Do depressed women wear too much perfume?

While some women simply can’t stand strong smelling perfumes or are allergic to it, others simply can’t do without spritzing a generous amount of it on their bodies. Wearing excessive perfumes might be a personal preference but if some studies are to be believed, this could also signify a depressed state of mind in some women. Yes, you heard it right. Wearing strong scented perfumes has a link with depression. A depressed state of mind wreaks havoc on the human body to the extent of even affecting the olfactory nerves and bringing about a loss in our sense of smell, say the researchers at Tel Aviv. That’s why depressed women are found to doll up with too much of perfume to overcompensate for their reduced sense of smell. Depression also makes some men to slap on too much cologne, they add.

Dr Shoenfeld who is conducting the research says that loss of weight is one of the first signs of depression. And as it also has a bearing on your sense of smell, you don't eat enough food because you don't enjoy it. If you don't eat, you lose weight." He goes on to add that people who are depressed seem to respond well to aromatherapy. Certain smells seem to help them overcome the effects of the biological factors, suggesting that depression may have a biological cause.

Pic credits: fotosearch.com

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Can a shampoo session at a beauty salon trigger strokes in the elderly?

Shampooing hair at a salon can prove to be dangerous and even fatal to the aged. Ever heard of the ‘Sink Shampoo Syndrome (SSS)’? During a shampoo session at a beauty salon, the head is bent backward over the edge of a basin and if this position is maintained for a long time it can trigger strokes in elderly persons.

Arching the neck backward over a sink and in extreme positions can apparently diminish the blood supply to the brain, triggering a stroke. This can also occur to those who have to bend back for other reasons like during a chiropractic treatment. Dr. Weintraub, the neurologist after a comprehensive study spanning a year has said that although the risk of this hazard is more in elderly, it can apply to other persons, (esp. youngsters born with hidden malformation of main artery leading to the brain) who visit beauty salons as well, as such an extreme position of backward arching and bending of the neck for prolonged periods interferes with the blood flow to the brain.

There have been quite a few cases (5 to be precise) reported in women 54 to 84 years of age where during or immediately after a shampoo, they developed various stroke symptoms, including slurred speech, nausea and weakness on one side of the face.

Though such strokes are rare, older people are advised to avoid circumstances requiring head hanging for long periods. Also, the neck must not be arched back or rotated more than 15 degreees. The arteries at the back of the brain are particularly vulnerable in the elderly. Dr. Weintraub, suggests that beauty parlors should consider shampooing elderly clients in a leaning forward which is less likely to compress the arteries.

Safflower oil for smooth skin

Safflower oil need not restricted to culinary delights alone. A few small studies show that safflower oil can rejuvenate dry skin. Like sesame and mustard oils, it contains essential fatty acids like linoleic acid that can smooth, nourish and help damaged skin hold onto moisture better. Safflower Oil also shares many similarities with the naturally occurring lipid components of the human skin. And, unlike other oils, it doesn’t clog the pores or irritate follicles and hence is suitable even for acne prone skin. Just spreading a thin layer of this oil on your skin can help with dryness, especially in winters.

You can use the following mask using safflower oil to treat dry flaky skin (which is not acne-prone).

Ingredients:

Safflower oil – ½ tsp
Avocado oil - ½ tsp
Sesame oil – 1 tsp

Method:

Blend all the oils together and apply all over the dry flaky areas of your skin.

Related:

Oils for a smooth silky skin
Olive oil as beauty aid

Do-it-yourself astringent lotions

Astringent lotions are more suitable for persons with oily or greasy skin and acne-prone skin. Astringent over-usage should be avoided, say the dermatologists, as it is not a good way to help normal skin exfoliate. It you do use it, don’t take your cotton pad and go over it until the cotton pad is clean. That’s overdoing it – it just irritates the skin and removes the protective layer that helps to keep the water in the skin and you will end up with dry, irritated skin. So just go over it lightly.

Help yourself to some of these do-it-yourself astringent lotions if yours is an extremely oily or greasy skin with a tendency to develop pimples.

Rose astringent lotion

Rose petals 100 gms
Distilled water 2 cups
Sodium benzoate -a pinch

Method:

Boil the water and soak the rose petals in it. Then mix sodium benzoate in the mixture. Apply with cotton pads.

Sandalwood astringent lotion

Ingredients:

Sandalwood oil – 7-8 tbsp
Sodium bicarbonate - 2 tsp
Almond oil - 2 tsp
Rose water - 4 tbsp
Orange oil - 4 tbsp
Honey - 1 tbsp

Method:

Mix all these ingredients well and apply with cotton pads.

Lemon astringent lotion

Ingredients:

Lemon juice 5 tbsp
Distilled water 15 tbsp
Tincture of benzoin 1 tbsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together and use with a cotton pad.

Witch hazel astringent lotion

Ingredients:

Rose water 1 cup
Witch hazel 2 tbsp
Tincture of benzoin – 1 tbsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Apply on face and neck with a cotton swab. Keep the excess in the refrigerator for future use.

Hair clippings can be put to better use

It looks like even your hair clippings can be put to good use. Even if you feel that after a haircut the rightful place of your hair trimmings is the dustbin, researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina have a better idea. They have discovered a way of extracting a vital protein, called keratin, from human hair and turning it into a gel to repair damaged nerves.

Keratin is an extremely strong protein which is a major component in skin, hair, nails, hooves, horns, and teeth. It is difficult to dissolve as it contains a compound called cysteine disulfide. And if you ever wondered about the obnoxious and distinct odor that is emitted when hair is burnt, it is due to the presence of high levels of sulfur in keratin. Hair color is not determined by the amount of keratin present but by melanocytes - the same pigment responsible for skin color. For your information, each hair on your head is 97 percent protein in the form of keratin and 3 percent moisture. It also contains traces of metals and mineral substances in about the same proportions as the rest of you.

As keratin is thought to play a crucial role in nerve regeneration, the scientists conducting this research, collected hair from a local barber’s and chemically processed it to get keratin which was then turned into gel. They then tested this keratin gel on animals and found that it speeded up the repair process. With more studies and research, this treatment could be of use to trauma victims as it would help them regain movement in their damaged limbs. The researchers add that the advantage of using keratin is that it may be possible one day to manufacture the gel from a patient's own hair clippings as his/her immune system was less likely to reject it after being placed inside the body.