Q: I am 25 years old. As a child, I took a fall that left a wide scar (a mark left on the skin or with in body tissue after the healing of a wound or burn) on my left eyebrow. I use a pencil on it every day to hide it. Can the hair in that area be re-grown? Is there a solution other than using an eyebrow pencil? Nazia Hassan

A: Scarred tissue destroys all the hair follicles in the area, so re-growth is not possible. But you need not live with a cut in your brow or have to pencil it in every day. There is permanent method of introducing safe pigment of mineral and vegetable origin into the upper layer of the skin. An anaesthetic gel is used to numb the pain. The pigment (a dry powder which constitutes a paint or ink when mixed with oil or water ) used is deep brown as opposed to black, which may leave the scar looking blue-green. So go ahead and get rid of your scar permanently.
Q: I am a fair, 20-year-old with red, flushed skin. Occasionally, I get pimples, though they appear mostly on my nose. The ones that have appeared in the last few months, however, are refusing to go away. They have also changed the shape of my nose so that it looks bumpy and large now. Please help. Mehar Bukhari

A: You are suffering from rhinophyma (medicine plastic surgery performed on the nose) , which causes your nose to appear uneven because of the hypertrophy (phsiology enlargement of an organ or tissue resulting from an increase in size of its cells) of the sebaceous glands (a small gland in the skin which secretes a lubricating oily matter (sebum) into the hair follicles to lubricate the skin and hair); it happens in longstanding cases of rosacea (medicine a condition in which certain facial blood vessels enlarge,giving the cheeks and nose a flushed appearance) . It also explains the flushed, red appearance of your cheeks. Sensitive people are more prone to the condition. Keep aggravating factors like stress, sunlight, hot food, hot baths, coffee, seafood under control. As for treatment, your doctor may start you on a course of antibiotics and topical applications, or prescribe other medication after doing some tests. Don’t worry, the condition is completely curable (make healthy again after suffering from a disease or medical condition).
Q: I am going to Sweden for a holiday. Since it will be cold there, how do I care for my skin? Do I need to use sunscreen? Saira Bano

A: You will surely need a sunscreen to protect your skin from the UV (ultraviolet) rays, more so in Sweden because the rays there reflect off the snow and cause more damage. Reapply the sunscreen every two to three hours. Besides that, carry a good moisturiser to save your skin from dehydration. Enjoy your holiday.