Dr. Vikram Chauhan, Author at Dr. Vikram Chauhan's Blog

Remedies for Skin Discoloration and Pigmentation

Melanin is a pigment that gives color to the skin and protects it from rays of the sun. When there is an overproduction of melanin, skin discoloration is the result. There are some special cells in the body, which make melanin when these cells get affected melanin production gets imbalanced. The reason could be inflammation of the skin; other reasons like internal or external factors of the body can be the culprits of this problem.

Pigmented birthmarks, port wine stains, muscular stains, hemangiomas are some of the common types of pigmentations, due to which our discoloration of the skin occurs on our body.

Due to the difference which occurs in melanin levels, skin patch occurs on certain part of the body or on all of your body.

Types of Skin Discoloration Or Pigmentation

Vitiligo:

Vitiligo mainly affects the loss of color in blotches, any part of your body can be affected with this problem, most people with dark skin tend to get this problem with their skin, as far as this problem is concerned it does not harm you any other way than skin discoloration but its stressful kind of situation for person suffering from this problem as he feels bad about him/herself. The reason for this problem is when cells that produce melanin stops functioning hence discoloration occurs.

Melasma:

It is a condition that causes discoloration on your skin. As it’s known as “Mask of pregnancy” too, when it occurs in pregnant women, the condition is much more common in women, but men can get it too, brownish color skin patches can occur on cheeks forehead, bridge of the nose or on the chin. Though it will not do any harm, you may feel self-conscious about the way it appears on your skin texture.

Hypopigmentation:

Hypopigmentation is patches that are lighter than your overall skin, the problem with melanin can cause you this condition of hypopigmentation. This condition can also be due to the injury as it can develop into hypopigmentation.

Solar Lentigines:

It’s a patch of dark skin, the cause of this problem is UV (Ultraviolet rays), due to which local proliferation of melanocytes happens and leads to the accumulation of melanin within the skin cells (Kertinocytes). People over 40 are prone to be under the umbrella of this condition of solar lentigines.

Freckles:

Freckles are the brown spots on fair skin people, who are the victim of this problem, due to UV (ultraviolet) radiation stimulation. Genes such as MC1R or sunburn can be the cause of freckles.

Causes Of Discolored Skin Patches

Burns:

Sunburns can be the cause of damaging your skin and some time some other factors which lead to burns can also damage your skin, hence it tends to get patches on the skin.

Skin Cancer:

When genetic material in the skin is damaged, this can cause cancer, which can change the color of skin and texture of the skin. Long term sun damage and exposure to chemicals can also be the reason for skin cancer.

Some Types of Skin Cancer

Melanoma:

It’s the least common type of cancer, but if not treated, it can be dangerous also. Mole on the skin when it gets triggered which is also a cause of melanoma. Place of their occurrence in men is on chest and back. In the case of women, they appear on legs.

Actinic Keratosis:

It’s a condition where crusty or scaly kind of spots on hand, arms or face appears. It’s a precancerous skin problem. These spots are brown-gray or pink, the area affected with this problem tends to itch or even burning sensation is felt.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma:

It’s a type of skin cancer that begins in squamous cells, due to this disease sores and scaly patches can be seen. Squamous cells make an outermost layer of the skin.

Basal Cell Carcinoma:

Due to this condition, painful bumps in the early stages are making the patient irritate as they bleed, it also affects the top layer of skin. The appearance of this kind bumps are shiny or with scar-like looks.

Ayurvedic Treatment For Skin Cancer

Ayurveda can help us to treat these problems we face due to skin discoloration and pigmentation. According to Ayurveda, “Subdoshas” like ‘Pitta” and ‘Vatta” are the main factors due to which color of skin gets affected.

In Ayurveda, we not only treat with medicines for skin disorders but we include different procedures to overcome the problem of skin discoloration, by diagnosing the nature of the problem. We apply the procedure to treat it from the root. All these procedures are natural and without any side effects.

It includes the following herbal and home remedies:

Home Remedies for Skin Discoloration and Pigmentation

Changes in Lifestyle:

For combating with pigmentation on any part of the body you have to control the base of the problem that is causing an imbalance in Pitta and Vatta, hence lifestyle changes are required to do away with this problem. Exposure to the sun and wearing dark color clothes that absorb heat quickly are prohibited in this condition, due to it, stress meditation is required to keep you calm and relaxed.

If you are habitual of smoking then it’s very difficult to treat the problem of skin discoloration, as it increases the free radical content in your body, thus aggravating the factor of skin discoloration.

Detoxification of Body:

Water, which is essential for all living beings on earth, proves to be very beneficial in skin discoloration problems. With the help of Water therapy, which is known as “Usnodaka,” which is a very useful therapy for skin discoloration, the patient is asked to drink boiled water, which is a technique proven to be best for detoxification of all bad elements in the body. Apart from this, the patient is advised to drink 5 to 7 cups of boiled water on a regular basis on an empty stomach, till the Ayurvedic therapy is going on. Apart from this the Ayurvedacharya by examining the condition of the problem, can also recommend some other procedures as done in Ayurveda.

Herbal Remedies

Fruits like plums, peaches and fruit juices are recommended to hydrate your body and give you a good skin tone.

Cumin seeds, coriander, and fennel seeds are some of the seeds, when mixed and boiled in water, helps you to get relief from skin problems, you can take bath with this boiled water after cooling it and bringing it at room temperature. Herb like Manjhsthia helps you in relieving the skin disorders as it’s a blood purifier and it’s an anti-allergy herb, which can do wonders for your skin.

You can visit our website for more information.

Lose weight with Ayurveda and Herbs

Overview

When your BMI (Body mass index) is more than thirty (30), this means you are obese, if your BMI is 25 to 29.9 means that you are overweight but not obese. The factors which influence the relationship between BMI and body fat depending upon bone or muscle mass, age, sex or ethnicity.

BMI is the main indicator of excess weight and fat in your body.

Main Symptoms of Obesity

Causes which are the culprit behind obesity are:

Sedentary lifestyle:

The lifestyle which has poor routine means you are running against nature.

Diet:

Junk foods or fast foods, foods full of flour without fiber, cold drinks containing (carbonated beverages)

Insomnia (sleeping disorders):

Sleeping disorder means not sleeping properly can also make you obese, leading to hormonal changes that make you feel hungrier and crave for high-calorie food.

Pregnancy:

Once you get pregnant weight gain during pregnancy can be difficult to lose and may lead to obesity.

Age:

Getting older is also one of the reasons for obesity as you are shedding your MM (Muscle mass) with passing years and your metabolic rate is also getting slower.

Medical conditions:

Osteoarthritis (OA):

Osteoarthritis is the most chronic condition which targets the joints of a patient. Two bones when they meet at a point, in the end, are covered with a tissue that protects it (bones), is known as cartilage. Osteoarthritis when this cartilage breaks down, causing bones to rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Due to this problem which leads the patient to inactivity is one of the main causes of obesity.

Cushing syndrome:

Cortisol hormone of stress, increases in an amount in our body, it is also one of the biggest causes of obesity in the body.

PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome):

Hormonal conditions, which is the culprit behind the imbalance of female reproductive system, is also one of the reasons behind obesity in females.

Excessive hunger (Prader-Willi syndrome):

The condition with which a person is born with, due to which he feels excessive hunger.

Environment and community:

Your environment can also lead to make you obese means, the peers, relatives close to you, the environment at your home, at school, and the people you work with. The community you belong to, all these factors can influence your health. It depends upon how you eat and how physical activities are you e.g. the neighborhood where you live, if it is not good place to play, run, walk or for recreation than you might be in the zone of obesity.

Medications:

Birth control pills, steroids, antidepressants, some other drugs which are not good for health may also be the reason for your big tummy (Obesity).

Depression:

It is also one of the biggest causes of obesity as persons suffering from depression needs some emotional comfort, which he/she might be found in eating (overeating of snacks or food).

Smoking:

It leads you to gain weight and if you want to quit it, it is one of the best decision of your life as it helps you in winning many hurdles of your life including reducing the chances of lung cancer but remember one thing when you are going to quit it, it also tends you to get more weight so it is advised to you during that phase when you stop smoking, you should also start having healthy diet and do exercise.

Diagnosis of obesity:

To diagnose obesity, other than BMI test skinfold thickness, waist to hip comparisons, simply fat around your waist just check it with (inch tape). Screening tests such as ultrasound, CT scan (Computed tomography), and MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging), heart test ECG (Electrocardiogram) are also available.

Laboratory tests:

Cholesterol in blood, Glucose level, Liver function test (LFT), Thyroid test.

Complications or hazards of Obesity:

Heart disease :

Obesity may be one of the top reasons to give you the problem of heart disease, which is a life-threatening disease, if not treated on time.

Fatty liver:

Your obesity can lead you to this disease also. The liver is the 2nd largest organ of your body, It helps to filter harmful substances from your blood and process nutrients from what you eat (food and drinks), so try to avoid obesity as it harms the liver which is very important organ of your body, and can be very dangerous to your health.

High Cholesterol:

Obesity, which is directly linked with bad cholesterol LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) Cholesterol is a type of lipid which your liver produces naturally. It is essential for some hormones and vitamin D, which is vital for the formation of cell membranes. If your body contains an excessive amount of LDL, it is very harmful as it leads to many diseases like a stroke and heart attack.

High blood pressure:

Hypertension or blood pressure is a condition when the pressure of your blood reaches an unhealthy level; means the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is too high. It leads one to death if not treated on time and obesity is one of the reasons for this problem. If you are obese it means you are having more chances of getting a high blood pressure or hypertension.

Ayurveda and obesity:

According to Ayurveda, overweight or obesity is due to an excessive quantity of “Kapha” in the body, so to have optimal weight you need to go Ayurvedic way of life.

Ayurveda prefers:

Kapha pacifying diet:

As eating a Kapha pacifying diet helps to clear excess Kapha from the body, supports the body to achieve balanced weight.

Meals:

Having meals at regular intervals, 3 times a day is necessary to shun away the problem of being overweight. Unnecessary snacks between meals should be avoided.
Breakfast should be one of the main and big meals of your daily routine. Dinner should be very light, consisting of green veggies and salads rather than heavy sugary and salty meal and it should be around 7 pm daily. Digestive fire can be stimulated before meals by chewing some ginger with sea salt.

Yoga:

Include yoga in your daily routine. Other forms of exercises along with yoga like Pilates exercises are also recommended throughout the whole world, by best physicians and dieticians of the world.

Make a daily routine:

Disciplined lifestyle is one of the recommendations by Ayurveda since time immortal, as it is one of the parts of Ayurveda to live a disciplined life as waking early and early to bed is the mantra for healthy life and prosperity by Ayurveda. As being in a regular routine makes you better in each and every field of life. So being disciplined and following a routine makes you shun away the problems of stress and gives you peace of mind. Try it, believe us, it will certainly give s you a positive result and helps you to cope with the problem of obesity.