Vigour – Health and Sports Nutrition

Folliculitis is a skin disorder that occurs due the inflammation of one or more hair follicles. It appears as numerous red little bumps on body parts including cheeks, arms, chest, back, legs, buttocks and groin area. However, this disease does not affect the soles, palms, mouth and eyes. Although folliculitis usually affects teenagers and adults, it is also seen in elderly people. People with chronic illnesses such as hepatitis B or C, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and cancer are more prone to develop this disease.

Folliculitis may occur due to the simple irritation, blockage of hair follicles, shaving and friction from clothing. The damaged follicles are then infected with the bacteria or fungus. Symptoms include itching, rashes, and pimples near a hair follicle in the genital area, groin, back, neck or other body parts. Sometimes, scratching off the top of a pimple reveals a small coiled hair within. Treatment includes a combination of antibiotic lotions, antibiotic pills and antibacterial washes or antifungal medications to control the infection.

If you have a compromised immune system and often experience infections like folliculitis, then it makes a good idea to use a supplement that helps support your immune system Vitabiotics Immunace Healthy Immune System contains highly effective antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins E, C and carotenoids, trace minerals and amino acids that help eliminate harmful chemicals including free radicals from the body. It is a synergistic dietary supplement of 24 nutrients that helps maintain optimal cell defence and healthy immune resistance. Take one tablet per day with your main meal.

Skin abscess, also known as boils, is a localized infection of the skin that starts as a hard, reddened area. Over time, the affected area becomes larger in size because it is filled with infection-fighting white blood cells that your immune system sends via the bloodstream to fight localized infection deep in the skin. This collection of bacteria, proteins and white blood cells is known as puss.

The centre of the abscess softens and pus forms a head, which is spontaneously drained out through the head of the boil. Skin abscess mostly occurs after a minor injury, folliculitis or bacterial infection. Symptoms include induration (hardening of skin), swelling, domed nodule, skin lesion, closed sore, redness, and warm affected area. In some cases, one might experience chills or fever.

Treatment includes a combination of oral antibiotics and moist heat treatment to control the infection and speed healing. Make sure that you do not squeeze on the boil; otherwise it may lead to “seeding” of infection (spread of infection to other locations).

In order to maintain the health of your skin, make sure that you use a dietary supplement which helps promote healthy skin. BioCare DermaGuard Complex Skin Health Complex contains antioxidants such as vitaflavan, lycopene, vitamins A, B6 and folic acid, zinc with dandelion, burdock, sarsaparilla and nettle in its formulation. Not only does this supplement help maintain cell growth and healthy skin, but it also enhances body’s toxin natural elimination processes and maintains healthy blood and lymph. Moreover, it also helps maintain the integrity of the microcirculation.

Plaque Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when one’s immune system sends out faulty signals to the skin cells, causing them to reproduce at a much faster rate than normal. This disease is characterized by the appearance of white and red hues of scaly patches on the top of skin. Psoriasis is not contagious which means that it can not be transmitted from a sufferer to a healthy individual through physical contact.

Besides genetics, other factors that may cause plaque psoriasis include viral infections, burns, insect bites, dry skin, sunburn, cancer chemotherapy and AIDS. Symptoms include appearance of red scaly patches on trunk and elbows. Patches are often raised and itchy. One might also experience nail changes, dandruff and joint aching.

Treatment of plaque psoriasis includes phototherapy using ultraviolet light rays, application of creams containing vitamins particularly vitamin A & D, oral intake of multivitamins, and medications.

According to a recent research, vitamin D supplements may positively influence plaque psoriasis. Patients of psoriasis should use a dietary supplement that provides them with vitamin D analogues such as calcipotriol and tacalcitol.

Vitabiotics Osteocare Original Healthy Bones & Calcium makes a rich source of calcium and vitamin D3, along with magnesium and zinc. This supplement contains the preferred D3 form of vitamin D that helps relieve the symptoms associated with psoriasis. Calcium contributes to normal bone growth and development, zinc helps maintain healthy muscles and nerves, whereas magnesium plays a vital role in bone development and helps absorb energy from food.

The acrochordon, also known as skin tag, is a skin problem that is very common among people. Skin tags are tiny skin growths that look like a small piece of hanging skin. They are harmless growths that project from the surrounding tissues from a narrow, soft and small stalk. They are slightly irregular, wrinkled and brown growths that may be as small as pinhead-sized bumps in one’s groin area. Skin tags or skin tabs usually occur in locations including groin folds, buttocks, underarms, under the breasts and base of the neck.

This disease equally affects male and female. However, they are much more common in middle and old age. There are many factors that might be responsible for the skin tags such as obesity, skin friction, rubbing, repetitive irritation and genetics. Moreover, normal-weight and slim individuals with larger breasts are more susceptible to skin tabs under their breasts. Hormone changes during pregnancy also make women more prone to skin tags. Acrochordons are not contagious which means that they can’t be transmitted or acquired through physical contact.

There are numerous self-treatments and medical options to remove skin tags. A popular home remedy is to tie off a tag at narrow base with the piece of string or dental floss. Medical treatments include removal of tags with scissors, freeze tags with liquid nitrogen and burn tags using Hyfrecator or electric cautery.

After treatment, you should use a dietary supplement that looks after your skin. Vitabiotics Perfectil Platinum Skin Radiance is a revolutionary beauty supplement that helps keep your skin looking clear, youthful, radiant and glowing. Its formula comprises of bio-active nutrients such as pine bark extract, marine collagen extract, lycopene, black currant seed oil and alpha-lipoic acid.

The advantage of consuming this supplement over expensive moisturisers and creams is that the benefits of nutrients are delivered via the blood stream to the lower layer of the skin. Moreover, Perfectil also helps support the biochemical processes of skin repair and metabolism.

Vitiligo is a skin disease that occurs due to the depigmentation of the skin cells. In this disorder, the loss of colour is due to the absence of melanocytes. Melanocytes are the pigment cells that give brown colour to one’s skin.

Although vitiligo can affect all races, it is more common in people with darker skins. It can strike at any age but research shows that 60 percent of patients are under 25 when it first appears. Vitiligo affects approximately 1 person in every 300 of the population. Many researchers believe that it is a hereditary disease as around 45 percent of patients have a family history of vitiligo.

The symptoms are both physical and psychological. Physical symptoms include pigment loss in areas that are exposed, particularly back of the hands, face and neck. The hair in areas of vitiligo can often go white, a condition known as leukotrichia. Often the areas of depigmentation are symmetrical with both halves of the body equally affected.

As far as the psychological impacts of vitiligo are concerned, it can deprive an individual of his or her confidence. It can result in social anxiety and embarrassment. As it is more obvious in darkly pigmented individuals, it can result in a severe loss of self-confidence especially for those who have patches on exposed skin.

There are several treatments that tend to hide white skin areas, prevent further pigment loss or even reverse depigmentation. One can cover depigmented areas by applying camouflage creams over skin. Topical and systemic corticosteroids can be used to clear the white patches. Photochemotherapy treatment combines the ultraviolet irradiation with a light-activated drug. In dark-skinned patients, skin grafting can be used to stimulate repigmentation. In case of mild vitiligo, patients are often advised to consume foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins B as both nutrients help restore pigmentation and natural look of the skin.

Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil Plus Multivitamins is a combination of cod liver oil with omega-3 fish oil and vitamins A, D and E. This supplement makes an ideal gift for vitiligo patients because it helps maintain healthy skin. Moreover, it keeps joints supple and flexible and helps release energy. Another advantage of this supplement is that it helps maintain strong teeth, bones and promotes healthy nails and hair. You should consume one capsule a day with a cold drink.