Hygiene Tips

Hygiene tips in everyday language.

August 15, 2011
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Animal Hygiene and Children

A pet can be a good buddy for any Child. Teaching your child to maintain high animal hygiene standards can help it develop empathy and kindness and to learn how to be responsible for the pet’s welfare. A child that learns the importance of healthcare and cleanliness for a pet will take on a more responsible attitude towards its own health too.

Children of all ages can be encouraged to look after a pet. This will enable them to be responsible towards the pet’s needs and teach them many basic skills, from diet to hygiene. Continue Reading →

August 14, 2011
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Dandruff Management

Dandruff is a common scalp disorder that causes excessive shedding of skin cells from the scalp, leading to itching and irritation of the skin.

It is normal for some dead cells to be shredded off the skin, including the scalp, as part of the skin’s renewal process. However, certain triggers, such as exposure to extreme temperatures and certain chemicals, may cause the scalp’s cells to flake off rapidly and in large amounts.

Dandruff can affect anyone regardless of age, sex or race and there are three main causes (or requirements) for it and they are explained below. Continue Reading →

August 12, 2011
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Hair loss and how Hygiene can make a difference

Hair loss (alopecia) more commonly affects adult men but to some extent, hair loss can affect both men and women of all ages. Obviously, it is normal to lose some hair on a regular basis and this is both natural and desirable, as it helps renew your hair. Good personal hygiene can help to keep your hair more healthy and limit hair loss too.

 

Genetic Predisposition

A major cause for hair loss is genetic predisposition, which is more prominent to men and causes male pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia. Sadly there is little to be done for hair loss due to genetic reasons by means of good hygiene. However, it is good to know that different types of hair have different needs and require different kind of attention.

The good news is that most other types of hair loss can be dramatically affected by maintaining good hygiene practices so let’s see about them.

 

Sebum

Sebum is the oily substance that is secreted by the sebaceous glands within the hair follicles. Sebum in correct amounts is both desirable and beneficial as it keeps the hair healthy and allows it to grow strong by protecting it and keeping it lubricated as it grows out of the follicle.

On certain occasions and especially when the body experiences hormonal imbalances (most commonly during pregnancy and puberty) sebum is produced in excess quantities and may cause problems that could lead to partial hair loss. Regular washing (but not over washing as we will see in the next chapter) is recommended to maintain a healthy amount of sebum on your scalp.

 

Over Washing your Hair

Over washing the hair is one of the prominent causes that increase hair loss. While the hair is washed, many healthy hairs fall out due to the stress applied to them. However, during hair washing the scalp is stimulated and dead and weakened hairs fall out, encouraging hair growth. The truth is that most of the times over washing affects hair loss more than washing too little.

 

Hair Styling

The kind of styling you chose for your hair directly affects the time they will stay on your head. Some hair styles are more stressful to the hair than others. Specifically curling or straightening the hair is particularly stressful to the hair follicles as well as the hairs themselves.

Frequent drying, coloring, straightening, combing and use of certain hair products and tools can directly affect your hair’s health. Hair conditioners are usually helpful to maintain proper hair hygiene, especially for people with dry or over styled hair.

 

So, keeping your hair clean and in healthy condition will encourage hair growth. Remember that over washing can be harmful as well as the excessive use of hair products and too much styling.

August 11, 2011
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Ear Hygiene Basics

Keeping your ears in a healthy condition is not hard as long as you follow some easy steps and have some basic knowledge on the subject. There are some common misconceptions surrounding proper ear hygiene, so we are here to clean some things up.

 

Hearing problems and Prevention

Hearing problems, ranging from mild hearing loss to total loss of hearing, are most commonly caused by blockage in the ear canal or from injury, infection or inflammation, especially in the ear drum.  Thankfully you can treat most hearing problems by dealing with them early on. There are many signs that hearing problems might be developing, the most common being mild hearing loss, ear ringing, itching and pain in the ear.

To maintain a healthy ear you should regularly visit a doctor or an ear specialist for ear check-ups and wax removal, advisably at least once a year. If you suspect that you might have a hearing problem, you should immediately consult your doctor to catch the problem at an early stage.

Remember, the ear cleans itself naturally so using cotton swabs to clean the inside of the ear is not recommended. If you must clean your ear, use the tip of a clean towel instead and never insert it in the inner ear area.

Finally, the ear can be temporarily or even permanently damaged by loud noises. Therefore it is best to avoid loud places or use ear plug or other protective equipment if you need to stay in such environments for prolonged periods of time (such as your workplace).

 

Ear Wax

Ear wax, unless it’s produced in abnormal levels, is beneficial for the ear to function correctly and stay healthy. Ear wax protects the ear from foreign bodies that may enter the inner ear canal.  Only if ear wax is produced in excess can it potentially cause problems. Extra ear wax can become hardened as it does not exit the ear and become stuck in it. Pieces of hardened ear wax can limit your hearing abilities and pose a danger of damaging the ear drum if not removed by a medical practitioner or ear specialist.

August 10, 2011
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Pet Health and Cleanliness Measures

A healthy pet is a happy pet and taking care of any pet to make sure it stays healthy should be a serious responsibility for all pet owners.

The needs of pets vary across the different kinds and species but some things apply to any pet, be it cat, dog, bird or something more exotic.

First and foremost, every pet must stay healthy and free of germs and parasites. This is most important not only for the pet’s wellbeing but to also ensure the owner’s and other humans’ good health, since a diseased pet can infect humans too.

Washing and grooming a pet (if its species allows it) not only keeps the pet clean and hygienic but also allows us to spot any physical problems or other underlying medical conditions as they develop and therefore prevent diseases and health problems early on.

All pets need a balanced diet to fulfill their nutritional needs in order to stay healthy. The pet’s diet must be rich in energy as well as proteins and it is generally better to buy specially prepared animal feeds instead of preparing our pet’s food ourselves. A poor diet will make a pet ill and weaken its immune system.

Many pets need regular exercise. This is true for dogs of all sizes as well as most other mammalian pets.

Pets should undergo regular health checks to ensure they stay in good physical state and healthy. Pets should be taught to accept things like baths, health checks, routine treatments and other procedures vital for their health so they are more cooperative not only with the owners but with veterinary experts too. Moreover, some mammalian pets and especially dogs should be regularly examined for periodontal diseases and problems in their mouths. Pet oral hygiene can dramatically increase the lifespan of dogs, horses and other animals.

Vaccinating your pets and having regular check-ups done should not be neglected if you want them to live long, healthy lives.

 

Remember that prevention is always preferable to treatment (and also cheaper!) It is easy to keep your pets clean and healthy and this will lead to a better quality of life for both you and your pets.