MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012
H E A LT H
Treatment for phantom sounds of tinnitus Exposure to loud noise could lead to hearing loss
Men’s skin needs care too BERLIN: Men’s skin is generally more tolerant and rugged than women’s, but men still need regular treatments, including moisturizers and lotions. When it comes to product selection, they can quickly feel overwhelmed. There are moisturizers for the face, gels for the eyes and body lotions. How many different products does a man really need? Are soap and water good enough? Elena Helfenbein, a beauty expert with a Berlin-based cosmetics association, says skin care is an important area for men. “Having a dressing table full of cosmetics is no longer an expression of a feminine streak, rather it is a sign of ambition, motivation and a modern approach to clean living.” The following tips help men with personal hygiene from head to toe. Hair: Total personal hygiene starts with the hair. “Some men like to refuse additional hair care. Others worry that conditioners will make their hair too soft for styling with gel or wax,” said Jenny Pohl, a spokeswoman for the German association of manufacturers and sellers of medicine, health foods, health supplements and personal care products. Men who try a hair treatment for the first time often change their opinion. Leave-in conditioners are especially popular, Pohl said. Face: “Because a man’s skin is different from a women’s, he shouldn’t simply dip into and use her facial creams,” said Heike M. Falkenstein, a cosmetician in Germany. “Special men’s skin care products are more suitable for men.” Pohl added that skin care products to reduce wrinkles should moisturize the skin and contain little oil. The cream also should have UV protection especially because a man’s risk of getting skin cancer is three times higher than a woman’s. A toner is also recommended, but men should spray it on or use their hands to pat it onto their face the way they put on aftershave. These are better ways to apply toner than using a cotton pad because it can get caught in stubble, said Pohl. Helfenbein said a peeling is also good for a man’s face. Some men like using a small appliance for peelings because they like operating the device. Others don’t care for them because they can be
uncomfortable over their facial hair. Shaving: Before a wet shave Pohl recommends a fat-free gel or light-fat emulsion. Ingredients such as aloe vera, calendula, hamamelis or camomile have an anti-inflammatory effect. An aftershave or lotion with or without alcohol is recommended after shaving. These products relax and disinfect the skin and close the pores. Body: Falkenstein said in the summer men should use a light moisturizing body lotion. A richer body lotion can be applied in the winter. Helfenbein said body creams or body butter often contain too many lipids for men’s skin. Therefore men prefer refreshing lotions with a fresh or masculine scent. As a rule floral fragrances aren’t well received by men. Nails: To add the finishing touch to a man’s personal care routine the focus turns to the nails. Falkenstein recommends a pedicure every two weeks to remove calluses and trim the toenails. Salicylic acid removes calluses and prevents scars. Men can also consider polishing their fingernails, a practice that is no longer taboo. Clear polish leaves the nails looking well groomed and shiny, which can be particularly desirable for businessmen. Shopping tips: Because men’s epidermis has more layers of cells and the dermis has more collagen than women’s skin, men’s skin is about 20 per cent thicker, said Birgit Huber of the industry association for personal hygiene and wash products in Germany. “Men’s skin has a higher relief, is robuster and it can better tolerate environmental factors such as sun and dry air from air-conditioning systems,” said Huber. However, they still must look after their skin and Huber noted that they can be very choosy. Men want cosmetics that provide immediate effects and clearly definable goals, said Huber. “They reject having a lot of products,” she added. “Practical, uncomplicated and fast-working is what the products should be. For example, a shower gel for skin and hair and an aftershave that also offers care for the day.” Pohl recommends products with natural ingredients. Mineral oils, silicon and similar ingredients have no business on men’s skin. — dpa
BERLIN: It can be a whistling, a clicking, a ringing or a hissing that no-one else hears because it exists only in the person’s own ears. The phantom sounds are called tinnitus and their cause is not entirely clear. For some people, the sounds go away by themselves in a few days. Other people have to live with them for decades. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help sufferers not to focus on the noises constantly, and scientists in Mainz have offered CBT online for the first time in Germany — with success. There are various definitions of tinnitus. “We say it’s any noise in the ears that has no external source,” said Maria Kleinstaeuber, a psychologist at Mainz University. “Stress and a heavy workload alone don’t cause tinnitus,” remarked Wolfgang Delb, a professor at Heidelberg University ’s Mannheim Faculty of Medicine. He said that long-term exposure to loud noise could lead to hearing loss and subsequently to tinnitus. Inner ear inflammation or exposure to a very loud bang can also trigger tinnitus, Kleinstaeuber said. As she explained it, inner ear damage prevents passage of a sufficient amount of electrical impulses from the ear to the brain. “The brain then tries to compensate” by creating sounds itself and these can become chronic, she said. Delb noted that infusions used to be the standard treatment for acute tinnitus, the aim being to thin the blood and hence improve circulation in the inner ear. “ There’s no absolute scientific proof that they help, however, although a good case can be made that they do,” he said. Someone afflicted with hearing loss in addition to tinnitus can get relief by using a hearing aid that blocks out background noises. This would make it easier to follow conversations. But the efficacy of a hearing aid for tinnitus alone has not been verified, according to the German government-backed Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health
Care (IQWiG). Sound generators are also used to treat tinnitus. They produce white noise aimed at masking it. There is no clear scientific proof of their efficacy either, pointed out Delb, who has done research on trends in tinnitus treatment. The same can be said, the IQWiG noted, about acupuncture, hypnosis, ear-canal magnets, yoga, relaxation techniques, electromagnetic stimulation and oxygen therapy. Many tinnitus sufferers therefore have no choice but to live with the phantom sounds. Cognitive behavioural therapy can help by teaching them to divert their concentration to other sounds. If the therapy goes very well, it is tantamount to a cure, Delb said, adding: “At best, the noises in the person’s ears won’t matter anymore.” Scientists from Sweden’s Linkoping
University have transferred this approach to the internet by developing an online training programme that they tested with researchers from Mainz University. Participants of their study either attended group therapy sessions or completed a 10-week online course in which they downloaded texts and worked through exercise sheets. At the end of each week, they consulted with their therapist via email. Participants from both groups learned relaxation techniques along with ways to divert their attention away from their tinnitus. The results of the online therapy were just as good as those of group therapy — in both cases, tinnitus sufferers were able to significantly reduce their suffering and better accept their condition so that it no longer dominated their lives. — dpa
Some tinnitus patients with hearing loss experience reduction in their tinnitus.
Pink garlic from Spain: Fit for a king MADRID: Victoria Beckham is reputed to have complained that Spain smells of garlic. This derogatory remark did not serve to increase her popularity with Spaniards. Garlic is one of the most common ingredients in Spanish cuisine but its aroma is certainly not as ubiquitous as Beckham may have imagined. However, if the wife of former Real Madrid footballer David had visited Las Pedroneras during her time in Spain she would probably have immediately departed the country. That’s because in this area about 160 kilometres south-east of Madrid it’s possible to smell garlic from miles away during harvest season in summer. The 7,000 inhabitants of Las Pedroneras are proud that their municipality is k nown as the World’s Capital of Garlic.
It’s not just because of the large quantity of garlic grown here that Las Pedroneras has achieved fame, it’s down to the high quality as well. For connoisseurs the special variety of pink garlic grown here under ideal conditions is the best in the world. The bulb of the plant with its characteristic pink colour has a powerful odour and a hot, spicy flavour. Spain is among the most impor tant garlic producing nations in the world. According to the country’s agriculture ministry, about 125,000 tons of garlic were grown in Spain last year, of which just 400 tons were of the pink variety from Las Pedroneras. The volume of garlic grown in Spain has fallen due to cheaper imports from China. Prices have also fallen. According to the San Isidro garlic farmers’ association, a kilogram of Spanish pink garlic
costs about five dollars and is 19 cents cheaper than in 2010. Thanks to its status Las Pedroneras has been hosting the International Garlic Trade Fair since 1973. At the end of August an award is given to the person judged to have worked the most in promoting garlic. The town of Las Pedroneras is also mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records: in 1998 one of the local tradesmen succeeded in weaving a 70-metre -long strand of garlic plants together. Pink garlic from Las Pedroneras has European Protected Geographical Status thanks to its high quality. The plants are sold mainly to Spanish restaurants with a small portion going to export. The most prominent customers are the Spanish royal household and the Vatican in Rome. Aside from its culinary value,
pink garlic from Las Pedroneras is also known for its health benefits. According to a study performed by Madrid’s Ramon y Cajal hospital, Las Pedroneras has the lowest levels of stomach ulcers and tumours in the whole of Spain. And it’s already known to medicine that garlic is good for the circulation, can protect against blood clots and reduce cholesterol levels. But in Las Rejas restaurant in Las Pedroneras pink garlic is appreciated for its culinary quality. The restaurant has one Michelin star and is regularly visited by Spanish royalty. The minimum price per menu is 105 dollars. The restaurant’s speciality dish is traditional Castilian cold garlic soup. For desert patrons can pick garlic ice cream - something that Victoria Beck ham might well choose to do without. —dpa