Hair dye allergy

My wife (38) uses hair dye for blackening her hair. Each time she uses the dye, she suffers from itching, swelling and sometimes a discharge from her scalp. She has tried different types of dyes, but without any improvement. My wife, however, doesn’t want to give up using a dye. Can you suggest a remedy?

This is a typical case of Paraphenylene diamine (PPD) allergy, which is quite common nowadays. Any black dye containing PPD can cause this condition. Even the herbal dyes containing PPD, like black mehendi, may induce these symptoms. No drug can prevent this reaction. Drugs can only help to reduce the symptoms when she develops such an allergy. One remedy would be to crush mehendi leaves and then adding home-made kajal (not the ready-made one found in the market because some of these may also contain PPD). She should then add tea or coffee liquor to this mixture and use it. This is a safer alternative.

prickly heat

My five-year-old son suffers from severe prickly heat during summers. We have tried many anti-prickly heat powders, but these only bring temporary relief. After the prickly heat subsides, the underlying skin becomes rough. We are concerned. What should we do now?

Prickly heat or miliaria occurs due to the blocking of the sweat pores by the extra flow of sweat in summers. Moreover, this sweat cannot evaporate because of the high atmospheric humidity and gets deposited inside the sweat ducts. Experiments have shown that some bacteria, namely Staphylococcus aureus, play a major role in the formation of prickly heat. You should ensure that your child stays in a cool environment, if possible in an AC-cooled room. You should also frequently wipe his skin dry with a dry towel. Don’t use a wet towel. You should apply anti-bacterial soaps or lotions for a limited time only after consulting a doctor. This is because some anti-bacterial soap or lotion may harm the skin. And please minimise sprinkling powder on the affected area because a thick layer of powder may further clog the sweat pores.

white patches

My son (8) has developed small white patches on the shoulders and neck since the past six months. We consulted a local doctor, but the medicines weren’t of much help. Please advise.

White patches in these areas may be due to various reasons. It’s very difficult to comment on the patches without examining them. If the patches are light white in colour containing fine scales and dew-drops like spots and if these become prominent in summer, your son may be suffering from a fungal infection called Tinea versicolor (chhuli in Bengali and siuli in Hindi). The remedy is to frequently wipe the skin dry with a towel. You should also use an anti-fungal powder containing clotrimazole regularly and an anti-fungal cream containing ketoconzole, terbinafine, etc at night. You must, however, consult a skin specialist to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment should then be carried out according to the specialist’s advice.

sun allergy

I am a 30-year-old housewife. Every time I go out in the sun, I develop skin eruptions in my face, neck and forearms. I have not seen any doctors till now because the eruptions subside soon. Please suggest a remedy.

Your problem represents a classical case of sun allergy. These cases have been on the rise recently due to the increase in ultra-violet (UV) rays reaching the earth. This is because of the hole in the ozone layer, which filters UV rays. You should wear full-sleeved clothes and sunglasses when going out in the sun. You should also use a broad-brim umbrella or hat and of course a sunscreen. This cream should contain UV-A and UV-B blockers. You should apply the sunscreen on exposed skin, preferably after every three to four hours. You should do it regularly irrespective of staying indoors or outdoors, and throughout the year, irrespective of cloudy, rainy, sunny or winter weather.