Dermatological (Skin) and Opthalmology (Eyes) conditions

Urmila Prabhu, who developed vitiligo in her forties, has launched the Voice of Vitiligo, the first vitiligo support group in Mumbai, to spread awareness, build an active vitiligo community and combat the huge stigma attached to the disease. My vitiligo started in my late forties. I was going through a phase of extreme emotions. There was bereavement and celebrations within months. I had lost my partner in 2015, leaving a huge void in my life. Within eight months my daughter decided to get…

With increase in global warming, summers have become much hotter in recent years. Rising temperatures are seen with poor air quality, severe weather patterns and higher UV ray radiation. It becomes important to protect yourself and your family from the extreme heat, especially those who are living with a chronic condition.  Here is a look at certain diseases that are most affected by the summer heat and ways on how they can be better managed during summer. If any of your symptoms are not…

Smriti Sawhney, an experienced Clinical Psychologist writes on body shaming and how harbouring a negative body image about ourselves, is ultimately a self-defeating exercise. I have struggled with hair thinning the past 7 years and have cried endless nights, gone through phases of lows and irritability, gone doctor shopping, hair products shopping and may even have consumed enough number of multivitamins to cause a toxic reaction in me…all for fitting myself to the image I have for a beautiful…

Aditi Goel, 30, a budding food entrepreneur, recounts how the tough upbringing of her parents helped her come to terms with her vitiligo and how she is ready to pull the punches when faced personally or professionally with discrimination because of her depigmented skin. My first vitiligo patch appeared when I was two-years-old. It was under the eyes. My parents freaked out when they saw the discoloured skin on my face. Not because they were unaware of the disease, but because of the harsh…

MHR, as she prefers to be referred to as, has been battling Behcet’s Syndrome, a rare auto-immune disease for the last 17 years. Having been through various stages of pain, depression and hopelessness, body image issues she has tried ayurveda and yoga, to get some relief. She is keen to spread awareness on auto-immune disorders and wishes that doctors not treat her as guinea pig. First diagnosis I was diagnosed with Behcet’s Syndrome in 2001, after an illness of over 6 months. I was 23 then. I…

Dr Paromita Ganguli, Senior Dental Surgeon with Fortis, Calcutta, explains the correlation between diabetes and dental care, and how the former, if not controlled, can affect dental health adversely. What are the most common oral health problems affecting persons with diabetes? The stomatognathic system comprising the oral cavity, the lining mucosa, the dentition, the periodontium supporting bone muscles and nerves are usually all affected with diabetes.  The most common diseases are:…

When a series of catastrophic medical incidents left Payal Kapoor blind, deaf and a veritable vegetable (as she felt then)  at 21, she was devastated. Yet, she pulled herself together, mastered reading and writing in Braille and felt alive once again. Read her compelling story. Dramatic it sounds, I know, but today as I held the first edition of Insight, a magazine in Braille edited and compiled by me, released on the birth anniversary of Helen Keller, a strange feeling of pride and…

People often fail to recognize the significant dangers of dehydration in winter, dismissing it as a health concern of hot, summer months. Dr Shital Raval corrects this common misconception and advocates why water is crucial even during the cold weather to stay energized. Dehydration is a hidden threat in the months of winter when many people forget to drink as much water as they do in hot summer months. This is a common psychological mistake as we easily forget about hydration in the cold…

Since its inception in 2014, Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation, which promotes inclusion by enabling Persons with Disability (PwD) and able bodied people to participate in adventure sports like paragliding, marathons, trekking, scuba diving and mountaineering together, has impacted close to 4000 PwDs and over 1.5 lakh able bodied people. Yashasvini Rajeshwar, Head of Media and Communication of ABBF, gives details about the pioneering effort. Tell us about this unique thought and its genesis…

Recently there were two new updates on Psoriasis treatment. The use of biologics for Psoriasis and the launch of an advanced systemics drug by Glenmark. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that affects over 125 million people worldwide. In India alone 33 million people are affected. It is a autoimmune disorder where the normal skin cells are attacked by the body's own immune system causing skin plaques & inflammation.  Besides being a cosmetic issue, it is known to emotionally scar…