technological know-how and a team of qualified medical professionals, SkinCity takes care of each and every skin and hair related issue meticulously.
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FEMINA JUNE 2013 Article :Super Hair Removal Process
Highlighting the word ‘Super’ Manasi Shroff talks to Dr Niteen Dhepe—leading dermatologist in India as well as the Medical Director, SkinCity PG Institute of Dermatology—about how to get rid of body hair at SkinCity with the Super Hair Removal process.  “Oh, God! I need to wax…” is something we women keep saying at regular intervals. Well, not anymore—courtesy Suprano Laser installed at SkinCity, you will be hair-free and carefree permanently. This technique is apparently so efficient that the process is called Super Hair Removal. Out of sight We all want a body that is hairless and smooth as silk. However, we are all lazy as hell to go and get ourselves waxed. Besides waxing, threading and shaving are painful and have to be done time and again. Well, shaking hands with technology, SkinCity’s Suprano Laser is painless, quick—and yes, it’s permanent too! Your body hair is absolutely not visible and you could put on that sexy, backless dress whenever you feel like. Nothing like it It’s a rare facility available in the city and we all know how rare is precious. Suprano Laser barely takes time, maybe a fraction of the time as compared to other laser technologies to treat a given area because of the speed of the machine. Since the fact that the treatment is painless, large body parts can be covered quickly with no discomfort to the client. Super benefits Dr Dhepe says, “It’s the speed and comfort experienced with this technology, which allows our clients to treat large body parts.” This makes full body hair removal a cakewalk. It’s happy time for the men as there is no local anesthesia required to due to the thickness and density of hair. It’s no more painful. That’s how it works It’s just as easy as it sounds. A single sitting of Super Hair Removal for the full body takes about three-four hours with highly trained practitioners to carry out the treatments. About eight to twelve sittings does it all. Be assured that this super treatment has no side-effects of any kind. Don’t be pricey Super Hair Removal costs are at par with other laser hair removal treatments, and the speed is another feather added to the hat. “However it works out more economical to have Super Hair Removal done for permanent freedom from unwanted hair than to adopt the lifelong conventional temporary methods like threading and waxing,” adds Dr Dhepe. So now we exactly know where to go head when we are absolutely fed up of hitting the parlor.
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An Idea Called Skin City
Skin City is not just a clinic or a spa. It is an idea. An idea that took root with the ambition of providing all the services in dermatology under one roof. It started its journey from Solapur. What started as one clinic in one town of Maharashtra has today become India’s largest skin and hair transplantation centre, with campuses in Solapur and Pune, and a unique mobile laser clinic that caters to the rural areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka. It houses the latest and the best technology pertaining to all body, hair and skin related treatments in the world, under one roof. Skin City is the largest Aesthetic Dermatology set-up in India and the only one that practices Aesthetic Dermatology with an institutional approach. There are many players in this field but they work either purely on a commercial basis or as a traditional dermatology institute and conduct work only in dermatology. Skin City’s services include dermatology and skin surgery, aesthetic dermatology, lasers & cosmetic surgery and hair treatment. It has established itself as the perfect balance between aesthetic dermatology, hardcore dermatology & dermatology teaching. Skin City is affiliated to several international associations like The American Academy of Dermatology, The American Society of Dermatology, The European Academy of Dermatology, The International Society of Hair Transplantation Surgery and The Asian Society of Hair Transplantation Surgery. Skin City is one of the only two private Post Graduate Institutes in Dermatology in India. Skin City offers Post Graduate courses like DNB, Diploma in Dermatology, Fellowship in Aesthetic Dermatology & Fellowship in Hair Transplantation Surgery. The world’s most sought after treatments like liposuction, hair transplant, super hair removal, mesotherapy, scar removal, vitiligo treatment, bridal packages, allergy treatments, chronic skin disease treatments, skin enhancement services, anti-ageing services, acne treatment, right up to the latest MiraDry – the world’s most advance technology for permanent removal of underarm hair and odour – all are a part of Skin City. Just like every successful enterprise runs on a set of values and beliefs, Skin City too has risen to its present self by following a set of scruples and not losing focus of its vision. Not letting cosmetic dermatology transform into a beauty salon or a spa is one of them. Skin City has always treated beauty as a science, and not as a commodity. That is the reason why some of the best dermatologists work for Skin City and help enhance its offerings. Since summer is the most troublesome season for skin and hair, Skin City has come up with special offers for summer that aim at tackling the common problems like excess body fat, stubborn body hair,  hair loss and baldness at discount rates.
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What Is Autologous Fat Transfer? How It Is Treated?

Autologous Fat Transfer

Autologous fat is the most natural and economical filler used to improve the contours of the body. SkinCity, empowered with SafeLIPO, is a dermatological centre of excellence for fat transfer. Depressed cheeks, depressed accidental scars, under eyes hollows (tear trough), lip augmentation are some indications for which fat from the same individual is used as a filler. Dr. Dhepe is an ‘International Travelling Master’ of ASDS: American Society of Dermatology surgery to train Dermatologists across the world on Fat transfer, lasers, and other technologies. What is autologous fat transfer? An Autologous Fat Transfer treatment is a procedure where excess fat from one part of the body is harvested, and then re-injected into another part of the body to either enhance or replace the lost volume. Fat is removed from unwanted fat pouches of a person’s body is injected at the sites which require filling e.g. scars, hollow cheeks, temples, lips, breasts. Since it is one’s own fat cells, there are no allergic reactions or unwanted side effect seen. Which areas can be treated? Almost every part of the body can be treated using a fat transfer procedure. The most common areas are:
  • Breasts: an autologous fat transfer breast or fat grafting breast augmentation to give fuller and uplifted looking breasts;
  • Buttocks: an autologous fat transfer for buttock augmentation to achieve the Brazilian butt lift;
  • Face: to fill in the hollowness of the temples, cheeks, brows, and folds to create a more youthful appearance;
  • Hands: to restore subcutaneous fat loss on the back of the hands; and
  • Scars: an autologous fat is injected beneath the skin surface to elevate depressed surgical and acne scars.
The entire procedure is done under local anaesthesia and the patient walks out an hour after the 2- 3 hours procedure. How long will the results last? The duration of the results of autologous fat transfer procedure differs from person to person. The body reabsorbs the injected fat over a period of time but more than 50% of the injected volume remains in place permanently. Repeat sessions help to maintain the desired volume. Everything you need to know about gentle and natural body contouring is right here at Skin City. Visit our website to know more about the procedure: www.skincityindia.com
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Why You Need Laser Vaginal Tightening

laser-vaginal-tightening-treatements

Lifecycle processes such as childbirth; hormonal changes that accompany aging and severe weight fluctuations can overstretch vaginal tissue, damage collagen and alter the muscle tone in the vaginal wall. These anatomical changes often lead to symptoms such as vaginal laxity, vaginal atrophy, and involuntary bladder leakage. These feminine health conditions negatively affect women’s quality of life and often prevent them from carrying out a normal lifestyle.

Skin City offers a quick, safe and highly effective, non-invasive solution that addresses a wide range of feminine health concerns. It is a comprehensive treatment solution that can be performed in an outpatient setting with no need for anaesthesia and no pain, achieving immediate improvement with lasting results.

There is no patient downtime and women can regain their daily routine immediately post procedure. At Skin City, we observe complete confidentiality and sensitivity exercised by towards the patient’s privacy and comfort.

Like every other part of the female body, the vagina and vulva too tend to age and the process often tends to speed up during and immediately after menopause. When the natural levels of oestrogen start to decline in the body, the female genital tract shows effects, first. Studies have shown that almost half the women who are above the age of 40 tend to face such problems, and this tends to affect their sex life too.

Effects of Hypotonic (loose) Vaginal Muscles:

  • vaginal dryness
  • vaginal burning
  • dysuria
  • urgency
  • Stress incontinence
  • Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners

Fractional CO2 laser vaginal rejuvenation or LVR is a revolutionary new procedure, which is non-surgical in nature and can be used to treat vaginal atrophy and Stress Urinary Incontinence that is often caused due to age. Though this is currently more popular as Vaginal tightening procedure.

Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Advantages

  • The procedure does not take more than 15 minutes
  • There is next to no pain or discomfort
  • You will be able to return to your normal routine within a day
  • The level of risks are really low and there are little to no side effects
  • The vaginal tightening procedure results will last a long time
  • Improvements are visible immediately after the first session
  • The procedure is suitable for almost all women, including those who have breast cancer

The basic concept of laser vaginal rejuvenation is simple – tiny columns of laser energy are used in multiples, and these stimulate the production of collagen and help with the regeneration of vaginal tissue.

How the Procedure is Performed:

After a direct vaginal examination and PAP smear test, the candidate is taken for the procedure and is cleaned. Sterilised laser probe is inserted in vagina and laser light is passed on vaginal tissue. The treatment takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Most women experience that the probe emits a gentle vibration and warmth, but there is no pain. In most cases, the regeneration of vaginal tissue will start in about 30 days, the result of which will be a stronger and tighter vagina, which has better elasticity and hydration. You should be able to return to your normal routine, immediately, but you might be asked to refrain from exercise for at least 24 hours and sexual intercourse for about 5 days.

For most women, the results become obvious right after the first session, but for the best results, you should go for 3 treatments, 1 month apart. The results will last a long time. As the natural process of aging continues, you can always go for top up treatments.

Just as cosmetic procedures have been used for decades to improve facial skin and to restore its youthfulness, non-surgical vaginal tightening with Skin City improves the health and vitality of vaginal tissue. We are focused on a women’s health and have the most up-to-date technology to guarantee patient satisfaction. Our minimally invasive techniques allow women to enjoy the benefits of cosmetic procedures without the inconvenience of downtime and pain.

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What Is Vaginal Tightening And How It Is Treated?
Vaginal Tightening

Vaginal muscles must be able to contract to maintain continence, and to relax allowing for urination and bowel movements, and for sexual intercourse as well as for giving birth. They also support and protect the organs of the abdomen and hold the bladder in its proper place.

The pelvic muscles can become stretched or weakened due to ageing and more specifically due to pregnancy. This often happens after a difficult childbirth which overstretches or tears the pelvic muscles and can also be the result of giving birth to several babies within a very short time span. Their under use can also cause pelvic floor weakness.

This set of muscles, also known as the muscles of the perineum, forms the floor of the pelvic cavity and supports the pelvic organs such as the bladder, uterus and colon and intestine.

These muscles act like a rubber band, they need to be tense but neither too tight to avoid pelvic floor muscle disorder nor too loose, because in both cases they will lose the right degree of elasticity and therefore their main function and could potentially create a pelvic floor dysfunction.

Symptoms of Hypotonic Pelvic Muscles: •    Stress incontinence •    Urge incontinence •    Pelvic organ prolapse •    Unsatisfactory sexual intercourse for both partners

Vaginal tightening is the tightening of the pelvic muscles to achieve or maintain the right degree of elasticity of the pelvic floor muscles.

Vaginal tightening can be achieved in different ways, all effective in their own way and can be complementary. Vaginoplasty is a reconstructive plastic surgery and cosmetic procedure for the vaginal canal and its mucous membrane, and of vulvovaginal structures that might be absent or damaged because of congenital disease (e.g. vaginal hypoplasia) or because of an acquired cause (e.g. childbirth physical trauma, cancer)

Skin City’s cutting edge treatment tightens the vaginal walls which restores tone to tissue, and increases blood flow—that increases lubrication and strengthens the supporting ligaments surrounding the bladder and urethra to reduce the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence.

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Scalp Micropigmentation and Its Wonderful Benefits

Scalp Micropigmentation

Scalp coverage is the name of the game in the treatment of baldness. Thicker hair even if less in number have more volume and hence better scalp coverage. The problem arises with thinner hair and a lighter scalp

Micro pigmentation is a technique used to implant small amounts of pigment into the upper layer of the scalp in a dot or line pattern, and this creates an optical illusion of a full scalp even without hair restoration. This is a painless walk in-walk out procedure which takes a few hours and is performed without any anesthesia. Skin City is one of the very few centers to launch this procedure.

In patients with significant hair loss being treated with mesotherapy/ PRP or even hair transplantation, scalp micro pigmentation can be added at the completion of these procedures to give maximum scalp coverage look.

What is Scalp Micropigmentation:

Scalp Micropigmentation (medical hairline tattoo) is the ultimate in non-surgical male and female scalp grooming; an incredible life-changing treatment where natural pigments are applied at the epidermal level of the scalp to replicate the natural appearance of the real hair follicles or strands – depending on your hair loss extent, and desired look.

The human head has on average 2,000 hairs per square inch. When thinning occurs, it can be a depressing time, stigmas attached to balding & premature ageing in both men and women can affect confidence and mood. Scalp Micropigmentation can restore even a completely bald head to look like a full head of well-groomed hair.

The follicle/strand build up of Scalp Micropigmentation normally takes place over 2- 3 sessions, each taking approx 2-3 hours with at least 2 weeks to 1 month between sessions. The process allows for a very gradual and subtle rejuvenation/infill of the hairline, rarely identified even by close friends and family.

During the procedure, topical anaesthetic cream is applied over the area to be treated prior to starting micropigmentation, hence the procedure becomes completely painless. A cartridge containing  few very fine needles working in symphony gently inject natural pigment into the 2nd dermal skin layer and Skin City uses the latest innovative technology and the Pigment spacing is determined by replicating the remaining natural hair follicles.

Benefits of Scalp Micropigmentation :

  • Give the look of a full, youthful head of cropped hair
  • Restore hairlines on part-bald or fully bald heads
  • Camouflage scarring resulting from previous hair transplant surgery
  • Hide scars, burns and birthmarks
  • Boost the visual effect of a hair transplant

Though there are many types of hair loss treatments available, not all of them work, leaving men suffering hair loss with few options. That’s why scalp micropigmentation is the best course of action for those in this position, because of the numerous benefits this procedure can offer to those suffering from hair loss.

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Medical Body Shaping - Its Treatments And Who Should Go For It?

Medical Body Shaping

There are multiple options available for body shaping and surgical liposuction, laser liposuction, injection lipolysis are some of them. Patients, who are unwilling for surgical options or are unfit for any invasive procedure because of uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease or any other serious health condition, can opt for medical body shaping options.

This treatment involves non-invasive Lipolysis with HIFU Ultra sound and Accent non-ablative radio frequency. These high intensity ultrasound and radio-frequency waves mobilize fat cells, destroy them and facilitate their expulsion from the body through lymphatic drainage.

These techniques especially give good results for facial fat reduction and contouring the face.

What is Hifu/Ultherapy?

It is a highly precise medical procedure that applies high-intensity focused ultrasound energy which delivers heat to the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers collagen remodeling thus increasing the elasticity of the skin resulting in tightening. It also destroys excess fat cells in the face, neck by heat energy. These dead fat cells undergo a process of cellular death called apoptosis and then expelled through body’s lymphatic drainage.

Accent Non-Ablative Radio Frequency Ttherapy:

Unipolar (or 3rd generation Monopolar) one is for a deep controlled penetration depth of the RF energy for fat reduction and cellulite treatment.

  1. Tightening of the underlying tissues, which in turn causes a production of new collagen and collagen remodelling;
  2. Increased blood circulation to the area being treated and drainage of the fatty deposits to the lymphatic system; and
  3. Fatty acid decomposition and heat-induced fat cell death.

What is It Used to Treat?

 Treatment applications (using either the Unipolar (3rd generation Monopolar) or Bipolar head) include:

  • Cellulite treatment
  • Fat reduction on the arms, abdomen, buttocks and legs
  • Skin tightening on the face, arms, abdomen, buttocks and legs
  • Complete body contouring
  • Pre liposuction skin tightening
  • Post liposuction smoothing
  • Lipoma (benign tumour composed of fat tissue) treatment

How Long Does It Last?

Results may last up to 2-3 years. However, ongoing maintenance will be required more frequently for older people and for those with poor skin quality to begin with, as a result of smoking, sun exposure, alcohol consumption etc.

For body contouring applications, the improvement in the skin quality is said to be long lasting, similar to the facial tightening results; however keeping the body contours in check is also subject to a person’s diet, calorie intake, exercise and lifestyle. Fat cells have the capability of expanding to 500 times their size, thus an unbalanced diet and unhealthy lifestyle plays a center roll in keeping body contours in good shape more than any treatment can, effective as it is.

Body contouring is an area of medical aesthetics that is developing rapidly, with many new devices coming to market every year, using multiple different technologies. For these treatments, patient selection is probably the most challenging. The choice of equipment for an individual practice will depend on a variety of factors, including cost, patient demographics, space available and staffing levels.

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Why Consulting a Trichologist Is Best to Resolve Hair Fall Problems

Why-Consulting-Trichologist-Is-Best-to-Resolve-Hair-Fall-Problems

While hair loss may not usually be a threat to your health, it can have devastating effects on your self-image and sense of well-being. Your hair has much more significance than the physiological purpose of regulating your temperature and providing protection for your scalp. For most people, it is a definition of their personality, style, and fashion. When hair loss occurs, it has a damaging effect on our psyche. Your dermatologist is a highly skilled medical professional that diagnoses and treats a wide variety of conditions that can affect the scalp and cause hair loss.

What Causes Hair Loss?

The medical term for hair loss is Alopecia but there are many different types and causes. Both men and women may experience it in varying degrees from a slight thinning of the hair to complete baldness.

Examples of the most common hair loss disorders are:

  • Alopecia Areata- an autoimmune condition in which the hair follicles are attacked by the body’s immune cells
  • Androgenetic Alopecia- patterned baldness that develops in males and females due to hereditary and hormonal factors
  • Telogen Effluvium- a condition associated with excessive hair shedding of hair several months after the body experiences a major stressful event.
  • Chemical Hair Damage- hair becomes dry, and brittle and breaks off in pieces after being exposed to a chemical that is too harsh
  • Traction Alopecia- hair loss due to pulling on the hair from tight braids or hair pieces

Hair loss may also be the result of underlying health issues such as anemia or thyroid abnormalities.  Changes to your hair and scalp might indicate health problems such as diabetes or lupus or any number of other conditions, therefore, it is important that you take sudden changes in your hair seriously.

So, What Should You Do If You Start Losing Your Hair?

The first step in the treatment of hair loss is to determine the cause. Visit your dermatologist to have them examine your hair and scalp and diagnose your disorder. Many forms of hair fall are temporary or can be reversed with the proper medications or therapies. Other forms may cause scarring which can lead to permanent baldness but can be slowed significantly through regular treatment sessions if the process is started early.

 To properly diagnose your type of hair fall your dermatologist will ask about your medical history, any recent illnesses you may have had and any medications you may be taking including over the counter medicines. Are you experiencing hair loss on your body as well as your scalp? Your hair care routine is also vital information to share with your doctor. Such things as the hair care products you use, how often you shampoo and whether you color your hair or use a hair dryer are valuable bits of information that can help with your diagnoses.  It is useful to bring these products in when you see the dermatologist for a consultation. They will also ask questions about other family members who may also have experienced hair loss to determine your genetic predisposition to baldness. Most diagnoses’ are made through skillful evaluation of your scalp, hair and medical history but occasionally further medical testing is necessary. Again, these tests may include blood work to rule out underlying medical conditions, examination of a hair sample under a microscope or a skin biopsy to evaluate the scalp tissue of the affected area.

Skin City has expertise in using a combination approach to hair fall to minimize the side effects and to improve the safety of the therapies adopted. Skin City is one of the very few centers to give excellent results in hair fall.

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The Best Anti-Aging Treatments in India for a Youthful You
Anti-Aging Treatments in India

With wrinkles, fine lines, brown spots and a sallow blotchy skin creeping in, anybody can tell you are almost hitting the dreaded aging phase. Skin aging is a natural process that presents itself relatively early in life, sometimes as early as the late 20s. But, thanks to various anti-aging non-surgical treatments, women can now hop back in time. A few years ago, the most popular anti-aging remedies were plastic surgery procedures like brow lifts and facelifts. However, the trend has drastically changed over time with the development of non-invasive anti-aging treatments. Often referred to as minimally invasive methods, the skin treatments improve skin texture, rid of lines and maintain a youthful look.

Various cosmetologists and dermatologists now perform cutting-edge anti- ageing treatments in India, which can show longer lasting results within a few sessions only. Some of the anti- ageing treatments available in India are:- BOTOX

BOTOX is a toxin produced by a strain of bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. In case you're wondering, this is the same bacteria that can cause botulism, which is a type of food poisoning. Botox is used for the treatment of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows. Today, it is used to treat other areas of the face, including the forehead and the crow's feet at the corners of the eye.

CHEMICAL PEELS

Most commonly used to treat those with sun-damaged or unevenly pigmented skin, chemical peels have become one of the most popular non-invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. Chemical peels are one form of anti-aging treatment. Although chemical peels are not able to prevent or slow down the aging process they are certainly able to improve facial blemishes, acne, wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation.

DERMAL FILLERS

One non-surgical method that has become extremely popular is the use of dermal fillers. Dermal fillers such as hyaluronic acid should not be confused with Botox. Botox may be used for anti-aging skin care but works through a completely different process. Plastic surgeons refer to the use of dermal fillers as soft tissue augmentation. Soft tissue augmentation is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure performed to correct eye wrinkles, other facial wrinkles, and depressions in the skin and/or scarring.

 FACELIFT

As you get older, a number of factors contribute to the aging of your face. Stress, sun and wind exposure, and even gravity conspire to leave you older-looking. A facelift can help address some of the effects of aging. During a facelift, your plastic surgeon removes excess fatty deposits, tightens the muscles that support your face, removes excess skin and rewraps the skin of your face. Quite often, the facelift surgery is performed along with other facial surgeries such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) or a browlift (forehead lift surgery).

LASER PEEL & SKIN REJUVENATION

Laser skin resurfacing is one of the fastest growing and most effective skin rejuvenation procedures performed by plastic surgeons. Laser skin resurfacing can be used to treat a wide variety of skin conditions that result from or relate to the effects of aging. Acne Scars, Age Spots, Brown Spots, Fine Lines, Large Pore Size, Stretch Marks, Sun Spots, and Wrinkles can be treated with laser skin rejuvenation.

MICRODERMABRASION

Like dermabrasion, microdermabrasion involves removing some of the upper skin layers. Microdermabrasion, however, doesn't go as deep. Microdermabrasion is ideally suited for a person who has aged skin or skin that has been damaged by overexposure to the sun.  Microdermabrasion treatments polish and soften the skin, reducing fine lines on the face.

While the best non-surgical anti-aging face treatments are affordable and effective compared to plastic surgery treatments, patients ought to be cautious when picking their health providers.

 
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Pros & Cons of Skin Pigmentation Treatment

 What Are The Pros and Cons -  Pigmentation Treatment

Dark spots, age spots, sun spots – what is pigmentation? We explain your uneven complexion and suggest solutions for clearer, brighter skin. You may not have deep frown lines or crow's feet, but if you feel like you're ageing, chances are it's thanks to uneven skin tone. Now, we're not talking a sweet smattering of freckles, but bigger, uneven brown patches on not only the face but hands, décolletage, and shoulder areas. It's these aging dark spots of bother that is known as pigmentation, caused by sun exposure and specifically the UVA rays which penetrate deep into your skin and cause ageing. Types Of Pigmentation Which Can Be Treated With Laser Therapy
  • Melasma, solar lentigos or sun spots, birthmarks, port-wine stains and freckles
  • Melasma is a patchy brown discoloration of the skin on the face
  • Solar lentigines, are small brown pigmented spot on the skin with a clearly defined edge, surrounded by normal-appearing skin. These mainly appear in sun exposed areas like the tops of the hands and face
  • Birthmarks are normally flat and are brown or black in color
  • Port-wine stains are the kind of pigmentation defects in which some reddish-purple discolorations appear on the skin as a result of some swollen red blood vessels in the body
  • Freckles are small, brownish spots on the skin that are caused by deposition of pigment and that increase in number and darken on exposure to sunlight
Pros of Laser Treatment
  • Quite effective. When done from a reputed clinic there is a chance that 90% , even 100% of your pigmentation will vanish in a set of sessions provided
  • Less painful than other laser treatments
  • Improved appearance
  • The duration of each laser session is quite short, aprox 30mins
  • Require a very short recovery time
  • No age limit
Cons of Laser Treatment
  • Dangerous if you go to someone inexperienced
  • May require several sessions
  • Some may feel a slight stinging or burning
  • Redness, swelling, bruising, and dry patches can be seen on a person who had undergone layer treatment. Proper aftercare is required
We at SkinCity advocate that the ideal anti ageing treatment should address all the tightening & lifting, filling for hydrating & Skin brightening of skin. Thus we advise the 3D facelift for optimum results.
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Golden Rules for a Fabulous and Wonderful Looking Skin

Fabulous and Wonderful Looking Skin

To keep skin looking healthy, you need to adopt a tailored skincare routine. If you want to enjoy a radiant skin, all you have to do is adopt the 10 essential beauty commandments! During the day, your skin is exposed to damage, and this makes it tired. Over the years, it changes. What it needs is plenty of pampering! Discover our beauty tips for beautiful skin at any age. Firstly, understand your skin type. Dry Skin Dry skin can feel tight throughout the day and may experience noticeable flaking. Dry skin is largely due to genetics, environmental factors such as lifestyle & diet, hormonal changes, and climate. Dehydration is also a leading cause of dry skin, so drinking plenty of water and avoiding diuretics like alcohol and caffeine can make a significant difference in how your skin feels and looks. Normal/Combination Skin People with normal/combination skin often experience dryness on the cheeks, making it important to find a moisturizer that is not too heavy but one substantial enough to retain moisture where needed most. Those with normal skin are not prone to breakouts on their cheeks and tend to have a well-moisturized t-zone. Oily Skin Excess oil can oftentimes leave pores congested and clogged. The happy news, however, is that oily skin looks younger and suppler because it has more natural moisture and is less prone to wrinkle. How to Take Care of Your Skin Type Dry Skin
  • Use a creamy cleanser that is Soap-free before going to bed; wash your face with the cleanser thoroughly as part of your daily routine. Make sure you rinse it with cool water.
  • Use a moisturizer on your face at least thrice a day to keep the skin hydrated and to avoid tightness and roughness of the facial skin.
  • Applying a facial mask is also another great additional benefit to your routine, in which it helps rejuvenate the skin and makes it smooth.
  • Exfoliate your dry skin using a slightly abrasive cleaner like a loofah or sponge. You may also use an exfoliating product that is suitable for your skin! However always remember to use natural products! Do not over exfoliate.
Normal/Combination Skin
  • Wash your face at least two times each day with a regular skin care face wash having pH similar to your skin pH.
  • Always apply sunscreen with a large SPF every day.
  • Apply a light lotion in the evening to keep your skin hydrated.
  • To remove makeup use the same cleansing milk and a face wash.
  • Use an exfoliating scrub once in 2 weeks; thereafter use a non-drying face mask.
Oily Skin
  • Cleanse it! Find a cleanser marked specifically for oily skin. It will prevent your skin from looking like an oil slick without stripping it of necessary oils.
  • Use a foaming face wash which contains alpha hydroxy acids, salicylic acid etc. This should be used 3-4 times in a day and followed up with an alcohol-free toner.
  • Use non-comedogenic wide spectrum large SPF sunscreen for oily skin.
  • Use only water based makeup.
  • Use of an exfoliating scrub weekly and anti-acne mask if you have an acne problem.
Having great skin is a desire of many and when it’s summer, a lot of us want to make sure that our skin is clear and radiant. If you’re striving for a better-looking skin, the above-mentioned golden rules of skin care will help you achieve glowing skin in no time!
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Misconceptions About Dermatology - Debunking The Myths

Misconceptions-About-Dermatology

For many people, the world of dermatology is baffling. Most people have an idea of what dermatology is – they know that dermatologists treat skin but that’s about it. Here are some of the common myths and misconceptions about dermatology, and the real truth, too!

Myth #1: Scrubbing Your Face with Soap Will Soften Your Skin

You’ve probably heard it before: Wash your face twice a day for healthy skin. While removing make-up and other grime is important, if you overdo it, you can remove the healthy oils and protective barriers your skin secretes to keep out harmful antigens and dirt. To stay on the safe side, use a mild cleanser in the morning and do the same at night, always remembering to wash gently. Harsh scrubbing will only aggravate sensitive skin cells.

Myth #2: Dermatologists Just Treat Acne

This is a common reason people visit a dermatologist, but dermato