Comedones or comedonal acne refer to small, dark, white or flesh-colored bumps on the skin resulting from blockage of the hair follicles by sebum (an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands) and the dead skin cells. Comedones are one of the different types of acne. The most common location of comedones is the forehead and chin on the face though may also occur on other body parts too. When only one bump occurs it is termed comedo, while multiple bumps occurring together are called comedones. These are common in the adolescent age group though it can affect people at any age. Some risk ..read more

Diabetes predisposes a person to several skin complaints. One of the common complaints among these is foot ulcers. Diabetic foot ulcer refers to an open wound that may form on the feet in persons having diabetes. Diabetes damages the nerves in the feet (peripheral neuropathy) that results in decreased sensation of pain in the feet. Due to this, feet get prone to an injury as diabetics may not feel a sharp object touching the feet. Along with this the wound healing is also delayed. Other than this, dry skin in diabetics may cause callus (thick, hard area on the skin) formation on the feet. Due ..read more

Edema also known as dropsy and fluid retention refers to fluid build-up in the tissues of the body. It usually affects legs, feet and ankles though other body parts can also be affected by it like hands, face, eyelids, etc. Edema can be pitting (when a swollen part of the body has a dimple after one presses it) or non-pitting type. In case of pitting edema when pressure is applied to the affected swollen area, the indentation persists for some time after the pressure is released. In case of non-pitting edema, the indentation goes away immediately after the release of pressure. Edema causes swe ..read more

Puffiness under the eyes, also called bags under the eyes, is a very common problem. It refers to swelling under the eyes. Depending on the cause of puffiness, it can be accompanied by other symptoms like eye discharge, itchy eyes, watering from eyes, redness of eyes and dry eyes. In some cases, this may occur temporarily for some reasons like excessive salt intake, lack of sleep, excessive crying and over-rubbing of the eyes. Puffiness under the eyes can also be a part of aging as well. Next, this may also happen due to injury to the eye. Puffiness could also occur due to several medical reas ..read more

Oil (sebum) is naturally produced in our body by the sebaceous glands on the skin and scalp. It has a moisturising and protective function. When there is an increased production of sebum on the scalp, it leads to oily scalp (seborrhoea). This may be attended with some other complaints as well. These include itching, bad odor from the scalp, dandruff and greasy hair. It can also lead to acne (pimples). It is also one of the main predisposing factors that may result in fungal infection on the scalp. Several reasons can lead to oily scalp. It can occur in hot, humid weather, from washing hair eit ..read more

Weakness after childbirth is medically termed as postpartum fatigue. Quite common, it has a negative impact on the well-being and emotional health of a woman. Postpartum fatigue symptoms include feeling extremely tired, exhausted, lack of energy, mood swings, poor concentration, anxiety and low mood. Other symptoms include body aches, joint pains, backache, decreased motivation and decreased interest in activities which she once enjoyed. After childbirth, every woman feels tired in varying degrees. It may remain from a few weeks to months. The duration and intensity of this fatigue varies from ..read more

Allergies can occur due to various reasons, in some cases chemicals in the hair dye can result in an allergic reaction. The symptoms of hair dye allergy can be mild to severe. Hair dye allergies are a result of an overreaction of the immune system to the chemicals present in the hair dye. PPD (paraphenylenediamine), a component of hair dye, is usually the reason behind the allergy. Though PPD is the most prominent chemical that causes allergic reaction, other components present in the dye such as ammonia, peroxide, etc. can also result in an allergic reaction. The symptoms appear immediately o ..read more

Sinus infection refers to infection of the paranasal sinuses (air–filled spaces present in the skull bone) from infection by bacteria or viruses. A sinus infection (sinusitis) can result in various kind of symptoms with toothache being one among them. Sinus infections can cause pain in the upper teeth due to the involvement of the sinuses that are located near the mouth. Its infection can put pressure on the nerves supplying the sinuses, gums and teeth. Sinus toothache is felt in multiple teeth at a time and not just one teeth. Besides toothache, other symptoms of sinus infection include heada ..read more

There are many health issues that a woman experiences after childbirth, especially after C–section (cesarean section). Back pain is one of the most common health problems that a woman may face. There are several reasons behind this kind of backache. One among these is the impact of the epidural injection given in the spine to numb the area for operation. This can cause spasms of the muscles near the spinal cord after delivery. These spasms result in back pain that may persist for many weeks or months following the delivery. Hormonal changes may result in back pain after delivery. During pregna ..read more

Lower back pain is a very common health concern nowadays.  Lower back pain can occur at any time of the day or night.  One may wake up with lower back pain in the morning. The pain can be localized in the lower back or it may radiate down to the hips, legs and feet varying from case to case. It may be accompanied by stiffness in the lower back in some cases. Experiencing such pain in the morning once in a while is not worrisome but if it happens frequently then it needs to be investigated to rule out the underlying cause behind it. Lower back pain in the morning may simply arise from ..read more