HOUSTON

Dyeing the hair seems to come naturally to many people as they age, but it could be the cause of an allergic reaction, no matter how long you’ve been using the same product, according to a dermatologist at Baylor College of Medicine. “You can develop an allergy to a product at any point in time – it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been using the product,” said Dr. Rajani Katta, professor of dermatology at BCM. “One allergic reaction we’re seeing commonly is to hair dyes.” The symptoms of hair dye allergies aren’t necessarily immediate, she said. They can occur two, three or even up to seven days after exposure to the product. Symptoms include redness of skin and itching on the hairline, face, eyelids, ears, neck and even back. The main culprit of this reaction is a chemical called p-phenylenediamine, also known as PPDA. This is the best chemical to cover the greys, so it’s found commonly in hair dyes. Katta suggests that rather than checking for products that are “ammonia free” or “all-natural,” look to see if the dye has PPDA – it’s usually found midway in the list of ingredients. “It may start as a mild reaction, but it can get worse over time and spread to other parts of the body,” said Katta. For a mild reaction, she suggests applying over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to the affected areas. If the hydrocortisone is not helping after one week, see a dermatologist. If the dermatologist is unsure of the cause of the allergy, they may do patch testing, which is different than prick testing. Prick testing is done by allergists to check for reactions to pollen and other allergens that cause symptoms such as hay fever, sneezing and coughing. Patch testing is done by dermatologists and some allergists to check for skin rashes caused by various chemicals and products. For those who develop an allergy to PPDA, Katta suggests avoiding any product that has this chemical. While there are a few hair dyes that don’t contain PPDA, they can be difficult to find.

Katta suggests some other hair-dyeing solutions:

-Henna – a natural product that’s been used in India for hundreds of years and gives a reddish color to the hair. Be sure you are buying pure henna, and avoid a newer product called black henna, which may have added PPDA.

-Highlights – these are bleaching agents that don’t usually contain PPDA. -Temporary hair rinses. -Lead oxide dyes that darken gray hair – check the ingredients carefully as the same brand name can also sell products with PPDA.

-Find a salon that is familiar with hair dye allergies – there are some salon products available that don’t contain PPDA.

There are other ingredients related to PPDA that may also cause a similar reaction, so Katta suggests that if you’re allergic to PPDA, get tested by a dermatologist to see if you’re also allergic to similar ingredients.

(StatePoint)

In an age of economic uncertainty, being indispensable at work is crucial to job security. And while developing specific professional skills is important, some experts say that there are intangible factors that are even more important for your long-term success. “If you’re interesting, people will remember you and want to work with you. You’ll get the call back; you’ll make the sale. And you’ll be better able to think your way out of trouble and into new territories,” says Jessica Hagy, author and illustrator of the new book, “How to Be Interesting (in 10 Simple Steps.)”

Hagy says that in today’s fast-paced world, there are steps you can take to avoid blending into the hum of the background: 

• Go exploring: Explore ideas, places and opinions. The inside of the echo chamber is where all the boring people hang out.

• Chat: Don’t just keep your head down. Gain new perspectives by talking to everybody -- not just those who do what you do. No one has seen exactly what you have or has the same exact feelings as you. Find out why.

• Leave your comfort zone: Expose yourself to risk and wild ideas. It’s the only way to grow. If you’re not courageous, you’re going to be hanging around the water-cooler, talking about the guy who actually is.

• Offer to help: Seek out people who need your help. Know what you can do and tell people you’re willing to do it. They will remember you and talents. This is how people begin to fall in love with your work.

• Overstep your bounds: Just because it’s not in your job description doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Only you can really decide what league you really belong in. Get over your fears of making waves. Friction is a good thing.

• Be a link: Don’t just tell. Don’t just listen. Make introductions. Pass on what you know. Be the fulcrum upon which your organization turns.

• Have hobbies: Outside of work, read, study, and sign up for classes. Learn new things. You never know when you’ll need random knowledge or skills. • Find a niche: The smaller the niche, the less room there is for copycats. If you want to be interesting, work with specifics, not generics.

• Leave the ego at home: If your arrogance is more obvious than your expertise, you are someone other people avoid.

More tips and information from Hagy can be found at www.How2BeInteresting.tumblr.com/. Becoming great at your specific job description will only get you so far at work. If you want to become an indispensable member of the team, find a way to stand out positively.

National Tragedies Can Be Avoided with Vigilance, Understanding & Guidance, says Novelist

For adults, high school is as near or far as the next or last reunion. But for thousands of teens, high school is a present hell of isolation, confusion and negativity, says novelist Ryan D. Pearson. “Think about the young men who live in infamy because they somehow couldn’t channel their energy in a positive manner – Adam Lanza in Connecticut; James Holmes, the ‘movie-theater shooter;’ the two Columbine shooters; Jared Loughner, who shot U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords – some were extremely intelligent, and they were passionate, too,” says Pearson. Precocious in high school, Pearson earned his law degree at age 21 and went on to write “The Element Series,” (www.theelementsseries.com), which follows a teenager blessed with wealth and fame who discovers he has the added responsibility of super powers. “One aspect I love about comic books and fiction is that the character arcs show how some become the villains, and those who stand by their values – the heroes.” Teens, who have experienced life only as children, suddenly find themselves in very adult circumstances in high school – that last step toward adulthood, he says.

For many gifted, talented, sensitive or otherwise misunderstood teens, he offers tips for surviving this last step toward independence:

• Embrace what makes you different: Perhaps the most important struggle a teenager faces is self-acceptance. Many may believe that that straight-A, all-star jock with a perfect complexion has it made. Meanwhile, he may be experiencing his own inner turmoil. If you care about things no one else seems to care about; if you’re better at chess than football; if you think you don’t fit the mold of “pretty” or “handsome” – you might just be on the path to happiness. A great example receiving plenty of attention is the It Gets Better project, which encourages gay teens to embrace their sexuality. However, the concept can be applied to anyone who feels like an outsider. “There is only one you; don’t be afraid of who you are,” Pearson says.

• Perhaps the greatest commencement address: While life is just beginning after high school and college, it’s rarely easy – that’s the thrust of George Foster Wallace’s 2005 speech to the graduates of Kenyon College. Wallace, a giant of contemporary literature, touches on some of the most important adult challenges: the potential loneliness of adult life, the importance of being well-adjusted and the difficulty of empathy – “Think about it: There is no experience you’ve had that you were not at the absolute center of.” Truthful, unflinching and humorous, the speech has since resonated online.

• You can change!: A depressing mindset for unhappy high school students involves the idea that nothing about one’s experience will change. “Everything changes – this is the one rule of life you can count on,” says Pearson, whose went on a worldwide adventure after college. “Teens who go the villainous route often have an attitude that nothing about them or the world is going to be different unless they intervene with extreme behavior.” In reality, one or two key shifts in thinking can change the course in a young person’s life trajectory. Friends, parents and educators have the best access for helping a troubled teen to “see the light.”    

Washington, Apr (EFE)

U.S. President Barack Obama announced an ambitious multidisciplinary program to create a map of the human brain that could help cure diseases such as Alzheimer's and epilepsy. "We have been a nation of dreamers and risk-takers," said Obama in the East Room of the White House before an audience including several of the scientists and businessmen taking part in the project. "Computer chips and GPS technology, the Internet - all these things grew out of government investments in basic research," the president said, before introducing the BRAIN Initiative as "the next great American project." The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative- Neurotechnologies. Initiative has been allocated somewhat over $100 million in the 2014 budget bill that the Obama administration will present this month. Among the objectives of the effort launched on Tuesday is helping scientists find ways to treat, cure and even prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's, autism and epilepsy and to repair traumatic damage suffered by the brain. "As humans, we can identify galaxies light years away, we can study particles smaller than an atom. But we still haven't unlocked the mystery of the three pounds (1.3 kilos) of matter that sits between our ears," Obama said. The president had already announced his decision to launch a program to explore the brain during his Feb. 12 State of the Union address. Among the scientists in the forefront of the BRAIN Initiative is Spaniard Rafael Yuste, a professor of biological science and neuroscience at Columbia University in New York. Yuste was the primary author of a June 2012 article in Neuron magazine in which he outlined the initiative on the basis of the work he has carried out over the past 16 years at Columbia.