Propecia (finasteride) pills

Hairstylists can do more than make their clients look good, they may also be helpful in getting some elderly people the health-care services they need, an Ohio State University study suggests.

A survey of 40 stylists in the Columbus, Ohio-area found that most develop long-term relationships with their older clients, and these seniors tend to talk freely about their troubles — including those with family, health, depression and anxiety.

The hairstylists, in turn, told researchers that they thought they could do a good job recognizing symptoms of depression, dementia and self-neglect in their elderly clientele, although they don’t necessarily know what help to recommend in these situations.

According to the findings released online in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the Journal of Applied Gerontology, the stylists revealed that most do offer sympathy and encouragement to their clients, and they would even be willing to go as far as referring the person to a helpful community service. Unfortunately, less than half of those surveyed said they knew what these local services might be.

“It seems like a perfect set-up — stylists have access to older adults who may need someone to point them to the help they need. But at least this sample of stylists suggests they don’t know what services are out there to help these folks,” study co-author Keith Anderson, an assistant professor of social work at Ohio State University, said in a university news release.

Still, several have tried to offer advice to their clients and about one-quarter have attempted to convince a client to seek professional help at some time.

“While not expecting too much beyond the scope of their jobs, we may be able to help stylists direct elderly people in trouble to community services,” noted Anderson, who suggested salons be provided with brochures and other information about these services available to the elderly.

Anderson and colleagues conducted the study to test the popular notion of “salon therapy,” in which barbers and hairstylists offer sympathetic ears and act as world-weary counselors to clients who are under their care for long periods on a regular basis.

“Their older clients may sit in a chair for an hour or longer while they’re having their hair done, and this may happen once or twice a month. So stylists are in a good position to recognize when things change with a client, and when they may need help,” he said.

A national program to promote awareness of domestic violence, called “Cut It Out,” already helps hairstylists recognize when clients may be victims and how to help them. While a similar program could help stylists spot mental and physical health problems in seniors, the Ohio survey found that less than half of those polled showed interest in receiving such training.

“We can’t expect them to do everything, but our results suggest that most stylists care about their clients and would be willing to help them,” Anderson stated in the news release.

Love your afternoon pick-me-up? A blended coffee beverage might hit the spot but pack on the pounds, a new study suggests.

A survey of about 3,000 purchases from 115 restaurant chains in New York City found that servings of brewed coffee or tea average about 63 calories, even when some include milk and sugar. But get a blended beverage and you’re looking at 239 calories on average — 89 more than you’re likely to find in a can of soda.

A large ice-blended beverage, meanwhile, can reach 750 calories or more. At one coffee chain, 8 percent of the customers interviewed bought the largest size of a blended drink, which can boast 860 calories.

“The popularity of blended coffee beverages has grown in recent years,” Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City’s health commissioner, said in a news release from the city’s Health Department. “Unfortunately, many of these drinks are loaded with calories. Your afternoon pick-me-up may be weighing you down.”

Research suggests that 17 percent of U.S. adults buy one of these blended drinks each day.

What to do? Beverages such as coffee and tea can have fewer than 10 calories, although you might need to studiously ignore those sugar packets, the health department suggests. Low-fat or skim milk can help, too, as can getting a “small” size if the drink is sugar-sweetened and flavoring it yourself.

Unless a celebrity makes a point of raising awareness, hair loss, and particularly female hair loss, is not often discussed in the media. As a result there is a high degree of confusion over the different types of hair loss women suffer from and the treatment that is available. Here is a summary of the hair loss conditions most commonly experienced by women and how to deal with them.

Female Pattern Hair Loss
Also known as Androgenetic Alopecia, Female Pattern Hair Loss affects between 40 and 50% of the female population. It is caused by the same hormone that causes Male Pattern Baldness – Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Whereas men will eventually go bald, women tend to experience an all-over thinning. It is quite common, affecting 1 in 10 pre-menopausal women. After the menopause, the condition affects around 50% of women. Some women can see signs while in their 20s or even earlier. Hair loss can be highly distressing for women however stress can also exacerbate the shedding.