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A Crack on the Corner of Your Mouth is a Sure Symptom of Chelitis

  • September 1, 2010 at 12:30 am



Typically, Angular Chelitis is an infection of both sides of the corner of the mouth. The cracks or splits look a little like paper cuts but get inflamed and red, with a whitish hue. This is a fungal infection, left unchecked it can often lead to a fully blown infection of the mouth. Candida or oral thrush is contagious and the tongue develops a whitish hue.

Millions of Americans suffer from this condition every year. Typically an attack persists 3 or 3 times a year, with some sufferers tolerating the condition on an almost semi permanent basis. Angular Chelitis is not life threatening and it is not contagious. It is however an insidious condition, that is painful and very unattractive.

The legions being right on the face, they are difficult to conceal even with make up because of the crustiness of the corners of the mouth. Angular Chelitis has been traced back to a vitamin deficiency particularly iron which can be found plentiful in lean red meat. However, sufferers report they can have an attack around the beginning of winter or during a cold snap. This points to the fact that the bacteria lay dormant even when the symptoms of the cracked corners of the mouth are not present. The immune system becoming weakened because the person failed to keep warm…the bacteria get a chance to flair up.

This condition is difficult to cure or control for that matter. Most people, with Angular Chelitis would do anything to be rid of the affliction.

Why is Gum Disease so Prevalent?

  • February 11, 2010 at 2:14 pm



With our incredibly busy lifestyles it is virtually impossible to take into account everything that either needs to be done or should be done on a daily basis. Those things that require less immediate action in the present, such as retirement planning and gingivitis tend to receive less attention from us.

In addition, gum disease is something that most people don’t think about until it becomes obvious that they have it. Therefore, they don’t become aware that their oral care routine is not adequate until gum recession, loose teeth or other problems show up.
Unfortunately, once gum disease has gotten a foot hold it is harder to get rid of it. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure in the case of gum disease.

There can be other factors that contribute to the problem as well. If you grind your teeth, this excessive force can put tremendous mechanical pressure on the supporting structure of your gums and teeth and weaken that structure. This makes it easier for gum disease to progress.

If you have crooked teeth, the plaque that forms a nice home for bacteria finds places to exist that your daily care routine may not be able to reach. Straight teeth are important for more reasons than just having a pretty smile. Unfortunately, I myself have suffered from gum disease, and it is hard to arrest the progress in places where the teeth are not straight. It is relatively easier to get to the places of my mouth where the teeth are not crowded together.

Flossing is very important, but I’ve found that flossing is not enough to prevent plaque build up and calculus formation on my teeth and near my gums, for whatever reason. It remains a mystery to me. However, I believe that I am not alone in this. I’ve read stories of others who have taken excruciatingly good care of their teeth and could not stop the progression via regular flossing and brushing.

I’ve spend a great deal of time to find tools that would help me fight gum disease and prevent its progress. Some tools have more value than others.

Unfortunately, if the information provided by our professionals was adequate to prevent gum disease, then the statistics would not be so horrendous. Most quip that as much as 75% of people over thirty-five have some sort of gum disease. The Mayo Clinic website said that 80% of adult Americans are afflicted in some way.

With this prevalence of gum disease, not much needs to be said. You can ponder for yourself whether regular brushing and flossing are enough to prevent this problem.

Choosing a Skin Care Regimen That Actually Works

  • May 23, 2009 at 11:04 pm



When you’re a teenage girl, you always focus on how you look. You have to have the right outfit, the right hairstyle, the right complexion…basically, the right everything. Something that has seemed to elude the teenage girl for eons now is the fact that no one is perfect. However, teenage girls certainly get an A for effort!

Aside from hair and wardrobe, the thing that girls spend the most time on is skin care. If you were ever a teenage girl (which would be especially interesting if you’re a man reading this) no doubt you spent at least some of your time trying to get rid of your acne with the right skin care regimen.

Walk into any supermarket or drugstore, and you’ll find an entire aisle dedicated to skin care. There are lotions, face masques, and creams all over the place. The only problem is trying to figure out which one actually works, because some of them are just generic brands that don’t do much more than make your skin smell pretty.

If you happen to have horrendous acne, you want to look for something that has salicylic acid in it. Yes, it sounds scary, but that’s the stuff that does wonders for skin care. Those zits you have are caused by bacteria in your epidermal layers. The salicylic acid kills that bacteria, effectively drying out the zit. Of course, one thing that you should always do is wash your face in the morning and at night, because a dirty face equals a messy complexion.

Lip Balms

  • May 1, 2009 at 3:50 pm



During cold and dry weather, we often suffer from dry chapped lips, which is caused by the lack of moisture in lips that could also be the result of the loss of the ability of the skin and lips to absorb moisture. To remedy this problem, lip balm was developed to help people keep their lips moist. However, not all types of lip balm are effective in helping our lips remain moist, as there are some that have been proven to not work at all, which includes some of the most popular lip balm products in the market. One of these includes petroleum-based lip balm, or lip balm that has petroleum jelly as one of its main ingredients. This is because these kinds of lip balm have been proven to only provide a temporary way of moisturizing people’s lips given that they do not enhance the moisture absorption capacity of the lips.

There is an alternative to petroleum-based lip balm that has proven effective in keeping lips moist. It is lip balm made out of shea butter. This kind of lip balm is more effective than petroleum-based lip balm because shea butter helps enhance the moisture retention capacity of skin cells on the lips. This is because shea butter has been proven to contain certain ingredients that help cells regain their elasticity, which helps them retain moisture better. On the other hand, petroleum-based lip balm only makes the surface of lips moist, which makes it a poor solution because of the temporary relief it provides. In addition to this, the constant need to apply petroleum-based lip balm on the lips can also cause bacteria to be embedded under the surface of the lips because of how it gets inside the cracks on the lips caused by chapping.

To help keep lips moist during dry conditions, using lip balm can be one of the most viable options to take. However, you should be aware that even the most popular types of lip balm, which includes petroleum-based lip balm, have been proven to be ineffective in keeping lips hydrated. Knowing which types of lip balms really work can keep the lips looking nice and feeling healthy.

Elderly Skin Care – What You Need To Know

  • March 19, 2009 at 8:05 am



Elderly people and their caregivers should know about elderly skin care. It is important to realize some of the common traits, problems and solutions. Elderly people will have some specific issues that need to be recognized and treated effectively. This page will help you care best for elderly skin.

Elderly Skin Traits

The most common factor among elderly skin is the fact that it is usually always dry. This is because as we age, our skin begins to thin. As it thins, it is less able to retain moisture, thus leading to dry skin.

Dry skin can lead to problems in a younger person, but can cause even more problems for the elderly. The thin skin is easier torn, and that lets bacteria get in. The elderly have a harder time fighting bacteria off, so you don’t want anything to increase their chances of infection.

Treating Elderly Skin

Elderly skin care will always include caring for dry skin. Treating dry skin is not hard; it just requires astute attention and getting in the habit of taking care of it.Here’s how you do it.

Keep It Clean: Always keep the skin clean. This applies especially to the feet, groin, underareas and armpits. Individuals who sweat should wear loose, absorbent clothing that will wick the wetness away. If skin stays wet too long, it can become prone to fungal infection, rashes and even become extremely dry.

However, avoid hot baths or too frequent showering/bathing. This will dry skin out further. Warm water is the most
effective, and bathing every other day is probably the most frequent to get.

Cream based cleansers for face and body are perfect. Often, only localized areas need to be soaped; the rest of the body can be flushed with warm water. Avoid very bubbly products, as they usually contain harsh detergents that dry out skin.

Keep It Hydrated: Keeping dry skin hydrated is the best way to avoid potential problems like cracking, pain and itchiness (which we’ll discuss below). After showering or bathing, lather all over with a thick hydrating cream. This will help seal in the body’s natural moisture, and help skin be more comfortable.

For the day, invest in a heavy-duty moisturizer with sunscreen. At night, use a hydrating night cream before going to bed.

Keep It From Itching: Elderly skin care is all about dry skin. But what makes skin dry? Well, as we age, our bodies decrease their production of oily secretions, which help keep skin soft, supple and hydrated. This decrease leads to drier skin, which can become itchy and uncomfortable. And when our skin itches, we scratch it.

This can be harmful for an older person, as their skin is more thin, and more susceptible to tearing. Which just leads to a bigger problem. So, to reduce itchiness, try using a bathing oil after bathing. Be very careful to avoid applying to hands and feet so the risk of slipping is minimized. Apply talc to areas that sweat to minimize any fungal growth which can lead to itching. And keeping humidifiers in popular rooms will help relieve itching.

Keep An Eye On It: Elderly skin care should also always include routine examinations of the skin for skin cancer and other skin disorders. Look for moles that are changing shape (asymmetrical), color, or are just looking different. Look for areas that are peeling, red, irritated, chapped, cracked or have severe itching. Keep an eye out for new growths, sores that do not heal, the appearance of new sores and pain. Knowing elderly skin care will help you recognize these potential problems. If you notice any of these conditions, please see a doctor.

Don’t Forget The Feet!

As we focus on elderly skin care, let’s not forget one of the most important (yet often overlooked) area of the body. The feet. The older a person gets, the more prone the feet become to problems. Corns, calluses, warts, dry skin, fungal infections, ingrown toenails, blisters and other foot
deformities are common. Proper care of your feet, including
regular checkups by a doctor, can alleviate most of these problems. The feet are also a great way to tell if a person
is at risk for diabetes.

The Routine: Clean feet thoroughly with warm water, and dry them completely. Remember to get between the toes! Thoroughly massage lotion or moisturizer into the feet, avoided the spaces between toes. Trim the nails straight across, and not right next to the nailbed. Round sharp edges with a file.

If the person is immobile, do daily foot exercises to get blood circulating.

Always wear comfortable shoes, even around the house. This is to protect the feet from outside injury, as well as discomfort caused by inappropriate footwear.

The Inspection: Each day, inspect feet for a change in color, dryness, swelling or tenderness. Check for any of the ailments listed above, from corns to blisters. Be aware of any different sensations, like tingling, numbness or pain. Seek treatment if any of these signs are apparent.

Now you know all you need to about elderly skin care. Go forth, be healthy, and enjoy these years.