INPUT ARTICLE: Article: India has 29 states and 7 union territories. All of the states and union territories are made up of detailed curved lines of different shapes and sizes, making it difficult to draw without referring to a picture of India’s states already drawn. Find a picture of India with all of the states clearly pictured and practice drawing them on your own map.  When figuring out how large or small to draw each state, use the eraser on your pencil or the tip of your finger as a measuring tool. For example, you might measure and find out that the length of India is 27 pencil erasers, and the first state that goes along this length is 3 pencil erasers long. If desired, label each state after you’ve drawn them all in, writing each state’s name. For example, you might label Andhra Pradesh, which is on the coast of India to the southeast, or Punjab, which is towards the northernmost tip of India. Some of the major cities in India include Mumbai, which is on the western coast of India a little more than halfway down the length of it, and New Delhi, which is towards the top middle of India. Decide which cities you’d like to include on your map, drawing a star, dot, or other symbol to show where they’re located.  Kolkata is located near the eastern tip of India, and Bangalore is in the middle of the bottom tip of India. Hyderabad is roughly three-quarters of the way down the middle of India going vertically. Use different colors to show the different elevations of India. Areas of very high altitude might be purple, while areas of average altitude are yellow, and areas of low altitude are green.  For example, color in the Himalayan mountains area, which is the northernmost point of India, a dark purple to show a very high elevation. The entire coast of India with the exception of the Himalayan mountains is a very low elevation. The middle of India and the southernmost area of India both have mountain ranges of average elevation. If you want to add some creativity to your map, choose major landmarks of India, such as the Taj Mahal, Golden Temple, or Amber Fort, and draw a small picture of them where they’re located. After drawing the simple picture, you can label the landmark too, if desired.  Consider putting the pictures of the landmarks in a key to the side of your map so you don’t need to write the names of each landmark directly on the map. For example, you might draw a simple outline of the Taj Mahal and place it 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) above the center of India. Draw lines in the shape of rivers to show where they’re located in India, or write the names of the oceans surrounding India. You can even use a blue pencil or pen to make it clearer that you’re depicting water.  You might label the Arabian Sea to the left of India, the Bay of Bengal to the right of India, and the Indian Ocean at the bottom of India. The Ganges river flows diagonally along the upper right section of India. The Narmada, Tapti, Krishna, and Kaveri rivers all flow horizontally across India. Your key will tell your map viewers what any symbols mean, such as a squiggly blue line portraying a river or a star signifying a city. Draw a box to the right of your map and put any symbols in the box that you show in your map, writing what the symbol means to the right of each one. In your key you might draw a picture of the Taj Mahal and write “Taj Mahal” next to it, or draw dotted lines and write “state boundary” next to it. Use crayons, colored pencils, or markers to enhance your map. Color each state a different color, or color in rivers and oceans a blue color to represent water. If you added landmarks to your map, add details using different colors. For example, color the states using colors like red, yellow, purple, and green.

SUMMARY: Draw the states and union territories of India to show boundary lines. Create dots or stars to mark the main cities in India. Illustrate the topography of India to show land contours. Draw small pictures to show important landmarks. Label any rivers or oceans to show the bodies of water. Make a key for your map so people can read it easily. Color your map to make states, landmarks, or bodies of water stand out.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Squeeze out a small dollop of scar cream onto 1 finger and rub it into your boil scars. When it’s fully rubbed in, the cream should be absorbed into the scar tissue. If the cream is visible after you’ve rubbed it in, you’ve probably applied too much. Leave the cream in place for 3–5 hours before washing it off, unless the product packaging directs otherwise.  You can apply scar treatment cream to boil scars anywhere on your body. Be sure to let the boil heal fully before applying the cream, though. Common brands of scar treatment gels include NewGel, BioCorneum, and Kelo-cote. These products are designed to shrink scar tissue and to lighten its appearance. Many scar gels also contain medium-SPF sunblock. The sunblock will help protect your scars from being damaged and darkened by sunlight. Squeeze a generous dollop of the gel into 1 hand and spread the gel across your boil scar tissue until it’s covered in a thick layer of gel. Wait 4–5 minutes for the gel to dry before putting any clothing or covering over the scars. In most cases, you only need to apply silicone gel twice per day. Continue using the gel twice daily until the boil scar shrinks in size and loses its raised texture.  Silicone gel has no side effects and does not cause pain when it’s applied to scar tissue.  Silicone gel works slowly. In most cases, you’ll need to apply the gel for at least 6 months before you begin to see results. While this may feel like a discouraging amount of time to wait, don’t give up! Silicone products work well and are very effective, so you’ll likely be happy with the results. If you don’t see results within 9-10 months, ask your doctor if another treatment method would be more effective.  Silicone gel is widely sold at drugstores and pharmacies. You can also check for it in the pharmacy section of a large supermarket. You can also tape a silicone gel sheet on the scar for 12-24 hours per day for 2-6 months. Wash the sheet daily and replace it with a new one every 10-14 days. Get a pressure garment or bandage that has at a rating of 20-30 mmHg. Put the garment on for 12-24 hours per day for 2-6 months to reduce the size of the scar and prevent the risk of recurrence after any surgical excisions. Chemical exfoliators are usually sold over the counter, so you can purchase a chemical exfoliator at your local drugstore. Squeeze out a dime-sized dollop onto a fingertip, and rub the serum into your boil scar. The exfoliator cream should form a thin layer over the scar when it’s properly applied. Repeat 2–3 times daily (or as suggested on the packaging), and you should see the scar becoming smaller and less noticeable.  Look for skin creams and exfoliating serums that contain either glycolic acid or a combination of salicylic-mandelic acids. Chemical exfoliating creams may cause discomfort on sensitive skin (e.g., around your mouth or eyes). If you feel a burning sensation when you apply the exfoliator, stop using this treatment method immediately. Purchase a skincare cream that contains vitamin E at a local pharmacy or drugstore. Apply a small dollop of vitamin E cream to each of your scars once daily for 2-3 weeks or until the scar tissue lightens. Speak to your doctor before using a vitamin E cream if you’re already using an exfoliator or another scar-treatment cream.  Studies have shown that vitamin E creams have mixed results. In some cases, vitamin E creams significantly lighten the appearance of scars, while in other cases, they have little to no effect. Vitamin E creams can have mild side effects, including slight itching and a mild rash.

SUMMARY:
Try a non-prescription scar treatment cream to shrink boil scars. Apply silicone gel to the boil scar to lighten its appearance. Use a pressure garment to help reduce scarring. Use a chemical exfoliator to flatten out raised boil scars. Spread a vitamin E cream on your scars for a natural alternative.