Ask the Experts

USING FACIAL OILS FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

Question: Is facial oil safe to use for combination skin and ideally, what ingredients should I be looking for in a day oil? Ankita Khare, Director of Aroma Tierra, responds, “Natural facial oils, if chosen correctly, work wonders for combination skin as they nourish, moisturize, and balance the skin’s natural oil production. Avoid heavier oils such as almond or olive, and lighter oils such as argan or grapeseed. Our top picks for combination skin are rosehip, prickly pear, and jojoba oils, as these have medium consistency, low comedogenic index, and excellent skincare benefits. It is also common to add a few drops of Clary Sage and Geranium essential oils for their oil balancing properties. Look for natural ingredients in your face oil, and avoid products with chemicals, mineral oil, fillers, or fragrance. The best day oil should be brimming with bioactive nutrients such as fatty acids, vitamins, phytonutrients, and antioxidants.” From pediatric questions to general medical queries, our panel of experts is here to answer your questions….

CYST ON THE BODY

Question: I recently developed a cyst and the doctor said it’s a sebaceous cyst. What does it mean and is there a reason for it?

Dr. Rutsnei Schmitz, M.D. Specialist Dermatologist responds, “A sebaceous cyst is a misname for an epidermoid cyst. They do not have any sebaceous glands nor contain sebum. Epidermoid cysts are derived from a hair follicle, covered by a thin layer of skin. They are filled with keratin and lipids(oil) debris. They come from a clogged hair exit, or after a minor trauma that makes the outer skin (epidermis) go into the inner skin(dermis). It should present as a firm, yellowish bump fixed to the skin, but mobile with a central punctum or blackhead. Foulsmelling cheesy content can be squeezed from it. Epidermoid cysts are common on the chest, shoulders, and face, but can occur anywhere on the body, including the genitals. Complications of an epidermoid cyst include rupture of the cyst, which can result in swelling and tenderness, due to trauma and bacterial infection. The cyst can be left alone in most cases. If the cyst has ruptured, it may recur. It’s not advisable to squeeze or manipulate a cyst because of this.”

POSSIBLE LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

Question: How can I tell if my 3-year-old daughter is lactose intolerant?

Fehmida Jafri, Dietician/Nutritionist responds, “Lactose is a sugar found in foods that many children love, including milk, ice cream and cheeses. For absorption by the body, lactose has to be split into its two constituents by an enzyme called lactase, which is found in the small intestine. Children who are lactose intolerant do not produce enough lactase, an enzyme in the digestive tract that breaks down lactose. In order to identify if your child has lactose intolerance, it’s important to be conscious of the signs and symptoms. For those children who are lactose intolerant, the action of lactase is ineffective; it then passes into the large intestine, where it is fermented by gut bacteria. As a result, carbon dioxide and hydrogen are produced, as well as a few by-products that have a laxative effect. If your child is lactose intolerant, you will see more and more symptoms related to it upon consumption of dairy products. Some red-flag symptoms to watch out for, especially after your child eats dairy products, include: stomach bloating, gas and nausea, loose stools and gas, skin rash and frequent colds, and generalized abdominal pain and cramping. Parents sometimes confuse lactose intolerance with milk allergy. Although having similar symptoms, a milk allergy is a serious immune system reaction that usually appears in the first year of life. Lactose intolerance is a digestive issue that is hardly seen in children. For children who cannot perform the breath test to detect hydrogen, a simple plan of a lactose elimination diet for two to four weeks can help detect the lactose intolerance.