I'm a 19-year-old girl. I've hair all over my body. Please help me get rid of this as it looks very odd. Suggest some home remedy or some pills. Will shaving help?

Hair all over your body may be due to hormonal imbalance, endocrinal disorders or some hair disorders. I would suggest you to consult an endocrinologist so that your problem can be visualised and analysed. It can be managed based on the diagnosis.

I am Karthik, age 16, male. Three months back, I suffered from chicken pox and after that, I was under a lot of stress. Now I suffer from heavy hair fall. I never had this problem before the bout of chicken pox. Will the hair grow back again? Please advise.

The severe hair loss is temporary. You will definitely regain the hair you have lost. Normal hair loss per day is 50-120 strands per day. Whatever hair you have lost will grow over a period of time. For effective hair growth here are few natural remedies: Soak ½ cup fenugreek seeds for 4 hours and then grind. For ¼ cup neem juice, take neem leaves, a little water and grind in a mixer, then strain. Mix the ingredients to a paste and apply to the hair and scalp and leave for sometime and wash the hair. This improves hair texture and stimulates the scalp to effect good growth. What we eat reflects on our hair. Hair needs proteins, vitamins and minerals, so incorporate plenty of fruits, vegetables and milk in your diet. The hair is comprised mostly of protein, therefore to encourage hair growth, adhere to a diet rich in protein, like sprouts, pulses, beans, cereals, eggs, milk and milk products. As vitamin E is important for healthy hair growth, eat green leafy vegetables, nuts, avocados, etc on a regular basis. Drink atleast eight glasses of water, herbal teas and unsweetened fruit juice. Stress causes the hair cells to slow reproduction. Try to avoid stress and do yoga or relaxation exercise. You can take a course of multivitamin tablets with Zinc after consultation. 

I'm Kiran aged 23 years. Few months back I started having pimples all over my face and instead of applying any cream/lotion for the same,I squeezed my pimples. As a result of that I have pigmented marks/scars all over my face now.Could you please suggest about how to get rid of this.

Acne or pimples is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands of the skin and the condition results in part from excessive stimulation of the skin by androgens (male hormones). Avoiding picking and squeezing pimples is the best way to prevent and reduce the severity of Acne scarring. There are a number of techniques which can help to reduce the visible signs of scarring. Specific dermatological procedures to minimize acne scars will be determined based on age, severity of scar, type of scar, etc.

Dr Vandana Jayaprakash, Consultant dermatologist

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