Healthy Lifestyle

Ringworm infection is one of the most common skin infections that affects humans. It is caused by a plant-like organism known as a fungus that feeds on the outermost layers of the skin. Ringworm has nothing to do with worms per se.

You can get it by sharing towels, clothing, or sports equipment or by having direct contact with an infected person’s rash.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a system of treatment that uses minute amounts of natural substances to stimulate the defensive systems of the body in a very subtle way.

What distinguishes the practice of homeopathy from other approaches is that instead of focusing on the specific causes of disease (such as viruses, bacteria or fungi), homeopathy focuses on the specifics of the presentation of the symptoms of disease, as they are experienced by the individual patient, said Dr Pallavi Dialani, a homeopathic consultant with Whatever Healing Space.

This protocol recognises that each person is unique and will have an individual disease pattern.

Homeopathic philosophy strongly believes that skin diseases are never just skin deep. These are considered as mere external expressions of an internally weak or imbalanced immune system.

Since the defence system is weak, it gets attacked by various organisms.

Hence, homeopathy treats skin diseases at a deeper level, not by external applications but by orally administration of chronic constitutional remedies. Homeopathic remedies stimulate the body’s defence mechanism thus enhancing the body’s ability to heal itself gently from within.

Some of the homeopathic remedies recommended for ringworm include sepia for brown, dry scaly patches, tellurium for prominent, well-defined, reddish lesions, graphites for thick scales or sticky discharges and sulphur for intense itching.

Ayurveda

Ayurvedic literatures describes the disease as contagious, which means that it can spread by contact such as skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or through the surfaces that an infected person has touched, such as clothing, towels, bed linens, combs or brushes.

This condition involves the disturbance in pitta and kapha doshas, which are responsible for symptoms such as redness and inflammation around the edge of the rash, and itching and elevation of the rash respectively, said Dr Rangesh, senior advisor, research and development at Himalaya Herbal Healthcare.

Although unpleasant, ringworm is usually not a serious condition, except in the case of people with weak immune systems.

Hence, Ayurveda advises the application of therapeutic emesis and purgation under the physician’s supervision. After this detox therapy, the treatment usually consists of antifungal medications that are applied on the skin.

There are several external applications advised in Ayurveda. For example, an application made of the Bermuda grass, sickle senna, myrobalan, salt, and basil helps in relieving the itching and inflammation.

Similarly, an application of a compound made out of sal tree resin, sickle senna seeds, myrobalan and rice husk effectively controls the infection.

This treatment can be followed with internal medications such as manjishta and neem.

Modern medicine

Ringworm can affect any part of the body and is commonly found on the feet (”athlete’s foot”, “Singapore feet”), groin (”jock itch”), body and scalp.

It can look like a red “ring” that expands outwards, leaving a clear centre. It is a scaly or flaky rash that is very itchy. On the scalp, it can present as scaly bald patches with “broken” hairs.

Occasionally and very rarely, it can present as fluid-filled blisters on the feet that can be painful and itchy.

It can spread through direct contact with an infected person, or through bathroom or changing room floors, where the fungus thrives on the wet surface, said Dr Mark Tang, an associate consultant with the National Skin Centre.

It can be made worse with hot and humid weather, which leaves the skin moist and damp.

People with impaired immunity such as those with diabetes mellitus, are at greater risk of ringworm infection.

The diagnosis can be confirmed with a simple “scrapping” of the rash, which can identify fungal elements under a microscope. This may be important since many other rashes can look like ringworm.

Applying anti-fungal creams for a few weeks can treat most ringworm infections. It is important to avoid steroid creams that can make it worse. Some patients require a course of anti-fungal tablets if the infection is very extensive or persistent.

If a rash is not getting better with treatment, seek medical attention to confirm the diagnosis.

Ringworm infection can recur. To prevent repeat contagions, practise good skin hygiene to keep the skin clean and dry.

Try to avoid walking barefoot in the locker room and dry the feet carefully, especially between the toes after bathing.

Hair loss can affect anyone, at any age ? so have it treated before it’s too late.

You could be just 12 or 13, and still have male or female-pattern hair loss.

This is no exaggeration ? some of the youngest patients Dr Joyce Lee, an associate consultant with the National Skin Centre, has encountered in her practice here have been of that age.

And she’s found that hair loss is a very common problem that affects both genders equally. The condition can start at any time after puberty and gradually progress with age.

Its causes are varied. It can be partly due to genes ? those whose parents or siblings experience hair loss problems might be prone to having the condition themselves.

It could also be due to hormonal factors.

In men, the male hormone, known as dihydrostesterone, causes some hair follicles to shrink. This leads to the miniaturisation of the hair, resulting in short, fine hairs in place of the long, thick hair that one might previously have had.

The hair-thinning process affects particularly the crown and frontal hairline. In advanced cases, the hair-thinning process can leave these areas completely bald.

In females, women with increased androgens (male hormones) in their bodies may also experience earlier, more severe thinning of their hair.

Said Dr Lee: “Some women may experience worsening hair loss after using oral contraceptives or around menopause.”

Medicative treatment

There are many causes of hair loss, with male-pattern hair loss being the most common.

According to Dr Lee, it is important to establish an accurate diagnosis for the person who has a hair-loss problem before treatment is prescribed, as “there is no single treatment that can treat all forms of hair loss”.

In males, assuming that the person has male-pattern hair loss, there are two FDA-approved methods of treatment currently available to treat the condition.

The first is a form of oral medication, finasteride.

“Taken once a day, it has been shown in clinical trials to halt the miniaturisation process of hair follicles in most patients,” said Dr Lee.

Another medication, minoxidil lotion, is available in various concentrations, ranging from two per cent to five per cent.

“Applied twice a day on a dry scalp, it has also been shown to halt the hair-loss process in a good proportion of patients, and improve hair regrowth in some,” said Dr Lee.

Not everyone will experience hair regrowth with these treatments, said Dr Lee ? although using them should allow most to maintain the amount of hair they have.

In women who look to be suffering from female-pattern hair loss, it is important once again to seek an accurate diagnosis of what type of hair loss they have first, as “patients with chronic illnesses, such as a lack of iron or thyroid diseases, may have hair loss that is indistinguishable from female-pattern hair loss”, according to Dr Lee.

Only minoxidil lotion is FDA-approved to treat female-pattern hair loss. It is used twice daily on a dry scalp.

Said Dr Lee: “A good proportion of women using minoxidil may notice reduced hair loss, with some having modest hair regrowth.”

Don’t fret

Both male and female-pattern hair loss will become permanent if left untreated. The earlier one starts treatment, the more hair one is likely to retain.

Hair weaving, hair transplantation or the use of wigs and hairpieces are possible alternatives for those with more advanced cases of hair loss.

So, solutions are available. While you may lose some of your crowning glory, you need not have to lose any sleep over it.

TREAT IT RIGHT: Female-pattern, above, and male-pattern hair loss, below, can be treated with minoxidil lotion.