The current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology reports that researchers have found an interesting link between the presence of Malassezia, the family of scalp fungi responsible for dandruff and other scalp disorders.
Malassezia is the group, or family, of yeast bacteria which inhabit the scalp. One of the subtypes of Malassezia is P. ovale, which is directly responsible for excessive flaking of the skin of the scalp; what we commonly term dandruff.
Researchers found that people with a higher concentration of the Malassezia yeast present on their scalp were more likely to have hair shedding. Too much hair shedding can ultimately lead to patchiness and areas of hair loss.
This means that the presence of the Malassezia fungi may decrease the strength or health of the hair shaft, leading to faster turnover.
If you are troubled by dandruff, be sure to treat it as soon as possible with over the counter shampoos and, if serious, advice from your doctor. Although the results of this study do need to be repeated in a larger group, it doesn’t seem like much of a stretch to think that a clean scalp might decrease hair shedding.
Filed under General Skin Care Information by 
For more than 100 years, zinc ointments have been recommended for skin care treatment of acne, rashes, cuts, eczema, and dry skin. Zinc works by activating enzymes which promote a healthy immune system. Zinc is a vital element to maintaining the effectiveness of the skin’s protective barrier. With too little zinc, your skin can break open, exposing your internal organs to environmental bacteria.
If you are experiencing skin problems, a good place to look is at the amount of zinc in your diet. If you are low in zinc, you can improve your skin’s condition by eating foods such as figs, tofu, cheese, whole grains, wheat germ, corned beef, nuts, and shellfish. For the more adventurous, you can also get your zinc from eating liver and oxtail.
Adding some of these foods to your diet will make sure your zinc levels are healthy and promoting your best skin health.
For outer (topical) use, you want to look for zinc ointments which do not contain too many extra chemicals or ingredients. If you are having skin irritation or sensitivity, avoid ointments containing mineral oil, methly or propyl paraben, and propylene glycol, as applying these to already irritated skin may make the problems worse.
A recent study published in Psychopharmacology found that nicotine withdrawal starts as soon as 30 minutes after the smoker’s last cigarette.
This is much sooner than was previously thought, and represents a greater challenge to those seeking to stop smoking.
The study looked at 50 people who smoked a pack a day. 25 of them were told to continue smoking, while the other 25 were asked to stop smoking for four hours. Every 30 minutes, both groups were tested for signs of nicotine withdrawal.
After the first 30 minutes, those in the abstaining group reported greater cravings for cigarettes. After one hour, they reported greater anger than those in the smoking group. After the first three hours, those in the abstaining group felt sad, anxious, and had difficulty concentrating. They also did worse on tasks of sustained attention. Physiologically, their heart rates slowed within the first hour, which is another sign of nicotine withdrawal.
This is the first study demonstrating how early withdrawal symptoms can begin. This is important for those people who want to stop smoking, because they may need to seek alternatives to smoking sooner than they planned.
Smoking damages the surface and health of your skin by exposing it to smoke and free radicals. People who smoke for a long time tend to have duller complexions, more wrinkles, and less elasticity in their skin.
Filed under Stop Smoking by
