The lighter colour of your lips could be due to vitamin deficiencies, low blood level, or problems with blood circulation though the most likely cause is possibly vitiligo....CONTINUE READING
This is a disorder where white or pale pink patches occur on the skin due to destruction of melanocytes, the cells that make skin colour/pigment…CONTINUE READING>>
It can also affect areas that are covered by mucus membranes instead of skin such as inside the mouth or nose.
Am in my mid-40s. Part of my lower lip is pinkish in colour. It’s been like this for many years. Sometime last year I went to see a dermatologist and was given some ointment to apply but it didn’t work.
This lowers my self-esteem. I’m in business where I deal with customers every day and so at times I wear a mask just to cover my lips. Somebody told me that the condition is connected with stomach issues; is this true?
Dear reader,
The lighter colour of your lips could be due to several possible causes, for example, vitamin deficiencies, low blood level, or problems with blood circulation though the most likely cause is possibly vitiligo.
This is a disorder where white or pale pink patches occur on the skin due to destruction of melanocytes, the cells that make skin colour/pigment. It can also affect areas that are covered by mucus membranes instead of skin such as inside the mouth or nose.
The exact cause of the disorder is not known. It may happen due to someone’s genes and someone with it is more likely to have a relative who has it, though it is not a must. It may also be due to someone’s own immune system attacking the melanocytes, which is called an auto-immune disorder.
People with other auto-immune disorders such as those affecting the thyroid gland are more likely to have vitiligo, but this is also not a must.
Vitiligo can affect anyone, but is more obvious in those with darker skin. It can affect any area of the body but is more common in areas that are exposed to the sun like arms, feet, face and lips. It can also affect the eyes, and the hair and you may notice that your hair turns white earlier than others.
Some people get the patches, which spread slowly over a long time, while for others they spread very fast. In some people, the patches spread after a period of stress. Vitiligo cannot be cured, but it can be managed. Use sunscreen to protect your skin; you can use makeup to cover up the patches and if the light patches cover only a small area, tattooing can be done to cover it up.
Visit a skin specialist to help you figure out how to best manage the condition. You may be given some creams to apply for weeks or months, and phototherapy and laser therapy may be used to help the skin get back some colour. Specialised surgery can also be done for some people.
I am lecturer. I have been treated twice this year for amoeba. I usually take all the prescribed medicines. Is it that I got the wrong medicine or that the amoeba does not go away when treated?
Dear Don,
Amoebiasis is an infection caused by the parasiteEntamoeba Histolytica. This parasite usually reaches the stomach and intestines either from infected food or water. If there are a lot of parasites in the body, they cause diarhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and sometimes even blood in stool.
In most cases, amoebiasis is easily treated using a one-week course of medicines. This should be done after checking the stool for the parasite so that you do not end up treating the wrong thing.
It is possible to get another infection even after being treated if you get into contact with infected food or water. To prevent it, make sure you constantly clean your hands, drink only clean water, eat properly cooked food and thoroughly clean any foods that are eaten raw like fruits and vegetables.
Hello Doctor
I have been sweating on my hands and feet; it’s a prolonged effect that makes me uncomfortable at the moment, both in public and in private. What can I do?Momanyi
Dear Momanyi,
Sweating is one of the ways the body regulates excessive body heat. When the sweating is too much, in excess of what is needed for temperature regulation, it is called hyperhidrosis.
Hyperhidrosis can affect the whole body or specific sites such as the face and head (craniofacial hyperhidrosis), the palms (palmar hyperhidrosis), the armpits (axillary hyperhidrosis) or the feet (plantar/pedal hyperhidrosis).
The excessive sweating is not considered dangerous. The constant wetness of the skin makes it easier to get other skin conditions like fungal infections, eczema and cracking.
The excessive sweating is usually due to overactive sweat glands because of miscommunication from the nerves. Most people have primary hyperhidrosis, which means that the sweating is not caused by any disease or infection.
It may be triggered by a part of the nervous system (neurological hyperhidrosis), by eating (gustatory hyperhidrosis) or has no obvious cause. In secondary hyperhidrosis, the sweating is due to another disease such as thyroid problem, diabetes, nervous system diseases or some medications.
The child of a parent with hyperhidrosis has 25 per cent chance of suffering from the same. Hormonal changes and emotions can also trigger hyperhidrosis, for example, sweating when nervous.
The condition cannot be cured but it can be managed. Take a lot of water and wear cotton clothing, cotton socks and leather shoes. You can change socks and shoes halfway through the day and change to open shoes in the evening.
You can also apply aluminium chloride/chlorhydrate solution to the most affected areas prescribed by the doctor or from a chemist. If the sweating continues to be excessive, you can see a dermatologist for iontophoresis, which means that a mild electric current is passed to the most affected area through water.
Some medications or injections may also be given by the dermatologist. In case another illness is suspected, the doctor will do the necessary checks to determine this.
Because the sweating may be triggered by emotional responses such as anxiety, fear and excitement, it would also be beneficial to learn relaxation techniques to help reduce the sweating in stressful situations…CONTINUE READING>>
