Lifestyle Choices

Blackheads

These are plugs of sebum or oil which clog the pores and blacken due to oxidation on exposure to the air. They can easily be removed if you take care not to damage the skin which could result in infection. Heat the skin first by applying a hot compress made of 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda to a pint of hot water (as hot as your skin will take). Apply and re-apply the compress to the blackhead areas for about two minutes to open the pores and loosen the material clogging them. Then gently, with the tips of your fingers wrapped in a paper tissue, (not your nails) ease out the plug. Finish off with an application of alcohol or antiseptic cream.

Whiteheads

These are small, white, eruptions that never quite surface but remain as tiny beads under the outer layer of the skin. They are much like blackheads in their make-up but they don’t turn black, as the matter trapped in the duct never reaches the surface and oxidises. A tiny opening has to be made in the centre of the bump with a sterile needle and the contents have to be eased out as in the case of blackheads.

Broken veins

Once there, they are impossible to get rid of except by a professional with the help of an electric needle or chemical injections which take several treatments over a period of time. The red veins are caused by fragility of tiny capillaries under the skin and can be prevented by avoiding extremes of

Temperature on the face (where they are most common) and by taking large quantities of extra Vitamin C — about 1500 mg a day plus the bioflavinoids which you can buy from a health-food store.

Warts

These are small, harmless growths on the ski which can be chemically removed or frozen with liquid oxygen. Many vanish without treatment. Any growth should be seen by the doctor at once.

Dermatitis

The term means inflamation of the skin and takes in such problems as eczema and psoriasis. Psoriasis is characterised by red patches and spots overlaid with loose, lighter scales. It usually affects the skin of elbows, legs, knees, arms and scalp. It is the result of too large a production of keratin (the outer scaly layers of the skin) but the original cause is unknown.

Eczema is the result of exposure to certain substances to which the body has a sensitivity (such as cosmetics, paints, detergents, metals aerosol sprays, etc) or comes as a result of emotional reactions. The blood vessels dilate and turn porous, which lets fluid from the cell of the skin collect and form blisters on the surface. They dry out and the area becomes itchy and encrusted, posing a serious threat of infection.

Both eczema and psoriasis can be treated dermatologically to clear up the symptoms but the real cure comes only from isolating the prime irritant and eliminating it.

Moles

These are raised brown areas and are made up of cells with a high concentration of melanin in them. They are usually harmless. They can be removed easily and painlessly by medical burning or surgery. Some are even considered beauty marks. If any mole should suddenly change in size or in any way, have it examined by your doctor at once.

Boils

These painful pus-filled bumps are the result of an infection of the hair follicle, a sweat gland, or a cut. They occur most often on someone who is generally run down and are often a way of the body eliminating toxic wastes from the system. Most boils literally heal themselves once the dead skin that makes up their core has been released. If there are many boils or they don’t seem to clear up readily it is best to seek medical advice.

Bruising

Bruises are the result of small blood vessels that have been ruptured under the skin causing blood to seep into surrounding tissues and turning the area black and blue. As the blood is re-absorbed and the bruise heals they turn yellow or green until the area returns to normal.

In people who bruise regularly and too easily, the problem can often be helped by adding supplements of Vitamin C plus rutin and the bioflavoids to the diet. These vitamins are generally available in health-food stores and can be taken in amounts up to 2000 milligrams of Vitamin C daily without danger, as the vitamins are water soluble and any excess is readily eliminated from the body. In combination they help to strengthen the walls of the tiny blood vessles so they break less readily. Vitamin C on its own won’t do the trick.

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