Archive for September, 2009
When someone suffering from obesity is considering methods for losing weight safely, one choice they are likely to examine is something called gastric bypass surgery. This procedure is not the first choice nor even the second choice for obese people to think about. Rather, it is usually the last choice. But when it has been decided to take this path, their physician will explain to them the gastric bypass before/after plans that are associated with this invasive, yet successful form of weight loss. These plans will likely include a psychological component to treatment because of this life-altering, but life-saving event in the patient’s life. Patients will need to mentally prepare themselves for the stress they will endure while adjusting to the change in eating habits.
If you do not think you will follow the plan to keep the weight off, there is no reason to proceed with this surgery. Be mentally prepared to never again become obese if you decide on this medical operation.
The choice to have this medical procedure done should not be taken lightly. This is a lifestyle changing procedure that must be upheld or else all of the risks and money would be for nothing. This includes an appropriate diet after the surgery along with routine exercise.
The risks should be examined and the benefits weighed. Some of the most common risks are bleeding, infections, gallstones that may form from the sudden drop in weight, nausea if the person overeats, anemia and calcium deficiency.
Statistically speaking, 1 in every 300 patients who undergo gastric bypass will die from complications of the surgery. Because of this, serious consideration about gastric bypass before, after and for the rest of your life should be well thought out. Remember this is the last choice after dieting and exercise have failed to reduce your weight.
There are a good number of benefits including some reporting they no longer have hypertension, better sleeping patterns, less joint pain and having more energy. By having reduced weight to carry around, your pulmonary system will be less taxed. This will reduce your chances of heart disease.
The majority of patients have a dramatic increase in the quality of their life after surgery. Most of the weight loss occurs in the first 18 to 24 months after the surgery. Know the risks and benefits of gastric bypass before, after, and during the procedure for the best possible results.
Once someone has been diagnosed with obesity, they realize the long and difficult road ahead of them. Fortunately, there are many solutions available and resources to understand things like <a href="http://www.defeatingobesity.com/gastric-bypass-before-and-after/">gastric bypass: before and after</a>. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.defeatingobesity.com">Defeating Obesity</a> for additional Free information.
There is a point in our lives when we evaluate our weight. Actually, given the on-again/off-again behavior we have with diets, there may be many points in our lives when we take a look at the number on the weight scale. Frequently, the question we end up asking ourselves is, “Am I overweight?” But there is a group of people within this audience that would ask a different question. That question is, “Am I obese?”
Being overweight puts us all of us at risk. Health experts tell us that we are in danger of heart disease, high cholesterol, fatigue, and other complications when we are overweight. But for people who are obese, the risk is even greater and should seek the care of their physician to review the state of their health and come up with a plan to lose weight safely and consistently.
It’s when we ask ourselves “am I obese” and then answer “yes” that we come to a point that we accept we are in very poor health. Denying that we have a problem is what got us there in the first place. But once we finally accept the reality of it, we place ourselves on the right path to not only making our lives healthier, but actually adding years back to our lives by making healthier choices.
To truly know whether we are either overweight or obese, we must consult our physician. He or she will be able to run the appropriate tests we need to make a well-informed decision. But for purposes of this article, obesity is defined as having too much body fat that can eventually lead up to problems like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and others. Even though we may not feel unhealthy now despite the weight we carry, we are still at risk as these conditions are ticking time bombs lying in wait to make themselves known some day.
One of tests that our physician is likely to perform on us is to calculate our BMI, or Body Mass Index. This is our height and weight combined. On average, if we have a BMI that exceeds 30, then we are considered to be at risk due to our current health condition and should take immediate action to remedy the situation. No matter what solution we choose, the problem will not go away over night, nor in a week or month. It took time to get our bodies to the condition they are in right now and it will take some time to reverse the process and get us back to proper health.
If you answered yes when you asked yourself “am I obese”, then you might feel apprehension and uncertain of what to do. The physical signs may be obvious: our clothes don’t fit us and are getting harder to find in our size at the store, our stomach folds over the waistline, we are short of breath by just walking. But we can be stubborn at times and rationalize to ourselves that we are not “that” fat. Or we may push the problem off until tomorrow, promising to start fresh. Well, tomorrow comes and goes, and we find ourselves at the same weight and getting larger as each day passes.
Take solace in the fact that we are not alone and we are justifiably frightened. But there is help and lots of it. As stated before, our best resource is going to be our doctor.
Someone who is facing obesity can their level of success by making a commitment to a loved one, a friend, and most importantly to themselves. They can make a promise that they are going to lose weight regardless of how difficult it will be. Let’s say it’s a friend. The friend should encourage you and also hold you accountable for your progress as you make the journey to meet your thinner self.
Studies have shown that it can take up to 45 days to change a habit, maybe more. It can be a challenge to “re-wire” the way we do things and fighting obesity is no exception because it involves our fondness of food. Maybe it is a favorite snack we like to indulge in or the pleasure we have in consuming food until we feel full. In any case, in order to succeed with anything, especially with obesity, we need to set realistic short term goals. For instance, attempting to lose 10 pounds by next week is a short sighted goal goal and is an unsafe way to consistently lose fat. But trying to lose a couple of pounds this week, and the next, and so on, all while following your doctor’s orders for the plan he has put you on is a little more realistic. Your sense of accomplishment will help motivate you further plus you will feel good about yourself, both mentally and physically.
So “am I obese?” is what you should be asking yourself. Answering this question honestly can be the first step in restoring your body to health whether you are overweight or obese. Be forgiving of yourself. Know that you can go back to when you were a thinner persons. You will not be alone in this journey, but you must realize that you are the one in charge if you are to reach a successful body weight. No amount of help and planning is going to do it for you.
Once someone has been diagnosed with obesity, they realize the long and difficult road ahead of them. Fortunately, there are many solutions available and resources to understand things like what a <a href="http://www.defeatingobesity.com/a-good-bariatric-diet-increases-the-success-of-gastric-bypass-surgery/">bariatric diet</a> can do for them. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.defeatingobesity.com">Defeating Obesity</a> for additional Free information.
There are lots of obesity treatments available for people afflicted with obesity. Prior to taking drastic measures, consultation with a physician should be done. They are really the only person who can help any individual come up with a proper plan that will have the most likely chances of succeeding.
If you are suffering from obesity, then your doctor will advise you on how much exercise you can do without endangering your life. This is important. If you overdo it, there could be fatal consequences. Your heart has been under a heavy toll from the excessive weight. Special care is a must.
You will find that obesity treatments will always include some form of a meal plan. There is no way to avoid it because all obesity treatments include the common problem of having poor eating habits. This, of course, will have to change. A new lifestyle is what is in store for those that stick with it. There are many different medications your doctor may ask you to try in your effort to lose weight. Each type works in a different way. Your part is to listen to your body and beware of how it responds to these medicines. If you choose to ignore any signs, then you are putting your health at risk, wasting your time and money.
There are medications designed to make you feel fuller quicker. There is another class that will assist your body in limiting the amount of nutrients that are absorbed. Both of these have a common goal, which is to help you reduce the size of your stomach. The smaller your stomach is, the less you will be able to eat.
The most important part of any treatment with regard to obesity is the psychological preparation for a new life. You will look and feel healthier, but others will perceive you differently. Prejudice is neither nice nor welcome by people, but it does happen. Be ready to be looked at like just another person without any prejudgments.
Your physician will be able to explain all of the obesity treatments available to you and help select the right one for you.
Once someone has been diagnosed with obesity, they realize the long and difficult road ahead of them. Fortunately, there are many solutions available and resources to understand things like what a <a href="http://www.defeatingobesity.com/follow-a-gastric-bypass-diet-to-ensure-future-success/">gastric bypass diet</a> can do for them. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.defeatingobesity.com">Defeating Obesity</a> for additional Free information.
Restoring the hair lost due to hereditary factors is the dream of many hair loss sufferers. Until not too long ago, the only effective and authentic-looking methods of reversing hair loss were non-surgical cover-ups. It was only with the advent of follicular unit transplantation and the discovery of the true cause of baldness – the harmful effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on our hair follicles – that the hair-loss sufferer’s chances of reversing hair loss naturally have greatly improved.
The three best weapons in the fight against hair loss today are the two FDA-approved medicinal drugs – finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine) and hair surgery, the follicular unit transplantation and, especially, the follicular unit extraction technique. However, no ultimate cure exists yet as each of the three aforementioned hair restoration methods has its limitations. Minoxidil and finasteride work well only in the vertex area of the scalp, and finasteride cannot be used by women. Hair surgery is suitable only for people who have sufficient hair density in the donor area, and many women, who typically suffer from diffuse thinning, do not make good candidates for hair transplantation.
Therefore, scientists around the world are relentlessly searching for new approaches to treating baldness. There are presently several promising drugs and new techniques under development listed below but progress seems to have slowed down recently due to the global financial crisis, as some R&D projects are finding it increasingly difficult to raise financing to further their research.
The greatest progress has been achieved on dutasteride. Dutasteride is an antiandrogen, in its chemical structure and mode of action it is similar to finasteride. It is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and since it is a dual 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, it should be a more potent DHT blocker than finasteride. Therefore, it is thought to be more effective in treating hair loss, especially in the frontal area of the scalp. Dutasteride completed Phase III clinical testing this year and the study results are expected to be published soon.
NEOSH101 was originally developed by the US medical research firm Neosil and was until recently undergoing phase IIb clinical testing. At the end of 2008, Neosil was acquired by Peplin, Inc., a development stage specialty pharmaceuticals company and since then no information on the further progress of the clinical trials has been released. In previous clinical trials, NEOSH101 was proven to be a more powerful and faster-acting, hair growth stimulant than minoxidil and it only needs applying once daily. Though significantly improving the current hair-loss treatment options, NEOSH101 is not going to become the ultimate cure for baldness. The clinical trials seem to be advancing slower than most hair-loss sufferers would like and, hence, do not hold your breath waiting for it to hit the market anytime soon.
Another promising development area is the telomerase research. Telomerase is an enzyme that is able to put natural caps on telomeres and thus protect them from shortening. Telomerase thereby maintains the genomic integrity. Shortened telomeres are associated with causing premature aging processes. However, the uncontrolled activation of telomerase can trigger cancer. Cancer research is the main focus of the telomerase studies but scientists are also looking for other applications, such as anti-aging drugs and drugs against baldness and grey hair. Telomerase research could really change the world of medicine but its commercial application might be a good 15 years away.
Hair multiplication, often called hair regeneration or hair cloning, is the next hopeful treatment option being developed. This technique involves extracting hair follicles from the back of the patient’s scalp, culturing and multiplying them and injecting the newly-grown hair cells into the bald scalp area. The UK healthcare firm Intercytex appears to be the frontrunner in hair multiplication research. Intercytex has already completed phase II clinical study of ICX-TRC (a suspension of a patient’s own dermal papilla cells). The main benefit of hair multiplication would be solving the shortage of donor hair that is the main limiting factor in hair transplant surgery. However, Intercytex is currently facing financial difficulties and after failing to find an investor, it will have to continue operating on its own. Aderans, the main competitor of Intercytex, has also recently launched a Phase II clinical study on cell-based hair regeneration for men and women.
Generating new hair follicles in hair-free skin wounds is a completely new approach to regrowing hair. It was discovered accidentally when wounded skin in mice started producing new hair. This technology is currently being developed by the US medical device company, Follica, which has licensed this technology from the University of Pennsylvania. Though this method may sound weird, it is said to only use common instruments and drugs that have already been medically approved and thus it might not take too long for it to become available.
This list of the undergoing projects in the area of hair-loss research includes the most promising lines of development but it is not exhaustive. However, none of the new therapies, with the exception of dutasteride’s application for treating hair loss in men, is expected to hit the market before 2013 and the immediate future of hair restoration lies in improving the surgical techniques, increasing the yields of the follicular unit extraction method and making it more affordable to a larger portion of the population.
About the Author
For more information on novel as well as existing treatments for hair loss and grey hair please visit the author’s website dedicated to educating the public on treating genetically-determined hair conditions and do not be ashamed to write a review on the hair treatments and therapies you have used, in order to help others assess the potency of available products.
Article Source: Content for Reprint
There are a variety of reasons why someone who suffers from obesity need to regain their health. Fortunately there are just as many solutions available. One method is to develop a personal bariatric weight loss program with your doctor.
This special program includes the use of appetite control medication to help you resist the urge to eat. For some people, will power is just not enough to combat obesity. That is why there are medications specifically designed to help you resist the temptation of consuming food. Since medications are involved, a proper program will have a qualified physician monitoring the patient’s progress.
A key to having a successful outcome is the modification to your behavior. This is when your mental approach to food is changed. Learning how to change the way you view food is essential to changing your eating habits.
Some programs out there will consist of pre-packaged foods. This is an effective method, but in most cases they require a continual payment, which may prove cost-prohibitive for some customers. Additionally, once the program has ended, some customers fall back into their old routine when there is an absence of the support they used to have. The best programs show you what types of food to buy and how to prepare a delicious and nutritious meal that will help you lose weight and maintain it. This is where nutrient counseling is used as part of the bariatric weight loss program. This will help those participants keep the weight off after the program has ended.
While undergoing a bariatric weight loss program, participants will need to also subject themselves to routine medical examinations. These will often include lab tests on their blood and other body fluids to ensure their blood sugar levels and lipids are within the normal healthy range.
Another key component to the success of this type of program is to increase your activity level. You will never be asked to run a marathon, of course, but walking will be a great way to start.
Deciding on participating in a bariatric weight loss program is the first step to losing those unwanted pounds.
Just like doctors have their own areas of expertise, so do attorneys. A <a href="http://www.attorneyinfonow.com/what-is-a-wrongful-death-attorney-2/">wrongful death attorney</a>, for example, can help when a person dies due to someone else's negligence. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.attorneyinfonow.com">Attorney Info Now</a> to get more Free information about other types of attorneys and how they work to protect your rights.
Obesity, or over-nutrition, is the generalized accumulation of fat both beneath the skin and throughout the body. Some children are big, or stocky, because they have large skeletal frames. They are not obese. There are general guidelines for appropriate weight for a given height, but these are only general guidelines.
For a girl who is 1.09 meters tall (43 inches), the average weight is 18kg (40lbs). Anywhere between 15-22kg (33-46lbs) would be considered healthy. Your daughter’s 33kg (72lbs.) are significantly outside this range.
Obesity is usually caused by an individual’s eating more food than is necessary for him or her. Less activity than the individual needs can also cause obesity, but this is less common in children. Whatever the cause, certain children inherit a genetic predisposition to obesity. They may eat the same diets as thinner children, but store more of the calories as fat.
The body stores new fat either by increasing the number of fat cells or by increasing the size of existing cells. It is particularly important to control childhood obesity since new fat cells are primarily formed during childhood. Each year of adding these extra fat cells makes adult obesity more difficult to fight.
Overweight children are not gluttonous or lazy. In fact, many studies have shown that obese children do not eat more calories than their peers. And by actually measuring caloric expenditure using the double-labeled water method, investigators have shown that obese children actually expend more energy than their non-obese counterparts. Obese children need less food and more activity than their peers.
A variety of hormonal disorders, including problems with insulin, hypothalamic hormones, and pituitary hormones, can cause severe obesity. There are also a number of rare inherited syndromes (such as Laurence-Moon-Biedl, Prader-Willi, and Cushing) that produce obesity. If a child’s height is appropriate or advanced for her age (like your daughter’s), and if a child has a strong family history of obsesity, one of these underlying medical conditions is extremely unlikely. On the other hand, an obese child with slow height growth should certainly be evaluated.
As childhood obesity has become more common, we are seeing more and more children with hypertension (high blood pressure) and with insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus. For decades, we have seen that these diseases cause serious chronic medical problems as adults – we are now seeing these chronic problems in children as well! While there is still some controversy surrounding when to screen and treat children for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I would suggest that all parents of overweight children discuss this issue with their pediatrician.
Obesity is very difficult to treat, since it involves permanently changing basic eating and exercise habits. Successes almost always involve changing the whole family’s habits to ones appropriate for the obese child. As we all know, healthy eating and exercise habits are good for us all! Cutting excess intake is best achieved by first keeping a careful record of food consumed, to identify particularly high fat or high calorie problem areas in the diet. The entire family must learn what fat is and what foods are high in fat (such as cheese, butter, margarine, nuts and nut-butters, oil, red meat, fried foods, most processed fast foods or snack foods, etc., etc.). Instead, whole fruit, whole vegetables, and whole grains should make up the bulk of the diet. Whatever the daily activity level of the family, it should be modestly increased.
Most families are not able to make these lasting changes on their own, and will benefit from meeting with an independent party at least once a week for 12 weeks. Ideally this outside individual would be a nutritionist or an expert in weight management, but even a committed friend would do. In many cities pediatric weight management programs such as Shapedown are available, and are very effective. Whatever the source, monitoring should continue at least monthly for the remainder of the first year, and then every 3 to 4 months until the new habits have become very deeply ingrained.
www.drgreene.com
http://www.drgreene.com/21_1152.html
Statistic says diabetes is increasing from day in to day out similar to pollution; the reason behind this dangerous increase in number of people with diabetes is due to modern lifestyle that we are following.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic complex disease caused by having too much glucose (sugar) in the blood.
If the body produces insulin, but it is not enough or not effective (i.e. the muscle cell not responding to insulin) then it called as type 2 diabetes otherwise called as insulin resistance.
If the body stops producing insulin then it is called as type 1 diabetes otherwise called as Juvenile diabetes or Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Type 1 diabetes needs insulin to control their blood glucose level.
What is a modern lifestyle?
• Living a life away from nature, that is isolating from the nature.
• Eating harmful foods, example eating fast foods, bakery items and ready to eat packed foods.
• Every thing we need is just a phone call away, so low or no physical activity.
• Over enthusiastic in health: so over nutrition, over weight and obese.
Some easy tips to avoid or reverse diabetes,
• Reduce body weight; if excess body weight is reduced that means body fat reduction, so chance of diabetes resistance (insulin resistance) is reduced.
• Increasing physical activity in our daily activities; if physical activity is increased then some extra calories will be burnt, so naturally reduction in blood glucose level.
• Cut down the intake of fat rich and sugar rich food items.
• Plan to include more soluble fibers in your diet plan. Soluble fibers can help in the elimination of digestive foods from our body.
• Importantly; learn to include diabetes herbs in your daily life with a tasteful recipe, if you are not interested to include in your food then it can be taken as medicine, it is available in capsule forms. For information on diabetes natural herbs with scientific proof on the effectiveness of diabetes treatment visit http://healthy-ojas.com/diabetes/diabetes-herbs.html
Natural Diabetes herbs
Now-a-days people are upset with diabetes modern treatments, because of its numerous side effects and high cost involved.
Thus diabetics start searching for an alternative medicine which has
• Limited or no side effect,
• Curable chance or effective blood glucose control,
• Lower in cost
• Other health benefits.
The above expectations are fulfilled by diabetes herbal remedies. Natural herbs for diabetes believed to control blood glucose or sugar, additionally it improve the functioning of the pancreas, liver, kidney, heart and eye, which are behind the diabetes cause or affected by diabetes complications.
That means herbs are not only useful in the treatment or reversal of diabetes and also it helps to limit or eliminate diabetes complications such as Diabetes Neuropathy (nerve damage), Heart attack and stroke, Retinopathy (Eye disease), Gastroparesis (digestion problem – delayed stomach emptying), Nephropathy (Kidney disease), Erectile dysfunction (sexual impotency), Bladder control problems, Urinary tract infections, and depression.
Please note
Diabetes natural herbs are effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes with some life style changes and support in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. If type 1 diabetes don’t stop insulin therapy, take herbs along with insulin therapy if feel effective blood glucose control than before then slowly limit your insulin dose, but never stop taking insulin.
That’s why people with diabetes are showing interest in alternative diabetes treatment such as natural diabetes herbs, diabetes yoga, etc.
About the Author
I personally benefited with alternative medicine such as herbs, homeopathy, yoga, acupressure and reflexology. I like everyone should enjoy that benefit, so I decided to popularize alternative medicine.
Article Source: Content for Reprint
At the moment, there are only two medicinal treatments that have been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the US for treating hair loss – topical minoxidil (trade name Rogaine) and oral finasteride (Propecia). Topical minoxidil is suitable for both sexes, whereas finasteride can only be prescribed to male patients. Minoxidil is a vasodilator, originally used to treat high blood pressure, which was later found to stimulate hair growth when applied topically to the scalp. Finasteride is an antiandrogen that was first used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as prostate enlargement. It acts by inhibiting conversion of the male hormone testosterone to the follicle-harming dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The discovery of finasteride’s positive effects on hair growth led to finding the true cause of hereditary baldness, which is the harmful attacks of DHT on our hair follicles. Since making this discovery, a quest for other alternative DHT blockers has begun, especially amongst antiandrogen drugs and herbs that have, in the past, been used to treat urinary problems.
Dutasteride (trade name Avodart) is an antiandrogen drug similar to finasteride in its chemical structure and mode of action and has been studied extensively for treating hair loss. It has recently completed phase III clinical testing for efficacy and safety in the treatment of male pattern baldness and the study results are pending. Like finasteride it is also used for treating BPH. Dutasteride is believed by many to be a more powerful hair loss drug than finasteride but also with more severe side effects.
Flutamide (trade name Eulexin) is a very strong antiandrogen used to treat prostate cancer. It works by binding to the androgen receptors and thus competing with DHT. Oral use of flutamide can cause serious side effects but it is believed that topical applications might have less adverse side effects and could be, in the future, used to treat hereditary hair loss. More research is needed to verify such claims.
Spironolactone (trade name Aldactone) is another antiandrogen that works by binding to androgen receptors, competing with DHT. It is used in women to treat acne, hair loss and excess body hair and although there are some generic topical applications for the treatment of male pattern baldness which contain spironolactone, it has never been approved to treat hair loss in men and should be avoided. For women, spironolactone can be considered as a reasonable alternative to the men’s best hair-loss pill, finasteride, which cannot be used in women.
As has been mentioned earlier, following the discovery of DHT attacks on hair follicles being the true cause of hereditary baldness, herbalists started looking for possible natural alternatives to finasteride among plants that have been traditionally used to treat urinary problems and, more specifically, enlarged prostates.
Saw palmetto has been used for decades to treat prostate enlargement and it is one of the few plants used in natural remedies that have been subjected to some sort of scientific research in regards to their potential for treating BPH. Its supporters assume that it works by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into prostate and follicle-harming DHT but no study has yet confirmed this assumption. No clinical research has ever been conducted on saw palmetto’s effects on hair loss. Despite that, saw palmetto is widely used by thousands of hair loss sufferers around the world as a safe natural alternative to finasteride.
Extract from the bark of the evergreen tree pygeum africanum is another popular herbal ingredient found in natural hair-loss treatments and many herbalists believe it is more potent in treating hair loss than saw palmetto. Its rise to fame also comes from the general assumption that this plant, thought to be beneficial for treating prostate enlargement, must be also effective in treating hair loss. Pygeum africanum has been less well studied than saw palmetto and it has never been used in any clinical hair-loss study.
The third most popular herbal ingredient used in natural hair-loss cures is nettle root extract. This herbal drug is derived from the root of the stinging nettle, a popular healing plant found in temperate and subtropical zones of the northern hemisphere. Its use in natural hair-loss remedies also stems from the fact that it is supposed to help shrink enlarged prostates and is thus believed to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Like the two aforementioned herbal extracts, nettle has never been used in any clinical hair-loss study.
This list of hair-loss drugs and herbal extracts that are believed to mimic the actions of finasteride, the only approved pill for hair loss, is not exhaustive. There are many other ingredients, mostly of natural origin, that claim the ability to block DHT and thus reverse hair loss. However, no clinical proof exists that any herb contained in the natural remedies promotes new hair growth. Whether you decide to try a commercial herbal remedy or just one or two herbs on their own, keep in mind that, besides there being no guarantee of their effectiveness, no daily dosage has been established and side effects might occur, despite the general belief that herbal hair-loss remedies are safe and free of them. In addition, it is not advised to try any of the aforementioned medicinal substitutes to finasteride without first consulting your doctor.
About the Author
For more information on the existing hair loss treatments and methods of covering gray hair, please visit the author’s website dedicated to educating the public on treating hair loss and premature grey hair and use it to share your own experiences with the hair loss or grey hair products you have used.
Article Source: Content for Reprint
Concealing bald spots is for many patients affected with baldness the only existing option to regain the appearance of a full head of hair, as hair regrowth treatments only work for some hair loss conditions. Non-surgical hair replacement is another term used for covering bald spots by non-surgical means. The two main techniques of non-surgical hair replacement today involve the use of hair systems and hair loss concealers. Various types of hair systems exist, such as full wigs, hairpieces, toupees, hair extensions and weaves. They can all look very authentic and have been used for centuries to cover bald areas. However, their main weaknesses are high maintenance costs and, in many situations, the discomfort of wearing them.
Concealers are a relatively new invention, designed to overcome the difficulties associated with wearing and maintaining wigs, but many people think they are not capable of withstanding adverse external conditions and appear unnatural. This no longer seems to be true, as many of them have greatly improved recently, both in terms of their authentic appearance and their resistance to external influences. It pays to understand how different types of hair replacement products work, in order to estimate their suitability for your current condition and compatibility with your lifestyle.
HAIR SYSTEMS
As for hair systems, there are a number of factors determining the user experience, as well as their price, such as the type of hair, the technology used to make the wig, the foundation of the hair system and how it is attached to the scalp. As far as the type of hair goes, it can be artificial or natural. The latter can be of animal or human origin. Human hair requires more care than artificial hair but it looks more authentic, lasts longer and is more comfortable to wear. Its downside is its higher cost and the fact that it can lose its colour when exposed to direct sun for long hours, or break, as normal human hair does. Secondly, hair systems can be hand-tied or machine-tied. Hand-tied wigs happen to be the more expensive alternative and the more authentic-looking solution. In addition, the foundation of a hair system can be either a polymer or a mesh. The polymer foundation is the more affordable, though less comfortable, option but it lasts longer.
The method of fixing a wig to your scalp and blending it with your existing hair is an extremely important factor. The semi-permanently attached hair systems are either glued to your scalp or woven into your existing hair and can only be removed in a hair salon, once every five weeks for cleaning. The temporarily-attached hair systems use double-sided sticky tape or clips to attach the hairpiece to your scalp and existing hair. You can remove and clean them any time you like but they can also be easily and unexpectedly removed, which can lead to embarrassing situations.
One thing that can surprise many potential buyers is the price. Although you can get a wig for a few hundred dollars, the more authentic-looking pieces cost a few thousand dollars and require regular maintenance costing a couple of hundred dollars a month. In addition, you need to buy at least two identical pieces, one to wear while the other is being maintained by your hair salon.
HAIR LOSS CONCEALERS
Hair loss concealers, also known as hair thickeners, are an alternative to hair systems for people who have some miniaturised fine hair left in their balding area. They are more comfortable to wear than wigs but they can never give a full head of hair to a completely bald person. They also seem to be a less expensive solution compared with hair systems.
There are three hair loss-concealing techniques that do the trick by: a) painting your scalp to match your hair colour, b) thickening your hair by coating and penetrating the hair and trapping moisture and volume-building proteins inside the hair shaft and, lastly, c) there are microfibers that cling to your hair like branches to the trunk of a tree, increasing the hair density. Microfiber-based, hair loss concealers can be typically applied in as little as 30 seconds, as opposed to a minimum of five minutes for hair-thickening concealers. However, microfibers are less water-resistant and it is quite difficult to apply them precisely and, therefore, they are not very good at creating an authentic-looking frontal hairline. Their biggest advantage is that they are unrecognizable in your hair, even with a very close inspection.
Hair thickeners, especially those that also colour your scalp, are extremely water-resistant and excellent for frontal hairlines but they take longer to apply. Their greatest weakness, in comparison to microfibers, is that in direct sunlight it can be visible to a sharp eye that the scalp has been painted. Some hair loss sufferers use a combination of two products simultaneously to overcome the weaknesses of individual products and to achieve the most authentic shade and appearance. Most often a combination of a hair thickener and a microfibrous concealer is used. The results of such combinations are often excellent even in people with very thin hair.
It can be concluded that wigs are more expensive and less comfortable than hair-loss concealers but they can cover a completely bald head, so they can also be used with burn patients and patients affected by alopecia areata, where concealers are of little help. Hair-loss concealers are suitable mainly for special occasions, when you want to look your best but many people use them permanently with good success.
About the Author
Visit the Dody’s website to learn more about different types of products used for concealing hair loss and for additional information on dealing with hair loss and other genetically-determined hair conditions such as premature gray hair and dandruff.
Article Source: Content for Reprint
Background
The human body is covered in hair which grows through minute “holes” in the skin, called pores. The sebaceous glands produce oils which lubricate the skin. However, when these glands become overactive, which is quite common in adolescence, they can cause blockages in the pores due to a combination of the oily sebum from these glands, dead skin cells and keratin, the major constituent of hair.
When these blockages enlarge and become open, this can lead to the formation of a Blackhead. However, should these enlargements remain closed, then a Whitehead may be formed. If these blockages are left unattended, inflammation can set in resulting in the unsightly scars often associated with Acne.
Contrary to popular view, Acne is not caused by dirt. The black colour associated with Blackheads is not dirt, but oxidised keratin. The blockages of keratin that cause Acne occur deep within the narrow follicle channel where it is impossible to wash away. When the cells lining the ducts do not flow to the surface in the sebum created by the body, then plugs are formed.
The build up of oil on the skin can block the passages of these pores, and so regular washing of the face can clear away the old oil and help unblock the pores.
Main Causes
Research has identified a number of factors associated with the onset of Acne. These can be summarised as follows:
Hormones – During puberty, for example, the production of male sex hormones may increase with the result that the sebaceous glands will generate more sebum.
Bacteria – Certain forms of Acne can be caused by a particular bacterium which can be resident in the pores of the skin.
Hereditary – There is a strong evidence to suggest a link between Acne and the various members of the same family. In this way, later generations can inherit more vigorous strains of the spots and sores.
Stress – There is an increase in the production of the hormones from the adrenal glands during stressful interludes. Such a connection to Acne is now thought doubtful.
Scratching – Any form of skin irritation, such as the simple act of scratching the sores or spots, will augment any existing inflammation.
Certain Medications – There is evidence to suggest that the use of certain medicines containing barbiturates, the halogens, such as chlorides and iodides, and lithium may be linked to Acne.
The occurrence of Acne Vulgaris in older people is not very common. However, adults can be susceptible when it can be associated with other conditions, such as pregnancy. Also, during the menopause, the hormone estradiol may no longer be produced. As a result, this can lead to the incidence of a type of Acne that is specific to this period in a woman’s life.
The areas of the body most commonly affected are the face and upper portion of the neck. However, the chest, back and shoulders may also be prone to acne. The upper parts of the arm can also become affected.
Apart from the unsightly scars, the main effects experienced by an individual are psychological, such as reduced levels of self-esteem. Further, recent studies have indicated that other associated episodes include depression, and even suicide.
The onset of acne is usually during adolescence. This is the period in their lives when young people tend to be most socially insecure. It is for this reason that a programme of early and aggressive treatment is therefore advocated. In this way, it is felt that such a course of action would tend to lessen the overall impact upon the individual.
Acne – How To Succeed
About the Author
Peter Radford writes Articles with Websites on a wide range of subjects. Acne Articles cover Background, Causes, Scars, Various Treatments in Detail.
His Website has many more Acne Articles, written by others and carefully selected.
View his Website at: acne-how-to-succeed.com
View his Blog at: acne-how-to-succeed.blogspot.com
