Health & Fitness

Fake cigarettes up smoker's chance of quitting

A new research has indicated that nicotine-free plastic inhalers may increase a smoker's chance of quitting.

The study is the first to assess the effectiveness of using a nicotine-free inhaler to help stop smoking.

The research, which was carried out by scientists at the Universita di Catania in Italy, analysed 120 people who were enrolled in a programme to help them quit smoking.

The participants were split into two groups, with one group receiving the plastic inhalers as a treatment, and the other group following the usual programme.

Whilst there wasn't a significant difference in the quit rates of both groups overall, people who continue to smoke due to the addictive habit and ritual process of "lighting up" had a much higher success rate when using the inhaler.

People who were identified as being heavily dependent on the behavioural pattern of smoking had a quit rate of 66.7 pc in the group using the inhalers, compared with 19.2 pc in the other group.

The results show that for smokers who rely on the handling of a cigarette as a behavioural pattern, nicotine-free inhalers could increase their chance of success when trying to quit smoking.

Professor Riccardo Polosa, Director of the University Institute of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology at the University of Catania in Italy, said: "By showing a clear predictive association between the measure of behavioural dependence and relapse, our study is the first to reveal that the concept of behavioural addiction can be exploited as a useful clinical tool for many smokers willing to quit. This will open up a potentially novel area of research in smoking cessation.

Spoonful of sugar makes infections go down

Just a spoonful of sugar can impart that killing edge to antibiotics against infections.

Researchers found that glucose and fructose -- types of sugar found in plants -- make deadly bugs behind chronic infections more vulnerable to drugs.

Sugar can improve the effectiveness of antibiotics against infections, say researchers.

Such infections often occur when bacteria 'shut down', making antibiotics ineffective against them, reports the journal Nature .

Over time, the bugs, known as 'persisters', return to life, causing patients to relapse, according to the Daily Mail .

Boston University scientists tested the effects of drawing the bacteria out of their hibernation using sugar. They found stimulating the bugs with sugar renders them vulnerable to antibiotic attack.

Testing the strategy on Eschericia coli (E. coli) bacteria, a common cause of urinary infections, the researchers were able to eliminate 99.9 per cent of persisters in just two hours.

Without sugar, the drugs they used had no effect. The team now plans to examine whether sugar additives can help fight tuberculosis

Beauty

Don’t hide that face!

Pigmentation can be easily treated and prevented, says Zeenia F Baria

Suffer from an uneven skin tone? Suddenly discovered patches on your skin? Don't worry, you aren't the only one. Pigmentation affects people of all races and ages. Cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sadhana Deshmukh says that the skin is the largest organ of the body and is made up of two layers - the upper epidermis and the lower dermis. "The epidermis and the dermis are further divided into other layers. The lower most layer of the epidermis is known as the basal layer and contains organelles called melanosomes. These melanosomes contain cells called melanocytes, which produce a pigment called melanin. The colour of skin depends mainly on this melanin and the amount of melanin present in the other layers of the epidermis," says Dr Deshmukh.

What is pigmentation?

- Pigmentation can be of two types - Hypopigmentation and Hyperpigmentation.

- Hypopigmentation (decrease in skin pigmentation) is a condition in which patches of skin become lighter or whiter in colour than the normal surrounding skin.

- Hyperpigmentation is a common and usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in colour than the normal surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin colour, forms deposits in the skin.

Causes

Pigmentation can be caused due to genetics, sun exposure, stress, fluctuating hormones caused by pregnancy and or by birth control pills, menopause, insulin resistance, damage to the skin due to injury or overly aggressive skin care treatment or frequent use of hair dyes.

Dermatologist and cosmetologist Dr Kalpana Sarangi says that while pigmentation is common, it can often be an embarrassing condition. "Many of us accept brown patches of pigmentation as part of growing older.

However, youngsters are easily affected in a negative way when they suffer from imperfect skin. Affecting more women than men, overexposure to sun rays and a daily onslaught of environmental elements such as air pollution and the toxins in our food, all wreak havoc on our skin, damaging cell walls and connective tissue, making skin appear dull and lacklustre. Pigmentation becomes prevalent then," says Dr Sarangi.

According to Cosmetic, plastic and laser surgeon Dr Lakshyajit D Dhami, people living in tropical climates with harsh sun exposure on a daily basis will have more melanin in their skin. "Medically this defends our skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. People less exposed to sunlight will have less melanin and resultant fairer skin colour. Tanning, which occurs due to overexposure to the sun, is the body's defense mechanism to prevent any skin burn or cancerous changes in the skin," he says.

Types

Hyperpigmentation may either be due to increased melanin deposition in the epidermis or dermis.

Melasma: Melasma is uneven production of pigmentation on the face, which presents as dark brown/ black skin patches. Sun exposure is the primary cause while additional factors may include certain medications or health issues, hormonal imbalances caused by pregnancy/ menopause or use of oral contraceptives.

Peri-orbital melanosis: Also known as dark circles, this may be hereditary or caused due to stress or eye strain.

Freckles: Freckles are most visible on people who have a light complexion. Having freckles is genetic but sun damage can cause excessive and uneven freckles.

Photo-melanosis: This is increased pigmentation due to sun exposure on exposed skin, commonly on the face, neck. back and arms. The pigmentation may be patchy or diffused.

Sun burn: A condition commonly encountered in fair skinned people due to excessive sun exposure.

Prevention and cure

- One of the best ways to avoid pigmentation is to fastidiously apply a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30+, which will block both UVA and UVB light. The sunscreen needs to be applied every three to four hours if you're outdoors. - Topical creams containing hydroxy quinone, tretinoin, topical steroids, alpha hydroxy acid creams, azelic acid or kojic acid should be used at nightime together with sunblock during the day. Oral use of antioxidants also help in reducing pigmentation. - If creams do not work, chemical peels, microdermabrasion or fractional lasers are further treatment options. These procedures require multiple sessions at intervals of one to four weeks.

Freckles, age spots and other darkened skin patches can become darker or more pronounced when skin is exposed to the sun. This happens because melanin absorbs the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays in order to protect the skin from overexposure. The usual result of this process is skin tanning, which tends to darken areas that are already hyperpigmented.

Treat your scalp burn

Many people complain of scalp burns after getting their hair treated with chemical relaxers. Chemical relaxers are products that are used to straighten hair or loosen hair-curls by breaking the disulphide bonds of the hair. The chemicals which are used in these treatments are not just harsh on the hair follicle but can also weaken the hair shaft resulting in hair loss. Hair straightening and other treatments that require applying harsh chemicals on hair can also cause scalp burns, bald spots, scabs and dry patches. Here are ways to treat scalp burns caused by chemical relaxers.

- Never scratch your scalp or pick on your scab (this is a patchy layer, formed due to burnt and damaged skin on the scalp). Usually, when you have an infected scalp, you will have a greater tendency to itch. Avoid this if you don't want the infection to aggravate. Also, avoid picking on your scab with your nails as this can increase the infection.

- Untangle hair around the scalp burn. Use a wide-tooth comb to separate hair that is stuck together by starting from the ends of the hair. Do not comb close to the scalp burn lest you may aggravate the problem.

- Use an anti-bacterial ointment on your scab by applying it on a clean cotton swab. Using an aloe vera-based natural remedy soothes and heals burns best, but use one that will not further infect the area.

- To wash your hair, it is recommended to use a gentle shampoo. It is best to avoid chemical based shampoos at this stage. Use luke-warm water to rinse off the shampoo. Also, avoid using any other chemicals like serum, hair sprays etc.

- Use a leave-in conditioner with vitamin E to nourish dry scalp. You can also apply a hair lotion which has a combination of Vitamin E and aloe vera, by parting hair section wise and applying it on the scalp. Vitamin E heals the scalp burn while aloe vera reduces any form of itchiness.

- Don't use a blow dryer. Protect your scalp from further damage, by reducing any form of heat on it.

Fashion

Couture calling

The good: The first day of the on-going Fashion Week in the city saw models showing off creations by designers Nida Mahmood, Shaina NC, Meera and Muzaffar Ali and Sonia Punwani.

Hyderabad's swish set sauntered in to check out what's hot and later, made a beeline for the retail area to lay their hands on the best stuff!

The bad: The show started much later then the scheduled time... (Now, why does that fail to surprise us!)

The crowd on the first day was sparse, and many designers were heard cribbing about the 'no show'. But what was particularly annoying was this one socialite who actually dragged her toddler, barely two, to the hi-fi event! The restless lil' tot was seen running around all over the place, and scrambling up the ramp during breaks. Surprisingly, the preening mom did little to control the lil' one, even as other socialites raised their eyebrows and tch-tched the fact that the baby was up way past bed time!

Sari dominates Day 1 of Hyderabad Fashion Week

Ethnic Indian wear, particularly the sari, dominated the ramp on the opening day of Hyderabad Fashion Week here on Tuesday.

Fusion saris dominated the gamut of outfits showcased by leading designer Shaina N.C. as part of the pre-fall collection.

"I have done innovative concept saris. I have draped the sari in 54 innovative styles and my only endeavour is to make the sari not just the national costume but to take it to the international platform so that we can truly do India proud," she said.

Nida Mahmood, a Delhi-based designer, also showcased her collection of western casuals and Indian-wear inspired by Bollywood films and poster art.

Models donned her collection of technicolor shirts, jackets, casual and Indian wear, picked out in stylish contours. "Well, this collection is called Bioscope Remix and I am trying to work on some thing which is very inspired from India. We have a lot of prints, which are inspired from ''Maachis'' (matchstick) that is a collection that I made recently.

Like the name suggests, it is inspired from matchboxes across the country, so that is a part of the collection. Then I also have a whole line which has been hand-painted by the poster artists who went out of work, say, about 15 years ago so there is an entire line which is a tribute to the artists who suddenly went out of work because of the sudden influx of digitalisation," said Mahmood.

The fashion week ends on May 12.

Parties

DJ Kiran's ramp and pool party

In an evening of summer glam, designer duo Rakhi-Tarak unveiled their new Cocktail Wear Collection at Reverb recently, in association with Richie Arora.

Innovatively titled 'Beat to Fashion', the show saw aspiring models, who'd been given a Tiffany makeover by Shival Ghai, walking the ramp in outfits with jewel embroidery.

When asked why they chose to show a cocktail collection instead of a spring summer one, Tarak said, "We wanted to do something different, like an outfit that can be worn at a poolside party, at a formal event or at any other place. That's why ponchos make up a significant part of our collection. Now, all those beautiful women can take off their ponchos and jump right into the pool!"

Bharat and Reshma, who were also present at the do, looked very much in love that evening. "We completed 10 years of our marriage some time ago, and before that, we were dating for six years," Reshma smiled. The party continued into the wee hours as the crowd danced to the infectiously upbeat tunes of DJ duo Kiran and Annie Benn.

Rohit Bal's fun-filled b'day bash

On Sunday night, fashion designer Rohit Bal celebrated his 50th birthday with his close friends and family members .

The fun-filled event saw the who's who of Delhi coming to wish the birthday boy. In fact, the guests at the party arrived much before Gudda did, as they all wanted to give him a surprise, wearing masks that had Gudda's face printed on them. Happy and excited to see his friends, Gudda said, "I'm so happy to have all my friends here. It's amazing to see everyone wearing that mask, too. I just can't believe it. Thank you all for giving me so much love."

Relationships

Childcare is for mothers, helps marriage too

A study has suggested a minimum role for fathers in childcare, especially for pre-school kids, besides stating that the families where mothers single-handedly take care of tasks like feeding and bathing witness less conflicts.

The fathers should spend more time playing with their children, the research study conducted by Ohio State University further states.

The results of the Ohio State University study do not surprise Relationships Australia (New South Wales) acting chief executive officer Lyn Fletcher, who said mothers often found it difficult to "give up control" of care-giving duties for their children even if they say they want their partner's help.

"It's not about the fathers doing those tasks, it's how they do them," The Daily Telegraph quoted Fletcher as saying.

"Mothers are often very definite about the way they think things should be done in relation to caring for their children.

"If she thinks the father is not doing things to the standard she would, then it can lead to conflict.

"Sometimes mothers need to learn not to worry about small things that don't really matter and just focus on the fact that their partner is helping with the children."

Father of four James Windsor is living proof that fathers can be the ones responsible for care-giving duties for young children.

Windsor, 42, has been a stay-at-home dad to his four children Lily, 6, Jack, 5, Lucas, 4, and Zoe, 2, since late 2008 while his wife works.

"It was difficult at first because I had to get used to being responsible for the traditionally female tasks of cooking and cleaning for the children," the father from Northbridge, a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, said.

"But my wife and I were always fairly equal in terms of the work that we do around the house and with the kids."

The researchers observed over 100 couples caring for their toddlers before asking them to return one year later.

The research study's results showed that, in general, when fathers indicated they played more with their child at the beginning of the study, the couple showed more supportive co-parenting a year later.

Feeding your baby?

While it is great news when your baby starts eating solid food, you also need to be extra careful about what goes into their delicate tummies. Ask your paedriatrician which foods to start your baby on. Food allergies are a common complaint during this time. Remember to start your baby on new foods slowly.

Avoid giving your baby three new foods in the course of a day or two - you won't know which of the foods was the culprit in case your baby has an allergic reaction. Every time you give your baby a new food, wait for a couple of days before giving them something new. Experts say that there are more than 160 allergenic foods, but the most common culprits are milk, eggs, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, fish, soy and wheat.

Allergic reactions to foods can appear within a few minutes to a couple of hours. Look out for hives, rashes, swelling of the face or tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, wheezing, difficulty in breathing or loss of consciousness. If you see your baby can't breathe, is developing fast swelling on the face, vomitting violently, rush to the hospital. In case of mild symptoms, like hives or rashes, speak to your doctor who will conduct allergy tests. Once allergies are identified, your doctor will tell you exactly how to manage them.

However, experts also say that sometimes a baby may have a mild allergy to a new food, which may go away in time. Many experts also recommend waiting till your baby is at least 10 months before giving them foods like peanuts, eggs and fish. They say that even if there's no risk of an allergy, an older baby will be able to deal with it better in case there is one.

Remember to avoid giving whole cow's milk if your child still hasn't turned one year old. The proteins found in whole milk are known to upset the stomach. however, go ahead with curd and soft cheeses since proteins in these dairy products are broken down and less likely to cause problems. Wait till your child is at least two (to be on the safe side) to introduce honey, which can cause a serious disease called infant botulism.