Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Celebrity hairstyles - Men

Most of us aspire to dress up like celebrities and have attractive hairstyles like them. Celebrity hairstyles are great when we look at them in the magazines but only a few of them will look good in the office or in the park, and even fewer will look great on you. This is why it is important to know which ones look good on you and which ones you should leave for the magazines.

Do not copy a celebrity hairstyle just because it seems attractive in the first look. Of course, attraction is a source of inspiration but try to understand and know, in detail, what will suit your personality. It is a celebrity's job to look good and they are paid even to look ridiculous at times, whereas you might lose face in front of your colleagues or friends if you look funny. Let us have a look at some tips that will help you look like a celebrity or even better than him/her.

Try to visualize yourself in that hairstyle

You need to visualize yourself in that particular hairstyle and think how it would look on you. Does it look good on your body type or does it suit your personality? For example, Johnny Depp's hairstyle looks great on him but does it look good on you? In such a case, you can start by getting your hair done like David Beckham. His hair is short with enough lift and height. It can make you look smart and happening. Again, you need to trim it regularly.

What is your hair type?

Some people keep short hair while some keep long hair. At times, men even suffer from male pattern baldness that makes it difficult to have even normal hair on their head. So, what will you do if you have scarce hair but you want to sport a hairstyle like Leonardo DiCaprio?

Well, there is a possible solution. Male pattern hair loss is common amongst men but its treatment is not. You can use medications such as Propecia which enables you to regrow hair and stop current hair loss. Let us have a look at how this medication can help you have great hair and make you look like a celebrity.

Propecia

Finasteride, commercially marketed as Propecia, is a drug, which combats hair loss in men. This drug has been approved by the FDA. It works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). With reduced levels of DHT, hair loss slows down, and at times, is even reversed. If you are taking this drug, you may experience side effects such as decrease in sex drive, loss of libido, reduced sensitivity on sexual organs and decrease in volume of semen. People, who are suffering from prostate cancer, or have any kind of drug allergies, should avoid taking it. Always consult a doctor before using it. You too can  look like a celebrity and sport a sexy hairstyle and all it takes is a little effort.

Monday, February 14, 2011

How do you measure obesity?

Have you ever wondered how obesity is measured? You have probably heard that accumulation of excess body fat causes an overweight or obese condition. But to what extent can body fat be a quantifiable parameter for clinically defining obesity?

For doctors worldwide, the primary tool to measure an overweight or obese condition is body mass index (BMI). The  score depends on your height and body weight. So the next time you hear someone talking about a BMI calculator, you should know that the topic of discussion is  regarding being overweight or obese.

The standard formula to calculate BMI is 703 times your body weight (in pounds) divided by your height in inches squared. Let's say your body weight is 190 pounds and height is 5' 9 ”. So your  score will be 28. It is calculated as under:
  • Weight (lbs)*703 / height2 (in inches)
  • 190*703 / (70.8)2 = 26..64 (27 round off)
For a person to be considered within the normal-weight range, his/her score must be under 25. A  score between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight while 30 or beyond is obese. Recently, some more categories have been made to define different types of obesity. For example, class I obesity refers to a  score between 30 and 34.9. If your BMI is between 35 and 39.9, you will be classified as a class II obese person. Morbid obesity refers to a weight-related condition in which an individual's  score is above 40.

If you carefully examine the formula that calculates your body mass index, you will be able to understand that the risk of an individual becoming overweight depends on his/her body weight. This is because your height is not supposed to change within a short period of time. The only variable that can change is your weight. So BMI is considered to be a reliable statistical measurement for clinical obesity treatment.

Now that you understand how obesity is related to BMI, let's look at the options you have to treat obesity. A very good choice at hand, probably one of the most widely used is taking Xenical orlistat slimming pills. They have been doing fairly well for individuals with a  score of 27 or more. This fat blocking pill can help you reduce body fat by preventing 30% of the total dietary fat from being digested. Dietary fat is the carbohydrate and fat you take-in through food. Xenical pills are not diet pills as  they do not act as appetite suppressants or dietary substitutes.

You need to talk to a doctor if you want to buy Xenical. It is available only on prescription; so beware of counterfeit pills available on unauthorised websites. Check out if the online clinic offers medical consultation before dishing out Xenical to its customers.

Monitor your body mass on a regular basis as soon as you notice excess fat deposition in your body. Before or after weight loss treatment, you can keep monitoring body mass index every 15 days to keep track of your progress. It is reported that an individual with class I obesity can lose up to 10-12 pounds of body fat with Xenical in 3-4 months. But to make it happen, you need to exercise regularly and eat moderately.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Androgenic alopecia fact sheet

Male pattern hair loss, medically known as androgenic alopecia, is the most common type of baldness millions of men experience. It does not happen overnight; it may take you 2-5 years to notice that half of your scalp hair is gone. While there is no complete cure, you can prevent your head from balding with proper and timely treatment. Talking of treatment and there is Propecia finasteride – one of the most sought after FDA-approved medicines to prevent androgenic alopecia and in some cases, to stimulate new hair growth. You can buy Propecia online from the comfort of your home and stop losing your locks to this genetic and hormonally induced condition.

Your baldness in depth

Every day you lose up to 100 hair daily out of 100,000 to 150,100 hair strands. This hair fall is normal as every two to six years, the hair finishes its growth and resting cycle and reaches its shedding phase. The reason men suffering from male pattern baldness lose more hair than normal is that their follicles become sensitive to a hormone commonly known as DHT. This hormone is medically known as dihydrotestosterone. When your hair follicles become sensitive because of age, hormonal changes or any other factors, you experience hair loss.

How to keep the follicles alive

If you know how to keep your hair follicles alive, you are well on the road to stop male pattern hair loss from occurring. One prescription medication, Propecia, which contains a chemical ingredient known as finasteride can help to avoid further shrinking of hair follicles because of DHT and can also help in reviving hair follicles that have already shrunk. Finasteride basically inhibits the level of DHT and help in stopping hair loss and in hair re-growth.

Spot the pattern

Unless and until you don't know if your hair loss is because of male pattern baldness or some other reason, there are less chances of you seeking a treatment. Therefore, the first step is to understand the pattern of your hair loss. If you see bald spots in the middle part of your head and then from the crown and the sides, eventually which might lead to or has already led to an 'M' or horseshoe shaped bald area – you are suffering male pattern baldness. It is advisable to start treatment well before the 'M' shape is formed.

Genetic factors

Sometimes, DHT is not solely to be blamed for your hair loss. It can also be genetic in nature. Most scientists agree that hair loss in inherited from mother's side of the family, though it has not been established.

Propecia at rescue

The good thing about Propecia is that it can not only help you to stop further hair loss but also reverse it. More than 90% men have experienced benefits and claimed that their hair loss is stopped within just a couple of months. 60% men have claimed to see new hair growth where they had totally lost hope. This drug is not only very effective but also safe with only 2% men saying they experienced side effects. These side effects too are not very serious and reversible in nature.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Symptoms of genital herpes

Genital herpes is  a sexually transmitted disease, which is caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 or type 2. Many people infected with this virus do not see any noticeable symptoms. Usually, blisters around the rectum and genitals are the first and most common signs of this genital infection. These blisters become dry and break out after a while and are replaced by ulcers, which can last for about a month during the first outbreak, which is generally the most painful time to get through. Outbreaks, which occur after the first one, are relatively less severe and manageable. Although, this infection can be treated, it cannot be cured.

Symptoms of genital herpes

Generally, you can see the first symptoms in the form of development of blisters within 4 to 7 days after sexual intercourse or skin to skin contact with an infected person. Small blisters or ulcers, which are 1 to 3 millimeters in length and look like cabbage, develop on the infected area, which is generally the genital area. Infections caused by herpes are generally painless but they are very tender. The common symptoms of genital herpes are as follows:
  • Fever
  • Muscle aches
  • Mild or severe headaches
  • Painful urination
  • Swollen lymph nodes in the groin
Symptoms in women

In women, ulcers are located around the vagina, and sometimes in it. This may cause great discomfort. Blisters may be found on the anus as well. Many women experience minor problems in the vagina from time to time. Vaginal discharge is generally the first sign of a genital infection amongst females. Other symptoms of female genital herpes, such as frequent urination and a burning feeling at the time of urination, may be observed as well.

Symptoms in men

In men, sores are located on or around the penis. Painful urination is a common symptom of genital herpes. Male genital herpes is less common than female genital herpes. This is because the makeup of female genitalia encourages bacterial formation by giving it a warm and wet environment.

Treatment for genital herpes

If you are suffering from genital herpes, you can treat it by using effective medication. Famvir and Valtrex are the two most effective medications that are widely used by people to treat genital herpes symptoms. These medications, apart from being effective in cold sores treatments, can help you manage and shorten the duration of herpes outbreaks.

Valtrex tablets

Valacyclovir is commercially sold as Valtrex, which is active against the herpes virus. Valtrex tablets work  by blocking the replication of the herpes virus in the body. Valtrex is not the active drug by itself. It is only a prodrug, and is converted to acyclovir when it enters the body.

Famvir tablets

Famvir is an antiviral medication, which slows down the growth and reduces the severity of the herpes virus. While this medication is amongst the most effective ones to treat herpes, you should note that herpes cannot be fully cured, it can only be treated. Famvir tablets help in treatment of genital herpes, if taken as prescribed.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Is impotence making your sex life difficult?

Erection problems can affect the sex life of a man in a big way. And the most feared of them is erectile dysfunction (ED), commonly known as male impotence. The very term impotence carries an uneasy feeling about it – it immediately sets you apart from men who are 'potent'. If diagnosed with ED, your sex life can fall apart unless you do something about it. It is estimated that many men in the US, after coming to the brink of disaster in their personal relationships, did bring about a change in their lives with a right ED treatment. Talking of a right erectile dysfunction treatment and there's nothing better than the Viagra blue pill, at least if you go by the phenomenal success rate associated with this Pfizer product.

Erectile dysfunction is not just YOUR problem

Despite the fact that your female partner can never experience erectile dysfunction, she can suffer from it just as much as you do. Sexual health is probably the only one health topic which involves both partners. Think about female sexual dysfunction (FSD) – the commonest sexual health problem many women experience. Can you have a fulfilling sex life when your partner is suffering from FSD? The same logic can be applied to ED also – your partner may feel denied of the pleasure and satisfaction she expects from you.

Facing the problem together

The best way to tackle impotence is to face the problem together. It means that instead of hiding from her the erection issues that are bothering you, talk to her and give her the honest impression that you are looking for a quick solution to get back to a normal sex life. It will immediately tell your partner how much you value your relationship and rest assured, you will get her complete support as you get ready for the next important step towards finding a workable solution.

Talking to a doctor

The next important step is talking to a doctor. If you want to take Viagra or another ED pill to put impotence behind, you need a prescription first. More importantly, you need to find out which pill is right for you. Your body is different from others and what might have worked for other men with ED may not work for you. So only a doctor can guide you through the right impotence treatment. You need to help the doctor by giving him an accurate picture of the erection difficulties you are facing. Also tell him if you are currently taking other medications for high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, kidney or liver problems or diabetes. What you tell your doctor will determine which dose of Viagra or another medicine he will recommend for you.

The treatment

Once you are all set to put erectile dysfunction behind and begin a new life, it's time to start the treatment you have been prescribed by your doctor. If it's Viagra, you have to take a pill 30-60 minutes before sex and you are likely to experience the effect of the medicine shortly. The effects of sildenafil lasts up to 4 hours, giving you ample time to have sex. For other impotence pills such as Cialis and Levitra, the duration of drug effects differs.

When you are taking any of the 3 common ED pills, make it a point to drink and eat sensibly for greater sexual enjoyment.