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Archive for January, 2011

A quick online search for the term Botox will reveal that there are as many people searching for Botox as there people searching for Botox alternatives. Botox was approved by the FDA in 2002 as a cosmetic procedure to get rid of wrinkles. A simple needle injection was demonstrated to miraculously eliminate nagging lines and wrinkles and the boom was on….until people started to read about what “tox” in Botox really was.

Botox is the trade name used for Botulinum Toxin Type A. Yes, I said toxin as in poison. Botox is in fact a relative of botulism, a kind of food poisoning. This food poisoning occurs when a person eats any kind of food that contains a neurotoxin which is created by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum.

Botulinum Toxin Type A, which is just one of seven of the neurotoxins that are produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. Botulinum Toxin Type A causes serious fatal conditions such as paralysis.

When this occurs, the neurotransmitter that is in charge of triggering muscle contractions (acetylcholine) can no longer be released. The Botulinum toxins have attacked the proteins such as SNAP-25 that are supposed to be essential for release of this acetylcholine.

The Botulinum toxins have now accomplished blocking the signals that are supposed to tell the victim’s muscles to contract.

By now you’re probably wondering why anyone would want to inject these toxins into their body INTENTIALY. The reason is that we want to get results fast and Botox does work. If any area of your body can be prevented from moving, then it can’t contract and guess what? It can’t wrinkle – that is the phenomenon of Botox!

Botox starts to work within hours but the results will not last permanently. Depending on your body, the effects of Botox can last anywhere from 3 to 8 months.

As for whether Botox is dangerous or not, the dangers remain fairly low.

Botox is definitely not recommended for people with neuromuscular disorders as it would be dangerous for them. It is also not recommended for people with cardiovascular disease. If you don’t have either of these problems you should still consult with your physician before considering Botox.

Studies have shown that if you are a person that is a good candidate for Botox injections and the injections are administered by a qualified profession you should not experience any dangerous side effects. If you are searching for a way to look longer, generally Botox is a relatively safe way to combat the aging process.

Hair diseases and hair loss are interrelated. One cannot be thought about without the other.

Common hair loss causes
No single factor can be marked out as the universal cause of hair diseases. There are several causes varying from person to person.

The two types of hair loss diseases
The hair loss causes can be broadly divided into the following two groups –

The temporary effect and the one involving a prolonged action, usually triggered by genetics.

a.) The temporary effect – Usually such cases can be cured by medications and treatments.
b.) Prolonged hair loss diseases – Such cases may require long term treatment. Sometimes the drug treatment might appear to be ineffective. In such circumstances surgery like hair transplantation may be the way.

The causes of temporary hair loss include the ones like child birth, using birth control pills, etc.
Another key factor can be hormonal imbalance. It can have a severe impact by causing pattern baldness. The latter comes in the list of major hair diseases.

Relation between hair diseases and hair loss
It is sometimes found that a particular hair loss cause is more commonly related to a particular hair disease. In this context one can refer to the acquired hair shaft defects. These defects are usually triggered by the excessive use of hair treatments and styling products.

Similarly, infectious diseases have their root in unhygienic scalp.

The common causes of hair loss diseases –

The common causes of hair loss diseases include the following –
• Hormonal imbalance
• Ailment
• Faulty hair styling
• Inadequate diet
Hormonal Imbalance
In men – Hormonal imbalance is a major cause of hair loss diseases among men. The male hormone testosterone plays a key role in actuating hair loss. The enzyme 5 alpha reductase in the hair follicles turns testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The latter is the most potent androgen promoting male pattern baldness, the common hair loss disease.

In women – Imbalance in thyroid hormone is a key cause of sudden hair loss among women. The thyroid gland’s being n the state of overactive and under active might cause hair fall. Thyroid hormones largely influence cellular metabolism of scalp proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and minerals. And the hair matrix cells are highly affected by the thyroid hormones’ excess or deficiency.

Hormonal imbalance also causes hair loss during pregnancy. Pregnancy witnesses a high level of estrogen hormones. This causes hair follicles percentage in anagen growth phase. But post-child birth there is a rapid fall in the estrogen level. Consequently a large number of hair follicles shift to a catagen phase. And gradually hair falls.

Women may also experience hair loss during post-pregnancy period. It is generally temporary in nature. But if it continues for months, then it may indicate hormonal imbalance in the body. And hormonal imbalance for an extended period requires proper treatment.

Ailment
Some of the serous ailments like high fever, severe infection, or flu may lead hair follicles to a resting phase. This condition called telogen effluvium results increased hair fall. But it is a temporary condition soon to be followed by normalcy.

Some cancer treatments also prevent the hair fiber growth. The hair becomes thin and breaks off. And gradually hair loss occurs. The condition starts within one to three weeks after the beginning of the chemotherapy treatment. The treatment may witness the patients losing up to 90 percent of their scalp hair.

Faulty hair styling

It means using certain hair styling techniques resulting in hair loss diseases like traction alopecia. In this condition the hair fibers are pulled out from the hair follicle by a hairstyle that pulls on the roots of the hair fibers. One example of such faulty hair styling is braiding cornrowing.

Cosmetic treatments like bleaching, coloring or hair straightening like chemical relaxing can also create problems if proper procedure is not followed.
Inadequate diet
Taking up crash diets for rapid weight loss may lead to hair loss. Such diets are low in protein, vitamins and minerals, thus causing malnutrition. Abnormal eating habits lacking important nutrients can also result into hair loss.

Being physically active is a vital part of being healthy for any individual. Eating a balanced healthy diet and being active in your daily life are the two best things to help keep you healthy and young. Everyone should try to get in at least three days a week where they are doing some sort of exercise, although more is better. Weight bearing exercise is important for some individuals, especially those who are suffering from bone loss, or have a history of bone loss in their family. Doing weight lifting exercises puts pressure on your bones which helps they to grow stronger. Other people who might want to do weight lifting exercises are those who want to have better definition in their muscles, or people who have sagging skin. Lifting weights will improve the overall look of your body by toning and tightening it up. Using light weights can still be effective for this, as long as you can feel some burn while you are working out. If you desire to use heavier weights there is no need for women to be afraid of becoming manly looking. It takes a long time and a lot of weights to get the look that most female body builders possess. Studies have shown that weight bearing exercise is just as beneficial to the heart as cardiovascular exercises. Weight lifting exercises should be done at least three times per week, and each body part should never be trained back to back.

Cardio exercise help you lose weight, lower your chance of heart attack, lower blood pressure, improve your mood and lower stress levels. Cardio exercise should be done about five times per week for maximum results. If you can’t do cardio five times per week, you should still try to fit it in three times per week as this will still benefit you greatly. You should chose a type of exercise that you enjoy, since if you chose something you find boring, chances are you won’t stick with it. Good ideas for cardio exercises include biking, walking, jogging, playing tennis, playing basketball, skating, inline skating, swimming, skiing and team sports. You can also use cardio as a type of functional exercise. This means instead of driving to the grocery store, try walking instead. This way you aren’t going out of you’re way to fit in exercise, but you are still reaping the benefits. You should try to do cardio for at least half an hour, and try to make sure you raise your heart rate a little.

Before engaging in any type of exercise, you should get a complete physical examination to make sure you aren’t suffering from heart disease or some other type of illness. After your doctor gives you the ok to start exercising, start out slow and work your way up. And remember, exercise should be fun and enjoyable.