I-Junction

How to Get Rid of Fleas

2012-05-13T12:58:00.001+05:30

Adult fleas feed on the living blood of mammals and their young feed on dried blood that has been defecated by the adults. Pretty nasty, huh? Read on and we'll conquer these nasty little insects together. Top 4 ways: 1 - Flea traps. Easy and fast. 2 - Flea sticky pads. No poison. 3 - New High tech electronic flea zapper/trap. 4 - Poison/sprays. Just spray where fleas are. And more detail:

1. Destroy fleas in the environment

Fleas live on their host, but eggs can be left both on the host and in the host's bedding. The eggs that are left on the host will fall off and accumulate in beds, clothes, carpets, cars, and anyplace that the host visits. These eggs normally hatch in 1-2 weeks, after which the fleas emerge as larvae that can live in carpets (learn how to get rid of carpet fleas) and bedding for up to 200 days before transforming into legless pupae. If conditions are still not quite right, the pupae can sit dormant for over a year before transforming into an adult! This means that many generations of flea eggs can accumulate and lead to a mass-infestation! The first step after infestation is to clean everything that has come into contact with the infested persons or animals in order to remove as many eggs and larvae as possible. This section will walk you through this process.

Environmental flea extermination: Initial steps

Quarantine infested pets.
Collect bedding, rugs and throws and wash them in soapy water. Soapy water kills the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Be careful not to spill eggs or larvae when picking them up. Eggs are usually found with tiny pellets of dried blood that are defecated by the adults and used for food by the larvae - the combination looks like salt and pepper. Really gross salt and pepper.
Vacuum everything. upholstered furniture, carpets, cracks in the floor, bare floors, and use the attachments to get in the corners, behind doors, and anywhere else that dust collects. This will pick up most of the eggs, but larvae will latch onto carpet fibers and stick around. After vacuuming, immediately remove the vacuum bag and seal it in a plastic bag. This bag can then be put into the freezer to kill any fleas and be reused later.
The remaining larvae can be dealt with by having the carpets professionally steam-cleaned (the steam will kill every stage of flea except eggs). Make sure you warn the cleaners about the fleas and remove infested animals. Alternatively, you can shampoo the carpet with insecticidal carpet shampoo or have a pest control professional apply an infrared heat treatment to the carpet, which kills all stages of flea.
If your pet spends much time outside, drench his usual resting areas with lots of soap and water to drown any fleas that may be waiting for his return.

Find Exterminators in your area

2. Flea removal from people and pets

Once the environment has been thoroughly cleaned, move immediately to it's inhabitants. Following are details for removing fleas from people and pets.

Removing fleas from people

Bathe one to two times daily with soap. Insecticidal shampoos are available but are not necessary.
Comb daily with a special flea comb designed to drag fleas out of hiding and dispose of any rousted fleas in soapy water. Record daily the number of fleas removed so you can identify any population increase before it becomes a problem. You can also measure flea populations by wearing a special pair of flannel "booties" over your shoes and pants. The fleas get caught in the material and can then be counted, removed and disposed of. These booties can also be used for temporary protection when traveling into a flea infested area.

Removing fleas from pets

Please be very careful when applying flea treatments to yourself and your pets. Only use treatments that are meant for the animal you are going to use it on. Flea treatments meant for dogs and the environment can easily KILL cats. Also keep in mind that any insecticide is designed to interfere with natural biological processes - to kill.

Wash your pet with soapy water. Insecticidal cat and dog flea shampoos are available but not necessary. Safer's flea shampoo is one of the least toxic varieties. Stay away from shampoos that contain DEET (diethyltoluamide) as it can cause serious adverse reactions.
Comb your pet daily with a special flea comb that is designed to extract fleas and dispose of any you find in soapy water. It is a good idea to record the number of fleas you comb out every day to keep a handle on the population numbers. Alternatively, you can wrap a length of sticky tape around your hand (sticky side out) and pat your animal down. This method works best on short haired animals.

Allergic reactions to flea bites

Allergic reactions to flea bites in humans are usually manifested as dermatitis, skin lesions and mild to severe itching (Learn how to get rid of flea bites). These symptoms can be improved by applying ice, menthol, camphor or calamine lotion to the bites. Over the counter insect repellents that contain diethyltoluamide (DEET) will repel fleas and lessen the frequency of bites. Apply repellents only to clothing, never to skin and never to your pets. Vitamin B1 taken orally has also been proven to repel fleas, so start taking a B-complex multivitamin. If your allergies are really bothering you, go see your doctor about getting flea saliva allergen treatments to lessen or eliminate the allergy altogether. Pets that are allergic to flea bites will exhibit hair loss, usually around the base of the tail and often accompanied by relentless chewing of the area, often until it becomes raw. Pets can become allergic to flea bites because of poor health or poor nutrition so make sure your animal is getting plenty of protein and a balanced diet.

3. The flea control and elimination routine

You've waged the massive assault described earlier and exterminated the majority of the fleas, you must now follow up with a strict routine in order to kill off the remaining stragglers and ensure that they remain under control. You must be more efficient at killing the remaining few then they are at reproducing. This section will show you how to accomplish this, step by step. Keep up these practices for a few weeks after you stop seeing fleas to ensure success.

Flea control habits

Restrict pets to areas that are easily cleaned. (No basements, bedrooms, garages, cars, etc)
Vacuum daily since the previously applied steam cleaning can trigger any remaining eggs to hatch. Remember to seal up or dispose of vacuum bags immediately after use.
Provide bedding for your pet that is easily removed and cleaned. Lay towels anywhere your pets like to lounge, and wash them all every week until the fleas are gone, and every two weeks after that. Be careful when picking them up as you can spill flea eggs and larvae/pupae if you're not careful.
Comb your pets daily with a special flea comb and record the number of fleas you find in the first 5-10 strokes so you can identify any surges in the population. Flick any fleas that are removed into soapy water to kill them and if a population spike occurs, bathe the pet.

Extreme flea control measures

The previous steps are usually enough to eliminate and control fleas, but in some extreme cases they can still be insufficient. If this describes your situation then consider the following in addition to the previous list:

Apply a liquid insect growth regulator (IGR) to the environment. IGR's inhibit the natural growth of insects (and so they only kill non-adult fleas) and can last for up to 200 days. Methoprene (FleaTrol and Precor) and Fenoxycard are two popular varieties.
Regularly treat your pets outdoor resting areas with lots of soap and water.
Use a flea collar, but only for as long as is needed to control the fleas. Flea collars constantly emit a poisonous vapor that is breathed by both people and pets, and can cause health problems. If this is your pet's first flea collar, check the skin underneath for irritation often.
Steam clean or shampoo the carpets in your home as frequently as is needed.

If this still isn't enough, it's time to call a professional and put the task in their hands. You're probably exhausted anyway!

4. Popular flea control products

Please folks, consult your vet before using anything other than soap and water on your pets, some animals are very sensitive to this stuff and can get very ill or even die. All-natural flea control products derived from plant oils and crushed flowers can be just as toxic as chemicals so be careful, pets are family too.

Insect Growth Inhibitors (IGR's)

IGR's inhibit the natural growth processes of insects and can last for up to 200 days. These products will keep eggs, larvae, and pupae from evolving into adults, but will do nothing to control pre-existing adults. Methoprene (FleaTrol and Precor) and Fenoxycard are two popular varieties. Use these only with the complete control routine outlined above - they are not enough by themselves.

Citrus peel extracts (Limonene and Linalool)

Citrus peel extracts are among the safer treatments, but you need both limonene and linalool to kill fleas in all 4 stages of growth so make sure you choose a product that contains both of them. Use these for spot cleaning and beddings, but not entire rooms or outdoors. Use only EPA registered products directly on people or pets, as a poorly refined citrus extract can cause harm and even the death of your pet. Always consult your vet first.

Sorptive dusts

Sorptive dusts kill fleas by dehydrating them, they absorb their moisture and damage their bodies. These dusts can be applied to carpets and animals but will irritate the lungs so wear a dust mask when applying and keep it out of your pets face. Diatomaceous earth is a popular and effective variety. They work well when applied to carpeting and pets (Don't forget to get between the toes!). Short haired pets should get one dusting, long haired pets may need a second. Afterwards they should be limited in their mobility for a few hours to allow all of the fleas to contact the dust, otherwise the pet may dissipate too much dust through normal activity. Wait at least a week before wetting or washing the animal. After dusting your pets, vacuum and apply the dust to their usual resting locations, bedding, and travel routes. As with any flea treatment please consult your vet before applying to your pet, especially with cats who will lick much of it off of their fur.

Pyrethrins (organic and synthetic)

Pyrethrins is derived from the chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium flower and is one of the least toxic flea control products available. Unfortunately it is often packaged along with the somewhat more toxic chemical piperonyl butoxide which can cause severe health problems in humans. Make sure any product you use does not contain piperonyl butoxide. Also make sure that the solution contains no more than .04% active Pyrethrins. Higher levels can cause serious reactions in pets.

Flea collars

Flea collars work by constantly emitting poisonous vapors that kill any fleas on the animal. Unfortunately, these vapors can also be harmful to the pets and people that they are supposed to protect so use them sparingly and only for as long as needed. When not in use, store them in a tightly-sealed container in a cool, dry place. If you are putting a flea collar on your pet for the first time, check his or her skin underneath the collar often for any reaction.

Ultrasonic flea repellant devices and electronic flea collars

Beware of ultrasonic devices, there are several out there that claim to eliminate insects of all kinds, including fleas. A study was conducted by veterinarian M. W. Dryden that proves that these devices do not work. Don't waste your money. For more info, readhow to get rid of fleas or how to get rid of dog fleas

How to Get Rid of Chiggers

2012-05-13T12:55:00.000+05:30

1. Chigger identification

Chiggers, or harvest mites are microscopic, reddish arachnids that usually cannot be seen with the naked eye. The larvae (babies) hatch in grass and foliage and attach themselves to anyone who gets close enough for them to climb onto. After finding a suitable host, the larvae attaches itself to a pore or hair follicle and injects digestive enzymes into the hole that promptly dissolve the surrounding skin cells which are then used for nourishment by the growing chigger. Once they've eaten their fill they release from their hosts, grow into adults and feed on plant matter on which they lay more eggs.

The bites themselves usually progress into super-itchy, raised red welts that can take up to two weeks to heal. Below you will find instructions for eliminating chiggers as well as reducing the effects of their bites.

2. Eliminating chiggers from your property

Chiggers are active during the warm season from spring to early fall. They can be found living in berry patches and bushes, tall grass and weeds, straw, leaves, fences, bark, and dense foliage.

Shelter and breeding grounds

Outside, keep grass trimmed and weeds pulled. Remove any dense foliage that isn't part of the landscaping as well as piles of decaying leaves and plant matter. Flood all remaining foliage with a mixture of soap and water to kill off adults and larvae. Repeat the flood once a week for a month to get newly hatched larvae and you should have eliminated most of them.

If they've made it into your houseplants, move them outdoors and kill the adults and larvae by soaking them with a mild insecticidal soap that is labeled as safe for edibles or houseplants. Keep the plants away from people and pets and repeat the rinse weekly for four weeks.

3. Chigger treatment and prevention

If a person or pet becomes infested with chiggers, it's important that you wash them as well as their clothing at the same time. Otherwise larvae that hadn't yet made it to the skin can stick around for another chance and once they feed, they will drop off and head for the nearest houseplant.

Repellents

When traversing a potentially infested area, try not to move through dense foliage or sit on the ground. Following are some additional preventative measures:

Protective clothing

The most protective clothing you can wear is tight-knit, loosely fitting garments that leave no exposed skin for a chigger to latch onto. Wear your shirt and socks over your pants along with shoes that do not have open ventilation holes. Bathe and wash all of your clothes on the hottest setting with detergent immediately upon returning.

Sulfur powders

Sulfur powders available at your local drug store work well as a chigger repellent. Apply in and on your clothing and shoes before heading out. A powder puff makes application much easier.

Insect repellents

Insect repellents containing DEET (Diethyl-m-toluamide) are effective at repelling chiggers. Apply these to your clothing, not to your skin or to your pets. Be sure to use on your shoes, pant legs, waist, shirt and sleeves.

Citronella oil based products

Citronella oil is derived from citronella grass. It is used in perfumes, soaps, and insect repelling sprays, candles and tiki torches. These are marketed mainly as mosquito repellent but also repel chiggers.

Chigger removal

If you think you've just become host to a gang of chiggers, immediately wash all of your clothing with detergent and on the hottest setting - then wash yourself with plenty of soap and hot water. An exfoliating pad can be used and special attention should be paid to warm, moist areas (inside of knees, groin, anus, waist, armpits, neck, between toes, etc).

Chigger bites

Chigger bites are insanely itchy and swell into raised red welts that can last for a couple of weeks before subsiding. As difficult as it may be, resist scratching these bites - they can become infected. Instead, apply something that will limit their exposure to air. Several possibilities that people have reported success with are:

Clear nail polish
Green tea extract
Calamine lotion
Hydrocortisone cream

If you know of others, please add them with the 'tips' form below.

How to Get Rid of Skunks

2012-05-13T12:54:00.000+05:30

Who needs coffee when you have a family of wet skunks under your porch? Skunks can spray their musk up to 15 ft. For instructions on getting rid of the smell, read How to get rid of skunk smell.

Warning: Skunks can carry rabies. Never approach a live skunk and if someone gets bitten try to capture the skunk so it can be tested for rabies. Keep the head intact as the brain is needed for the test.

1. Keeping skunks away... far away

Skunks are scavengers and will eat anything from bugs to garbage. If a skunk finds a tasty morsel on your land, chances are good that he'll start visiting more often. This section will walk you through some steps to repel skunks from your property.

Eliminate skunk nummies

Skunks are nocturnal, so you're most likely to see.. erm.. smell them at night and in the early morning when they're out scavenging for food. Skunks can and do eat anything; bird eggs, bugs and larvae, human wastes, small rodents, you name it - they'll eat it. Following is a list of the most common foods that attract skunks onto people's property:

Grubs and larvae. Skunks love grubs! Grubs are beetle larva that live underneath of your lawn. Skunks are known for digging small holes in peoples yards as they hunt for them. Luckily, beneficial nematodes also love to eat grubs, and are easily deployed in your lawn and garden to eliminate this attractant.

Pet food. Never leave unprotected animal food outside at night, it's akin to setting a place at your dinner table for Pepé le Pew. I had a neighbor once who would leave table scraps and cat food out for neighborhood strays. She ended up with a family of skunks living on her property.

Nuts, berries, and fruits. If you have bushes or trees that bear fruits, nuts, or berries you should periodically walk your yard and remove any that have fallen to the ground. Skunks will happily feast on them, and so will rodents... which skunks will also happily eat.

Other attractants. While the above food sources are the most common culprits that attract skunks, there are (of course) more. If any of these exist on your property, do your best to minimize or eliminate them.

Compost heaps containing bones, fruit rinds and egg shells.
Large numbers of ground dwelling insects under dead leaves and foliage.
Easily accessible water sources.
Bird feeder spills.

Skunk repellents

Many folks swear by this or that for repelling skunks, but there seems to be little that delivers consistent results across the board. Here's a list of the most effective skunk repellents that we've been able to dig up. If you know of any not listed here, please add them with the 'tips' form at the bottom of this page.

Bright light - Skunks are nocturnal and prefer to stay hidden, flooding an area with light can be an effective deterrent. Use flood lights in combination with motion sensors.
Automated sprinklers - Contech manufactures a device called 'The scarecrow"which is essentially a sprinkler attached to a motion sensor that will spray any animals that wander into your yard.
Spicy pepper solutions - Pepper sprays are reported to work well but must be reapplied every few days to remain effective.
Commercial repellents - There are many available types, people have also reported success with dog and cat repellents.

Skunk barriers

The good: Skunks are horrible climbers and they can't jump very high.

The bad: Skunks can fit through openings as small as 4" and they're good diggers.

Strategy: Erect barriers around areas that skunks may find interesting in order to keep them out.

Skunks will make homes underneath houses, sheds, decks, and other above-ground structures. Seal them off as well as possible - remember that they can fit through holes as small as 4 inches. Skunks won't burrow underneath them unless they can see that there is space on the other side. Fill in holes and ditches as well.

Enclose large, open areas with a three-foot high wire mesh fencing like chicken wire and it one foot deep to keep skunks from burrowing underneath.

Be cautious when around skunks - they could have rabies. If you see one acting strangely, disoriented, foaming at the mouth or overly aggressive - get away from it and call animal control. If someone gets bitten by a skunk, do your absolute best to capture it so it can be tested for rabies. It's brain is required for the test, so keep the head intact.2. How to get rid of a skunk that's moved i

Forcing skunks out

Skunk removal isn't hard. The trick is to do most of the work while the skunk is out foraging so you don't risk getting sprayed. Sprinkle a light layer of flour, chalk, or other white powder around it's den and wait until nightfall. After dark, return and look for tracks leading away to indicate that the skunk has left in search of food and then get to work sealing up all of the entrances (barriers were covered in the previous section). If you do this right the skunk will not be able to get back in. If he does, wait until the next evening and try again.

Skunk traps

If you can't seem to coerce your skunky buddy to leave willingly, you may need to trap him. First, check with your local authorities to make sure you're within the law to do so and then invest in a box skunk trap that is small enough to keep the skunk from raising it's tail all the way up.

When you set the trap, secure a few old towels or blankets to the outside to make it safer to approach once it catches a skunk. Bait the trap with anything that has a strong odor; sardines, tuna, giblets, and canned cat food are all good choices. Check it often, you're just as likely to catch a stray cat (Tips on how to get rid of stray cats) or raccoon (Learn how to get rid of raccoons) as you are a skunk so don't depend on your nose.

Once you've got your skunk, cover up the trap so it cannot see outside (don't smother it) and secure it in the back seat (or open trunk) for a nice long ride out of town. When you've located a suitable secluded area, place the trap on the ground, open it up and wait for the skunk to leave. Skunks will often be confused and scared so it might take it a while to work up the courage - be patient. Sometimes you can coax it out by sitting the trap so it's floor is angled towards the door.

If that doesn't work, consider leaving it for a few hours and returning later to retrieve the empty trap.

How to Get Rid of Dandruff

2012-05-13T12:51:00.000+05:30

1. What is dandruff?

Dandruff is a condition in which flakes and chunks of dead skin are shed from a persons scalp. Contrary to popular belief, it is not always caused by a dry scalp, many people with oily scalps are also afflicted.Find Dentists in your area

2. What causes dandruff?

There are many conditions known to cause dandruff. Here we will outline known causes and others that have not yet been substantiated. The suggested remedies are discussed in more detail in the following section.

Known causes of dandruff (Cures are discussed in section 3)

Seborrheic dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin condition that effects the scalp, face and upper-body. Symptoms include scaly or flaky skin that is itchy and red. It is believed to be caused by the fungus Malassezia furfur that is found naturally on peoples skin. The most common treatments for this condition are ketoconazole creams and shampoos coupled with oral fish oil supplements for Omega-3 fatty acids. There is an ongoing discussion about causes and remedies for this condition here (as well as photos).

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition that can cause silvery, flaky patches of skin on different areas of the body. It is commonly seen on the scalp, creases of the nose, eyebrows, elbows, knees and arms. There are many treatment options available including topical ointments, baths, light therapy, injections, and prescriptions. See your doctor if you believe you may have this condition. (For more tips on psoriasis treatments, read how to get rid of psoriasis)

Dry scalp

The simplest and most easily cured dandruff is the result of a dry scalp. Often caused by overly dry environmental conditions or the overuse of cheap hair care products, this condition can be cured by moisturizing. Massage skin moisturizer or oil into your scalp 1/2 hour before bathing and follow up with a moisturizing conditioner.

Oily scalp

People who have oily scalps can also get dandruff. The exact cause has not yet been proven, but has been speculated to be due to the excessive oil promoting the growth of yeast and fungi that can irritate the scalp. Switch to a shampoo meant for very oily hair for a few weeks to see if that clears it up. If not, see your doctor or try some of the remedies in the next section.

Head lice

Head lice can cause itching and flakes that are often mistaken for dandruff. The flakes are actually nits (lice eggs) and the fecal excretions of the insects. (For more information and lice symptoms, see how to get rid of lice)

Other potential causes of dandruff

Following is a list of common things that have been blamed by doctors and former-dandruff sufferers:

The use of cheap hair care products that dry or irritate the scalp as well as chemical and mechanical over styling - especially conditioners. Go to a salon and ask for product recommendations.
Poor nutrition and food allergies have been blamed for dandruff - especially a deficiency in Zinc or Omega 3 fatty acids, which can be supplemented by taking fish oil.
Dry environments that lead to dryness of the scalp. Consider humidifying your living space if you have dry skin elsewhere on your body.
Stress and lack of sleep have also been blamed, but what aren't they blamed for?
Excessively high or low hair PH.

3. Methods of getting rid of dandruff

Commercial dandruff shampoos

Here I will list the active ingredients used in the most common anti-dandruff shampoos and explain what they do. Make sure you read the labels when shopping for a particular ingredient since the same brand often produces similar products with different ingredients. Always follow the instructions on the labels. 1. Zinc pyrithione (Head & Shoulders classic, Pert Plus dandruff control)Zinc pyrithione, or Zinc omadine is an anti-fungal and antibacterial agent that is most commonly used to fight the dandruff caused by yeasts and fungi. Once you begin using this treatment, stopping will often cause dandruff to return worse than before treatment began. 2. Ketoconazole(Nizoral AntiDandruff shampoo) Ketoconazole is an anti-fungal drug used to treat dandruff caused by yeasts and fungi. Dandruff usually returns after treatment is stopped. 3. Selenium sulfide(Selsun blue, Head & Shoulders Intensive) Selenium sulfide is an anti-fungal agent used to treat dandruff caused by yeasts and fungi. In the US, 1% solutions can be purchased over-the-counter and 2.5% solutions are available by prescription. Dandruff often returns when treatment is stopped. 4. Coal tar(Ionil-T, Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic) Coal tar is a liquid by-product of the distillation of coal. It is used in shampoos meant to treat head lice and psoriasis. Be warned, coal tar is on the NIOSH carcinogen list as a potential cancer-causing agent. 5. Salicylic acid(Ionil) Salicylic acid based shampoos are used to help the scalp shed excess skin more easily, which in turn helps to keep skin pores from getting clogged.

Home remedies for treating dandruff

There are tons of home brew dandruff cures out there, every family likely knows of a different one that they will swear by to cure dandruff. Here I'll list some of the most commonly recommended concoctions. 1. Tea tree oil Tea tree oil has an anti-fungal quality and can be mixed into lotions, oils and shampoos. Massage the mixture into the scalp and let it sit for 15 minutes prior to rinsing clean. 2. Coneflower and red clover extracts Aveda has a product named "Scalp Remedy" that is growing in popularity. It contains both coneflower and red clover extracts, comes with a dropper and is applied directly to the scalp after you shower. 3. Oil soaksScalp massages with moisturizing oils an hour or so before bathing are said to rejuvenate a dry scalp. Skin lotions will likely work as well. 4. Vinegar rinses Some people have reported success after rinsing their hair with white or apple cider vinegar prior to bathing. It may have something to do with correcting your hair's PH balance. If you are in a rush, you can also learn how to get rid of dandruff fast.

Resources:

Let the Monster Guide teach you how to treat dandruff
Natural Cures for Dandruff

How to Get Rid of Hiccups

2012-05-13T12:49:00.000+05:30

1. Hiccu-wha?

Hiccups are involuntary spasms of the diaphragm often accompanied by the familiar "hic" sound. Occasionally they manifest as louder and more embarrassing "huuuugggghhhh"s. Why do we hiccup? It's a mystery.Find Doctors in your area

2. Tips for Getting Rid of Hiccups

Repeated swallowing works for mild cases. Do this by holding your breath and repeatedly swallowing as fast as you can, or by slowly drinking down a beverage with as many swallows as is possible. It's important that you hold your breath for as many gulps as you can. Placing a napkin over a glass of water can help moderate your speed.
Plug your nose and ears then swallow 20 times as fast as possible.
If you notice a friend has a case of hiccups, it is believed that your can 'scare' them away. Sneak up on them and give 'em a good jolt (Be careful though ;)). What? They don't have hiccups? Do it anyway!
Relax, sit still and breathe in deep, slow, rhythmic breaths expanding and contracting your lungs completely.
Distract yourself. Sing a song, go over your 7 times tables (7 x 1 = 7, 7 x 2 = 14, etc) until the hiccups are gone,
Exhale completely and hold your breath for as long as possible.
Squawk like a chicken while flapping your arms and bobbing your head as if you were pecking at something. Bugawk!
Laugh. Think of something funny, or do something funny - see above.
Eat a tablespoon of peanut butter.
Stand on your head and drink small gulps of water from a sports bottle.
Exaggerate your hiccups by inhaling right as you hiccup - this will result in a long and loud "huuuaaagggghhh" that'll either be funny or embarrassing depending on your environment, but after 2-4 of these the hiccups should be gone.
Take a shot of lemon juice.
Let a teaspoon of sugar dissolve under your tongue.
Think of the ugliest person you've ever seen. Now picture them naked, rolling naked down a hill or riding a bike and slathered in A-1 steak sauce.

Eat some pickles.
Think the alphabet backwards as fast as you can.
Close your eyes, relax, still your mind and concentrate on nothingness until they're gone.

Read other articles on how to get rid of hiccups fast or how do you get rid of hiccups.

3. Offsite Hiccup Resources

Get rid of hiccups fast
MonsterGuide.net teaches you how to cure hiccups

How to Get Rid of Styes

2012-05-13T12:48:00.000+05:30

1. Eye Stye Info

Styes are inflamed sebaceous glands (near the base of the eyelashes) and are usually caused by staphylococcus bacteria. They look similar to pimples, but should not be squeezed or pierced as the bacteria inside can spread over the entire eyelid.

Whenever you are treating a stye, be very careful and resist the urge to pop or squeeze it! Do not rub your eyes because you can easily spread the infection to your other eye - that is unless you want a matching set... :) If

2. How to Get Rid of a Stye; Treatments & Remedies

your stye does not go away within a week see your doctor about getting antibiotics. *I repeat: Wash your hands after treatment of any type to avoid spreading the infection

Some common eye-stye treatments and tips

Soften the stye by applying a hot, moist compress several times a day for at lease 10 minutes at a time.
The tannic acid in tea is reported to help cure styes - take a used tea bag that is still warm and apply it to the eye as a warm compress.
An old folk remedy recommends rinsing the eye with milk. If it works for you, let us know!
Refrain from wearing eye makeup while the stye is active.
Do not rub your eyes or you risk irritating and spreading the infection.
There are many over-the-counter stye remedies you can try - see your local pharmacist.
Whatever you choose to do - be very careful when putting unknown chemicals on or in your eyes - if you're unfamiliar with a remedy then consult your doctor first.
Have a tip to share? Submit it for the benefit of others using the form at the bottom of this page.

How to Get Rid of Canker Sores

2012-05-12T23:48:00.001+05:30

Canker Sores

They are small and out of sight, but painful, persistent and annoying. They may occur on your tongue, inside your cheeks or lips, or at the base of your gums. They are called Aphthous Ulcers, but are more commonly known as canker sores.

They are different from the unrelated mouth pest known as a cold sore (Learn how to treat a cold sore). The cold sore almost always starts on your lips, and may not even spread into the soft tissue of your mouth, while the canker sore starts from the inside of the mouth. Cold sores are also caused by a form of herpes virus which is extremely contagious. Canker sores are not viral related, and are not contagious at all. Canker sores are more common in females, and an estimated 10% of the population has recurring problems with them. In just under half of the cases of canker sores there is prior family history.

The exact mechanism which causes them has not been determined, but the likely cause is a reaction of a person’s own immune system. For some unexplained reason, the immune system identifies an invading agent inside the mucous membrane of the mouth that isn’t really there. The immune system’s job is to identify invaders, and dispatch white blood cells to deal with them. In the case of the canker sore, the white blood cells attack healthy tissue that is minding its own business. The resulting carnage to the tissue is the resulting canker sore. Read how to get rid of canker sore.

As with many similar problems, the best way to get rid of them might just be to never get them in the first place. With that in mind, here are some of the potential causes of canker sores. Avoiding them will help.

Find Pharmacies and Drugstores in your area

Canker Sore Causes

Toothpaste. Toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate tend to have a drying effect on the tissues of the mouth, breaking down the surface protection, and perhaps triggering the beginning of the sore. If canker sores are a problem, toothpaste that is free of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) can help.

Trauma. In one study, 38% of the people who developed canker sores reported some injury to the tissue inside their mouth prior to the development of the sores. These included self inflicted bites, or irritation from sharp teeth. Since very few people deliberately cause injury to the inside of their mouth, you are likely avoiding this one already.

Stress. Stress gets blamed for pretty much everything that can go wrong with you health wise and canker sores are no exception. It is good to avoid stress anyway (Tips on how to get rid of stress). If it helps reduce the occurrence of canker sores, that is even better.

Nutritional Deficiency. Some research has shown that people who develop frequent canker sores also suffer from some sort of nutritional deficiency. Vitamin deficiencies: B1, B2, B6, B12, C and other nutrients: zinc, folic acid, iron, selenium, calcium have all been linked to the sores. Like stress, nutritional deficiency gets blamed for a lot of health problems, and you should already be avoiding it.

Allergic Reactions. There is a whole host of items that could be causing canker sores by through what is really a kind of allergic reaction of the tissues of the mouth to a substance. The list of foods that are suspected here reads like an inventory list of your local grocery store. Have you added anything new to your diet recently? Try systematically removing certain foods to see if this helps clear up the problem.

Hormonal Changes and Genetic Dispositions. These are things that you aren’t going to be able to avoid, so if it is the cause of your canker sores, you might as well just skip on down to the treatment options.

It is important to note that canker sores are sometimes associated with other medical problems, some of them serious. If the problem becomes frequent, a visit to the doctor is suggested, if for no other reason than to eliminate them as a concern.

Since much of the above is either hard to avoid, or impossible, you may very well find yourself with a canker sore, so lets look at some time honored ways to get rid of them

Getting Rid of Canker Sores

1. Wait

Canker sores will normally go away by themselves in 7-10 days. The pain can be minimized through careful diet (eliminate spicy, acidic, or other foods that irritate them) or by the use of over the counter anesthetics.

2. Some Tried and True Canker Sore Remedies

Acidophilus taken in either capsule form or as an ingredient in plain yogurt may stimulate the immune system. Taking 2-4 capsules four times a day with milk has proven to both reduce the pain, and speed up the healing process.
Aloe juice can be used as a mouth rinse several times a day.
Alum from the spice section of your grocery store will relieve pain and speed healing, but will burn like crazy for a few minutes once it is applied. Do this once or twice a day, but be prepared for the burning, and rinse your mouth out well afterwards.
Antacid formulas such as Mylanta and Milk of Magnesia have been reported to relieve pain and speed healing.

Baking soda is a time honored remedy that can be used in powder form, or made into a paste and applied directly to the sore. This is another one that might sting a bit at first, but repeated treatments are reported to clear up canker sores in a couple of days.
Copper sulfate, also called bluestone, is a remedy that was used as far back as two hundred years ago. It is hard to find, but should clear the sore in a day or two. Consult your doctor before trying this.
Keep clean: Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with antibacterial mouthwash often.
Stay away from salty and acidic foods.
For pain you can use any over-the-counter oral antiseptic gel or spray.
Using a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash can help clean out the canker sore and kill bacteria.
Rinse your mouth with salt water a.k.a. saline
Drink sage tea taking time to swish it around in your mouth with every sip.

Rinse with vinegar mixed with a spoonful of salt three times a day.
A baking soda / water paste applied directly to the canker sores can help speed healing.
Try switching to another brand of toothpaste.
Clove oil applied directly to the canker sore will numb it.
Please share any more canker sore remedies you may know of using the form at the bottom of the page.

A wide variety of other folk remedies exist. They include hydrogen peroxide, raw onion, plum juice used as a mouth wash, chewing on papaya leafs and pressing a tea bag on the sore. The best approach may be to try them all, and find the one that works best for you.

There are also quite a few herbal remedies available. Some like Burdock and Lady’s mantle are made into a tea and you just drink them. Others like Goldenseal are made into mouth rinses or pastes and applied directly to the sore. In addition, there are several over the counter products that are designed for use with canker sores, but these typically only treat the pain associated with the sores, and are not meant to rid your mouth of the canker sores.

3. Don’t Wait.

Understanding that a canker sore is an ongoing process that runs its course inside your mouth suggests that the quicker you attack the process, the quicker you can reverse it and begin the healing. Even the use of a regular antiseptic mouth wash right from the onset of the sore can stop it in it’s tracks. The idea is to not wait until the canker sore is at full size with maximum pain before you begin treatment. Mouth examinations are a good idea if canker sores are an ongoing problem. As soon as you think one is starting begin your treatment of choice.

4. Prevent Them Any Way You Can

Understanding a bit about the cause of canker sores can help. If you have a problem with them, anything you can do that helps your immune system is going to help the canker sore problem (Learn how to boost your immune system). Vitamin intake, proper rest, stress reduction exercise and good diet can all help. Avoid foods that may produce mouth trauma. Some even suggest potato chips should be avoided by children who have problems with canker sores. Most people who have chronic canker sore problems report the use of SLS free toothpaste to be the single best preventive measure they have found. They also recommend frequent mouth washing and frequent changing of toothbrushes. The real idea is that anything that makes the mouth cleaner and eliminates bacteria is going to help.

How to Get Rid of Styes

2012-05-12T23:48:00.000+05:30

How to Get Rid of Ringworm

2012-05-12T23:47:00.000+05:30

1. Ringworm (Tinea)

Ringworm is a fungal infection that is common among children and is spread by direct contact with contaminated surfaces. Humans usually contract ringworm from animals - it is especially common in cats.

Ringworm appears as a raised, itchy welt surrounded by a ring. See the ringworm picture above for an example.

2. How to Get Rid of Ringworm; Treatments

Ringworm is pretty simple to get rid of so long as you're careful about what and whom you touch so that you don't spread it to others. If your pets are infected, bring them to your vet for antifungal pills, creams or shampoos.

Common ringworm cures

#1 - DO NOT SCRATCH
Topical creams containing miconazole and clotrimazole can be used to kill off the fungus. Lamasil and Lotrimin are reported to work well.
Black walnut extract applied directly to each infection daily can speed healing.
Daily application of iodine will also hasten the healing of ringworm.
Daily application of calamine lotion.
Athlete's foot and other antifungal creams can be used also.
Cover each spot with a bandage to avoid touching things and spreading the infection.
Some folks swear that clear nail polish applied to each welt will kill the ringworm. Others swear it wll not. If all else fails, why not let experience be your guide and share your results with us?

Please don't hesitate to share your ringworm cures with the rest of us by using the form at the bottom of the page.

3. Offsite resources

Ringworm at Wikipedia

How to Get Rid of A Hickey

2012-05-12T23:44:00.000+05:30

1. Hickeys

Ok, so we all know that hickeys are the result of an overzealous set of lips suction-cupping themselves to an area of skin and sucking until surface blood vessels break, right? Right, so I won't elaborate on the subject any more here.Find Gyms in your area

2. How to Get Rid of a Hickey

The question remains, once all of that blood is trapped right beneath the skin's surface, how do you get rid of it?

Tips for Hiding and Removing Hickeys

If you catch the hickey soon enough, your can minimize the mark by immediately applying ice.
Surface stimulation will help disperse the blood. Gently rub and massage the area.
Using a comb or a hairbrush to massage the area works better than fingers and hands.
Using any tubular object with a domed end, apply steady pressure over the hickey and twist. It will hurt, but it will help. Lipstick caps, pen caps, and blistex caps work. The goal is to work the blood deeper into the skin.
Make the hickey worse - if you use a curling iron, have your 'friend' reshape the hickey to match the pattern that it would make if you had burned yourself accidentally. This can work with any likely burn or bruise scenario. Do not burn yourself! Reshape the hickey with more suction.
Utilize turtleneck sweaters, scarves, or makeup to cover it up.
Rub vitamin K into the area.
Apply a warm, moist, used tea-bag as a hot compress. Repeatedly re-wet and re-warm it as needed until the hickey disappears.
Add your success or failure stories to this page by using the form at the bottom and help out the next visitor to come here.

How to Get Rid of Freckles

2012-05-12T23:42:00.000+05:30

1. Got Freckles?

As you may know, freckles are nothing more than spots on your skin wheremelanin (skin pigmentation) has gone pigment-happy. They are common in children and usually fade as one grows into adulthood. Usually.

Find Workout Centers in your area

2. How to Get Rid of Freckles

While many people find freckles cute or attractive, some of us just want them gone.

While there are several available 'invasive' methods, I would urge you to see your doctor rather than reading an arbitrary web site. Among the more popular medical options are laser freckle removal and thecryogenic freezing of freckles. Over-the-counter bleaching creams are also available.

Freckle Removal & Minimization Tips

Stay out of the sun whenever possible and wear sunscreen when you do go outside. Your freckles will tan just like the rest of you, causing them to become more obvious.
Apply lemon juice directly to your face twice a day and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. You can also apply it at night before retiring and wash it off in the morning after rising. This will also increase your sensitivity to sunlight so wear sunscreen when you go out.
Rinse your face with sour milk.
Apply sour cream over your entire face, let it sit for 15 minutes and then wipe it off with a towel or tissue, but don't rinse.
Use a cosmetic cover-up.

Freckle Removal Cream Recipes:

Use the following home remedies by mixing them with yogurt, your favorite cream, or by applying directly to the skin. Most of these concoctions will make you more sensitive to sunlight, so be sure and use sunscreen when you go outside.

Lemon juice
Parsley juice
Onion juice (Or crushed onions) - not a very pleasant solution...
Cucumber juice (you can also crush a cucumber into paste and use the resulting material, want to propagate cucumbers? Learn how to plant cucumbers)
Fenugreek oil (Dilute in cream or yogurt)
A mixture of 2 oz. Lemon juice, 2 oz. rum, 1 tsp. glycerin, and 4 tbsp. buttermilk - let the mixture set on your face for 30 minutes and wash, no more than twice a day.
A mixture of 1 tbsp. yogurt and a dribble of honey. Apply this directly to your freckles and it let set for 30 minutes before washing.

If you know of any more home remedies for freckles please share them with other visitors by filling out the form at the bottom of this page.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy reading about how to apply stage makeup.

How to Get Rid of Blackheads

2012-05-12T23:41:00.000+05:30

Let's face it! Blackhead removal seems to be the most difficult part of maintaining healthy skin. There's no easy way to get rid of these annoying blemishes. However, there are some helpful tips to prevent and get rid of blackheads when necessary.

What is a Blackhead?

Blackheads are technically referred to as open comedones. These bumps are often indented and may look like tiny plugs. The confusion over blackheads and whiteheads has to do with the fact that blackheads accompany oily skin where whiteheads could be present on oily or dry skin.

What Causes Blackheads?

A blackhead is caused by excess oil that has clogged a pore. This clog occurs when the built-up oil is unable to flow to the surface of the skin due to a misshapen or impaired pore and dead skin cells blocking the way. When the pore is open, the oil is exposed to oxygen, which reacts and turns it a dark color, resulting in a black head.

Hormones are the leading cause of increased oil production. An increase in the male hormones, androgens, will increase the natural production of oil in your skin causing more oil to build up in the pores, often times resulting in the appearance of black heads.
The next big culprit in blackhead formation is the use of skin-care products or make-up. These products will mix with your body's natural oil and add to the build-up that can block pores.
Whitehead and blackhead pimple formation seems to be a predisposed condition that is aggravated or increased when combined with the above toxins.

Find Day Spas in your area

2. Blackhead Prevention

There are many things that you can do to prevent blackheads from appearing on your face. Most involve cleansing and some require the use of medications.

Avoid using creamy, greasy, and thick (emollient) products. This alone will greatly lessen your chances of sprouting blackheads.
Use a gentle and water-soluble acne cleanser.
DO NOT use bar soap!!! The ingredients that hold soap in a bar form can clog the pores in your skin. They can also cause skin cells to flake off prematurely and clog the pores. If you have dry skin you will need to use a cleanser that has a bit of moisturizer in it, but be careful! The excess moisturizers can cause an increase in oil on your skin.
Exfoliate to eliminate dead skin cells. If there are no skin cells to clog the pores, the natural oil is able to flow through freely. Skin Exfoliation also removes the built up dead cells from inside the pores that cause them to become misshapen and more-easily clogged. Using an skin exfoliant that contains 1% or 2% (BHA or Salicylic Acid) will penetrate the lining of the pore. If you are unable to use BHAs, you could use products containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), however these acids are only good for surface exfoliation because they do not penetrate the pore lining.
Absorb excess oil. If you have oily skin, try using a clay maskthat does not contain mint, peppermint or other irritating ingredients. This will absorb the oil that may clog the poor. If you have dry skin, this is not necessary because pimples on dry skin are caused by oil inside the pore, not on the surface of the skin. Also, oil-absorbing papers may help to reduce the oil in your pores.
Visit your dermatologist. Retinoids, which are a form of Vitamin A, can help regulate the pore shape which will keep oil flowing normally. The most common retinoids are tretinoin and adapalene, found in prescriptions such as Avita, Renova, Retin-A, Tazorac, and Differin.
Other medications. Hormone blockers and low-dose birth control pills can lower levels of androgens (the male hormone) and Accutane should be discussed with your physician in severe cases of oily skin and breakouts.

3. Blackhead Removal

Though the best way to remove blackheads is an area of contention, the most common method for getting rid of blackheads is to gently squeeze them. Removing the "stuff" inside of the blackhead helps the skin because you are relieving the pressure which causes the damage. We know it can be nearly impossible to leave a blemish alone so here are some tips for gentle blackhead removal:

Use a mild scrub or to remove any dead cells and expose the blackhead.
Pat your face dry.
Place a slightly warm compress on your face for approximately 10-15 minutes in order to soften the blackhead, making it easier to remove.
Pat your face dry again.
Place a piece of tissue on the tip of each finger to avoid slipping, which could tear the skin and cause further damage.
Gently apply even pressure to both sides of the blackhead by pushing down, then up around the blemish. You're trying to apply the pressure from *underneath* the blackhead.

Only attempt this once or twice. If it does not "pop", you may bruise the skin, make the blackhead worse, and could cause scarring.

PORE STRIPS: Using pore strips to remove blackheads is not recommended for many reasons:

The warnings on the box tell you not to use them on swollen, irritated, sunburned skin; not to use them on excessively dry skin; and not to use them on any area other than the nose. Also, the warnings state that if the strip is too difficult to remove, you should add water and remove carefully.
Removing the superficial blackheads, along with some healthy skin, will only help temporarily.
Repeated use of pore strips can cause irritation and future breakouts.
The adhesive on the strips can tear or injure the skin, especially if you are using an acne medication such as those listed above, or if you naturally have thin skin due to psoriasis, rosacea, or seborrhea.

Vacuum blackhead removers and blackhead extractors are not recommended for the same reasons as the pore strips. Because blackheads are caused by excessive oil production clogging the pores, the most effective way to get rid of blackheads is to control oil on the face by using mild cleansers and by balancing your hormones.

How to Get Rid of Genital Warts Naturally

2012-05-12T23:39:00.000+05:30

What are Genital Warts?

Genital warts are caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) which is a sexually transmitted disease. If you find that you have HPV don't be too upset - over half of middle-aged America has some evidence of being infected. In most cases genital warts will go away on their own, but as there is no cure for HPV they could come back. Usually people that are infected wait to see if they spread or go away on their own. If they spread then there are many treatments options to get rid of genital warts.

As long as there are genital warts present, the disease is contagious. ALWAYS use a condom.

What do Genital Warts Look Like?

I will not post genital warts pictures on this page because they are not pretty.

Cancer Risk Factors

Certain types of HPV are known to cause cervical cancer, anal cancer, vulvular cancer, and cancer of the penis. Though rare, if you are a woman then a simple Pap test will detect any abnormal cervical cells (Tips on how to prepare for a pap smear). If you believe or know that you have genital warts it's a good idea to see your doctor for regular checkups so any abnormal growths can be treated early.

Find General Practitioners in your area

How to get rid of Genital Warts:

There are a few ways to get rid of them depending on how you want to go about doing so. Regardless of which method you choose, you MUST see your doctor first. Here are some of your choices.

Topical treatments. Ask your doctor to prescribe you a topical medication to take home so you don't have to feel awkward having a stranger perform the application (Unless you like that kind of thing. ;) ) These medications are usually some form of chemical that ‘burns’ the wart off. Such chemicals are only to be used for external warts around the pubic area; not any that are inside the vagina, penis, or the rectum.

Podofilox (Condylox) is one such chemical which comes in gel or lotion form, and can be applied by an applicator that comes with the medicine. If the solution gets on non-infected skin it can cause severe irritation, wash it off immediately. Never use this product for more than three days a week, for four treatment cycles. If your genital warts are still sticking around after this, go back to your doctor for a stronger solution.

Podophyllin resin (Podofin) comes in lotion or gel form that you can use it at home. It is applied three times a day for three consecutive days, followed by a four day break; to be repeated for four weeks. Podophyllin resin can only be applied by your doctor so he can monitor the usage carefully, and check for serious side effects. Some common side effects are burning, swelling, redness, and pain. If you are pregnant DO NOT use this product. Always check with your doctor before using ANY medications.

Surgical Procedures are available, but should be considered only as a last resort. Here are a few of the more common procedures:

Cryotherapy – The genital wart is frozen off.
Electrocautery – The genital wart is burned off with electricity.
Laser Surgery – The genital wart is burned off with a high-intensity laser.
Surgical Excision – The genital wart is cut out.

All of these procedures can leave scars, and may be very painful depending on the warts location so choose carefully.

Some of our readers suggest Wartrol Genital Wart Relief.

How to Get Rid of Warts

2012-05-12T23:37:00.000+05:30

Warts!!! Ugh! They are very unsightly and very embarrassing. And you don’t have to ever touch a toad to get one. If you have ever experienced having a wart, you know just how terrible the process can be for removing them. Here you will find home remedies as well as medical methods used to rid yourself of the discomfort and awkward feeling that accompanies warts.

1. The Causes of Warts:

Warts are caused by a single virus, of which there is many strains. This virus is the human papillomavirus or hpv. This virus is one of the most prevalent infections in the world – it affects approximately 40% of all humans. Because of the warts that result from HPV, it is often times referred to as “the wart virus”. Genital warts are the most known wart in association with this virus; however, all warts are a result of HPV. Each type of wart (common, plantar, flat, and genital) comes from a different strain. Common warts originate from HPV types 2, 4 and 7. Plantar’s warts come from type 1, in the plantar area of the foot (Tips on how to get rid of plantar warts). Flat warts come from types 3 and 10 of HPV. Genital warts are a result of over 30 different types of the human papillomavirus.

Warts are spread when a non-infected area of skin comes in contact with an infected area, either through direct contact or contact with skin cells shed from the wart. It is presumed that the uninfected skin must have at least a miniscule tear in order for HPV to be contracted. In other words, if you have a wart anywhere on your body, and that wart comes in contact with another person’s damaged skin, that uninfected person could now have HPV. (This includes warts on the hands and feet.)

Find General Practitioners in your area

2. The Different Types of Warts:

Warts come in varying shapes, sizes, and appearances. Some are single bumps, while others form in groups. Following is a guide to the types of warts and what to look for when determining what type of wart you have.

Plantar's Warts: A common wart that grows on the side or bottom of your foot. Because they are located on the bottom of the foot, they are usually flat and painful due to your body weight pressing down on them. The wart is actually a lot bigger than what you can see. If you push down on the wart you will see an area that is yellowish in color which is the area of the whole wart. These warts are very contagious because this skin is so easily shed from your feet. Also, the virus likes warm and moist environments, including the gym-shower floor, so they are spread to athlete’s in the same manner as athlete's foot. Athlete’s have the highest incidence of planter’s warts, and diabetics are also susceptible to them.
Flat Warts: These warts are small and smooth, with a round or oval shape. They appear in large numbers – 20 to 100 at a time - anywhere on the body. In children, these warts are most commonly found on the face. In men, they can be present within a beard, and in women, on the legs. Flat warts can spread quickly from cuts while shaving. Also, scratching the affected area can cause the warts to spread in a linear fashion.
Genital Warts: Genital warts are spread through sexual contact involving the genitals, anus or mouth. They generally form as tiny, soft, flesh-colored bumps. They can become hard and rough and also develop a stalk. Sometimes multiple warts may grow resembling a small cauliflower. These warts are usually painless, and disappear after a couple months, but they are incurable; therefore they can come back again and again. (For information specific to genital warts, see our article How to Get Rid of Genital Warts)

3. Wart Treatments:

Over-the-Counter Wart Cures

Lucky for you, most warts will disappear by themselves, but if you want to speed up the process, there are many over-the-counter products you could try. These are all either used to freeze (a mix of dimethyl ether and propane) or burn (salicylic acid) the wart off, which will destroy the cells containing the virus. Some of these include Compound W (gel, liquid, pad and spray), Dr. Scholl’s (pads/discs, liquid), Wartner (pads, liquid), and Curad (pads). It is important that you DO NOT use OTC medications on facial or genital warts. These medicines are too harsh for these sensitive areas.

Home Remedies for Warts

There is a vast array of home remedies for warts to choose from:

Duct tape. Cut a piece of duct tape to fit over your wart. Leave the tape on for six days, then remove it and soak your wart in water for a few minutes. Use an emery board or pumice stone to file the dead skin on your wart down. Dry the area over night then reapply another piece of duct tape in the morning. Continue this process until your wart is gone. This is believed to work because the irritation that is caused forces your immune system to fight off the virus.
Garlic. Crush some fresh garlic, rub it directly on your wart, and cover it with a bandage. Apply new garlic every day and your wart will blister and fall off within as little as a week. Be careful not to get garlic on the surrounding healthy skin; it helps to apply petroleum jelly to the skin around your wart.
Vinegar. Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and tape it to your wart with a bandage for at least one or two hours daily.
Dandelion sap. Pick a dandelion from your yard, break the stem open and drip the sap onto your wart. Do this daily until your wart disappears. The sap will mildly irritate your skin, stimulating your immune system to get rid of the wart. Do not use dandelions that have been treated within the past few years with an herbicide.
Vitamin C. Make a paste out of ground Vitamin C tablets and water. Dab it onto your wart and cover it with a bandage. The high acidity of Vitamin C will aide in eliminating your wart as well as helping to fight off the HPV.
Banana or lemon peel. Cut a piece of the peel to fit over your wart and tape it on, inner side down before bed. The chemicals and oils in these peels will help dissolve and discourage warts.
Papaya. Using an unripe papaya, make small cuts on the surface, allowing the sap to run out. Collect the sap and let it coagulate. Mix the thick sap with water and apply it to your wart morning and evening. An enzyme in the papaya will digest dead tissue.
Basil. Tape crushed, fresh basil to your wart using waterproof first-aid tape. Do this daily up to a week and the virus-killing compound in the basil leaf will kill your wart.
Castor oil. Rubbing castor oil on your wart every day will break it down, possibly because the oil keeps the wart moist, causing the tough skin to just come apart.
Aloe vera If you have an aloe plant at home, break a leaf off and rub the gel on your wart. Repeat this daily and your wart will disappear, perhaps due to the malic acid in aloe vera. (If you don't have an aloe plant, learn how to grow aloe vera)
Hot water. Because plantar warts are sensitive to heat, soaking your feet in hot (110- to 113-degrees F) water for 15 minutes per day can eliminate your warts.

(All the above home remedies, and many more can be found in the book Reader’s Digest 1,801 Home Remedies: Trustworthy Treatments for Everyday Health Problems)

Curing Warts with Hypnosis & the Power of Suggestion

Hypnosis (learn how to hypnotize someone) has been a proven method for getting rid of warts. In some cultures, the patient is told to look at the night sky and count nine stars for nine nights. This method may seem like superstition, however it is meant to stimulate the subconscious mind and create belief and expectation, thereby getting rid of the warts. This type of hypnosis works for children often times, by convincing them that a certain ritual will “magically” make their warts disappear. One example would be to develop an intricate “wart-curing” ritual with your child, such as rubbing a stone on the wart, then burying the stone, signifying the disappearance of the wart.

Adults who have lost much of the innocence of children must use other methods of hypnosis, or the power of suggestion. The placebo effect works with many illnesses. Suggesting that the wart is being showered by potent x-rays has, in fact, worked with one man in making his warts fall off the next day (Reader’s Digest 1,801 Home Remedies, 2004).

Surgical Methods of Wart Removal

If none of the OTC, home remedies or hypnosis techniques work in eliminating your warts, there are some surgical procedures that your doctor could perform to remove your warts.

Cryosurgery – freezing the wart off with liquid nitrogen. This freezes the wart and destroys the infected tissue, requires multiple visits and scarring is common. Very painful – the doctor may inject Lidocaine to numb the area.
Electrocautery – using a high-frequency electric current (wire) applied to the wart. Very painful.
Lasers - May leave scars, does not destroy the viral root and the warts may return.
Surgical excision - cutting the wart off. Lidocaine is injected to numb the area. Scarring is common.
Cantharidin Treatments – this chemical that comes from “blister beetles” is diluted and applied to the wart; a bandage is secured over the wart and can be removed in 24 hours. If the cantharidin is mixed with other chemicals, the bandage can be removed in 2 hours. Not immediately painful, but extremely painful 3 to 8 hours after application. The wart will blister. You must then revisit your doctor in order for him/her to remove the dead skin. If it is not completely removed, your doctor may repeat the procedure. This has varying degrees of success. (Beware: Cantharidin is as toxic as the most extreme poisons like strychnine. Only 10 mg ingested is fatal.)
Miquimod – a drug most commonly used in treating genital warts. May be prescribed for plantar or flat warts. Is applied to the wart every one - three days. The cream triggers the immune system response against the wart-causing virus. This may cause redness of the skin around the wart.
Bleomycin - (an anticancer drug), Cimetidine (antihistamine) and Tretinoin (vitamin A derivative used in some acne preparations) – all could be injected in small amounts directly into a hard-to-remove wart.

Wart Prevention Tips:

How to avoid contracting warts:

Your only prevention from developing warts is to avoid the human papillomavirus (HPV). The following tips will help with this task:

Wear sandals in public showers, locker rooms, and around pools. These warm, moist environments are ideal for viruses.
Do not touch any warts on yourself or anyone else.
Do not share socks, shoes, razors, or towels. Just because warts are not visible, the virus may still be present.
Keep your feet dry. If your feet sweat profusely, wear socks that will wick the moisture away.
Take extra care not to injure the soles of your feet. Warts grow more easily if the skin is broken or injured.

How to keep from spreading warts:

Keep your warts covered with a bandage.
Do not bite your nails or cuticles. This may spread the virus from one hand to the other.
Dry off your wart after washing your hands. Warts tend to be more contagious when wet, and by drying your hands you reduce the chance of spreading the virus to someone else.
Leave the warts alone. Don’t scratch or pick at your warts because the virus can be transferred to other areas of the skin.

Some of our readers suggest Wartrol Wart Relief.

How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

2012-05-12T23:30:00.000+05:30

The first thing to consider with stretch marks is over the counter remedies. They come in the form of creams, butters, oils and lotions. Some suggest that using a couple of different products at different times of day yields the best results. Basically, try to get the best of more than one product. Some to consider include:

1 - Mustela Stretch Mark Double Action. This cream is soothing and helps both before and after the stretch marks occur. It works by fading them combined with making the skin more elastic.

2 - Bella B Tummy Honey Butter. This great product has been around for years. Some people prefer the earlier formulations but we assume they must be learning so the later one should work better.

3 - Bio-Oil Specialist Skincare or Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Stretch Oil. These natural oils helps the skin stay soft so the stretch marks do not get worse.

4 - Keri Renewal Stretch Mark Minimizer. This mostly works to help hide stretch marks. It really does help them blend in so they are much less noticeable. Works great on dark ones especially.

5 - Urban Skintrition Stretch Mark Cream with Shea Butter, Vitamine E, C and Collogen Repairing agents. Yes that is actually the name of the product and I think that pretty much explains it.

6 - Maderma Stretch Mark Therapy. This is a cream that helps the skin recover from stretch marks.

1. What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch marks are scars left behind when skin is overstretched, and fibers in the middle layer (dermis) have broken. They most often occur during pregnancy, building, extreme weight gain, occasionally puberty and are usually found on the abdomen, breasts, buttocks, legs, and upper arms. Fresh stretch marks appear initially as red lines and then slowly fade to a pale white color over the course of several months. While it is possible to reduce and even eliminate the appearance of stretch marks, it is much easier to prevent them.

2. How to Prevent Stretch Marks

Since stretch marks occur when skin is stretched to the limit of its elasticity – it follows that the best prevention is either to reduce the cause of stretching or to increase elasticity (or both).

Increase your Skin's Elasticity

Skin Creams and Lotions – Lotions containing cocoa butter are rumored to not only help reduce stretch marks, but to help prevent them entirely. Any cream or oil that is made specifically for the prevention or treatment of stretch marks will help keep your skin healthy and elastic. If you are pregnant or breast feeding consult your doctor first as lotions can contain ingredients that may be passed to your unborn baby or into breast milk.
Vitamin A, E & C – Supplementing these vitamins may help increase the strength and elasticity of the collagen within your skin and reducing your chance of forming stretch marks.
Stay hydrated. Ever try to squeeze a dry sponge?

3. Stretch Mark Removal

If you’re more concerned with getting rid of stretch marks than preventing them, read on. There are many methods to choose from, ranging from home remedies for stretch marks, to medical and cosmetic procedures. You will notice that every single one of these remedies also helps promote the overall health of your skin – the healthier your skin is, the better it can heal itself. Always consult your doctor before undergoing any treatment, especially if you are pregnant or nursing.

Home Remedies to Remove Stretch Marks

Time – Stretch marks, like all types of scarring fade over time.
Retin-A (Tretinoin) – 0.1% Tretinoin creams have been shown to significantly reduce the appearance of stretch marks in a study published in the May 1996 Archives of Dermatology. See your doctor for a prescription. These creams work best when used on fresh stretch marks. WARNING: Do not use tretinoin treatments if you are pregnant of breast feeding as the active ingredient may be passed to the unborn child or the breast milk.
Exfoliate daily – use a loofah or scrunchy to remove daily.
Vic’s Vapor Rub – Many people have reported success using Vic’s Vapor rub by applying it to a washcloth or paper towel and rubbing it forcefully into the scarred skin on a nightly basis for a few weeks.
Increase Circulation – by taking hot baths and massaging the areas regularly.
Tanning – Go sunbathing! Tanning can diminish and even eliminate minor stretch marks. Be sure to use sun screen.
Vitamin E Gel – Break open vitamin E capsules and rub the oil into the skin over the stretch marks daily for 2 weeks.
Unstretch the skin – After the skin returns to its normal, unstretched size, stretch marks often become nearly invisible.
Stretch Mark Creams and Lotions – Using stretch mark creams and stretch mark lotions that heal and beautify your skin can reduce the appearance of stretch marks. The following ingredients are widely accepted as beneficial for this purpose:
- Cocoa butter
- Rose hip oil
- Emu oil
- Jojoba oil
- Castor oil
- Shea butter
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
Know of any more? Please use the form at the bottom of the page to share them with other visitors here.

Medical Procedures for Stretch Marks

Microdermabrasion – Microdermabrasion is a cosmetic procedure popular in spas and salons where the top-most layer of skin is removed by chemical or mechanical means.
Endermologie – Endermologie machines massage and work the skin in order to increase circulation and expel toxins.
Laser Therapy – There are several different types of stretch mark laser treatments available that can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and heal you skin. See your dermatologist for the latest information on these methods.
Cosmetic Surgery – Strech marks typically appear below the belly button and the only way to remove abdominal stretch marks is with a tummy tuck. During a tummy tuck some of the skin below the belly button is removed. For stretch marks that appear on other areas of the body cosmetic plastic surgery can help depending on the areas affected.

* If you like reading this article you'll surely read how to get rid of butt stretch marks, how to get rid of stomach stretch marks and how to get rid of stretch marks from pregnancy.

How to Get Rid of Sunburn

2012-05-12T23:29:00.000+05:30

There’s nothing quite as enjoyable as spending a day at the beach with friends and family, swimming and relaxing in the sun, listening to the waves crashing up onto the shore. Unfortunately, a red painful sunburn can often result from these all-to-seldom retreats to the beach – but don’t worry, your sunburn doesn’t have to ruin your vacation. Read on and learn how to get rid of it.

1. What is Sunburn?

Sunburn is literally a “burn” to the skin that is caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. The energy contained in the UV rays is absorbed by the skin and slowly builds up over the course of exposure. A short exposure can cause tanning, longer exposure can cause burns. This means that all you need to do to prevent sunburn is limit your UV exposure – and there’s lots of ways to do that.

Find Fitness Centers in your area

2. Sunburn Prevention

Chances are if you’re reading this article that you’ve already gotten burned and are looking for pain relief and healing advice. Nevertheless, the information in this section is still golden if you plan on venturing back outside while you’re still licking your wounds. You don’t want to worsen your burn, but you don’t want to miss out on fun in the sun either, right?

In 1992, three Canadians developed a standardized method of measuring the strength of UV radiation from the sun at any particular time and place. Since then this system, called the UV index, has become used throughout most of the world. It ranges from 1; the weakest – to 11; the strongest. Listen to your local weather forecast to see how intense the sun is supposed to be on the days you intend to tan and prepare accordingly.

Safe Suntanning

If you normally don’t spend much time in the sun, don’t expect to be able to spend all day long tanning at the beach without burning because you’ll be in for a painful surprise! Use high-SPF sunscreen and start small with 15 minutes to an hour in the sun and then see how you feel a few hours later. You can then build up from there based on your level of sensitivity.

If you want to make the most of a vacation at the beach, consider visiting a tanning salon for a week or so prior to the actual vacation to prepare your skin for the sun. Most tanning salons will create a schedule for you to gently ease your maximum time exposure up. Don’t let your first day of vacation be your last!

If you are taking any regular medication, consult your doctor before leaving on vacation as some meds can increase sensitivity to the sun’s rays. Your doctor may be able to swap you over to medication that doesn’t have that side effect for the time that you are on vacation.

Warning: Babies under 6 months should not be exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods of time! Keep them cool and in the shade.sunscreen should never be used on children this young either.

Preventing sunburn

Following are some tips that you can use when you go suntanning that can help prevent sunburn:

Use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of no less than 8. Rub it thoroughly into your skin paying special attention to sensitive areas that don’t normally get much sun (under your arms, the insides of your knees, and the bottoms of your feet)
Re-apply your sunscreen every 30-45 minutes while you’re skin is still acclimating to the sun. Once you’re used to it you can re-apply every 2-3 hours. If you venture into the water or start sweating you should re-apply your sunscreen more often.
Protecting your eyes is important, but sunglasses can leave some funny tan-lines.
If you think you’re in danger of burning but don’t want to pack it up, move into the shade and put on some light, loose clothing. A wide-brimmed hat will protect your face and neck.

After tanning

Use skin moisteners and after-sun lotions generously. Those containing aloe are the most popular. For an extra-soothing feel you can store the bottle in the fridge to keep it cool.
When bathing, use a loofah or other exfoliant to remove dead and peeling skin.
Cocoa butter applied directly is claimed to help preserve your tan while moisturizing your skin.

3. Sunburn Pain Relief

Unfortunately, once you’ve been sunburned – much like any other type of burn, all you can do is baby your skin and wait for it to heal. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to relieve the pain. It’s important to stay out of the sun until your burn has healed as you can make it much worse! Refer to the previous section for tips on protecting yourself from worsened burns.

Topical Sunburn Remedies

A general rule of thumb when selecting or making a topical sunburn remedy is this: If it promotes moist and healthy skin, it’s good. Give the body what it needs to promote healthy skin and then give nature the time to work her magic. The only exception to this is blistering sunburn. Blistering sunburn should not be covered in any lotions, creams, or balms as it can cause the wound to become infected. Do not attempt to pop the blisters – wait for them to subside on their own.

Following are some commonly used topical treatments, make sure you give your skin some time to breathe between applications; otherwise you can lengthen the time needed to properly heal. If you know if any remedies that are not listed below please use the form at the bottom of the page to share them with other sunburned surfers who make it here in search of relief.

Sunburn pain relief:

Reach for a product that contains lidocaine – Lidocaine is an anesthetic that will dull the pain.
Cooled whole, plain yogurt applied topically can help soothe sunburned skin.Sunburn pain can also be eased through the use of over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Follow the usage instructions printed on the bottle.
Use a washcloth soaked in cool milk to gently dab the sunburned areas periodically.
Cold compresses and cool baths will help temporarily ease the pain – but it will likely return soon after the skin warms back up.

Sunburn treatment (Many of these will also help soothe the pain):

Some skin-friendly ingredients to look for in store-bought products are aloe vera, cocoa butter, vitamin E, lavender oil, and tea.
White or apple cider vinegars can be used to hasten healing, soothe your pain, and prevent blistering and peeling. Dampen a wash cloth with the vinegar and periodically dab the liquid onto the burns. Vinegar can also be added to bath water.
Pretend you’re a hot dog! Slather some mustard onto those sunburns.
Crush a raw tomato and apply it to the burned areas. This will be painful, but you will find that it speeds healing.

How to Get Rid of Stray Cats

2012-05-12T23:28:00.000+05:30

Stray and feral cats have become a growing problem in recent years – now vastly outnumbering the domesticated cat population. Stray cats are cats that have become separated from their owners, and feral cats are cats that were born in the wild – and are often wary of humans.

1. What to do if You Encounter a Stray Cat

Do not approach it - though rare, stray and feral cats can spread diseases with a simple scratch. If you get bitten or scratched by a stray or feral cat, try to capture the feline and bring it to the doctor with you so it can be tested for rabies and you can be tested and immunized for other diseases.

If you’ve already made contact with the cat in question and it is friendly – you should take it to the vet to get it tested for disease, immunized, and spayed or neutered (if you plan on making it your own). I would also recommend you visit your local library and pick out a good book ondomesticating stray cats.

Find Exterminators in your area

2. Getting Rid of Stray Cats

Garden centers often carry products that claim to keep stray cats off of your property. Sprays, predator urine, ultrasonic devices… you can spend your money on these things and give them a try, but the vast majority of people who have used these things say that they do not work. Here is a list of some of the most commonly touted successful methods of ridding your property of stray cats.

This probably goes without saying but I’m going to say it anyway. Don’t feed them. Look around your neighborhood and make sure none of your neighbors are feeding them. Remove any obvious sources of food and secure all outside waste containers.
Seal up any spaces that a feral cat may see as an attractive ‘nesting’ area. Some of their favorite places to make homes are underneath decks, sheds, foundations, and barns.
Contact your local animal control center and have them catch and remove the feline from your property.
Purchase a trap and capture the cat yourself. You can then drop it off at a shelter or release it far (at least 10 miles) away from your home. Be VERY careful when dealing with a trapped feral cat as they can be VERY nasty! Please also note that releasing the cat elsewhere will not solve the problem - only move it...
Extract the oil of a few dozen of the hottest peppers you can find (or use pepper spray), and apply it liberally to the areas that the cats frequent the most. The idea is to let the cats come into contact with the spicy formula so when they go to groom themselves they will get a spicy surprise. After a few tastes they will begin to stay away – this may need to be repeated often before the results are lasting.
Get a dog large enough to discourage any cats from venturing near your property. If you go this route, make sure you get the pooch immunized just in case he gets into a fight! Learn how to choose a dog breed

How to Get Rid of Colds

2012-05-12T23:26:00.000+05:30

The term 'common cold' is deceptive because it doesn't refer to a single virus or infection. It's a name used to identify one of over 200 different viruses that can infect your upper respiratory system and produce a particular set of symptoms. The reason it's been such an enigma to doctors and scientists seeking a cure is because of the number and diversity of viruses involved. There just isn't a single cure that will kill every strain of virus which can cause the common cold.

The typical cold lasts for three to five days while the immune system zeros in on the target virus and sends a specialized immune response to halt its reproduction. Viruses which cause colds are spread from person to person through physical contact with infected fluids (typically phlegm and saliva). These fluids can be deposited on surfaces or dispersed into the air by coughing and sneezing. The best way to avoid contracting or spreading a cold virus is to limit contact with infected people and maintain a healthy lifestyle that promotes a strong immune system (Tips on how to care for your immune system).

Cold Symptoms

Commonly reported cold symptoms include:

sore throat
persistant cough
sneezing
congestion
runny nose
headache
fatigue

a mild fever (<103F). A fever higher than 103F is more likely influenza and is usually accompanied with chills and muscle aches.

You should see your doctor for a diagnosis if your symptoms are severe or if the they last longer than 5 days with no sign of improvement. In some instances even a mild cold can grow into a more serious condition like pneumonia

As was mentioned above, there is no panacea for colds due to the huge numbers and diversity in the viruses which cause it. Antibiotics are useless because they target bacteria, not viruses. If you're otherwise in good health it's easier to just take it easy and battle the symptoms while you give your body enough time to eliminate the virus. Following are many common treatments for colds and their symptoms (More tips how to stop a common cold), if you have a remedy to add here please do so using the form at the bottom of this page.

*Always consult your physician before using or mixing any of the below remedies.

Over-The-Counter Cold Remedies

Petroleum Jelly

Applying petroleum jelly underneath the nose or on the chest so it's vapors are inhaled can help soothe the irritation of a dry and raw nose and throat.

Analgesics

Analgesics are found in most over the counter cold and flu medications and many pain relievers. These help relieve headaches and fever.

Cough Medicines

Cough medicines do pretty much what the name implies – they help relieve coughing. Most do this using an antitussive and expectorant. suppress the body's cough reflex and expectorants thin out your mucus, allowing it to be more easily expelled through coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

Natural Cold Cures and Home Remedies

Common Sense Treatments

Drink lots of fluids (very important).
Get plenty of rest (preferably in bed).
Eat a nutritious diet.

Salt Water

Gargling with salt water or using it to flush the nose can help reduce swelling and irritation.

Spicy Food

If your throat isn't irritated and you can handle it, eating something spicy can temporarily clear up a stuffy head.

Chicken Soup

Though there hasn't yet been any research that supports this, chicken soup remains a popular folk remedy for helping cure colds.

Steam Inhalation

This is effective for colds caused by members of the rhinovirus family due to their inability to survive at elevated temperatures. It can be achieved by sitting in a hot sauna or breathing the steam produced by hot water. Be careful not to burn yourself, and if you choose to sit in a sauna, make sure you stay hydrated.

Herbal Cures, Vitamins, and Mineral Supplementation

Among the many supplements that have been touted to help cure colds, the most popular are:

Colloidal Silver Supplements
Zinc Supplements
Vitamin C Supplements
Garlic Supplements
Echinacea Capsules
Chamomile Tea
Lemon (Fresh or Juice)
Caffeine (Tea or Coffee)

How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore

2012-05-12T23:23:00.000+05:30

Unlike brothers-in-law, cold sores are not irritants brought on by marriage but are tiny, painful infections that assault skin and nerves, look like chicken pox, and are caused by the herpes simplex virus. They can appear on various parts of your body but usually show up on the lips and, less often, on the nose. They start invisibly with a tingling sensation, followed days later by the red, fluid-filled pustules that they call cold sores or fever blisters or, basically, those disgusting looking things." And there they sit, painful to the touch, for a week to ten days. Unlike canker sores, with which they are often confused, they seldom appear inside the mouth (Tips on how to relieve pain from canker sores). In the coursework of that 7-to-10-day period, the blisters break, ooze, and form a yellow crust. They thus get even uglier. The scabs then fall off, and the skin heals without scarring. In the coursework of that period, the sores are communicable through direct contact with others (or with yourself) or through an intermediary like a towel or razor. So, in the event you can actually find someone who will kiss you on the lips in the coursework of that period, refuse them that doubtful privilege. After that is over, and your skin is back to normal, you might be fooled in to thinking the virus causing the infection has died and gone off to virus limbo. No, it doesn't. It becomes dormant in the skin's nerve cells and can be reawakened quickly by such things as stress, menses, a fever, or getting a sunburn. The first infection by the virus usually occurs in childhood; one time the virus enters the body, it remains there forever. The first outbreak is usually the most extreme as no antibodies have been produced to resist it. Meningitis is a feasible complication.

Riddle: How is a cold sore like a brother-in-law visiting from out-of-town for the week? Answer: You cannot dispose of either of them easily; you usually must wait until they go away.

What is a Cold Sore?

Cold Sore Treatments

Unless you like hanging around clinics, there is usually no require to visit a doctor to get chilled sores treated. Non-prescription ointments are obtainable to ease the pain, and an oral analgesic may also help. That said, however, there is a remote chance of complications. For example, if the infection spreads to the eyes, the result can be blindness. There is also increased risk of more serious infections for people with defective immune systems or eczema, and also for babies. So in case you are in a group at increased risk, or in case you are having extreme signs, or if there is an itching in your eye while you have chilled sores, or in case you have a crush on your medical care provider, it is best to see your doctor. Whatever you do, avoid touching your eye after touching a chilled sore. Wash your hands often to keep away from spreading the disease. Extreme infections can be brought under control â�� they may be treated with a prescription cream, Zovirax. But, irrespective of its severity, no chilled sore can actually be cured. If treated early, however, the period of viral activity can be shortened with drugs like Penciclovir, Aciclovire, Valicyclovir, and Ganciclovir. A derivative of castor oil, undecylenic acid, is also thought to be effective against viral skin infections.
Stopping Chilled Sores

Use a lip moisturizer if your lips tend to be dry or chapped; when outside, use a sunscreen lip balm with an SPF of at least 15
Limit your exposure to sun or UV lamps
Avoid stress (See how to get rid of stress)
In support of your immune process, follow a healthy diet and sleep system
Avoid skin contact with others who have chilled sores or with any cups/glasses/cans, utensils or towels they have used, and avoid sharing food with them
Wash your hands often.
There's those who promote various chilled sore treatments for terminating them early or even stopping them from beginning up (Learn how to treat a chilled sore). You will find dozens of them, involving such things as nail polish remover. Try them at your own risk, and feel free to add any of your own chilled sore home treatments to this page using the form below. Also learn how to get rid of chilled sores and how to get rid of chilled sores in day.

How To Get Rid Of Cystic Pimples

2012-05-12T23:17:00.000+05:30

Cystic pimples are much larger than regular pimples. While they may or may not be as red, all of them share the same characteristic of a huge & hard base. When running your finger over the skin, the area cannot be missed, & it is feasible to press hard on the area & feel the huge lump move back & forth. Lots of can relate to the kinds of pimples that can occur because of an ingrown hair. While similar in size & shape, ingrown hairs can normally be popped & consist of a huge buildup of pus. Cystic pimples cannot usually be popped. The sufferer can squeeze as hard as they need with absolutely no results other than causing extensive scarring. Furthermore, playing the waiting game does not help, either. No matter how much time passes, the cystic pimple never matures to the point where it is prepared to be handled. Most cystic pimples must pass with time, as well as a number of them can be evident for months.

Many have had mild acne as a teenagers & continuing in to adult life. While various tricks to overcoming the hurdles they posed are available, nothing can prepare individuals for an onslaught of cystic pimples.

Someone trying to discover how to get rid of cystic pimples ought to definitely take the time to analyze their current acne fighting method. Consistency is key, & if the wrong measures are being consistently taken, negative results will inevitably result, & continued use of exfoliating products on cystic acne prone skin can further complicate the problem

It is simple to become more frustrated with this issue than regular acne. Searching different ways of how to get rid of cystic pimples, however, can eliminate this nuisance . Lots of fail to recognize that abrasion can trigger cystic pimple outbreaks. While the benefits of exfoliation are huge, lots of overuse these products. If an exfoliate is being used as part of a skin cleaning method, the label ought to be closely examined. If the product is made for full body exfoliation, there is a nice chance it could be triggering the outbreaks. By ceasing the use of the exfoliate & purchasing a rejuvenating cream or serum, speedy & effective results can be yielded. For dry skin, exfoliate can still be used, but it ought to be a product that is less abrasive & designed specifically for the face.

How To Get Rid Of Textured Hair

2012-05-12T23:16:00.000+05:30

Textured hair- In case you love yours or hate it, chances are you are stuck with it! The nice news is there's lots of products & styling tricks that you can use to make your textured hair look beautiful. It may take a short time to learn what works for you. Here are some ideas:

1- Dealing with textured hair starts at the beginning- washing. You should not be using any elderly ordinary shampoo on your textured hair. Using a non-suds, sulfate-free cleanser such as Aveda Amazing Shampoo will make your hair neat & hydrated & it won't strip hair of its natural oils. This helps hair to retain its softness & make it more manageable. Conventional shampoos can prevent textures from looking great. Also, make sure you only wash your textured hair three to four times a week. Washing it everyday can lead it to become dry & brittle.

3- Try to make use of a leave in conditioner if your hair is dry & brittle.Using Macadamia Nut Oil Every day Moisturizer & Leave in Conditioner is a great way to keep your strands soft & manageable.
4- Try an up do. You can do a twist out, rod set, braid out, or twist & curl. The possibilities are countless. Try getting a book on textured hair, such as: Hair Rules! The Final Hair-Care Guide for Ladies with Kinky, Curly, or Wavy Hair. This ought to give you some nice ideas on how to take care of your multi-textured mane. Wrapping hair in a scarf is & a fun, cold way to wear it, & the best part is it will only take a minute to do!
5- Straightening is also an option. Receive a nice flat iron for highly textured hair, like Chi Deep Brilliance Digital Titanium Hair Styling Flat Iron. Separate hair in to different sections, concentrating on section at a time. Straightening hair an be a pleasant change, but note that it may be time consuming.
6- There's lots of different styling gels, serums & pomades to choose from & they can definitely be helpful in taming unruly hair. Try Circle of Friends Luc's Lemon Lime Shine Slicker or Little Miss Fuzzy Head- Happy Hair Fusion. With creams like these, always keep in mind, a little goes a long way!
7- Having a nice brush is a must when you have curly or kinky hair. Try this Mason Pearson Brush or this Mason Pearson Comb.
Above all, you ought to learn to celebrate your textured hair. Keep in mind, it is part of your heritage & it makes you you. So, talk to friends, go online, or read books to figure out the best way to accentuate yours & try to enjoy the method.

2- Don't use a standard dryer to dry your hair. The best thing to make use of would be a hood dryer, but the reality is that most normal ladies don't have this in their home. The next best choice would be a diffuser. Try this Helen of Troy Textured Handle. It ought to make your hair much more soft & manageable then a traditional blow-dryer. You may also need to let your hair air dry & use a little styling serum or cream to shape it.

How To Get Rid Of Spots

2012-05-12T23:13:00.000+05:30

As we age, we begin to notice changes in our skin that sometimes can become quite unsightly. Dark brown marks or spots start to appear out of nowhere on our bodies, causing us to feel self-conscious especially during the summer season when we shore more of ourselves at the beach or those backyard barbecues.

Spots can appear on the face, which is where our skin is most exposed to the elements than other areas of our bodies. The most prone areas on the face are the chin, nose, and mouth. They, also, can be found on the neck, chest, back and hands. Where a pimple has previously been, in time, can also turn into a dark spot or mark.

The stresses of daily life, fatty foods, cigarette smoke, pregnancy, hormonal changes, scarring, acne, cysts and the free radicals in the environment are some of the common reasons that the age spots, liver spots or sun spots, as they might be called, begin to appear.

Collagen and elastin in our skin tends to be broken down by the sun's UV rays. As we get older, the more melanin appears in our bodies. This is evident as those pesky spots and marks start to appear. Getting rid of those spots can take time but they can be diminished by different means.

There are many different ways that you can diminish or rid your skin of those spots. On the market, there are serums and creams that can be used. Regular skin care, such as exfoliation, moisturization, and cleansing are a very important preventative measure that can be taken. Fruit and vegetable mixtures are also used in getting rid of the spots. You can also go to the more extreme expensive measures such as chemical peels, laser or microembrasion treatments.

The serums and creams that you can find on the market, can take normally 3-6 weeks for the pigmentation of your skin to normalize. Do you have freckles? These products help them to fade as well. Make sure that one of the ingredients in these lightening creams contain something called hydroquinone. This type of whitening mask should be applied once a week.

Your skin-care routine should be an important part of your daily life. Exfoliating, moisturizing, and cleansing should be done regularly. In doing so, you can be assured of clear, healthy skin. Cleansing is important to help keep acne at bay. Exfoliating is a process that removes dead skin cells. And moisturizing, as you probably know, keeps your skin supple.

Natural remedies are best and most gentle for your skin. You should look for products to use that contain hydroxyl acid, beta hydroxyl acid, salycilic acid, kojic acid, hydroquinone, Retin A, Vitamins C, E, and B-complex. These things are also natural antioxidants.

Hydroquinone and kojic acid are bleaching agents. They aid in getting rid of spots and can also prevent further from forming because they are antioxidants. Melanin production, in the skin, is slowed when these are used. Salycilic and gylcolic acid help eliminate pigmentation as well as exfoliating your skin in the process. New skin can regenerate much faster.

Natural remedy masks that are worn overnight are great for getting rid of spots. A good remedy to try is parsley and lemon juice. This combination can help with post-acne scars. Mixing brier infusion, camphor oil, chopped parsley, grated cucumber, onion and fuller's earth can help when applied to the face 20 minutes a day for 15-20 days. And another mask you might want to give a try to is grated onion and acacia honey for 15 minutes; if skin is oily adding vinegar will help.

You can opt for more expensive remedies such as chemical peels, laser or microembrasion treatments. With laser treatments, this is a fast way to get rid of spots. It is done through a very intense light beam. In cases of 70% of patients see complete removal of spots. It is not painful and recovery time is quicker than other procedures.

A chemical peel is quite safe and effective if you can afford it. If you have pigmentation problems an acid is used to remove the surface layer of damaged skin with light peeling. Alpha hydroxyl and fruit acids are used. The spots lighten to a very light brown color.

Microembrasion is another technique that can be used to get rid of spots. It is done through a highly controlled vacuum and pressure. This treatment is the movement of microscopically abrasive aluminum oxide crystals over the surface of the skin. This is a painless procedure that will remove the unwanted pigment changes and reduces the color of the spot. It is expensive, however.

Our eating habits also have effect on our skin. If we are eating a lot of fatty, greasy foods, this will cause your skin to excrete more oil, causing more acne, which could lead to scars. Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables will help get rid of those unsightly dark spots, and could get rid of them. Lemons, oranges, tomatoes and cucumbers are good sources to help purify your blood. This will give your skin radiance.

Other than lemon juice, you might be surprised at the other benefits of healthy foods in order to getting rid of those spots. Buttermilk and sour milk, when applied with a cotton ball directly to the spots themselves works quite well. These products have a natural bleaching agent that is good not only for your skin, but your hair, too.

When warm weather approaches, you want your skin to look the best it can. You don't want to be seen with dark, ugly spots all over your body. Many natural remedies help greatly. The time period might be slow, but they are also beneficial to your skin. If you are in a time-crunch, a little more expensive treatment might be right for you. Whatever way you choose to get rid of the spots, you can know that you will love your skin once again.

How To Get Rid Of Brown Spots On The Face

2012-05-12T23:12:00.000+05:30

Brown spots appear on the face for a variety of reasons. Acne is a known leading culprit of these brown spots, as pimples often leave a brown spot on the skin after healing. For ladies, the hormones of pregnancy may cause you to create brown spots on the skin as well. Fortunately, there's a selection of ways to treat these skin imperfections and remove them for lovely. When treating these brown spots, it is vital to think about that in addition to treatment options some lifestyle changes may be necessary as well.

one. Visit your local beaty store to buy a skin lightning cream. Skin lightning creams are thought about mild bleaching agents or antioxidants that assist in reducing the production of melanin within the skin. With continued use, the brown spots on your face will start to fade overtime. When using these types of products perform a skin check prior to applying it to the face. Place a small amount of product to your inner wrist and permit it to set for 24 hours. Provided there is no skin irritation, you can proceed with application.

two. Apply a whitening mask to the face at least one time a week. These types of mask pinpoint brown spots on your face and target them for removal. as with the lightning creams, with continued use, the brown spots will gradually fade over time. Think about performing a skin check with these products as well.

three. Exfoliate the skin everyday. Using a gentle exfoliate on a regular basis is an excellent way to remove the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. In addition to removing the dead cells, the system helps to eliminate dirt and oil on the face that cause blackheads, pimples, and whiteheads. With fewer acne outbreaks you can greatly diminish the appearance of brown spots on the skin.

five. For a extreme case of brown spots on the face, a consultation with a dermatologist may be necessary. Most often the dermatologist will recommend a chemical peel to remove the spots from the face. In addition to removing the brown spots from the face, this procedure also gives the face an appearance of a more even skin tone.

four. Use a microdermabrasion tool. The system of microdermabrasion utilizes a high pressured vacuum and microscopic process of crystals to exfoliate the face. like exfoliating, the system of microdermabrasion removes the dirt and oil from the skin, but on a much deeper level. Microdermabrasion is most often performed in a doctor's office, however, there's also at home kits that can be bought as well.

How To Get Rid Of Dark Spots On The Face

2012-05-12T23:10:00.000+05:30

Dark spots on the face can create over time due to exposure to UV rays (sun spots) or a result of hormonal conditions & skin disorders, such as acne. When acne heals after treatment, it may cause an increase in the pigmentation of the skin leading to acne scars. Also, age spots are formed over time & is usually the direct result of unprotected skin being exposed to environmental factors. Discovering how to get rid of dark spots on the face could be a important objective for lots of people when faced with the embarrassment of dark spots, which also affects an individual's sense of self confidence & self-esteem. Think about these skin care tips as useful advice to get rid of embarrassing dark spots on the face.

Sun Screen

Applying sun screen to your skin every day is a way to prevent the likelihood of sun spots or age spots. Children as young as two years elderly will benefit from the every day use of sun screen, in the work of the hotter months in a calendar year. Sun screen not only helps prevent age spots, it also acts as a guard against various forms of skin cancer caused by the skin being exposed to UV rays over a timeframe. Whether you are trying to prevent the occurrence of sun spots or age spots or trying to diminish the appearance of dark spots, wearing sun screen lotion is an excellent way to proactively protect the skin.

Exfoliation

Exfoliating the skin helps to get rid of dark spots caused by acne, hormonal fluctuations & environmental factors. It is important to exfoliate the skin to remove the outer layer of skin cells, which ultimately can brighten your complexion. You can use an exfoliating mask, toner or cleanser, or use a mix of the as a part of your every day or every week skin care method. By exfoliating your face regularly, you will positive start to see the dark spots lighten from repeated use.

Skin Care Treatment

As an alternative system to regularly using sun screen & products formulated to exfoliate the skin, you may opt to undergo laser treatments or microdermabrasion treatments from a skin care specialist. Microdermabrasion treatments remove dead skin cells from the skin, & there's also lots of at-home microdermabrasion kits that have been known to be as effective as being treated by a skin care specialist. Laser treatments are energy-based treatments that help to reduce the appearance of fine lines on the face, wrinkles, sun spots & acne scars. Laser treatments help to rejuvenate the skin cells & improve the texture of the skin

How To Get Rid Of A Cold Sore Naturally

2012-05-12T23:06:00.000+05:30

one. Apply a little packet of ice to the area as soon as you feel it start to tingle. A slight tingly sensation is usually felt in the area before the sore develops. Make definite that you keep the area from getting warm or damp, cold sores prosper in these types of environments.

Cold sores are an annoying & ugly condition that affects a giant number of people. In addition to their unattractive appearance, they may even be the source of a significant amount of pain. Whenever you are affected with a cold sore the first thing on your mind is how to get rid of it & how to do so quickly. Here are a few great tips to help you get rid of your cold sore naturally.

two. Avoid eating foods with a powerful acidic base such as oranges, soda, & tomatoes.

three. Try to keep your stress level as low as feasible. Stress is a known trigger point for the development & outbreak of cold sores. If it helps, think about getting a massage, practicing a breathing exercise, or taking a calming bath. Any of these mentioned calming methods can help to get rid of your cold sore naturally.

four. Use a antibiotic cream that is based with petroleum. Using a q-tip, spread an ample amount of the cream on the affected area. It is important not to make use of your hands when finishing this step to make definite that you don't spread the condition to other parts of your body. Thoroughly wash your hands after application.

five. Avoid the tanning salon. In the event you are a frequent tanner or work in the sun for extended periods of time, it could cause your cold sore to prosper, than diminish. In the event you cannot do without your summer glow, think about applying a spray tan in lieu.

7. Visit your local health food store & buy a immune building supplement or drink. These immune process boosters are an excellent way to build up the body to both expose & attach the virus. You may also need to think about purchasing a natural type of tea tree oil. When applying the oil to the cold sore, use the q-tip process to prevent contamination. As always, wash your hands immediately after application.

6. Consume between one,000 & three,000 milligrams of Lysine in a capsule form. In addition to the capsules, try to consume lots of dairy products that contain Lysine. Lysine is a protein that helps the body replenish the building blocks associated with the herpes virus. The replenishment method will prevent the cells in the body from cloning the virus therefore producing the cold sore.