Archive for January, 2007
(OPENPRESS) Nu Hair of Texas Hair Loss clinic, announces new alopecia areata comprehensive
source at nuhair.net ar http://www.nuhair.net/alopecia%20areata.htm providing answers to most frequently asked questions on alopecia. Nuhair has presented condensed articles about alopecia hair loss and baldness issues, using photos and links.
Understanding how and why is a start for every one who is afflicted with Alopecia Areata hair loss.
• What causes Alopecia Areata hair loss?
• Who is most likely to get Alopecia?
• Will my hair grow back?
• Living with Alopecia Areata
• Alopecia Areata hair loss treatments
• More information on Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is highly unpredictable, autoimmune skin disease with recurrent no scarring hair loss. It can affect any hair-bearing area of the body with many different patterns of hair loss on the scalp or elsewhere on the body. Alopecia is a progressive skin disease causing hair loss but not life-threatening. People with Alopecia are generally healthy otherwise. Alopecia hair loss can cause emotional psychosocial stress.
Most common appearance is 1 or many round-to-oval patches of hair falls out. In many cases, only a few bare patches show up. But for some people hair loss is extensive. It can cause total loss of head hair, alopecia Areata Totalis, or complete loss of whole body hair, alopecia Areata Universalis.
What Causes Alopecia Areata Hair Loss?
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease. Our immune system, designed to protect the body from viruses and bacteria, mistakenly attacks its own body cells, attacks the hair follicles, the root from which hairs grow. The hair follicles become small and slow down new hair production. In most cases the stem cells that supply the follicles with new cells are not targeted. Therefore there is possibility for the hair to re-grow at a later time.
Why some people get afflicted with Alopecia, maybe the combination of genes predisposed to the disease. Unknown trigger in a person’s environment may cause the autoimmune disease to attack the hair follicles.
Who Is Most Likely To Get Alopecia?
Alopecia Areata condition is common, affecting males and females in approximately 1.7 percent of the world population overall, 4.7 million in the US men and women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds are affected with alopecia areata hair loss.
Genetic factors may play an important role in determining susceptibility and disease severity. The risk of developing Alopecia Areata increases if a family member lost his first patch of hair before age 30. One in five people who have the disease have a family member who already experienced Alopecia hair loss, but it is not inherited from a parent.
Alopecia areata often occurs in people whose family members have other autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, systemic lupus. People who have alopecia areata have a higher occurrence of thyroid disease, eczema, allergies, or asthma.
Will My Hair Ever Grow Back?
Your hair may or may not grow back. At times it grow back and it may also fall out again. For others hair regrows, and the condition never recurs. Even if all hair is lost, possibility for full regrowth remains.
Living with Alopecia Areata
Use sunscreens for exposed skin, sunglasses to protect the eyes from excessive sun, and dust with eyebrows or eyelashes hair loss condition. Use wigs or hairpiece to cover and protect scalp. Value yourself for who you are, not for how much hair you have. Talk with others who are dealing with Alopecia Areata hair loss, you are not alone.
Alopecia Areata treatments
Doctors try several medications approved for promoting hair growth, but none cure the disease. Steroids, Corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory drugs are often used in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases, including alopecia areata. Corticosteroids may be given as injections of steroids directly into the patches on the scalp or the effected area, usually repeated monthly. Side effects may be mild swelling, changes in pigmentation, or small indentations in the skin that go away once injections are stopped. Risks of hypertension and cataracts may occur. Corticosteroids taken by mouth may be used in more extensive alopecia areata. Ointments containing steroids rubbed directly onto the affected area are preferred for children. However, corticosteroid creams are less effective than injections; they work best when combined with other topical treatments, such as minoxidil. Other treatments used are Sulfasalazine, or Anthralin.
Hairpieces and wigs are useful for patients with extensive disease.
Today research on alopecia areata is exploding, in one study scientist were able to reproduce the disease in order to explore treatments using mice. Data revealed that the disease has a complicated genetic basis that involves 4 or more genes. These genes include those involved in susceptibility to the disease and genes that regulate pigmentation of the skin and hair.
More Information on Alopecia Areata
• http://niams.nih.gov
• http://nccam.nih.gov
• http://aad.org
• National Alopecia Areata Foundation http://naaf.org
Nu Hair at http://www.nuhair.net has been providing answers and solutions for hair loss from the Dallas Texas and the Cleveland Ohio facilities for over 40 years
January 31st, 2007
Bainbridge, Men and women who wear hair replacement systems no longer have to fuss over
the handling and care of their hair systems for fear of damaging the delicate material. A revolutionary new disposable hair system (http://www.hairdirect.com/hair/systems/disposable.aspx), available exclusively from Hair Direct (www.hairdirect.com), takes away the worry and maintenance of hair systems because after 30 days, you simply rip off the hairpiece, throw it away and replace it with a new one.
The disposable hair system comes with Proflex hairpiece tape (http://www.hairdirect.com/resources/attachment/proflex-tape.aspx) pre-attached so it’s ready to wear out of the box, relinquishing hair wearers of the time consuming task and expense of having the hair attached professionally. Simply attach the system to your head and it stays on secure for a month.
These hair systems are made of ultra fine Hollywood lace, a light weight material that is comfortable and undetectable even upon close examination. It features Hair Direct’s High Definition HairlineTM (http://www.hairdirect.com/hair/systems/high-definition.aspx) which replicates a natural growing transitional density hairline. Because the hairpiece only lasts 30 days, the worry of repairs and maintenance is gone.
Hair wearers receive two new units bi-monthly, for a total of 12 per year. This represents a dramatic shift from the traditional way of ordering where the client would purchase 1 hair system per year and rely on numerous repairs and maintenance appointments for upkeep.
About Hair Direct
Hair Direct provides affordable, mail order hair replacement systems to men and women worldwide. The company is headquartered in Bainbridge, Pennsylvania and operates a manufacturing facility in China. Hair Direct stands by every new custom hair system with a 30-day, unconditional money-back guarantee.
For more information about Hair Direct or to request an interview with Hair Direct management, contact Brandon Andrews at (717) 426-4333 ext. 209 or via email brandon@hairdirect.com. Visit the company’s website at www.hairdirect.com
January 31st, 2007
I used to be a fan of a shine serum product similar
to the Regis product that I bought recently while getting my hair trimmed in a local “cut rate” hair salon. They had an entire line of Regis hair care products, which is equivalent to a “store brand” almost, and the prices are a little better than the other salon brands like matrix, Redken, Tigi, and others that tend to drain your bank account just by looking at them. This is a shine serum that comes in a small bottle with a point on the end.
You only use very little of it, and it has a pleasant smell. The only thing I do not like about it is that it does have a slightly heavy feel to it, and I do not like to feel like I’m weighing my hair down with my shine adding hair care products, rather I like to feel as though I’m adding a light coating to my hair, so the light reflects off of it a little better.
The prices was kind of steep for a store brand product, it was nine dollars for a very small bottle, but that bottle has lasted me several months now (it was several months ago that I got my hair trimmed, I left that part out). It does impart a nice shine to my hair, and it tames the frizzies down when I first blow my hair dry. I use it after my hair is completely dry, as sort of a finishing product. I would compare it to Biosilk shine serum, it actually looks and feels just like that stuff, if you like that.
January 30th, 2007
I’ve been dabbling in mixing hair care products for a little while, and I think I came up with a good
combination that works well for if you want to blow your hair straight. I’ve mixed some hair cremes and gels before, but usually got so-so results. I really tried to do it to get extra control, straightening power, anti frizz power, or whatever the product may be. Heck, I’ve even combined a volumizing root serum at the roots with a straightener on the rest of my hair if I want a little more lift to the roots, but straight hair all the rest of the way down.
It works well if you do want straight hair, but still want a little lift at the root. I’d recommend that you use a volumizer on the tip of your hair dryer, sometimes called a diffuser. They usually come with multiprongs, that you kind of massage at the base of your scalp as you are blowing out your hair.
The latest combo I’ve tried is one that I think I really like. I combine a little bit of Aveda’s Be Curly Curl lotion and some of the Brilliance Universal hair styline cream in my hands, rub it together so it’s all evenly distributed in my hair, and rub it on my hair from root to tip. My hair is currently just a little longer than shoulder length, and I use quite a bit of each hair product, so that it evenly saturates every inch of my hair, especially my bangs, which tend to run wild if I don’t put a lot of controlling lotion or gel on them.
This combo works great. I come out of my blowout with smooth, shiny and manageable hair. It even seems to work for a few days (I don’t wash my hair every day).
January 30th, 2007
Author: Karen Marie Shelton
Jennifer Lopez is a hair trendsetter who also happens
to have top celebrity hairdresser Ken Paves on her speed dial. Ken has been creating fabulous styles for Jennifer for many years.
Their history of working together includes work on The Wedding Planner and Gigli as well as a dizzying array of Red Carpet events.
Recently Ken and Jennifer created a media frenzy when they arrived together at Tom and Katy’s wedding in Italy.
Although the papparrazi assumed Ken was at the wedding to do the bride’s hair, in reality he was there to do Jennifer’s tresses.
Continued below ↓
It was no surprise when Jennifer appeared recently on the arm of her husband at The Friends of Los Angeles Free Clinic Annual Dinner Gala coiffed in a stunning Old Hollywood hairstyle. She looked like a goddess as she strolled the Red Carpet.
Her tresses were softly coiffed into soft curls and worn cascading off each side of her gorgeous face in a classy formal style. She looked spectacular.
Ken graciously shared his secrets of Jennifer’s lush style.
Old Hollywood Hairstyle
Jennifer Lopez
With Marc Anthony
Friends of the Los Angeles Free Clinic
Annual Dinner Gala
11-20-2006
Hollywood Foreign Press
All Rights Reserved.
At the Friends of the Los Angeles Free Clinic Annual Gala Dinner Jennifer showcased her sassy gown with another sophisticated hairstyle.
Jennifer topped off her award winning gown with a mane of soft and sexy ringlets which framed her beautiful oval face.
Her tresses were colored a rich dark chocolate hue that was glossy and shimmering.
It had hints of contrasting toffee highlights woven throughout which gave Jennifer’s strands the appearance of rich fullness and luster.
The alternating toffee highlights placed against the dark chocolate base also helped to bring out a magnificent shine.
Steal Jennifer’s Hair Style
If you look closely at her photo, you will notice that her hair style was brushed off her face without any noticeable sign of a part.
Depending on her ultimate hairstyle, Jennifer at times has utilized side and center parts as well as playing with wispy fringes along her forehead.
Jennifer often wears her hair with lots of movement and volume and down around her shoulders. She often alternates the texture between long and sleek with lots of soft undulating waves.
Izabella Miko
Dreamgirls Premiere
12-11-2006
DailyCeleb.com
All Rights Reserved.
Jennifer has face shape that appears to be fluid.
If you look closely you will see that her face has a point at the chin and wide cheeks that taper towards the forehead. Most experts would categorize this as a heart shaped face. Sometimes her facial shape appears heart shaped and at other times it appears to be more oval shaped.
Her gorgeous Old Hollywood hairstyle can be customized to work with just about any face shape, hair type or texture.
Jennifer has a natural wave to her hair. Although her hair appears to be fine, she has a lot of hair. This style is ideal for hair that is has a slight bend or wave.
For naturally curly hair the strands must be either pre-straightened or blow dried straight with waves then created on the pre-straightened style with hot rollers or curling irons.
For naturally wavy tresses you may opt to use a long finger diffuser to blow dry with the goal of creating looser waves and curls without utilizing a curling iron or hot rollers.
This style is idea for hair that is medium in thickness that is shoulder length or a bit longer. If you have short or medium length tresses or hair that is thin and fine, you can also instantly recreate this style with one of the great new HairDo clip-in hair extensions from Jessica Simpson and Ken Paves.
Step By Step Instructions
Follow the steps below to re-create Jennifer’s gorgeous style:
Start with a precision layered long strands. Work with your hairdresser to achieve the correct basic layered cut. Be willing to modify the style depending on your face shape, hair type, length and texture.
Jennifer Lopez
Friends of the Los Angeles Free Clinic
Annual Dinner Gala
11-20-2006
DailyCeleb.com
All Rights Reserved.
1. Start by washing your hair in lukewarm water with a product designed to add back moisture and to treat colored or highlighted hair with tender loving care.
If your hair is colored like Jennifer’s be sure to use a color maintenance system to extend the life of your gorgeous hair color.
2. Rinse hair well and then apply a moisturizing rinse-out conditioner focusing the products on the areas of the hair that are most dry or damaged.
If your hair is fine or thin you may wish to skip this option.
For extra conditioning substitute the rinse-out conditioner with a deep conditioner that is allowed to soak down into the hair’s shaft.
4. Finish with a cool/cold rinse to lock in moisture and add additional shine.
5. Towel blot to remove excess moisture. Apply a conditioning detangling spray or leave-in conditioner and detangle strands with a wide tooth comb working from the ends to the roots.
Create either a center or side part, depending on how you wish to style your hair.
Izabella Miko
Dreamgirls Premiere
12-11-2006
DailyCeleb.com
All Rights Reserved.
Note: If your hair is prone to frizz apply a defrisant product or mix with your other styling products. It has been reported in the past that many celebrities like Jennifer are big fans of Phytodefrisant for their naturally curly hair that tended to frizz.
6. For lots of fullness, lift and volume, apply a volume enhancing product to the roots.
7. Separate strands into 1″ to 2 1/2″ sections and blow dry with a boar’s bristle round brush.
Blow dry the top sections of hair using fingers to lift individual top strands and direct the air flow from ends to roots. Use the brush to turn the ends under around the edges and slightly in towards the neck.
Note: If hair is naturally curly, do not use fingers to blow dry since this can add to frizz. Use a boar’s bristle brush instead.
8. When hair is completely dry separate into individual 2″ strands. Use a 1 1/2″ barrel curling iron, large hot rollers or 2″ self adhesive style rollers.
Spritz each section with a firm holding hairspray or styling product. Roll each individual strand around either the curling iron or curler of your choice. Work your way around the entire head of hair either curling with an iron or rolling into curlers.
9. Let hair completely cool. If you are using a curling iron, after curling each section, use fingers to roll into a large barrel curl and pin into place to allow new curls to properly cool.
10. When the entire head is curled and the new curls are completely cool, carefully remove each curl one at a time.
11. Spritz strong holding hairspray over the top of the newly released curls.
12. Use your fingers to carefully arrange the curls into the desired style. You may wish to use a curling iron to touch up any sections that need a tighter curl pattern.
13. Apply a shine serum, shine spray or hair cream to seal in moisture and add that shimmering shine similar to Jennifer’s.
Hairspray is optional.
Additional Styling Options
Jennifer Lopez
Friends of the Los Angeles Free Clinic
Annual Dinner Gala
11-20-2006
DailyCeleb.com
All Rights Reserved.
If you have natural waves or very loose curls you may prefer to re-create Jennifer’s style with a long-finger diffuser.
1. Apply a curl-enhancing cream through the entire length of the hair.
2. Blow dry damp tresses with a long finger diffuser to magnify natural curl and wave patterns.
3. For tightly defined curls, divide the hair into smaller sections after it is completely dry and curl with a curling iron.
4. Once all of the hair has been curled, pin the hair into desired curl formations and let cool.
5. Spray with a firm hold hair spray.
6. When hair has cooled and dried, remove and arrange curls with fingers.
7. Use a curling iron to touch up any sections that are too loose.
8. Use your fingers or a boar bristle brush and direct the newly created curls on either side of your head.
9. Finish with a swipe of shine serum and a spritz of firm hold hair spray.
Other options for this style include adding a soft side-swept fringe, playing with a variety of parts or pulling the hair into a half up-half down style allowing the luscious curls and waves to cascade around your shoulders and down your back.
Summary
Jennifer Lopez always looks stunning in a wide range of eye popping, mouth dropping hairstyles. Steal Jennifer’s style and you will turn heads everywhere you go.
January 29th, 2007
Color & Style
Author: Victoria Wurdinger
U Dos
Toned-Down Trends Showcase Simplicity Melded with Sophistication. But in the Ultimate Trend Bend, it’s all About What’s Right for You.
Joico
Artifice Collection
Joico
All Rights Reserved.
Skirts are going longer while hair is shortening up. That’s about balance. But in a season when the ‘60s are the prime influence, every trend is counterbalanced with six degrees of separation.
Maybe that’s why crops and bobs are the biggest looks in the mane-stream.
Short is coming on strong, and subtly undone is fast replacing last year’s shaggy chic, which was in itself lots more controlled than those original bed-head ‘dos of the ‘60s hippie.
Today’s hippies are hipsters, which calls for outstanding cuts in all lengths and a easy care approach that still accounts for looking like you’ve got your own sense of style.
Hair that’s less contrived and fussy springs from the fact that the fashion world is simpler, darker and more somber in general, reflecting the national politick. Bling is not the thing for times like these. That said, you don’t have to resort to sackcloth—there are still plenty of sassy styles around, and sometimes, simplicity is a beautiful thing in its own right.
Continued below ↓
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Enter, the bob, a cut that’s simplicity personified. It’s easy to style and because it most often comes with bangs, it can be molded to suit any facial shape. Textured bobs, boxy bobs, French-cut bobs and razored-up styles are just the opening act in the movement toward shorter hair.
Bohemian Rhapsodies
America Ferrare
Ugly Betty
2006
Eric Liebowitz/ABC TV
All Rights Reserved.
The early ‘60s saw controlled bobs and crops with geometric flair; later years ushered-in the mussed freestyle. Today, the ‘60s influence combines the best of both worlds with crops that are subtly textured, razored or layered for a fresh new feeling. Choppy snips, pieced-out pixies and great gamine looks are all right for the woman who wants a style that’s anything from short to nearly mid-length.
Again, edge, attitude or polish is added with products like texturizers, molding muds, spray waxes and pomades—helpers that never existed in the original era. Just make certain you go easy with the application
Clean, well-cut, healthy looking hair is the real harbinger of modern hairstyles, which are always tweaked so they’re age-appropriate. In other words, even ‘60s styles and mussed looks fall on the side of reasonably well-groomed.
In an antithesis trend, there’s a geek chorus proclaiming that nerd looks, from films like Freaks and Geeks to Napoleon Dynamite, are uber-cool.
The ultimate in mainstream geek chic showed up at ABC, where Ugly Betty, has the protagonist working—where else—in the fashion world. The geek-cool style isn’t that different than what’s mainstream: clean and simple hair, full fringes, “intellectual nerd” glasses and a wardrobe all your own.
Going Long on Style
Joico
Air Collection
Joico
All Rights Reserved.
Longer hair will always be part of the fashion mode and today’s longer, more feminine looks are not super-long and ultra-straight—most feature layers that allow hair to fall perfectly in place.
Edges get soft and shapes sleeken-up or plump-up with the right products. In general, celebrating natural texture is the easiest way to make an individual statement. When it’s time for a weekend change, hot tools and texture-specific stylants let you style-shift to something more playful.
Healthy looking hair is now an annual “mane-stay,” which is another reason wearing natural texture is in the forefront—no perming, relaxing, or frying when drying. If you have natural curl, celebrate it and do something to enhance its shine, be it conditioning, adding brighter highlights or blowing out a smooth style.
One great thing about longer hair is that it lends itself to easy updos. When hair is up-styled, it‘s twisted and braided with most the action at the sides, which are directed back.
Viewed from the front, the top is flat because super-height at the crown is just too dated. The back-swept styles are mostly crafted by hand braiding, which creates less heat damage and allows for healthy, shiny, romantic looks that shift day-to-night with ease.
Making a Color Splash
Joico
Asteroid Collection
Joico
All Rights Reserved.
In fashion, less splashy clothes allow for hair to be used more as an accessory—the single thing that stands out. Because cuts, too, are on the simpler side, this means color is your main way to make a statement. Striking blonde, rich red or a deep, caramelized brunette is a great place to start.
While less mashed up than before, color is still dimensional and it’s always customized. Ash blondes are right for those who can wear them, and they’re always paired with lowlights. Tone-on-tone coloring (red-on-red, blonde-on-blonde) add smart sophistication to any shading. In a shift from simplicity, brunettes get highlights via different tones, as opposed to bleach.
Harsh black, purple and stripy colors are gone from the scene—today’s shades are all beautiful and true-to-life only better. Additionally, there are very few, full-head highlights—those are simply too time-consuming to get and costly to keep. Instead, highlights are placed to accent a cut, a facial shape or a fringe. Or, color is added in sheer panels that veil one another from top to bottom.
For those who get color at home, there’s a slew of new products that let you have it natural, like L’Oreal’s Natural Match. Interestingly, the brand is aligned in the sophisticated professional haircolor manner, with choices among levels (10 is blonde, 1 is black) and tones that go warm or cool to work with skin tones. Again, it’s the combination of simplicity and sophistication—a pairing that’s reiterated everywhere.
U 2 Can B Individual
Joico
Ecliptic Collection
Joico
All Rights Reserved.
Can it be any accident that when the main style influence is the ‘60s, that old “Me generation” is being translated into the ramped-up “You generation?” From YouTube online to U-decide comics, everything today is U-based.
Consumers are active participants with brands, beauty and trends—never bystanders: MySpace, iVillage and MyNetworkTV are all reflections of this thinking.
Which means, you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to setting the trends, making the style statements and interpreting what’s right for you. In times like these, the only fashion crime may be going cookie-cutter, and failing to get a customized cut and color that’s right for you and U-alone.
The ultimate cool is to be yourself, which is an idea has its origin in the non-conformist ’60, when amusingly, everyone really looked alike. Whether history will repeat itself is up to you.
January 29th, 2007
By Michelyn Camen
Cameron did it. So did J.Lo, Hilary, Ashley, Nicole… et tu Britney?
These once blonde celebrities stunned us by transforming themselves unexpectedly into alluring brunettes.
I grew up a darkling at a time when “gentlemen preferred blondes” and “blondes had more fun.” As a young girl, my dream was to have the “hair fairy” turn my dull, dark brown self into a sexy blonde beauty.
Back in the day, I had a $60 consultation with the legendary Constance Hartnett, the master colorist at Frederic Fekkai Salon. I told her I wanted to be blonde. She looked at me coldly and uttered five words, “Darling, NEVER EVER go blonde.”
But years later, I ignored Ms. Hartnett’s advice and highlighted my hair to the much copied “J.Lo.” blonde. Well, Ms. Hartnett was right; I looked awful.
According to a recent study, up to 80% of blondes in America are actually brunettes. So should they all go back to their roots? How do you know what color suits your tresses best?
I met with Allison Gandolfo, Senior Colorist at Salon AKS, who spent hours correcting my badly botched highlights (whitish yellow streaks on dark brown hair… hideous). Allison is the secret weapon of some of the most beautiful brunettes in Manhattan (clients include Bobbi Brown and Juliana Margulies). Now, Allison shares her secrets, tips and expertise, as we explore the “dark side.”
MC: Are you seeing a trend in brunette hair color?
AG: More so now than ever, darker hair is more sexy and mysterious. Blonde hair and over highlighting can ruin natural hair as can extensions, so many celebrities and women are taking a breather and going brunette.
MC: Is it harder to achieve great brunette color than blonde?
AG: I believe that trying to achieve great brunette color is more difficult than blonde. There are more underlying colors in brown, there are reds, yellows, and orange tones that all need to be taken into consideration.
MC: What are some things to watch for when coloring brunette hair?
AG: Watch the brass factor, brunettes pull red naturally so do not over process hair or you will have to deal with brassy tones.
MC: What special techniques do you achieve to create beautiful brunette hair color?
AG: Foil and balayage is a great way to achieve multi-tonal and dimensional hair.
MC How do you judge what is perfect brunette color for a client?
AG: Always look at skin tone and eye color; also look at the natural hair color The most important thing about finding your perfect hair color is that it works well with your natural skin tone and eye color. If you feel you have to put on a lot of makeup (blush and darker lipsticks) then that color is probably not best for you. Your color should look fabulous whether you have on a little makeup or if you just rolled out of bed.
MC: According to a well known NYC colorist, anyone can go blonde. Do you believe that?
AG: No, not everyone should be blonde. Blondes do not have more fun; they just have more roots and broken hair compared to brunettes.
MC Is it true you should go lighter when you get older?
AG: No, this is a common misconception; you need to stay with shades that work with your coloring. Sometimes going lighter is draining and aging. I use multi-tonal color in my single process colors for gray coverage.
MC: Do you recommend shampoo color enhancers or temporary color?
AG: No, there are too many out on the market right now and it can really mess up your color. Ask your colorist for any hair color enhancing shampoos they can mix just for you, personalized shampoos. You spend a lot of money on your hair color, do not go out and try to do it yourself at home. This usually turns into a trip back to the hair salon for corrective work that can cost up to five times the amount of your regular visit.
MC: Is there a celebrity you can think of who should go back to her roots?
AG: Eva Longoria… please come home. You look more beautiful as a dark brunette!
When I asked Allison Gandolfo if anyone can be a brunette, she emphatically said NO! Those women with ultra pale, cool complexions should stay blonde (think Nicole Kidman).
Just as I once wished to be a blonde, some blondes have “brunette envy.” According to Allison Bartline, the sales manager of ultra hip Exhibionist Jewelry by Mark Spirito (www.exhibitionistnyc.com), “The grass is always greener, as they say. I’ve never been a brunette, so I guess I have never seen it from the other side.” She admits that she hates “having blond, colorless eyebrows and eyelashes. I really do think that brunettes seem smarter, more mysterious, and are taken more seriously.”
She adds, “it is a strange stigma, but I think people have heard (and told) so many blond jokes that they’ve started to believe them. Jessica Simpson and her ‘Chicken of the Sea’ comment didn’t really help.“
To schedule an appointment with Allison Gandolfo:
Salon A•K•S
689 Fifth Avenue, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10022
212.888.0707
www.salonaks.com
January 29th, 2007
Coffee could hold the secret to curing male baldness, according to new research.
Scientists have discovered caffeine stimulates the growth of tiny follicles in the scalp in men who are starting to lose their hair.
The finding could lead to new treatments for a condition that affects half of all British men by the age of 50.
A recent survey of five European countries found that British men are unhappier about being bald than most of their European counterparts, but are too embarrassed to do anything about it. More than half said going bald made them feel old and less attractive.
The new study, published in the International Journal of Dermatology, found that caffeine works by blocking the effects of a chemical known to damage hair follicles.
But drinking plenty of coffee may not be the best answer.
Scientists estimate up to 60 cups a day would be needed for significant amounts to reach follicles in the scalp.
Instead, German cosmetics firm Alpecin has developed a caffeine-rich solution that can be rubbed on the scalp.
“Caffeine is a well-known substance, yet little is known about its effect on human hair follicle growth,” said Dr Tobias Fischer, who carried out the latest research at the University of Jena in Germany.
“But this study shows it’s a promising candidate for hair growth stimulation.”
Most baldness is caused when hair follicles, the tiny sacs in the scalp from which hair grows, become exposed to too much dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. This is a chemical produced by the male hormone testosterone.
The follicles shrink if there is too much DHT circulating in the blood, so the hair becomes thinner and grows for less time than normal.
Experts believe men with high levels of testosterone are more likely to lose their hair, especially if baldness already runs in the family.
Many men try over-the-counter scalp lotions to boost hair growth, but these are mostly unproven.
In recent years, anti-baldness drugs have been developed. They work by stopping DHT from reaching the follicles and stunting growth.
But they are not available on the NHS and have to be taken for up to two years before they have an effect.
Some men resort to hair transplants, taken from the back or sides of their heads on to the top to cover the receding patches.
But this relies on transferring individual hair follicles rather than millions of active cells.
British company Intercytex is developing a technique involving taking a tiny sample of skin from the head and using it to mass produce dermal papilla - the cells which have already matured into hair-growing factories.
These are then injected back into the scalp, potentially giving a full head of hair.
Despite these advances, a caffeine-based lotion could be a cheaper and equally effective alternative to baldness.
To test the idea, Dr Fischer took scalp biopsies from 14 men in the early stages of hair loss.
He extracted hair follicles and placed them in test tubes with solutions containing different levels of caffeine.
The samples were left in the laboratory for up to eight days to monitor growth. At the end of the experiment, caffeine had boosted the length of the hairs by between 33 per cent and 40 per cent.
In contrast, other test tubes containing hair follicles mixed with testosterone showed that they grew much more slowly.
Scientists behind the breakthrough believe caffeine affects hair cells in such a way that they are able to resist the damaging effects of DHT.
“Hair follicles that were treated with caffeine showed a highly significant growth rate at 24 hours, and still showed further significant growth at eight days,” said Dr Fischer.
January 25th, 2007
New, innovative foam application is fast, easy and convenient
Pfizer Consumer Healthcare announced today that makers of Rogaine® have once again revolutionized the hair loss treatment industry with the debut of New Men’s Rogaine® Foam.
The first of its kind, Rogaine® Foam provides a new, improved formula that delivers the same FDA-approved active topical ingredient found in Rogaine® Solution — minoxidil — without mess or fuss.
The unique, lightweight formulation dries quickly, applies easily and is simple to incorporate into an everyday grooming routine.
Dr. Jeffrey Miller, associate professor and vice chair, department of dermatology at The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, notes, “Fifty million men in the United States experience male pattern baldness, but many avoid treating the condition because the current options are often too cumbersome and time consuming.”
Rogaine® Foam changes that.
“We invested significant time and resources into the new foam formulation in order to evolve with our consumers’ changing lifestyles,” explains Rogaine® brand manager Tarun Malkani. “Men want to do something about regrowing their hair, but not if it means adding time to their grooming regimen. Applying the no-drip foam is fast, easy and effective — a perfect fit for their on-the-go lifestyle.”
“The foam disappears into the skin quickly with gentle rubbing and deposits the active ingredient — minoxidil — directly to the target site, without dripping,” explains Dr. Miller. “This hassle free delivery system will encourage user compliance and give patients an attractive new option for hair regrowth.”
Dr. Miller continues, “With 40% of men showing some degree of hair loss by age 35 and half of all men experiencing hair loss by age 50, Rogaine® Foam provides a practical answer for the millions of ‘no-frills’ guys who want to look their best, but don’t want to add time to their routine.”
Men’s Rogaine® Foam will be available starting in September 2006 at mass-market drug stores and grocery stores nationwide and online at http://www.Rogaine.com.
Average retail price is $24.99 per box for a one month supply.
For more information, please log on http://www.Rogaine.com.
About Rogaine®
Men’s Rogaine contains the only FDA-approved topical ingredient (minoxidil) clinically proven to regrow hair. Men’s Rogaine® Extra Strength Solution and New Men’s Rogaine® Foam contains five percent minoxidil. Rogaine is the number one dermatologist-recommended brand to regrow hair in men with millions of users. Men’s Rogaine is available in one, three and four-month supply at mass, drug, food, and club outlets with suggested retail price ranging from $24.99 to $49.99. For more information, go to http://www.rogaine.com or call 1-800-ROGAINE.
About Pfizer Consumer Healthcare
Rogaine® products are manufactured and marketed by the Consumer Healthcare division of Pfizer Inc. Pfizer Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals and many of the world’s best-known consumer brands. The Consumer Healthcare division of Pfizer, headquartered in Morris Plains, New Jersey, is the world’s second-largest consumer healthcare company, with a portfolio of market-leading brands that also includes Rolaids, Listerine, Nicotrol, Benadryl, Sudafed, Visine and Neosporin.
January 25th, 2007
Time was when your hair color choices were
blonde, red, brunette, and black, but those days are long gone! Each basic hair color comes in a full array of choices from platinum blonde to jet-black. Moreover, the modern consumer must choose from non-traditional hair colors that range from hot pink to chartreuse. However, the wrong hair color choice can give you the blues and leave you red in the face!
First Hair Color Choices
The best method in choosing a hair color is first to choose the results you want from it. Depending on whether you are covering gray, highlighting a natural hair color, or using hair color to completely change your image, knowing what you want helps you to narrow down hair coloring choices.
Before you get down to choosing a hair color, first decide on your commitment to hair coloring. Temporary hair colors wash out in a shampoo or two, semi permanent products typically last for a couple of months, while permanent dyes may either give you grow-out pains or necessitate frequent root touch ups.
Choosing a Compatible Hair Color
After you’ve decided on results and made your commitment, it’s time to get out the color wheel. Beauty experts tell us that we’re either “cool” or “warm” depending on our skin tone, eye color, and natural hair color.
Cool Category
Warm Category
Eyes
Dark Brown, Black-Brown, Gray Blue, Dark Blue, or Hazel with white gray or blue flecks
Golden brown, Green, Green-Blue, Turquoise, Hazel with gold or brown flecks
Hair
Blue black, Deep brown, Ash brown, Ash Blond, Platinum Blond
Deep brown with gold or red highlights, Red, Strawberry Blond, Gray-Yellow, Natural Golden Blond
Skin
Very dark brown, True olive, Medium pale, Medium with golden undertones, Pale, Bronze
Brown with pink or golden undertones, Peachy or with peachy undertones, Pale with gold undertones, Freckled, Ruddy
Although this is good advice, if you’ve just finished a tanning session, if you have some complexion problems (Rosacea, liver spots, blemishes), or if your hair color is already not what nature intended (in other words previously tinted or more salt than pepper), it may be difficult to determine by examining your skin tone and hair color. Don’t despair! There is a shortcut!
Examine your wardrobe. Cool hues are green, blue, and violet. Warm hues are reds, oranges, and yellows. Chances are, your wardrobe is a mix with either cool or warm hues in the majority. Clothing colors that look good on you and make you feel comfortable probably indicate if you’re in the cool or warm category. For instance, if olive drab makes you fade into the woodwork, then cool tones like ash blonde (ash tones contain green) are probably not for you.
In addition, most commercial hair colors have aids on the box, yet if you have a hard time deciding which group is your group, you may want to seek the advice of a professional hair stylist.
Hair Color Tips:
1 Highlighting is a great way to add tone to monochromatic hair (jet black, pure brown).
2 Beware of hair colors that have green, blue, or purple undertones, like “ash”. If you mix them with warm tones, your hair color will turn out green.
3 The levels (one to twelve) you see on hair coloring boxes are the lightness or darkness of the color. Level one is black (darkest) and level twelve is light blond.
4 “Complimentary colors” are opposite each other on the color wheel. Blue-orange, violet-yellow, etc. If you want to neutralize unwanted highlights, choose the complementary color. For instance, red will cancel out an ash undertone, and an ashen color neutralizes any red highlights in your hair.
5 Be sure to check if your hair color is a “progressive dye”. Progressive dyes continually add more color with each use. For instance, if you’re coloring blond hair black, your first use of a progressive hair color may not give the result you expected. However, continued use will turn your hair jet black.
6 Hair colors, like perms, are chemically based. If you’re pregnant, be sure to check with your doctor before coloring your hair.
7 Henna hair dyes are organic based hair colors that don’t mix well with chemicals.
8 Stay out of the pool and the ocean after coloring your hair. Neither sea salt nor chlorine mixes well with chemical hair colors.
January 25th, 2007
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