Hypertension: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prevention

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. It can be classified into two types: essential hypertension and secondary hypertension. Essential hypertension can be seen in about 95% of hypertensive patients and has no identifiable cause. Secondary hypertension can be observed in about 5% of hypertensive patients and is caused by an identifiable underlying cause. For most adults, hypertension is a condition in which their blood pressure spikes 130/80 or 140/90 mmHg. However, the numbers vary when it comes to children.

Hypertension symptoms

Hypertension usually does not have any signs. It is spotted while checking blood pressure during regular health check-ups or during check-ups for other illness. However, some people suffering from hypertension disorder complain about headaches, light-headedness, vertigo, tinnitus, altered vision or syncope.

Hypertension Causes

The cause of hypertension for 95% of hypertensive patients suffering for essential hypertension is unknown. This type of hypertension disease develops gradually over many years.

However, secondary hypertension can be triggered by various conditions and medications including obstructive sleep apnea, kidney problems, adrenal gland tumours, thyroid problems, congenital defects in the blood vessel, medications such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, over the control pain-killers and illegal drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines.

Hypertension treatment

Treatment for hypertension requires a multi-pronged approach including diet changes, medication, and exercise. Some of the most commonly used medications to treat hypertension are  Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), Diuretics, Beta-blockers, Calcium channel blockers, Alpha-agonists, Renin inhibitors, and combined medications. Each medication works differently on different individuals. Therefore, it is necessary for you to visit a doctor and not self-medicate. Self-medication may induce several other disorders as these drugs may have side-effects. While seeing a doctor, it is also crucial for you tell him/her about other medications you might be taking for other diseases or any allergies you might have. It is required for you to see a doctor at least once a month until you’ve reached a healthy blood pressure.

Hypertension prevention

As the saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure.’ It holds true to every circumstance including hypertension disorder. Various ways to lower the risks of hypertension are maintaining normal body weight, reducing dietary sodium intake to less than 2.4 gram per day, engaging in regular physical activities, consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and limiting alcohol consumption to less than 3 units a day for men and 2 groups a day for women. While these preventive measures cannot guarantee that you won’t suffer from hypertension disorder, it reduces the risk of hypertension disorder.

Joining hypertension prevention program and support groups contribute a great deal to keep you motivated and help you follow healthy habits that lower the risk of hypertension disorder. You can either join a hypertension support group or program in your nearest clinic or join helpful groups on social media. VLCC Hypertension support group is one of the most referable communities on facebook where you can communicate with people on hypertension prevention program or people suffering from hypertension trying to control their blood pressure which helps you stay on track.

Another preventive measure you can take is, go for a DNA screening to help you find out if you are more prone to hypertension or not. VLCC is Asia’s one of the most sought clinics for beauty and wellness which also provides DNA wellness test. Along with the test, VLCC consist of a team of doctors and dieticians who can give you a proper plan to lead a healthier life.

Seven Stages of Skin Care

Skin care is not a onetime thing; you need to be consistent in your skin care regimen to reap the benefits of skin care. From skin care at home to going to parlours and dermatologists, there are many ways each one of us takes care of our skin. Here we have listed out 7 stages of skin care you must follow to keep your face forever soft, smooth and glowing.

1.Personal skin ritual:

Every person has their own preferred choice of skin care ritual. For most people, their skin ritual consists of two steps; cleanse and moisturise with occasional sun-screen. However, skin care at home doesn’t have to end there, and it is advisable to use serums and toners to maintain the ph-balance in your face and nourish your skin.

2.Salon cleanup:

According to the experts, it is recommended to visit a salon for necessary clean up every week to get rid of dirt and dead cells. Pollution, stress and tanning take a heavy toll on your face, day in and day out. So, give your face tender loving care with a thorough scrubbing, mild massage by an expert and a refreshing face pack. You can either pick the pack you depending upon your skin type. However, if you visit any of the VLCC salons in India, the experts will handpick the ingredients based on your skin to give you the best results.

3.Basic facials:

Most experts recommend getting one facial per month. A facial is more extensive beauty procedure than a cleanup which prevents ageing, rejuvenates your skin, detoxifies skin, opens up the pores and exfoliates your skin. Some of the best facial treatments in the market are Gold facial and Diamond facial to bring back the glow in your skin and fruit facial for oily skin. You can get it from your neighbouring parlours or go for more popular salon chains such as VLCC, Lakme, Blunt, etc.

4.Advanced facials:

While basic facial rejuvenates your face and adds some extra glow, special days require special treatments. If you have a big event coming up such as a wedding or trip, giving your face some extra bit of attention is definitely worth it. Trading your basic facial for these high-tech facial treatments for a few months before your wedding could be a great option. Every salon has their own range of Advanced facials that cater to the need of your skin. However, if you want to add some Swiss skin care to your advanced facial, you can try out Bellewave range of Swiss facial at VLCC. The best facial for bridal at VLCC would be a facial oxygen therapy.  

5.Face Masks:

While everyone is raving about how great facials are, it is pretty easy to forget face mask. It’s one of the most underrated skin care routines. However, booking an appointment between two facials can give great radiant results.

6.Facial treatment:

Well, this one is a revolutionary facial by Ericson Laboratoire. It consists of a range of facials which treats various skin issues including signs of ageing. This is the best anti-ageing facial treatment with long-lasting results. But, this facial treatment can only be accessed in a few salons worldwide. In India, you can get this treatment at VLCC salons.

7.Dermatologist:

Reaching out to various innovative facial treatments for smooth, soft and glowing skin is excellent. However, if you are having serious problems with your skin, visiting a dermatologist is always the best option. 

Laser Treatment for Hair Removal- Facts, Effects and Best Clinics for Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal I know how the words you have in your mind to describe the feeling. 

It's costly, unsafe and harmful!

Only if you ever calculated the amount of time and money we’ve spent in salons during waxing.

An International full body waxing service ranges between INR 2000 to 3000 per month, leading to the spending of about INR 24,000 to 36,000 every year.

A full body laser, on the other hand, is a solution for a couple of years and is cheaper than Waxing, offered at competitive pricing by several grooming and salon clinics. 

With the advancement of technology, these laser treatments have advanced to be more effective and efficient, which is relatively pain-free, when compared to other hair removal treatments, that require regular maintenance and time.

But if you have been under the assumption that only one session of laser treatment, can get you rid of all unwanted body hair, then let me give you clarity. It takes at least 5 to 6 laser sessions to help you get rid of all the unwanted hair.

Here are a few myth busters behind laser hair removal treatment:

It's a one-time treatment

One thing that is required after you undergo laser treatment is that you need patience. It takes two or three weeks after your first treatment to see a difference, and 8 -12 treatments to get the full result. Be regular for your laser appointments so that the treatment effects each hair follicle.

All laser treatments are one and the same

Had it been that all laser resurfacing treatments were the same, why would so many procedures be offered? Fractional laser treatment is very different from laser hair removal. While laser facial treatments remove wrinkles and blemishes, laser hair removal treatment is a solution to hair removal that is more permanent than some other methods.

No downtime is required after the treatment

The heat from the laser stays in your skin for 24 hours so gym, saunas and hot showers can run the risk of creating a lovely warm environment for bacteria to multiply and blemishes.

What are the benefits of Laser Hair Removal?

Accuracy:

Laser hair removal treatment can selectively target dark, coarse hair while leaving the untreated skin undamaged. 

Speed:

Every pulse of the laser beam on your skin takes only a fraction of second and to treat more than one strand of hair at a time. 

Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour.

Effective:

Most of the clients notice a permanent hair loss after an average of 4 to 7 sessions.

How much can a laser hair removal treatment cost?

Before we talk on how much a laser treatment can cost you, let me tell you that the cost depends on the below factors-

 a) Area and number of treatments required

The treatment depends on the area you want to get your skin treated with. Also, it depends on how many sessions your skin would require to permanently get rid of hair.

b) Where and by whom are you having the procedure

The cost of this treatment depends certainly on which clinic and professional are you getting your laser treatment done. Whether it is done by a qualified clinic or at a salon and whether the device that they would be using comes under the FDA approved status or not. Also, the cost may depend on city-to-city and clinic-to-clinic.

In India, the cost for a single session may range from as little as Rs. 3,000 to as much as Rs. 40,000 per session.In India, the cost for a single session may range from as little as Rs. 1000 Rs to as much as Rs. 30000.

A class A treatment by a specialist can charge you as much as Rs.11,000- Rs20,000 per session for a flawless full body treatment.

Whereas, A Class B treatment with low-quality laser, which focuses only on the odds of the medium.

Which are some of the best hair removal treatments clinics?

One can feel the hot wax burn the hair follicle and leave a post-burn sensation after waxing. Hair removal is a necessity for most of the people but it doesn’t have to be painful or evil at all. 

Here are a few clinics which offer the best hair removal treatments:

VLCC: 

VLCC is widely recognized for its weight loss solutions and therapeutic approach to beauty treatments. They offer a state-of-art laser technology which is FDA approved and safe. They have trained and professional Laser technicians who ensure all safety cautions for a comfortable experience.

Permanent Laser Hair Removal Clinic in Delhi:

It is a world-class centre in providing permanent laser and aesthetic skin care treatments. They offer complete body laser treatment for men and women as well as laser beard shaping for men.

Hair & Skin Specialist, Clinic in Delhi:

Hair and skin specialist, clinic situated in the capital is a name recognized for offering high-class skin and hair problem solution. The clinic is an expert in offering hair loss treatments and skin problems.

What are the risks factors and side effects of Laser hair removal treatment:

During laser hair removal, a laser emits a light that is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) in the hair. The light energy is converted to heat, which damages the tube-shaped sacs within the skin (hair follicles) that produce hairs. This damage inhibits or delays future hair growth.

Some most common treatment locations include legs, armpits, upper lip, chin and the bikini line. However, it's possible to treat unwanted hair in nearly any area, except the eyelid or surrounding area.

Some of the risk factors involved during a laser hair reduction treatment are:

1.Excessive hair growth in the area of treatment: Sometimes this effect is mistaken for hair shedding after the procedure.

2.Changes to overall skin texture: You may be at an increased risk if you have tanned recently.

3.Blisters and skin crusting: These effects may be caused by sun exposure too soon or after the procedure.

4.Skin irritation: Temporary discomfort, redness and swelling are possible after laser hair removal. Any signs and symptoms typically disappear within several hours.

5.Pigment changes: Laser hair removal might darken or lighten the affected skin, usually temporarily. Skin lightening primarily affects those who don't avoid sun exposure before or after treatment and those who have darker skin.

Laser Hair Removal V/s Waxing:

Both the methods of hair removal, offer smooth skin as an end result for a much longer time than shaving.

Waxing might not be seen as an immediate procedure in its effects as it only reduces hair seen above the skin surface providing a short-term reduction in hair growth. 

Laser hair removal, on the other hand, does not immediately show hair reduction or elimination, but after many sessions (6 or more monthly treatments) can show a long term reduction of hair growth, which might last longer than any other hair removal treatments.