April 22nd, 2011 admin
Hypo-allergenic CosmeticsThe term ‘hypo-allergenic’ is somewhat dubious. Many cosmetics manufacturers claim their products are hypo-allergenic, which, by definition, means that they produce less allergic reactions than ninety per cent of other cosmetics on the market.The least allergenic of all cosmetics are those which contain no perfume because perfume is the most common cause of allergic reactions. Other ingredients, such as preservatives and sunscreens, may also cause unfavorable reactions but are still present in hypo-allergenic cosmetics.A non-perfumed cosmetic is not the same as an unscented cosmetic. Non-perfumed means 100 per cent fragrance free. An unscented cosmetic is one that has no smell but still has a masking perfume to hide the smell of other chemicals. Cosmetics which are completely fragrance free include Almay, Clinique and Innoxa products.If you are allergic to a particular preservative in a cosmetic, you must look for a brand without it. This can be a particular problem if you are allergic to parabens which is the most frequently used preservative in cosmetics.Hypo-allergenic products are of no special benefit for those with oily skin or acne because perfume has no detrimental effect on acne blemishes.
Men’s CosmeticsProducing cosmetics for women is a billion dollar industry. It is not too surprising then, that producing cosmetics for men is seen as a new avenue to make money. Men are becoming (or being made?) increasingly aware of their appearance and ageing. While they have always used shampoos, aftershaves and shaving creams, there has recently been an explosion in men’s skin care products, similar to those available for women.
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April 14th, 2011 admin
Butch was sixteen when he came to us. Butch had had three generalized tonic-clonic seizures in the previous several years. He had been taking phenobarbital and had recently had a fourth seizure. Butch had given up football and was barely passing in school. The family told us that they just couldn’t control him. He was staying out late with his friends, drinking beer, and they suspected that he was experimenting with drugs. They asked us if there wasn’t some medication that would control his seizures so they could get their old Butch back.As we talked with his parents, it was apparent that the seizures and medication were only minor issues. His behavior problems were partly related to Butch’s feelings about himself and his seizures. But epilepsy had paralyzed his family. They felt so sorry for Butch because of the seizures that they could not bring themselves to put normal restrictions on him. They were unable to set limits on his behavior. They overcompensated for what they saw as a major disability. Butch was far more handicapped by the lack of discipline, an important element of good parenting, than he was by his seizures.We were able to help Butch’s parents realize how their attitudes, although well intentioned, were handicapping Butch. Butch had taken control of the family and was neither ready for that control nor comfortable with it. He had gone so far that he was also manipulating the medical situation. He refused to let us draw routine blood work that would have been necessary in changing to a more appropriate medication—one that might have had less impact on his behavior. Counselling took weeks, but eventually we were able to develop a contract with Butch. We helped his parents to set limits. We helped him to focus on the possibility of driving, a much desired goal. We enabled him to be a participant in the control of his epilepsy and his life, so that neither he nor epilepsy were the dominant force in his family.It was the overcompensation by his loving family that had led to this intolerable situation and handicapped Butch.*175\208\8*
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