Certain hairstyles may be the cause of hair loss in African American women

 

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio conducted a study on the potential causes of scarring and hair loss in African American women, and came up with multi-faced results.

Authors of the study surveyed about 326 black women in order to gather their data. They discovered that central centrifugal cicatricical alopecia (CCCA) – a condition characterized by scarring and hair loss that begins on the center of the scalp and moves outward – is strongly associated with braiding, weaves and type 2 diabetes.

Moreover, these hairstyles and the blood sugar disorder have the potential to cause infections on the scalp. Braids and hair weaves often require the hair to be pulled tightly and, in some cases, for long stretches of time.

"Given the fact that many African American women pay hundreds of dollars to have their hair braided and weaved, they often maintain these hair styles for weeks to months at a time to justify the money spent," wrote the study authors.

Women who are concerned about hair loss or scarring may want to talk to their hair stylist about going back to their natural texture, which can easily be enhanced using black skin care products.

 

Avoid skin complications with type 2 diabetes

 

African Americans are twice as likely to develop diabetes than Caucasians, according to the Wexner Medical Center. While many people understand how this disease can affect their body, they may not know how it can impact their African American skin. Recently, Everyday Health published an article detailing the effects of this disease on skin, and what people can do to avoid these complications.

According to the news source, as many as a third of all people with diabetes will have a skin disorder at some time in their lives, and it may also be a warning sign for the disease. The information provider spoke to Shannon Knapp, R.D., who offered some tips to avoid skin problems when you have diabetes.

First, she recommended keeping your body hydrated by drinking eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day to avoid dry skin.

Next, Knapp suggested carefully taking care of cuts and scrapes.

"Use soap and water to clean a wound, then cover it with a bandage if necessary. If you notice any sign of infection - skin that’s red, swollen, or warm to the touch, or has a foul-smelling drainage or pus - call your doctor immediately. Any injury that takes longer than normal to heal merits a call to your doctor, too," said Knapp, quoted by the news source.

Finally, use SPF regularly to protect against not only diabetes-related conditions, but skin cancer as well. 

Look like a celebrity using expert tips

 

Your African American skin care product can make you feel like a celebrity if you know how to apply it correctly. Luckily, there are many makeup experts out there offering tips to help women look as close to a celeb as possible.

For example, Jeanette Ostergard, the Emmy-award-winning makeup artist for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, recently gave some tips to readers of Allure magazine.

First, she said she likes to avoid anything glittery or iridescent and instead goes for matte products. Next, Ostergard explained how she keeps celebrities from looking sweaty on the show.

"I use cream deodorant on the face if people are really sweaty," said Ostergard, quoted by the news source. "I just put it on under their foundation. I keep it in a little tub, so sometimes they don't even know."

Oprah's makeup artist, Reggie Wells, told O magazine that to find the perfect lipstick color, women should test it on the underside of their wrists, since this area is closer to the color of a person's lips than the top of their hand is. 

Habits that may be ruining your skin

 

Have you ever found that even if you moisturize, exfoliate and use the best African American skin care products on the market, you're still not getting the skin you want? This could be because even if you have a strict skin care regimen, you could still unknowingly be engaging in habits that are damaging your skin. CoolHealthTips.com has a list of these every days things that could be leaving you with a dull complexion.

First, while a glass of red wine may help the skin because of the antioxidants in this beverage, drinking too much alcohol can dehydrate the body and leave skin dry.

Next, sleeping with your makeup on can cause blocked pores and breakouts, so be sure to wash your face before hitting the hay.

Also, the news source pointed out that smoking can do a number on your skin. The Mayo Clinc supports this theory, stating that smoking can speed up the normal aging process of the skin, leading to premature wrinkles.

Finally, you may be eating foods that are damaging you skin. For example, too much salt has been shown to dehydrate the skin. Try to eat more vegetables and fruits, especially those that have antioxidants like pomegranates.