All About Alopecia Areata

It’s the stuff nightmares are made of – you step out of the shower, dry your hair, and are shocked to discover a clump of hair on your towel. You finally pluck up the courage to take a look in the mirror and you see that you now have a glaring bald patch on your scalp. For the majority of us this is just a really bad dream, but for millions of people around the world, this nightmare is a cruel reality. The culprit behind this is the disease, alopecia areata.

Alopecia Areata is hair loss which occurs as a result of your immune system mistakenly attacking your hair follicles, which is where hair growth begins. Experts still do not know exactly why the immune system decides to attack the follicles, but it is thought that something triggers the immune system to react against the body’s tissues – possible triggers are infections, viruses, medicines and environmental factors.
 
This disease can occur at any age, but most cases first develop in children and teenagers – at least half of those who suffer from alopecia areata develop their first hair loss before the age of 21. Males and females are equally affected.

What Happens with Alopecia Areata?

Alopecia areata usually begins when clumps of hair start to fall out, resulting in smooth, round (the size of a large coin) hairless patches on the scalp or other parts of the body. However, in some cases the hair may just become thinner with no obvious bald patches, or it may grow and break, leaving short stubs. In extremely rare cases, the complete loss of all body hair occurs.

As the damage to the follicles is often not permanent, hair loss can come and go. In fact, it is quite common for someone to have it as a child, have it go away, and then have it return 20 years later as an adult.
 
About 10% of people who suffer from this condition may never regrow their hair. You are more likely to suffer permanent hair loss if you:
•    Have a family history of the condition (around 1 in 5 people with this disease have a close relative affected by it).
•    Had the condition before puberty or for longer than one year.
•    Are prone to allergies.
•    Have other autoimmune diseases.
•    Suffer from extensive hair loss.
•    Have abnormal color, texture, shape, or thickness of fingernails and/or toenails.

How Is Alopecia Areata Diagnosed?

It’s diagnosed through a physical examination and a look at your medical history. Your doctor will generally ask you questions about your hair loss and look at the pattern of your scalp, which they'll then examine. They may also gently tug on a few strands of hair to see if they fall out too easily.
 
If the doctor cannot put their finger on the exact reason for your hair loss, they may decide to carry out a few tests to check whether a disease is causing your hair to fall out. These tests include:
•    Hair analysis. The doctor will pluck some of your hair and examine it under a microscope.  A scalp sample may also be taken.
•    Blood tests will be done, including testing for specific conditions, such as an underactive or overactive thyroid gland.
How Is it Treated?

Since hair usually grows back within a year, you may simply decide to not treat it and just wait. If you decide against trying to treat your alopecia areata, you may wish to:
•    Wear a hairpiece. Hairpieces are made up of human or synthetic hair that is implanted into a nylon netting. Hairpieces can be attached to the scalp using metal clips, glue or tape. However, sewing or braiding longer pieces of hair into existing hair is not recommended as it may cause permanent hair loss.
•    Use specific hair care products and styling techniques. Hair care products or perms can make the hair appear thicker. Dyes can also be used to color the scalp, but continual use can result in additional hair loss. 

 If you wish to treat your alopecia areata, you can try:

•    Steroid injections – Injecting steroids into the bald patches suppresses the local immune reaction which occurs in alopecia areata patients. Therefore, this allows the hair follicles to function normally and your hair will eventually re-grow after 1-2 months. This is thought to be the most effective treatment for this condition, but it is not 100% effective.
•    Rub-on steroids – Steroid cream may help hair re-growth, but it does not work as well as steroid injections. It is worth trying steroid cream if you have large bald patches which are not suitable for the injections. If re-growth does occur, it usually takes 3-6 months. If no re-growth is present after this period of time, there is no point continuing with this treatment.
•    Applying Anthralin – Anthralin, commonly used to treat psoriasis, is an ointment that may help your hair grow again. It looks and feels a bit like tar, and it can irritate and stain your skin. Therefore, you should apply it to your bald patches for only a short period of time before washing it off. It may take up to 2 months for new hair to grow.

 

If you would like to try a natural home remedy instead, you can:
•    Apply lavender – Studies have shown the lavender can slow, or even reverse, hair loss caused by alopecia areata. Since it is a powerful essential oil, it should be diluted with almond or coconut oil before being applied.
•    Apply coconut milk – Applying coconut milk with a gram of flour to your scalp will guarantee the relatively quick recovery of your lost hair as the paste stimulates the hair follicle and boosts the health of your scalp.
•    Use Chinese Hibiscus – Mix hibiscus petals with some dandelion oil and apply it to your scalp. This flower is known to maintain the health of hair when it has not fallen out, but it also helps to stimulate and rejuvenate hair follicles.
•    Apply Aloe Vera – This plant dramatically increases blood circulation to any area of the body it is placed on. Furthermore, it's effective in promoting scalp development and recovery. 

How Will Alopecia Areata Affect Your Life?

This disease does not have the same effect as many other diseases: there is no pain, you do not feel sick, and it does not cause any serious health problems. You cannot spread it to others and it should not interfere with your everyday life.
However, if hair loss is making you feel unattractive and down, it's important that you talk to somebody about it.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.

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Platypus venom paves way to possible diabetes treatment

The males of the extraordinary semi-aquatic mammal - one of the only kind to lay eggs - have venomous spurs on the heels of their hind feet.

The poison is used to ward off adversaries.

But scientists at the University of Adelaide have discovered it contains a hormone that could help treat diabetes.

Known as GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), it is also found in humans and other animals, where it promotes insulin release, lowering blood glucose levels. But it normally degrades very quickly.

Not for the duck-billed bottom feeders though. Or for echidnas, also known as spiny anteaters - another iconic Australian species found to carry the unusual hormone.

Both produce a long-lasting form of it, offering the tantalising prospect of creating something similar for human diabetes sufferers.
 
Lead researcher Prof Frank Grutzer told the BBC's Greg Dunlop why the researchers had decided to look at the platypus and its insulin mechanisms: "We knew from genome analysis that there was something weird about the platypus's metabolic control system because they basically lack a functional stomach."

They are not the only animals to use insulin against enemies. The gila monster, a venomous lizard native to the US and Mexico, and the geographer cone, a dangerous sea snail which can kill entire schools of fish by releasing insulin into the sea, both also weaponise the chemical.


"That's obviously something that can be powerful in venom," Prof Grutzer said, though he stressed it was not what had led them to the discovery. "It was really coincidental," he said.
 
He emphasised that much more research was needed before the discovery could, if ever, lead to a human treatment: "An important experiment is going to be putting this it into mice and see how it affects blood glucose levels. That's certainly very high on our priority list.

"But to get to a drug is a very long journey. We still have to learn a lot more about how this platypus hormone actually works."

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UK scientists discover hormone to curb alcohol cravings

Scientists in the UK have discovered a liver hormone which plays a crucial role in controlling the drinking limits of the body.
The discovery of FGF21, reported in the ‘Proceedings in the National Academy of Sciences’ journal this week, could
lead to a pill that could help alcoholics curb their cravings for alcohol.

Professor Gunter Schumann, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London said: “Our study reveals a
previously unrecognised liver-brain pathway which regulates alcohol consumption in humans, and which could one day be targeted therapeutically to suppress consumption in problem drinkers”.

“The results point towards an intriguing feedback loop, where FGF21 is produced in the liver in response to sugar and alcohol intake, which then acts directly on the brain to limit consumption. We cannot rule out the possibility that beta-Klotho acts by affecting neighbouring genes, so further genetic studies are warranted,” Schumann said.

DNA samples were analysed from more than 105,000 people of European descent, who were also questioned about their weekly drinking habits. Although the effect that the gene had was small, the possible mechanism involved may lead to a target for drugs to help people to cut down on their drinking.

Co-author Professor Paul Elliott, from Imperial College London, said: “Our findings may eventually lead to new treatments for people whose health is being harmed by drinking.”

By looking at the genomes of the research sample, researchers found that even moderate drinking was increased by gene mutation.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.

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Breast cancer screening a must for older women

Growing older doesn’t cut down a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer and there should be cut-off age to stop breast cancer screening in older women well after menopause, show results of the largest-ever study of biopsy and mammography, the standard imaging exam for its screening. 

An analysis of nearly 5.6 million screening mammograms and biopsies done in the US between January 2008 and December 2014 showed higher cancer detection rate in mammograms and biopsies in women ages up to age 90 years.

The study, done by researchers from the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF), was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, adds support to guidelines that recommend screening decisions based on individual patients and their health status. 

With an estimated 1.1 lakh new cases each year, breast cancer has replaced cervical cancer as the leading cancer among women in India. The HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer, but screening and early detection and treatment is the only protection against breast cancer.

Controversy has surrounded international guidelines on how often and till when should women be screened for cancer. In 2009, the US released new guidelines that said there was not enough evidence to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening mammography in women aged 75 years or older. 

“There has been a lot of controversy, debate and conversation regarding the different breast cancer screening guidelines, even among major national organisations, over the past few years,” said Cindy S. Lee, M.D., assistant professor in residence at UCSF. 

Her team analysed data from the US National Mammography Database of nearly 5.6 million screening mammograms performed over a 7-year period between January 2008 and December 2014 in 150 facilities across 31 states. A review of the patients’ demographics, screening mammography results and biopsy results showed a gradual upward trend in cancer detection.

The UCSF team recommends the decision whether or not to stop screening should be based on a person’s health history and preferences. “We now know that the risk of breast cancer increases with age,” Dr Lee said. “With the uncertainty and controversy about what age to stop breast cancer screening, we addressed this gap in knowledge and have collected enough data to make a conclusion.”

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Honey Can Treat Oral Cancer Wounds- study

After years of research, a group of Indian scientists have found out that the secret formula to treat oral cancer wounds lies in honey.

An inter-disciplinary research group comprising chemical engineers, bio-technologists and doctors at IIT Kharagpur have developed a therapeutic patch which is made of silk and embedded with honey.

Experiments at the lab of School of Medical Science and Technology at the IIT have shown that the patch not only heal the cancer wound faster, but also minimise the chances of recurrence of the oral cancer after surgical intervention.

"Honey is well-known for its remarkable wound healing potential, and anti-cancer and antibacterial properties. The technology involved in this process is modulating cellular environment by using biometrically devised honey-silk fibroin scaffolds," researcher Monika Rajput told PTI.

The soft nano technology concepts have been devised by IIT-Kharagpur professor Rabibrata Mukherjee while the idea of using honey came from Jyotirmoy Chaterjee.

"Many patients have to go for surgeries in case of oral cancer. After the affected part of the body is removed, it causes a wound which may have some cancerous or pre-cancerous cells left in it. Therefore the chances are high that you will contract cancer again. Our technology helps patients control these wounds," said co-researcher Nandini Bhandaru.

Currently, there is no available therapeutic patch particularly for oral cancer wound in market, which can heal the wound faster and minimise the chances of recurrence.

The team has already filed a patent and their research work has been published in the international journal of the American Chemical Society 'ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering'.

Before commercialising the technology, the scientists will have to conduct experiments on animals and then on human patients.

"In our lab, the tool has been found to enable growth of healthy cells, while hindering growth of cancer-associated cells which fail to grab the patterned micropillar structure in the scaffold. On the other hand, the healthy cells grab the patterns very well and grow faster," the researchers said.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.

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Foods Which Reduce the Effects of Arthritis

Recent studies have shown that inflammation plays a role in osteoarthritis. And although there is no diet cure for this disease, researchers are confident that what we eat can have an impact on joint health. Certain foods have been shown to fight inflammation, strengthen bones and boost the immune system. 
1. Soy
 Great for: Rheumatoid arthritis 

Besides being low in fat, high in protein and a good source of fiber, soybeans are packed with inflammation-busting omega-3 fatty acids. Opt for tofu or edamame beans to stock up on the healthy benefits of soybeans.

2. Olive Oil

Great for: Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis

There are countless ways olive oil can boost our health. One of its benefits lies in the compound oleocanthal, which has properties similar to non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. While stocking up on olive oil will certainly do you a lot of good, it's not the only vegetable oil with health benefits. Try avocado oil, which has been shown to lower cholesterol. Another great option is walnut oil, which has 10 times the omega-3 that olive oil has.

3. Cherries

Great for: Gout

A number of studies conducted on cherries have shown that they may help reduce the frequency of gout attacks. The compound found in cherries - anthocyanins - have an anti-inflammatory effect. Besides cherries, you can also stock up on other red and purple fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

4. Dairy

Great for: Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis

Milk, yogurt and cheese are a good source of calcium and vitamin D - vital nutrients that are known to increase bone strength. Vitamin D has also been shown to boost the immune system. Furthermore, this nutrient is essential for calcium absorption. Leafy green vegetables are another alternative to dairy products - and are rich in both calcium and vitamin D.

 5. Broccoli

Great for: Osteoarthritis

Broccoli is a fantastic source of vitamin K and C. It also contains a compound called sulforaphane, which has been found to prevent or slow down the progression of osteoarthritis. Broccoli is also a good source of calcium, known for its bone-building benefits.

6. Green Tea

Great for: Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis 

Packed with polyphenols (micronutrients) and antioxidants, green tea is believed to reduce inflammation and slow cartilage destruction. Another antioxidant in green tea, called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCH), blocks the production of molecules, causing joint damage in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

7. Citrus

Great for: Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis 

Research shows that getting the right amount of vitamins may prevent inflammatory arthritis and maintain healthy joints with osteoarthritis. So, stock up on oranges, grapefruit and limes - all great sources of vitamin C.

8. Grain

Great for: Rheumatoid arthritis

Opt for whole grains as part of your daily diet as they have been found to lower levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in the blood. CRP is a marker of inflammation, which has been associated with heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Opt for foods such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain cereals.

9. Beans

Great for: Rheumatoid arthritis

Packed with fiber, this essential nutrient found in beans helps lower CPR. Furthermore, beans are an excellent source of protein - important for muscle health. With such a variety of beans available, some are also rich in folic acid, magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium - all of which are essential for their heart and immune system benefits. Stock up on red beans, kidney beans and pinto beans in particular.

10. Garlic

Great for: Osteoarthritis 

According to a number of studies, consuming foods from the allium family - such as garlic, onions and leeks - may reduce effects of early osteoarthritis. Furthermore, researchers believe that the compound diallyl disulphone found in garlic may limit cartilage-damaging enzymes in human cells.

11. Nuts

Great for: Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis

Nuts are a great source of protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E and immune-boosting alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). They are also rich in protein and fiber and have heart-healthy benefits. To reap the benefits of vitamin-packed nuts, opt for walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios and almonds.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations

https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes

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