May 29th, 2011 admin
Hairy faces and bodies are considered unattractive in western society, yet are considered quite normal in Mediterranean countries. Facial hair growth in women can be ‘hormonal’, in which case coarse ‘male-type’ hair is seen, or ‘racial’, in which case a generalized hairiness is evident. ‘Hormonal’ facial hair can be treated with specific hormone tablets, yet both types of hair growth can be treated with various hair removers.
Bleaching creamsBleaching creams are safe to use on the face and are simple to apply. It is best to choose one that is specifically designed for the face as it will be less irritating.
Depilatory creamsDepilatory creams remove hair by a chemical process, similar to perming hair. The chemical, thioglycollate, breaks the hair bond, so the hair can be wiped off. It is important to choose a cream which is specifically for the face, as these are weaker than depilatory creams designed for the body. Depilatory creams are generally safe and do not promote thicker hair re-growth. Occasionally, allergic reactions to thioglycollate occur.
Epilating devicesEpilating devices are excellent for use on the body, but are ineffective for facial hair.
Waxing Waxing is probably the best method of removing both facial and body hair. Both a hot or cold wax can be used and the process can be performed at home. Waxing over a number of years makes the hair weaker and it grows less coarsely.
Plucking Plucking hair is a very effective method of removing a small number of hairs, although re-growth does occur. Like waxing, repeated plucking will eventually weaken and destroy the hair root. It is safe to pluck hairs which grow out of moles.
Electrolysis Although electrolysis is supposedly a permanent method of hair removal, in most cases only a small number of hairs are actually destroyed, while the majority re-grow. The reason for this is that electrolysis is a ‘blind’ technique, and often the hair root is missed. The success of electrolysis is very operator dependent, yet even in the best hands many hairs reappear. The main disadvantages of electrolysis are that it is slow, expensive and can cause scarring.
*87/150/5*
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May 15th, 2011 admin
People with HIV infection do not usually have problems with their eyes, and when they do, the problems are often the usual ones that accompany the aging process. But there are some eye problems that indicate serious complications, and a physician must be notified. The most common and serious is cytomegalovirus retinitis. Blurred Vision-Blurred vision, along with several other symptoms and a low CD4 cell count, may indicate an infection of the eye called cytomegalovirus retinitis. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis-In addition to blurred vision, other symptoms of CMV retinitis can include a blind spot, pain in the eye, and “floaters.” Floaters are spots that float across the line of vision as a result of inflamed cells in the middle of the eye. In many instances the person with CMV retinitis notices no symptoms at all. CMV retinitis is caused by a virus called cytomegalovirus, or CMV, that, like the viruses that cause chickenpox or herpes, infects most people and then remains dormant in the body. Because CMV lives in blood cells, it can circulate to all parts of the body. In this case, CMV has infected the retina, the layer of cells in the back of the eye that, like the film of a camera, is responsible for recording images. The specific symptoms a person has will depend on which area of the retina is affected. CMV retinitis occurs in only 5 to 15 percent of people with HIV infection. It does not occur until the CD4 count is severely lowered. The diagnosis can be made by a physician using an ophthalmoscope, an instrument that permits the physician to see the retina. What part of the retina is infected determines how much vision is lost. On the central part of the retina, where images are focused, a small area of infection can cause complete loss of vision. On the periphery of the retina, a large infection can cause no apparent vision loss. CMV retinitis can occur in one eye or in both eyes. If the infection in one eye is left untreated, it will often affect the other eye as well. If both eyes are infected and left untreated, the usual result is blindness. Loss of sight caused by cytomegalovirus cannot be corrected with glasses. With early treatment, vision can usually be saved before blindness occurs. Treatment is with the antiviral drugs ganciclovir and foscarnet, which slow or stop the progression of the infection. Both drugs are given intravenously, and treatment must continue indefinitely, because the infection recurs when the treatment is stopped.*129\191\2*
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May 1st, 2011 admin
Chondroitin is one of a family of natural substances known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). It is composed of long chains that alternate two molecules: gaiactosamine and glucuronic acid. Galactosamine has the same chemical structure as glucosamine, but it has a slightly different three-dimensional shape. Like glucosamine, chondroitin is a molecule that can’t exist alone. It must be paired with something – often sulfate.Chondroitin sulfate became popular in the United States after the publication of Jason Theodosakis’s The Arthritis Cure, which recommends combining it with glucosamine sulfate. Although there is considerable evidence supporting the use of injectable chondroitin sulfate, until recently there was little evidence that oral chondroitin sulfate worked. Indeed, many experts have gone on record stating that oral chondroitin sulfate cannot possibly work because it is too big a molecule to be absorbed. At best, they proposed, it is broken down into other substances (such as glucosamine) which then provide benefits.Indeed, chondroitin sulfate is such a large molecule that at first glance it seems unlikely that it could be absorbed through the gut wall. In general, the gut cannot be penetrated by such enormous chemical structures. For example, cellulose is similar to chondroitin in many ways, and it simply passes through the digestive tract as dietary fiber. This opinion was bolstered by a small 1992 study that found that oral use of chondroitin sulfate did not raise blood levels of the substance.However, more recent evidence suggests that chondroitin sulfate actually can be absorbed. How such a molecule makes its way into the body is unclear, but apparently, it does. More important, we do have good evidence that when you take chondroitin, your arthritis symptoms will decrease.*40/306/5*
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