Archive for March, 2010

Bathing is an essential component of good hygiene. However, most people focus on just the skin of the face when it comes to skincare regime.

The first rule to healthy skin is to keep your skin clean, and care for your skin starts in the bath or shower. Bathing promotes skin renewal by gently polishing and stimulating your skin.

How does the caress of your skin feel? Is it like the rough surface of sandpaper or the soft plush of velvet? Unless you have a lifetime supply of baby skin, you will need to practice the following care for your skin in the bath or shower.

How to care for your skin in the bath or shower

Watch the water temperature. Hot bath is relaxing but it will strip the moisture and oils off your skin, leaving it parched, dry, and scaly. What’s more, hot water makes your hair frizzy and dry. Use warm water. Limit your bath to 15 minutes at the most.

Do not over wash. Hot water and heavy soaps drain precious oils from your skin. Wash your face only twice a day with any mild cleansers and use very little soap on your body when you bath or shower. Skip the bubble bath, which strips the skin off its natural oil.

Choose the right cleanser. A detergent-free, natural skin cleanser lifts impurities from your skin. If possible, use organic products for deep pore cleanser, toner, detoxifier, and makeup remover.

Exfoliate. The surface layer of dead skin is rough to the touch. Exfoliation makes skin glow, accelerates cell turnover, improves the color, tone and skin texture, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Use exfoliation towels or AHA cleanser, daily for the body and once a week for the face.

Do not over-exfoliate. Too much exfoliation robs your pores of softening oil. Use light pressure to prevent irritation. Do not exfoliate around the eye area and private parts.

Shave correctly. Shave in the direction of your hair growth. Always use moisturizing shaving cream. Choose shaving creams with aloe and essential oils. A hair conditioner is a wise substitute to shaving creams for that close, nick-free shave, smooth and supple.

Rinse well. Residues clog skin pores, and leave your skin dry, tight, and uncomfortable.

Pat Dry. Dry gently, patting the water off your skin instead of rubbing your skin dry. By patting dry, the skin retains more of the moisture that you are going to seal with body moisturizer.

Moisturize. Apply moisturizer from head to toe after you step out of the shower to lock in that thin film of moisture and keep you dewy soft all day. Moisturize according to skin type. Individuals with oily skin do not need the heavy oil in moisturizers. People with dry, sensitive skin should consider using thicker lotions-60% grease and 40% water-that are less irritating to sensitive skin.

Remember that your skin needs re-hydration every after bath or shower. Body creams and lotions protect the body from dryness, itchiness, red blotches, painful cracks, rashes, acne, and other irritations. Follow up with sunscreen. Remember, to nourish and pamper your skin. You will be happy when you collect the benefits.

Everyone would like to have shiny, smooth, gorgeous hair, like hair shown in commercials. When you have frizzy, damaged, lifeless hair instead though, you have some serious work to do.

Trims

Try sliding your hands through your hair, starting at the scalp and ending at the tips. If you observe a difference in texture, or if you feel something different at the ends, you are definitely due for a trim. It is wise to arrange for monthly trimmings of damaged areas with split ends.

Avoid heat

Do not use a blow- dryer, hot comb or hot rollers in your hair. The rollers and the hot combs do a lot of damage, because as the heat is applied, they stretch your hair. Already damaged hair will be even further damaged, as a result. If you absolutely have to use a blow-dryer ( like in winter for example, when you cannot let your hair dry alone), then always remember to keep the heat on the lowest setting. Also, always avoid extensive sun exposure.

Choose the right shampoo

Many shampoos consist of cleaning agents that can further damage your hair. It is important to choose acidic shampoos with a pH between 4.5 and 6.7. When washing your hair, try to massage gently. Avoid washing your hair every day, three times a week is perfectly okay. Washing hair daily will deplete hair from natural oils. Pay attention to the ingredients mentioned in the shampoos and conditioners. Choose products that contain little or no alcohol. If your shampoo and conditioner are extremely fragrant, it is quite possible that they contain plenty of alcohol. You can also make your own natural shampoo, by mixing chamomile flowers, comfrey root, elder flowers and nettle with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes and then add 1/4 cup of cider vinegar. Using that shampoo on a regular basis, will help your damaged hair become shiny and soft.

Balanced diet

A diet rich in vitamins and minerals can help your body grow healthier and stronger hair. Prefer fish and nuts, green vegetables and beans.

Hair colors

It is advisable to use semi- permanent hair colors in damaged hair, which can coat the hair strands and make them appear lustrous. They do not contain ammonia, therefore are not harmful to the hair.

Coconut to the rescue

Mix well a cup of coconut milk and two tablespoons of gram flour. Massage it gently for about 5 minutes into your hair and scalp. Leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing. Use this once a week.

Intensive moisturizer

Add a teaspoon of honey into three cups of warm water and massage through your hair after washing them. Do not rinse, let it stay in your hair all night long. Use this twice a week.

Many people might like the idea of getting laser hair removal but be scared of the pain that they think comes with it. They might think that it hurts a lot because of the fact that a laser is used. Or they might think that it is the same type of laser that is used for removing tattoos, which can be very painful. The fact is that it really isn’t all that painful for most areas. As well as it being the best method of permanent hair removal as well.

A lot of people say that the pain is less than having hair waxed, which in itself isn’t all that painful after the initial shock. Similarly the pain from laser removal fades quickly after the hair is removed. It doesn’t even have the lingering sting that waxing can leave you for a few minutes afterward. The most painful area is generally the face, because there are more nerve endings under the surface of the skin there than in most other places. A lot of hair removal places will usually administer a topical anesthetic if you think you might need one, or if the area if particularly sensitive.

The most important thing to do first is to find a reputable clinic. Because in a lot of places you don’t need to have any qualifications to perform this kind of procedure, there are a lot of clinics that tend to spring up from time to time that could be unsafe. Many countries also have very little legislation in place for this kid of thing compared to for example a doctor. So going to a clinic that is affiliated with a chain of clinics, or that someone else has recommended to you is a good ides.

Some places will instead of using an anesthetic use an ice pack to numb the area before they start. This is usually just as effective as an anesthetic, although sometimes a little more uncomfortable. In the majority of cases little other pain relief is needed. In fact a lot of people are surprised by how little it actually does hurt after they have had it done.

The time it will take for the laser removal to be done depends obviously on how large the area is that is being done. It can also vary depending on how thick the hair is that is being removed. Typically however the actual laser isn’t used for much longer then it would take to wax an approximate area the same size. An of course laser removal is a lot more effective than waxing.

After the laser has been used the skin beneath will be sensitive for a few days and shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. It will usually be around a week before the skin is feeling completely normal again, and you can resume normal activities. There are also usually products that are either included in the service, or can be bought at the clinic that will help the skin to return to normal again.

The last thing to remember is that if you have had an area adjacent to an area with hair. For example if you have had a bikini line done but not the upper legs, then you should be wary of friction and rubbing between the two areas. This usually doesn’t happen of course, but after the laser removal the skin is very sensitive for a few days.

It seems today that too many people in the US believe that they should routinely go to the doctor and that whatever that doctor says goes and that is where their thoughts about their own health stop.

I believe in preventative health. For me, this means that I eat balanced meals, figure out what my body needs, take herbs when necessary, and stay physically active, as well as maintaining spirituality and continuing to challenge my mind.

If humans take a moment to pay attention, most of the time we know when something is off balance in our bodies. When you get used to paying attention to your body, it should become as obvious a shift as a tire falling off your car while driving down the highway.

Many times a food craving is telling you something as simple as your body needing more fat or more vegetables. You may have a craving for fast food to signify that you need more fat. If you understand that your body needs fat, then you can go and choose a healthier way to meet that need than fast food.

I feel that I am young enough to get a grip on my own health and old enough to really start paying attention. If I develop healthy habits now, then, in theory, I won’t have to eliminate everything from my diet when I’m 65 and find myself on 12 different prescription medications. I have been watching the people in my life and I have decided that my best defense is to be as healthy as I can be and make solid choices now, that will benefit me into the future.

I maintain an average weight and a good muscle tone through yoga, hiking, snowshoeing, and general activity at work and at home. My body seems to function best on a diet of mostly pasta and vegetables, with protein two or three times a week. I drink a lot of water and green and white tea as well as coffee. I never drink soft drinks or juice with high fructose corn syrup. When I do drink juices, I only buy Bolthouse Farms all natural juices, which are high in potassium and vitamins and low in extra stuff your body does not need. Naked juices are also excellent. I know coffee is not the best thing for me, but I love it and I can’t be good all the time! I do try to maintain my health mostly wih diet. I do my best not to take medication unless it is absolutely necessary.

I know that no plan is perfect, but I do believe that it is best to be aware of your body and it is best not to be relying on prescription medication for the rest of your life. I think that all humans should take better notice and care for their bodies, minds and spirits. The more aware of yourself that you are the better the health professionals can care for you!

Light energy from a laser is used for the removal of hair from different parts of the body and face in Laser hair removal. Both men and women suffer from unwanted hair problem and look for permanent solutions. Various methods are employed for the removal of unwanted hair but the most respected permanent solution to this problem is laser hair removal which can be used for treating unwanted hair at both large and small areas. It works best for coarse hair. In this procedure a light beam is passed through the skin and it mainly targets the melanin a dark pigment. The laser aims at destroying the dark follicle of the hair from where the hair originates.

It takes a series of sessions for permanent hair removal depending upon the hair growth and area which is being treated.

Hair Removal Procedure:

First the area which is to be treated with laser is shaved and cleaned. After applying an antiseptic cream, the laser beam is targeted to the area where it works on the pigmented area and destroys the follicles.

This procedure is not painful although for some it can be slightly uncomfortable. Each session for a patient will depend on the area which is being treated and the size of the area which ahs the unwanted hair. Although redness and swelling may follow after the laser treatment but it is very short lived and disappears in no time.

Risks of Laser Hair Removal:

Laser hair removal is a pain free and safe procedure. However, like other medical treatments, it has some minor side effects which are:

Change in the complexion of the treated area. Skin blistering

To save yourself from these two possible effects, make sure you do not go for your laser hair treatment right after you get a tan.

Number of Laser Hair Removal Treatments Required:

For treating the unwanted hair, it will take 4 to 6 sessions for permanent removal. It is usually repeated after one month or more. The number of sessions and the spacing of the session will mostly depend on the hair and the area getting treated.

Laser Hair Removal Cost:

Laser hair removal is not expensive if you see the advantages you will enjoy in the long run. However the cost of laser hair removal mostly depends on the area and its hair growth. The cost of laser hair removal starts from US $ 100 and onwards.