Skincare and Beauty

Overview The leaves of the Aloe Vera plant, also known as Aloe Africana, burn plant, first-aid plant, Mediterranean aloe and Savila, exude a gel that is mashed into a pulp for medicinal purposes. Lotions made from the gel have been…
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According to Merck, dermatitis is an inflammation of the upper layers of the skin. It can be bothersome because it can cause redness, itching, burning, blisters, swelling or scaling. Contact dermatitis develops because of contact with a specific substance. There…
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Overview Massage therapy is a treatment that utilizes specific manual techniques to manipulate the soft tissues of the body. Massage can be used to treat a wide range of conditions that affect the muscular and skeletal systems, and to induce…
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As a vegan, you know you aren’t just careful about what you eat, but you’re also hyper-vigilant about animal products in your health and beauty supplies. Often this means you have to play label detective and spot hidden animal ingredients…
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Overview Thickened yellow nails are usually a side effect of toenail fungus. Toenail fungus settles in the sensitive skin under the toenail and causes brittleness, thickness and discolortion of the toenail itself. Treatment options are effective however toenail fungus can…
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Massage therapy has its benefits, and they can be applied to just about everyone. From relief from headaches and body aches to help with managing stress and finding “me” time, the list of the benefits to be had from a…
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Overview Hirsutism is excessive hair growth. It is caused by excessive androgen production and may even have to do with a serious condition. Regardless, excessive hair in any location can lead to lowered self-esteem and self consciousness. It is recommended…
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Bees create propolis from beeswax and other bee secretions, along with the buds of conifer trees, which are trees that produce cones, and poplar trees. They use propolis to build their hives, and people gather propolis to use for its…
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Overview When you have a toenail fungus, it can be unsightly and sometimes uncomfortable. Whether you have discomfort or not, you should address the problem. Conventional medicine offers topical medications and oral prescriptions to treat the infection. Unfortunately, these treatments…
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Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is an autoimmune disorder and presents as severely inflamed and itchy skin. The skin may appear scaly or patchy due to scratching. The skin problems can be either localized or widespread over the body….
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Butterbur, also known as butter dock or bog rhubarb, is an herbal supplement commonly used to treat headaches and migraines. It’s also believed to relieve symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis, which is often referred to as simply, hay fever….
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The sweat, dirt and grime of each day, paired with female issues like menstruation, make hygiene for women of utmost importance. A woman’s hygiene issues are entirely separate from that of a man, and so her hygienic routine should be…
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Black women face specific problems when dealing with the care of their hair. Most hair products available on the market are targeted and made for Caucasian women with certain hair textures and features. Black women’s hair texture, color and style…
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1. Pea Sized Headaches Cysts are usually noncancerous pockets of tissue that form under the surface of your skin. They appear anywhere and can be filled with pus, fluid or other material. If you feel one, it’ll resemble a small…
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A person with hyperhidrosis, or excessive perspiration, may have four to five times the sweat volume as an unaffected individual, according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society. Recognized by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and the Coalition of Skin…
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Overview Canola is a cultivar of the rapeseed plant (Brassica campestris) that agriculturalists developed from wild rapeseed in Canada. The term “canola” is a contraction of the phrase “Canadian oil, low acid” to reflect the low acid content of the…
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Poison ivy causes a skin allergy known as contact dermatitis. The condition occurs when skin comes in contact with oils found on the poison ivy plant known as urushiol. The reaction is not serious, but can last up to three…
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Overview Blemishes on the skin happen to just about everyone at some time. They form when your pores get clogged up with dirt, oil and dead skin. When you sweat or when you don’t wash your face often enough, your…
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Overview Liver spots, also known as sun spots or age spots, are non-cancerous flat blemishes with a brown or black color. According to the Medline Plus website, common areas where they appear are the face, forehead, arms, hands and shoulders….
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During a stone massage, a massage therapist uses flat, smooth stones to massage specific areas of the body. Although many therapists use hot stones for this type of massage, stone massage therapy also involves the use of cool stones. This…
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Overview Stretch marks, or “striae,” are a form of scarring that accompanies tears beneath the epidermis layer of skin, and they often are associated with pregnancy, weight gain and other physical strains to the skin. Generally appearing as reddish or…
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As many as 21 percent of adults smoke, and a shocking 20 percent of adolescents smoke as well, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, despite warnings against the dangers of cigarettes. Tobacco, both smoked and chewed, is…
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Vibration machines consist of a plate that you sit or stand on and receive a continual vibration, which causes muscles to contract between 30 to 50 times per second. The constant vibration stimulates your muscles nonstop as you struggle to…
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Shiatsu is an ancient Japanese form of massage that incorporates finger touch on various points of the body to balance the “chi,” or life force energy. Shiatsu is sometimes referred to as acupressure. According to the Shiatsu Society, shiatsu practitioners…
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Historical records indicate that people have used steam baths, in one form or another, for thousands of years. For some, steam bathing was a means of cleansing the body. For others, such as members of a number of Native American…
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The University of Maryland Medical Center describes psoriasis as a recurring skin condition with patches of rough, dry skin cells. It’s not a contagious or particularly painful condition. Doctors think that psoriasis is hereditary and gets triggered by stress. Other…
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Overview Kidneys are responsible for filtering your body’s blood and controlling your fluid levels. Although you have two of them, you really need only one to function. However, your kidneys are extremely important to your overall health. Knowing the differences…
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Giving yourself a facial steam is good for more than your skin. As the skin’s pores open, breathing in the steamy vapors may also calm your nerves and open your sinuses. In steam inhalation therapy, the chosen herbs are added…
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The International Hyperhidrosis Society estimates that millions of people, or about 3 percent of the world’s population, suffer from excessive sweating. Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, causes a person to sweat as much as four or five times more than the…
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Overview Allergic contact eczema, also called allergic contact dermatitis, is an inflammation of the skin that occurs when the person comes in contact with something that triggers an allergic response. It is not a life-threatening condition, but it is very…
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