Hair Loss
Many men suffer from hair loss and many are worried about it, it’s estimated that 40% of men in their 20s suffer from early hair loss and this percentage accelerates with age. Don’t worry to much in some cases this can be slowed down or prevented altogether. Men usually lose hair in a pattern from the front through to the crown, many factors influence this including poor health, poor diet and stress and from the male hormone DHT. A male hormone which when it has contact with the hair follicles can make hair shrink and fall out. Scalp membrane will become inflexible which in turn will slow blood circulation and nutrition to the hair follicle which in turn will slow down hair growth until it stops growing. Copper is now considered to be of benefit to the hair and scalp and regular use is suggested to help improve the health of your scalp and hair follicle helping to minimise hair loss. A diet with lean protein, whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables can help improve the strength of your hair. As a sufferer of hair loss myself I have tried many things and whilst may hair loss is not severe I have finally found a product that helps somewhat and have noticed a fuller head of hair since using it. Ofcourse the most drastic measure is surgery and many men these days do opt for this but i would suggest try other avenues first. Remember to always look after you hair and scalp and try to make sure that you wash it daily with a good quality shampoo. However, for most of us, hair loss is hereditary!
Written by Peace Lily on 2007/12/17 | Permalink to this article
Acne
Mild acne can be characterised as blackheads, pimples and spots but the most severe is acne which is inflamed and often painful, it tends to be very red and angry and is often best dealt with by your GP. Acne starts by excessive production of sebum (oil) and is normally due to excess hormone activity, sebum is produced by our body to protect the skin and keep it supple. Our normal skin cycle is a 28 day period, that in which the skin cells shed themselves and new ones produced, with acne this process is speeded up and the dead skin cells get stuck in the folicle, this blockage can then become hard, this is referred to as a blackhead and very common in most people. When too much sebum is produced this black head can become infected with bacteria and a white head is formed, something that most people do is to squeeze this but it is the worst thing you can do as it can make the acne spread, not only that but it can also cause scarring. In order to combat acne problems it is very important that you cleanse your face twice daily with an appropriate cleanser, once or twice a week use a face scrub to remove any dead skin cells and once a week use a face mask to draw out any skin impurities. There are certain medicated spot treatments on the market which you can use and many topical treatments for spots, however if you have severe acne then always see your GP before you undertake any new treatment.
Written by Peace Lily on 2007/12/17 | Permalink to this article
Eyebrows
Old and young alike men across the spectrum can suffer with crazy eyebrows long bushy things that just appear overnight or ones that join in the middle. In these modern times it is not unheard of for men to look after there eyebrows pick up a pair of tweezers or waxing strips so here are some tips! Whatever you do, do not shave your eyebrows! Invest in a good pair of tweezers, sterilise them first under hot water and if you want minimum pain then do these just after a bath or shower when your pores are open otherwise get a nice hot flannel and place it over your eyebrows for 4-5 minutes. Make sure that you stretch the skin as this will also help make it easier to remove the hairs. Start with the long straggley hairs that you can easily see grip them with the tweezers then in the direction the hair is growing gift it a swift tug, ouch! Yes at first but it gets easier and you will get quicker at this. Tea tree or something antiseptic to pop on the skin after to soothe is good as you will be a little red after you have done this.
Written by Peace Lily on 2007/12/11 | Permalink to this article
Ingrowing Hairs
Many men suffer from the problem of ingrowing hairs particulary those with afro-caribean hair. These occur when a hair curls back on itself and does not come through the folicle opening then sebum builds up around the hair and causes a lump under the skin, this is often red and swollen and can be quite painful. Some times the hair is visible just under the skin, in this case just get a pair of tweezers, sterilise them first in boiling water and gently tease the hair out, do not pull the hair out until the next day allow time for the skin to heal around the hair. For bigger bumps and those that you cannot see under the skin one option is to visit a dermatologist or your GP there are a number of over the counter products that you can use to prevent this from happening again. Things you can do yourself is to make sure that you shave with the direction of your beard and not against it, and once or twice a week use a facial scrub before shaving as this helps to make the hairs stand away from the face.
Written by Peace Lily on 2007/12/11 | Permalink to this article
The perfect wet shave
Always start by softening your beard with hot water, I find the best way is in the shower or bath as this helps open the pores, you dont have to shave when you are showering or bathing it can be done after. Whilst bathing try and use a face scrub to help lift the beard from the face, it is also good to remove any residue that may be attached to the hairs that could reduce a close shave. Its important to note that you should not use a face scrub more than once or twice a week unless you have a gentle daily face scrub that is recommended for daily use. My top tip with shaving to get the best result is to use a brush which will really help to lather up your gel or cream and feels much more comfortable when being worked in to the beard. Make sure that you are using a sharp blade, one of the most common mistakes us men make is to wet shave with a blade that is past its best, this can drag and pull on the beard and you can end up with nicks and cuts ouch!, very uncomfortable! This may all sound like common sense but not all of us had a father to tell or show us how to shave so bare with me. Make sure that you shave in the direction of the hair growth and not against it making sure that you rinse the blade in hot water between strokes to stop it from clogging. For that extra close shave re-lather and shave a second time going across and against the grain, you will find this gives the closest and most comfortable feel to the skin. Rinse any excess product from your face with warm water and then with cold to help close the pores, finally dress the skin with an appropriate porduct for your skin type, after shave balms with an spf is something that I would recommend and something without fragrance. Job done!
Written by Peace Lily on 2007/12/10 | Permalink to this article
