If deep cracks and painful, dry skin around your nails are starting to resemble a desert landscape, take quick action to restore the skin to silky smooth softness. Before you spend money on store-bought products, grab some natural ingredients from the pantry to create a soothing homemade treatment.

Scarring alopecia, or cicatricial alopecia, refers to any disorder or injury that destroys the sebaceous (oil) glands and hair follicles at the second layer of the skin, causing potentially permanent hair loss. The treatment for scarring alopecia depends on its severity and specific cause.

After a workout or a stressful day at the office, the calming heat of a dry sauna is an alluring option. The dry heat of a sauna causes the body to sweat and incurs deep relaxation for many people.

Repeated fungal infections of your nails or ingrown nails can require removal of the nail as a last resort of treatment. Also, crushing your nail can cause it to fall off, and some diseases, such as kidney, thyroid and liver disease, can cause you to lose a nail.

For women, menopause heralds more than the end of fertility and monthly menstrual periods: It brings many physical, mental and emotional symptoms such as hot flashes, moodiness, sleep disturbances and hair loss, according to MayoClinic.com.

Women and men can both develop stretch marks when their skin expands rapidly, such as during weight gain, pregnancy or puberty. At first, the striations appear red, brown and glossy, with a texture distinct from your normal skin. Over time, though, stretch marks fade to a less-noticable, whitish-colored scar.

Having any type of rash on your abdomen can cause pain and skin irritation. Wearing articles of clothing that rub against the rash may make matters worse. Other factors, such as heat and humidity, can also cause the rash to become inflamed.

Avocados are rich in vitamins, fat, protein and natural oils that can coat and soften the hair. The fruit's oil forms a protective barrier that keeps the hair hydrated, soft and flexible. You can apply avocado to damaged hair once or twice a week to improve its texture and sheen.

While you might not mind thicker hair on your head, fast-growing hair on your arms, legs and other places can be a nuisance during pregnancy.

Argireline and Matrixyl are two peptides that are commonly used as part of "anti-aging" products. Peptides are generally small fragments of proteins that have their own ability to interact with and affect cells.

Coenzyme Q10 is a type of antioxidant found throughout the body, and your skin is one of the most abundant sources. Also known as ubiquinone and CoQ10, coenzyme Q10 has been praised for its ability to protect as well as repair the skin. Coenzyme Q10 is available in two forms – oral supplements and topical preparations.

When your facial skin comes into contact with excess oil, either through its own production or through your hands, phone or greasy food, your pores may become clogged.