Estrogen and Your Health
By Luis on Sunday, March 9 2008, 03:31 - Breast Health
Estrogen and Your Health
What Is Estrogen?: What is estrogen and how does it affect your health? If you're interested in lowering your risk of breast cancer,or if you want to understand how to prevent recurrence after treatment, it's important to understand the role that estrogen, and other hormones, play in your health. Get started by reading about estrogen.
Estrogen Definition and Functions
Estrogen Replacement Therapy or HRT: Low levels of estrogen can be caused by natural, surgical, or chemical menopause, and by estrogen suppression medications. Some side effects of low estrogen may include: hot flashes, headaches, night sweats and vaginal dryness. Some women may be able to take HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to help counteract these effects.
Long-term Use of Estrogen is Safe Within Limits
Estrogen and Breast Cancer: Some kinds of breast cancer are fueled by high amounts of estrogen. That's the reason that estrogen suppression medications are an important part of treatment that prevents recurrence. Here is an overview of the main types of breast cancer: ductal, lobular, inflammatory, and Paget's disease.
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Tuesday, March 4 2008
Best Products for Hair Loss
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:58 - Hair Loss
Best Products for Hair Loss
Best Products for Hair Loss: My Sink is Full of Hair – Give Me Something!!Heredity, hormones, stress, diet, illness, poor hair care – all are factors in hair loss. Stress, diet and illness are more temporary conditions and usually the hair loss is reversed when the anxiety-producing conditions dissipate, when the diet is improved, when hair care improves and when an illness is cured or gotten under control.Heredity and hormones are different matters, however. Heredity is an irreversible condition. You are a product of your parents, and hair loss is often inherited. Hormones are tricky, hidden things, however, and they have different effects on an individual basis. In a male, testosterone abides abundantly. There are also enzymes working on testosterone which product a substance called DHT. DHT is now known to circulate in the blood and cause other conditions, one of which is the shrinking of hair follicles. When hair follicles shrink enough, they are unable to produce and push a new hair through. As old hair dies, it is then not replaced.In women, hormonal imbalances can also cause hair loss. Pregnancy, childbirth and menopause all cause significant hormonal change and imbalances with both physical and mental effects. These changes can also cause hair loss, both temporary and permanent.Hair loss and re-growth products have been around for centuries. In ancient times, a variety of herbal and oil-based remedies were concocted and used by Egyptians, Aztecs, Mayans, and American Indians, all with some degree of effectiveness for some people.Modern medical research has focused on ways to re-open and stimulate “dead” hair follicles, so that hair growth can re-occur naturally, as well as keep the healthy follicles healthy. Thus, a number of products have become available, both by prescription and over-the-counter. They are advertised on radio and television and all over the Internet. One need only do a “google” search on hair loss, and there are literally thousands of sites and products for investigation.One ingredient in many hair loss products is minoxidil. Research studies have shown that in about 80% of the participants, products containing this ingredient are effective in slowing hair loss and, in some, causing regrowth to occur. Probably the most well known is Rogaine, available at any drug store, in varieties for both men and women. Most scientifically-produced products do have separate products for males and females, because, of course, hormones in each are different and of different levels.An additional product containing minoxidil is Provillus, and, again, studies have shown it to be effective. The difference between Provillus and other similar products is that the makes have added Azelaic Acid, an additional ingredient which appears to enhance the follicle repair in both men and women. Provillus has been the subject of many studies, just as the other products, and level of effectiveness may be higher. Provillus is available for both men and women, and the treatment is a combination of a topical liquid applied to the balding areas, as well as a pill or capsule to be taken in conjunction with the liquid. The critical key to effectiveness, according to its makers, is the addition of the azelaic acid, however, the correct amount of this acid is most important piece of this treatment. As with most hair loss products, the makers recommend patience. It may take from 3-6 months for improvement to occur, however, there is a money-back guarantee up to 180 days if one is not satisfied that it is working for him/her.Medical research is far from finished in its exploration of products which will stop hair loss and promote regrowth of “permanent” loss. As this research continues, existing producers will undoubtedly alter their products accordingly. Fortunately, a lot of money is being poured into the research, so hair loss sufferers, take heart!
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Hair Loss Treatment
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:55 - Hair Loss
Hair Loss Treatment
If you look in the mirror and are unhappy with your receding hairline or that bald spot that is starting to creep up around the crown of your head, you don't have to stand by and watch it happen! You can take action with Provillus. Provillus is an all-natural hair loss treatment program that is more effective than the chemical-based solutions on the market.
As an oral supplement, Provillus works quickly to stem hair loss and to generate new growth. It serves as a DHT blocker, protecting you from the root cause of 95 percent of hair loss. As a natural product, Provillus does not cause the side effects that prescription hair loss treatments true. Instead, the ingredient in this pill work naturally and aggressively to seed your scalp, establishing an environment ripe for new hair growth.
Hair Loss Treatment for WomenHair loss in women is not nearly as common as it is in men. However, because it is rarer and usually more subtle than typical male pattern baldness, it often goes undetected or misdiagnosed. Our hair loss treatment is as effective for women as it is for men, offering fast and comprehensive results for many types of hair loss.
It is never too early to start hair loss treatment. Often, it is better to attack the problem before it has a chance to take hold. Let Provillus help you hang on to your thick, healthy hair! And if you order Provillus now, we'll give you two free bottles with your order, allowing you to set up a long-term treatment program. If you are not happy with the results of the program, you have six months to return it for a full refund--there's nothing to lose!
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Anti-Hair Loss Shampoos
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:51 - Hair Loss
Anti-Hair Loss Shampoos
Anti-Hair Loss Shampoos : Rub-a-Dub Dub – But Gently PleaseOne easy-to-try option is a shampoo specifically designed to increase the health of existing hair and to reduce the rate of hair loss in both men and women. There are several sources to investigate specific shampoos, research studies which can be accessed to determine the effectiveness of many of these products. Good professional sources include dermatologists and licensed cosmeticians who see hair loss conditions frequently and have had the opportunity to observe the efficacy of a variety of shampoos. As well, an Internet “Google” search will provide hundreds of products, complete with testimony and small research studies.It’s easy to get confused when investigating the hundreds of shampoos available. With some background knowledge of what has shown to be effective in larger, previous studies, however, you can make more intelligent choices about the shampoos you choose for experimentation. And that is the great thing about shampoos – they are relatively inexpensive in this maze of hair loss/regrowth methods, so you can try lots of them without breaking your budget!1. Surfactants: People feel good when their shampoos lather up nicely. Lather, however, is just for psychological effect. Somehow we believe that the more lather a shampoo produces, the cleaner our hair must be getting. Hogwash! The ingredient that causes lather is call a surfactant and does not have cleaning properties. Other ingredients in shampoos actually do the cleaning. Surfactants are, however, pretty harsh, and, for someone who is experiencing more-than-normal hair loss, surfactants should be avoided. There are lots of shampoos out there without it – try some.2. Herbal Ingredients: The most notable herb with some success in hair loss difficulty is Saw Palmetto. Shampoos with this ingredient are certainly worth a try. Saw Palmetto seems to inhibit the production of DHT in men, for example, and DHT causes hair follicles to shrink and close up.3. Nettle and bay have also been helpful to some people. Shampoos which include these might help you too.4. Essential Oils: These oils are concentrated ones which come from plants such as lavender. From ancient times, these have been used to stimulate healthy hair and to decrease the rate of hair loss. We know that we have much to learn from early medicine men and healers. Perhaps this is another example.5. Tea Tree Oil: Many swear by this ingredient, and there are several brands of this on the market. So popular are these shampoos, you can find them at most any drug store as well as health product retailers. As an aside, tea tree oil has also been found to be effective in the prevention of head lice infestations.There are no definitive studies to show that shampoos can actually result in regrowth of hair that is caused by what we all “permanent” conditions, largely the result of heredity and hormones. However, early prevention is important, and experimenting with shampoos during these early stages may provide invaluable help in reducing the rate of loss.
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Hair Loss in Women: When Every Day Is a Bad Hair Day
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:47 - Hair Loss
Hair Loss in Women: When Every Day Is a Bad Hair Day
Hair Loss in Women: When Every Day Is a Bad Hair DayTelevision commercials for hair products can throw women into the depths of despair. Long beautiful trusses are swaying from side to side on some gorgeous model’s head, shiny, thick and beautiful. Most of us wish we had hair like that but will get by with our own, as long as we can style it in a manner acceptable by society.Normally, humans lose about 100 – 150 strands of hair a day. This is the natural cycle of hair growth, hair dormancy and then hair loss. Only about 10 percent of our hair is actually dying or falling out at any one time. For women who are losing significant amounts (handfuls at a time) or whose hair loss is creating such thinning that the scalp is clearly visible, leaving the house can often become a major trauma. On come the hats, scarves or wigs and the worry that one will come off and expose the ugliness beneath. Add to this the loss of self-image and the constant worry about more hair loss, and there is one miserable person under that head camouflage. Social life is affected – who wants to attend parties and functions when she is miserable about how she looks?While significant hair loss is somewhat due to heredity, there are a number of treatable or temporary conditions which cause it as well. A woman facing this condition needs to have it evaluated by a physician, to determine the root (pardon the pun) cause. While heredity may be a factor, there are hundreds of other causes, most of which are treatable. For hair loss that is permanent, there are yet the additional methods of replacement.Medical research is rapidly “closing in” on prevention measures, and it is quite possible that there will be some wonder drug available in the near future. As we speak, there is this very effective hair regrowth herbal supplement that goes by the name Provillus. Provillus is an oral supplement, which works to block DHT, a form of testosterone that is responsible for 95 percent of hair loss. It also works to stimulate the scalp and bring dead follicles back to life. You can use Provillus as a preventative tool, starting the program before hair loss becomes severe, or you can use it after DHT has already begun to take hold of your hair and scalp. You can get it at www.provillus.com. However, a lot of money is going into the research, the most promising being in the areas of cloning or reversing the process. The good news is the hair follicles are still there; the problem is they have become so tiny, new hair cannot grow. If researchers can find a way to open the follicle up again or to block the process of shrinking, hair loss can be both prevented and reversed. In the meantime, splurge with some wigs while treating with Provillus. They are far more acceptable than toupees for men, and are often considered a fashion accessory. Hair extensions are also a temporary “fix” but be careful not to cause damage to what hair is left. Fortunately, the common patterns of hair loss for women are not the same as for men. It usually begins at parts (they get wider) or in the frontal area of the head. This allows for creativity in hairstyle, by parting or styling differently.
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Natural Hair Loss Remedies
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:44 - Hair Loss
Natural Hair Loss Remedies
Natural Hair Loss Remedies: “Medicine Men” May Have Had Some Answers”Before the age of modern medicine and chemical laboratories, healers and medicine men had natural products for hair growth and replacement. Some of thee are still used today with varying results.Strictly speaking, all hair loss products could be considered “natural,” as they are produced from elements found on Earth. For purposes of this discussion, however, a “natural” remedy refers to any ingredient as it is found in nature and not altered or treated in any way before its use. Some people claim success with these methods and products, so it is worthwhile to examine a few of the most popular.ESSENTIAL OILS: These are concentrated oils from certain plants, such as lavender, soybean, and bay. They are massaged into the scalp and are purported to assist with circulation and follicle stimulation.EXERCISE: Any form of exercise increases and improves blood circulation to all parts of the body, including the scalp. It is believed that increased blood supply to the cells in hair follicles will maintain their health and stimulate hair production.HERBAL COCKTAILS: (NOT FOR INGESTION): A variety of herbs are recommended, to include Rosemary, Sage, Nettle and Burdock. The advice is to boil them together, strain off the leaves, and wash the hair with the solution every day.JOJOBA OIL: Widely used in Mexico for hundreds of years, it is massaged on the scalp, and many claim it is highly effective in stimulating new hair growth.LOWERING DHT: DHT is formed when an enzyme in a man’s body acts upon testosterone and is believed to be responsible for the “closing-up” of hair follicles. Provillus shows a lot of prospect and may block DHT production and thus shows promise as an aide for male hair loss sufferers. You can find it at www.provillus.com. Homeopathic physicians usually recommend that some of these treatments be used concurrently. Some have had success, but, as in all cases, different bodies respond differently to any treatment. Still, they are worth a try before more expensive methods are considered.
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Study Finds Menopause Symptoms Can Be Predicted
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:31 - Menopause
Study Finds Menopause Symptoms Can Be Predicted
The number of eggs left in a woman's ovaries are like the grains of sand in an hourglass, ticking away the hours on her biological clock.
Researchers now say they may be able to predict when that clock will wind down.
And while doctors can't actually count the number of eggs in an ovary, they can measure ovarian volume. British researchers say there's a direct correlation between the two, and by measuring ovarian volume with transvaginal ultrasound, doctors should be able to predict when menopause will set in and how many fertile years a woman has left.
According to the study authors, this information will revolutionize the care of women looking for assisted reproductive technologies, including those who were treated for childhood cancers as well as women who want to put off starting a family for whatever reason.
Although information still needs to be validated in clinical studies, its benefit is most likely to start with women who are being treated for cancer and women attending fertility clinics, said Tom Kelsey, co-author of the study appearing June 17 in the journal Human Reproduction.
"If women looking for some sort of assisted conception and their physicians know that they've got a long time till menopause, then you could plan for a range of treatments," said Kelsey, who is a senior research fellow at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. "If you knew menopause was likely in four to five years, you'd plan a different set of IVF [in vitro fertilization] treatments."
Others reiterate, however, that the findings should be treated with caution.
"Should a young woman who is 30 years old go for a test to figure out whether she's got three, five or 10 years left on her fertility? Should she make career decisions and life decisions? Are these data good enough to make those determinations?" asked Dr. Alan Copperman, director of reproductive medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "The answer is obviously no to all of those questions. The predictive value of this test is not good enough to go and tell someone to change their life."
According to the article, eggs form in a female's ovary while she is still in the womb, peaking at several million about halfway through gestation and then starting a continuous decline. At birth, there are several hundred thousand and, when menstruation begins, about 300,000. At about age 37, a woman has about 25,000 eggs left, and at menopause only about 1,000.
The time at which menopause sets in is widely believed to be based on the number of eggs reaching a critically low threshold.
The authors of this study measured ovarian volume with transvaginal ultrasound, then looked at the relationship between ovarian volume -- ovaries shrink as a woman ages -- and number of eggs. They then applied mathematical and computer models to predict menopause.
The study authors are negotiating with a medical school to set up clinical trials. The idea would be to follow women to see if their predictions were indeed correct.
While these authors have come up with a tool to potentially help women plan their lives, a second study in the same issue of Human Reproduction warned that women might not want to leave it too late. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) could not be relied upon to fully compensate for lack of natural fertility after the age of 35, the article stated.
The authors used a computer simulation model to determine that the overall success rate of assisted reproductive technology would be 30 percent for those attempting to get pregnant from age 30, 24 percent for those trying from age 35, and 17 percent from age 40.
SOURCES: Tom Kelsey, Ph.D., senior research fellow, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland; Alan Copperman, M.D., director, reproductive medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York; June 17, 2004, Human Reproduction
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Menopause Symptoms and Memory Loss
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:25 - Menopause
Menopause Symptoms and Memory Loss
While you may experience the misery of hot flashes and mood swings as you enter menopause, one thing you can't blame on the "change" is memory loss.
In the latest study that exonerates menopause as a cause of impairing the ability to recall, Taiwanese researchers compared the memory of hundreds of women before they had any menopausal symptoms to their memory as they entered menopause.
They found the women who were going through the menopausal process scored as well or nearly as well on five different cognitive function tests. Results of the study are to be presented Oct. 4 at the American Neurological Association annual meeting in Toronto.
"When women go into perimenopause, they don't need to worry about cognitive decline," said Dr. Jong-Ling Fuh, an attending physician at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and an associate professor of Yang-Ming University School of Medicine.
The researchers said the myth of memory loss during menopause is a perception some women have because as they went through menopause, they felt their memory wasn't as sharp as it had been before. Studies suggesting that hormone replacement therapy might protect against dementia strengthened that belief. However, a large study later found that in older women, hormone replacement therapy not only didn't help protect women from dementia, but could actually increase the risk.
To try to answer the question of whether menopause did have any effect on memory, Fuh and her colleagues studied nearly 700 premenopausal women living on a group of rural islands between Taiwan and China. The Taiwanese government restricted access to these islands until the 1990s, so the authors report that the study's population was nearly homogeneous, which would help rule out other potentially causative factors of memory loss.
The women were between the ages of 40 and 54. None of them had had a hysterectomy, and none took hormone replacement therapy during the study.
All took five cognitive tests designed to assess their memory and cognitive skills at the start of the study, and then again 18 months later.
During the study period, 23 percent of the women began to have symptoms of menopause.
The researchers then compared the memory of the women who had entered menopause to those who had not, and found very little difference. In four of the five tests, there were no statistically significant differences in the two groups of women.
Only on one test was the difference statistically significant, and that difference, said Fuh, was very slight. This test was designed to assess verbal memory and involved showing the women 70 nonsensical figures. Some of the figures were repeated during the test, while most were not. The women were asked whether they had seen the figure earlier.
"For women, menopause does not mean you'll develop memory loss," said Dr. Raina Ernstoff, an attending neurologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. As you're going through perimenopause and experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, she said, you may feel lousy and have trouble sleeping, which might temporarily affect your cognitive skills.
"I don't think declining estrogen levels are what causes memory loss," said Dr. Steven Goldstein, an obstetrician/gynecologist at New York University Medical Center in New York City. "It's not like your memory is bopping along, doing fine and then takes this big dive during menopause, like bone density can."
Both Ernstoff and Goldstein said they weren't aware of many women who believed that menopause might cause significant memory loss. They also both felt that results from this group of women who were so homogeneous might not apply to different groups of women, such as those living in more industrialized society. And they both said that other factors that weren't studied could play a role in memory loss, such as hypertension, which can contribute to vascular dementia.
Ernstoff also pointed out that the education backgrounds can play a large role in memory loss. Fuh acknowledged the researchers did attempt to control the data for educational differences.
SOURCES: Jong-Ling Fuh, M.D., attending physician, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and associate professor, Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Steven Goldstein, M.D., obstetrician/gynecologist, New York University Medical Center, and professor, obstetrics/gynecology, New York University School of Medicine, New York City; Raina Ernstoff, M.D., attending neurologist, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich., and member, Alzheimer's Board of Detroit; Oct. 4, 2004, presentation, American Neurological Association, Toronto.
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Breast Enlargement Implant Danger
By Luis on Tuesday, March 4 2008, 18:06 - Breast Health
Breast Enlargement Implant Dangers
3% suffer leakage within three years causing a deflated implant
Occasionally, breast implants may break or leak. The saline fill is salt water and will be absorbed by the body without ill effects. Older implants with silicone gel can leak also. If this occurs, one of two things may occur. If breakage of the implant shell that has a contracture scar around it, then it may not feel like anything has happed. If the shell breaks and there is not a contracture scar, then leakage into the surrounding tissue results in a sensation that the implant is deflating. The leaking gel may collect in the breast and a new scar may form around it. In other cases gel can migrate through the lymphatic system to another area of the body. Breaks may require a second operation and replacement of the leaking implant. If the gel has migrated it may not be possible to remove all of the silicone gel. This silicone gel is the what some say is related to the initiation of connective tissue disorders.
One study they reviewed showed that 63.6% of breast implants which had been in place for between one and 25 years had ruptured or were leaking. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/33450.stm)
For silicone gel and saline-filled implants, some causes of rupture or deflation include : damage by surgical instruments during surgery, overfilling or underfilling of the implant with saline solution (specific only to saline-filled breast implants), capsular contracture ,closed capsulotomy , stresses such as trauma or intense physical manipulation ,excessive compression during mammographic imaging, placement through umbilical incision ,site injury to the breast, normal aging of the implant ,unknown/unexplained reasons.
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