Eat, love, be treated: what diseases do vacationers bring back from vacation?
Summer vacation is not only a time of rebooting, but also a period of serious challenges for the body. We are talking about an excess of ultraviolet light, abundant tasting of unusual cuisine and a frivolous attitude to hygiene. These factors can provoke diseases and trigger hidden pathological processes. Which doctors do Russians most often turn to in the fall, why infections do not immediately make themselves felt, and how to keep a southern tan for longer — in the Izvestia article.
What tests should I take after my vacation
During the holidays, people significantly strengthen the immune system — the sun's rays contribute to the production of vitamin D, and seasonal fruits and vegetables ensure the normal intake of trace elements and vitamin complexes into the body, emphasizes Denis Prokofiev, a general practitioner with the status of "Moscow Doctor." Nevertheless, he advises to check the state of health and take preventive measures to maintain the body's resistance for a longer time.
— Upon returning from summer vacation, you need to be tested for hepatitis and perform PCR diagnostics of sexually transmitted diseases. It is also important to take general urine and blood tests, and take an ECG. A detailed biochemical blood test will serve as an additional screening," the source comments.
General practitioner, cardiologist, and emergency physician at the Be Healthy clinic on Frunzenskaya Elena Savchenkova-Belyatko recalls the need to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract if you had to eat without restrictions on vacation. To begin with, the expert advises to adjust the diet — to give the digestive tract a rest, but not to starve. It is necessary to eat fractionally — four to five times a day, in small portions.
— In the first two to three weeks, it is better to avoid fatty, fried, spicy foods, smoked meats and marinades. Also, refrain from legumes, cabbage, radishes, onions and garlic in their raw form (they often provoke gas formation). Don't eat foods with lots of simple carbohydrates (sugar, muffins) — they can increase fermentation," she explains.
The therapist advises focusing on foods that are easier to digest: stewed or boiled vegetables (carrots, beets, zucchini, pumpkin), porridges on water (oatmeal, buckwheat), lean meat or steamed fish. You can add fermented foods such as kefir, natural yogurt, fermented baked milk, sauerkraut (if it does not cause discomfort). They contain probiotics that help restore the balance of microflora. You should drink a lot of water — about 1.5–2 liters per day, if there are no contraindications. You should start the day with a glass of warm water on an empty stomach — this will gently "wake up" the intestines.
— Dried fruit compotes and mild herbal teas (chamomile, mint) are also useful. But it is better to temporarily give up strong black tea, a lot of coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks — they can provoke dehydration or irritate the mucous membrane, warns the interlocutor of the editorial board, reminding of the importance of physical activity. Even a short walk (20-30 minutes) stimulates intestinal motility. You can do light gymnastics: the bicycle exercise from a prone position, pulling your knees up to your stomach. Soft yoga or pilates asanas are also useful.
Helminths and shellfish
Anna Matveeva, a dermatovenerologist, trichologist, and mycologist at the Scandinavian Health Center, says that for her colleagues, September can be compared with December at Christmas tree vendors. According to her, the most insidious consequence of summer holidays is foot and nail fungus. If a person walks barefoot for a month along the side of the pool, the floor in the communal shower and hammam, or the wooden deck on the beach, then after a few weeks they may notice that the skin between their fingers is peeling and itching, and the nail has changed color and become thicker. At the same time, the doctor draws attention to the fact that it usually takes some time between infection and the first complaints, which is why vacations rarely come under suspicion.
— Another problem is ringworm. It is produced by a yeast-like fungus that lives on the skin of almost everyone, but it grows in the heat and with active sweating. It looks deceptive: the spots do not tan, and it is only at home that a person discovers light islands on a swarthy back and shoulders. This phenomenon is often mistaken for an uneven tan and they go to the solarium to "finish up", which is definitely not worth doing, warns the Izvestia interlocutor.
Problems such as molluscum contagiosum (dense nodules with a depression in the center) and plantar warts do not immediately appear. According to the dermatovenerologist, these viral diseases can be contracted in humid common areas, showers and changing rooms. The consequences only become apparent after a few weeks.
The specialist also warns about the risk of catching a skin migrating larva of feline and canine helminths in the tropics. It usually gets on the skin (most often the foot) from wet sand and leaves a twisted, inflamed course that lengthens slightly and itches a lot every day. Such patients, says Matveeva, usually come with the phrase "I was bitten, but the bite is creeping."
Cercariasis, or bather's itch, is a consequence of bathing in freshwater bodies where larvae live that parasitize ducks. They are not dangerous to humans and die quickly, but the skin itches a lot.
The harm of ultraviolet light
Anna Matveeva says that ultraviolet light works in two modes: short rays give a quick burn, while long ones go deeper and destroy collagen and elastin, that is, the framework that keeps the skin supple. The burn is immediately visible, and the work of long rays is noticed by a person years later. Age—related changes such as dryness, fine wrinkles, vascular asterisks, flabby skin of the neck and decollete are photo-aging.
— In autumn, dermatologists are more likely to complain about pigmentation. Spots appear on the cheekbones, forehead, and upper lip. In women, they appear on the background of hormonal contraception or pregnancy. They can also occur after a burn, when a dark mark remains at the site of inflammation," the specialist comments.
The doctor calls phytophotodermatitis a separate trap. This problem can be caused by lime juice from a cocktail, particles of greens and hogweed. They get on the skin, and the sun completes the job, leaving bizarre streaks that last for months. For the same reason, experts do not recommend applying perfume to the neck in the heat.
— Many people believe that the sun heals the skin. But in fact, it contributes to the exacerbation of skin diseases such as rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis and herpes. Moreover, there are fewer rashes in the summer, the consequences appear in the fall," warns the editorial interlocutor.
She advises paying close attention to moles after a rest. A new or changed nevus after an active sun requires an immediate examination with a dermatoscope. Growth, color and shape changes, bleeding, and itching should be alerted.
The dermatovenerologist says that a cool shower, panthenol, a light moisturizer and plenty of water will help mitigate the effects of a fresh sunburn. Burnt areas should not be treated with oils, sour cream, or alcohol solutions. The skin will recover by itself in a month, it only needs hydration and protection. Pigmentation should be eliminated with the help of specialists when the sun becomes weaker: autumn and winter are suitable for acids, retinoids and hardware procedures. And all this time it is necessary to use sunscreens, otherwise the spots will return faster than they come off.
How to restore the beauty of hair
Hair is also negatively affected by atmospheric phenomena in summer, but, unlike skin, it will not heal if damaged. In this case, only the hairdresser's scissors will fix the situation.
— Ultraviolet light destroys keratin and breaks down the pigment, so the hair fades and becomes porous. Sea salt draws out water. Chlorine loosens the cuticle— the outer scaly layer that keeps hair smooth. The wind and dry air "finish off" — the ends become dry, tangle and break, — says Anna Matveeva, reminding that the scalp burns the same way as the shoulders, only it is not visible under the hair. After strong sun, peeling and itching occur, and seborrheic dermatitis worsens.
The editorial interlocutor also points out that in the fall, patients often complain of hair loss. Heavy stress (flight, stress, the effects of intestinal infection with fever, sudden change in diet) transfers part of the hair from the growth phase to the resting phase, and after two to three months they fall out. Doctors call this telogen alopecia (prolapse), that is, a delayed response to stress or an illness that resolves itself in a few months if the cause is removed.
The specialist advises using gentle cleansing and indelible care, as well as regular masks. For two months you need to do without a hair dryer with a high temperature and an iron. If after 13-17 weeks the hair continues to climb, and the parting has become wider, you need to go to the doctor and get tested. Iron deficiency and thyroid gland malfunction are often hidden behind such a picture. Sometimes hereditary baldness makes itself felt in this way.
In the future, the doctor advises to immediately wash your hair with fresh water after the sea and pool, and not in the evening at the hotel.
To restore the skin after summer, the dermatovenerologist recommends using products with ceramides, squalane, fatty acids, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, urea, panthenol, niacinamide, allantoin, centella extract.
— Panthenol and centella soothe after the sun, niacinamide additionally works with redness and pigmentation. Textures for the face in autumn are denser than in summer: the gel-fluid can no longer cope, we need a cream. For the body after a shower, milk or cream with urea is suitable, especially if the skin is peeling. Azelaic and tranexamic acids, retinoids, vitamin C, and mild peels work with pigmentation. It is better to start them in September or October and always with sunscreen," explains Matveeva.
Oils help the hair well. According to the doctor, coconut oil penetrates into the hair better than others and reduces protein loss during washing, so it is applied before shampooing, for an hour or overnight, spreading over the entire length and at the ends. Argan oil, jojoba oil, and macadamia oil work externally to smooth cuticles and remove fluffiness. It is better not to pour oil on the roots if there is a tendency to seborrhea. Mild detergent components are important in shampoo, while hydrolyzed proteins, keratin, amino acids, and panthenol are important in mask and conditioner. Indelible products with UV filters and thermal protection are needed not only in summer.
You won't be able to keep a southern tan for a long time: it lasts exactly as long as the cells in which melanin sits live, a natural pigment that is produced in response to exposure to ultraviolet rays. The top layer of the skin is completely renewed in about a month, and the color goes away with it.
— Daily and abundant hydration helps to stretch the "service life" of tanning, because dry skin flakes off, the scales come off in layers and eventually the tan comes off in uneven spots. In the first weeks, a gentle cleansing of the skin is recommended — without harsh washcloths and scrubs, because aggressive peeling removes color in one go. Use a warm shower instead of a hot one. I would postpone long baths and a hammam in the first week after the sea," advises the dermatovenerologist.
For those who yearn for a tan, she advises betting on foods with beta-carotene (carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, apricots) and lycopene (tomatoes). They give the skin a warm shade and support it with antioxidants. But in this case, the effect is cumulative, slow.
— High-quality sleep, drinking regime, exercise and moisturizing care will help to keep a rested look. Do not forget about the SPF in the city: the autumn sun is weaker, but it affects the appearance of age spots and wrinkles, warns the interlocutor of Izvestia.
About holiday romances
On vacation, people get to know each other more often, and the consequences of holiday romances are discovered only upon returning home.
— Usually vacationers "bring" chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, mycoplasma genitalia. The most common viral diseases are papillomavirus and genital herpes. Syphilis is rare, but it does occur. Most of these diseases go without symptoms, especially in women. People don't even think about going to the doctors, and meanwhile the inflammation rises higher, and after a few years there are problems with conception," says Anna Matveeva.
She advises to go to the doctor immediately if there is discharge, itching, pain when urinating, rashes or sores on the genitals.
— It makes sense to take PCR swabs about two weeks after contact. Blood for syphilis, HIV and hepatitis — after a month and a half, and repeat after three months. You need to go to a dermatovenerologist, but women can start with a gynecologist, and men with a urologist. Pharmacy pills "just in case" and advice from the Internet blur the picture and prevent you from making a diagnosis later, the specialist warns.
According to the doctor, the version that the infection occurred without any romance, simply because a person sat down on a surface contaminated with viruses, does not stand up to verification. The causative agents of sexual infections in the external environment live for a few minutes, so they are not transmitted through a sunbed, sand, sea water and a toilet seat.
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