Posted by: Alyssa Morris in
Hair Loss on November 10th, 2011
Everyone, at one point will experience hair loss. Whether you’re a man or woman, young or old, this condition is inevitable and it is bound to occur.
Fortunately, there are a lot of hair loss treatments to choose from. There are surgical interventions like a hair transplant. Hair loss treatment products like dihydrotestosterone inhibitors, vasodilators, topical tonics, concealers, and natural herbal extracts specially made to combat hair loss.
Remember, the treatments work differently and most are specifically made to treat certain types of hair thinning. Below are different treatment modalities briefly explained to guide or give you an idea on how they work.
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Hair Transplant
By far, this is the most effective treatment to date. This is done by harvesting healthy hair from the patient, usually at the back area of the head and later transferred to the bald areas of the crown or scalp. This procedure is very laborious and last for hours, making it the most expensive of all treatments.
Finasteride
This is a chemical based hair treatment which aims to stop the production of dyhydrotestosterone (DHT). Specifically, finasteride inhibits the hormone 5-alpha reductase. This hormone is vital for the conversion of testosterone to DHT. This drug is taken internally and it stops the production of DHT systemically.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil is also a chemical based treatment but has a different mode of action. This drug comes as an aqueous or foam solution that is applied directly to the scalp. Minoxidil is a vasodilator; it widens the bore of the blood vessels, increasing the blood circulation to the scalp. This improves oxygenation and nutrient distribution to the hair follicles.
Saw Palmetto Extracts
The saw palmetto palm tree is a slow growing plant, native to the shores of North America. The extracts of the saw palmetto is used as a natural alternative to finasteride, therefore also inhibits the formation of DHT. Usually, saw palmetto extracts are added to shampoos as a topical treatment. Capsule preparations are also available to be taken internally. Herbal based products are easily broken down or metabolized by the body, making it the safest hair loss treatment available.
Concealers
These are microscopic fibers that are magnetically charged to stick or cling to existing hair. Some products use a special spray to make the fibers adhere better making it wind and water proof. Concealers are not considered a hair loss treatment, but it very at effective in hiding any bald spots or hair thinning.
Posted by: Alyssa Morris in
Hair Loss on November 9th, 2011
I recently read an article from one of my favorite medical websites focusing on male hair loss and treatment when without warning they referred to the natural hair re-growth products that have helped me keep most of my hair for the last 10 years as nothing more than “snake oils.” Wow, I didn’t know I was putting snake oil on my hair. Maybe that explains why my wife is starting to look at me a little differently these days. Furthermore, I better start searching for my receipts so I can take advantage of that full satisfaction refund policy because I sure wasn’t told about “snake oil” as an ingredient.
I wonder if the category of products in question would still be considered all natural?
In the article in questions dissertation of male hair loss and treatment the primary message was that pharmaceuticals such as Finasteride and Minoxidil were effective and everything else was not.
Perhaps they failed to read the clinic research on Minoxidil pointing out that it only re-grows quality hair less than 20 percent of the time. Or maybe the well intentioned authors had been locked in their research cubical for the last 20 years and not noticed just how many men are balding despite the use of the top-selling hair loss remedy Rogaine (contains 5 percent minoxidil).
I will be the first to tell you that slowing the progression of male hair loss is not easy and does require a healthy dose of determination along with some financial commitment. It is also true that successful treatment of hair loss is greatly dependent on early recognition and treatment. It isn’t something that can be put off for very long and still expect to achieve respectable results short of hair transplant surgery.
What are we really dealing with here?
When a man starts to notice thinning and/or balding the condition has likely been gradually building for 5 or more years and he likely has only about 70,000 out the initial 100,000 healthy hair follicles remaining active. The culprit is the harsh androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which over time accumulates one follicle at a time eventually rendering each unable to participate in the hair replacement cycle.
When it comes to hair loss and treatment the trick to success rests on reducing the production and accumulation of DHT and reinvigorating damaged follicles. The chances are not very good you will be able to jump-start those follicles which are dead or severely damaged. While there is a small chance this group of follicles can be rejuvenated the end result will be fuzz. Not exactly what most men struggle with loss of hair are needing to improve the look and feel of their hair.
The truth is when it come to male hair loss and treatment there could be a case made that it is not necessarily which type of product you use (though some are better than others) but how early you begin treatment.
Posted by: Alyssa Morris in
Hypertension on November 4th, 2011
Blood pressure homeostatis in humans is a result of the coordinated interactions of multiple physiological systems that are affected by many genetic and environmental factors. In many individuals, these factors combine to cause an elevation in blood pressure, or hypertension. Our interest in determinating the mechanisms regulating blood pressure stems from the fact that hypertension is a major health problem of populations worldwide, and causes devastating consequence such as stroke, heart failure and renal failure.
At present, high blood pressure is detected by screening, meaning that it cannot be diagnosed until it has developed. Recommendations for primary prevention of essential hypertension currently emphasize avoidance of factors that predispose to hypertension, such as obesity, physical inactivity, alcoholism and a high salt intake. Although such recommendations, if broadly accepted by the general public, would lead to a healthier population, they are difficult to uphold without patient compliance.
Identification of genetic marlers for a predisposition to hypertension in the future may permit focused intervention on such hypertensinogenic factors. For example, if an individual is found to have a genetic predisposition to impaired sodium homeostatis, the early introduction of salt restriction may help prevent hypertension, or at least delay onset. We may also predict blood pressure responsiveness to specific lifestyle interventions.
Drug Responsiveness
Drug effects are likely to be polygenocally determined. It may be feasible to develop gene markers for individual drug responsiveness in the future. This new field, termed “pharmacogenomics”, well probably help clinicians to prescribe more individualized of empirical treatment, to hypertensive patients. There have been several attempts to raltae genetic polymorphisms to drug responsiveness. There have also been attempts to ralate polymorphisms of the reninangiotensin sytem genes to effects to ACE inhibitors on the heart, and certain gene variants to diuretic responsiveness.
Target Organ Protection
Although many advances have been made in the treatment of hypertension, target organ damage remains a major cause of morbidity, and susceptibility genes may markerdly increase the risk of particular hypertensive complications.
In contrast to the numerous determinants of blood pressure level, it seems likely that target organ failure represents the “weak link” in a process of damage and repair, therefore, a smaller number of genes could predispose an individual to hypertensive complications. Genetic determinants for hypertensive organ damage may be closer to our traditional model of inborn errors of metabolism than to the complex trait of hypertension. Identifications of markers may enable us to intervene early before irreversible changes occur.
Essential hypertension has a complex pathogenesis in which many genetic and environmental factors interact. Identification of the causative genes of monogenic hypertension and its physiological dysfunction is still at an early stage. In the future, high-throughput techniques will accelerate the pace of discovery. Clinical practice in the management of hypertension will be altered by a new understanding of the condition.
Posted by: Alyssa Morris in
Cancer on November 2nd, 2011
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that kidney cancer treatments can be quite difficult to endure. Many resources exist for cancer patients which give different tips on coping with the onerous regimen of treatment. When a patient is initially diagnosed, they will be introduced to their treatment team. This team of health care professionals will give the majority of their care while their treatments are being carried out. The team will have an oncologist on it who will be the team leader, a radiation oncologist if the patient will be having radiation therapy, as well as a specialized cancer nurse and often a social worker to help the patient deal with the many issues that arise following a cancer diagnosis. All of the people will each play a vitally important role in the patient’s treatment.
Most people find that dealing with a cancer diagnosis is extremely frightening and intimidating. Nearly every person who is ever diagnosed with cancer will always first associate the diagnosis with a death sentence. However, it is important to remember that the number of cancer survivors increases every day. There are a number of different tips that can help a patient over the initial frightening experience.
The first and foremost thing to do is to educate the patient with as much information about their particular diagnosis as possible. This will help them move from a frightened and insecure patient to an informed patient. This will also equip them very well with the knowledge they will need to make the many decisions with which they will soon be faced regarding their treatment options. This will allow them to fare much better both psychologically and physically and become an active participant in their cancer treatment. They will be able to ask their treatment team questions as treatments and options are brought up in team meetings.
There are literally hundreds of places that offer extensive information about cancer in general and kidney cancer, in particular. The American Cancer Society is usually a patient’s first stop for the most reliable information. It is all available online and is all free to the general public. They have extensive resources on kidney cancer.
They also offer a great deal of information on all the types of treatments that are available for kidney cancer. There is information on the benefits and detriments of each different treatment and information about possible side effects of different types of treatments and chemotherapies. They also have information on the most up-to-date clinical trials that are available and what is required to participate in them.
The next thing that a newly diagnosed kidney cancer patient should do is obtain good emotional support. Undergoing cancer treatment can be like riding a roller coaster. One day, the patient will feel on top of the world, the next day, they will be depressed beyond measure. These feelings are normal and having someone to talk to can be a great help. Support can be found in the form of a cancer support group. These are often found at cancer centers and usually meet weekly. They are quite often facilitated by a social worker or a cancer nurse, someone with advanced training in how to deal with the emotional issues that arise in people with cancer.