Genital Warts Detection

July 29, 2009 by admin · 4 Comments 

Since genital warts are not always visible, it is necessary that sexually active individuals undergo physical examinations from time to time.
Genital warts are skin bumps or skin growths, which can be raised or flat on the skin. These warts are caused by HPV viruses or human
papillomavirus.genital warts treatment Many people are concerned about genital warts but are not sure how to cure them.

The reason why these warts are not visible, nor are detectable, is that there are no symptoms for it.  They don’t cause skin itching or pain. They are almost the color of flesh, not to mention the fact that they are small in size and are found at the genital areas. It takes a physician to check with a magnifying glass to check if what a patient has are mere skin growths or genital warts.

It is important because when warts are left untreated, it can lead to cervical cancer for women and cancer of the penis for men.

Genital Warts…

* They can begin to retreat back into the skin until they vanish!

* They can begin to get mushy and dissolve away until there is no trace left

* They can simply dry up and flake off like a scab!

Everyone is in shock when they first discover their genital warts! The good news is that warts are very treatable. The most important thing with genital wart symptoms is to treat them as soon as you notice them. Seeking treatment should be your number 1 priority! Get rid of the embarassement! They may eventually go away on their own, but not before growing and spreading and becoming itchy and possibly bleeding.

Below is a home genital treatment guide based on all of the information we have collected and reports that GenitalWartsFAQ.com has online.

This is not medical advice, this is not to replace the treatments or directions of your doctor. This is something you can think about, maybe it’s midnight and your doctor isn’t open. We still do recommend that if you haven’t seen a doctor that you do so. We’ll start here.

What type of doctor should I see for Genital Wart / HPV treatment?
Depending on what area you’re in, the cheapest solution is to visit a clinic specializing in sexual transmittable diseases (STDs). Planned Parenthood is one such clinic.

Home Treatments that have in many cases reduce the spread or killed the genital warts
Before we cover the home treatments, we are going to make these recommendations that should go with any treatment that you choose.

* Quit Smoking
The carbon monoxide in smoke robs our body of oxygen, which is the most important part of the immune system. White Blood cells attack viruses and they require oxygen. Additionally, there are many other carcinogens and poisons in smoke that reduce the bodies ability to focus on it’s job – healing and preventing viruses and infections.

* Switch to cotton underwear
Genital warts thrive in dark and moist areas. Polyester and other materials do not breathe as well as cotton. Cotton will help prevent moisture from accumulating and keep the area more dry, which will keep the genital warts out of their ideal conditions.

* Get rest
Rest is important for the immune system. If you do not get rest, your body does not have the energy to perform all of it’s functions correctly.
“Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system leaving us more susceptible to other diseases and disorders like diabetes, cancer and even the common cold” – About.com Sleep Disorders

* Drink plenty of water
Sodas, particularly Diet sodas act as diuretics which remove more water from our body than they put in. We are 2/3 water, and water is how our body flushes toxins.

* Take a multi-vitamin
Most people are not meeting RDA requirements for vitamins. As well all know, vitamins are important to the function of all aspects of the body.

Vitamins to make sure you’re getting:

1. Vitamin C
“Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is required for at least three hundred metabolic functions in the body, including tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function, and healthy gums. It also aids in the production of anti-stress hormones and interferon, an important immune system protein, and is needed for the metabolism of folic acid, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. Studies have shown that taking vitamin C can reduce symptoms of asthma. It protects against the harmful effects of pollution, helps to prevent cancer, protects against infection, and enhances immunity. Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron. It can combine with toxic substances, such as certain heavy metals, and render them harmless so that they can be eliminated from the body.” -

Prescription for Nutritional Healing

2. Zinc
“The immune system is adversely affected by even moderate degrees of zinc deficiency. Severe zinc deficiency depresses immune function. Zinc is required for the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell that helps fight infection (2, 28). When zinc supplements are given to individuals with low zinc levels, the numbers of T-cell lymphocytes circulating in the blood increase and the ability of lymphocytes to fight infection improves. Studies show that poor, malnourished children in India, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia experience shorter courses of infectious diarrhea after taking zinc supplements (29). Amounts of zinc provided in these studies ranged from 4 mg a day up to 40 mg per day and were provided in a variety of forms (zinc acetate, zinc gluconate, or zinc sulfate) (29). Zinc supplements are often given to help heal skin ulcers or bed sores (30), but they do not increase rates of wound healing when zinc levels are normal.” – National Institute of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements

Apple Cider Vinegar
There are no clinical studies to support Apple Cider Vinegar(ACV) as a genital wart treatment, however many people have tried it including members of GenitalWartsFAQ.com with success.

ACV can be purchased from you local drug or grocery store. To apply ACV, dip the tip of a cotton swap into the ACV then apply it to the wart and hold for up to 15 minutes. Repeat this process 3 times daily.

In one particular confirmed GenitalWartsFAQ.com member case, this killed several of the warts, and stopped the spreading allowing the smaller warts to also be treated without any new growth.

Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid has shown to be an effective treatment for warts. Salycylic acid is available at drug and grocery stores – it is the active ingredient in the swabs used for acne. Use this product as described and intended – the package does not state that it is for treatment of genital warts.
40% Salicylic Acid
Dr. Scholl’s Soft Salicylic Acid Corn Remover Pads - $2.85 to $5.39

17% Salicylic Acid
Wart-Off Maxiumum Strength - $7.49 - $8.80

2% Salicylic Acid
Nuetrogena Acne Rapid Clear Daily Pads - $8.49 - $12.34

Stridex Triple Action Acne Pads -  $4.29 - $6.49

Cryotherapy
This treatment is only available at a doctors office, however if you have warts in areas other than the genitals these are good solutions. These products available at your grocery store. These usually include a small can with an applicator tip. When the applicator tip is put on, and the bottom is pressed against the skin – the wart is frozen and dies.

Compound W Freeze Off Wart                  $23.00 - $27.00
Dr. Scholls Dual Action Freeze Away      $17.35 - $21.59
Wartner Wart Removal System                $23.09 - $24.19

Message from GenitalWartsFAQ.com
We cannot stress the importance enough of visiting a dermatologist or health clinic as soon as you notice symptoms. This is the quickest way to get rid of symptoms and to be evaluated by the doctor. If circumstances prevent this, then we encourage you to use this guide to help find a possible solution for your needs. Always use commercial products as directed. None of this replaces your doctors opinion about treatment.

For images on genital warts, click on this link:  http://cancer.about.com/od/hpv/a/HPVpictures.htm

Maintaining Healthy Skin

May 13, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment 

The skin serves numerous functions - detoxifying, protecting, regulating - but the primary protective or barrier function is the most obvious. The top layer of skin cells has the most important function in maintaining the effectiveness of the barrier. Here the individual cells overlie each other and are tightly packed, preventing bacteria from entering and maintaining the water-holding properties of the skin.
Fatty substances (lipids) are secreted by the cells during the course of their journey from the base layer of the skin to the top. These lipid molecules join up and form a tough connecting network, in effect acting as the mortar between the bricks of a wall.

The cell wall barriers are simply layers of fats that surround the watery contents. Therefore, the communication mechanisms must operate through these fatty cell walls. In fact, many of the substances that are involved in this communication process are various fats since it is easiest for fats to move within the fatty layers that comprise the cell walls. Despite its bad reputation, proper fats and cellular fats are of major importance in our body’s biochemistry and physiology.

Damage to the skin barrier can result from a combination of genetic predisposion and exposure to sensitizing chemicals and other substances. That is why avoiding irritants is as important as using products that help. In skin care, the most common irritants are usually perfumes and preservatives.

Fatty substances control the majority of our body’s physiology through receptors that activate many important genes. Likewise, our skin barrier is comprised of a supporting structure of collagen, a protein that contains fats that serve a critical function. These fats prevent the excess loss of water through our skin and prevent the cells of our body from becoming dehydrated and dying.

A major sign of a defective skin is the dryness that results from excessive water loss. This water can not be applied topically but must be ingested. To prevent the excessive water loss and the resulting dry skin, we must repair the skin barrier. We find that the skin composition in individuals with dry skin is due to an improper mixture of the skin fats. This is commonly due to a deficiency in our diet of the correct fats, those contained in natural olive oils, avocados, and healthy nuts, etc. On a nutritional basis, we can provide these necessary fats through the skin sometimes through topical treatments containing natural butters or oils, like Shea, olive and cocoa butter. The epidermis is not a usual means to acquire nutrition but it can absorb enough fatty substances to correct the fat imbalances that are the cause of the defect in the skin’s barrier function and thus correct the dry, itchy skin or sensitive skin problem. Try to be aware of chemical preservatives in any topical products you do use.

Although many products today are labeled “fragrance free,” that is really a misnomer. Nearly all products contain some fragrance to mask their chemical odor; so-called fragrance-free products may just contain fewer chemicals than others. What’s more, the fragrances used in many products (even pricey perfumes) are commonly synthetic. For sensitive individuals, this chemical brew can be a problem To make matters worse, many natural fragrances are now extracted using harsh solvents rather than old-fashioned distillation methods, in which fewer chemicals come into contact with the essential oil of the flower. Unless you can determine the extraction method used, be cautious. This is one reason many individuals react negatively to the essential oils used in aromatherapy massages and related products – many are of a synthetic, chemical composition.

According to several studies, various preservatives including formaldehyde, parabens, and others commonly used in skin, hair, and beauty products can also provoke allergic reactions. Although the preservatives are needed to maintain product shelf life and only minute amounts are present in any given product, many products contain these same chemicals, including skin care products, makeup, medications, antiperspirants, toothpaste, and foods. Many of these products are used on a daily basis, causing a higher reaction rate. As a result, the overall exposure to these harmful ingredients is higher than would occur if only a single product were used. Studies show that massage therapists have more contact dermatitis – or skin inflammation - due to exposure to these extracts.

Until recently, few studies investigated the cumulative impact of repeated exposures to preservatives in a variety of products and ingredients. For the majority of people, these product preservatives are an additional benefit, not a problem. But, as the chemical compositions increase, so do the allergic reactions.
If you suffer from sensitive, allergic skin or severe dry skin, you may be among those who will have a problem or reaction to these chemical-laden products. In this case, it is your role as an informed consumer to carefully read labels for all products that come into contact with your skin - internally or externally- to assure that they don’t contain the listed ingredients that you must avoid. Your skin barrier does a lot to protect you naturally, help it out when you can and feed it nourishing chemical-free products whenever you can.

Proper care of your skin

April 28, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Those who have never had skin issues or were blessed to even have beautiful skin for most of the lives, are now desperate to address the skin wrinkles and many run to the dermatologist feeling a lot of regret. Although genes certainly play a role in one’s skin condition, decades of neglect, or even mistreatment of their skin is most frequently the source of their skin problems.  Many say that if they knew then what they know now, they would have done things very differently and taken better care of their skin.
There are numerous explanations for unhealthy skin but the main causes tend to be an unhealthy diet, an ineffectual cleansing routine, and poor lifestyle choices.

“Is it too late to save my bad skin? I never paid much attention to my skin because I never had any skin problems. I never bothered with skin care products because I didn’t need to. Now I’m seeing wrinkles and spots forming, I guess it’s just too late to anything about it.” If this sounds like you, you may want to keep reading.Never fear, because there is still much that you can do to help your skin. If you are lost in sea of product choices, you can still be assured cosmetic dermatology can offer many alternative treatments.

Not surprisingly, many adults rarely consult a dermatologist that is until AFTER the signs of aging have appeared. Wrinkles, of course, are the chief complaint. Your skin may feel  rough to the touch, and even sore, especially in drying environmental  conditions such as on an airplane or in a low-humidity environment like the desert or high-altitude cities. In the winter, when indoor heating is used, your skin gets even more dehydrated, making the wrinkles look worse. Your skin may catch on rough clothing. You may also notice wrinkles on your neck or others parts of your body.

Poor Diet
Your skin is a living, breathing organ of the body and it needs proper nourishment and hydration to look and feel its best. When your skin is deprived of the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs it is unable to functional at optimal levels and the structure slowly begins to break down. This breakdown results in dry skin, blemishes, discoloration, wrinkles, and premature ageing.

In order to avoid this breakdown you need to feed your skin a varied mix of important nutrients each day. Ingesting sufficient amounts of vitamin A, a nutrient that can be found in citrus fruits and orange vegetables, can help you avoid dry skin and blemishes. Eating foods rich in the vitamin B group like brewer’s yeast or breads, or taking a vitamin B group supplement, can help you ward of skin discoloration, dry skin, dermatitis, shallow skin, and premature ageing.

To help discourage wrinkles, pale skin, sun damage, blemishes, and other unhealthy skin symptoms, nutrients like calcium, protein, iodine, niacin, folic acid, iron, and copper are very important to a healthy diet. Get these effective skin helpers by enjoying foods like mild, eggs, cheese, chicken, fish, leafy vegetables, fruits, and grains.

Poor Hygiene
Another common cause of unhealthy skin is poor hygiene. Whether this involves the failure to clean your skin often enough or the use of an ineffective cleansing routine, built-up dirt and grime can lead to blemishes, premature ageing, shallowness, dry skin, and wrinkles.

When your skin is not properly cleaned on a regular basis, dirt, pollution and other harmful substances are allowed to build up on your skin and clog the pores. Clogged pores result in breakouts, dry skin, and the reduction of cell renewal.

To get the most out of your cleansing routine make sure that you wash your skin twice a day, everyday. Also, make sure that you are using an effective cleanser like a soap that is specially formulated for deep cleansing. Make sure that you use gentle pressure when cleaning the skin, do not scrub or pull on the skin since this can result in tiny tears that are susceptible to irritation and infection. Finally, always follow your cleansing routine with a hydrating moisturizer that also contains a sunscreen in order to hydrate your skin and protect it from sun damage.

Bad Lifestyle Habits
Even if you enjoy a healthy diet and pay special attention to your skin care regime you can still be sabotaging the health of your skin by indulging in unhealthy habits. Habits like sun tanning, smoking, choosing fizzy drinks or sodas over water, and wearing heavy makeup can lead to the development of unhealthy skin. Avoid excessive sun exposure, always wear sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15, stop smoking and avoid those who smoke, drink plenty of water, and choose light cosmetics if you want your skin to stay young and healthy looking for years to come.

Understanding Acne and Hormone Levels

March 8, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Most of us have at one stage or other sought an acne remedy when suffering from that troublesome and common acne problem that first appeared in our early teen years. Many more have continued to suffer into our adult life. A rare few have avoided the embarrassment of pimples appearing at the worst possible time – knocking self-esteem to its lowest - usually when we are trying to make a good impression. A fast and effective remedy is what we want if acne is a problem.

Acne is caused by hormonal changes that occur during adolescence when oil glands in the skin become hyperactive. This additional oil combined with dead skin cells that block hair follicles and skin bacteria infect the hair follicles producing a breakout of the skin. Result? Clear skin is marred and embarrassment can follow.

There are many acne remedies available from natural home varieties to potent pharmaceutical drugs. Modern preferences are to avoid drugs because of their side effects and rather find a natural acne remedy. One acne remedy is to cut a raw potato in half and rub the flat section over the affected areas in an attempt to neutralize the bacteria that is causing the trouble in the pores. If it works for you, great.

The truth is acne comes second only to premature aging in the charts for skin disease. If you are a sufferer you will likely be aware that flare ups will always occur before a special event. You can put all the blame on testosterone produced by the adrenal glands which are trying to help you deal with the stress of that interview, wedding or important presentation.

Another acne remedy is to go on a fast for several days and to change the diet to healthier eating of mainly raw food. No doubt there is an element of truth in following this acne remedy but it does require some discipline as fasting and a strict diet regime is often too much like hard work for the majority.
High in iodine foods, shellfish, leafy vegetables including spinach and cabbage, and peanuts are other potential problem foods. If you have an acne problem, experiment with your diet. If you crave certain foods that may aggravate this problem curtail consumption to see it there really is a difference in acne activity
If you have a special sensitivity to a food, small amounts of anything - even soft drinks, chocolates will not make a major difference.

One of the more widely spread (and often believed) myths about acne is that it is caused by dirt or grime. It’s more likely to be because of oily skin, in which case simply washing regularly with either a mild soap, special acne skin cleanser or even antiseptic soap and warm water can make a big difference to controlling and managing oily skin. And don’t forget to keep your hair clean - again, depending on your skin type, your hair can also become extreme oily if not cared for properly.

The bad news is that acne cannot be cured, but the good news is that it can be treated. If you’re suffering with only mild acne, then some form of non prescription (over the counter) acne medication will no doubt have a positive impact for you. If you have bad or severe acne you will definitely need to see a doctor to get some professional advice.

A vitamin A deficiency can lead to skin problems. Not all cases of acne call for professional attention. An occasional blemish or pimple could be called “drugstore acne”. Topical antibiotics prevent about fifty per cent of blemishes, and are a significant breakthrough for treating average acne.