Cannabis might help alleviate allergic skin disease!
Allergic contact dermatitis is a skin disease, might be alleviated with the use of a substance found in the cannabis plant, a team of researchers from Germany, Israel, Italy, Switzerland and the US found. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is caused by reaction to something that directly contacts with the skin. It can be caused by many different substances called allergens.
Usually these substances cause no trouble for most people, and may not even be noticed the first name the person is exposed. But once the skin becomes sensitive or allergic to the substance, any exposure will produce a rash. The rash usually does not start until a day or two later, but can start as soon as hours or as late as week.
In earlier work, Prof Raphael Mechoulam’s research group at the Herbew University isolated two naturally occurring cannabinoid (cannabis like) components – one from the brain, named anandamide, and another from intestines named 2-AG.These two cannabinoids, plus their receptors and various enzymes that are involved in the cannabinoids syntheses and degradations, compromise the endocannabinoids system. These materials have similar effects to those of the active components in hashish and marijuana, produced from the cannabis plant.
As part of this study, a team of researchers including Dr Andreas Zimmer and Prof Mechoulam tested the endocannabinoid system as a major regulator of cutaneous contact hypersensitivity in a mouse model. The researchers found that mice lacking cannabinoid receptors displayed intensified inflammatory skin responses to an allergen.
In order to better understand the molecular mechanism that might contribute to the increased CHS in cannabinoid receptor deficient mice, the researchers performed a series of experiments which showed that mouse skin cells produce a specific chemical which is involved in the annoying disease reaction. Activation of the endocannabinoid system in the skin upon exposure to a contact allergens lowers the allergic responses through modulating the production of this chemokine.
The results thus clearly showed a protective role for the endocannabinoid system in contact allergy in the skin and suggested that development of cannabinoid compounds based on elements produced from the cannabis plant could enhance therapeutic treatment for humans.
Milk Crust
It is a complex condition consisting of superimposition of two distinct skin complain The skin and scalp so affected present a surface covered with scabs under which the skin appears inflamed and oozing in various places. It may be either an eczema which becomes infected and covered with yellowish crusts similar to that of impetigo, which is a skin disease affecting children of any age group. The name milk crust has been given to this type of skin lesion because it affects babies who are still milk-fed.
Solution for milk crust
Can be easily cured by non-irritant, anti-infectious and soothing treatment. Do not apply any ointment nor use antibiotics or anti-histamines without consulting a doctor
The Acne Advantage
FACE OF HEART HEALTH
Finally, some good news. Those humiliating zits from your teenage years may have an upside. Researchers from the UK,s University of Bristol tracked about 10,000 male college students for 30 years or more and found that those who suffered from severe breakouts as young adults were a third likely to die from coronary heart disease.
Androgens-hormones involved in acne- may help prevent the narrowing of arteries, says study author Bruna Galobardes, MD . The findings may lead to
Androgen-related therapies to prevent heart disease.
Dry Skin
Why it happens: Just because your skin isn’t cracked doesn’t mean it’s impermeable. Unseen irritants enter through unseen microscopic cracks, triggering inflammation, which aggravates the itch nerves. Compounding the problem, these cracks make it easier for moisture in the skin to evaporate. And the drier your skin, the more cracks you have, the more irritants sneak in, and the more agitated the itch nerves become. It’s another one of those nasty cycles.
The Solution: You can’t add much moisture to your skin, so trap it inside with the thickest moisturizer you can stand - thicker products create the best barrier. Try Body Cocoon (Garnier), Cocomoist (Lotus). But even plain petroleum jelly will do. If you can find the liquid version, so much the better. Foot creams are also heavy. Use within 3 minutes of getting out of the shower; otherwise you won’t be trapping anything.
How to Prevent it: Shower with lukewarm water, because hot water will “degrease your skin,” eliminating natural oils that you need. But after you step out, run the hot water and turn off the bathroom’s exhaust fan for a steam treatment while you shave. In fact, try to avoid dry air throughout your day; during the summer, turn off the air conditioning every few days (it dries the air) and open the windows to let in humidity. In winter never let skin remain without a protective cover of grease.
Make hangnails history
The term hangnail is a misnomer. Hangnails aren’t nails-they are just pieces of wayward skin that break and crack around your cuticle. And as you probably know, picking at or nibbling them off only makes matters worse-and can lead to infection. With proper care, hangnails don’t ever have to become troublesome.
Gather your Manicure tools
We get hangnails because the cuticles around our fingers are easily dehydrated. One way to restore moisture is to soak hangnails in warm water for about 10 minutes, twice a day. Add a few drops of any vegetable oil (olive, sesame, mustard, coconut) to the water for an extra soothing effect.
Tips for the Manicure at home
After the first soak, trim the dead skin that makes up the hangnail using cuticle or manicure scissors. Clip closely without going down too far. Then apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to lock in moisture. Continue the soaks for 2 or 3 days. If a hang nail (nail care) gets infected, apply antibacterial ointment and keep it bandaged. Consult a dermatologist if healing doesn’t occur.
Various Nail Disorders
Skin Disease Symptoms
The common symptoms of skin disease are itching (its intensity varies according to the disease and the sensitivity of the individual), pain (it may be localized to the skin, as in boils or abscesses) and disturbed sensations in the nature of crawling (as if insects are crawling under the skin), sense of heat, stinging, anaesthesia or hyperaesthesia.
These subjective symptoms, as much as the apparent rash, are responsible for bringing the patient to the doctor for consultation. Watch the updated list of skin diseases.