How often should you get a haircut?

Most men should get a haircut about every five weeks, whether they have closely cropped hair or a longer style. Women with short hair should get a haircut every four weeks; otherwise their style may begin to lose its shape. This is especially true of blunt bobs. Those with medium length hair can wait a bit longer and get a haircut every five weeks. Long hair requires a trim at least every six weeks to avoid split ends. Some people may not get a haircut when they are trying to grow their hair long. This is a mistake, as your hair will end up looking unhealthy. Subtle trims do not hinder hair growth. Also, those with thicker hair should generally get a haircut more frequently than those with finer hair.

When changing your style, there’s a few things you can do to increase the odds you’ll like your new do. Before you get ahaircut, try to find a picture of the style you have in mind. Several magazines are devoted to this topic. Women’s magazines such as Allure, Elle, Vogue, In Style and Cosmopolitan also feature many photographs of different hair styles. Most salons also keep these magazines in their waiting rooms. You can discuss your picture with your stylist and decide what will look best on you, taking into account the shape of your face and its features and your complexion.

Some stylists will allow you to make two appointments, the first being a consultation and the second when you will actually get a haircut. This way, you have time to think about what you really want before committing. This is a good idea if you are making a dramatic change. Two appointments may also be required if you are coloring your hair, especially for the first time. The stylist may recommend a patch test to make sure you are not allergic to the dye before dying your whole head during a second appointment.

Also, pay close attention to how the hairstylist styles your new cut. Does the stylist use any specific products? At many salons, you can purchase the tools you’ll need to maintain your haircut. Most stylists welcome questions and will gladly show you how to get the look at home.

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Do you suffer from psoriasis or eczema? If so we have a GREAT home treatment!

Psoriasis and eczema are both noncontagious common skin conditions. That have similar characteristics and effect people of all ages, sexes and races.

Psoriasis:

Psoriasis causes rapid skin cell reproduction resulting in red, dry patches of thickened skin. The dry flakes and skin scales are thought to result from the rapid buildup of skin cells. Psoriasis commonly affects the skin of the elbows, knees, and scalp.

Psoriasis is considered a non-curable, long-term (chronic) skin condition. It has a variable course, periodically improving and worsening. Sometimes psoriasis may clear for years and stay in remission. Some people have worsening of their symptoms in the colder winter months. Many people report improvement in warmer months, climates, or with increased sunlight exposure.

Psoriasis is not currently curable. However, it can go into remission and show no signs of disease. Ongoing research is actively making progress on finding better treatments and a possible cure in the future.

There are many effective treatment choices for psoriasis. The kind of treatment is individually determined by the treating physician and depends, in part, on the type of disease, the severity, and the total body area involved.

Physicians like to prescribe  topical (skin applied) creams, lotions, and sprays may be very effective and safe to use. Occasionally, a small local injection of steroids directly into a tough or resistant isolated psoriasis plaque.

Steroidal creams can help clear the outbreak and the condition of the skin but often times leave the skin thinned and sensitized because of the steroids in the creams.

Exfolliating the skin is important to “sluff” off the excess skin that forms on the skin.

Eczema:

Eczema is a general term for many types of skin inflammation, also known as dermatitis. The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis. (some people use these two terms interchangeably).

Some people have such mild psoriasis (small, faint dry skin patches) that they may not even suspect that they have a medical skin condition. Others have very severe psoriasis where virtually their entire body is fully covered with thick, red, scaly skin. This skin condition is commonly found in infants and children.

Doctors do not know the exact cause of eczema, but a defect of the skin that impairs its function as a barrier, possibly combined with an abnormal function of the immune system, are believed to be an important factors. Studies have shown that in people with atopic dermatitis, there are gene defects that lead to abnormalities in certain proteins (such as filaggrin) that are important in maintaining the barrier of normal skin.

Some forms of eczema can be triggered by substances that come in contact with the skin, such as soaps, cosmetics, clothing, detergents, jewelry, or sweat. Environmental allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) may also cause outbreaks of eczema. Changes in temperature or humidity, or even psychological stress, can lead to outbreaks of eczema in some people.

The goals for the treatment of eczema are to prevent itching, inflammation, and worsening of the condition. Treatment of eczema may involve both lifestyle changes and the use of medications. Treatment is always based upon an individual’s age, overall health status, and the type and severity of the condition.

Keeping the skin well hydrated through the application of creams or ointments (with a low water and high oil content) as well as avoiding over-bathing (see “Can eczema be prevented?” section) is an important step in treatment. Lifestyle modifications to avoid triggers for the condition are also recommended.

Corticosteroid creams are sometimes prescribed to decrease the inflammatory reaction in the skin. These may be mild- medium-, or high-potency corticosteroid creams depending upon the severity of the symptoms.

A great at home alternative for both conditions is:

What you will need: Original Listerine, Emu Oil and Vaseline

Take original Listerine and dab onto the affected area with a cotton ball! (REMEMBER: DO NOT DOUBLE DIP!) If more then one area is infected take a cupful of Listerine and pour into bath water. DO NOT fill the bathtub very full and DO NOT wash your body with soap, just soak your skin in the treated water.

Let air dry. DON’T towel off, let the antiseptic properties soak into the skin.

Use a few drops of Emu Oil mixed with a small amount of Vaseline on the infected area.

REMEMBER: Your body heals itself at night so try at night before bed.

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Do you have acrylic nails???

Acrylic nails are a clear heat sensitive plastic often referred to as false nails. They cover the most of the nail plate and are fairly hardy and resistant to different environmental conditions. The term acrylic nails is now widely used to describe all manner of false nails including fiber, silk and gel nails. It may be applied as a pre-molded film or more commonly as a liquid mixture that can be shaped once it dries. Primarily used as a beauty accessory, acrylic nails also provide additional nail length and mask brittle and discolored nails. Once fitted, the false nail provides a new surface for buffing and painting. 

Acrylic nails can seriously damage your natural nails and the integrity of the nail bed and hamper natural nail growth. The most common problem associated with acrylic nails is a fungal infection that may develop between the false and natural nail (ochynomycosis). Long term use of acrylic nails can also hamper natural nail growth resulting in severely deformed finger nails. Rarely, a dermatitis (skin inflammation) may occur on the skin surrounding the nail and this can be complicated with a bacterial infection (paronychia). Good nail care is essential to maintaining healthy nails even with the use of acrylic nails.

The acrylic nail is inorganic and cannot be infected with a fungus or bacteria. It often masks underlying infections until the symptoms of nail fungus are evident. Fungi require three sustaining factors to develop and grow – warmth, moisture and darkness. For this reason, a fungal infection of the toe nail is more common especially in people who wear closed shoes or perspire profusely. Acrylic nails usually form a tight seal with the natural nail when properly fitted. However any gap that may result between the acrylic and natural nail can provide an ideal environment for fungal growth. The fungus quickly spreads along the nail plate and can cause significant deformity of the nail. The nail may become discolored losing its natural shine and luster. It may thicken and become brittle and crumble. A powdery residue is often noticed as a result of the fungus consuming the keratin of the nail. A prolonged infection may cause deformity of the shape of the nail with significant darkening of the nail plate. If the infection remains untreated, the nail plate can detach from the nail bed (onycholysis).

What to watch for when going to a nail salon:

Be AWARE of STRONG smells. There is a substance that has been banned from the FDA called Methyl Methacrylate also known as MMA, it is an inexpensive adhesive that bonds VERY strongly and dries fast. It can cause skin reactions wherever the nail touches, destroy your nail beds, sometimes permanently. Studies have even show that it can cause nerve damage.

When there is unexpected trauma caused to the nail, the glue is so strong it can cause damage to the natural nail underneath causing increase sensitivity and breakage of the natural nail under the acrylics increasing risks of infections.

If a salon is offering nails for less then $20.00 a set the chances are they are using the less expensive MMA. 

20/20 did an investigateive report on nail salons. If you would like to read more about the dangers and what to watch for please click the link below:

http://www.beautytech.com/articles/abcnews2020_042002.pdf

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Do you have “bacne?”

With Summer quickly approaching, you might be heading to a warmer climate where a shirt is optional attire. To prepare for this you might be putting in some extra hours at the gym or even waxing some not often seen parts of your body.

Before you go on your trip, put on a swim suit, or take your shirt off you might want to look over your shoulder to check out your back for any pimples, black heads, or white heads. You know “bacne”.

Back acne or “bacne” is not just a problem for the “tween” and teen crowd; many adults find that they too are suffering from a blemished back. A lot of people are dealing with this problem that was once thought of as a pubescent problem, but, they don’t know what causes their back(s) to break out. Sadly, there really isn’t a clear answer- no pun intended.

Dermatologist and doctors generally agree that acne ‘pops up’ during puberty because the sebaceous gland kicks on and starts to produce sebum. Sebum is a waxy or oily matter that lubricates your skin and hair. When the body over produces sebum it can clog up your pores and hair follicles attracting bacteria causing your skin to break out.

While we still don’t know why adult’s (whose sebaceous glands should have regulated itself) bodies break out. We do know some ways to treat your break outs once it happens. Below you will find some tips recommended to treat your unsightly back break outs:

* Shower daily and use an exfoliating body wash when you shower, by exfoliating daily you are removing dead skin and unclogging your pores. As we discussed earlier clogged pores attract bacteria and cause acne.  This is an easy, inexpensive way to treat your “bacne”.

* You can use salt scrubs or sugar scrubs on a weekly basis.  These scrubs act as an exfoliate, but shouldn’t be used every day. Exfoliating too much can cause your skin to become red, blotchy and irritated. A sugar scrub is a little softer to the skin than the salt scrub, if you have sensitive skin try the sugar scrub.

* Sometimes the most obvious is the most elusive- a face wash or scrub specifically designed to treat acne can be used on your back as well. Think about it, if it works on your face, why wouldn’t it work on your back?

*Because acne can be caused by your body producing too much sebum all the washing, face scrubs, and exfoliating might not help. If you have tried at home remedies you might want to call your doctor or dermatologist and ask for a prescription for a topical gel that uses something like Benzamycin or peroxide.

*Back Facials are a good way to receive professional treatments to clear up “bacne.” Sulfur professional masks are a GREAT way to see INSTANT results.

You might not want to start using one of these products right before you head to a sunny beach for spring break. They can make your skin more vulnerable to sun burn, so talk to your doctor and weigh your options before you start using a prescribed product.

Remember “bacne” is something that tweens, teens, and adults have to deal with. Be aware of what’s going on over your shoulder, make the necessary adjustments and you too will be able to shamelessly shed your shirt.

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Do you suffer from dandruff?

When it comes to dandruff, many people don’t like having it. After all, it’s messy and can flake off everywhere. What many people don’t realize is that one out of every two people suffer from dandruff. With the appropriate hair care measures, you can help put that dandruff where it belongs. Off of your head!

Dandruff is better known as having a dry and flaky scalp that can itch at times. A person’s entire body surface continuously sheds dead skin cells. Dandruff, the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp at an excessive rate, due to dehydration of your scalp skin, is the result of the normal growing process of the skin cells of the scalp.Dandruff is often times thought about resembling snow that falls to the ground, because it is so fine and when it falls, it looks like snow falling from your head.

Besides the anti-dandruff creams, lotions, oils and shampoos available in the market, there are many simple household remedies to fight dandruff described below:

• Hot oil therapy is one method to cure dandruff. Massage hot oil into the scalp at bedtime. Next morning an hour before bath, rub lemon juice mixed with cosmetic vinegar (mix 1:2 ratio) into the scalp. Give the hair a good wash with egg shampoo.
• Give your hair a hot steam bath. Massage hot oil with a hot damp towel and leave it on the head like a turban so that the steam can fight dandruff. You may use two towels for this purpose. This will improve the moisture of your scalp skin to fight against forming dandruff.
• After giving your hair a good wash, boil five teaspoons of dried and used tealeaves in limewater, use it as a last rinse after shampoo, to give your scalp skin, the factors of anti-dandruff formation. This gives your hair… a lustrous shine and provides nourishment too.
• Instead of shampooing, massage handfuls of baking soda into the hair and scalp to absorb oil and to loosen dead skin on scalp. Rinse thoroughly and use no other shampoos. While initially the hair may seem dry, after several weeks, dandruff will go off and hair will be smooth and shiny.

Your combs have a great effect on your hair care outcome. You want to make sure that your brushes and combs are washed out thoroughly on a regular basis. Last but not least, NEVER SHARE YOUR COMB WITH ANYONE ELSE. Enough said?

When it comes to dandruff, effect hair care measures can help it become a thing of the past. There are many great dandruff shampoos and conditions which provides the level of hair care that you need in order to keep dandruff from reappearing on your head of hair. If you follow the  steps that were in this post, you are sure to become successful when it comes to effective dandruff hair care.

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What is a “zit?”

“Zits” are another word for a pimple and results due to a blockage of the skin’s pores. It can be a pustule or papule. Inside the pores are sebaceous glands which produce sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed as they commonly due because your skin sheds every 21-30 days depending on your age and body. The dead skin cells that are left behind become glued together by the sebum. This causes the blockage of the pore, especially when the skin becomes thicker at puberty. The sebaceous glands produce more sebum which builds up behind the blockage, and harbours bacteria.
When you have a breakout or a “zit” come to the surface of the skin it is IMPORTANT to remember not to “pop” them because it only spreads infection and can make your embarrassing pimples even worse or cause more to appear.  Unfortunately pimples effect over 70 million people all over the World. There isn’t a specific age, race, sex or reasons why some people are more prone to break outs then others.
There are several factors that cause pimples to break out on the face and back. Stress, diet, bacteria and a build-up of toxins including infection heighten your chances of breaking out. Stress is not just a mental state of being, it can also affect your physical wellness. If you have an infection, it will find an outlet through pimples. During your teen years your body begins to go through several different changes, including producing more testosterone (a male hormone found in females as well as males, but in varying amounts), which tells your body to start producing more oil. As a result, the dead skin cells mix with the oil, clog your pores and cause break outs.
There are a few kinds of pimples, all undesirable, but some more than others. When your skin is clogged up with enough skin cells and oil, you getwhiteheads; which are called closed comedones, they are small white bump under the surface of the skin. When an open comedone reaches the surface and is black in color it is called a blackhead. The dark color appears because of dirt, a hair follicle has broken off, or rather from melanin pigments (the stuff that gives color to your skin and hair).
If the wall of the pore breaks, it can become inflamed and red. If it breaks further below the skin’s surface acne nodules or cysts can form. It is important to get these treated, unless of course you want permanent scars.
Ways to prevent break outs

Change your pillow case daily to ensure you are not harboring bacteria from your hair, to your pillow and to your face
Avoid excessive dairy products. Dairy can be stored in your sebaceous gland and can clog your pores.
Refrain from touching your face, if you MUST touch your face use the back of your hand as has less bacteria then the palm side of your hands
DO NOT be a “product junkie” this will cause you have worse problems because you are mixing chemicals and changing the natural ph level of your skin
Exfolliate a minimum of three times a week

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What are the red veins on my face??

Dilated capillaries are caused by climate, stimulants, caffeine,  incorrect products, smoking, side effects of medication, alcohol,  and can also be hereditary. When sensitive skin is irritated, by temperature changes, spicy food, alcohol etc, the capillary veins dilate all over the face and neck. Since sensitive skin also tends to be especially fine and transparent, redness is particularly visible. Unfortunately sometimes others are more vascular and capillaries surface to the skin more.

There are several easy fixes to strengthen the capillaries such as: Protect the skin from harsh conditions such as wind, sun, hot temperatures, cutting back on hot drinks, smoking, alcohol and spicy foods. Another key to helping strengthen the capillary is Flax Seed. There are many additional health benefits to Flax seed such as its high in Omega 3 Fatty acids, antioxidant, studies have shown that it helps reduce the risks of cancer, diabetes, cholesterol and many other conditions.

If you are a smoker, often times it is harder for you to strengthen the capillaries because of the constant flow of nicotine. Watercress is a great way to take the carcinogenics out of your body. The watercress MUST be chewed to be effective.

Although there are controversies about the actual benefits of drinking water and it effecting the appearance of the skin. Water is known to hydrate the skin to help prevent dry skin.  Drinking water in adequate amounts is necessary to flush out toxins out of the body via the lymphatic system. With inadequate amounts of water flowing through the body, these toxins can build up in the body and escape through skin pores.

REMEMBER: You only have One face, so wear it well!

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Health Benefits of Essential Oils for skin

When it comes to natural skin care, essential oils are an invaluable tool. These natural, non-greasy oils from plants and herbs are used for toning, spot treatment of acne, scars and blemishes, smoothing wrinkles and age marks, creating a healthy glow and bringing skin back to life. Most beauty regimens involve essential oils in tiny amounts, usually diluted in a vegetable oil or cream with other natural and synthetic ingredients. In these forms, essential oils are being used more for fragrance and marketing than for their therapeutic properties.

In fact, most of the oils in commercial health and beauty products hardly have medicinal or therapeutic properties – they are grown and processed in such a rapid way that the healing potential of the plants is lost.

Pure and properly derived essential oils require a slower, more arduous process and yield a smaller volume of product – but quality essential oils are able to provide concentrated oxygen and nutrients to the skin that is almost impossible to get from other sources.

If you’re using therapeutic-grade, organic essential oils, you can put the oils directly onto your skin, or dilute them with a carrier oil for easier application.

Some of the most popular essential oils to restore skin’s health and beauty include:

Clary Sage

Clary sage contains plant chemicals which are very similar to human hormones and act as “hormone precursors” – the human body can convert them to whatever it needs at the time. It is also helpful to skin where there is a hormonal imbalance acting in concert with a skin issue.

Eucalyptus

Similar to tea tree oil (below), eucalyptus is well known for its ability to clear blackheads and blemishes and create smooth skin.

Lavender

Lavender is often called the “universal oil,” good for everything and harmful to none – unless you’re using hybrid lavender or an artificial substitute. Real lavender is very difficult to find and labels can be misleading. Lavender is a natural antiseptic and has properties in it to soothe skin and clear acne. It is also  good for the skin, soothing and calming, and extraordinarily healing for burns and blemishes, but is very drying.

Lemon

Citrus oils are healing and restorative to the skin. A dab of lemon oil, in particular, is one of the fastest ways to clear up acne, take the redness away from a break out and assists in shrinking pore size. But beware: citrus oils may discolour (like a sunburn) if exposed to direct sunlight within 72 hours of application.

Myrrh

The lesser-known partner to Frankincense, Myrrh was well-known in the ancient world as a balm and was used to treat almost everything. This thick, resinous essential oil is often considered invaluable for treating rashes and blemishes caused by warts, eczema, and bacteria. (But be careful of your source – inferior quality myrrh, processed from the resin, can contain solvents and chemicals that make it unsafe to use directly on the skin.)

Patchouly

Patchouly is often recommended for all kinds of skin conditions. It is excellent for treating rashes and scarring, and may be used as a moisturizer or as deodorant because of its powerful fragrance.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood oil has a mild fragrance and is extremely moisturizing. One of the ancient healing oils used for the skin in Biblical times, it is helpful for removing wrinkles and scars and renewing tired skin.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca)

Tea tree or melaleuca is useful for cleaning and soothing blotchy skin or acne. It helps heal blemishes and relieves congestion in the skin.

There are some important things to remember in purchasing essential oils. Make sure they are ORGANIC and come from a trustworthy source. If they are not in a pure form they can have extra added chemicals, some of the properties can damage and harm the skin, a little goes a long way-so use the oil sparingly, make sure you know your specific skin type. Using products even essential oils can change your hyaluronic acid level (natural moisture of your skin) and cause you oil break out shine or dry, chapped or chaffed skin.

You can find natural essential oils at Ubiquitous Journey. There address is: 15011 Meridian E.  Suite C Puyallup WA 98373. Their phone number is: 253.445.6128. If they do not have a specific essential oil you are looking for they can custom order it for you. They are organic and made from plant derivatives.

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How to prevent hair loss

Hair is made up of dead protein called keratin. This is the same material that makes up fingernails, toenails, and teeth in humans and horns and hooves in animals. Humans have hair all over their exterior bodies except for the palms of hands, bottoms of the feet, toenails and fingernails, eyeballs, and lips. There are about five million hairs on a human’s body.

The average number of hairs on a human head is 100,000. Surprisingly, blondes have more hair than people with other hair colors. Blondes average 140,000 hairs on their fair heads. Redheads have the least amount of hair, with an average of about 80,000 hairs. Blonde hair is the finest and black hair is the coarsest. Men generally also have coarser hair than females, but women’s hair is denser.

Men’s hair grows faster than women’s hair. Bone marrow is the only part of the human body that grows quicker than hair. Human hair grows about an inch every three or four months. Human hair grows quicker in warm weather.

For healthy humans, most hair doesn’t live longer than seven years and can be as short as three years. Because of this, human hair doesn’t usually grow longer than a couple of feet. A human’s entire head of hair is replaced more than ten times during their lifetime.

As a person ages, hair grows slower and gets thinner in both males and females. More than half of men have male pattern hair loss by the age of fifty. Almost half of women will experience female pattern hair loss by the time they go through menopause. The normal rate of hair loss in humans is about seventy-five hairs daily. In order to be visible to others, about half of hair must be lost.

There are several way to prevent future hair loss. Some of these include:

  Include vitamin C to prevent hair loss and encourage hair restoration for those going bald. Vitamin C is a natural part of healthy hair and an important dietary addition. Because it is water soluble, it needs to be consumed daily to keep the body supplied with the proper amount. Eat fresh citrus fruits or taking a vitamin C supplement. Recommended doses range between 1,000-3,000 mg daily.

  The B vitamins and biotin are necessary components for hair growth. B3 is known to increase circulation to the scalp and B6 helps to strengthen and condition weak hair. Taking a vitamin B complex supplement daily with at least 100 mg of B6 should aid in helping to grow hair.

  Adequate iron is necessary for proper oxygenation of the blood and contributes to increased circulation in the scalp. Eat foods high in iron to prevent hair loss such as raisins, apricots, green leafy vegetables, liver and whole grains.

  Vitamin E stimulates hair growth by increasing circulation to the scalp. Vitamin E may be taken orally and also added to hot oil treatments for the scalp to protect and restore hair as well as preventing hair loss.

  Consider using a laser comb for hair restoration. Based on reports from the manufacturer, the HairMax laser comb was cleared for use by the FDA for cases of alopecia, or balding. Reports claim it stimulates hair follicles promoting hair re-growth.

  Receiving scheduled hair trims will also help stimulate the new growth of the hair follicle.

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Do you suffer from ingrown hairs?

Ingrown hair is a condition where the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. The ingrown hair condition is seen primarily among people having curly hairs although any skin or hair type can be prone to this condition. It may or may not be accompanied by an infection of the hair follicle  or “razor bumps” , which vary in size. While ingrown hair most commonly appears in areas where the skin in the beard, legs, arms, pubic region, it can appear anywhere on the body where hair grows.

Anything which causes the hair to be broken off short with a sharp tip can cause ingrown hair. Shaving is the leading cause, followed by waxing and tight clothing. The embedded hair causes a localized inflammation and can become painful and pus filled. Sometimes ingrown hair occurs naturally without shaving, as too much dead skin or blocked pores can make hair grow sideways.

The following are some GREAT and inexpensive home remedies to prevent ingrown hairs:

Prep and soften skin and hair. Prior to shaving, use a gentle scrub which will both remove dead skin for a cleaner shave, and help point hair out of the skin for it to be properly shaved. Shave after you have been in the shower for a bit, not right away, since the steam and heat will soften the hair.

Use a new blade, or try a different kind altogether. Old blades are both dull and can introduce bacteria into freshly shaved skin. Some skin types simply do not respond well to standard blade shaving. If you are still having ingrown hairs or razor bump/burn challenges, switch to a high quality electric razor.

Watch your pressure and technique. Press gently with the blade as too much pressure removes excess surface skin. Shave with the grain, as shaving against the grain will cause both skin irritation and point hairs back into the skin causing a bump. Try and avoid shaving over the same area too many times, as each stroke removes skin cells and can cause unnecessary irritation.

Waxing is another way to help prevent ingrown hairs because it is detaching the hair follicle at the papilla, or the end of the hair follicle. When the hair begins to grow back it is soft without stubble.

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