Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), the enlargement of the prostate gland, affects more than 80% of men over the age of 80 and is becoming more common among younger men in their 40s and 50s. Symptoms of BPH concern the urogenital system, with frequent urination, feelings of urgency, and difficulty in starting urination the most commonly reported. Severity varies from man to man, as does the pattern and specific symptoms.

Causes of benign prostatic hyperplasia

The general consensus among physicians and medical experts is that hormonal changes due to ageing stimulate the man’s prostate to begin to enlarge, and since the prostate encircles the urethra, the tube through which urine exits the bladder, any enlargement of the prostate gland results in a constricting of the urethra. Depending on the severity of the enlargement and its location, the bladder ends up having to work harder to excrete the urine from the body.

Treatments for BPH

A variety of treatment options are available for BPH and your physician will help you to find the solution that is right for you. Mild symptoms may clear up by themselves, but if more treatment is needed, there are medical and surgical options to choose from. There are several surgical procedures that your doctor may consider, or he may recommend medications, such as Propecia, to help relieve the symptoms.

Getting the right haircut can make a big difference in a man’s appearance. It is important for a man to pick the right style in order to look their best. Getting the perfect haircut might not be as simple as it sounds, however and men may wish to try these tips to achieve a great haircut.

Firstly, men should ensure that they choose the right salon for the job. There are a wide range of hair salons to choose from. Men who are willing to spend the money can even choose a salon that allows them to enjoy drinks while they get their hair cut. Ultimately, word of mouth is very important when it comes to choosing the right salon. Acquiring recommendations may require some men to overcome their hesitance to openly talk about style. However, recommendations from friends are the best way in which a man can find a good hair salon.

Next, it is important for a man to know precisely which type of cut they desire and how to describe it to a professional. The majority of men choose to take a picture of their desired hairstyle into the hair salon with them. It is possible for a man to explain the hairstyle in words. However, when it comes to verbal requests for a haircut, men must detail the specifics and should not forget areas, such as the neck and sideburns, at this stage.

Following a haircut, the hair will be styled. Hair products can assist men in polishing a new look. It is not necessary to break the bank to get good hair products. Cheap, generic products can achieve the perfect look. Men should not be afraid to be daring when it comes to requesting a new hair style. If in doubt, they should look up celebrities and determine the most fashionable styles.

Not quite ready for your beautiful locks to turn grey? According to new reports, you might not have to; L’Oreal provides an answer to stop hair from turning grey.

Researchers and beauty giants have been searching for decades to find an answer to stop grey hair once and for all. Researchers are currently working on a medication that, if taken every day, could help you retain your natural hair colour for as long as possible.

Due to the researchers wanting to avoid a synthetic drug, they have been testing all kinds of natural medication for years. Finally they have found a natural drug which works. It is found in fruit. However, researchers have been careful to not to reveal what the fruit extract is, until the safety trials have been completed in approximately 18 months’ time.

However, it has been released that the drug will be inexpensive and should be taken as a diet supplementary would.

Hairs begin to turn grey after the age of 30, when human cells start a process called oxidative stress, this then makes them less resistant to toxins. The hair pigment cells then die. The pill, however, would help to stop this from happening.

Des Tobin, professor of cell biology at University of Bradford, concludes: ‘With people living longer and working longer, they are in the grey zone for longer and the demand for something like this is huge,’

Many men have to put up with a receding hairline when they get older, some because they are suffering from male pattern baldness (MPB) others because it’s just getting thinner as they age. It’s a fact of life and for most of us there really isn’t much we can do about it, without spending a lot of money.

Those in the entertainment business seem to have quite a hair phenomenon with receding hairlines now becoming advancing hairlines. Because celebrities feel that their hair is important, they take hair loss very seriously and in recent years actors whose thick and glossy mains have become less so have look to treatments to reverse this.

One treatment is using Propecia for hair loss, it is a synthetic 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, in Layman’s terms it prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body and it is used for the treatment of male pattern hair loss on the vertex and the anterior mid-scalp area.

Another treatment is surgical hair restoration or hair transplant as it is known in the media. This is a surgical technique which involves moving individual hair follicles from your body to the balding parts of your head. It is follicles that are genetically resistant to balding which are transplanted to bald scalp. 

A number of male celebrities have been known to use the latter treatment such as Jude Law, Elton John, Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson and John Travolta to name but a few. However you would probably be hard pressed to get confirmation from the celebrities themselves that they had undertaker hair loss treatment at all.

Taking Propecia is cheaper than hair transplant surgery, with medication bought from reputable sights such as www.ukmedix.com however there are a number of side effects with taking it. This is probably why many celebrities chose hair transplants because they can afford the treatments and there are fewer side effects.

Propecia is taken as a treatment for hair loss and the drug is licensed in the UK for this, which means it has been deemed safe and effective to use by the government medical regulatory bodies (MHRA). There were extensive clinical trials for Propecia, before it was authorised on more than 1,000 candidates. During the trial under 2% of Propecia users experienced mild side effects, these included a low sex drive, difficulty in achieving an erection and a decrease in the amount of semen which users had noted they hadn’t suffered from before they started treatment.

With all medications and treatments there is the chance of suffering from some side effects, however a lot of the time it depends on the person rather than the treatment. Some people are lucky and suffer no side effects, other only mild side effects and unfortunately a small portion of people can suffer severe side effects from taking medication, which is why it is necessary to balance out the pros and cons of taking medication.

The most severe side effects which can occur when taking Propecia and which require immediate medical attention include:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue)
Breast enlargement, lumps, pain, or tenderness; depression
Nipple discharge
Testicular pain

It’s not just the side effects from taking Propecia you should also watch out for, you also need to make sure you do not buy counterfeit medication, these can be very damaging to your health and in some circumstances even kill. As always the best thing you can do is visit your doctor for advice, they know your medical history and can advise on what you should and shouldn’t take. You don’t need to be embarrassed about visiting your doctor, taking any type of medication can have serious consequences so you need to make sure what you take is right for you, including hair loss medication after all there may be other medical reasons undiscovered as to why you are losing your hair.

We all know that hair can be expensive to look after and maintain, but there are ways of avoiding the expenses and cutting the costs. Below are a list of tips and advice on on how to make the most of your money, when it comes to hair.

Use a ceramic metal round brush

As well as money, time is also wasted on hair. There are also some corners to be cut here too, like using a ceramic metal round brush for example. The hairbrush works like so…When blow-drying your hair, the metal heats up, this helps to dry your hair faster while also adding more shine to it. Because the brush emits heat, you can also style your hair with the brush. Loose curls are easily possible with just your brush and your hairdryer – eliminating the need for those hot roller sets and curling irons, and improving the quality of your hair.

Use less shampoo

Many women will no vary from their favourite, expensive, high-end shampoos and conditioners, but you can make those bottles last longer and save money with just one simple step in the shower. Simply, squeeze a small dollop into the palm your hand, then take several seconds to rub hands together in order to change the product into a rich lather. Because professional products are often highly concentrated, that smidge of product will increase in volume rapidly, gaining more for your money.

Saving on hairspray

If you want to style your hair yourself at home, then the answer is simple. Do not wash your hair. Hair is more moldable on the second day which means you won’t be working your way through cans of hair spray and masses of other styling products, in an attempt to tame wispy bit of hair etc.

Try Balayage highlights

If you want to lighten your hair with highlights and save money at the same time, then you should opt. for the more authentic-looking version called Balayage. Balayage is sexy ad subtle and its main benefit is that it requires little to no upkeep, the technique used places lighter colours casually through the hair in a way that more naturally reflects lightening after sun exposure. Because there is no upkeep needed, then you’re not spending the cash on salon treatment every 4-6 weeks, like you normally would.

Student nights

If you find yourself always at the salon, then why not take advantage of student nights? Many salons throughout the country offer student nights, so that their students can gain experience. This is a brilliant way to get your hair cut at a low price, just make sure you ask if the trainee is being supervised first! Expect to save 50 to 75% off the regular price of services.

Once a man has all of the fashion elements and is up to date and on trend with his outerwear, clothing, and shoes, the next piece of the puzzle is the hair.  For 2011, there are a few styles to choose from that will keep a man looking current and well groomed.

The faux hawk is back.  Just when it seemed safe to throw away the stronghold gel, this high product style is reinventing itself.  The best part about the recent incarnation is the fact that perfection is not necessary.  The look is imperfect and calls for a few strands to be somewhat out of place.

Long and loose unkempt chic is a look that is taking over the runways this season.  This look is reserved for men with a full head of straight hair.  If hair is thinning or unruly, the result will be disastrous.  The key to this look is effortless sex appeal, not sloppy and stringy.

Curly hair is cool.  Men are once again urged to flaunt their god given natural curl by wearing their curly hair a little bit on the short side and combing it forward.  Again, the look here will be casual and natural but the short length keeps it neat and stylish.

Straight up stylish.  For men who like to wear their hair short, the trend is to wear the hair standing straight up.  It is important to keep this look from appearing too spikey.  

As 2011 is all about revival, it is no surprise that the year’s top hairstyles also follow suit.  As with clothes and accessories, however, stylists are taking the top styles of previous eras and giving them a new twist, quite literally.  Here are the top hairdos of the year.

The Long and the Short of it

Whether long or short hairstyles, 2011’s hair trends borrowed heavily from the 60s and 70s, with short cuts influenced by the waved bob look and mid-length haircuts featuring the fringe and bangs look of the 70s.  Some of the popular longer hairstyles included the double hair knot, the half-braid and the very messy-looking bird’s nest bun. 

The fringe look is best worn thick and long, preferably sweeping the top of the eyes.  This look can either be paired with a bob or a sweet short crop.  Bangs are perfect with shoulder-length or longer hair that is either straight or naturally wavy.

The pixie crop, having received the blessing of a number of fashion icons, has emerged one of the top short styles this year.  Popularized by the likes of Mia Farrow in the Sixties, the way to wear the pixie crop this year is to have the top and sides blend in perfectly, with the top fringe slightly longer than the sides.

Celebrity and street style fashions can be your cue this year when deciding what the hottest hair fads are.  So style those tresses and show off your crowning glory.

Many men suffer from hair loss, or male pattern baldness, (MPB) now for many years, some men would just have to live with the fact that they we losing their hair and would have to put up with it or buy a wig. However now there have been a few medical advances which can reverse the effect of MPB and hair loss.

Most recently England striker has decided to sort out his balding head, after years of torment by his Manchester United teammates he has gone under the knife and had a hair transplant, pictures of which he kindly tweeted. There has also been a string of other celebs that have also opted for this treatment, which we have mentioned in the past trying to reverse their MPB.

Wayne Rooney after hair transplant

However a hair transplant is probably not in the realms of reach for mere men on the street, you do need a large salary to afford it; however there are other methods such as a drug called Propecia, which is a once-a-day tablet that should reduce hair loss. However you do need to keep taking it for the effect to work, which can be a problem if you suffer any unfortunate side effects such as erectile problems or a low sex drive. But then again there is a pill for that too (Levitra)!

There are a couple of old wives tales which may help, but I doubt it, such as:

-Brushing what you have left of your hair vigorously
-Standing on your head
-Smearing cowpat on your head

Really not sure on that last option though, you can also get some over the counter remedies however the results for these do vary.

Propecia (finasteride) for hair loss is a very effective treatment for male pattern baldness.  In this form of hair loss, the pattern of hair growth changes, with the hair in affected areas gradually developing a lighter colour and thinner texture. 

Clinical trials have shown that Propecia can stop hair loss in 90 per cent of men tested over a five-year period.  Two thirds of the men who took the 1mg dose daily regrew hair that had been lost, making it an excellent and effective way to treat what can be a demoralising condition.

If one were to buy Propecia today, it would normally take around three to six months before the full benefits would be noticed.  It is also important to remember that the medication has to be continued indefinitely because once stopped, hair loss will resume.

Women, men under the age of 18, and people who are allergic to finasteride should not use this prescription product.  Propecia is also only intended for men with male pattern hair loss and should not be used where there is a prostate condition because it can affect a blood test called PSA that is used to screen for prostate cancer.

Although the majority of people who take Propecia report no noticeable problems, there are some reported side effects in a small proportion of men taking the medication.  Among these are rash, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, breast discomfort, testicular pain and depression.  Women who are pregnant should not handle crushed or broken tablets.

Propecia comes in the form of a tan, octagonal tablet that is available only in 1mg strength.