The Paleo Diet, despite being ranked fairly poorly by U.S. News & World Report in comparison to other diet options, has gained immense popularity in the past few years. But the diet – which emphasizes fish, fruit and vegetables while excluding grain, dairy and processed food – is just one element of a Paleolithic lifestyle, which many people have also begun to adopt. The basic philosophy behind a Paleo lifestyle involves the idea that agriculture and industry have evolved much more quickly than the human body has, meaning that it’s likely more healthy for humans to adopt a lifestyle similar to our hunter-gatherer ancestors despite the technological advancements of the past few thousand years. Living this way impacts your diet, exercise habits, clothing choices, child rearing and bathing – just to name a few. Aside from the diet, Paleo bathing may be the trend that has caught on the most with the wider population.

Advantages of Dry Shampoo

Even if you’ve never heard of Paleolithic living, you’ve probably heard of dry shampoo. While it’s been around for years, the popularity of dry shampoo has increased in tandem with the popularity of the Paleo lifestyle, as they both encourage less frequent bathing. Dry shampoo works by cleaning the hair with non-detergent cleansers and natural oils, without requiring the use of water. Many people also use a homemade mix of apple cider vinegar and baking soda to achieve the same effect. The popularity of this technique has increased as a result of several celebrities such as Kim Kardashian revealing that they only wash their hair every five days or so.

The philosophy behind this is actually pretty sound. Just like your digestive tract needs certain bacteria to function correctly, your skin can benefit from having a healthy, balanced biome that isn’t stripped away by soap or deodorants. The natural oils in your skin and hair also serve to protect them and keep them healthy. There are several dry shampoos, such as Mother Dirt’s AO+ Mist, which claim to contain helpful bacteria that neutralize the smelly elements of sweat without disrupting your skin’s natural biome. Less time in a soapy shower may also be gentler on your scalp, leaving it better hydrated.

From a style perspective, many have found that certain hairstyles are easier to maintain when the hair hasn’t been washed in a few days and is naturally oily. According to the Wall Street Journal, many people believe their hair simply looks better with less washing, and the “unwashed” style is becoming more and more desirable. Not to mention, cutting down on showers and cleaning products such as shampoo and conditioner can save you a lot of time and money every month.

It’s Not For Everybody

Of course, not everybody buys into the idea that using dry shampoo and cutting down on showers will lead to healthier, better looking hair. According to some experts, dry shampoo works on hair but ignores the scalp, failing to truly remove dirt, dried sweat and dead skin cells. Not cleaning the scalp thoroughly could lead to irritation, flaking, itching, pimple-like lesions, or even worse, bacterial or fungal infections. Typical shampoo can also treat and control scalp issues such as dandruff, psoriasis and eczema.

If you’re a person who regularly uses hair products such as hairspray, gel or mousse, you’d likely have to weigh the importance of using those products against the benefits of dry shampoo. Dry shampoo simply cannot remove heavy hair products, and without washing them out on a regular basis, the hair can become brittle and prone to breaking.

Dry Shampoo: The Bottom Line

The only way to truly decide whether or not dry shampoo is for you is to give it a try and experiment with it. If you’re intrigued by the idea, there’s very little risk of harm in trying it out for a few weeks. Give it time and your hair will reflect whether or not the method is working – you may find that your hair is healthier than ever, or you might discover that your scalp itches too much or is simply too oily for comfort. Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to give up showering altogether to try it either. Simply using a shower cap can allow you to experiment with dry shampoo without diving completely into Paleo bathing habits that you may or may not be comfortable with trying.

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If you’ve spent any time on social media this week, you might have noticed a disturbing new trend – people who deliberately get sunburns in ornate and visually interesting patterns. A quick internet search of the term “sunburn art” would have you thinking that hundreds of people are risking dangerous sun exposure every day. However, when you really start to examine #sunburnart on Twitter and Instagram, it turns out that many of the pictures are photoshopped, accidents, or jokes. There only seems to be about 10-15 real examples of sunburn art – hardly a “sensational” trend. In fact, one of the most shared pictures is a clearly photoshopped image from an 11-year-old Onion article. But while sunburn art is not as big a problem as some media outlets may have you believe, it’s at least helping to spread the word about the dangers of sun exposure. Put simply, every time you get a sunburn, you increase you risk of skin cancer.

Skin Cancer Rates on the Rise

According to a Skin Cancer Foundation press release related to sunburn art, getting five or more sunburns in your youth will increase your lifetime melanoma risk by 80 percent. In fact, getting more than five sunburns at any time throughout your life will double your risk of developing melanoma. Not to mention, too much sun exposure can do DNA damage to your skin and accelerate skin aging.

Unfortunately, cases of skin cancer continue to rise in the U.S. despite warnings about tanning. Around 5 million people receive skin cancer treatment in the U.S. every year, and more people have had skin cancer in the last 30 years than all other types of cancer combined. Every year, as many as 3,000 people die from advanced basal cell carcinoma in the U.S.

Protecting Your Skin This Summer

On the bright side, protecting your skin from the sun is relatively simple and can go a long way towards preventing skin cancer. There are four main ways to avoid overexposure to the sun:

1. Seek Shade – It seems obvious, but it’s the most essential way to prevent a sunburn. If you need to be outside during the sunniest hours of the day, get some shade as often as possible. Bring an umbrella with you if needed.
2. Wear Sunscreen – Apply sunscreen throughout the day to avoid a sunburn. The CDC recommends SPF 15 or higher.
3. Cover Up – It’s natural to want to wear less clothing in hot weather, but covering your skin is easily one of the best ways to protect it from the sun. Tightly woven, loose-fitting clothing that covers your legs and arms is best. There are even some clothes designed specifically to be worn in the sun. Also, a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses with UV ray protection are essential for protecting your face.
4. Stay Indoors During Midday – Everybody wants to get outdoors and enjoy summer, but waiting to do so at specific times will help keep your skin healthy. The hours between 10 am and 4 pm present the most risk to your skin.

Remember that sunburns can occur even on overcast days, so it’s important to take some of these precautions whenever you’re going to be outdoors for an extended period of time.

Sunburn Art: The Bottom Line

Making sunburn art is definitely a risky behavior, but not nearly as many people are doing it as you might be led to believe. Nevertheless, lots of people do spend too much time in the sun and end up getting sunburned unintentionally. Taking a few easy steps whenever you leave the house can prevent serious health issues caused by getting too much sun.

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Skin cancer rates continue to climb upwards in the U.S. The number of new cases each year – around 63,000 – warranted a Surgeon General’s call to action in July of 2014, and a total of about 5 million Americans receive skin cancer treatment each year. The deadliest type of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, is now the fifth most common form of cancer behind prostate, breast, lung and colon cancers.

One of the most unfortunate aspects of the rise in melanoma rates involves the fact that skin cancer is, to a certain extent, preventable. People can greatly reduce their risk of skin cancer by not tanning, staying out of the sun, and wearing sunscreen. Apart from all that, however, one study has found another prevention strategy that you might already be taking part in: daily coffee consumption.

Caffeine Could Be Beneficial

For the new study, researchers analyzed some data gathered during the very large NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, which took place in the mid-1990s. The data involved over 447,000 people who were questioned about their eating habits, and researchers followed up with these study participants 10 years after the initial questionnaires were sent. According to this data, people who claimed to drink four or more cups of coffee a day ended up having a 20 percent lower risk of developing malignant melanomas. There appeared to be a direct correlation between coffee and skin cancer risk, meaning that the more coffee a person drank, the lower their risk of melanoma seemed to be. Caffeine is likely responsible for some of these effects, as no correlation was found between drinking decaffeinated coffee and skin cancer risk reduction.

The people studied were all non-Hispanic whites, as that demographic is typically more prone to developing skin cancer. Other factors that have been known to affect skin cancer risk were also taken into account, including age, UV radiation exposure, gender, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity and smoking history.

Other Health Benefits of Coffee

Americans drink an average of three cups a day per person. While it can’t necessarily be considered a health food, coffee does have some redeeming qualities. Some research has shown that coffee drinking can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes – as long as the sugar is left out. Also, coffee and caffeine have been known to prevent and sometimes even combat the effects of Parkinson’s disease. There’s even evidence that drinking coffee could be protecting your liver.

Coffee and Skin Cancer: The Bottom Line

Suggesting that coffee will absolutely prevent your chances of getting skin cancer would be inaccurate. This study merely shows that there’s an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and skin cancer risk. It does not necessarily state that coffee is the exact cause of the risk reduction. Nevertheless, people who feel addicted to coffee and are trying to cut back can at least have a little peace of mind knowing that they might be reducing their skin cancer risk.

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It’s that time of year again – winter is in full swing and dangerously cold temperatures are gripping the nation. Being outside in this type of weather presents all kinds of hazards, not the least of which involve skin problems. Cold, dry weather can cause skin to crack, peel, itch and even bleed if not properly cared for.

Some people have it worse than others, also. Jobs that require working with water such as dishwashing or house cleaning can absolutely wreak havoc on a person’s hands during the winter. People with eczema or psoriasis can also suffer greatly when the weather gets colder. Luckily, there are some easy winter skin care tips that can prevent cracking and itchiness regardless of your job or any pre-existing skin conditions.

1. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

This seems like like the most obvious rule, but it can easily be overlooked. Try experimenting with different lotions, creams and natural oils to see which products work best for you. Put your moisturizer on immediately after getting out of the shower, and don’t hesitate to apply it to all areas of your body (except those prohibited by the moisturizer directions of course).

Hands often need more moisturizer than any other area, especially for people who suffer with eczema. With winter also being cold and flu season, you’re hopefully washing your hands more than usual – this takes a toll. Place moisturizer right next to the soap in the bathroom to remind you to use it each time after washing your hands. Bring moisturizer with you to work. One technique that’s highly effective for severely dry, cracked hands involves putting Vaseline in a pair of gloves and wearing them overnight.

2. Shower in Cooler Water

A hot bath or shower can feel great on those particularly cold winter days. Unfortunately, scalding hot water can dry your skin out quite badly. As unsatisfying as it may be, lukewarm showers are better for your skin in the winter.

3. Protect Yourself From Wind

Cold, harsh wind will dry out any exposed skin while outdoors. Be sure to wear a scarf that you can pull up over your nose to protect your whole face. A tight hood may be preferable to a hat when it comes to wind protection because it blocks the sides of your face.

4. Avoid Harsh Face Chemicals

There are so many skin products out there that it can be difficult to tell which ones to use and when. Winter skin care needs to be approached gently, meaning that harsh astringents or facial peels should be avoided. In general, if the product contains alcohol, there’s no doubt it’ll dry out your face.

5. Use Sunscreen

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean the sun can’t still harm your skin. Skin cancer is a growing problem, and winter can actually cause harmful rays to be exacerbated when the sun reflects off of snow. If you’re going skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or just spending time outside on a cold, sunny day, put some sunscreen on your face.

6. Dietary Changes

If you want to battle winter skin dryness, simply consume more water. Drinking more water gives your body the resources to moisturize your skin on its own. Ideally, you’d drink it through a straw to avoid the water that stays on your lips while drinking from a bottle. Keeping your lips dry can prevent them from chapping.

Also, it’s thought that omega 3 fatty acids and other fish oil supplements could help the body regulate oil production, which again allows your skin to stay moisturized on its own.

7. Use a Humidifier

This one’s a no-brainer. If you have a humidifier, get it out and use it in the room where you spend most of your time. Many people like to use a humidifier in the bedroom overnight. If you don’t have one, consider the fact that even a cheap humidifier could get results when used consistently.

8. Avoid Scratchy Clothes

Scratchy fabrics such as wool and tight denim can cause a vicious cycle of redness, chaffing and itching. Scratchy towels can also cause skin issues. Avoid these fabrics as much as possible, and use fabric softener when washing them.

9. Don’t Forget About Your Lips

Bring lip moisturizer with you wherever you go. Even if you don’t have chapped lips yet, preemptive use of lip moisturizer can prevent you from ending up with painful, cracked lips. Apply it especially if you know you’re going to be outdoors for an extended period of time.

10. Avoid Wet Clothes

Going outside to shovel, clean off your car, or play winter sports can leave your gloves, socks and boots wet. Don’t allow yourself to keep wet clothes on for too long, as this will no doubt dry out your skin. Also, make sure your clothes are completely dry after they come out of the dryer.

Winter Skin Care: The Bottom Line

The main things to remember are to use moisturizer and cover your skin when going outside. If you find that your skin is irreversibly itchy to the point where it’s cracking and bleeding no matter what you do, it’s time to see a dermatologist. Several prescription moisturizers exist that could solve your dry skin issues.

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Anyone suffering from varicose veins knows how annoying and painful they can be. The twisted, enlarged veins often develop in the legs and feet, usually appearing as blue-green cords that bulge beneath the skin. Varicose veins are merely a cosmetic issue for many people. For others, however, the veins can cause pain, especially when standing or walking. While they’re rarely considered life-threatening, they are occasionally associated with complications including vein inflammation, venous eczema, blood clots, skin ulcers and leg swelling. Varicose veins aren’t uncommon either; in fact, according to the University of Maryland medical center, up to 60 percent of U.S. citizens suffer from them. Luckily, many varicose vein treatment options are available. But which ones are most effective? According to a new study, it might not make much of a difference.

Laser, Foam and Surgery All Work Well

The new study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine examined three of the most popular types of varicose vein treatments: endovenous laser ablation, ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, and surgery. Researchers studied 798 people at 11 different facilities throughout the United Kingdom between November of 2008 and October of 2012. Each patients’ quality of life was assessed six months after their procedure. When it came to factors such as itchiness, swelling and pain, patients surprisingly reported nearly the same results regardless of the type of varicose vein treatment they received.

Of course, there were some differences in patient experience. For example, laser therapy was less likely to cause bruising or bleeding during the procedure. Also, patients that underwent foam injections reported slightly lower quality of life ratings. So, it would seem that laser therapy might be the overall best option. At the same time, researchers stated that the differences in quality were “minor” and not likely to have a large impact on the life of a patient.

How To Prevent Varicose Veins

Before varicose vein treatment becomes a necessity, there may be ways to ensure you don’t end up suffering from them. The veins typically form when tiny valves within them weaken, causing blood to succumb to gravity and flow backwards slightly instead of directly towards the heart. The condition is more prevalent in women, and they can be caused by a number of both preventable and non-preventable factors. For example, non-preventable risk factors for varicose veins include:

• Heredity or family history
• Hormonal changes caused by menopause, pregnancy, puberty or medicines containing estrogen
• Aging

On the other hand, there are some factors for developing varicose veins that people can do something about. They include:

• Obesity
• Sitting or standing for long periods of time

Basically, if you want to prevent varicose veins, you need to stay physically active. Walking or jogging even 30 minutes a day can have many positive effects on your health, especially if you’re getting older. This of course goes hand-in-hand with preventing obesity.

Varicose Vein Treatment: The Bottom Line

It seems that laser treatment may be slightly more effective than foam injections or surgery, but only marginally so. The study only examined patients after six months, however, so more research would definitely be helpful in determining which varicose vein treatment is best in the long run. As of now, patients might as well choose the most affordable option if they’re all going to be getting about the same results either way.

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In 2011, we reported that many young women were using indoor tanning beds despite knowing the serious cancer risks. Now, the problem has gotten so bad that its warranted a call to action from the U.S. acting Surgeon General, Boris D. Lushniak. A call to action is a detailed, science-backed document intended to solve a public health problem by stimulating action throughout the country. The call to action addresses both indoor and outdoor tanning. According to Lushniak, skin cancer is a “major health problem” whose chief cause involves overexposure to ultraviolet light, regardless of where it comes from. The announcement comes only two months after the FDA revealed it would be putting black box warnings on tanning beds and sunlamps. In short, all people are encouraged to stop tanning, use sunscreen and stay out of the sun whenever possible to prevent cancer.

Skin Cancer is a Growing Concern

Despite rates actually decreasing for some types of cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 63,000 new melanoma diagnoses are made each year. Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer, causing almost 9,000 deaths annually. Also, every year:

• U.S. citizens spend a total of $8.1 billion to treat skin cancer
• 5 million people in the U.S. receive skin cancer treatment
• Over one-third of Americans report getting sunburned, which is a major factor in getting skin cancer
• 400,000 cases of skin cancer are related to indoor tanning, 6,000 of which involve melanomas
• One-third of young white women report tanning indoors

More and more people seem to have become aware of the dangers of tanning, however, as the number of teens under the age of 18 that admit to indoor tanning has dropped from 15.6 percent in 2009 to 12.8 percent in 2013. At the same time, an American Academy of Dermatology survey conducted last year indicated that societal conceptions of beauty are still connected firmly to having a tan. In fact, 80 percent of people under 25 considered themselves to be more attractive with a tan.

Dangers of Tanning: The Bottom Line

Lushniak has indicated that the dangers associated with indoor tanning are “completely avoidable.” He calls on businesses, schools and urban planners to provide shady places in order for people to protect themselves. He also said that state governments should consider a ban on allowing minors to tan indoors, which some states have already done.

It must be remembered that people of all skin tones can suffer from the dangers of tanning. If you want to avoid potentially fatal skin cancer, be sure to stay out of the sun this summer. Wearing hats, finding shade and using sunscreen can also be helpful. Try your best to resist the cultural temptation to get a tan, and don’t allow your children to cave to the pressure either. The full text of the Surgeon General’s call to action can be read as a PDF here.

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Finding the time to break away from the daily grind, a vacation at the beach is one of the best imaginable ways to lower your blood pressure. However, is it the relaxation alone that’s responsible? According to the results of a new study conducted in the United Kingdom, regularly exposing the skin to the sun’s rays may also play an important role in reducing hypertension.

The study, which was conducted in a laboratory environment, found that people experienced a reduction in blood pressure and dilation of their blood vessels after being subjected to 30 minutes of UVA radiation designed to mimic a Southern European summer sun. Although getting too much sun without proper protection can lead to a sunburn and even skin cancer in some cases, high blood pressure can result in fatal consequences including stroke and heart attack.

Skin and Hypertension: A Research Breakthrough?

According to experimental medicine professor Martin Feelisch of the University of Southampton, no previous study has ever found a link between the skin and high blood pressure. Other factors that contribute to hypertension, such as excess levels of sodium in the diet, lack of exercise and smoking, have been well known for many decades.

Although the researchers are unsure exactly why sunshine seems to reduce blood pressure, they theorize that it has something to do with nitric oxide as well as its chemical derivatives, such as nitrate and nitrite. The blood vessels contain an inner lining consisting of cells that release nitric oxide, resulting in dilation and a reduction in blood pressure.

Although nitric oxide exists in the blood in limited quantities, it can be found much more abundantly in the skin. The researchers behind the new study believe that UVA radiation somehow activates these molecules and moves them to the blood, resulting in a reduction in blood pressure. After running tests the researchers do not believe that the drop in blood pressure is due to the sun’s warmth or consumption of nitrates and nitrites in the subjects’ diets.

More Research Remains

Although UVA radiation doesn’t have an enormous effect on blood pressure, even small reductions can save lives and ultimately reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack.

At the same time, the researchers admitted that much more work remains. As of now, they don’t know whether a person’s gender, age or disease history could have some effect on their ability to experience a reduction in hypertension due to the sun’s rays. They’re also unsure as to whether additional exposure to UVA radiation would continue to reduce the subjects’ blood pressure.

The researchers hope that further studies will look deeper into this phenomenon to determine the extent to which sunlight can reduce high blood pressure.

The Bottom Line

A recent study from the U.K. strongly indicates that exposure to the sun’s rays reduces blood pressure.

The full text of the study can be found in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

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Worldwide, a smaller percentage of people are smoking today than they were about 30 years ago, according to a new study from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Unfortunately, the growing population means that a larger number of people are smoking now than they were at that point, too.

As of 2012, roughly 31% of men across the world smoked, a figure that’s still alarmingly high, though not as dire as the 41% figure observed in 1980. Smoking rates are far lower among women, and managed to drop down to 6.2% from 10% over the same time period. However, due to increases in worldwide population, about 967 million people smoke today – a figure that stood at 721 million 34 years ago. In 2012 alone, people smoked over 6 trillion cigarettes.

Researchers Survey Smoking Rates Across 187 Countries

Researchers behind the study analyzed surveys conducted in 187 different countries in order to determine overall smoking rates. The biggest decline in smoking rates occurred from 1996 through 2006, with two additional pronounced declines later. The biggest declines were observed in Bangladesh, China and other countries with high population densities.

Smoking rates varied enormously from one country to the next. Only 5% of women in African countries, including Morocco, Eritrea and Cameroon, smoke. At the same time, over 25% of Austrian and Greek women smoke. In Armenia, Indonesia and Russia, over 50% of men consider themselves regular smokers.

The negative health effects of smoking were most easily observed in Korea, Japan, Italy, Ireland and China. In these countries, researchers observed not only a high percentage of smokers, but also a tendency for those smokers to consume a high number of cigarettes each day. The average smoker in about 75 of the surveyed countries reported smoking more than one pack per day.

Although smoking rates have declined overall since 1980, smoking rates among men have actually been on the rise among men since 2010.

Smoking Cessation Saves Lives

An additional study conducted recently suggested that the reduction in smoking rates among Americans has saved about 8 million people from a smoking-related death, and added about 20 years to the lifespans of those who would’ve smoked had rates stayed the same.

In addition to the U.S., countries including Sweden, Norway, Israel, Iceland and Canada were host to large declines in smoking rates as well.

Emmanuela Gakidou, one of the researchers behind the study, said that she’s pleased with the overall progress people have made in smoking cessation given how difficult it is to break the habit. She said that the progress could be considered rapid in light of this fact. Still, she admitted that we could do more to accelerate this progress and save more lives.

The Bottom Line

Smoking rates have declined steadily since 1980 overall, though there are a greater number of smokers today than ever before due to increases in population. Developed countries such as the U.S., Canada and Sweden saw major drops in smoking rates, while other countries like Indonesia have actually seen increases in smoking rates.

The full text of the study is available online in JAMA.

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Controversy has surrounded the debate over whether people can be considered “healthy” even if they’re obese. While some argue that it’s perfectly possible to be in good health while carrying many extra pounds of weight, others say that obesity itself is a major health danger, even if an individual is free of the types of conditions that typically accompany it. Typical obesity-related conditions include high blood cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure.

A new study conducted at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital found that people who are obese, in comparison to those who are of a normal weight, are about 24% more likely to die from any cause over a 10-year period, or to have a heart problem during this same timeframe. The two groups compared above had no metabolic problems at all – only their weight differed.

Is Obesity Deadly By Itself?

The study findings have led some experts to claim that it’s just one more piece of evidence showing that obesity is a disease, a notion that is supported by the American Medical Association despite the fact that it’s still controversial.

At the same time, Dr. Pieter Cohen of Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study, still feels that specific metabolic conditions like excessive levels of cholesterol or blood pressure are far more dangerous than carrying extra weight in the absence of metabolic disorders. In fact, one recent study actually indicated that people who are slightly overweight in terms of their body mass index are actually likely to live a little longer than those of a “normal” weight.

Collecting Results of Many Studies

The new study actually looked at data collected from eight existing studies that examined over 61,000 individuals, mostly between the ages of 40 and 60. Depending on the specific study in which they were involved, participants were tracked for anywhere from 3 to 30 years. Almost 10% of the individuals in the studies were considered obese according to their BMIs despite having no metabolic disorders. The individuals in the study who did suffer from metabolic disorders were more likely to suffer a heart attack and/or die at some point during the study period, regardless of weight.

To eliminate potential statistical anomalies caused by the fact that some of the study participants were only followed for a short period of time, the researchers ran the data a second time using only study participants who were followed for a minimum of 10 years. In this case, the researchers still found that obese individuals were more likely to die than normal-weight individuals even in the absence of metabolic disorders.

Limitations of the Study

Harvard’s Dr. Cohen disagreed with the findings of the study. He said that the data indicates that only one obese study participant with no metabolic problems per 140 died or experienced a heart issue during the 10-year study period, a remarkably small figure. He also criticized the fact that despite the study running for 10 years, metabolic data for the participants was only collected a single time.

Dr. Cohen said some of the individuals who were obese at the beginning of the study, but without metabolic problems, may have indeed developed metabolic problems that went unreported as the study period continued. Therefore, these individuals may have actually died as a result of a metabolic disorder, not of obesity on its own.

However, Dr. Cohen also stressed the fact that people who are obese should strive to attain a healthy, normal weight, even if they don’t have any apparent metabolic disorders. This is because carrying extra weight could lead to metabolic problems in the future, not to mention conditions that negatively affect quality of life such as joint problems and poor spinal alignment.

The Bottom Line

A new study finds that while it’s better to be obese than to have metabolic disorders, carrying extra weight still increases your risk of death over the next 10 years. However, experts disagree as to just how big of a risk obesity in the absence of metabolic disorders actually poses.

The full text of the study is available online in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, over 88,000 people in the U.S. received hair replacement surgery in 2012. Most of the world, especially Asia, saw the number hair replacement surgeries skyrocket from 2004 to 2012.

A recent study, however, conducted at Columbia University Medical Center may offer new hope to those who have lost or are losing their hair. According to the study, which was conducted on mice, a person’s cells may be utilized in order to grow new hair follicles, which reside under the skin and sprout hair.

Although most of the new hair follicles failed to generate hair that extended past the skin, the researchers believe that additional work could improve the technique and make it a viable option for regrowing hair.

What’s Wrong with Existing Hair Loss Treatments?

The technique explored by the researchers in the study obviously isn’t the first hair loss treatment discovered or developed. However, existing methods don’t actually generate any new hair follicles. Instead, they typically involve transplanting hair from one body area to the head, improving the growth rate of existing hair or mitigating the degeneration of remaining hair follicles. However, many individuals can’t benefit from treatment because they have little hair to begin with – for example, women and those who have suffered an injury resulting in hair loss.

According to dermatology professor Angela M. Christiano, one of the lead researchers behind the study, this new technique requires very little hair in comparison to existing treatment methods, and could prove a better solution for many patients currently excluded from hair regrowth options.

Success, But More Research Remains

In order to conduct their study, the researchers extracted dermal papilla cells from seven individuals with pattern baldness, in which the hairline has receded but some hair still remains around the back of the head. Dermal papilla cells are responsible for producing hair follicles. Once the cells were cultured, they were transplanted onto skin grafts taken from infant foreskin, which was completely free of hair follicles. The skin grafts were attached to mice, which are genetically similar to humans.

Of the seven skin grafts, five grew new hair follicles, indicating the success of the method. The researchers tested the DNA of the new hair follicles to ensure that they ultimately belonged to the same person as the dermal papilla cells. Dermatologist Dr. Michele Green of New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital, who was not involved in the study, described the results as “the future of modern medicine.” Next, the researchers hope to examine ways to make the method more reliable in terms of inciting the dermal papilla cells to generate new hair follicles.

According to dermatologist Dr. George Cotsarelis of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, who also was not involved in the study, the results of the trial are significant but unsurprising because previous studies have suggested that this new hair replacement treatment method may be possible. However, Dr. Cotsarelis is pleased with the study’s focus on analyzing the genetics of dermal papilla cells, as this may furnish a better understanding of exactly how these types of cells generate hair follicles.

At the same time, Dr. Cotsarelis is concerned that the experiment may not be as successful with adult skin as it was with infant foreskin, since the latter is much more adaptable to change, and said that future studies should examine this.

The Bottom Line

A new method of hair replacement that doesn’t require a large amount of existing hair may be possible soon thanks to a recent study. Unlike current hair loss treatments, the new method actually results in the growth of new hair follicles.

The full text of the study can be found online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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