Beauty

What is a lymphatic drainage facial massage?
Lymphatic drainage massage is a procedure aimed at improving the flow of lymph. This clear yellowish fluid is formed from the blood and returns to the blood after passing through filters – lymph nodes. In general, the composition of these media is similar, but lymph has much more immune cells in the blood. It helps the body fight infections and eliminate harmful substances.

Lymph nodes and blood vessels are an important part of the immune system.

How lymphatic drainage facial massage works
This method originally came about to help cancer patients. During tumour removal, it is often necessary to remove the surrounding lymph nodes as well. As a result, the architecture of the entire system is disrupted, so fluid starts to accumulate in some part of the body.

For example, in breast cancer surgery, the axillary lymph nodes are dissected out if necessary, and the swelling occurs in the arm. It swells, becomes heavy, cold and painful. This is an agonising condition, so doctors look for ways to help such people.

There are other diseases that are accompanied by problems with lymph flow, such as vein diseases.

The effect of the procedure is explained by the fact that we affect the lymphatic vessels, improving lymph flow and blood circulation.

This method has a proven effectiveness, thanks to which it has been taken into their practice by cosmetologists. It should be said that a healthy person does not have as such violations of lymph flow on the face. Nevertheless, massage is able to reduce swelling and improve the complexion.

In addition, it has been found to help fight swelling, for example, after tooth extraction.

How to realise that you need a lymphatic drainage facial massage
The effect of lymphatic drainage massage is most noticeable in people with facial puffiness.

For example, if in the morning you see increased bags under the eyes, which pass during the day, you can try to do this massage.

Who can not do lymphatic drainage facial massage
Contraindications to lymphatic drainage massage are similar to those for any other type of massage:

exacerbation of skin infections such as herpes, staphylococcal and streptococcal diseases (boils, sycosis and other pustules on the face);
damage to the skin where the massage is performed – abrasions, burns, wounds;
acute conditions such as fever, stroke, hypertensive crisis;
recent head injury or other serious trauma;
nausea and vomiting.
Before prescribing a course, a specialist will learn everything about your condition to determine if massage is indicated.

Also, lymphatic drainage massage can be contraindicated for pregnant women (but this is more about body manipulation) and people with oncological diseases, since lymphatic vessels – one of the pathways of metastasis of tumours. Before the procedure, you should consult with your doctor.

Is it possible to do lymphatic drainage massage at home?
Yes, in principle, this is a procedure that you can master on your own. It will not be as effective as an appointment with a professional masseur, but a small swelling will help to remove.

Facial massage should be done strictly along the massage lines, observing the technique and force of pressure. Therefore, of course, the masseur will carry out the procedure better. But this does not mean that it can not be done at home.

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Hands labour all day long. They bang on laptop keys, open tin cans, and wipe dust. And they often come into contact with water, washing powder, dishwashing gel and other household chemicals. All this harms the skin: it deprives it of its natural protective oils. As a result, the skin becomes weathered, dry, irritated and itchy. Ten-step care hands do not need, but a little attention and care – very even.

How to care for your hands
The American and British associations of dermatologists have some simple tips.

Moisturise your hands and protect them from temperature fluctuations
Like your face, your hands need to be moisturised regularly. Ideally, after every wash. And washing your hands is recommended before and after cooking, before eating, after toileting, sneezing and interacting with pets. In general, you can slather on the cream any time your skin seems dry. Just pop it in your bag and take it with you to study or work.

Moisturising your skin is especially important if you use antibacterial hand gels and sprays. These contain alcohol, which is additionally drying. Another factor is the time of year. In winter, heating is turned on indoors. Because of this, the air becomes drier and the skin of the hands suffers more. Therefore, a good moisturising cream is a masthead in autumn and winter.

How to choose a hand cream
Dermatologists advise to look for in the composition:

Lipids. They create a protective layer on the skin, soften and smooth it.Lipids include triacylglycerides, waxes and ceramides.
Humectants. Attract moisture to the skin (including from the deeper layers of the skin to the upper layers). Humectants include glycerin, urea, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and honey.
Occlusives. They create a film on the skin and prevent moisture from evaporating, such as petroleum jelly and silicones.
American dermatologist Andrea Suarez listed in her video, what in the hand cream is better to avoid:

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What are the symptoms of flaking skin
The most obvious one is that scales have appeared on the skin and it is peeling. In addition to this, sometimes there are:

itching,
redness,
dryness,
rash.
Why skin flakes on the face
In fact, the skin flakes all the time – this is how it renews itself. In medicine, this process is called desquamation. In the deep layers of the skin are formed new cells, which gradually (about a month) move up. And the body gets rid of dead skin cells – they fall off microscopic scales. By the way, the dust at home consists of them.

Normally, peeling can be seen only under a microscope. But if it becomes visible in the mirror, it is worth looking for the reasons for such a change.

Dry skin type
People with a dry skin type do not retain moisture well and produce too little sebum (sebum). Because of this, it is often flaky, itchy and irritated. Sometimes it even cracks to the point of bleeding. It can be rough and rough to the touch.

Sometimes dry skin is temporary. For example, many people have dry skin in the winter. The air becomes drier, the situation is aggravated by low temperatures and strong winds outside, and radiators and heaters at home.

Sunburn
The sun always traumatises the skin. Even the tan that many people enjoy so much is the skin’s defence reaction to the damage. If you’ve spent too much time in the sun, your skin will start to peel: this is the body’s way of getting rid of damaged cells. A light burn usually appears after a few days as the skin begins to heal. New healthy tissue hides under the exfoliated layer. In severe burns, in addition to peeling, swelling and blisters occur.

Skin diseases
Atopic dermatitis
This is a chronic, non-contagious skin disease. It appears at any age, often in childhood. In people with it, the skin becomes inflamed, red and itchy. There are dry patches that flake off. Also – blisters and ulcers covered with crusts. Atopic dermatitis cannot be completely cured. But it can be controlled with the help of a dermatologist and competent care.

Rosacea
Another chronic disease. People with it have reddened skin on the face, and visible blood vessels appear near the nose, forehead cheeks and chin. Sometimes there are papules and pustules – pimples with or without pus. Dry skin and flaking are also among the symptoms of rosacea. Where this disease comes from, it is not yet known exactly. Among the causes are genetics, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and the tiny skin mite Demodex. Symptoms can be relieved by avoiding rosacea triggers. Vasoconstrictor gels and treatments (like laser) can also help. But these should be prescribed by a dermatologist.

Psoriasis
In this disease, plaques appear on the skin, which flake and itch. All because the skin cells are renewed too quickly. Normally, the process takes 3-4 weeks, but with psoriasis – a week or even less. On the face, plaques first appear at the hairline, and then reach the chin. If they are brushed, they may break open. The result is an open wound – a risk of infection.

Psoriasis is thought to be triggered by stress, infections, injuries and some medicines. It cannot be completely cured. But many people are helped by gentle skin care and corticosteroid creams.

Genetic diseases
There is a very rare disease, which is so called – flaky skin syndrome. It is hereditary – it is caused by gene mutations. People with this syndrome have flaky skin all the time and (usually) without pain. Symptoms may appear at birth. Some have flaky skin all over the body, but there are also cases where the syndrome affects only the face.

Diseases of the thyroid gland
The condition of the skin is affected by hypothyroidism. This is a disease in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. Thyroid hormone is important for the normal functioning of the skin. When there is not enough of it, the skin becomes dry, rough and scaly. In hypothyroidism, the skin is particularly affected where the joints are located.

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Are all moles really dangerous?
Moles, or, scientifically speaking, nevi, are skin formations made up of melanocyte cells. These cells produce pigment in the skin and protect it from the harmful effects of UV rays. And their clusters are exactly what spots look like.

The main fear associated with moles is the possibility of them developing into melanoma. This is a malignant neoplasm that can metastasise to other organs. This is really possible. But it cannot be said that melanoma will necessarily develop from a mole.

Malignant tumour appears from melanocytes, but these cells are in all our skin. Therefore, melanoma can appear not only from a mole, but also in any other place.

Catherine tells us that melanoma arises from a mole in less than 30% of cases. Moreover, if the tumour appears from a nevus, then most often – from a flat. People, however, are more afraid of overgrowth of convex moles and even tape them up when going out in the sun.

In addition, not all brown coloured skin neoplasms are nevi at all. Some of them may look similar but be completely harmless.

Keratomas – thickenings of the stratum corneum of the skin – are often called moles. There are no melanocytes in them and they can not degenerate into melanoma. The appearance of these neoplasms is very diverse: from barely visible light brown spots to almost black plaques several centimetres in size.

Thus, formations on the skin can be both potentially dangerous and completely harmless. And without special knowledge and analyses to determine their type is impossible.

At the same time, there are indirect signs that will help you decide whether you should make an appointment with a dermatologist or you can leave the mole alone.

When to consider mole removal
There is a popular mole grading rule called ABCDE, in which each letter represents one of the possible signs of melanoma:

Asymmetry – One half of the mole is not similar in shape to the other.
Border – The edges of a mole are fuzzy, blurred, or jagged.
Color – More than one shade of colour in a mole, such as patches of pink, black and brown.
Diameter – More than 5 mm in diameter or, to make it easier to visualise, larger than the eraser on the tip of a pencil.
Evolving – growth, change in shape and colour, bleeding, crusting, itching.
However, dermatologists caution against using this method on its own, as the ABCDE rule can give false positive results.

Seborrheic keratomas meet all the above signs: they are almost always asymmetrical, with irregular edges, unevenly coloured, have a diameter of more than 5 mm and grow rapidly. By applying the ABCDE rule for self-diagnosis, a person can recognise an innocuous mass as cancer and experience severe stress.

Most normal nevi are similar to each other, but a melanoma stands out in comparison. It may be noticeably larger or smaller, lighter or darker than surrounding moles. It can also be an isolated focus of pigmentation with no surrounding moles for comparison.

Be sure to watch for changes. If an existing mole suddenly grows, changes colour or shape, you should make an appointment with your doctor. You should also visit a dermatologist if you have traumatised a mole on your skin.

Is it necessary to remove a mole if it is damaged?
You will often hear that any traumatisation of a mole can cause it to develop into a malignant neoplasm. This is a common myth that makes people worry in vain.

There is no connection between trauma to a mole and the occurrence of melanoma. This myth arose because in the past this tumour was detected much later – at those stages when it is easily damaged and bleeds. To the average person, this event looks like a “mole injury”. And when a patient reaches a doctor who diagnoses melanoma, the logic for him is simple: injured mole – tumour appeared.

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Many people dream of long, strong and healthy nails. But it is not always possible to grow such nails. After all, age, lifestyle and even gender influence the rate of nail growth. In some cases, you may need to change some habits and spend more time on care.

How nails grow
The growth of the nail is the responsibility of its matrix. This is the skin sac at the base of the nail. Its visible part is a white semicircle called the lunula. The matrix constantly produces the protein keratin, which is what nails are made of. When keratin cells clump together and move forward, the nail grows.

On average, nails grow back about three to four millimetres per month. That is, it takes 3-6 months for a new nail to grow from scratch. There is no way to speed up this process. At least, scientifically proven method has not yet been invented. But nails can be strengthened. Then they will break less and they will be able to grow back.

When nails grow slower
Nails grow slower in women and older people. Scientists also believe that heat and active lifestyle accelerate growth, while cold and sedentary – slow down. And, by the way, toenails grow slower on the feet than on the hands.

Sometimes nails grow very, very slowly and even stop growing altogether. This happens because of illness or injury. All because the body saves energy during stress. It tries not to spend it on less important tasks, such as nail growth. Nails also grow slower during chemotherapy. Cancer drugs attack all cells that divide rapidly. This includes tumour cells and healthy hair and nail cells.

Protect your nails from water and injury
Water can make your nails brittle, weak and too soft. That’s why it’s recommended to dry them well after showering or swimming. If you often take a bath, do not immerse your hands in water for a long time, keep them outside.

American dermatologist Samantha Ellis advises not to wash your hands 10 times a day and to wear vinyl gloves when cleaning and washing dishes. According to her, nails leak water 1,000 times more than skin and therefore need extra protection.

Water isn’t the only thing that can ruin nails. They’re vulnerable because they’re constantly being used for something, whether it’s opening soda cans or peeling off labels. If you want to grow strong nails, you should start treating them more carefully. At the very least, don’t use a can opener instead of a can opener.

Moisturise your hands
Frequent hand washing dries both skin and nails. This causes them to become brittle. When the skin around the matrix is too dry, nails grow worse. That’s why American dermatologist Andrea Suarez recommends dabbing your hands with moisturiser all day long. Ideally, you should find a product with sunscreen filters. This will both moisturise and protect your nails and skin from harmful UV rays.

Gently clean dirt from under your nails
In order to clean the space under your nails, you should not use hard manicure tools. Slipping them under the nail lifts it every time. This can provoke onycholysis – detachment of the nail plate from the nail bed. It is better to clean your nails with a small brush (you can even adapt a separate toothbrush for this purpose).

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