| How to Prevent Gray Hair Posted: 24 Oct 2016 05:00 PM PDT If you've already found a gray hair or two, you're probably hoping you can stop the problem before it snowballs out of control. The age at which you start to gray is determined by your genes, so there's not much you can do about it. However, making a few lifestyle changes can help you keep your color for as long as possible before it eventually gives way to silver. That first ashen strand might seem like the beginning of the end, but of course you never really have to go gray if you don't want to — like millions of others, you can always bring back your color with dye. Let's follow the steps below so you can take control of your hair: EditMaking Lifestyle Changes to Keep Your Color - Get enough vitamins. Vitamins (including B12) are essential for hair and skin health. When you have a deficiency, your hair can prematurely begin to lose some of its pigment or even fall out (it may fall out if you have a zinc deficiency), making you gray or bald (you'd want to avoid both). Vitamins are found in animal products such as beef, fish, eggs and chicken, as well as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dairy.
- Consider taking multivitamin supplements if you're concerned about going gray too early. Taking supplements isn't a magic potion guaranteed to keep your hair colorful, but it may give you a little extra time before it turns gray.
- Vegans are more likely to have a B12 deficiency because it's hard to get enough B12 through food other than animal products. Vegans should pay special attention to their B12 intake, through supplementation if necessary. Vegetarians can get B12 from milk and egg products.
- Massage with egg oil. Massage your scalp twice a week with egg oil and leave it on overnight. Egg oil contains anti-oxidant xanthophylls like lutein and zeaxanthin which arrest premature aging (graying) of hair and even reverses early stage grey hair. A tip for leaving it overnight is to cover your bed with a plastic sheet; it may be uncomfortable but it saves a ton of time when you want to clean your bed!
- Stop smoking. Smoking tobacco has been tied to going gray before the age of 30. If you're a smoker and you're concerned about going gray, it's one of many good reasons to take measures to stay away from cigarettes starting right now. If you just smoke occasionally, the habit might not be difficult to break on your own. If you're a heavy smoker, you probably need some support to quit. Either way, it's never too soon to get started. Any other form of tobacco use is equally harmful.
- Smoking also causes hair to look prematurely dull and brittle. Damaged hair can fall out more easily than healthy hair.
- Smoking also ages your skin prematurely and may even make its color look off (in some cases even the persons skin will turn gray).
- Smoking furthermore ruins your teeth making them weak, lose color, causes gum disease as well as enamel damage and will cause premature loss of teeth.
- Take good care of your hair to prevent hair loss. While unhealthy hair doesn't turn gray any sooner than healthy hair, unhealthy hair is more likely to fall out. When new hair grows back in, it often has less pigment than the original hair, especially as you start to get older. Think about how you can change your hair care routine to keep your hair strong and undamaged so it won't fall out.
- If you bleach your hair, always keep it dyed, or use a chemical straightener, your hair might be more prone to falling out.
- Hair extensions are known to cause hair loss, especially if they're put in improperly.
- Using a hair dryer, curling iron or straightener every day is damaging to hair, even when you use a heat protectant. It's better to let it air dry and go natural.
- Even brushing your tangles out, especially when your hair is wet, can cause hair loss and breakage. Be gentle with your hair and use a wide-toothed comb instead.
- Try other natural remedies to keep your hair vibrant. While there are no conclusive studies to show that natural supplements can prevent gray hair, there are several remedies popular in India and other areas that are said to stop it in its tracks. If you decide to add a supplement to your daily diet, consult with a doctor or nutritionist first to make sure it's a healthy choice for you. Here are some popular options:
- Blackstrap molasses
- Black sesame
- Chlorophyll supplements
- Nettle leaf
- Seaweed
- Amla (an ayurvedic herb)
EditDismissing Myths About Gray Hair - Don't get anxious about your stress. Probably the most popular myth about gray hair is that it starts growing in more quickly when you're stressed. You've probably heard harried parents say "You're going to give me gray hair!" to their misbehaving children a million times. The truth is, stress itself does not cause hair to grow in gray, so you can stop worrying that your job, family, lack of sleep and other issues are going to sap away your gorgeous color.
- However, if you're so stressed out that your hair is actually falling out, that's cause for concern, since when your hair grows back in it could be lighter in pigment. If you're that stressed out, it's time to take measures to get some help. Consider talking to a therapist, meditation, and other practices that will help you feel happy and healthy again.
- Forget the idea that plucking a gray hair will cause multiple grays to sprout. That's an old wives' tale that has no factual basis. If you have a prominent gray hair and it annoys you every time you notice it, feel free to pluck it out without worrying that you'll cause a mini explosion of grays.
- However, plucking grays isn't a great long-term solution. Firstly, when you pluck, you can damage the hair follicle and prevent hairs from growing back. Secondly, the plucked follicle is gray and will always be gray; it won't come back in your other color. And thirdly, eventually you'll have too many to pluck, so you'll need to find a better solution.
- Set aside your worries about dyeing your hair turning it gray. If you went through a long phase of dyeing your hair every color under the sun, you might have had someone tell you that dyeing your hair turns it gray prematurely. This isn't true at all, so cast your worries aside. However, excessive dyeing and bleaching can damage hair, which can cause it to fall out and grow back in a lighter pigment.
- Feel free to let your hair get some sun. The sun will lighten your hair, but it doesn't make your hair turn gray. Hair turns gray naturally due to the loss of melanin, which gives hair its pigment.[1] Outside factors like sun exposure don't make a difference when it comes to grayness.
EditStyling Hair When it Begins to Turn Gray - Use a mask for temporary coverage. When your roots are just starting to grow in gray, there are powder, gels and other products you can use to temporarily mask the gray. Choose a product that comes in a color that matches your color. In most cases you'll apply it to the roots once you hair has been washed and dried, then shampoo it out next time you wash your hair.
- Use a permanent dye. If you're not a fan of your new gray look, you may want to dye your hair permanently. Keep in mind you'll need to touch up the roots often, too. There are a variety of options and hundreds of colors to choose from, so do a little research before dyeing your hair to decide what look will be right for you.
- You may want to make an appointment with a colorist who has been professionally trained to dye gray hair. He or she can help guide you to a choice that you'll be happy with.
- You may instead want to save some money and use a boxed hair dye. Be sure to read reviews online before choosing a product. Buy a type of dye that specifies it's for use on gray hair.
- Go natural. Many women and men are embracing their gray hair and letting it grow in as it naturally does. Instead of trying to hide it, why not be proud of your hair? Gray hair can be just as eye-catching as any other color if you style it in a way that shows the world you're still in the game. To keep it looking bright and healthy, look for shampoos, conditioners and other hair products designed especially for gray or white hair.
- Contact your doctor before you take an herbal supplement.
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| How to Manage Tuberculosis Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:00 AM PDT Tuberculosis is an extremely contagious bacterial infection that is transmitted through the air. Tuberculosis infection TB is present in about a third of the global human population, though 90% of people infected with tuberculosis will never have clinically evident or "active" tuberculosis.[1] Most people's immune response keeps the infection from causing symptoms or spreading to others, leading to a condition called latent tuberculosis infection. In some people, however, a person may develop active TB soon after infection or their latent infection may become active when their immune system weakens. This will lead to serious symptoms and can easily be spread to others. It is extremely important to undergo treatment for active tuberculosis infection immediately, to remove the bacteria from your body and reduce the risk of infecting others. EditTreating Active Tuberculosis with Antibiotics - Understand what an active TB diagnosis means. If you are one of the more than 13 million people that have TB disease, you can potentially spread the disease to others. You will need to begin taking antibiotics immediately, and continue to do so for at least six months. Fortunately, you will begin feeling better within a month. Unfortunately, you may be required to stay at a hospital from two to four weeks to avoid spreading the disease.[2]
- Only 1/3 of people with active primary TB have symptoms, which is part of the reason it is so prevalent.[3]
- Cover your mouth and nose. If you have an active TB infection, the infection is spreading within your body, and the infection is extremely contagious. It will remain contagious for the first few weeks of treatment, and can easily be passed to others when you cough, sneeze, and even when you laugh, sing, or speak. Accordingly, take care to preventing spreading TB by avoiding contact with others until your doctor tells you that your infection is no longer contagious.[4]
- If you are diagnosed with active TB, your immediate contacts should be screened by a doctor, as they may also need to be treated or put on prophylactic treatment.
- Take any prescribed antibiotics diligently. Treatment for active TB requires a regimen of multiple antibiotics. Based on the local sensitivities of TB to drugs in your area, you will most likely be started on four drugs (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol), each to be taken every day. Then, after sputum cultures come back with more specific sensitivities for the strain of TB that you have, your doctor may decrease some of these antibiotic and will also decide at that time how long you need to be on them.
- Most people are on all four for two months, then two (isoniazid and rifampin) for four months. If the TB becomes resistant to these drugs, then your treatment will be different and may be longer.
- You will likely start feeling better in two weeks or so.
- Even if you begin to feel better, you must always complete the course of antibiotics in order for them to fully rid your body of TB bacteria. Never stop taking them early because you feel better or to try and save them for later.
- Consider getting assistance taking the antibiotics. Not only must you complete the course of antibiotics your doctor prescribes, you must take the drugs every single day. If this becomes challenging for you, work with your doctor to develop a plan to help you stay on top of your drug regimen.[5]
- For instance, someone from your treatment team may visit you in your home to ensure you're taking your antibiotics, or you can set up a plan to visit a treatment facility everyday.
- Stopping or forgetting to take your antibiotics may allow your infection to become resistant to antibiotics. This is not only extremely dangerous to you, it endangers those who may catch TB from you as well.
- If nothing else, missing doses will likely lead to your having to take antibiotics for a longer period of time.
- Watch out for recurring symptoms of TB. After completing your treatment and seeing a TB specialist to ensure your body is rid of the infectious bacteria, you will not need to get regular checkups; however, it is possible to catch TB again as a separate infection, so stay on the lookout for common symptoms, especially incessant coughing and pain in the chest.
- Take antibiotics longer for extrapulmonary TB. The most common type of active TB infection is pulmonary TB, which predominantly affects your lungs; however, if your TB infection has spread beyond your lungs, your doctor will likely recommend the same types of antibiotics for a longer period of treatment.[6]
- Examples of extra-pulmonary TB include: infection of lymph nodes, meningitis (covering of the brain), pericarditis (covering of the heart), and bone (called "Pott Disease").
- Often, extrapulmonary TB infections require a full year of antibiotic treatment.
- If the infection has spread to you brain or heart, you may also be prescribed a corticosteroid. This will help reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by your infection, and potentially ease any symptoms affecting your nervous and circulatory systems.
- You must complete the full course of antibiotics as prescribed in order to provide the best chance of a full recovery.
- Talk to your doctor if you're pregnant. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding at the time of diagnosis, or become pregnant while taking TB medications, tell your doctor. Further, rifampin significantly diminishes the effectiveness of a number of different birth controls, making them almost completely ineffective.[7] Make sure you are using a backup birth control (like condoms) if you are taking rifampin.
- Watch out for the side effects of TB medication. Side effects associated with the antibiotics used to treat TB infections are rare. Nonetheless, take care to record any side effects that you experience and share this information with your doctor. In particular, achy joints, excessive bruising and bleeding, persistent fever, loss of appetite, tingly in your extremities or around your mouth, stomach discomfort, and yellow skin or eyes should all be reported next time you see your doctor.[8]
- If you are taking isoniazid, you must abstain from drinking alcohol even in small amounts. The the combination of the two together can cause hepatitis.
- Rifampin may cause your urine to appear darker, or even orange. This is normal, and is not cause for concern.
EditDiagnosing and Treating Latent Tuberculosis - Get tested. If you believe you may have been exposed to tuberculosis or have simply spent time in countries or specific environments where tuberculosis is common, get tested. Initially, your doctor will likely administer a skin test. A needle will place a small amount of material just beneath the surface or your skin, and you'll be assessed a few days later based on your body's reaction to the test.[9] A blood test may also be administered to ascertain a TB diagnosis.
- If you live in an overcrowded environment, frequently visit or live impoverished environments, have ever been incarcerated in prison, have an immunodeficiency, or work in a hospital or other type of medical treatment facility, you should get tested for TB every few years.
- Talk to your doctor about treating latent TB. Fortunately, you cannot spread tuberculosis while your infection is latent, and you will not feel sick, as your immune system is effectively preventing the infection from propagating. You are, however, at risk of developing active TB later in life, often as a result of a diminished immune system either due to disease or aging. You may quickly become contagious to others before you realize your infection has become active.[10]
- Your doctor may wish to take preventative measures to kill the bacteria in your body that are causing the infection to reduce the potential of TB disease. Expect treatment for latent TB to last from six to nine months.
- Take TB drugs exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is extremely important to follow TB drug regimens exactly as you are directed.
- Stopping too early, or failing to consistently take your medication may lead to a worsening of the disease, and your TB may even become resistant to the drugs you're taking.
- Treat latent TB if you are a high risk of developing an active TB. After your doctor establishes that your infection is latent, you will likely begin a nine-month drug regimen, likely of 25 mg of pyridoxine per day. If you suffer from a weakened immune system, you will likely be considered at high risk of your TB becoming active. In particular, the following conditions put you at greater risk:[11]
- HIV infection or another autoimmune disease
- Contact with those who have active TB
- Damage to your lungs
- Organ transplants
- Taking drugs that suppress your immune system
- Recent immigration from a country with a high prevalence of TB
- Injection drug use
- Large amounts of time spent in a correctional facility, nursing home, homeless shelter, hospital, or any other high-density habitation, as either a resident or employee
- Quit smoking. Smoking not only places you at greater risk of contracting a TB infection, it also causes inflammation in your lung tissue. This damage makes you more susceptible to the worsening of an infection from latent TB to active TB. Further, smoking also weakens the immune system generally, reducing your ability to fight infections such as TB.
- Eliminate substance abuse. Alcohol and other drugs weaken the immune system, reducing your body's ability to resist and fight infection. Long-term habitual use makes you especially predisposed to TB, as your level of immunity to catching infection will become lower and lower the longer you use drugs.
- If you drink heavily, start by reducing the amount your drink everyday incrementally. Not only will you likely begin to feel better, you may also feel more motivated to steadily reduce the amount you drink.
EditMonitoring Symptoms of Tuberculosis - See a doctor for a persistent cough. If the infection remains latent, you may not even know you are infected with tuberculosis for years after becoming infected; however, the infection may become active, and needs to be identified as quickly as possible. If you experience any symptoms that might indicate an active tuberculosis infection, see a doctor immediately.[12]
- With a latent infection, you may have TB bacteria that are walled off inside your body, prevented from harming you by your immune system. If your immune system is weakened, however, you may develop an active TB infection.
- An active TB infection will most commonly attack the lungs, resulting in pulmonary TB disease. X-rays are commonly used to assess whether your lungs have been damaged, and laboratory tests can also be run on any mucus, called "phlegm," that you cough up.
- If you have any type of cough that lasts more than three weeks, or are becoming increasingly short of breath, see a doctor immediately.
- Pay attention to any chest pain. In particular, watch out for coughing that results in mucus or blood in your mouth, and/or chest pain while coughing. Chest pain usually occurs due to an infection of the lungs, which causes inflammation, swelling, and even permanent damage to the tissues of the lungs.
- Watch closely for blood in anything you cough up. Blood stained sputum, as this substance is called, is a symptom of more advanced TB that occurs due to inflammation of the respiratory tract.
- Watch for symptoms of extrapulmonary TB infection. When TB spreads, it may lead to noticeable symptoms affecting your lymph nodes, your bones and joints, your digestive system, your bladder and reproductive organs, and even your nervous system.[13] In particular, watch out for enlarged lymph nodes, which may indicate that your immune system is struggling to fight a TB infection. The lymph nodes around your lungs and heart are those most likely to be infected.
- Additionally, be on the lookout for pain in your stomach, pain or immobility in your joints, confusion, persistent headaches, and seizures.
- If any of these symptoms develop in tandem with another, see a doctor as soon as possible.
- Watch for general symptoms of TB disease. An active tuberculosis infection may also affect your kidneys, brain, and spine. Other symptoms that may indicate TB disease include persistent weakness, persistent fever, and heavy night sweats.[14]
- Check your temperature for fever. Fever occurs due to the presence of an infection in the body.
- Keep track of any night sweats. Night sweats occur as a result of infection, as the body tries to get rid of the fever that is present in the body. More specifically, sweating is the body's way of removing the excess heat caused by fever.
- Identify any loss of appetite or weight loss. TB affects many bodily systems, including the digestive system. When the digestive system is not working as it should, it can lead to a loss of appetite, which in turn leads to weight loss. Symptoms such as these will persist, and will usually worsen, without treatment. See a doctor immediately if you're concerned you may have a TB infection.[15]
- Tuberculosis can be fatal, even while undergoing treatment, though fatalities from tuberculosis infections are becoming increasingly rare. In fatal cases, death usually occurs because the lungs have been damaged beyond their ability to provide sufficient oxygen to the body. Accordingly, see a doctor immediately if you experiences symptoms including severe coughing, chest pain, or trouble breathing.[16]
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