DR. ANNIE FLORA, Aesthetic Dermatologist, Laser & Hair Transplant Surgeon

Acne  or pimples as they are commonly called, is nothing but a block in the outlet of the oil secreting glands a.k.a sebaceous glands, going in for bulging of the glands, causing irritation to the surrounding skin, resulting in acne. Acne presents at different stages: When the oil gland is blocked, it first starts as a comedone, either a white head or black head stage. Some of them then progress to the papule stage. Later when it gets infected, the pustule forms.      Comedone stage: Papular Stage Pustular Stage:   Nodulocystic  Stage: Acne can occur due to    PCOS,    Cushing’s syndrome    Lithium, Cortecosteroid tablets, etc    Cosmetic usage    Steroid cream MISUSE on the  face ( for skin lightening)    Seborrheic Dermatitis    Pre-menstrual flare of acne When the acne heals, it can normally disappear or leave behind a brown spot, o...

PRP, or platelet rich plasma has been viewed with awe as the new magic wand in the field of aesthetic dermatology . Why has it gained so much importance, I will just review. Platelet rich plasma is nothing but our own body's defence mechanism in restoring balance at any sight of disturbance in the body. Platelets can be taken as tiny packs full of growth factors. They can be called as photons of restoration. Pre PRP Scalp Preparation:   Patient has to wash his/her scalp with antibacterial shampoo on the day of the procedure. Once in the clinic, a numbing cream is applied to the scalp to make the procedure comfortable for them. This stays for an hour. After this, the procedd of preparation of PRP starts. Procedure:  In PRP, a person's whole blood is drawn, mixed with anticoagulant and subject to centrifugation (spinning), to separate the blood components into RBCs below, PRP in the middle and Platelet poor plasma above. This central zone is then removed and rece...

           Lost hair and bald look is not meant to be with you all your life. All medicines aimed at promoting hair growth works on the thinning areas, but not in the complete bald patch. To restore hair in those balding areas, hair transplant is the only permanent solution.  Here I will brief you on how a transplant is helpful.        To take hairs, the source is the donor area, commonly, the back of the scalp, whatever be the technique of hair extraction. The traditional Strip method of hair transplant (FUT),  involves removing a slice of scalp with intact follicles, slicing each follicular unit seperately and reimplanting them on the front or the crown area, based on the patient's requirement. The advantage of this technique is that a large number of donor follicles can be harvested with ease. The major disadvantage is a full length scar at the back of the scalp, giving a tight feel, and stays prominently visible i...

Wishing all my fellow bloggers & friends a very happy Diwali.. May all of us enjoy peace & prosperity and may all our lives be enlightened as we light these lamps & dispell the darkness around us. Stay safe today... Keep environment clean today, so we can stay safe tomorrow.... Let us spend time today with our loved ones & friends. Our elders spent hours preparing all these yummy snacks to share it with friends & relatives. We have moved ahead to readymade sweets & savouries. Instead, we spend that time on TV & gadgets. So lets wave off our present trend & go back to the olden days & spend time making these healthy at home & spend time sharing it with others. Wishing for those golden olden days when we used to run around, eating all these snacks as they were made - hot & healthy.  Today,  lets get offline & have quality family time...  Wishing you all a happy & safe diwali.. Let's give pollution a solution.. ...

        Promoting new hair growth, which was once a difficult task, is now made easy with the latest advances in the field of dermatology.. Minoxidil was once the only solution available earlier. Gone are those days, as the revolution in dermatology brought forth treatments with promising results for hair growth.   Mesotherapy:     It is a treatment in which vital hair nutrients are introduced into the scalp to provide an environment that is conducive for new hair growth. This treatment is done weekly till hair loss gets corrected, say for around 6 sessions, then if needed, may be done every 2 weeks as new hair continues to grow. Comfort of the patient is given utmost care to reduce discomfort. Those who have severe hair fall can see hair fall reducing dramatically in the first month of treatment itself. Other conservative methods fail to give the results that mesotherapy can deliver. Stem Cell Therapy:      Stem Cell...

Our hair is our crown jewel. The texture, length, shine & type of hair is important for each individual.Some like straight hair while others like it curly. Some like it long & some like it shoot. None of us like to see our locks go down the drain, literally. So when hair is shed , our confidence a self esteem also takes a toll. In this, we'll just go through the basic reasons forhair loss. They are :  1)Low protein intake, dieting for weight loss 2) Anemia 3) Dandruff 4)Hormonal -Thyroid, PCOS, Androgen induced 5) Genetic 6) Associated skin diseases -Psoriasis, SLE, Lichen Planus, Alopecia Areata, etc 7)Following any illness 8) Stress-physical & mental 9) Psychogenic causes -Trichotillo mania, etc lo) Hair straightening, curling procedures, etc Let us leave the difficult ones in the hands of a dermatologist. Routine Hair Care: One needs to wash one's hair regularly, at least weekly thrice to remove accumulated dirt, sebum(oiliness), dandruff from th...

        Acne / Pimples is a physiological process of life. Its a phase that almost all of us go through. It has a wide spectrum of skin damage, ranging from mild to severe.        Acne consists of Microcomedones, Black heads, white heads, small papules, red pimples, big pus & sebum filled cysts, etc. Acne lesions can also occur on the neck, chest, back, etc...         As acne heals, each spot has a pigmentation or a scar as a reminder. For some, the marks fade away, but majority tend to have it for quite a long time. As for the scars, correcting them is another story.. Acne can also occur due to hormonal reasons, steroid applications on the face, medications induced, or occlusive fairness OTC creams, etc.. a proper history will help in bringing out the cause.       Coming to acne treatment proper.... When does one need acne treatment? As one or two pimples pop out on the skin, its time to start takin...