Remember those butterflies you got when your crush first asked you out? Or remember that first time she held your hand? Falling in love is a roller coater, emotionally and physically. A recent research has detailed the changes that brain undergoes during this experiences. The intense feelings that love evokes are not just romantic fantasies—they are biologically driven by the release of a range of chemicals that profoundly affect both the brain and body.

Love Triggers Brain's Reward System

When you first fall in love, the brain releases a cocktail of hormones which trigger its reward system. These include dopamine, oxytocin (love hormone), vasopressin, and norepinephrine. It is these chemicals that play a crucial role in the way we experience and respond to romantic attraction.

Why Does Love Make You Feel Good?

Dopamine, often referred to as the "feel-good" hormone, is primarily responsible for reward gratification. It is released by the brain when we engage in rewarding activities, like eating or having sex, but studies show that it is also activated when we see or think about someone we love.

Multiple studies, conducted using functional MRI (fMRI) have shown that brain regions associated with reward and pleasure, such as the right ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the right caudate nucleus, become highly active when people in love are shown pictures of someone they love. The aforementioned reasons are involved in motivation, reinforcements, and release of dopamine. This is why love feels so intoxicating.

Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist and one of the leading researchers on the science of love, describes romantic love as akin to an addiction. In her TED talk, "The Brain in Love," she explains that the brain's response to romantic attraction mimics the same neurochemical pathways used by addictive substances like cocaine. This can make the early stages of love feel like a "high" or an obsessive drive, with the brain constantly craving more of the positive feelings associated with being near or thinking about a loved one.

Norepinephrine, which is involved in the body's fight-or-flight response, leads to physical symptoms that many people experience when they fall in love, such as a racing heart, sweaty palms, and a sense of nervous excitement. While norepinephrine adds to the excitement of romantic love, it can also contribute to the anxiety and uncertainty that often accompany new relationships.

Another hormones released during the "feeling" of love are oxytocin and vasopressin, which play a crucial role in building emotional connections and trust between partners. Oxytocin or the "love hormone" is released during physical touch, such as holding hands, hugging or kissing helps create a connection or bond. Meanwhile, Vasopressin, a hormone linked to social behavior, helps reinforce long-term commitment and protective instincts towards those we love, strengthening the emotional bond between partners.

Does Love Shape Our Behaviour?Interestingly, romantic love has the power not only to alter our emotions but also to induce profound behavioural changes. People in love often become more focused on their partners, making efforts to spend more time together, change their routines, or even alter their physical appearance to align with their partner's preferences. Often, it happens that you idealise your partner, trying to unconsciously ape them. Interestingly, this shift in behaviour is driven by the brain's reward system, which makes our loved one feel uniquely special.

Love And Long Term Relationship

From glossy Instagram reels to glossy foreheads, vitamin therapy has become the darling of beauty trends. It promises “instant glow” and “Rapunzel hair”, often in the form of IV drips or colourful capsules. But is it really a miracle elixir or just a very expensive placebo with better marketing? Dermatologists say it is a bit of both.

Vitamin therapy acts as a protective shield for your cells. According to Dr Pravin Banodkar, Co-Founder and Lead Dermatologist at Skin Beyond Borders, our skin and hair face daily assaults from pollution and dust to stress and hormonal changes. Over time, these factors wear down cell health, slow growth, and accelerate signs of ageing. For skin, that means hyperpigmentation and dullness. For hair, it often means thinning and increased shedding.

Vitamin therapy works by giving cells a protective boost through antioxidants, which fight off damage and keep things running smoothly. “It helps reverse some of the impact by preventing damage to hair cells and boosting repair processes,” Dr Banodkar explains.

When Life Gets in the Way of Nutrition

If your diet often looks like coffee for breakfast, desk snacks for lunch, and “something quick” for dinner, your skin and hair may already be paying the price. Dr Banodkar says that people with hectic routines often develop deficiencies in vitamins A, C, D, and essential micronutrients. Left unchecked, these gaps can shorten the hair growth cycle and weaken the skin’s barrier function.

For such cases, vitamin therapy – oral, topical, or even targeted IV – can help fill the gaps. But if you already eat a balanced diet and nourish yourself consistently, “high-dose supplementation and IV drips offer no extra benefit,” he adds. Meaning, if your body is not missing it, megadoses will not suddenly help.

Micronutrients

One of the buzzier developments in dermatology is the “micronutrient concept”, feeding the hair bulb with targeted nutrients to prolong the growth phase (known as the anagen phase). Examples include:

• Vitamin A: Promotes skin cell turnover, reduces acne
• Vitamin C: Boosts collagen production, brightens skin
• Vitamin E: Antioxidant that aids repair
• Biotin (B7): Supports hair and nail strength
• Vitamin D: Crucial for follicle health and immune function
• Niacin (B3): Improves skin texture and barrier

Used strategically, these can improve skin repair and help hair grow longer before shedding. But more is not always better.

The Hype vs The Hard Truth

Dr Aseem Sharma, Director and Chief Dermatologist at Skin Saga Centre for Dermatology, points out that vitamin therapy has its place but not as a monthly beauty ritual for those without a medical need. “If you are genuinely deficient in D, B12, or iron, correcting that can transform skin and hair. But topping up levels that are already normal rarely produces dramatic results,” he says.

Biotin, for example, is often marketed as the holy grail for hair growth. In reality, unless you are deficient, which is rare in healthy adults, it won’t magically transform thin hair into thick locks. Hair growth depends on protein intake, hormones, follicle health, and micronutrients working together.

Antioxidants

Vitami and glutathione can protect skin and hair from oxidative stress, the kind that speeds up ageing and damages follicles. But their benefits plateau once the body has enough. Overuse can even cause side effects, especially with fat-soluble vitamins that linger in the system. In other words, popping a week’s worth of supplements in one sitting won’t give you a week’s worth of glow; it might just give you an upset stomach.

Should You Book That Vitamin Drip?

Both Dr Banodkar and Dr Sharma agree: start with your diet. Focus on whole foods, adequate protein, and a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Address specific deficiencies through tests, not guesswork. Save the IV drips for genuine medical needs, not pre-party touch-ups.

Vitamin therapy can be a useful support act, especially for people with nutritional gaps, malabsorption issues, or recovery needs. But it is not the headliner. Your real glow comes from a healthy lifestyle, consistent skincare, and, yes, the occasional salad that is not just for show.

On her “Call It What It Is” podcast with co-star Jessica Capshaw, Grey’s Anatomy star Camilla Luddington revealed she had recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, an autoimmune condition that quietly messes with your thyroid and, by extension, your entire energy system.

Best known as Dr Jo Wilson, the 41-year-old Luddington admitted she had brushed off her constant tiredness, sluggishness, and need to curl up in bed as signs of getting older or hitting perimenopause. “Makes you a little slothy,” she joked, only half-serious. The truth was more complex and involved a surprisingly common yet under-discussed health disorder.

When “just tired” is something more

It started with a routine blood test. Her doctor spotted “one little thing” and, before she knew it, dropped the phrase “autoimmune disease” into the conversation. But the reassurance came quickly: Hashimoto’s is very common, especially among women in middle age.

Still, common does not mean harmless. Reportedly, Hashimoto’s slowly attacks the thyroid gland, the butterfly-shaped organ at the base of your neck that produces hormones controlling metabolism, temperature regulation, and a surprising list of bodily functions. Over time, the immune system’s misguided attack leads to a drop in hormone production, setting the stage for hypothyroidism.

The symptoms

Luddington recognised several of these signs in hindsight, though she had been quick to explain them away. Now, with a diagnosis in hand, she’s on medication and back to exercising — a reminder that treatment can help restore some balance, even if there’s no cure.

Watch the video here:

Who’s at risk and why

Hashimoto’s can strike anyone, but middle-aged women top the risk list. Genetics may be part of the puzzle, along with environmental triggers like infections, chronic stress, or even radiation exposure.

And while the disease typically develops slowly, its reach is wide. If untreated, it can snowball into complications like heart problems, fertility issues, poor pregnancy outcomes, or a rare and life-threatening state called myxedema, where extreme hypothyroidism leads to unconsciousness.

The mental health connection

Treatment that works

Reportedly, thyroid hormone replacement therapy is the gold standard for treatment, often in the form of a daily pill that restores hormone levels. When managed well, it can make symptoms fade into the background. Lifestyle adjustments, such as regular exercise, good sleep habits, and balanced nutrition, can also help.

Luddington’s story is proof that a proper diagnosis can be life-changing and that even those with hectic Hollywood schedules need to listen to their bodies.

Why you shouldn’t ignore “little” symptoms

Feeling tired is not unusual. But when exhaustion comes with hair loss, weight changes, and a tendency to wear sweaters in 25-degree weather, it is worth checking your thyroid. As Luddington learnt, what seems like ordinary wear and tear can sometimes be a hormonal SOS.

If left untreated, Hashimoto’s can quietly chip away at your health for years, leading to cardiovascular risks, mental health struggles, and long-term organ strain. That is why timely diagnosis and treatment are not just medical niceties; they are essential.

The message is simple: fatigue is not always “just life”. Sometimes, it is your body asking for help and that call deserves an answer.

You spot an itchy patch, a flaky scalp, or a rash after a bad week and think, “It’s probably nothing. Maybe I just need a better moisturiser.” But sometimes, skin changes are like quiet signs from your immune system, and ignoring them could mean missing a chronic condition hiding in plain sight: psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease whose symptoms are often mistaken for everyday skin issues. For light skin tones, it can show up red or pink with a silvery white scale; on darker skin tones, it might look purplish, grey, or dark brown, with scaling that’s less obvious.

Dr K R Sharmatha, Senior Consultant, Dermatology, SIMS Hospital, Chennai, says that because psoriasis often hides behind myths, it’s misdiagnosed as something else. So, let’s debunk nine common misconceptions that are actually signs you might have psoriasis, not just a skin infection.

1. It’s dry skin; a moisturiser will fix it

Early psoriasis can look like stubborn red or scaly patches on knees, back, scalp, or elbows, resulting in silvery-white scales on inflamed skin. Moisturisers won’t cut it; targeted treatments and light therapy are the real solutions.

2. If it itches, it’s probably eczema

Psoriasis can itch like eczema, but it’s not just a surface problem. The itching can cause burning and pain, with flare-ups that feel deep and relentless.

3. Flaky scalp = dandruff

Scalp psoriasis is thicker, with defined plaques and red blotches. Medicated shampoos containing coal tar or salicylic acid can help, but it needs proper diagnosis first.

4. Temporary allergy rash after illness or stress

After a sore throat, fever, or a rough life event, small teardrop-shaped red lesions might appear. This is often misread as an allergy rash, but it could be guttate psoriasis, triggered by immune stressors and treatable with immune-regulating medication and UV therapy.

5. Nail crumbling means vitamin deficiency

Yellow nails, tiny dents, or separation from the nail bed could mean nail psoriasis. It can even signal psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory joint condition.

6. Shiny red patches are sweat rash or fungal infections

Inverse psoriasis shows up as red, shiny patches without scaling, often in the groin, underarms, or under breasts. Its appearance fools people into thinking it’s a sweat rash or fungal infection. Gentle cleansers and prescription creams can help.

7. Skin issues and joint pain aren’t connected

Think again. Persistent stiffness or pain in fingers and knees can be psoriatic arthritis, which may show up without visible skin patches.

8. If it’s not visible, it’s not serious

Psoriasis can affect hidden spots like the inner thighs or inside the mouth, severely impacting quality of life and requiring customised treatment.

9. If it runs in the family, you’re stuck with it

Genetics can play a role, but early intervention reduces severity and prevents complications.

Dr Vaaruni Ravishankar, Consultant Dermatologist, MGM Healthcare, Chennai, explains that psoriasis can be silent, sometimes showing up as fissured palms and soles, oozing skin, persistent groin or armpit rashes, or rough, pitted nails. It can even come disguised as arthritis or link up with autoimmune gut issues.

However, don’t panic, self-treat, or ignore it. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition triggered by factors like hormonal changes, metabolic issues, genetics, stress, certain medications, infections, and lifestyle factors such as smoking or alcohol. But it’s not contagious.

Diagnosis often involves a clinical exam and, if needed, a skin biopsy to confirm. Dr Ravishankar recommends lifestyle adjustments, stress management, and targeted treatment, from topical formulations to immune-modulating medications or biologics that tackle inflammation. Daily care with pH-balanced cleansers, barrier-repair emollients, and sun protection can keep symptoms under control.

And if skin problems last more than two to four weeks, don’t keep guessing. Persistent discomfort, lack of improvement with fungal creams, or worsening skin could be subtle signs of psoriasis. Myths only delay care and in the case of psoriasis, early attention can change everything.