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For some people dying alone is not such a bad thing – here’s why

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/glenys-caswell-142188">Glenys Caswell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a></em></p> <p>It seems so obvious that no one should die alone that we never talk about it, but people do often die when they are alone. Sometimes they die in a way that suggests they prefer to be alone as they are coming to the end of their lives. So is it really such a bad thing to be alone when you die?</p> <p>When a person is dying in a hospital or a care home it is common for the nurses caring for them to summon their family. Many people will have the experience of trying to <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2190/OM.55.3.d">keep vigil beside a family member</a>. It is hard – as everyday life goes on regardless – and it can be emotionally exhausting. Sometimes, the relative will die when their family have gone to make a phone call or get a cup of tea, leaving the family feeling distressed and guilty for not being there when they died.</p> <p>There is plenty of research literature, from many countries, devoted to trying to decide <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885392415001578">what makes a good death</a>. There are differences to be found between countries, but similarities too. One similarity is a belief that <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S106474811600138X?via%3Dihub">no one should die alone</a>.</p> <p>This idea sits well with the view of dying that can be found in many different places. When interviewed as research participants, health professionals – and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2904589/">nurses in particular</a> – commonly say that no one should die alone. There are also many cultural references that suggest that to die alone is a bad thing. Consider, for example, the death of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’s <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm">A Christmas Carol</a>, or the death of Nemo, the law writer in <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1023/1023-h/1023-h.htm">Bleak House</a>. These are both sad, dark, lonely deaths of a kind to be avoided.</p> <p>Celebrity deaths, such as those of comedian and actress <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/apr/20/victoria-wood-dies-aged-62-comedian">Victoria Wood</a> or <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35278872">David Bowie</a>, are described in the news as peaceful or good when they are surrounded by family. Ordinary people who die alone make the news when the person’s body is undiscovered for a long time. When this happens the death is likely to be described in <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795360300577X?via%3Dihub">negative terms</a>, such as shocking, lonely, tragic or as a sad indictment of society.</p> <h2>Some people prefer to be alone</h2> <p>Of course, it may be the case that many people would prefer to have their family around them when they are dying. But there is <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21582041.2015.1114663">evidence</a> that suggests that some people would <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953615003482?via%3Dihub">prefer to be alone </a>as they are coming to the end of their lives.</p> <p>My own <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13576275.2017.1413542">research</a> found that while hospice-at-home nurses believe that no one should die alone, they had seen cases where a person died after their family members had left the bedside. The nurses believed that some people just want to be on their own when they are dying. They also thought that people may have a measure of control over when they die, and choose to do so when their family are not around.</p> <p>In the same study, I also talked to older people who were living alone to find out their views about dying alone. I was intrigued to learn that dying alone was not seen as something that is automatically bad, and for some of the older people it was to be preferred. For some people in this group, dying was not the worst thing that could happen – being trapped in a care home was considered to be far worse than dying alone.</p> <p>Cultural representations of dying suggest that being alone while dying is a dreadful thing. This view is supported by healthcare policy and the practices of health professionals, such as nurses. But we all know people who prefer to be left alone when they are ill. Is it so surprising then that some might wish to be alone when they are dying?</p> <p>It is time we began to talk about this and to accept that we want different things in our dying as we do in our living. Openness created through discussion might also help to remove some of the guilt that family members feel when they miss the moment of their relative’s death.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90034/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/glenys-caswell-142188">Glenys Caswell</a>, Senior Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-nottingham-1192">University of Nottingham</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-some-people-dying-alone-is-not-such-a-bad-thing-heres-why-90034">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

Share the gift of healthy, luscious hair this festive season

<p dir="ltr">With the festive season approaching, there’s nothing worse than dull and lifeless hair, especially when we’re going to Christmas parties and taking photos with loved ones. </p> <p dir="ltr">So whether you’re looking for a treat for yourself, or a special gift for someone in your life, give the gift of gorgeous hair with Wella Professionals stunning Christmas range. </p> <p dir="ltr">With gift packs for every hair concern, there is something for everyone in Wella’s gifting range, whether your hair is coloured or damaged, or if you’re looking for an injection of moisture or shine.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBznE8TuYIt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; 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flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBznE8TuYIt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Wella Professionals ANZ (@wellapro_anz)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Ranging from the Wella Professionals Fusion Travel Trio for just $48.95, to the Wella Professionals Ultimate Repair Repair Trio for $114.95, the gorgeous gift packs feature a mix of shampoo, conditioner, masks, and shine oils. </p> <p dir="ltr">There are 10 beautiful gift packs on offer, with these Wella Trios having everything you need to get you, or the lucky person you’re buying for, started on their journey to transform their hair.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/11/wella-xmas-inset.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">The complete selection of Wella Professionals gift sets available to purchase at <a href="https://www.sephora.com.au/brands/wella-professionals?srsltid=AfmBOoql21pQ7BfPilCk7yTK4JwxBXCCsVjcOXHZrejK5F6EL0lGfrHj">Sephora</a>, Myer, David Jones, <a href="https://www.adorebeauty.com.au/b/wella-professionals.html">Adore Beauty</a>, Amazon, <a href="https://www.ozhairandbeauty.com/brands/wella-professionals?top=brands&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADs5kjeHbLVuofBnsO5umpMUOhOdq&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_qG5BhDTARIsAA0UHSK22eIZDejiKd533GEKq8iaYrKphZVZIwRj4d7J4rJ8T7XCudVZNoEaAv3xEALw_wcB">Oz Hair & Beauty</a>, Look Fantastic, The Iconic and selected Wella Salons, as well as Wella’s official <a href="https://au.wella.professionalstore.com/">website</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Supplied / Shutterstock </em></p>

Beauty & Style

How do heat protectants for hair work? A chemistry expert explains

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/daniel-eldridge-1494633">Daniel Eldridge</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>Heat can do amazing things to change your hairstyle. Whether you’re using a curling wand to get ringlets, a flat iron to straighten or a hair dryer to style, it’s primarily the heat from these tools that delivers results.</p> <p>This comes with casualties. While your hair is surprisingly tolerant to heat compared with many other parts of your body, it can still only withstand so much. Heat treatment hair appliances frequently operate at over 150°C, with some reportedly <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2019.00298/full#B13">reaching</a> <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289291195_Thermal_degradation_of_hair_I_Effect_of_curling_irons">over 200°C</a>. At these temperatures, your hair can end up fried.</p> <p>Many people use heat protectants, often in the form of sprays, to minimise the damage. So how do these protectants work? To answer that, I first have to explain exactly what heat does to your tresses on the molecular level.</p> <h2>What heat does to your hair</h2> <p>A large proportion of your hair is made up of proteins. There are attractive forces between these proteins, known as hydrogen bonds. These bonds play a big role in dictating the shape of your locks.</p> <p>When you heat up your hair, the total attraction of these hydrogen bonds become weaker, allowing you to more easily re-shape your hair. Then, when it cools back down, these attractions between the proteins are re-established, helping your hair hold its new look until the proteins rediscover their normal structure.</p> <p>The cuticle – the outermost protective layer of your hair – contains overlapping layers of cells that lose integrity when they’re heated, damaging this outer protective layer.</p> <p>Inside that outer layer is the cortex, which is rich in a protein called keratin.</p> <p>Many proteins don’t <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21635854/">hold up structurally</a> after intense heating. Think of cooking an egg – the change you see is a result of the heat altering the proteins in that egg, unravelling them into different shapes and sizes.</p> <p>It’s a <a href="https://library.scconline.org/v049n04/33">similar story</a> when it comes to heating your hair. The proteins in your hair are also susceptible to heat damage, reducing the overall strength and integrity of the hair.</p> <p>Heat can also affect substances called melanin and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21443842/">tryptophan</a> in your hair, resulting in a change in pigmentation. Heat-damaged hair is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21635854/">harder to brush</a>.</p> <p>The damage is even more devastating if you use heat styling tools such as <a href="https://labmuffin.com/why-you-should-never-straighten-or-curl-wet-hair/">curling irons or straighteners</a> to <a href="https://library.scconline.org/v062n01/23">heat wet hair</a>, as at the high treatment temperatures, the water soaked up by the fibres can violently evaporate.</p> <p>The result of this is succinctly described by science educator and cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong, also known as <a href="https://labmuffin.com/how-do-heat-protectant-hair-products-work/">Lab Muffin</a>. She notes if you heat wet hair this way, “steam will blast through your hair’s structure”.</p> <p>This steam bubbling or bursting through the hair can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21443842/">cause substantial damage</a>.</p> <p>It’s worth noting hair dryers don’t concentrate heat in the same way as styling tools such as flat irons or curling wands, but you still need to move the hair dryer around constantly to avoid heat building up in one spot and causing damage.</p> <p>Once heat damage is done, regardless of whether it is severe or mild, the best remaining options are symptom management or a haircut.</p> <p>For all of these reasons, when you’re planning to heat treat your hair, protection is a good idea.</p> <h2>How hair protectants work</h2> <p>When you spray on a hair protectant, many possible key ingredients can go to work.</p> <p>They can have <a href="https://library.scconline.org/v062n01/15">daunting-looking names</a> like polyvinyl pyrrolidone, methacrylates, polyquaterniums, silicones and more.</p> <p>These materials are chosen because they readily stick onto your hair, creating a coating, a bit like this:</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615002/original/file-20240822-16-beyt90.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A cartoon of coating attached to a strand of hair." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Hair protectant applies a coating to your hair.</span> <span class="attribution">Author provided</span></figcaption></figure> <p>This coating is a protective layer; it’s like putting an oven mitt on your hands before you handle a hot tray from the oven.</p> <p>To demonstrate, I created these by examining hair under a microscope before and after heat protectant was applied:</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615001/original/file-20240822-16-s2ufqy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="These high magnification images of untreated hair, and hair sprayed with a heat treatment spray, show what a difference it can make." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">These high magnification images of untreated hair, and hair sprayed with a heat treatment spray, show how the product coats your hair strands.</span> <span class="attribution">Author provided</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Just like an oven mitt, a hair protectant delays the heat penetration, results in less heat getting through, and helps spread out the effect of the heat, a bit like in this image:</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=233&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=233&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=233&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615003/original/file-20240822-16-tf7xsj.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Cartoon demonstrating the difference between heating unprotected and protected hair" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Hair protectant can help spread out the effects of the heat.</span> <span class="attribution">Author provided</span></figcaption></figure> <p><a href="https://library.scconline.org/v049n04/33">This helps</a> prevent moisture loss and damage to both the protective surface cell layer (the cuticle) and the protein structure of the hair cortex.</p> <p>For these barriers to work at their best, these heat-protecting layers need to remain bound to your hair. In other words, they stick on <em>really</em> well.</p> <p>For this reason, continued use can sometimes cause a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12221-010-0507-9">buildup</a> which can change the feel and weight of your hair.</p> <p>This buildup is not permanent and can be removed with washing.</p> <p>One final and important note: just like when you use a mitt for the oven, heat does still get through. The only way to prevent heat damage to your hair altogether is to not use heated styling tools.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233206/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/daniel-eldridge-1494633">Daniel Eldridge</a>, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-heat-protectants-for-hair-work-a-chemistry-expert-explains-233206">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Controversial suicide capsule applications suspended amid investigation

<p>Advocacy groups behind the suicide capsule have suspended the process of taking applications amid a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland. </p> <p>In a statement on Sunday, they said that 371 people were “in the process of applying” to use the device, known as the Sarco, as of September 23 and applications were suspended after its first use. </p> <p>The Sarco capsule is designed to allow the person inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas from a tank underneath into the sealed chamber, allowing the person to fall asleep and then die of suffocation in a few minutes. </p> <p>On September 23, an unidentified 64-year-old woman from the US Midwest, became the first person to use the device in a forest in the northern Schaffhausen region. </p> <p>The president of Switzerland-based The Last Resort, Florian Willet, said at the time that the woman's death was "peaceful, fast, and dignified", although those claims could not be independently verified. </p> <p>On the same day as the woman's death, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal.</p> <p>Willet and several others were taken into custody following her death and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide.</p> <p>Willet is currently being held in pretrial detention, according to The Last Resort and Exit International, an affiliate founded in Australia over a quarter-century ago. The others who were detained were released from custody. </p> <p>Exit International also clarified that their lawyers in Switzerland believed the use of the device is legal.</p> <p>“Only after the Sarco was used was it learned that Ms Baume-Schneider had addressed the issue,” the advocacy groups said in the statement Sunday.</p> <p>“The timing was a pure coincidence and not our intention.”</p> <p>Switzerland has some of the most permissive laws when it comes to assisted suicide, but the first use of the Sarco has prompted debate among lawmakers. </p> <p>Laws in the country permit assisted suicide, as long as the person takes their own life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive”. </p> <p><em>Image: Exit International</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

Is stress turning my hair grey?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>When we start to go grey depends a lot on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">genetics</a>.</p> <p>Your first grey hairs <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">usually appear</a> anywhere between your twenties and fifties. For men, grey hairs <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22077870/">normally</a> start at the temples and sideburns. Women tend to start greying on the hairline, especially at the front.</p> <p>The most <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">rapid greying</a> usually happens between ages 50 and 60. But does anything we do speed up the process? And is there anything we can do to slow it down?</p> <p>You’ve probably heard that plucking, dyeing and stress can make your hair go grey – and that redheads don’t. Here’s what the science says.</p> <h2>What gives hair its colour?</h2> <p>Each strand of hair is produced by a hair follicle, a tunnel-like opening in your skin. Follicles contain two different kinds of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1534580720301040">stem cells</a>:</p> <ul> <li>keratinocytes, which produce <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23204-keratin">keratin</a>, the protein that makes and regenerates hair strands</li> <li>melanocytes, which produce <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22615-melanin">melanin</a>, the pigment that colours your hair and skin.</li> </ul> <p>There are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459156/">two main types</a> of melanin that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">determine hair colour</a>. Eumelanin is a black-brown pigment and pheomelanin is a red-yellow pigment.</p> <p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/studying-the-complex-genetics-behind-hair-colour-reveals-how-melanin-affects-us-171088#:%7E:text=Eumelanin%20is%20also%20known%20as%20the%20brown-black%20pigment%2C,is%20due%20to%20low%20amounts%20of%20both%20pigments.">amount of the different pigments</a> determines hair colour. Black and brown hair has mostly eumelanin, red hair has the most pheomelanin, and blonde hair has just a small amount of both.</p> <h2>So what makes our hair turn grey?</h2> <p>As we age, it’s normal for cells to become less active. In the hair follicle, this means stem cells produce less melanin – turning our hair grey – and less keratin, causing hair thinning and loss.</p> <p>As less melanin is produced, there is less pigment to give the hair its colour. Grey hair has very little melanin, while white hair has none left.</p> <p>Unpigmented hair <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">looks grey</a>, white or silver because light reflects off the keratin, which is pale yellow.</p> <p>Grey hair is thicker, coarser and stiffer than hair with pigment. This is because the shape of the hair follicle becomes <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">irregular</a> as the stem cells change with age.</p> <p>Interestingly, grey hair also grows faster than pigmented hair, but it <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">uses more energy</a> in the process.</p> <h2>Can stress turn our hair grey?</h2> <p>Yes, stress can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">cause your hair to turn grey</a>. This happens when <a href="https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1096/fj.05-4039fje">oxidative stress</a> damages hair follicles and stem cells and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.839859/full">stops them producing</a> melanin.</p> <p>Oxidative stress is an imbalance of too many damaging free radical chemicals and not enough protective antioxidant chemicals in the body. It can be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">caused by</a> psychological or emotional stress as well as autoimmune diseases.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22077870/">Environmental factors</a> such as exposure to UV and pollution, as well as smoking and some drugs, can also play a role.</p> <p>Melanocytes are <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">more susceptible to damage</a> than keratinocytes because of the complex steps in melanin production. This explains why ageing and stress usually cause hair greying before hair loss.</p> <p>Scientists have been able to link less pigmented sections of a hair strand to <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/67437">stressful events in a person’s life</a>. In younger people, whose stems cells still produced melanin, colour returned to the hair after the stressful event passed.</p> <h2>4 popular ideas about grey hair – and what science says</h2> <p><strong>1. Does plucking a grey hair make more grow back in its place?</strong></p> <p>No. When you pluck a hair, you might notice a small bulb at the end that was attached to your scalp. This is the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23435-hair-follicle">root</a>. It grows from the hair follicle.</p> <p>Plucking a hair pulls the root out of the follicle. But the follicle itself is the opening in your skin and can’t be plucked out. Each hair follicle can only grow a single hair.</p> <p>It’s possible frequent plucking could make your hair <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18713071/">grey earlier</a>, if the cells that produce melanin are damaged or exhausted from too much regrowth.</p> <p><strong>2. Can my hair can turn grey overnight?</strong></p> <p>Legend says Marie Antoinette’s hair went <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/marie-antoinette-syndrome">completely white</a> the night before the French queen faced the guillotine – but this is a myth.</p> <p>Melanin in hair strands is chemically stable, meaning it can’t transform instantly.</p> <p>Acute psychological stress does rapidly deplete melanocyte stem cells <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-1935-3">in mice</a>. But the effect doesn’t show up immediately. Instead, grey hair becomes visible as the strand grows – at a rate of <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326764">about 1 cm per month</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/">Not all hair</a> is in the growing phase at any one time, meaning it can’t all go grey at the same time.</p> <p><strong>3. Will dyeing make my hair go grey faster?</strong></p> <p>This <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9953601/">depends on the dye</a>.</p> <p>Temporary and semi-permanent dyes should not cause early greying because they just coat the hair strand without changing its structure. But permanent products cause a chemical reaction with the hair, using an oxidising agent such as hydrogen peroxide.</p> <p>Accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10232955/">other hair dye chemicals</a> in the hair follicle <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">can damage</a> melanocytes and keratinocytes, which can cause greying and hair loss.</p> <p><strong>4. Is it true redheads don’t go grey?</strong></p> <p>People with red hair also lose melanin as they age, but differently to those with black or brown hair.</p> <p>This is because the red-yellow and black-brown pigments are chemically different.</p> <p>Producing the brown-black pigment eumelanin is more complex and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1034/j.1600-0749.2002.02017.x">takes more energy</a>, making it more susceptible to damage.</p> <p>Producing the red-yellow pigment (pheomelanin) causes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016953472030375X">less oxidative stress</a>, and is more simple. This means it is easier for stem cells to continue to produce pheomelanin, even as they reduce their activity with ageing.</p> <p>With ageing, red hair tends to fade into strawberry blonde and silvery-white. Grey colour is due to less eumelanin activity, so is more common in those with black and brown hair.</p> <p>Your genetics determine when you’ll start going grey. But you may be able to avoid premature greying by staying healthy, reducing stress and avoiding smoking, too much alcohol and UV exposure.</p> <p>Eating <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/melanin-in-hair#b-6-and-b-12">a healthy diet</a> may also help because vitamin B12, copper, iron, calcium and zinc all <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/">influence melanin production and hair pigmentation</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239100/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-stress-turning-my-hair-grey-239100">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

How to revive your curls without paying salon prices

<p>Maintaining curly hair takes a lot of time and effort and sometimes no matter what you do, the frizz just cannot be tamed. </p> <p>While getting your hair done at the salon can be a treat, having to pay salon prices to get softness, shine and definition for your curls is just not sustainable in the long run. </p> <p>Enter <a href="https://www.johnfrieda.com/en-au/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Frieda</a>'s newest Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery range, which is now infused with repairing ceramides designed to transform frizzy and damaged hair. </p> <p>The Miraculous Recovery Repairing shampoo and conditioner are two of my personal faves, as I could feel the difference in how soft my hair felt after the first use.</p> <p>Not only are the products safe for colour-treated hair, they also made my curls more manageable and easy to style, with the effects lasting for two days, which is amazing considering how quickly my curls can go limp. </p> <p>I also loved how subtle the scent was, and found the most effective way of applying the conditioner was to comb it through my hair with a detangling brush in the shower, as it helps distribute the product evenly. </p> <p>While different curls all need slightly different care, I found the shampoo provided the perfect balance of cleaning build-up on my hair without leaving it dry or flaky. </p> <p>The star of the range was definitely the All-in-1 extra strength serum, which provided extra protection for my colour-treated and chemically treated hair. I love that you can apply this product through wet or dry hair, and it was the perfect way to revive my curls. </p> <p>The Finishing Creme was a bit too thick for my fine, curly hair, but for those with tighter curls or those looking for some extra moisture during more humid days, a light layer of the product would surely tame any flyaways or frizz. </p> <p>With most of their products retailing for around $20 it is an affordable solution to bringing life back into colour-treated and damaged curls. The product can be found in all major supermarkets and pharmacies across <a href="https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/shop-online/5571/john-frieda-haircare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AU</a> and <a href="https://www.chemistwarehouse.co.nz/shop-online/5571/john-frieda-haircare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ</a>. </p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Hospice nurse shares the four physical stages of dying

<p>A hospice nurse has shared the four things that happen to your body in the months, weeks and days before you die. </p> <p>Julie McFadden, who specialises in end of life care, shares videos about death and dying on social media to open up the conversation on the taboo topic, to help better prepare people for death. </p> <p>In her latest video, a viewer asked Julie what the dying process actually looks like, as the nurse explained that it all depends on how, when and why you pass away. </p> <p>However, she said there are four things that happen to the body as the end draws near. </p> <p>The first stage of dying is slowing down, which can happen up to six months before you die, with the symptoms being very "generalised". </p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">Julie says, "For instance, you’re just going to be generally tired, generally lethargic, not eating and drinking as much, probably being less social."</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">According to Julie, the second stage is a sharp decline in strength, as she explains, "</span></span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem;">The closer you get to death – let’s say three months out – you’re going to be more debilitated."</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem;">"It’s going to be difficult for you to leave the house, you probably are eating and drinking very little throughout the day, and you’re sleeping more than you’re awake."</span></p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Before the last stage of life, Julie describes a period of "transitioning" which happens around a month before death and can include a phenomenon known as "visioning". </p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The nurse says, "This is when people will start seeing dead relatives, dead loved ones, dead pets, things like that."</p> <p><span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff;">She says that typically, someone "can be up and having a normal conversation with their family", all the while "saying they’re seeing their dead father in the corner who is smiling and telling them he’s coming to get them soon and not to worry."</span></p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">According to Julie, this final stage of death is considered the most "distinct time in the dying process" when the body starts to fully shut down.</p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The actively dying phase is what scares people, because they’re not used to seeing it and they don’t know what the heck’s going on," she says.</p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Metabolic changes’ such as a difference in skin colour, high and low temperature, or the ‘death rattle’ – a gurgling noise (also known as terminal secretions) caused by a buildup of fluids in the throat and upper airways – follow before they later pass on.</p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">However, while it’s natural to find these things upsetting, Julie assures people this stage is a "normal part of death and dying", and "it’s not hurting your loved one."</p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"It’s important to be educated about what death actually looks like. Movies and television don’t do it justice, then people see it in real life when it’s their loved ones and they freak out," she said. </p> <p style="font-size: 1rem; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375rem; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.4rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em>Image credits: YouTube / Instagram </em></p>

Caring

Why are some people happy when they are dying?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mattias-tranberg-941050">Mattias Tranberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lund-university-756"><em>Lund University</em></a></em></p> <p>Simon Boas, who wrote a candid account of living with cancer, passed away on July 15 at the age of 47. In a recent <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clmykzrdnljo">BBC interview</a>, the former aid worker told the reporter: “My pain is under control and I’m terribly happy – it sounds weird to say, but I’m as happy as I’ve ever been in my life.”</p> <p>It may seem odd that a person could be happy as the end draws near, but in my experience as a clinical psychologist working with people at the end of their lives, it’s not that uncommon.</p> <p>There is quite a lot of research suggesting that fear of death is at the unconscious centre of being human. William James, an American philosopher, called the knowledge that we must die <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/170217/the-worm-at-the-core-by-sheldon-solomon-jeff-greenberg-and-tom-pyszczynski/">“the worm at the core”</a> of the human condition.</p> <p>But a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44577785">study</a> in Psychological Science shows that people nearing death use more positive language to describe their experience than those who just imagine death. This suggests that the experience of dying is more pleasant – or, at least, less unpleasant – than we might picture it.</p> <p>In the BBC interview, Boas shared some of the insights that helped him come to accept his situation. He mentioned the importance of enjoying life and prioritising meaningful experiences, suggesting that acknowledging death can enhance our appreciation for life.</p> <p>Despite the pain and difficulties, Boas seemed cheerful, hoping his attitude would support his wife and parents during the difficult times ahead.</p> <p>Boas’s words echo the Roman philosopher Seneca who <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Moral_letters_to_Lucilius/Letter_61">advised that</a>: “To have lived long enough depends neither upon our years nor upon our days, but upon our minds.”</p> <p>A more recent thinker expressing similar sentiments is the psychiatrist <a href="https://www.viktorfrankl.org/">Viktor Frankl</a> who, after surviving Auschwitz, wrote <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/347571/mans-search-for-meaning-by-viktor-e-frankl/9781846046384">Man’s Search for Meaning</a> (1946) in which he lay the groundwork for a form of existential psychotherapy, with the focus of discovering meaning in any kind of circumstance. Its most recent adaptation is meaning-centred psychotherapy, which offers people with cancer a way to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4861219/">improve their sense of meaning</a>.</p> <h2>How happiness and meaning relate</h2> <p>In two recent studies, in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951521000262">Palliative and Supportive Care</a> and the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909120939857">American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care</a>, people approaching death were asked what constitutes happiness for them. Common themes in both studies were social connections, enjoying simple pleasures such as being in nature, having a positive mindset and a general shift in focus from seeking pleasure to finding meaning and fulfilment as their illness progressed.</p> <p>In my work as a clinical psychologist, I sometimes meet people who have – or eventually arrive at – a similar outlook on life as Boas. One person especially comes to mind – let’s call him Johan.</p> <p>The first time I met Johan, he came to the clinic by himself, with a slight limp. We talked about life, about interests, relationships and meaning. Johan appeared to be lucid, clear and articulate.</p> <p>The second time, he came with crutches. One foot had begun to lag and he couldn’t trust his balance. He said it was frustrating to lose control of his foot, but still hoped to cycle around Mont Blanc.</p> <p>When I asked him what his concerns were, he burst into tears. He said: “That I won’t get to celebrate my birthday next month.” We sat quietly for a while and took in the situation. It wasn’t the moment of death itself that weighed on him the most, it was all the things he wouldn’t be able to do again.</p> <p>Johan arrived at our third meeting supported by a friend, no longer able to grip the crutches. He told me that he had been watching films of him cycling with his friends. He had concluded that he could watch YouTube videos of others cycling around Mont Blanc. He had even ordered a new, expensive mountain bike. “I’ve wanted to buy it for a long time, but was tightfisted,” he said. “I may not be able to ride it, but thought it would be cool to have in the living room.”</p> <p>For the fourth visit, he arrived in a wheelchair. It turned out to be the last time we met. The bike had arrived; he had it next to the couch. There was one more thing he wanted to do.</p> <p>“If by some miracle I were to get out of this alive, I would like to volunteer in domestic care services – one or two shifts a week,” Johan said. “They work hard and it gets crazy sometimes, but they make such an incredible contribution. I wouldn’t have been able to get out of the apartment without them.”</p> <p>My experience of patients with life-threatening disease is that it’s possible to feel happiness alongside sadness, and other seemingly conflicting emotions. Over a day, patients can feel gratitude, remorse, longing, anger, guilt and relief – sometimes all at once. Facing the limits of existence can add perspective and help a person appreciate life more than ever.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234309/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mattias-tranberg-941050">Mattias Tranberg</a>, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Institute of Palliative Care, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lund-university-756">Lund University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-some-people-happy-when-they-are-dying-234309">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

Expert reveals why you shouldn’t use hotel hair dryers

<p dir="ltr">An expert has shared why you should avoid using hair dryers that are provided in hotels. </p> <p dir="ltr">Many travellers rely on these handy devices that are often found in bathroom drawers in hotels, instead of packing your own hair dryer that can often take up valuable luggage space. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, trichologist Jacqui McIntosh, who focuses on diseases related to the scalp and hair, said travellers should avoid these appliances at all costs. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to the expert, there's a high chance there are bacteria and germs lurking inside the hair dryer that have been passed between hotel guests.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Using a hairdryer riddled with bacteria and germs does pose health risks and can be detrimental to your hair health," she told <em>The Mirror</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">McIntosh says when the microorganisms inside a hairdryer make their way onto your hair and scalp, "they can spark infections and irritations, disrupting your hair follicles and slowing down healthy growth."</p> <p dir="ltr">Even without the worry of bacteria and germs, there's a chance of dust and mould lurking inside the appliance, which she says are "troublemakers for your scalp".</p> <p dir="ltr">"Neglected hair dryers are time bombs waiting to go off. Debris buildup inside the device spells overheating, increasing the risk of singeing your hair or scalp," she explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">McIntosh also clarified that, as pointed out in a 2009 study, hairdryers are one of the handful of items that are missed by hotel cleaning staff, so next time you’re staying in a hotel, probably best to bring your own hair dryer. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Trouble

8 mistakes that make your hair thin

<p>Despite how many products you put load it up with, hair thins with age and there is scarcely anything that you can do to completely fight nature. What you can do is go into prevention mode as early as possible. There are many simple things that we do to our hair daily that is actually causing it a lot of stress and in many cases causing it to thin.</p> <p>So rather than a trip to the hairdresser every other week or falling for flashy and expensive products on cheap advertisements, follow these 8 simple tips to avoid damaging your hair and losing what you have.</p> <p><strong>1. Hot showers</strong></p> <p>We all know that hot water can dehydrate our skin, but did you know the same rule applies to your hair? Ryan Welter, MD, a Boston-based hair transplant surgeon explains; “Not only are you washing your hair’s protecting oils down the drain, but the heat throws your scalps pores into overdrive to keep up with oil production, which can damage the root and lead to additional shedding.”</p> <p><strong>2. Using too many heat tools</strong></p> <p>Ironic, isn’t it? All that that drying and curling we do to make our hair look fabulous is actually doing it the most damage. Not everyone is a wash-and-wear kind of person, though, so if you really can’t part with your heated tools, make sure you prep your strands with a heat protection spray. Also, they may be more expensive but ceramic plated tools are ten times better for your hair. The ceramic plate has a uniform heating system that makes it impossible for it to overheat and cause damage to the hair from burning. Additionally, you’ll get a better aesthetic result.</p> <p><strong>3. Crash dieting</strong></p> <p>Your diet affects everything, so it’s no surprise it effects your hair. Under eating forces, the body to direct the little energy it has to perform essential functions –like helping your heart pump blood-so generating new hair falls by the wayside. The good news is that you can eat certain foods for positive hair health. Lean protein like fish, chicken, lentil and beans all promote growth. Hair is primarily made of protein so it will make or break your hair. You should aim for about 46 grams per day.</p> <p><strong>4. Styling when wet</strong></p> <p>Our strands are never more fragile, and prone to breakage, than when they’re saturated with H20 – this is because the protective cuticle is slightly raised. Brushing or combing locks in the shower, then following with aggressive towel-drying and prompt styling is a recipe for swift breakages. To avoid this, let your hair dry as naturally as possible when you get out of the shower and wait patiently before styling.</p> <p><strong>5. Let’s talk about the colour</strong></p> <p>If your hair is dyed, and especially if it’s bleached, you will be more prone to breakage. However, there are many ways to avoid this. If you can’t be bothered fussing with various different treatments, simply leave your conditioner on for a few minutes rather than washing straight out. This will act like a hair treatment or mask without the hefty price tag. Alternatively, Moroccan oil is naturally high in fatty acids and vitamin E, making it a good treatment for damaged hair. Use sparingly on the ends, it only takes a few minutes to apply.</p> <p><strong>6. Opting for tight hairstyles</strong></p> <p>If you wear your hair back in a tight hairstyle, like a ponytail or bun, chances are it’s contributing to your thinning hair. Pulling on the hair follicles too tightly puts tension on them, damaging them and creating scars that destroy them permanently. This can lead to alopecia, a condition that permanently weakens the follicle and makes it impossible for hair to grow again. </p> <p><strong>7. Over-shampooing</strong></p> <p>The purpose of shampooing your hair is to cleanse the hair and scalp of oil and product build up. However, there is actually such thing as over-shampooing. This can wash away your hairs natural moisture that helps your hair look healthy and dries it out. This is especially true if you’re using a shampoo that’s more tropical scented foam than nutrition for your hair. So how much should you wash it? Unfortunately, there’s no specific algorithm. See what works best for you, stick to it, and always be gentle.</p> <p><strong>8. Using the wrong brush</strong></p> <p>Something as simple as using the wrong hairbrush could be doing you a world of damage. Unfortunately, the thinner your hair, the more damage brushing in general will do. Stick to coming and wide bristle brushes as to not aggravate delicate hair cells. For slick, slightly damp hair, natural-bristle brushes are best and for those who can get away with it, stick to a comb and nothing but the comb. Just be sure to check the teeth for seams or roughness.</p> <p>Finally, always go by the golden rule; if something is going to harm your skin, it’s going to harm your hair. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Daughter's incredible gesture surprises her cancer-stricken mother

<p>A brave mother fighting cancer has burst into tears at her daughter's amazing display of solidarity, as her mum continues to battle through chemotherapy. </p> <p>Tracy Mulcahy has been fighting a devastating diagnosis of stage four high-grade ovarian cancer and had started to lose her hair after relentless chemo treatment. </p> <p>Tracy and her daughter Sophie headed to their local hairdressers, where they have become like family after seven years, where Sophie was given the task of shaving her mum's head. </p> <p>To everyone's surprise, Sophie was handed the razor and decided to shave off her own long blonde hair in an emotional display of solitary and strength.</p> <p>Both women burst into tears and held one another, while there was not a dry eye in the salon from other clients and hairdressers. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4h63b2rZYX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4h63b2rZYX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ⚡️SOUTH WEST BLONDE SPECIALIST ⚡️ (@bambiblonde__)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The heartwarming moment was captured by the Bambi Blonde salon and posted to their Instagram, where the post racked up hundreds of thousands of likes and comments of support from all over the world.</p> <p>"The whole salon was in tears," owner Claire Lovett said.</p> <p>Sophie has since revealed she decided to do it because she didn't want her mother to "go through this alone".</p> <p>"She means the absolute world to me. She's done everything she could to help me with any issues I've had in the past," Sophie told the Hit WA radio station.</p> <p>Tracy said her daughter's decision was "just insane", saying, "I saw her do it, and I'm like, no, please don't, please don't do this. I don't want you to go through what I'm going through."</p> <p>"I think when I sat down in that hairdresser's chair and prepared myself for the day, but when you actually sit in that chair and normally go to the hairdressers, it's obviously a positive experience." </p> <p>"And then to have to look in and see that there wasn't a lot of hair left at that point. And to see Sophie do that and sacrifice her own hair for me, it was just insane."</p> <p>The family have set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tracys-battle-stage-4-high-grade-ovarian-cancer?utm_campaign=p_cp+fundraiser-sidebar&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help with the costs of Tracy's treatment. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / GoFundMe</em></p>

Caring

From straight to curly, thick to thin: here’s how hormones and chemotherapy can change

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>Head hair comes in many colours, shapes and sizes, and hairstyles are often an expression of personal style or cultural identity.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">Many different genes</a> determine our hair texture, thickness and colour. But some people’s hair changes around the time of puberty, pregnancy or after chemotherapy.</p> <p>So, what can cause hair to become curlier, thicker, thinner or grey?</p> <h2>Curly or straight? How hair follicle shape plays a role</h2> <p>Hair is made of <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23204-keratin">keratin</a>, a strong and insoluble protein. Each hair strand grows from its own <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470321/">hair follicle</a> that extends deep into the skin.</p> <p>Curly hair forms due to asymmetry of both the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6894537/">hair follicle and the keratin</a> in the hair.</p> <p>Follicles that produce <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318524">curly hair</a> are asymmetrical and curved and lie at an angle to the surface of the skin. This kinks the hair as it first grows.</p> <p>The asymmetry of the hair follicle also causes the keratin to bunch up on one side of the hair strand. This pulls parts of the hair strand closer together into a curl, which maintains the curl as the hair continues to grow.</p> <p>Follicles that are symmetrical, round and perpendicular to the skin surface produce straight hair.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A diagram shows the hair follicle shape of straight, curly and coiled hair." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Each hair strand grows from its own hair follicle.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/diagram-hair-follicle-shape-vector-illustration-2248429145">Mosterpiece/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Life changes, hair changes</h2> <p>Our hair undergoes repeated cycles throughout life, with different stages of growth and loss.</p> <p>Each hair follicle contains stem cells, which multiply and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.899095/full">grow into a hair strand</a>.</p> <p>Head hairs spend most of their time in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905671/">the growth phase</a>, which can last for several years. This is why head hair can grow so long.</p> <p>Let’s look at the life of a single hair strand. After the growth phase is a transitional phase of about two weeks, where the hair strand stops growing. This is followed by a resting phase where the hair remains in the follicle for a few months before it <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/stages-of-hair-growth">naturally falls out</a>.</p> <p>The hair follicle <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/exd.13347">remains in the skin</a> and the stems cells grow a new hair to repeat the cycle.</p> <p>Each hair on the scalp is replaced <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4606321/#b3">every three to five years</a>.</p> <h2>Hormone changes during and after pregnancy alter the usual hair cycle</h2> <p>Many women notice their hair is <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/pregnancy-hair">thicker during pregnancy</a>.</p> <p>During pregnancy, high levels of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908443/">oestrogen, progesterone and prolactin</a> prolong the resting phase of the hair cycle. This means the hair <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/">stays in the hair follicle for longer</a>, with less hair loss.</p> <p>A drop in hormones a few months after delivery causes increased hair loss. This is due to all the hairs that remained in the resting phase during pregnancy falling out in a fairly synchronised way.</p> <h2>Hair can change around puberty, pregnancy or after chemotherapy</h2> <p>This is related to the genetics of hair shape, which is an example of <a href="https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/incomplete-dominance">incomplete dominance</a>.</p> <p>Incomplete dominance is when there is a middle version of a trait. For hair, we have curly hair and straight hair genes. But when someone has one curly hair gene and one straight hair gene, they can have wavy hair.</p> <p>Hormonal changes that occur around <a href="https://clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13148-019-0780-4">puberty</a> and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/20/12698">pregnancy</a> can affect the function of genes. This can cause the curly hair gene of someone with wavy hair to become more active. This can change their hair from wavy to curly.</p> <p>Researchers have identified that activating specific genes can change hair in pigs <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2023.1184015/full">from straight to curly</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5759815/">Chemotherapy</a> has very visible effects on hair. Chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cells, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2628766">including hair follicles</a>, which causes hair loss. Chemotherapy can also have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1988866/">genetic effects</a> that influence hair follicle shape. This can cause hair to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chemo-curls">regrow with a different shape</a> for the first few cycles of hair regrowth.</p> <h2>Hormonal changes as we age also affect our hair</h2> <p>Throughout life, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/">thyroid hormones</a> are essential for production of keratin. Low levels of thyroid hormones can cause dry and brittle hair.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36578854/">Oestrogen and androgens</a> also regulate hair growth and loss, particularly as we age.</p> <p>Balding in males is due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/starting-to-thin-out-hair-loss-doesnt-have-to-lead-to-baldness-34984">higher levels of androgens</a>. In particular, high dihydrotestosterone (sometimes shortened to DHT), which is produced in the body from testosterone, has a role in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7269836/">male pattern baldness</a>.</p> <p>Some women experience <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-does-womens-hair-thin-out-39126">female pattern hair loss</a>. This is caused by a combination of genetic factors plus lower levels of <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/3/893">oestrogen and higher androgens</a> after menopause. The hair follicles become smaller and smaller until they no longer produce hairs.</p> <p>Reduced function of the cells that produce <a href="https://www.health.com/mind-body/what-going-gray-early-can-tell-you-about-your-health">melanin</a> (the pigment that gives our hair colour) is what causes greying.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219329/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095"><em>Theresa Larkin</em></a><em>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: </em><em>Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-straight-to-curly-thick-to-thin-heres-how-hormones-and-chemotherapy-can-change-your-hair-219329">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

"I'm home": Paramedics grant dying grandmother's final wish

<p>Dedicated paramedics have made an emotional pit stop at the beach for a dying grandmother who wanted to see the ocean one last time. </p> <p>The ambos were transporting 94-year-old Shirl McHugh to the hospital when the grandmother asked to make a stop at Newcastle's Bar Beach: her favourite spot. </p> <p>Shirl told the paramedics she wanted to "feel the salt breeze one last time", as she had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving the hospital. </p> <p>When they stopped at the beach, the great-grandmother relaxed and told paramedic Brittaney Banks, "I'm home".</p> <p>Thankfully, Ms McHugh was able to bask in a beautifully fine day to take in the famous stretch of beach, which is busy with swimmers, surfers, lifesavers and families most days.</p> <p>Shirl, who was a respected member of her church as well as the wider community, died just 15 hours after her stop at the ocean. </p> <p>The NSW ambulance shared Shirl's story to their Instagram page, with paramedic Brittaney Banks recalling the emotional day. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyK0y_Ns8j5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyK0y_Ns8j5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by NSW Ambulance (@nswambulance)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"When I opened the doors of the ambulance, Shirley said 'I'm home', and breathed a sigh of relaxation… it's one of those jobs I will remember forever," Brittaney said. </p> <p>Her granddaughter expressed her gratitude on social media, thanking the ambulance crew for respecting the special request from the stylish great-grandmother known to many as 'Shirl the Pearl'.</p> <p>"Thank you ladies for fulfilling my Nan's final wish on her way home," Emma Brown wrote. </p> <p>"She had such a beautiful soul, it was really my pleasure," Ms Banks replied.</p> <p>"I am so glad we could bring her home."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Dying husband and wife spend their final days holding hands

<p>A married couple have spent their final days holding hands in hospital, after their beds were pushed next to each other so they could be side-by-side as they both passed away. </p> <p>The couple from Tennessee, Tommy and Virginia Stevens, both 91, were both admitted to the Vanderbilt hospital for unrelated medical issues. </p> <p>Tommy, who was suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, had been struck down with aspiration pneumonia and sepsis, and was transferred to the hospital's palliative care unit. </p> <p>The same morning, Virginia suffered a fall as she sustained six broken ribs, a spinal fracture, and a hip injury, and was admitted to the hospital's trauma unit. </p> <p>As Tommy and Virginia's family were struggling to split time between the two wards, hospital staff were able to pull strings for the longtime lovebirds to be roomed side-by-side.</p> <p>Virginia was moved into a room near Tommy’s in the Palliative Care Unit, and her hospital bed was scooted against his so she could comfort him as his health continued to get worse, the hospital said.</p> <p>“He was awake when she came in,” their daughter Karen Kreager said. </p> <p>“His eyes were open. He wasn’t communicating a lot — just in small whispers. But he knew that she was there and that she was going to be right beside him. They haven’t stopped holding hands the whole time. She won’t let go of him.” </p> <p>“It reminds me of why we do this work,” Mohana Karlekar, MD, medical director of VUMC’s adult Palliative Care Program told local news station <em><a href="https://www.wsmv.com/2023/09/19/she-wont-let-go-him-vanderbilt-helps-hospitalized-wife-comfort-dying-husband/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WSMV</a></em>. </p> <p>“We take care of people — husbands, wives, mothers, fathers — not patients. We brought this family together during one of their most difficult times with little effort on our part. It involved a call, seeing an extra patient that day and some conversations.”</p> <p>“From the time we brought Mrs. Stevens over, she held her husband’s hand and fussed in a very loving way with him,” Karlekar said. </p> <p>“She was able to tell me Monday that she was at peace with what was going on, and she wanted to be there until the end.”</p> <p>Tommy died on September 8th, just a day before the couple’s 69th anniversary, and Virginia died a few days later on September 17th.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Vanderbilt University Medical Center and The Stevens Family</em></p>

Caring

Why does my hair turn green from the swimming pool?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/magdalena-wajrak-1432339">Magdalena Wajrak</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p>If you are a blonde like me and enjoy laps in a swimming pool, you may have noticed your hair acquires a green tint after frequent swims in chlorinated water.</p> <p>This happens to both bleached and natural blondes. In fact, the green tinge happens to everyone, but it’s less visible on dark hair and those whose hair isn’t damaged by chemical treatments such as bleaching.</p> <p>But what exactly causes this green discoloration, and what can we do about it? Most of us blame the chlorine in the pool water. However, although chlorine does play a part, it is not the main culprit.</p> <h2>Which chemicals in the pool turn the hair green?</h2> <p>The element to blame for the green staining of hair is copper.</p> <p>The main source of copper is copper sulfate (CuSO₄), a compound added to swimming pools to prevent the growth of algae. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988320301803?via%3Dihub">Contact with algae</a> can cause skin irritation and respiratory issues, and ingesting water with algae can lead to serious gastrointestinal problems. Only a small amount (around 0.5mg per litre or 0.5 parts per million) of copper sulfate is needed to prevent algal growth.</p> <p>However, copper can also enter swimming pools through the corrosion of water pipes, so concentrations may be higher in some pools.</p> <p>Copper sulfate crystals are greenish-blue in colour. So, when hair comes into contact with copper ions – a positively charged variant of a copper atom with extra electrons – those ions get absorbed by the hair and cause the greenish hue.</p> <p>Scientists were fascinated by the green “pool hair” phenomenon as far back as the 1970s, so we actually have research data on copper being the cause.</p> <p>One very <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/538197">interesting study in 1978</a> performed experiments by immersing hair samples into water containing different concentrations of copper ions, chlorine and various pH values (neutral and basic). Their results showed hair exposed to free copper ions does turn green.</p> <p>Furthermore, when hair is oxidised (meaning electrons are removed from the hair proteins) by chlorine, it actually damages the hair, enhancing the absorption of copper ions. Hair submerged in water with chlorine but without copper ions did not turn green. Meanwhile, hair exposed to water with only copper ions and no chlorine still formed a green colour.</p> <p>Hence, chlorine by itself does not play a role in causing the green hue we see in “pool hair”, but it does exacerbate it.</p> <h2>So, how does copper get into the hair?</h2> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0943-7_24">Other research teams</a> have conducted <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/ch9682437">more extensive studies</a>, using sophisticated instruments, such as scanning electron microscopy, to examine how exactly copper ions attach to the hair.</p> <p>Our hair is predominantly composed of protein called keratin. Keratin is classified as a “structural fibrous protein”, meaning it has an elongated, sheet-like structure.</p> <p>The keratin structure is composed of various <a href="https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Kentucky/UK%3A_CHE_103_-_Chemistry_for_Allied_Health_(Soult)/Chapters/Chapter_4%3A_Structure_and_Function/4.4%3A_Functional_Groups">chemical groups</a> (types of atom groupings with similar properties), such as carboxyl groups, amino groups and disulfide groups. Copper ions have the ability to form bonds with these groups, forming a copper-keratin complex. This complex remains in the hair, causing it to appear green.</p> <p>Interestingly, the most recent study <a href="https://doi.org/10.32657/10356/142466">conducted in 2020</a>, showed copper ions mainly bind to the disulfide groups. This study also found other metal ions such as zinc, lead, chromium and mercury also bind to hair in the same way. This is very useful in <a href="https://theconversation.com/forensic-breakthrough-study-suggests-humans-can-be-identified-by-the-proteins-in-their-hair-65051">forensic analysis</a>, for example, because forensic scientists can analyse hair samples to determine if a person has been exposed to a particular metal.</p> <p>Light-coloured hair already has the most visible green discoloration, but research has shown that damaged hair, caused by bleaching, straightening, or exposure to sun, is the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19586601/">most susceptible</a> to the binding of copper ions. This is because in damaged hair the disulfide groups have “broken bonds” (the link that holds the elements within these groups together is broken), making it easier for the copper ions to bind to the hair.</p> <h2>Can I prevent the green colour or get rid of it?</h2> <p>To prevent your hair from turning green in a swimming pool, you have two basic options. The first is a physical barrier – just wear a swim cap.</p> <p>The second option is chemical – you can pre-treat your hair with an alkaline shampoo. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891584918310050">Studies have shown</a> under alkaline pH conditions, the copper ions won’t attach to the hair. To treat your hair before going to the pool, you can either use a shampoo with a pH higher than 7, or you can even try mixing some baking soda into your regular shampoo.</p> <p>But what can you do if your hair has already turned greenish? Well, you can try washing your hair with a shampoo designed to achieve this, typically marketed as a “chlorine removal” shampoo. These products contain a chemical called EDTA – it can bind to metal ions (such as copper) and thus will remove copper from the hair.</p> <p>You may have heard tomato sauce or ketchup is a good way to get the green out of your pool hair – potentially because the red pigments are supposed to “cancel out” the green ones. However, I’m not aware of any scientific evidence this would work.</p> <p><em>Correction: This article has been amended to clarify that alkaline shampoos have a pH higher than 7, not lower.</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211736/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/magdalena-wajrak-1432339"><em>Magdalena Wajrak</em></a><em>, Senior lecturer, Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image </em><em>credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-does-my-hair-turn-green-from-the-swimming-pool-211736">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

What is dandruff? How do I get rid of it? Why does it keep coming back?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorraine-mackenzie-1420658">Lorraine Mackenzie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sean-mangion-1420661">Sean Mangion</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180"><em>University of South Australia</em></a></em></p> <p>Dandruff can be dry, like snowflakes, or greasy, with yellow clumps. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551707/">Up to half</a> of all adults have had this scalp condition at one point, so you’ll no doubt know about these skin flakes and the itchiness.</p> <p>Dandruff can be <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0507.2008.01624.x">embarrassing</a>. It can affect many aspects of people’s lives, such as how they socialise, how they style their hair, and what clothes they wear.</p> <p>Dandruff is not a modern problem. In fact, it has been around for millennia and was <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2181905/">described</a> by Greek physicians. We don’t know for sure whether our ancestors were as bothered by it as much as we are today. But they were interested in what causes it.</p> <h2>What causes dandruff?</h2> <p>Dandruff is mainly caused by the yeast <em><a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/pdf/S1931-3128(19)30106-4.pdf">Malassezia</a></em>. The yeast lives on most people’s skin, either on the surface or in the opening of the hair follicle, the structure that surrounds a hair’s root and strand.</p> <p>The yeast feeds on sebum, the natural moisturiser secreted by your sebaceous glands to stop your skin drying out. These glands are attached to every hair follicle and the hair provides a dark, sheltered micro-environment ideal for the yeast to flourish.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=653&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=653&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536003/original/file-20230706-22-6t0yr8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=653&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Diagram of skin cross-section showing hair follicle and other skin structures" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The yeast that causes dandruff lives on the skin surface and in the opening of the hair follicle.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/medical-education-chart-biology-hair-diagram-645657787">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>As the yeast grows, it releases molecules that irritate the skin and disrupts how the skin normally renews itself. This causes the cells to cluster together, appearing as white flakes. When there is excess sebum, this can mix with the cells and cause the dandruff to appear <a href="https://www.headandshoulders.co.in/en-in/healthy-hair-and-scalp/dandruff/yellow-dandruff">yellow</a>.</p> <p>The link between dandruff and yeast was made nearly 150 years ago. The person who first identified and described this yeast <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/pdf/S1931-3128(19)30106-4.pdf">in 1874</a> was Louis-Charles Malassez (the yeast’s namesake).</p> <h2>Why do I have dandruff?</h2> <p>As <em>Malassezia</em> is found on most people, why do some people get dandruff and others don’t? This depends on a range of factors.</p> <p>These include the quality of your skin barrier. This may mean yeast can penetrate deeper if the skin is damaged in some way, for example, if it’s sunburnt. Other factors include your immunity, and external factors, such as which hair-care products you use.</p> <p>How <em>Malassezia</em> grows also depends on the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4864613/">balance</a> of other microorganisms that live on your skin, such as bacteria.</p> <h2>How do I get rid of dandruff?</h2> <p>Dandruff is mostly treated with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0939641123000292?via%3Dihub">anti-fungal</a> shampoos and scalp treatments to dampen down growth of <em>Malassezia</em>. The shampoos most commonly contain the anti-fungal agent <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34575891/">zinc pyrithione</a> (ZnPT for short). Other common anti-fungals in shampoos include selenium sulfide, ketoconazole and coal tar.</p> <p>You can also treat dandruff with scalp masks and scrubs that help restore the scalp barrier, by reducing inflammation and irritation. But as these may not have any anti-fungal action, your dandruff is likely to return.</p> <p>Home remedies <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-treat-dandruff#7.-Omega-3s">include</a> tea tree oil, coconut or other oils, and honey. There is some evidence to support their use, mostly from <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35642120/">studies</a> that show extracts from botanical ingredients can reduce growth of the yeast in the lab. But there is great variation in the quality and composition of these ingredients.</p> <p>There is also the risk of making the problem worse by providing more oils that the yeast will enjoy, causing more imbalance to the scalp micro-organisms and leading to more irritation.</p> <p>So it’s best to stick with commercial products.</p> <h2>Why does my dandruff come back?</h2> <p>Your dandruff is likely to return unless the active ingredients in your shampoo can reach the right spot, at the right concentration, for the right amount of time needed to kill the yeast.</p> <p>Our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36842718/">research</a> focussing on zinc pyrithione-based products showed these shampoos reached the skin surface. But they less-reliably ended up in the harder-to-reach hair follicles.</p> <p>We found the zinc pythione seemed <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35631659/">to target</a> the top of the follicles rather than deep into the follicles.</p> <p>So this may explain why dandruff keeps on coming back. Your shampoo’s active ingredient may not reach the yeast that causes your dandruff.</p> <p>We don’t yet know how we can encourage existing formulations to penetrate deeper into the follicles.</p> <h2>What about future treatments?</h2> <p>We’ll likely see new formulations of dandruff shampoos and scalp treatments that better deliver the active ingredient to where it’s needed – deeper into the hair follicles.</p> <p>We can also expect new active ingredients, such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28766952/">carbonic anhydrase</a> enzymes. These might target how the yeast grows in a different way to current active ingredients.</p> <p>We are also beginning to see the development of creams and lotions that aim to boost the health balance of flora of the skin, much like we see with similar products for the gut. These include pre-biotics (supplements or food for skin flora) or pro-biotics (products that contain skin flora). However we have <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/8/3/90/htm">much to learn</a> about these types of formulations.</p> <h2>In a nutshell</h2> <p>Dandruff is annoying, treatment helps, but you may need to repeat it. Hopefully, we can develop improved shampoos that better deliver the active ingredient to where it’s needed.</p> <p>But we need to strike a balance. We don’t want to eliminate all micro-organisms from our skin.</p> <p>These are important for our immunity, including preventing more disease-causing microbes (pathogens) from moving in. They also help the skin produce antimicrobial peptides (short proteins) that protect us from pathogens.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201082/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lorraine-mackenzie-1420658">Lorraine Mackenzie</a>, Associate Professor, Clinical and Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sean-mangion-1420661">Sean Mangion</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-dandruff-how-do-i-get-rid-of-it-why-does-it-keep-coming-back-201082">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

“My heart is breaking”: The Wiggles perform for dying young fan

<p dir="ltr">The Wiggles have made a young girl’s dreams come true, as they stood by her and performed just hours before she died. </p> <p dir="ltr">Purple Wiggle Lachlan Gillespie, new Blue Wiggle Lucia Field, and Dorothy the Dinosaur visited young Zahra’s bedside in Westmead Children’s Hospital, just before she passed away last month to perform a sweet rendition of <em>Twinkle Twinkle</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this week, Zahra’s mum posted the sweet video on TikTok, while sharing the story of how Zahra was diagnosed with Leigh syndrome, a rare neurometabolic disorder that affects the central nervous system.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On Zahra’s last day, she got a special visit from her fav Wiggles,” Zahra’s mum wrote in the video shared on her TikTok account. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 611px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7254527205701733633&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40keish_el%2Fvideo%2F7254527205701733633&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoACeAheW25teaIoFQJHPEC2YgpcNAKrzDgaksj%3Fx-expires%3D1689325200%26x-signature%3D8aPR7s6As4g3eiheXA%252B7PmnZSBk%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">In the caption, she added, “This day was so special to us, Zahra was obsessed with the Wiggles and for them to come and see her is a memory we will never forget.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to say that on her last day on earth, her doctors and parents gave her “one full day” off the tube where she got to do “all her favourite things with family and friends”, including the Wiggles.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lucia, who is the daughter of original Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, commented, “Lachy and I were so grateful to have met your beautiful family. May your beautiful little girl be happily resting”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has racked up over two million views, with many sharing their condolences for the grieving family. </p> <p dir="ltr">One user said, “I can't handle it. I'm so sorry… my heart breaks for you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another emotional viewer wrote, “RIP you little angel, you have earned your wings.”</p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote that they were praying for Zahra and her family, and her grieving mother responded, “Thank you so much for those prayers. I know they would have kept her with us for as long as she could.”</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 18pt;"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-efb41070-7fff-f887-2ec2-5f55686b6eca"></span></p>

Caring

Big hair? Bald? How much difference your hair really makes to keep you cool or warm

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Th<em>eresa Larkin</em></a><em>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>We have <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-does-womens-hair-thin-out-39126">millions</a> of hair follicles on our body, including around 100,000 on our scalp.</p> <p>This might sound like a lot of hair, yet humans are described as “hairless”. We have evolved to be the only mammals with a relatively hairless body, but still with scalp hair.</p> <p>So how does your hair affect your body temperature when it’s hot or cold?</p> <p>Compared with other animals, our hair does not have as much influence on keeping us warm or cool as you might think.</p> <h2>Essential to our survival</h2> <p>Our brain function and body’s metabolism depend on an optimal temperature of around 37℃. Thermoregulation maintains this body temperature, even when we are exposed to a hotter or colder external temperature.</p> <p>For non-human mammals, body hair or fur plays a role in protecting against environmental cold or heat.</p> <p>For instance, a heavy fur coat helps keep a polar bear <a href="https://polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears-changing-arctic/polar-bear-facts/adaptions-characteristics/">warm</a> in the cold. But fur also keeps an animal cool in the heat because it can <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25064866">absorb or reflect</a> radiant heat.</p> <p>Scientists think this is why humans have kept hair on our heads. Our heads are exposed to the most heat from the sun, and scalp hair keeps our heads cool.</p> <p>Research published just last week <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2301760120">suggests</a> curly hair provides the best heat protection. That’s because curly hair’s thicker layer of insulation reduces the amount of sun that reaches the scalp.</p> <h2>But hair is not the only factor</h2> <p>When humans moved from living in the jungle to the savannah, they needed to walk and run long distances in the sun. This meant they needed a way to handle the increased body temperature that comes with physical activity in the heat.</p> <p>Sweating is the best way to lose heat and cool down, but the presence of hair reduces sweating and heat loss from the skin.</p> <p>So humans evolved to <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1113915108">lose body hair</a> to be better adapted to exercising in the heat. Fewer hair follicles in our skin made room for more sweat glands. This made our skin optimal for sweat evaporation – and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-keep-cool-on-hot-summer-days-heres-how-34489">heat loss</a> that goes with it – to keep us cool.</p> <h2>So what’s best in the heat?</h2> <p>You might think removing body hair or having a bald head is best for sweating and keeping cool when exercising in the heat. However, it’s not that simple.</p> <p>Removing head hair would increase the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2301760120">amount of sun</a> that reaches your scalp. This means you would need to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20683812/">sweat more</a> during exercise in the sun to reduce an increase in body temperature, but not by much.</p> <p>In fact, it’s the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4667044/#:%7E:text=The%20body%20hair%20is%20advantageous,heat%20removal%20during%20heat%20stress.">least hairy</a> areas of our body that have the highest sweat rates during exercise. These are our forehead, neck, feet and hands.</p> <p>So the best way to keep cool in the heat is to keep these areas uncovered (but still use sunscreen). Removing body hair will not have a large impact on your overall sweat rate.</p> <h2>How about when it’s cold?</h2> <p>Our body hair and head hair theoretically have a role in keeping us warm, but the effects are minimal.</p> <p>When we are cold, the muscles of the hair follicles on the body contract to cause the hairs to stand straight. This is an attempt to trap heat close to the body and we see this as goosebumps. However, because our body hair is so thin, this does not have a big effect in keeping us warm.</p> <p>Our head hair can prevent some heat loss from the head, but again this is limited.</p> <p>When it’s cold, heat can still be lost through the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4667044/#:%7E:text=The%20body%20hair%20is%20advantageous,heat%20removal%20during%20heat%20stress.">skin of the head</a> regardless of your hairstyle.</p> <p>The scalp also has only a very thin layer of fat compared to the rest of our skin, so our head has less insulation to protect against the cold.</p> <p>A warm hat or beanie is the only way to prevent too much heat lost from the head.</p> <h2>In a nutshell</h2> <p>Our head and body hair, or lack of it, does have a small role in how you maintain your body temperature.</p> <p>But overall, your hairstyle does not influence whether you feel warm or cool.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201380/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/big-hair-bald-how-much-difference-your-hair-really-makes-to-keep-you-cool-or-warm-201380">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Embrace grey hair with our simple healthy hair tips

<p>While in the past going grey may have been seen as a negative of the ageing process, today women are embracing this as a stamp of wisdom. And why not? It’s en vogue and can look really attractive too. Thank goodness the days of “having” to hide your natural colour are gone! But just because you’re going natural, doesn’t mean there’s no effort involved. Knowing how to care for and style your grey locks is key and can make all the difference between “stylish and sixty-plus” and “stuffy and sixty-plus”. Read on for our top tips and tricks for healthy, happy hair.</p> <p><strong>Focus on your cut</strong> – A great cut is essential for any hair colour but especially for grey hair. Chances are good that you may have been dyeing your hair in the months/years leading up to embracing grey… so a decent chop may increase the health and vitality of your locks. Speak to your hairdresser about a style that suits both your face shape and lifestyle.</p> <p><strong>Swap your shampoo</strong> – Grey hair is far more prone to breakage and can also become quite dry and coarse. Ensuring that you’re using a moisturising shampoo at every wash can help keep strands in good condition.</p> <p><strong>Condition well</strong> – If you’ve been wary of conditioner in the past due to your hair being on the oily side, now is the time to become friendly again. Conditioning with a moisturising formula is essential after every shampoo. If you’re still nervous about hair becoming oily, you can try a shampoo for “normal” hair, which will nourish without weighing hair down.</p> <p><strong>Treat yourself to an at-home treatment</strong> – Once a fortnight, treat your hair with a shampoo specifically formulated for grey hair. After washing and conditioning, apply a clear colour glaze or gloss which is designed to coat the cuticle, boosting shine and general vitality.</p> <p><strong>Take care when styling</strong> – As it’s prone to dryness and breakage, applying a thermal protectant to your hair before heat styling is a great way to prevent damage from occurring. Simply comb through hair and style as normal. It’s also a good idea to try and have a day or two off a week from using your hairdryer/hot implements to give hair a good break.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

10 best tips for gracefully growing out grey hair

<h2>Pro tips that make going grey so much better</h2> <p>There’s no avoiding it. At some point, you will have to deal with grey hair. Of course, how you deal with it is up to you. Some women start growing out grey hair as soon as it begins to appear. Others begin their journey by pulling out greys and then spend years dyeing it before deciding it’s too much of a hassle to do the constant cover-up. Even if you’ve found the <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/beauty/how-to-find-the-best-hair-colour-for-your-skin-tone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best hair colour for your skin tone</a>, having to touch up your roots every four to six weeks can get old. No matter what your path is, going grey isn’t for the faint of heart.</p> <p>“Many women find it challenging to grow out grey hair,” says hairstylist Krysta Biancone. “This is because it usually occurs gradually, so the transition from natural hair colour to grey hair is not easy.”</p> <p>But it’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to going grey. In fact, it can be incredibly empowering, liberating and downright gorgeous when you make it to the finish line, and it can even make you look younger. But first, there are a few things you need to know. We asked top hairstylists around the country to divulge their best tips for making this transition as easy as possible.</p> <h2>Add highlights</h2> <p>It might sound counterintuitive, but adding subtle colour can make the transition to grey more seamless. “When you first decide you’re nearly ready to go natural, a step in the right direction would be to start going lighter. That way, the roots grow in a little more gracefully,” says hair stylist and colourist, Kali Ferrara. “This can be done easily by a skilled colourist, with a lighter base colour in conjunction with highlights.”</p> <p>One word of warning: steer clear of warmer colours like reds and strawberry blondes when growing out grey hair. Ferrara says these hues could backfire and show even more contrast with your roots.</p> <h2>Go a little darker</h2> <p>On the flip side, you could choose lowlights. But instead of adding a shade that’s slightly darker (which is normally what you’d do with lowlights), try to match your non-grey hair colour. This will help blend without adding a brand-new shade to the mix. “Lowlights create some contrast and will give hair a more salt-and-pepper look that can be very becoming,” says celebrity hairstylist Gina Rivera. Just be sure not to go darker than your hair colour, says Rivera. Doing so can create too much contrast and bring more attention to the fact that you are transitioning to grey, which won’t look good in photos or in real life.</p> <h2>Chop it off</h2> <p>Ready for a big change? Ferrara recommends growing your roots as long as you possibly can and then getting a super-short haircut to get rid of all the leftover colour. How short you go is totally up to you. A pixie cut can be chic and low-maintenance, but if you’ve never had short hair, that could be too big of a change. A short bob looks good on just about anyone, so that may be your best bet, though a stylist will be able to help you determine just how short will be flattering for your face shape. In general, slimmer faces tend to look great with hair that hits just under the jawbone, while fuller faces may want to go slightly longer (think a few centimetres below the jaw).</p> <p>“While this can be a dramatic change, it can also be just the new look you may be looking for!” Ferrara says. “Think of your natural hair colour as a new adventure – a new, liberated you.”</p> <h2>Cover roots as they grow in</h2> <p>If you’re growing out grey hair but your roots are driving you nuts, there are a few ways you can hide them. One easy solution is to cover them with a headband, hat or chic scarf. Another option is root spray or powder. “These products can mask the roots very effectively,” says master stylist Lorrene Conino. “Just spray the exposed areas after you style your hair.”</p> <p>Just shake the bottle well, hold it about 15 centimetres from your roots and spritz it on. These products offer instant coverage on grey hair without an expensive trip to the salon.</p> <h2>Don’t slack on trims</h2> <p>If you can’t bring yourself to do a big cut, regular haircuts (even little ones!) can help make the process go faster too. Aim for a trim every six to eight weeks. This will help you get rid of split ends and maintain healthy hair during your growing-out period, says hairstylist Nia Jones. After all, she explains, you may as well keep your hair looking as good as possible as you go through this tricky transition. Another bonus? Even if you aren’t getting a drastic cut, snipping a bit each time will get rid of old colour.</p> <h2>Prevent brassiness</h2> <p>As more and more grey starts growing in, make sure those strands look as good as possible. Although grey hair is less vibrant than hair of other colours, it still can become dull and uneven if not properly cared for. Sun exposure, washing hair with water that has a high mineral content, and improper hair care are just a few reasons grey locks can turn brassy. Luckily, there’s a quick fix: using shampoo and conditioner designed specifically for silver or white hair can help tone down brassiness by balancing out the warm undertones, says Biancone.</p> <p>You can also include purple toning products into your maintenance routine. Why purple? To understand how a purple product works, you need to know a bit about colour theory. Essentially, on the colour wheel, purple is opposite of yellow. This means that purple shampoo or toner helps to neutralise unwanted yellow or brassy tones that can come along with greys. Try adding toning drops to your shampoo or conditioner once a week to keep your hair the colour you want it. Taking this small precaution when caring for grey hair can help create luscious-looking locks with longevity.</p> <h2>Go big on moisture</h2> <p>The texture of grey hair is quite different from the hair of your youth. George Papanikolas, a celebrity hairstylist, explains that it’s typically more coarse, frizzy and dehydrated. To combat this, he recommends arming your strands with moisturising products that will keep it silky and shiny.</p> <h2>Don’t try to remove hair dye on your own</h2> <p>Let’s say you’ve been dying your hair to cover up those greys but wish you hadn’t. Well, even if you’ve just been using root touch-up kits as new greys grow in, you should never try to lift or remove hair dye on your own. “Chemicals are typically used to remove colour, and you need to know what you are doing,” warns Rivera. “If you don’t, you could end up really damaging your hair.” If this is a route you’re intent on exploring instead of waiting for the colour to grow out, book an appointment with a professional. Just be aware that removing hair dye is tricky and often takes multiple appointments.</p> <p>For an easier, much gentler option, try using a clarifying shampoo to lighten the dye on your strands, says Jones. These shampoos are formulated to remove excess buildup and give you a deep clean, but they may also help wash away some colour. Just don’t use them more than once a week. These products give hair a deep clean, and using them too often can strip your strands of natural oils that add hydration.</p> <h2>Experiment with new styles</h2> <p>Whether you’re trying to cover up the grey or want to embrace it, Jones suggests playing with different styles outside of the boundaries of your everyday look – ie, a ponytail, a different part that flatters your face shape or a brushed-back style that ‘hides’ roots. Changing things up allows you to play with your style, and it also makes growing out grey hair look cool and intentional. Who says blondes have all the fun?!</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/beauty/10-best-tips-for-gracefully-growing-out-grey-hair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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