Dark Lips : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Lips are one of the most sensitive parts of our body. They easily become a major target of dryness and sunburn that leaves ugly patches on its surface. Dark lips can be very unattractive and very difficult to deal with. Lips that are pink and full are considered as beautiful lips. No one would like to have dark and dry lips.

Having excessive tea and coffee can lead to dark lips. Similarly, if you are a smoker, then you are definitely spoiling your health and beauty. Not only does smoking have various ill effects to health, but it is also a prime cause behind dark lips and it also deforms the face of the smoker, making it prematurely look old and aged.

Suck and lick your lips can also cause the darkening of lips. Chapping and drying of lips can make the lips dark in color. Use of cheap lip sticks and other such cosmetics can cause darkening of the lips.

You may, however, try the following home remedies to reduce the darkening of lips and prevent further damage. These remedies shall surely help getting back the soft, rosy supple lips and dodge darkness on lips forever.

. Use natural beach like lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Use a clean cotton ball to dip it in the lime juice or apple cider vinegar and then apply it on the lips.

. Make a mixture of glycerin and honey and apply it on the lips. It can help restore the natural softness and would also help in improving the color of the lips.

. Banana is said to be effective in restoring the natural color of the lips. Make a paste of banana and apply it on the lips.

. Gently exfoliate the lips with a soft brush or else use a lip scrub to do so. This will help remove the dead cells on the outermost layer and reveal the natural color of the lips, making them look vibrant and natural.

. Crush 4-5 petals of red rose firmly. To this add one teaspoon glycerin. Mix both well. Apply it on the lips and let it stay for 15 minutes. Later wash lips with water.

. Soak small quantity of tamarind in very little water overnight. Next morning extract the pulp. Apply same on the lips with a cotton ball. Once it is dried clean with water. It shall take 10-15 minutes to dry. Tamarind is helpful in minimizing the lip darkness.

. Prepare the pomegranate juice without water and sugar. Dab it on the lips with cotton ball. Leave it for 20 minutes. In between re-apply the juice thrice. Once it is fully dried wash with water.

. Applying a thin coat of clarified butter on the lips at bedtime and leaving it on overnight is also helpful in restoring to the lips their original color.

. Another effective remedy for lightening dark lips is to massage almond oil into the lips every day. You could also substitute the oil with a paste of almonds soaked in a little milk cream overnight and ground well the next morning.

. Massaging your lips with some yoghurt every morning and evening is also known to be of help.

. After brushing you lips,rub an ice cube over them and follow up with some aloe vera gel.

. Supplement your diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to hydrate your body and cut down on caffeine intake.

. Ensure that you use a lip balm or moisturizer that will protect you from the sun. Any lip balm or moisturizer that contains SPF 15 is ideal to help protect your lips from tanning.

. Avoid using cheaply manufactured lipsticks and other cosmetics as they harm your skin and sometimes cause irreversible damage.


~source:ayushveda.com~

Home Remedies For Underarm Odor : How To Get Rid of Underarm Odor


Underarm odor occurs as sweat produced by the apocrine glands mixes with bacteria on the skin. As the bacteria ingest the sweat, their byproduct gives off the associated smell of body odor. Bad underarm odor is embarrassing and can seriously affect the way that you feel about yourself. Deodorants and antiperspirants can be used, but sensitive skin and a general intolerance for these products may have you looking for a more natural solution.

Though there is no miracle cure to stop it immediately and permanently in its tracks, there are several things you can do with a conscious effort added into your daily routine. There are numerous home remedies an individual can do to lessen and get rid of underarm odor.

. Rubbing of baking soda before taking a bath can help. Baking soda can serve as an antiseptic, and it reduces the growth of bacteria.

. Slice a lemon and rub this to your armpit before taking a bath. This can help as well. The citrus content of the lemon provides an antioxidant and skin whitening effect.

. Eat a diet rich in green, leafy vegetables, and add parsley and alfalfa to your meals. These foods may help neutralize negative odors.

. Strawberries also have an antioxidant effect when rubbed on the armpit. It provides an antiseptic effect and at the same time it prevents the growth of bacteria.

. Take liquid Chlorophyll from the health food store or pharmacy. A teaspoon or less in a glass of water.

. Use a crystal rock made from the mineral salt potassium alum instead of a deodorant. It might not keep you dry as prescription antiperspirants will but it effectively clogs your sweat gland.

. Parsley alfalfa and other leafy greens should be included in the diet because they can actually help in neutralizing body odor owing to the deodorizing effect of the chlorophyll present in these leaves

. Dilute 8-10 drops of rosemary oil in an ounce of water you can use the resulting mixture as a wonderful natural deodorant.

. Mix 1½ teaspoons of dried sage or two tea bags in one cup of water steep for 10 minutes and drink in small doses throughout the day.

. Essential oils such as rose and mint can be added to bath water. They relax and revive the body and mind, and also help control unpleasant underarm odor.

. Mix a solution of 1 tsp. of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide with an 8-ounce glass of water. Combine and use the solution to wash the underarms several times daily

. Put some rose water in the bathing water or in the bath tub. This will work as a natural deodorant.

. Make a thick coarse mixture out of sugar, rice flour, honey and a little tomato juice. Use this paste to scrub your underarms as it will help to get rid of any sebum and dead skin remnants.

. Take 500 mg of wheat grass daily on an empty stomach with a glass of water. The chlorophyll in it will reduce the body odor.

. Tea tree is an antibacterial herb. Make a deodorant by mixing two drops of the essential oil and one ounce of water.

. In 30 mm of water put 10 drops of the essential oil and apply this on the underarms to reduce underarm odor. This is another effective natural remedy for body odor.

. Turnip juice reduces underarm odor for up to 10 hours. Grate a turnip; squeeze the grated pieces and rub the juice on the armpits.

. Blend tomato juice with fresh sage leaves and apply on the area for 10 minutes before bathing. This is also a very good underarm odor treatment.

. Rub a sliced potato under your armpit after it has been thoroughly washed and dried. Let the juice of the potato dry on the skin and after it is thoroughly dry apply your preferred deodorant.

. Scrubbing your body with chamomile oil while in the shower is another way to help control your excessive sweating.

. Wipe your underarms once a day with undiluted apple cider vinegar.

. After you take a bath, shake the bottle of milk of magnesia and wet a cotton ball, or use your fingers, and just put it on your under arms. It is better than a deodorant, and it works immediately.

. Get one big piece of ginger and mash it up. Put it in a handkerchief or anything so you can squeeze it to get the water from it. After shower, apply it under your armpit with cotton. You will get rid of body odor in two weeks.

. Add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle each time you wash your laundry to help eliminate any lingering odor that may be clinging to your clothing.

. Wipe your underarms with witch hazel or white vinegar after bathing, but before applying deodorant or antiperspirant.





~source:hyperhidrosisweb.com~

Oral Herpes : Causes,Treatments and Home Remedies

Herpes is a very common infection caused by two different but closely related viruses — herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both forms of herpes are easy to catch and have similar symptoms and signs. And both can occur on different parts of the body. When the infection is on or around the the mouth, it is called oral herpes.

"Cold sores" or "fever blisters" are oral herpes symptoms that usually show up on or near the lips. In cases of oral herpes where symptoms do develop they are painful and unsightly. Cold sore blisters tend to occur in the areas surrounding the mouth, such as on the lips, chin, cheeks, or even in the nostrils. Cold sores or fever blisters that develop in the mouth are most likely to occur on the gums or roof of the mouth.

It begins with symptoms that include a tingling sensation, dryness, burning, and/or itching at the site of the impending cold sore. Within one to two days, a group of tiny blisters form, then enlarge to create one large, open sort. Two or three days later, a scab forms on the sore and the wound begins to heal. Once healing is complete, the scab falls off, usually seven to ten days after the first symptoms were revealed.

Herpes is contracted primarily through direct skin contact with an infected individual. This contact is not necessarily with genital areas. In some cases the virus responsible for cold sores may also be passed on through indirect contact such as through sharing a lip balm or lip stick or from shared towels. Some triggers like pregnancy, lips or gum injury, dental treatment, cosmetic surgery, fatigue, stress, and hormonal changes may cause cold sore to reoccur.

There are many home remedies for oral herpes to use to shorten the time to 3 to 5 days when used correctly.

. Rub ice on the infected skin for few minutes, repeat this every hour. Application of ice on the cold sore helps to reduce the cold sore size and also prevents the viral movement.

. Apply a tea bag for few minutes on the blisters, repeat this every hour. One can also consider pressing a warm tea bag on the blisters for approximately 30 minutes.

. According to some, you could simply soak a cotton ball or swab in some cold milk and dab it or apply gently over the sore.

. L-Lysine fights that virus that causes cold sores. Take 500 mg twice a day.

. Take 100 mg of each major B vitamin twice a day. Vitamin B complex is very important for healing and immune system functions.

. Place a small amount of salt on the cold sore and hold it in place with your finger for a minute or two.

. Cut garlic in half and place one part on the cold sore. Take 2 garlic capsules a day.

. A cotton ball can be soaked for sometime in the plum juice and then used as a compress over the cold sores to relieve pain and inflammation.

. Small pieces of raw onion can be applied directly on the cold sores for treating and preventing cold sores from getting worse.

. Mix water with 2 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, one teaspoon of baking soda and five teaspoons of salt. This solution can be used to rinse the mouth for at least a minute, 4-5 times a day to effectively get rid of cold sores on the tongue.

. Try chewing on a licorice whip, but just you would need to be sure that it is actually made from real licorice. You could also simply buy some licorice powder and sprinkle it over the sores.

. Gently rub aloe vera gel or oil on the sores.

. Cut a small slice of lemon and place it either on your cold sore and leave it there as long as you can. Change it as often as possible with a fresh slice.

. Pour a few drops of apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and apply it on your cold sore or blister. You can also mix it with lemon juice to increase its potential.

. Take Lysine supplements ; 1,000 mg taken three times a day may help to shorten the duration of cold sores.

. Prepare black coffee and let it cool, strain the water so you will only have the mud left in the cup. Use the coffee that was left in the cup to apply on the herpes so it will be healed faster.

. Try using propolis, a natural product created by bees, as an alternative health option for treating herpes sores of the mouth and lips.

. Place 2 to 3 sage leaves, with a small root piece of ginger in a cup of water and steep them in boiling water. Drink these tea 2 to 3 cups per day.

. Apply Vaseline (petroleum jelly) to the herpes sore, it forms a barrier around it and will help to prevent it from spreading.

. Soak a cotton bud in some Benzyl Alcohol and apply it to the cold sore twice a day.

. Apply the probiotic yogurt with a cotton bud, and then tops it off with a dab of nail polish remover to keep it dry.

. Take some baking powder and pat a cotton ball with it over the infected area. This would be beneficial in treating herpes.


Do not use cosmetic products in an attempt to hide cold sores. Burying the cold sores under a layer of makeup will simply aggravate the problem as most cosmetics do contain some chemicals, which would be too harsh for your already highly sensitized skin.
Avoid picking or pinching at a cold sore as this poses a high threat of bacterial infection. Also make sure that you never touch the cold sore and then touch your eyes or genitals, as this will simply spread the infection. Always make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly or use a hand sanitizer after touching a cold sore.



~sources:raysahelian.com/home-remedies-for-you.com~