| How to Do Viking Braids Posted: 26 Jun 2017 05:00 PM PDT If you're a fan of braided hairstyles, you'll never get bored. From French to fishtail to Dutch to waterfall, there is no shortage of unique braid styles. If you're looking for a fierce yet simple new braid to try, look no further than the Viking braid. Popularized by the television show Vikings, these braids have become extremely trendy. Because there are so many variations of this style, you even have room to get creative. EditTexturizing and Sectioning Your Hair - Skip the shower. Viking braids are not perfectly neat or sleek, and it's easiest to create this look in second (or third or fourth) day hair. The oils in your hair will give it a bit of natural hold and texture. Remember, this look is supposed to look a bit messy and rugged![1]
- Spray with texturizing spray or dry shampoo. If you have very fine, smooth hair (or if you showered recently), you'll want to add a bit of texture. There are a few ways you can do this. You can buy a texturizing spray at your local pharmacy or beauty supply store, and this will add a bit of grit to your locks. A dry shampoo can do this exact same thing. Spritz it all over your hair, and then run your fingers through it.[2]
- Section the top of your hair. You'll be creating multiple braids for this look, so sectioning out your hair is key. You can use claw clips, duckbill clips, or any sort of hair clip that you have handy. First, gather the hair on the very top of your head. Put your fingers on either side of your forehead and trace your fingers back, scooping up all of the hair on the top of your head going back. Clip this very top section up and out of the way with your hair clip of choice.
- Create sections on the sides of your head. Once the top section is clipped up, you need to section out the hair on both sides of your head. You will be creating two braids on each side of your head, for a total of four. First, gather up all of your hair on one side of your head, starting at your hairline. Then, create a part extending back from your hairline, splitting the side section of hair into a top and bottom section. Clip up the top section so you can work with the bottom section of hair first.
- Do the exact same thing on the other side of your head.
- When you are finished, you will have five total sections along the top of your head: the top section and two sections on either side.
EditCreating the Side Braids - Begin with the bottom section of hair on either side. After you've clipped up the very top section of hair, you should've split the sections on either side of your head down the center horizontally. You'll be starting with the bottom sections of hair on either side of your head, closest to your ears.[3]
- Begin creating a rope braid. Split the section of hair into two pieces for the rope braid. Start twisting them toward your head tightly, picking up more hair in the section as you work. You want the finished effect to be tight against your head, like a cornrow, so make sure you are holding the hair taut as you work.[4]
- Finish the section with a traditional three-strand braid. Once you've created a tight rope braid against your head and are behind your ear, switch from the rope braid to a three-strand braid. Don't worry if it isn't a perfectly smooth transition, because these braids are supposed to look imperfect.[5]
- Braid to the end of your hair, and then secure it with a clear elastic.
- Tease the tail of your braid so that the elastic is concealed and the end of the braid has a lot of volume and texture.
- Repeat this process on all of the side sections. Once you've created your first braid, do it again on the other side. Then, do the exact same process with the pinned up side sections. Note that the very top of your hair is still clipped up – this is just to finish the cornrow side braids. You will finish with two braids on either side.[6]
- Slide your braids up. This step is optional. If you want to leave your two side braids as is, you certainly can. For some added interest, you can turn these into "snake" braids. To do this, untie the braid and firmly grasp the middle strand. Combine the two outer strands and push them upwards along the braid. This will cause the plaits to slide up and bunch at the top, creating a really intricate effect.[7]
- Pushing your braid up like this might create frizz, but that fits perfectly with the look of a Viking.
- Tie your hair off at the bottom of the snake braid.
EditBraiding the Top Section - French braid your hair to the back. Once you've completed and tied off your side cornrows, it's time to work with the very top section. Unclip it and smooth out any huge tangles with your fingers. Then, French braid it to the back. It's okay if you aren't an expert at French braiding – the messier, the better.[8]
- If you have shorter hair, you can end the top braid in a small bun. In fact, the Vikings character Ragnar Lothbrok often rocks a version of the "man bun" at the end of his braid.[9]
- End your braid wherever you like. You can braid until the ends of your hair, or you can do it about halfway down the strands. The important thing is that the very top of your head is braided, and the length of your braid is up to you. Tie it off with a clear hair elastic.[10]
- Tease the end of the braid. The finishing touch for this braid is the backcombing, just like with the rest of your braids. After you've tied off the end, use a teasing comb to backcomb whatever hair is left. You can also carefully loosen or mess up your braid to give it a more tousled, authentically Viking look.
- Spray your Viking braids with hairspray. Once you've finished braiding, teasing, and securing your braids, spritz the entire hairstyle with hairspray. This will help hold all of your handiwork in place and make sure your braids last throughout the day. The beauty of this style, however, is that flyaways and loose pieces are welcome. This style is meant to look a bit messy, so don't worry about making sure everything is perfectly placed.
- If you are worried about your braids lasting throughout the day, bring a comb and some extra hair ties along with you. You can always re-braid sections of your hair as needed!
EditThings You'll Need - Texturizing spray or dry shampoo
- Clear hair elastics (5)
- Teasing comb
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| How to Help Your Child Deal with Cliques Posted: 26 Jun 2017 09:00 AM PDT If your child needs help dealing with a clique, you should get more information from teachers and encourage your child to talk to you and other authority figures. Equip your child with conflict resolution and anger management techniques. Organize a conflict mediation session that includes parents, teachers, and other stakeholders if necessary. Your child might also need help dealing with a clique they are in. Help your child avoid feeling trapped or constrained by their clique by encouraging them to extend their peer group and take a leadership role within the clique. EditExploring the World of Cliques - Find out more about the clique. If your child is in a clique, find out who else is in it. Ask your child, "Who is in your group of friends?" Get as much information as possible. Other questions you might have include:[1]
- Is there a clique leader?
- How long have you been participating in the clique?
- What do you and your clique do together?
- Don't automatically reject your child being in a clique. It is normal and natural for children to show preferences for friends or certain types of other people with whom they get along. Cliques can help your child develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence. In a clique of friends, your child may feel protected and accepted for who they are.[2]
- Understand that your child wants to feel accepted. A clique is often the solution to this predicament.[3]
- Help your child extend their peer group. If your child only spends time with their clique, their ability to make new friends might suffer, and they will not be exposed to as diverse a range of attitudes and lifestyles as possible. They might also feel more obligated to engage in cliquish behavior when they don't have any friends outside their clique.[4]
- To help your child branch out and meet all the friends they possibly can, encourage your child to sign up for various extracurricular activities such as sports, plays, chess or game clubs, and so on.
- For instance, you could help your child enlist in community-sponsored athletic programs. Contact your local community activity board or recreational department for more information about children's programs in your area.
- Support your child's individuality. Cliques – for good or ill – tend to impose a conformity of dress, attitude, or behavior on their members. In order to help your child maintain their sense of self, provide positive feedback to your child on a regular basis. For instance, you could say to your child:[5]
- "I like you just the way you are."
- "It's okay for you to do things differently than other people do."[6]
- "I like when you are kind and polite to others."
- Encourage your child to use their leadership skills for good. If your child is the clique leader – or even if they are not – you should help them find a voice in the clique, especially if you suspect that they might be led astray by a bad clique leader. For instance, you could tell your child, "Your friends in the clique will admire you for having the courage to do the right thing and treat others kindly."[7]
- Help your child empathize with others by reminding them of the time before they were surrounded by a clique, or encouraging them to do volunteer work or even just to do kind things for friends and family members as a way to foster compassion. This will help your child see themselves in others who do not currently have a clique, and make your child more inclined to treat others kindly.
- Keep an eye out for bullying. Cliques are often a locus for bullying behavior. Children within the clique might encourage and reinforce each other's bullying. Decide what consequences you think would be appropriate as punishment for bullying behaviors. Be sure to keep an eye out for this behavior, which may include:[8]
- verbal threats or name-calling
- physical attacks (kicking, pushing, hitting)
- taunting (making faces or obscene gestures)
- starting rumors
- Discourage your child from participating if necessary. People often conform to the behaviors and attitudes of those around them. If your child is getting involved with other children who could have a negative influence on them, or if you have evidence that your child is actually engaging in negative behaviors, discourage them from spending time with the clique.[9]
 - Ideally, you will never have to discourage your child from spending time with a particular individual or a clique of friends. Make sure to have discussions about what makes someone a good person and a good friend. This will better enable your child to decide for themselves when they meet people.
- However, if your child's clique is getting them in trouble, you might have to ask them to find new friends.
- There are many ways to discourage your child from participating in the clique. For instance, you could say, "I'd feel more comfortable if you didn't spend time with that group of friends."
- Get third parties involved, too, such as faith leaders, school guidance counselors, or trusted family friends.[10] Tell them about your child's clique and recruit them into your effort to discourage your child from participating in the clique.
- If your child is unresponsive to your initial overtures in discouraging them, take a more authoritative stance. Say, "I forbid you from spending time with that group of friends" or inform them that you will be revoking certain privileges until they stop spending time with the clique.
EditWorking Through Problems - Look for signs that your child is struggling with cliques. You might not realize that your child is experiencing conflict with a clique. They might be embarrassed by the way they're being treated, or feel that they can handle it on their own. However, you can identify a problem by looking for signs that your child is struggling with cliques. If you feel that things have gotten severe, especially if they have panic attacks or thoughts of self-harm, consult a mental health professional. Others things to watch for include:[11]
- sadness or depression
- trouble getting to sleep[12]
- reluctance to attend school
- disinterest in certain activities that they previously had an interest in
- Talk to your child about their experience with a clique. Once you've identified signs that your child is suffering at the hands of a clique, confirm the problem by asking, "Do you need help dealing with a group of mean children?" Alternately, you might receive firsthand reports from your child that they are, in fact, struggling to deal with a clique. In either case, find out more about their experience.[13]
- Ask, for instance, "What does the clique do to you?" They might reply that they are being pushed, taunted, or made fun of.
- Listen attentively and make eye contact with the child to show you are interested in them and their feelings.
- Ask relevant follow-up questions like, "How did that make you feel?" or "What happened then?"
- Let your child know that you're always available to talk by saying, "I am always here if you want to share more of your feelings." Also, teach them ways they can respond to the bullies or various taunts. Check in with them and invite them to talk to you whenever they need to find out what is working and what is not. You can also ask if there is anything specific they'd like you to do to help.
- Talk to your child's teacher or administrator. If your child is dealing with a bully in a particular class, contact the teacher in the class. The teacher might be able to offer more information, and should be eager to hear more about your child's experience. With your child's teacher alerted to the situation, the clique will be less likely to target your child.[14]
- Work with your child's teacher to redress the clique's unfair bullying.
- For instance, encourage staff at your child's school to develop a school-wide intervention program to prevent bullying behavior by cliques or individuals. This program should include counseling for bullies and victims, staff training on how to identify and resolve bullying, and inclusion of parents in how to prevent bullying in their kids.
- Contact the parents of the kids in the clique. Your child will have a hard time dealing with a clique on their own, and there is only so much you can do as a parent. In addition to teachers and relevant school staff, contact the parents of the other children in the clique. With the parents of the kids in the clique on board, the clique can issue an apology to your child and begin adopting more appropriate behavior.[15]
- Keep in mind that this approach can backfire, especially with teenagers, and the bully may take things out on your child.
EditEmpowering Your Child - Teach your child conflict resolution techniques. Even if teachers and staff implement programs to end bullying by cliques, your child might still face bullying from other cliques later in life, or if they move to a new school. Teach your child some simple anger management practices, such as:[16]
 - Stopping as soon as they feel angry.[17] They might be able to do this by utilizing a "stop" motion when they begin feeling anger. For instance, demonstrate a stop motion for your child that involves placing their hand directly in front of their face with the fingers pointed up and pushing the hand straight out in front of them. Such a motion can focus the energy and attention on stopping feelings of anger.
- Giving themselves space to think. This might mean leaving the space where they feel they are being threatened or bullied by the clique.
- Breathing deeply. Encourage your child to close their eyes once they are in a place where they can think. Instruct them to breathe in through their nose for three seconds, then out through their mouth for five seconds, repeating as needed.
- Analyzing the situation. Your child should think back on what happened during their interaction with the clique. Tell your child, "Look at the situation as you would if you were a spectator. Be sure that you did not cause the conflict."
- Talking with someone you trust. Talking things through with someone can also help you to get some perspective and feedback.
- Help your child engage in conflict resolution. The conflict resolution process involves your child and the clique they are in conflict with engaging in dialogue. Through this dialogue, the clique is compelled to cease tormenting your child.[18]
- For instance, help your child express themselves to the clique they wish to deal with in an appropriate way. Instead of using blaming language and "you" statements (in the form of, "You are rotten"), instruct your child to use "I" statements (in the form of "I don't like being pushed").
- Encourage your child to focus on the behavior, not the person in the clique who is acting badly.[19] Instruct your child, in other words, to describe the behavior that they don't appreciate and avoid name-calling or essentializing the people in the clique.
- You can also try role-playing the situation with your child a few times to help them find a good way to respond. Remind them that they cannot control what other people do, but they can control how they respond.
- Help your child engage in conflict mediation. The conflict mediation process involves bringing together two parties, at least one of which has a grievance regarding the other, and helping them understand each other. In your child's case, you or a third party may have to collect all the members of the clique that is tormenting your child. If you (along with parents of those in the clique and/or teachers) are engaged in the conflict resolution process, you should:[20]
- Set the ground rules. Once your child and the clique that harasses them are in conversation, there should be no disrespect or name-calling.[21]
- Both sides should get a chance to talk about what happened from their point of view. Disallow interruptions when someone is talking.
- Help the clique and your child see that they would both be better off if they did not fight. Show them, for instance, that they have common interests like using school time as a place to learn and study, and not a place to fight.
- Encourage your child and the clique to develop options for how to move forward. Help them evaluate the best option and arrive at an agreement they can all agree to.
- In the interest of maintaining a neutral mediator, you might not be allowed to participate in the conflict resolution process. It is possible that only school staff and administrators will be allowed in the conflict resolution process.
- Help your child avoid being targeted by cliques. Kids are often targeted by cliques because their style of dress or their hygiene is poor. Encourage your child to engage in good hygiene – especially if they are teens or tweens and might need extra reminders. Remind them, if necessary, to wash their clothes regularly, brush their teeth, and shower.[22]
- Stay attentive to your child's wardrobe. If they haven't gotten new clothes in a while, they might have outgrown their old clothes. Invite them on a shopping trip so they can select some new clothes if you suspect they are in need (or if they tell you directly that they want new clothes).
- Make sure your child is engaging in hobbies and activities that will help to build up their confidence and help them have fun. This will help to immunize them from criticism or bullying behavior from other people.
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| How to Treat Psoriasis on Your Face Posted: 26 Jun 2017 01:00 AM PDT Psoriasis is a medical condition in which there is a buildup of rough, dry, and dead skin cells that creates reddish-pink skin areas. It can occur anywhere on the body, even on the face. If you have psoriasis on your face, you will want to treat it carefully, as the face has very sensitive areas of skin. In most cases, it is most effective to use a variety of treatment types to minimize psoriasis, including traditional medicine and natural medicine. These treatments include topical medications, light therapy, and supplements to your diet. EditUsing Traditional Medicine - Apply corticosteroids. Once you have been diagnosed, your doctor will present a treatment plan. This plan is likely to include a topical corticosteroid, which you will need to apply directly to the areas of psoriasis.[1]
- Low-potency corticosteroids reduce redness and swelling.
- Some side effects of corticosteroid use can include: rash, bruising, skin tearing, and enlarged blood vessels. Discontinue use and contact your doctor if you experience these problems.
- Use synthetic vitamin D. This vitamin slows the growth of skin cells and is usually applied in topical form. However, this treatment can irritate the skin, so it should be used sparingly and with caution.[2]
- In many cases, vitamin D will be combined in a cream with corticosteroids.
- Use methotrexate pills. In addition to topical medication, your doctor may prescribe an oral medication, especially if your psoriasis is severe. For instance, your doctor may prescribe methotrexate. This is an anti-inflammatory medication that is taken either in pill form or in an injection, although most patients take it weekly in tablet form.[3]
- Discuss the medications your doctor wants to use, including possible side effects, and be sure that your doctor is an experienced dermatologist before agreeing to this type of treatment.[4]
- Be sure that you are only using these medications for short periods of time. Otherwise, the side effects can be severe.[5]
- Take ciclosporin. This is a drug that suppresses the immune system and stops the inflammation associated with psoriasis. It is usually taken daily in pill form. In order to get the benefits from this medication, it may need to be taken for several months, up to several years.[6]
- Your blood pressure and kidney function should be monitored while you are on this medication.
- Apply retinoid creams. Retinoids are derived from vitamin A and are used for a variety of skin conditions. They are applied directly to the skin in order to remove scales and ease inflammation. One common type of retinoid that is used for facial psoriasis is acitretin.[7]
- This medication should not be taken if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
- Take a biologic agent. These medications are made from natural materials, such as plants or microorganisms, and are sometimes known as biological response modifiers or targeted therapies. They interact with specific parts of the immune system, stopping it from attacking the skin and causing inflammation. Some common biologic agents that are prescribed for facial psoriasis include:[8]
- Infliximab (Remicade)
- Etanercept (Enbrel)
- Adalimumab (Humira)
- Ustekinumab (Stelara)
- Secukinumb (Cosentxy)
- Use light therapy. In addition to medication, your doctor may suggest that you undergo photo therapy, or ultraviolet light therapy, to treat your psoriasis. Psoriasis often responds well to brief daily exposure to light. Your doctor will instruct you about the light therapy that is needed, as exposure to too much light can make your psoriasis worse.[9]
- Do not use light therapy if you have photo-sensitivity or sun damage on your face.
EditUsing Natural Medicine - Use moisturizer. It can help facial psoriasis quite a bit to keep the affected areas moisturized. Keeping the affected areas moisturized will make your skin feel better and keep scaling under control.[10]
- Using the right type of moisturizer is important. Use a medicated moisturizers made to treat psoriasis or over-the-counter moisturizers that do not have chemicals, fragrances, and dyes that could irritate your skin.[11]
- If you wish to wash your face, use a gentle non-soap cleanser. This will help to avoid further irritation.[12]
- Apply aloe vera. Aloe vera is a plant that is known to reduce redness, scaling, itching, and inflammation. It can be used several times a day on psoriasis and can be used indefinitely without side effects.[13]
- You can even grow an aloe vera plant yourself and use the gel that is located on the inside of the leaves directly on your skin.
- Take fish oil supplements. Fish oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for the skin. They may reduce the inflammation that is associated with psoriasis, however results from studies are mixed.[14]
- Take 3 grams or less of fish oil daily. This is generally recognized as safe and beneficial.
- Apply Oregon grape cream. Oregon grape is also known as barberry and Mahonia aquifolium. In topical applications, Oregon grape has been proven to reduce inflammation and ease the symptoms of psoriasis.[15]
- A 10% Oregon grape extract cream has been used successfully in research for psoriasis treatments.[16]
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