Tag: Sunscreen

How to Take Care after Hair Transplant Surgery

Once you have made the decision to have hair transplant surgery, you are probably jumping ahead to thinking about your post-op plans. You most likely cannot wait to see the faces on your friends and acquaintances when they notice your new full head of hair. In the meantime, you have to go through the surgery and take care so that your hair transplant will be successful.

Your hair transplant will not heal unless you keep the newly operated-on skin out of the sunlight. The surgery will make the skin especially sensitive. If you protect the skin on your scalp after getting a scalp hair transplant, you will help the wounds heal much faster.

You can start out by getting some kind of hat. It does not matter what kind of hat it is, as long as it is fairly loose-fitting so that it does not rub on your new hair transplant grafts. You should not have to put up with this for long. After a couple of weeks, you can replace the cap with sunscreen. It should have an SPF of at least 30.

Having just the right amount of blood flow to the hair transplant sites will make a big difference in how fast they heal. For example, you need to make sure you get enough blood flow during the night. You can do this by sleeping on pillows to elevate your head. Your usual pillows can be used, or you can buy wedge-shaped pillows made for this purpose.

On the other hand, you do not want too much blood flow. You should get plenty of rest after your hair transplant surgery. For the first few weeks it is not wise to engage in any physically demanding activities. Then, the blood flow will be too much. Your transplants may start to bleed.

It is important to clean your hair just as your doctor recommends after hair transplant surgery. You will be given a special shampoo to use and specific instructions on how and when to use it. It is necessary to clean gently but thoroughly. At first, you may find yourself rinsing your hair many times a day. Just be sure that you do not bother the hair transplant site by scratching or rubbing it.

Your hair transplant doctor will want you to come in for a check of your transplants about a week after your surgery. Be sure to be at that appointment on time. If you have any questions about how to care for your hair, bring them up at that time.

Ask your doctor when you will be ready to use a comb on your new hair. You might be surprised at how soon you can use one. Then, your doctor will schedule other check-ups, which you should also attend.

At first it may seem as if you have to be very careful with your hair – and you do! It does not make sense to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars having your hair transplant surgery and then not follow through with good care. However, in no time at all, you will be treating this new hair just as you treated the hair you once had there.

Suns Aging Effects-Everyone Wants To Look Their Best

Everyone wants to look their best all the time but if you tend to spend too much time outside in the summertime without protection the suns aging effects will eventually be quite noticeable.

I think we have all see pictures of the “Sun Tan Lady”, you know, the lady who was chastised in the news for tanning too much and taking her child in the tanning bed with her?

Well, personally, I think she looks terrible and I think a lot of other people do, too. She looks like she is made of leather. She should be made the poster woman for the suns aging effects and what not to do.

We all know that the sun puts out two types of harmful rays, UVA and UVB. The UVA rays are the ones that will eventually age your skin well beyond it’s years by increasing your chance for those deep creases, wrinkles, and brown spots (also called “age spots”).

UVB rays are the ones that cause more immediate damage like sunburn. Repeated overexposure to the suns harmful rays can eventually lead to some form of skin cancer.

So, what to do? Avoidance is the best policy when it comes to sun exposure but we all know that is virtually impossible. We need the sun, in moderation, so our bodies can produce the Vitamin D that so many of us are deficient in.

If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, in the winter time then you know what I am talking about. The sunlight also affects the serotonin levels in our brain and that’s why we get to feeling better and our moods lift when it is sunny out.

You best bet is to just limit your time in the sun and find some shade or use sunscreen with a high sun protection factor, at least 30 spf.

Read the label of your favorite sunscreen and see how often you should reapply it and follow the directions closely. Most people think they can put in on once when they first go out and then wonder why they got sunburned anyway.

They did not follow the directions, that’s why.

If you happen to be like me and tan easily under the sun, you still should wear sunscreen. Getting a tan is the body’s natural defense to skin damage but they say that a tan is still damage.

You possibly could get away with using a lower sun protection factor sunscreen but you should still reapply it as directed. And just because you tan easily doesn’t mean you can’t get sunburned if you spend too much time in the sun because you can.

A good skin care regimen is also essential to keeping your skin healthy as you age. Keeping your skin clean and using lotions or creams to give your skin some extra hydration are best. You do not need anything fancy or expensive to do this.

The suns aging effects do not have to be a big concern if you take care of your skin and use adequate protection when you venture out into the sunlight.

Sun Skin Damage -Sunscreen And Lots Of It

There has long been cautions and warnings about how prolonged exposure to the sun can cause sun skin damage. But who wants to stay inside on a nice, warm , sunny, summer day? Not too many!

So what is the answer? Sunscreen and lots of it.

Did you know, though, that most people don’t use sun screen correctly? They go out and they put it all over their bodies one time and think they will be protected all day.

Some sunscreens may be able to protect you for an extended period of time but you should always reapply it every few hours. Some wash off in the water if you add swimming to your summer day and some are affected by sweat.

Always read the label and follow the directions closely to avoid sun skin damage, especially when children are involved.

Let’s talk about the sun’s rays for a minute. There are two main types that affect your skin: UVA and UVB

UVA rays are the ones that can cause age spots and other skin discolorations. You may not even realize that this is skin damage, but it is, and was caused by the sun shining on unprotected skin when you were younger.

UVB rays are the ones that cause you to get a sunburn. If you notice that your skin is red and painful after a day out in the sun, you have damaged your skin. The redness will fade after a few days but you will notice that after a week or two your skin will begin to “peel”. This is usually not a painful process but you will not like the way it looks.

Always use sunscreen! Even on cloudy days the sun’s rays can affect your skin. They pass right through the clouds so do not be fooled into thinking that you are safe.

Too many sunburns and/or prolonged exposure to the sun without being protected can lead to a more serious condition like skin cancer and premature aging of the skin.

Sunscreen comes in several different levels and you can find them everywhere this time of year. The lowest protection factor is 4 on up to at least 50 maybe even higher. Sun tan oils are different and do not provide any protection from the suns rays.

Tanning booths or beds are no better than lying in the sun. In fact, they can be even more harmful and can cause eye damage, accelerated premature aging, immune system suppression and they can even cause allergic reactions as well as skin damage.

To avoid sun skin damage, you should stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. These are the hours of the day are when the rays of the sun are most damaging. If you cannot avoid the sun at these times then you should at least try to limit the time that your skin is exposed by finding a nice shady spot to sit in and/or protecting yourself by wearing sunscreen.

Acne Prevention – Do and Dont’s

As stated in the previous pages, pimples are not the result of poor hygiene nor are they caused by foods. Having said this, you can aggravate your pimples and worsen your condition. So pay close attention to the information on this page so as to not deteriorate your condition further.

Do’s

Use skincare products that will not ‘clog pores’, they are usually described as ‘oil-free’ and/or ‘non-comedogenic’ on the package.

Skin care should include: a mild cleanser and application of a non-comedogenic sunscreen on sun-exposed surfaces.

Gently wash your face twice a day using mild face cleanser and pat dry.

When you are washing your face, be sure you take the time to remove all of your makeup.

Be patient! Treatment may take a few weeks to start having useful effects.

Remember that all of the treatments only work by preventing new spots and that all treatments have to be tried for at least four months before you decide whether they are helping.

Some acne products can increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight and ultraviolet light from tanning booths so use protective clothing and sunscreens and avoid tanning booths.

If irritation, dryness and peeling occur, an oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer can be used.

If your skin is getting too irritated, red or dry while undergoing a topical treatment, then start using them every other day. It takes time for your skin to adapt to your new medicines.

If you have long hair that touches your face, be sure to wash it frequently enough to keep oil away. Also wash your face after you’ve been exercising hard and sweating a lot. And try not to touch your face throughout the day.

Dont’s

Avoid thick, greasy make-up over affected areas. Some make-up is acceptable but try to choose “non-comedogenic” cosmetics if possible.

Resist the temptation to squeeze your acne. This can cause the area to spread and become more inflamed and therefore more likely to scar.

Do not use harsh soaps when washing face. Vigorously washing and scrubbing will irritate your skin and only make your acne worse.

Avoid things that may aggravate your acne such as oils, airborne grease, irritating clothing etc.

Avoid covering yourself with thick layers of make up, and if you do, wash it off as soon as you can, certainly do not leave on overnight.

Avoid strongly fragranced or alcohol based products.

Avoid from hair sprays or gels, try to keep them away from your face, as they can also clog up pores.

Acne isn’t really helped by the sun, either. Although a suntan can temporarily make acne look less severe, it won’t help it go away permanently. So don’t soak up those rays – either under the sun or from a tanning bed – in an effort to help your skin.

Avoid wearing hats or headbands that rub on your forehead, since this can also make acne worse.

Avoid touching your face a lot, as your hands have oil on them and this can make acne worse.

Individual pimples can take up to 2 or 3 months to form even though they may appear to “pop-up” overnight. Thus, although there is often some initial improvement in the first few weeks after starting a new treatment, it takes at least 2-3 months of regular use before you can assess the full benefit of any acne treatment.