When people say they are allergic to something or that they are suffering from an allergy, they are actually referring to several inflictions instead of a single problem. An allergy is caused when your immune system reacts to an alien object or chemical in your body. This reaction if often not supposed to take place. The alien objects that enter your body can be found the following forms –

• dust
• chemicals from the household like cleansers, chlorine, soaps, paints, etc
• pollen
• some types of nuts
• citrus fruits
• some seafood varieties
• animal hair shed from pets
• pollutants from car and industrial emissions
• inhalation of smoke from fire
• some medications and so on

continue reading Natural, Simple Ways to Prevent or Reduce Allergies

WHAT IS LASER EYE SURGERY?

Refractive or Laser Eye Surgery (LES) is a laser reshaping of cornea that changes its focusing power (1), (Picture 1 and 2). For patients with moderate refractive errors, this ambulatory procedure is a quick way to get free of glasses or contact lenses.

Picture 1. An eye doctor performing laser eye surgery
(source: whmc.af.mil)

COST OF LASER EYE SURGERY 

The cost of LES can vary widely but it is rarely under $1,000 per eye (2).

continue reading Corrective Laser Eye Surgery (LES): LASIK, LASEK, PRL, RLE

Hair Dye Allergies – Introduction

About 5% of permanent hair dyes users develop an allergy, mostly in the form of an allergic contact dermatitis with a redness and itch in the head area, but a systemic reaction with an involvement of the whole body skin and other organs is possible in severe cases (1). Hand dermatitis affects considerable percent of hair-dressers (2). The main cause is a substance PPD.

PPD (4-ParaPhenyleneDiamine, C6H8N2)

PPD is widely present on the market since 1909, and it is still used in over 2/3 of permanent hair dyes. Commercial hair dye product typically comes in two bottles: the one with PPD based dye (non-oxidized and thus colorless) and the other with oxidizer or developer, usually hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In the hair dying process initially the peroxide is used to break down the natural hair pigment melanin, and then the PPD is used to replace melanin. When PPD reacts with peroxide, it becomes partly oxidized and colored — it is this form which may cause allergy. Fully oxidized PPD does not cause an allergy, so PPD sensitive persons can wear fur coats dyed with PPD safely (3). PPD can be also found in some dark colored cosmetics and temporary tattoos. In France, Germany and Sweden, PPD was banned as a hair dye because it was thought to be too dangerous for health (4).

Alternative names for PPD: PPDA, Orsin, Rodol, Ursol.

continue reading Hair Dye Allergies