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| HAIR CARE |
| Sun, 16th June 2013 |
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There are 100,000 scalp hairs in blonds and brunettes, 120,000 in dark browns and black. Each one is an individual, has life, a personality of its own, and likes lots of LTC - that means "loving tender care". As a family, it hates rough handling. Combing is fine, in fact, it loves it. This stimulates the root or follicle from which it sprouted. This keeps on manufacturing new cells which produce 0.35 mm of new hair a day - roughly one cm a month. The hair root has its own robust blood supply and nerves, that's why it whinces when somebody pulls it. A tiny bulb called a "sebaceous gland" is attached to the root. This produces sebum, a thin oil which coats the hair as it emerges from the scalp. HAIR SHAFT The hair shaft is covered with tiny scales. When brushed , they reflect the light, which makes it sparkle. This is the basis for all the concoctions claimed to make hair more beautiful. It does not, just alters the direction of the scales and how they reflect light rays. There are more sebaceous glands in the scalp skin which also produce sebum. Scalp becomes greasy if over productive. The shaft is dead from the scalp up (like finger nails). Each shaft likes to be clean. Soaps leave a film of suds. Hair hygiene prefers non alkaline shampoos - some are better for dry, normal or oily hair. SCALP MASSAGE The scalp loves being massaged - use the flats of the fingers and do it a hundred times a day. It improves circulation (= more oxygen to promote growth and general scalp health). It takes away by-products of metabolism (=CO2). Hair does not like combs with teeth broken or missing. It loves the feel of a pig bristle brush - still the best. Teasing and over-play is uncomfortable, and best resisted. If there are cracks, chop them off. Otherwise the split will track down to the scalp. Although most women attend hairdressers regularly, hair does not like artificial chemicals. At some stage it may rebel - and then start and look tatty. All self inflicted, so do it at your peril. Zinc increases rate of hair growth (say 20 mg tablet a day) Thinning hair maybe due to an under-active thyroid gland (readily measured and treatable). Some practitioners believe in hair analysis - western doctors do not. Some claim it can diagnose all manner of illnesses. Utter nonsense (and it is expensive too). Long live women's crowning glory! |
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| MIGRAINE and VITAMIINS |
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I saw on telly recently that some vitamins can fix migraine. Is this true? |
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Recently a medical researcher made the "record breaking news" that some vitamins successfully reduce migraine, and was appealing for people to enter a clinical trial. All good stuff. However, it is not really new. About 35 years ago the "British Medical Journal" published a letter which said vitamin B2 could reduce or prevent them. This is also known as riboflavine, present in milk and other foods. It's the vitamin that causes the urine to turn bright yellow (in case you've ever looked). From time to time it again pops up - like every ten years or so. Yes, give it a try, but fairly large doses are needed. It is harmless. It is not prescribed by doctors, and no drug company invests in it because it is so cheap and widespread. (No profit in other words.) |
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| UNCOMFORTABLE EYE |
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I occasionally suffer from an "uncomfortable eye", for no apparent reason. |
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There is always a reason for any uncomfortable symptom. A symptom is natures way of alerting you that an abnormal issue has arisen. Often these are minor, and the reason unclear. Often splashing water over the face and eyes gives relief, or it may wash away a superficial foreign body (like speck of dust). Always have some liquid tears in the cupboard (the single dose plastic blobs are best). A couple of drops applied to the corner of the eye may sting, but then give incredible relief. It may be repeated every few hours if necessary. |
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| TAG |
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I can feel a funny little soft "thing" at my rear end. It is not sore (and I'm not into weird sex). |
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This is probably a "sentinel pile" probably a tiny enlarged blood vessel. It may reduce in size with an ointment (such as Proctosedyl or others). Sometimes a tiny skin tag grows for no good reason. This is harmless. See the doctor if worried. Warts can also grow, but are usually from a virus (such as herpes). |
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| BLUE BOTTLE STINGS |
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Occasionally one suffers from a nasty sting from the long tentacle of a blue bottle. It is awfully painful. How is it best treated? |
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Once crushed ice was recommended, and often helped reduce the searing pain. Vinegar and stingose were also widely used. Then they found hot water seemed best of all. So this is now standard treatment. Do not rub with sand. Paracetamol will temporarily reduce pain. |
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