HEALTH BULLETIN .CO

Friday, June 27, 2014

Is YOUR skin in need of a wake-up call? Try these 7 top tips to reverse the ageing process

Scientists researching skin fatigue have found older skin less responsive

New 'supercharged' products are being developed to work harder for mature skin

How many mornings have you woken up, looked in the mirror and felt that while your body may be wide awake, your face had yet to get the memo.

It is one of life’s great - and sadly inevitable - growing pains. The older we get, the more tired we look and the duller our skin.

And now scientists have revealed that as we mature, our most important organ also becomes less responsive to anti-ageing products.

Morning face: Are you suffering from skin fatigue?

New research in the area of ‘cellular bioenergetics’ has discovered that not only do our faces become ‘tired’ and overworked as we age, it also becomes increasing difficult to revive our skin.

Scientists working for Olay Regenerist have spent two decades researching the ageing process on our faces and found that the decline in cellular bioenergy means we have to go that extra mile to rejuvenate our cells.

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Dr Frauke Neuser, principal scientists for Olay, explains: ‘We have learned that as our skin’s energy declines its cells are less able to produce natural compounds critical for youth firmness and elasticity, such as collagen and elastin.’

Old school skincare: Jade rollers and facial acupuncture are two methods you can use to wake up your face

In response to the research, Olay Regenerist has developed a series of ‘supercharged’ products which deliver more anti-ageing ingredients to the skin and help it absorb them better.

But there are also a few more tricks of the trade to combat your skin’s decline, from facial acupuncture to jade rollers…

FROM NEEDLES TO STONES: SEVEN WAYS TO WAKE UP YOUR FACE

1. FACIAL ACUPUNCTURE: Has proven results at improving the signs of ageing as it relaxes muscles and increases circulation. Perhaps that explains why A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston are rumoured to be fans of the ancient Chinese practice.

2. JADE ROLLERS:When rolled across the face, jade rollers stimulate the lymph system and improve drainage on the face, which can eliminate any puffiness. The rollers are also meant to help tone facial muscles and increase circulation. £28, www.cultbeauty.co.uk

3. OLAY REGENERIST: Olay Regenerist – Olay Regenerists’s new formula with Skin Energising Technology uses key ingredients Matrixyl, Niacinamide and Olivem, making it their most powerful anti-ageing products yet. The new Olay Regenerist 3 point super age-defying cream and serum are available now at Boots.com.

4. COOL-WATER WASHING: Rinsing your face in water that is either too hot or too cold can damage the fine capillaries under your skin and cause broken thread veins so is best avoided. Instead, wash your face with cool water to help tighten pores and wake up your peepers.

5. ELECTRIC FACIALS: Forget a scrub and a mask, these days facials are high-tech, and many of the treatments heralded for their long-standing results are those which use a small electrical current. Painless, the treatment focus on improving circulation and muscle tone. Results are visible immediately but a course of treatments are recommended for long-lasting results.

6. FACIAL YOGA: Yes you’ll look strange, but facial yoga devotees swear that by keeping the muscles under the face strong and supple, your skin will look younger longer. They could be on to something. Increasing blood flow and muscle elasticity certain helps your skin look better, just do it while you have the bathroom door locked. The Yoga Face, £13.99, Amazon.co.uk

7. SCRUBS: As well as wrinkles and fine lines, enlarged pores and dull skin are another tell-tale sign of ageing. However simply exfoliating the skin with a light scrub can work wonders to improve the tone and texture of your skin.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Is your Neutrogena face wash deadly? From severe swelling to difficulty breathing, these acne 'cures' can cause dangerous allergic reactions

The FDA warns consumers to look out for products that contain two ingredients: benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid

Federal health officials are warning consumers who use popular anti-acne treatments about rare but potentially deadly allergic reactions that can cause swelling of the face and difficulty breathing.

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday the problems have been reported with gels, face washes, pads and other products that contain two ingredients: benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

But the agency says it's unclear whether those ingredients trigger the reactions or whether some other combination of ingredients is to blame.

Potential problems: The FDA warns that rare but serious allergic reactions could develop when using face washes that contain benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid [Note: The FDA did NOT mention specific products by name]

The over-the-counter treatments are sold as Proactiv, Neutrogena, MaxClarity, Oxy, Aveeno and other brands.

For now the agency wants consumers to stop using the products immediately if they experience tightness of the throat, breathing problems, light-headedness or swelling of the eyes, face or lips.

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Users can test their sensitivity to a new treatment by dabbing a small amount on their skin for three days. If they don't experience a reaction the product can generally be used safely as directed.

An FDA analysis uncovered 131 reports of serious allergic reactions with topical acne drugs over the last 44 years.

Playing it safe: The FDA says that consumers should be wary of ingredients included in face washes, gels, and pads by popular brands including Aveeno (left) and Proactiv (right) [Note: The FDA did not mention specific products by name]

None of the cases were fatal, but 44 percent of people had to be hospitalized. Most of the problems emerged within 24 hours of first using the treatment.

Regulators stressed that these hypersensitivity reactions are much more serious than rashes and irritations often seen with skin products.

'There is currently no mention of the possibility of these very severe allergic reactions on the product labels,' says Mona Khurana, M.D., a medical officer at FDA.

'It’s important that consumers know about them, and that they know what to do if they occur.'

Consumers can find out if an OTC topical acne product contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid by looking at the Active Ingredient(s) section of the Drug Facts label on the product package.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Rise of female 'relationship terrorists': Study finds women are more controlling and aggressive towards their partners than men

Psychologists found more women can be classed as ‘intimate terrorists’

This means they routinely abuse partners both physically and mentally

Within partner relationships, women are just as controlling as men

They are also more likely to be physically aggressive, the study claimed

It suggests 'intimate partner violence' may not be motivated by patriarchal values, as previously thought

Women may be known as the gentler sex, but the stereotype is a myth, according to a new study.

Psychologists claim that women are more likely than men to be controlling and aggressive relationship ‘terrorists’.

The scientists found that far from the popular notion of women tending to be victims of ‘intimate partner violence’ (IPV) - physical, sexual, or psychological harm - they were more physically aggressive to their partners than men.

Psychologists claim that women are more likely than men to be controlling and aggressive relationship 'terrorists'. Contrary to previous studies, experts found that women are more likely than men to use physical violence against their partner (illustrated with a stock picture)

In sharp contrast to previous findings, psychologists from the University of Cumbria found that a larger proportion of women could be classed ‘intimate terrorists’ who routinely abused their partners.

Researchers questioned 1,104 young men and women about physical aggression and controlling behaviour involving partners and friends.

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The results showed that within partner relationships, women were just as controlling as men and more likely to be physically aggressive.

‘This was an interesting finding. Previous studies have sought to explain male violence towards women as rising from patriarchal values, which motivate men to seek to control women’s behaviour, using violence if necessary,’ said Dr Elizabeth Bates, from the university.

‘This study found that women demonstrated a desire to control their partners and were more likely to use physical aggression than men.

Previous studies have sought to explain male violence towards women (illustrated with a stock image) as rising from patriarchal values, which motivate men to control women's behaviour, using violence if necessary

‘This suggests IPV may not be motivated by patriarchal values and needs to be studied within the context of other forms of aggression, which has potential implications for interventions.’

In the 1990s, Michael P Johnson, a U.S. sociologist from the University of Michigan, defined an extreme form of controlling relationship behaviour involving threats, intimidation and violence that came to be known as ‘intimate terrorism’.

Professor Johnson found that intimate terrorists were almost always men - a view that has generally been held by other experts.

But the new research presented at the British Psychological Society’s Division of Forensic Psychology annual meeting in Glasgow found the opposite was true.

According to the questionnaire results, women were more likely to be perpetrators of this so-called terrorism than men.

The analysis showed that while women tended to be more physically aggressive towards their partners, men were more likely to be physically aggressive to same sex ‘others’, including friends.

Controlling behaviour was significantly linked to physical aggression in both men and women.

AND MEN WITH WIDER SKULLS ARE SEEN AS MORE DOMINANT

Men with narrower skulls are less likely to be regarded as more dominant than those with wider ones, a study has found.

Psychologists from Stirling University asked volunteers to look at photographs of students with neutral expressions and rate the dominance of their personality.

The research revealed a strong link between the breadth of a man’s face compared to its height - known as fWHR - and how dominant he was considered by himself and others. The same could not be said of women.

The study’s lead author Viktoria Mileva said that others’ perception of men with broad faces could lead them to believe they are dominant.

She said: ‘It is also possible that men with a higher width to height ratio act inherently more dominant, perhaps as a result of increased testosterone.’

'One potential mechanism which may explain why fWHR affects male self-perceptions of dominance is how others behave towards them.

‘If certain behavioural qualities which signal dominance, such as achievement drive, aggression and cheating and trustworthiness are visible in people’s faces through their fWHR, as our study one suggests, then actions towards these individuals may differ.

‘This could in turn lead to altered behaviour from the faces’ owners in response to how they are treated by others.

‘However, it is also possible that men with a higher fWHR act and feel inherently more dominant, perhaps as a result of increased testosterone’.

Previous studies have found that men with wider faces are more likely to be seen as aggressive, but also more attractive for short-term relationships.

New 3D breast screening technique increases cancer detection by 41% compared with traditional mammograms

The technique builds a detailed three-dimensional picture of breast tissue

Increased detection of invasive cancer by 41% compared with mammograms

Overall, it resulted in a 29% higher detection rate for all breast cancers

A pioneering new 3D breast scan is far better at detecting cancerous tumours than traditional screening, research has found.

The technique, which builds a detailed three-dimensional picture of breast tissue, increased detections of invasive cancer by 41 per cent compared with ordinary mammograms.

US scientists found the scan, also known as digital breast tomosynthesis, also led to a 15 per cent drop in patients being unnecessarily recalled due to false alarms.

This image, by Hologic, shows three images, conventional mammography, top left, 3D mammography, top right, with a tumor circled that wasn't visible on the first image, and a close with 3D mammography

Overall, the 3D scan resulted in a 29 per cent higher detection rate for all breast cancers compared with the current system. Study author Dr Emily Conant, from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said: ‘It’s the most exciting improvement to mammography that I have seen in my career, even more important for women than the conversion from film-screen mammography to digital mammography.

‘3D mammography finds more clinically significant breast cancers earlier, which is key so that women have more treatment options and ultimately better health outcomes.’

The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at nearly half a million conventional and 3D breast scans carried out at across the US.

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Baroness Morgan, chief executive of the Breast Cancer Campaign in Britain, said: ‘This is one of the largest studies to date to report that adding tomosynthesis to digital mammography appears to improve the accuracy of breast screening.

These are promising results, and we look forward to seeing the outcomes of adding tomosynthesis to digital mammography in other ongoing trials – particularly the results of the TOMMY trial which aims to assess whether tomosynthesis could enhance digital mammography in the UK.’

The findings of a controversial study linking GM corn and a popular weedkiller to breast cancer have been confirmed.

Trials involving rats given GM corn sprayed with the weedkiller Roundup produced shocking images of the animals with enormous tumours.

Old machine: Overall, the 3D scan resulted in a 29 per cent higher detection rate for all breast cancers compared with the current system

The researchers, from the University of Caen in France, claim the effects of genetic modification on the corn, as well as the chemicals found in Roundup, were implicated in the changes seen in the rats.

The corn was created by US biotech firm Monsanto to be resistant to Roundup, so that the crops can be sprayed with chemicals that kill off any weeds but still grow normally.

Some rats were fed the GM corn, some ate it sprayed with Roundup while others consumed Roundup at low doses. A control group was fed a ‘clean’ diet without GM or Roundup.

After two years, between 50 and 80 per cent of the female rats in all treated groups had developed large tumours, while only 30 per cent of the control group was affected.

The study caused uproar when it was first published two years ago, and was subsequently withdrawn by the journal’s editors following a fierce backlash from pro-GM scientists.

But it has since been peer-reviewed twice more to confirm the research was conducted properly, and is now being republished.

Common painkiller 'could help prevent premature ageing': Ibuprofen can help diabetes and dementia patients from growing old before their time

The popular over the counter painkiller gave ageing mice a new lease of life

Could help patients with age-related illnesses diabetes and dementia

While it's unlikely to improve illness, drug might slow its progression

It already works wonders on pounding headaches. But ibuprofen could also hold the secret to a long and healthy life

It already works wonders on pounding headaches.

But ibuprofen could also hold the secret to a long and healthy life.

In a series of remarkable experiments, the popular painkiller gave ageing mice a new lease of life.

Researchers from Newcastle University say it might help people with age-related illnesses such as diabetes and dementia from growing old before their time.

While it is unlikely to improve their illness, the inexpensive drug might slow its progression – and help prevent them from developing other debilitating conditions.

As surprising as this might seem, researcher Thomas von Zglinicki said it is not unusual for a drug that is developed to treat one thing to have other powers.

At the heart of Professor von Zglinicki’s theory is the inflammation that causes pain, swelling and fever we experience when our body is fighting off an infection.

This inflammation is also present in a milder but longer-term form in age-related diseases such as diabetes, dementia and arthritis.

Using GM mice, the professor showed that far from being a result of ageing, this inflammation helps drive it. Mice with genes that made them particularly prone to inflammation aged twice as quickly as normal animals.

Just like people, their hair turned grey and fell out, they lost weight, became unsteady on their feet and had heart problems. They also lived half as long as usual.

Scroll down for video

In a series of remarkable experiments, the popular painkiller gave ageing mice a new lease of life

An animated guide to how Ibuprofen relieves pain

Tests showed that the inflammation triggered a chain of reactions that led to cells going to sleep, rather making new copies needed to help keep the body and its organs young.

Treating the mice with ibuprofen stopped the cells from going into this sleeping state.

Plus, the animals were able to repair damage to their liver, the journal Nature Communications reports.

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Professor von Zglinicki said mice were ‘basically brought back to normal’. He is now checking if the treatment also extends lifespan.

Ibuprofen is taken by up to nine million Britons a day to treat headaches, muscle pain, sprains and flu.

But it can also cause indigestion and stomach ulcers, while higher doses taken long-term for conditions such as arthritis can raise the risk of strokes and heart attacks, and even reduce a woman’s fertility.

While the professor says that regular ibuprofen might help people with age-related illnesses such as dementia and diabetes, he advises them to talk to their GP first before starting self-medication.

They should also ask their doctor to do a simple blood test to confirm they are a victim of mild but persistent inflammation.

‘The hope is not really that it will improve the illness that they have but that it might slow the progression,’ he said.

Ibuprofen is unlikely to help those who are healthy but would simply like to slow the ageing process – in the experiments, it had no effect on mice that were ageing normally.

The professor said: ‘Long-term drug use is something one has to think about and we cannot justify it in healthy people when the data don’t give us a strong basis.’

In the meantime, he suggests that those keen to stay young try to keep a lid on inflammation by eating foods that might help combat it, such as blueberries.

Dr Lynne Cox, an ageing expert at Oxford University, called the research ‘a lovely piece of science’.

However, she said side-effects associated with long-term use of ibuprofen are so serious that people should not take it just to keep them young.

Pages

Friday, June 27, 2014

Is YOUR skin in need of a wake-up call? Try these 7 top tips to reverse the ageing process

More...

FROM NEEDLES TO STONES: SEVEN WAYS TO WAKE UP YOUR FACE

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Is your Neutrogena face wash deadly? From severe swelling to difficulty breathing, these acne 'cures' can cause dangerous allergic reactions

More...

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Rise of female 'relationship terrorists': Study finds women are more controlling and aggressive towards their partners than men

More...

AND MEN WITH WIDER SKULLS ARE SEEN AS MORE DOMINANT

New 3D breast screening technique increases cancer detection by 41% compared with traditional mammograms

More...

Common painkiller 'could help prevent premature ageing': Ibuprofen can help diabetes and dementia patients from growing old before their time

More...