Male Pattern Baldness

Male Pattern Baldness

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The male pattern baldness (MPB) form of androgenetic alopecia (there is also a female pattern baldness) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By age 35, two-thirds of American men will have some degree of appreciable hair loss and by age 50 approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair. About 25% of men who suffer from male pattern baldness begin the painful process before they reach 21.
Contrary to societal belief, most men who suffer from male pattern baldness are extremely unhappy with their situation and would do anything to change it. Hair loss affects every aspect of their life. It affects interpersonal relationships as well as their professional life. It is not uncommon for men to change their career paths because of hair loss.
The American Hair Loss Association recognizes how devastating male pattern baldness can be for men of all ages and has created resources for men to get completely objective answers to their hair loss questions.
We strongly advise against researching your options through the Yellow Pages or commercial websites. Hundreds of products and services are sold to the vulnerable hair loss consumer, but currently only two FDA-approved products have been clinically proven to stop or prevent hair loss. Also, there are only a handful of surgeons performing surgical hair restoration to state-of-the-art standards.

Hair loss causes and Reseach

The word "alopecia" is the medical term for hair loss. Alopecia does not refer to one specific hair loss disease -- any form of hair loss is an alopecia. The word alopecia is Latin, but can be traced to the Greek "alopekia," which itself comes from alopek, meaning "fox." Literally translated, the word alopecia (alopekia) is the term for mange in foxes.
Unlike alopecia, which describes hair loss where formerly there was hair growth, hypotrichosis describes a situation where there wasn't any hair growth in the first place.
Hair loss can be caused by any number of conditions, reflected in a specific diagnosis. Some diagnoses have alopecia in their title, such as alopecia areata or scarring alopecia, but many do not, such as telogen effluvium.
Alopecia can be caused by many factors from genetics to drugs. While androgenetic alopecia (male or female pattern baldness, AGA for short) is by far the most common form of hair loss, dermatologists also see many people with other forms of alopecia. Several hundred diseases have hair loss as a primary symptom.
Probably the most common non-AGA alopecias a dermatologist will see are telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, ringworm, scarring alopecia, and hair loss due to cosmetic overprocessing. Other, more rare forms of hair loss may be difficult to diagnose, and some patients may wait months, even years for a correct diagnosis and undergo consultation with numerous dermatologists until they find one with knowledge of their condition. Plus, with rare diseases, there is little motivation for research to be conducted and for treatments to be developed. Often, even when a correct diagnosis is made, a dermatologist can offer no known treatment for the condition.
Research into hair biology and hair diseases is a very small field, and even research on androgenetic alopecia is quite limited. Perhaps 20 years ago there were fewer than 100 people worldwide who studied hair research in a major way. In recent years, there may be five times as many. This is still a small number compared to, say, diabetes research, but the expanding numbers of researchers investigating hair biology is positive, and eventually should lead to a better understanding and more help for those with rare alopecias.
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razor bumps

What are razor bumps?

Razor bumps, also called pseudofolliculitis barbae, are small, irritated bumps on the skin. They develop after shaving, when strands of hair curl back on themselves and grow into the skin. Razor bumps cause irritation and pimples. They also may cause scarring.

How are razor bumps treated?

The best way to treat razor bumps is to stop shaving. If you cannot stop shaving, use a clean needle to release the embedded hair shaft. This usually stops razor bumps from developing, depending on how bad they are.
But if shaving is restarted, razor bumps typically return.
Severe razor bumps that do not go away with home treatment may be treated with medicine you spread on the skin, such as hydrocortisone, antibiotic, or tretinoin cream.

Do shaving alternatives stop the development of razor bumps?

Razor bumps will typically go away if shaving is stopped. Hair removal products (depilatories) can be used instead of shaving. But these products can irritate the skin and should be used only once or twice a week.
Or you can prevent irritation from shaving by having beard hair removed permanently with laser treatments or electrolysis.

Can razor bumps be prevented?

Following these shaving instructions can help prevent razor bumps from forming:

• Take a hot shower before shaving, to soften the hair and open the pores.
• Use a thick shaving gel.
• Don't stretch the skin when shaving, and always shave in the direction your beard grows. Use the fewest razor strokes possible. Rinse with cold water.
• Use an electric razor if it can be adjusted to a higher setting.
• After shaving, press a cold wet cloth against your face for 5 minutes.

Who is at risk for razor bumps?

Razor bumps are common among African Americans and people with tightly coiled hair.

What are Stretch Marks?

What are Stretch Marks? Stretch marks are medically termed striae. In order to understand what stretch marks are, you need to first understand what the skin is made of. Normal skin is made up of 4% elastin and 80% collagen, both of which are elastic and soft tissue. While collagen is the soft portion of the skin, it is elastin that makes the skin soft, supple, and stretchable. When a person puts on a lot of weight, the excess fat below the surface of the skin causes the skin to stretch. When the skin is stretched beyond its elasticity and lacks support within the dermis, this layer of the skin tears. This damage causes prominent stretch marks that appear as raised and darkened lines on the surface of the skin. Pregnancy, an intense weightlifting regimen, and hormone replacement therapy are some of the causes of stretch marks.

Stretch marks affect about 90% of all women, and once they have passed the initial stage, where they are deep purple, red or pink in color, they cannot be treated. So, the best cure for them is prevention.

For most people, stretch marks may be regarded as a grave skin problem. This is because skin that is riddled with stretch marks is does lose a lot of its aesthetic appeal. These marks can destroy the beauty of the natural skin, making it look abnormal. It is also important to note that the elastin fibers are the most difficult of skin cells to repair, and once damaged, it is almost impossible for them to be repaired or regrown. Consequently, there is no remedy or treatment to remove stretch marks permanently, albeit they can be made lighter through the use of topical ointments and medications.

Acne is a common skin condition that can affect individuals of any age group, although it is more commonly noticed among teenagers and young adults. Acne develops when the follicle that carries dead skin to the skin surface becomes clogged. While acne in most cases is inflammatory, it can also develop as non-inflammatory acne. It manifests itself as tiny pimples, papules, nodules, or cysts, as per the increasing nature of its severity. Typically, acne begins to show in the years following puberty, as this is when there are considerable hormonal changes that take place in the body. Acne is also common among women due to monthly hormonal changes. Acne affects those areas of the skin that have the most number of sebaceous follicles. Thus, it is primarily visible on the face, chest, back, upper arms, and shoulders. Typically, acne wanes off after the inflammation as the clogged pores subside, and acne outbreaks lessen once we get into our early twenties, as this is when the hormonal levels balance themselves out. In rare cases, however, medical investigation and follow up is required for treating acne of a more stubborn nature. Additionally, since each individual is physiologically different, it is possible that the acne may continue late into your thirties and forties. While acne in itself does not pose any serious health risks, it could lead to scarring. Acne scars can, at times, be exceedingly stubborn, and may never really go away. Acne also has psychological implications as the acne and its scars are generally regarded as unappealing, leading to lowered self-esteem issues in teenagers and young adults.

Symptoms for Acne

Acne symptoms include the presence of different types of pimples and cysts on the affected area of the skin. A pimple appears when the blocked pore begins to drain, so what is visible is usually the latter stage of acne. Some of the different physical indications of acne are as follows:

• Acne can manifest itself as enlarged hair follicles filled with sebum, which are referred to as comedones. Blackheads are comedones that pop out of the skin surface, and white heads are comedones that have not pushed their way through the surface of your skin.

• Papules are pink tender bumps on the skin and pustules are red at the bottom but filled with pus, owing to bacterial infection.

• Nodules are the large and painful, solid pimples that are deep seated in the skin, while cysts are the deep and painful pimples that are filled with pus and can develop scars in future.

A doctor can easily diagnose acne during a physical examination. He/she may look into its stage, depending on the exhibition as comedones or nodules or cysts. The extended side-effects of acne are the scars that they leave behind. This may call for a long course of medical or cosmetic treatment. It is advisable to take precautions against any kind of skin irritation, so that the acne just fades off without leaving behind any scars.

Pimples, whiteheads and blackheads are forms of acne. Acne is perhaps the most common among skin ailments that largely affect men and women alike within the age group of 12 to 24 years. Many people are of the opinion that the presence of pimples on the face, especially the cheeks and forehead could greatly affect their aesthetics. They therefore seek to break the pimple as soon as it appears on the face.



Pores of the skin are blocked by accumulation of dirt, sweat and oil secretions. Such secretions lead to white cysts known as whiteheads or cause blackheads when exposed to air. An infected blackhead or whitehead gives way to a pus filled pimple. These pimples are also known as pustules or papules and can cause severe inflammation of the affected area. As the sebum from within the sebaceous glands keeps collecting under the skin the pimple grows in size. There is a lot of debate about popping pimples and while some people believe that it is helpful others believe that it causes permanent scarring. To understand the arguments both for and against popping pimples, it is important to understand the stages of pimple formation. Sebum is produced in the sebaceous glands located in the lower layers of our skin. This sebum slowly rises through the pores of the skin and reaches the surface where it forms a very thin film of oil. This film acts as a barrier between the surface of the skin and the environment. In the first stage of pimple formation, a blockage of dead skin cells within the skin pore combines with the sebum to form a thick plug. At this time, you may not even notice that you have a pimple. The sebaceous gland continues to produce sebum and within a day or two a tiny pocket of sebum forms within your skin. Your skin has bacteria within it and this bacteria feeds on the sebum within your skin. Under normal circumstances their numbers are so small that they are of no consequence. However, when a pocket of sebum forms, the bacteria start to increase very rapidly as they have surplus nutrition. The skin around this inflamed area starts to thicken and soon a papule forms. Even if the blockage is cleared at this stage and the excess sebum removed from the inflamed skin pore, there is a hollow scar that remains. There are those who believe that popping pimples at the earliest stage will prevent the pocket of sebum from forming and this will allow the skin to heal without the formation of a hollow scar. This would mean that the blockage would need to be removed as soon as one notices it, and one of the only ways to do this is through popping pimples. However, there are many who disagree and claim that popping a pimple can damage the sensitive and delicate facial tissue and cause even more extensive damage as compare to the scarring caused by the pimple itself. You will need to consult your dermatologist or doctor on how to get rid of pimples by popping them and he/she will be able to advise you on methods of popping pimples and ways to prevent infection and scarring. Even if you decide to pop your pimples, make sure that you are very gentle and do not use excessive pressure as this could cause lasting scars. Pooping a pimple with a needle could cause blood to ooze out and is therefore dangerous and can also cause scarring that would be difficult to get rid of.

Pimples Symptoms

Pimples Common Symptoms

Some of the common symptoms associated with the eruption of a pimple are:



• Inflammation of Surrounding Areas: This is one of the most common symptoms of acne and as soon as you notice this, you should take appropriate steps. If you decide that popping pimples is the best method of treatment, you should pop it at this stage if possible. To allow the trapped sebum to come to the surface, it would be best to steam your face for at least 20 minutes or so as the steam will help to lubricate your pores and allow the sebum to be extracted. Do not use sharp implements to remove the blocked sebum but instead you can gently press down on either side of the pimple so as to force the blockage out. Make sure that you do not use your nails to do this or you can cause permanent damage.

HEAD BUMP

Head bumps have been a common problem faced by people over the years. One possible explanation for head bumps is; they form if you damage or break a small blood vessel under the skin. When the blood vessels are damaged they form pools of blood or blood clots which end up swelling the surrounding tissue there by causing the bump. The severity of head bumps depend completely on how hard you hit your head and the part of the head that is damaged. Since a head bump is not always a serious problem one quick home remedy you can try is applying an ice pack for two to three minutes. After that apply some vegetable oil on the bump and then apply some table salt in a circular motion on the bump. Allow this mixture to stay on the bump for three to five hours until the swelling decreases.

Head bumps that are caused by hard hits that occur in sports and accidents can be very dangerous. If your skull is injured in an incident then it is a matter of real concern as the skull is the protective covering of the brain. Many a times when the skull is damaged from an accident and heals after some time it becomes thicker just like a scar and forms a bump on the head. Head bumps could also be due to plugged oil gland or a sebaceous cyst. They are not dangerous as they gradually heal on their own or could be surgically removed as well. Some times due to changes in our metabolism the body tends to deposit toxins and fats called lymphomas in certain parts of the body the head being the most common. These cysts are not always harmful and very often can be treated through proper diet, exercise and hydro therapy. A homeopathic cell salt called calc flour can help in getting the balance back to your system. Head bumps formed at the back of your head just below the large prominence of the bone are called occipital lymph nodes. You must consult your doctor if you notice; these head bumps becoming larger and if you have significant weight loss along with frequent night sweats. It is possible that these bumps can form lymphoma which is a result of stress, muscle tension or hereditary. You must have plenty of foods that are rich in Vitamin C as they can help fasten the healing process.  Treatment for Head Bump