The Info Revealers

Many people think of hair loss as a male problem, but it also affects at least a third of women. But unlike men, women typically experience thinning hair without going bald, and there can be a number of different underlying causes for the problem. "Some are associated with inflammation in the body. Some are female-pattern hair loss," says Dr. Deborah Scott, assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Hair Loss Clinic at Brigham and Women's Hospital. But the good news is that in many cases this hair loss can be stabilized with treatment, and it may be reversible. When it's not, there are a number of new cosmetic approaches that can help. Understanding hair loss The first step in dealing with thinning hair is determining what's happening inside your body that is causing those extra strands to cling to your shoulders and your brush. Some hair loss is normal. Everyone loses hair as part of the hair's natural growth cycle, wh...

  Here's information and advice about dealing with common eye-related issues. Maybe you’ve started to notice an itchy, burning sensation in your eyes, or your eyes appear red or watery. Questions about these common symptoms are among the most frequent things people ask eye doctors. Fortunately, these issues are usually temporary and easy to address. We asked Dr. Amy Watts, director of the Optometry and Contact Lens Service at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear, to answer the top five questions she gets from her patients. Q: Why do my eyes often burn or feel gritty? A burning or gritty sensation is a classic symptom of dry eye, which is common in older adults. Living in a dry climate makes people more prone to dry eye. So does not blinking frequently enough, which can happen if you log long hours on a computer. Drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks when using a computer. When you notice dry eye symptoms, close your eyes for a few minutes, which can help rehydrate ...

  Unhealthy habits and underlying conditions contribute to interrupted sleep. The world looks sunny after a great night's rest. But it's a different story when sleep is frequently interrupted. A lack of z's makes it harder to think and easier to become irritated and anxious. In the long term, inadequate sleep increases your risk for obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even premature death. That makes it important to figure out what's interrupting your sleep. 1. It could be your age Older adults tend to have more interrupted sleep, although you shouldn't automatically blame frequent waking on your age. Sometimes older adults find they wake early in the morning, when they feel they should be sleeping. But that often reflects your schedule for sleeping and waking, not disrupted sleep. You may get sleepier earlier as you age, reflecting a natural shift in your circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle. If you go to sleep at 8 p.m., then your natural w...