Prevention Luckily, Ebola virus is incredibly rare in most regions of the world, and you do not need to worry about falling victim to its horrific symptoms. However, if you live in West Africa or are intending to travel there, you need to fully inform yourself on the current situation and risk of Ebola. Residents of Ebola affected areas If you live in parts of West Africa, or in other regions where outbreaks have previously occurred, extreme caution needs to be in place, including: § Seeking immediate medical attention should any loved ones show signs and symptoms of Ebola. Avoid direct contact with them, and most certainly with any bodily fluids. § Do rely on Western Medical treatment rather than local shaman or spiritual healers, claiming to have the powers to heal Ebola. § Avoid contact with deceased loved ones at any cultural funeral rituals, which would otherwise involve that direct contact, including traditional washing and cleaning of the body, and touching the face of the body after washing hands in a common bowl. § Education about Ebola virus is very important, including risk factors and what to do if you believe you, or someone you know might have contracted Ebola.

Most pet owners often don’t recognize health issues in their cats or dogs until mood, energy levels, appetite, or urination habits change drastically. For instance: Pets that start to urinate more often, or have accidents. Cats and dogs with increased appetite or appetite loss. Pets that drink more or less water than normal. These issues often indicate an underlying health issue in your pet, like diabetes mellitus (or sugar-related diabetes). Pet diabetes most often strikes middle-aged animals, causing pancreatic cells to lose the ability to produce insulin. Diabetes in pets, like humans, triggers high blood sugar levels, and associated symptoms such as increased appetite, thirst, urination, and irritable mood (you may notice your cat is grumpier than normal, particularly around food). But don’t despair, a diabetes mellitus diagnosis in your cat or dog can be managed closely by administering insulin and monitoring your pet’s diet closely. Increased blood sugar levels in cats and dogs tend to cause an array of symptoms that stem from too much glucose in the urine and the inability of the kidneys to reabsorb water into the bloodstream. The main symptoms of diabetes in pets include: Dry or dead skin on fur surface, which can affect coat moisture and texture.

Prevalence Hair loss among men is one of the frustrating situations that occur as you age. The loss may not be noticed as first, but once thinning or a receding hairline becomes visible, a significant amount of hair has fallen. It is insidious and surreptitious! While some men embrace the blad style, others feel that the loss hinders their looks and makes them appear older. By the time you are 50 about 85% of your peers have thinning of hair. In extreme situations, some men start to lose hair before they turn 21. In the United States alone, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia, affects an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women. Hair growth cycle Underneath you scalp, the skin covering of your head, you have around 150,000 hair follicles. It is from these follicles that new hairs grow and sprout. At any one time 80-90% of your hairs are in the anagen, or growing phase. Throughout the hair life cycle, your hairs are in various stages of growth and shedding. The four stages of hair growth are: 1. Anagen (Growing Phase) The anagen phase usually lasts from 2 to 7 years and the length of this phase determines the length of your hair.

Genetics The AR gene makes the receptor on hair follicles that interact with testosterone and DHT. If your receptors are particularly sensitive, they are more easily triggered by even small amounts of DHT and hair loss inevitably occurs more easily as a result. Other genes may also play a part. Age, stress, and other factors can influence whether you experience hair loss or not. But genes play a significant role, and men who have close male relatives with MPB have a much higher risk of developing MPB themselves. Testosterone Testosterone exists in your body in different forms. There is “free” testosterone that is not bound to proteins in your body. This is the form of testosterone most available to act within your body. Testosterone can also be bound to albumin, a protein in your blood. Most testosterone is bound to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) protein and is not active. If you have a low level of SHBG, you may have a high level of free testosterone in your bloodstream. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is made from testosterone by an enzyme which is called 5-alpha reductase. DHT is five times more potent than testosterone. It is found in your skin, hair follicles, and prostate.

Minoxidil (Rogaine or Regaine) Action The active ingredient of Rogaine or Regaine is minoxidil. It is the only over-the-counter drug clinically proven to help prevent further hair loss. Minoxidil works by helping the blood flow to the hair follicles which increases follicular size and hair shaft diameter. This stimulates and prolongs hair growth. Rogaine was discovered during clinical trials for the treatment of  high blood pressure wherein participants in the study were noted to have regrown hair after Minoxidil was given to them for some time. Minoxidil increases blood flow which stimulates hair follicles, promoting hair regrowth in 4 ways:   Reverses miniaturisation of follicles   Increases blood flow around follicles   Stimulates follicle movement from resting to hair growth phase   Extends each follicle’s growth phase Form and dosage Minoxidil is a topical hair restoration agent that is marketed in the U.S. under the brand name Rogaine . It is available in 2% and 5% solutions; the 5% solution is approved for use only by men in the U.S.  Another form is the Topical Foam 5%. Topical dosage (2% minoxidil topical solution) Adult men and women Apply 1 ml twice daily topically to area where hair growth is desired.