Every season or region around the globe has its reasons to protect your hair from the elements. In general, winter brings cold, dry air and wind that can cause breakage and damage to the cuticle of the hair shaft. Summer brings heat and sun which dries hair out and wreaks havoc with colors as well. Activities such as swimming (pool or ocean), exercise (sweat) or even walking or working in the sun or cold can give our hair a dull, dry, broken appearance. Your scalp is also more exposed as we get it wet or sweat and areas such as our part, thinning or balding patches are even more exposed. Here are hints to keep the hair you have looking its best and hints as to how to grow more hair that is shinier, fuller and healthier.

Eating more protein is one avenue to happier hair. Hair is made of protein, so if we eat too little, we tend to have excess shedding as the follicles don’t have enough nutrients to pull from to make a full hair shaft. We should make sure to get at least 46 grams a day of this macronutrient through eggs, meat, poultry, beans, nuts or even a vitamin supplement that has targeted ingredients such as biotin that stimulates hair growth. Four our skin (scalp) we need fatty oils, rich in omega-3 from salmon and avocados. These boost circulation and this gets the nutrients to the hair follicles faster.

Your scalp could also use a little extra attention during sun months or the drying cold of winter. Dandruff and dryness can be eliminated if we condition each time we shampoo. Make sure to massage it into the roots as well! We should be using a shampoo with zinc (good for colds, great for hair) as it has a hydrating effect on the scalp as well as the hair shaft. Once a month we can use a deep conditioner or mask to replace moisture that cold, wind, chlorine or intense sun has drained from the hair shafts. Apply a mask to damp hair from the middle or the length of hair out to the ends. Leave the mask on for around 15 minutes so it has time to thoroughly coat the cuticle with moisture and rebuild weakened strands. This is great in any weather for the “frizzies” as well! Split ends make your hair LOOK damaged, so once you have a fresh haircut that takes most of them away…recommended for every two months unless you keep seeing repeat weather or styling-tool damage in which case every six weeks would be ideal. There are split-end “sealers” out there that contain polymers to temporarily fuse those split tips together again.

Regarding thinning spots or balding patches, shampoos that claim to thicken hair or fill in balding patches usually just weigh your hair down and clog the scalp’s pores. Actually there is no treatment out there that will fill in a bald spot if the follicles there are already completely dead. However, the best chance to get the thickest hair growing in every possible spot on your scalp is by using a laser hair comb (or laser hair brush). Bald spots caused by chemicals, over styling, allergic reactions, medications, stress or diet conditions however, may have living follicles which can be coaxed back into commission. Laser hair therapy is the best male or female hair loss treatment on the market. It is simple to use (every other day for 15-20 minutes), lightweight (like a hairbrush) has an ergonomic handle, contains up to 32 pulsing red (cool) lasers in a curved easy-to-clean surface that fits your head shape and targets just the follicles to increase the blood flow and stimulate quicker, healthier growth (in the best brand). The Nutreve Personal Hair Therapy Laser has all this plus rechargeable batteries, no cord, a wonderful guarantee and warranty plus a hands-free stand so you can multitask! That’s something to celebrate in ALL seasons!

Popping pills has become mainstream. Actually it has been for quite some time…just ask Alice! Now however, the things that pills are trying to cure are even crazier…but do they work, and at what cost? Gaining weight? There’s a pill for that! Balance out your moods and hormones! There’s a pill for that! Too much belly fat but not enough in the butt or breast area? Change locations of fat retention? There’s a capsule for that too. Swallow a capsule (with a camera, I assume) instead of going through a colonoscopy? Yes! Add oomph with iron pills, cure cellulite (where can I get THAT one?), make me love myself, love exercise, love love…all comes in pill form.

Serious items that are on the horizon are pills that ease chronic pain without the addiction side effects. Safer painkillers would nix the euphoria and use different mechanisms than the current oxycodone-types. These drugs would not carry the added benefit of a “high” but would still reduce or eliminate pain…much better for society as a whole. At NYU they are in the process of seeing if the drug metformin which is often used in diabetes type II treatment may also delay Alzheimer’s, cancers and heart diseases…all ailments that come with old age. A cure, no, but a delay in old age symptoms would be nothing to sneeze at!

Speaking of old age arriving…I hear that there IS a hair pill on the market that can get rid of grays. These pills contain an enzyme that eats up the hydrogen peroxide that hair follicles naturally produce and that builds up over time. As with most supplements, they aren’t approved by the FDA. Major cosmetic companies are working on a different pill to stop graying another way…but I’m guessing that they might be dragging their feet as they can make more on us touching up those grays instead!!!. Now, what about a pill for hair growth? That is not in the pipeline that I can find…but there are several ways to beat losing your hair.

Just as lasers can zap away fat, hair, scar tissue, bacteria, wrinkles and age spots, they can also be calibrated to heal. The red wavelength or cool, red lasers actually stimulate the blood flow wherever they are directed. This helps in alleviating pain and promoting healing and is used extensively in hospitals, clinics and now even veterinary hospitals and offices for these reasons. The pulsing lasers in the Nutreve Personal Hair Therapy Laser stimulate the blood flow around the base of each hair follicle and this action delivers more nutrients, faster and takes away waste products so that each hair follicle is working at maximum capacity to produce a thick shiny hair shaft. Follicles that are already dead cannot just start producing hair, but any viable follicle will increase its output.

This thinning hair treatment is also a natural hair loss treatment as no chemicals, dyes or medications are used…only healing light therapy. The laser hair brush use does not interfere with any creams, dyes, or whatever else you may already use on your hair. It is also great for any type, ethnicity or color hair as well. Used only 15-20 minutes every other day it is not even that time consuming…and sure beats the alternative. It is also safe to use with ANY other medication you may be taking…so although it is NOT a pill…it is safer…and just as easy. Go ask Alice!

Let’s start with the overall body love! The latest hip workout facilities let you spend as little time as possible at work and more time enjoying the amenities. The latest exercise uses Hypoxic Training, which is based on the idea that working out in high altitudes (with less oxygen) maximizes the benefits of your exercise. It takes more effort to work and breathe in this thinner air and because of this, your lungs and muscles are actually working harder. Therefore you can get more exertion in a shorter length of time. What’s not to love in working out using hypoxic training only 30 minutes, three times a week?

To top off our newly toned muscles, nothing beats a tan! However, with all of the need for vitamin D, we can get enough of that between supplements and just a few minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen. Live in a not-so-sunny area of the globe? Sun lights or day lights can give us a boost along with making sure to get the proper intake of calcium with our vitamin supplements to maximize their effectiveness. To LOOK great though, it is not recommended to spend hours in the sun perfecting your tan. Instead, pick from one of the plentiful salons which offer spray tanning. Unlike old fashioned tanning booths, newer spray tubes more evenly coat your body from head to toe with a variety of tones. You’ll LOOK like you’re rested even if you have been hard at work!

Being toned and tanned are great, but we don’t want to smell like tanner or the gym! Light, floral, citrus scents smell as good on your pillow as they do on your skin. So many companies are now coming out with purely natural scents that involve NO chemical interaction with the basic ingredients. Look for these in your favorite makeup stores or high end department store counters.

Looking good and feeling good should go hand in hand. After a hard day’s work or a stressful month, a visit to the Spa should set you straight. A great spa should look as relaxing as it should make it feel and there is no limit to the types of treatments that a great spa offers. From float rooms to mud parties, breast massages to champagne bars, the services are endless. Choose a spa with a beautiful, relaxing interior to increase the intensity of your experience.

Your face tells the story of your life. A few lines need to remain around your eyes so that you don’t look like a robot, but other than that, we can resculpt every inch. From facials to surgery and everything in between we can take ages off of our looks. Lip plumping now looks like we’ve sucked on a lemon, but there are much more effective ways to enhance our lip line and take away sagging skin. Chemical peels, lasers and the knife are backed up with electric impulses, physical manipulation and a plethora of natural seed oils, resins and butters. Moisturizers, serums and oils finished off with great SPF protection give you a healthy glow with sun protection.

The crowning glory though is your hair. A shiny, full head of hair makes us feel and look our youngest and best. A great cut, color and style though can only work if you have good hair to begin with. How can we find a thinning hair treatment? Look to lasers to use their cool wavelength to actually stimulate the hair follicles to keep them producing better and for longer. A laser hair brush is a one-time purchase that uses rechargeable batteries and treatments of only 15-20 minutes every other day. Laser hair restoration is the latest natural hair loss treatment and surpasses pills, creams and surgery in terms of efficacy and lower cost. Treatment can also be done at home and frequent salon visits are not needed. Save your time to visit your favorite spa!

There’s a new light in town! Humans need light and a proper dose of vitamin D. Plants need light to grow. Eyes need light to see. All of this comes from the sun…but there are different wavelengths of light that scientists have harnessed for other uses. Red or cool light lasers or light emitting diodes (LEDs) are now a staple in the beauty world.

Certain spas in NYC offer $500 facials using a $3,000 mask of LED lights to prevent aging, erasing fine lines and improving skin tone. One would hope so for a facial that costs that much! Salons are now using LED and laser hair therapy to increase the thickness of hair shafts, elongate the growing phase of each hair follicle and produce stronger, shinier hair. Costs for treatments vary from $2,000 to $10,000 for a series of visits that will stimulate hair growth and then keep it growing (at least until you decide you can’t afford it any more).

How does all of this work?

Red light stimulates collagen and elastin production which leads to firmer skin and less wrinkles. Infrared light which is in laser treatments promotes scar healing and increases circulation. The only thing still hampering use for diminished wrinkles or increased hair growth is the price. Also a downside is the salon time and travel time associated with in-office visits. Well, the dermatology arena is now promoting an in-home LED wand that emits red and blue (for killing bacteria found in acne and rosacea) lights together. Skin remains younger looking longer and certain skin conditions vanish. Now laser hair therapy comes in an in-home device as well. It’s the latest treatment for thinning hair which is gaining popularity as our population ages.

The Nutreve Personal Hair Therapy Laser has a contoured head like the contoured mask of lights that dermatologists use. It houses 35 pulsing red light lasers that target the base of the hair follicle where all hair is born. The increased circulation of blood in this area provides nutrients for healthy hair and takes away waste products that can build up and hamper strong hair growth. Following instructions is extremely important as the optimum use is for only 15-20 minutes every OTHER day. All thinning areas can be targeted and any viable follicle will start to produce thicker, shinier hair. This method of thinning hair treatment uses NO prescription medications, no invasive surgeries, no downtime and the cost is only about $600 for a one-time fee for the device and its rechargeable batteries. It even comes with an available hands-free stand so you can sit under it and use both hands to text, use your computer, knit, sew or hold your e-book.

We’re all trying to stay healthy and young looking for as long as possible. Skin and hair are usually the first thing a person notices as it starts to sag or thin. Even if we keep our weight down and our exercise program up, sagging skin and thinning or balding patches on our heads negates all of that hard work. Some of us turn to drastic measures such as surgeries or take endless amounts of prescription pills, others go in for endless amounts of treatments that work only for the rest of the day it seems, yet others just go all-natural and age gracefully. Whichever way you choose to live your life as you age, seek the light!

It promises to help us all ease into a happier, healthier more youthful looking life ahead!

One of the most important items on anyone’s list is health. Another important item on our list is to look good or look younger. “Hair health” is therefore something that is both important AND good for us. With a healthy, full head of hair, we feel younger and we look healthier. Hair vitamins are touted as a natural hair loss treatment because they are not drugs such as minoxidil or finasteride which are applied to the scalp or taken orally.

Hair vitality supplements are supported by years of research and are safe to take. They can promote existing hair growth and can reduce hair loss or shedding. Proper nourishment in general will go a long way to make our skin, bodies and hair look better. Along with stress, hormonal changes, age, menopause, post-pregnancy hormones, heredity and physical damage from the environment and styling trends, poor nutrition is a major factor in our desire for a viable treatment for thinning hair. If we complete the process with supplements that can fill in the gaps for healthy growth we should have a great start to a healthy thinning hair treatment. But, is this enough?

Hair also needs to have healthy roots or follicles that are not only nourished properly, but also have a clean environment to grow in. Our scalp must be clean and free of debris. A natural shampoo with no sulfites that can cleanse the hair and yet exfoliate the scalp can give the follicles the best fighting chance. A natural conditioner that softens, smoothes and gives hair a feeling of volume is also a must. Some folks also use an additional serum which very lightly coats the hair shaft in order to prevent breakage from styling and heat. In addition, hair extensions and new styling techniques can add to our defense armory…But, is THIS enough?

A third area of treatment that can be used in conjunction with those above is Low Level Laser Therapy or LLLT. Laser hair therapy is the latest natural hair loss treatment that uses cool or red light lasers in a laser hair brush to target and stimulate the hair follicles to grow thicker, stronger, shinier hair. This male and female hair loss treatment is as simple to use as taking the vitamins, using the correct shampoo and choosing the right conditioner. A curved surface attached to an ergonomic handle holds up to 35 lasers (in the best system, the Nutreve Personal Hair Therapy Laser).

The lasers penetrate through current hair and target the follicles at the depth of the blood flow that support them. Increasing this blood flow better nourishes and cleans away toxins from these “hair birthing chambers” to give each follicle its best chance to produce the strongest hair that stays happily in its follicle for the longest time possible. This natural hair loss treatment needs to be used for as long as you want to keep this new head of healthy hair…just as the proper nutrition and shampoo need to be continued.

As with exercise, it is best used every other day, but in only 15-20 minutes of portable use the correct amount of stimulation is delivered. LLLT does not interfere with any other medications and can be used even in conjunction with the most popular prescription drugs. Any ethnicity, skin or hair type can benefit and LLLT provides a no side effect addition to a healthy hair regimen.

I’ve found that this three-pronged approach of proper nutrition, a clean scalp and laser hair restoration is the smart way to look younger and feel better. Now for that reference to exercise…a dose of that can only help us feel and look our best. That should be enough!

Every time I open a magazine or listen to TV there is a promise of effortless beauty. Really, the only version of this kind of beauty in the world is in Nature. Also beauty can really mean anything as it is truly in the eye of the beholder. However, today’s standards for most of us, male or female have gotten out of control, and we are held to not only a model pretty or handsome type, but more importantly a youthful type. Of course we can work out, wear trendier clothes, keep our weight under control and eat properly, but what we all strive for is to actually look younger that we are. Also, the newest emphasis is to do it all naturally AND effortlessly! (or at least pretend that we don’t go for botox or surgeries or spend hours under the dryer). Let’s look at some of the latest “effortless” beauty trends that include electrotherapy, laser hair therapy and surgeries!

First on the list is a Facial Toner. Believe it or not you CAN put a little gadget on our cheeks that uses electrotherapy (ouch?) to beef up the muscles that attach to your cheeks so that they stay up higher and appear fuller on your face. This is a hands free device which actually looks like a set of headphones on your cheeks and just beautiful and painless on the model (unless this photo was taken with the device turned off!) No price is in the ad…not good.

There is also an Ab Stimulator. This seems to do the same thing for your abdominal muscles that the facial toner does for the apples of your cheeks. Electric pulses stimulate the muscles of your abdomen which is supposed to replicate doing sit ups or other exercise. I still can’t get over the possible ouch factor, and don’t think you could walk around in public with one on and keep a straight face!

Another effortless muscle builder is the calf implant (or bicept, thigh, even butt implant) to make it look like you actually spend time in the gym. ALL of these options though definitely come with an ouch factor and not only to the body, but to the pocketbook! Also, I don’t think I would consider surgery nor the use of the requisite pain pills that go with it are really natural!

Laser hair removal is not new. Many people use it to remove hair on the arms, underarms, genitals (major ouch) and for chest and back hair. The use of this “zapping” type of laser needs to be done by a professional with the proper training and who have a very strong stomach for some of what they see! Laser hair removal can only be used on darker hairs though as it cannot easily detect lighter hairs and the process is more random, and with multiple trips and a high cost factor it is not effortless again to the purse! As each follicle is killed, the good news is that it will never grow another hair. The bad news is that it will never grow another hair…in case you change your mind or fashion goes back to the 60s. (Which it WILL, eventually)

On the other hand, laser hair restoration using cool, non detectable lasers to actually be a treatment for thinning hair is rather new on the market. It has been used in salons for some time as a female hair loss treatment, but it involved going into the salon for a 20 minute treatment every other day for months and then maybe down to once a week at the least until you decided to give up due to high gas prices, tight schedules or having everyone wonder just what WAS she doing going to that salon SO often? For men, it was even more of a question. Now, however there IS a home use device called a laser hair brush or a laser hair comb. It is made to be used every other day for 15 minutes a time and can be taken on the road as it just looks like a large paddle brush. It uses cool lasers so there is NO ouch factor, and runs on rechargeable batteries. One brand even comes with a hands-free stand so that you are not holding