Preparing for Cancer Related Hair and Skin Changes

After receiving a cancer diagnosis, the last thing on your mind is your hair and skin. However, hair loss and skin changes are a very real and emotion-filled part of cancer treatment for most women. Women who think ahead and plan for these changes may find themselves less stressed and surprised than those who are not prepared. Follow the tips below to stay ahead of the wave and keep your hair and skin healthy.

1. Revitalize your skincare routine. The American Cancer Society discusses the possible skin changes that may occur during treatment, which include color changes, redness, itching, peeling, dryness, rashes, and acne. In light of these changes to your skin, your skin care routine should shift accordingly. Chemocare.com suggests staying away from perfumed products, bubble baths, and lanolin-based creams and lotions. These ingredients dry out your skin. Check the ingredients of the products you currently use. If one of your favorite products contains ingredients that may further irritate your skin, don't throw it away! Just place the products aside until your cancer treatment is over. Temporarily replace these products with more gentle scrubs and cleansers. Substances that keep your skin hydrated include petroleum and mineral oil. Use bath oils instead of soap to keep your skin looking fresh and healthy on a daily basis
   
2. Choose a hair care expert. Do your research before heading to any old store to purchase a wig. It’s important to find a professional hair loss expert in your area who will take the time to consider the options with you. Jan Ping, Emmy-winning TV cosmetologist, hairstylist and cancer survivor, says, “going to a professional experienced in hair loss and hair replacement is important because they can help you and guide you through all the stages of hair loss. Trusting someone else can be a relief when you’re not feeling well.
   
3. Choose a wig early. When it comes to selecting a hairpiece, it’s best to take care of as much as you can pre-treatment. Women who visit a hair loss professional before losing their hair will find it much easier to select a hair loss solution that matches the color and style of their natural hair. Also, making decisions when you’re feeling healthy is much easier than choosing a wig or hair prosthesis during cancer treatment, after you have already begun to lose your hair. Your skin color and tone may look different during treatment, which may call for a hair color adjustment that may be slightly lighter or darker than your natural color. When you meet with a hair loss professional whom you trust, you can speak candidly with that person about exactly how you’d like for your hair to look.

Caring for your skin and hair is caring for yourself. Many women have kept the same skin and hair care routine for years. Even though shifting a pattern is difficult, it is essential to change your routine when your skin and hair undergo changes. If you’re coping with symptoms that are expected during cancer care, remain patient with the process and treat yourself gently.

References
American Cancer Society. Understanding Chemotherapy. A Guide for Patients and Families. http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/treatmenttypes/chemotherapy/understandingchemotherapyaguideforpatientsandfamilies/understanding-chemotherapy-more-side-effects-skin-and-nail-changes

National Cancer Institute. Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects. Skin and Nail Changes. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/chemo-side-effects/skin-and-nail

New Years Hair Resolutions

So you've probably made some New Years resolutions. Maybe you've committed to having more consistent communication with your family, exercising at least three times a week, or replacing your current job with one that evokes passion and excitement. Our guess is that your hair worked just as hard as you did in 2011. How about including some promises to your hair for 2012, too? Below are a few suggested hair resolutions that will keep your hair thick, healthy, and beautiful for the next year.

Go Heat Free. Applying heat to your hair is damaging and drying to your locks. Most women dry their hair with a blow-dryer after a wash. Although this dries your hair faster than air drying and may achieve a particular style, it can be damaging to your hair. In 2012, try to air dry your hair at least once or twice a week. In addition to taking away the heat, try adding a hair mask to your routine. Hair masks are perfect for reversing damage caused by heat. Applying a hair mask every other week will add moisture to your locks, prolong hair color, and strengthen damaged hair. "The more you play with your hair, the more volume you will get," says Louise O'Connor, owner of OC61 Salon & Spa in New York City.

Stop Length Checking. Measuring the amount of monthly (or weekly) hair growth can be infuriating, especially if your hair grows at a snail's pace. In 2012, pride yourself on the health of your hair rather than the length of your hair. Women who are measuring every millimeter of hair growth often forgo frequent cuts that keep hair healthy and shaped. Regardless of how fast (or slow) your hair grows, resolve to make a date with your hairdresser every six weeks for a quick trim. "Many times a hairdresser can do more for you than I can," says Philadelphia dermatologist George Cotsarelis, M.D., director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic. Hair will also grow faster if you fortify damaged strands and ends in between trims. Always use a good quality conditioner. It is important to keep your hair moisturized, especially during the colder months.

Individualize Your Routine. Be flexible with your style and your hair routine. What works for your co-worker, best friend, or sister-in-law may not work for you. Make an appointment with a trained hair professional to understand your hair type and create an individualized hair care routine. Do you have thin or thick hair? Is your hair soft and healthy or frizzed and damaged? Are you shedding more hair than usual? Have you lost a majority of your hair and are shopping for a hair loss solution? Regardless of your current hair situation, it’s time to individualize your routine and get your hair healthy. Choosing the appropriate shampoo and conditioner can make all the difference. Additionally, you might experiment with hair masks and thickening creams if your hair has been damaged by heat. If you are experiencing shedding or hair loss, consult a local hair loss consultant to review your options for hairpieces.

It's a new year for both you and your hair. Taking care of yourself means taking care of your hair. And remember, hair is supposed to be fun!

Cancer Taunts Scare Young Boy: How to Help Your Child Cope with Bullying

According to a survey funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), 16% of American schoolchildren report being bullied by another student in the current academic term. Unfortunately, Nathan Fitzharris was a part of the 16% of bullied children. Nathan Fitzharris, aged 10, lost the hair on his head, eyebrows, and eyelashes as a result of an autoimmune disease called alopecia areata. Bullies at school convinced the young boy that he was going to die of cancer because of his hair loss. Nathan explains, "I felt upset when people said mean things but I've got used to it."
Alopecia areata causes hair loss in patches. Many people struggle with the unpredictability of alopecia areata. The condition impacts each person differently. One person may loose a small patch of hair on the back of his or her head whereas another person may be completely bald. For some, hair will grow back entirely. For others, hair loss could be permanent. Given the uncertainty of the disease, a child or young teenager doesn’t need another burden like bullying.

“We were not overly surprised to learn that children with a disability are more vulnerable to bullying, because of a lower self-esteem, sometimes differences in appearance or because they have special needs,” said researcher Mariane Sentenac, of the University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France. If your child is working through the psychological effects of alopecia or hair loss in any of it’s many and varied forms, assisting your child in building alternate support networks is critical. Sentenac says, “In my view, good relations with teachers and parents could play an important role in preventing and detecting bullying behaviors between students because they are in a position to observe two different aspects of the adolescent’s life.”

Parents can also support children by being actively involved in their children’s lives. When parents understand the emotional and psychological impact of bullying on their children’s well-being, there is room for communication. “Improving parent-child communication and parental involvement with their children could have a substantial impact on child bullying," said Rashmi Shetgiri, MD, MSHS, lead author of a study on bullying. Parents can begin facilitating conversations with their child in a way that empowers the child and leaves space for the child to share his/her story.

Although many young alopecia sufferes report that they “got used to” the taunts at school, this is far from ideal. Children should never feel unsafe at school or become accustomed to daily bullying.
Nothing is more important than the emotional, physical, and psychological safety of your child. Creating safe spaces to talk at home, building social networks for your child, and advocating for your child’s safety are all ways that you can help fight bullying and it’s effects.

References:
Sentenac Metal. Victims of bullying among students with a disability or chronic illness and their peers: a cross-national study between Ireland and France. J Adol Health online, 2010.

Vacuum Wigs Part 1: Basic Questions and Answers

So what exactly is a vacuum hair prosthesis?

A vacuum hair prosthesis (or wig) is created by taking a mold that is tailored specifically for the curvature and shape of head. Hair is attached to the resulting base and styled to your specifications. A vacuum wig is made of hypoallergenic materials that will wisk away sweat, which often cause itching and odor. The base of the wig secures to your head via a vacuum seal that makes it extraordinarly secure. When the wig is placed on the head with a perfect shape, it creates a vacuum seal and it won’t come off unless you intentionally break the seal and remove it. The beauty of a vacuum hairpiece is that it is not necessary to use medical adhesives or tape to secure it in place. The vacuum seal alone will hold it securely in place.

Is a Vacuum hairpiece right for me? In order to create a vacuum wig, a trained hair loss professional will create a mold of your head. For a vacuum wig to work, it is also necessary that you be completely bald. This is an ideal solution for the person who is suffering from Alopecia Totalis or Alopecia Universalis.

If you are suffering from hair loss, but you still have some hair on your head, there are a host of other hair loss solutions available which you can explore with your hair loss consultant.

How much does it cost? A quality vacuum hair prosthesis or wig can range in price from $1,500 to $2,900. Several fittings are usually required, and when the final wig is ready, your hair replacement clinic will “cut it in,” styling it just the way you want it. The end result is fabulous. Caring for your new wig is also extremely easy. A quality human hair wig can be styled, moussed, colored, put up, taken down, everything you can do with your own natural growing hair.

Will a vacuum wig fall off? The vacuum wig, by its nature, is extremely secure. It will not fall off like many fashion wigs you might buy online or at the mall. A custom vacuum wig or hair prosthesis will not come off unless it is taken off intentionally. To remove it, simply place your fingers underneath the edge of the wig’s base in order to release the suction.

Is a vacuum wig comfortable? A quality custom made vacuum wig is extremely comfortable. May clients report that they totally forget that it is on their head. It quite literally becomes part of you. Many people with Alopecia Totalis or Alopecia Universalis opt for this type of hair loss solution since it meets their needs and allows them the lifestyle freedom they desire.

How do I keep the hairpiece clean? Caring for a vacuum wig is similar to caring for your own naturally growing hair, since it is designed for extended wear. May clients never remove it. Simply shower and shampoo as you normally would and wash it and condition it as if it were your own growing hair.

All You Need to Know About Dandruff

If those little white flakes from your scalp have kept you away from black shirts for too long, don't worry—there is a solution. If dandruff has got you down, you're in good company. According to recent reports, fifty percent of people in Europe and North America have dandruff. If you're not quite sure what dandruff is or how to treat it, here is a crash course in dandruff.

What is dandruff? According to MediLexicon, dandruff is "the presence, in varying amounts, of white or gray scales in the hair of the scalp, due to excessive or normal exfoliation of the epidermis."  The most common sign of dandruff is white flakes on the scalp and in the hair. The white flakes become most noticeable when they fall on the person's shoulders, especially if that person is wearing dark colored clothing. People with dandruff may feel that their scalp is tight and itchy. Dandruff also has emotional and psychological side effects. Often, dandruff brings about low self-esteem. Individuals suffering from dandruff may feel embarrassed by their condition, which could prevent them from attending social events and approaching new people or even buying that new outfit they want.

Why does it happen? Here is the low-down from WebMD. Skin cells are constantly renewing and replicating, even on our scalp. When new skin cells are created, the old ones are pushed out of the body. When someone has dandruff, skin cells are created faster, which means that more dead cells are produced. When too many skin cells are produced the body is unsure what to do with them. The white flakes accumulate and stick to the scalp and hair. Some people experience dandruff at certain points in their life (acute dandruff) whereas other experience dandruff consistently (chronic dandruff).

How do you treat dandruff?
One of the many myths about dandruff is that the white flakes are caused by dry skin. This myth encourages people to use heavy conditioners and oils in their hair as a way to “treat” the dandruff. “The majority of dandruff cases clear up on their own or with over-the-counter shampoos. Trying to nix flakes with moisturizing stylers like oils and pomades is only a temporary fix.

“Dandruff is actually an inflammatory scalp disease unrelated to dryness,” says Dr. McMichael. If you want to get rid of dandruff once and for all, visit your local drug store and purchase a shampoo specifically for the treatment of dandruff.

Scott McCarty, owner of Shear Pointe Hair Restoration Center in Detroit, cautions dandruff sufferers against sticking to one shampoo. “You may need to alternate between several shampoos that work for you in case one seems to lose its effectiveness or one particular shampoo is causing your hair to become unmanageable. Be sure to use a good quality conditioner as well.  This is especially important if you are wearing added hair. Your local hair replacement professional knows your scalp and hair intimately, so ask them for a product recommendation that they feel will suit your particular hair and scalp, and will also work well with your hair addition or hair replacement solution.”

If you’ve tried at-home remedies and you’re still scratching your scalp, consult your primary care physician. If you continue to itch your head, the scalp may become red, cracked, and swollen. When symptoms become severe, it's important to seek medical attention to ensure that dandruff symptoms aren't in fact masking a more serious disease.

Dandruff is clearly not a serious, life threatening condition. However, it is one that affects the way we view ourselves and in turn how others view us. Treating dandruff is relatively straightforward, but you have to know how to treat it first.

Advise for Women with Menopause and Hair Loss

Women experience a variety of symptoms associated with menopause. However, some are discussed more frequently than others. Hair loss is one of the most distressing yet infrequently discussed symptoms of menopause. As women enter menopause, reports of changes in hair thickness and integrity are common. The North American Menopause Society credits hair loss during menopause to the change in amounts of androgen and estrogen in the body as well as to genetic predisposition. Certain types of therapy, namely androgen and progestogen, may also result in hair loss and/or thinning.

If you are a woman struggling with hair loss during menopause, it is important to know that there are viable hair replacement solutions available to you for the particular type of hair loss you are experiencing. In this posting, I want to highlight two non-surgical hair replacement procedures that are commonly used by women struggling with hair loss during menopause.

Hair Additions

Simply defined, a hair addition is a nonsurgical hair loss solution that adds human and/or synthetic hair to a person’s existing hair or scalp. Hair additions may include but are not limited to: hair weaves, hair extensions, hair fusions, hair pieces, hair prostheses, and wigs. Hair additions are not simply a “pull it off the shelf and stick on your head” cosmetic accessory. Women should meet with an trained hair loss expert and decide exactly what type of hair addition, color, texture, and style is right for them.

Hair additions are suitable for people who have temporary or permanent hair loss due to genetic or medical causes. Additionally, hair additions are appropriate for women who are uncertain about or unable to undergo hair transplant surgery. Hair Additions are a perfect solution for people who want long, beautiful, thick hair and who want full control over the color, thickness, length, and style of their hair.

Hair Augmentation

Hair augmentation as a procedure that adds hair to areas where hair is thinning or the scalp is bald. A hair graft is bonded to the scalp or to the natural hair to compensate for hair loss and/or thinning. Depending on the degree of hair loss in a particular area, the overall hair density can be adjusted as well as being designed to cover the precise area of hair loss. Hair augmentation is highly individualized and tailored to meet your specific and individual needs.

Menopause and Hair Loss

Menopause is difficult enough without worrying about the emotional and psychological effects of female hair loss. If you are experiencing the early signs of hair thinning and you are trying to decide what to do, remember that you have many options. If you are in the throes of moderate to severe hair loss and aren’t sure how to proceed, you don’t have to make any decisions today. Be patient with yourself and keep gathering information. Explore the options available to you, seek out a hair loss professional you feel you can trust, and ask questions.

Female Hair Loss: More Common Than One Might Think

According to Alopecia Studies & Hair Loss Alopecia Information, 40% of women by the age of 50 years old will show signs of hair loss. Female pattern baldness involves a pattern of hair loss in women that follows a particular cycle. Physicians attribute hair loss in women to hormones, aging, and other factors. Female pattern baldness may also be called alopecia, baldness, hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia.

Causes and Presentation:
The American Hair Loss Association explains that dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an offshoot of the hormone testosterone, is a major contributor to many types of hair loss. Essentially, DHT attacks hair follicles and either damages the follicle or kills them entirely. Female pattern baldness has several different courses and presentations. The course of female pattern baldness may include an overall and gradual thinning of the hair on the crown of the head. When thinning hair occurs for women, it usually begins at the top of the scalp and widens through the center of the head. Hair usually grows at a rate of half an inch per month. Hair may grow from two to six years, fall out, and immediately re-grow. The hair growth process spans three cycles: growth phase (or anagen phase), resting phase (or catagen phase), and falling out (or telegen phase).

The American Academy of Family Physicians explains that the cause of female pattern baldness is undetermined. Potential causes may include: hormone imbalance, genetics, pregnancy, medical issues, and external causes. Complete baldness is relatively rare in women as compared to men. However, it may occur. Complete baldness occurs when hair falls out and a new hair fails to grow in its place. Although the causes behind baldness are not well understood, research demonstrates that baldness may be related to aging, changes in hormone levels, and/or a family history of hair thinning, hair loss or balding.

Female Hair Loss Treatment:
Once you’ve noticed hair loss, it is important to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will be able to determine whether your hair loss is a disorder that requires medical treatment. If the doctor informs you that your hair loss is not resulting from a medical problem, consider that permanent hair loss could be a reality. It is important to remember that female pattern baldness is not a medical disorder.

Many women prefer to receive treatment in an effort to slow the course of hair thinning and baldness. Minoxidil is the only drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat female pattern baldness. Minoxidil, which is most commonly marketed under the brand name Rogaine, helps hair growth in approximately 20-25% of women. However, hair loss begins once you stop applying Mixoxidil.

Hair has been called a woman’s crowning glory. To look good is to feel good. Female pattern baldness and thinning hair can be painful, devastating, and embarrassing. Beauty is but one of many elements that comprise a woman’s life, yet one of the most important by which she is judged. Hair is a huge component of female beauty. Hair replacement or hair restoration may be an ideal solution if you suffering from thinning hair or moderate to severe hair loss.

According to Michael Suba, owner of Continental Hair Ltd. inToronto,Ontario, modern, state-of-the-art hair additions can be an extraordinary solution for female pattern thinning. “A hair integration system is a state-of-the-art hair enhancement that adds any amount of fullness, length and body to your existing hair. It is feather-light, secure and completely undetectable.”

Parting Thoughts
Female pattern hair loss is a reality that many women live with every day. Although the effects of hair loss can exact an emotional and psychological toll on women, there are resources available to help you solve your hair loss problem. If you are struggling to maintain your positive outlook on life in the face of female pattern baldness, we encourage you to contact a trained hair loss professional and explore the various state-of-the-art hair replacement and hair restoration solutions that are available today.

Trichotillomania: Living and Coping

Trichotillomania has been described by the National Institutes of Health as
“Hair loss from repeated urges to pull or twist the hair until it breaks off. Patients are unable to stop this behavior, even as their hair becomes thinner.

Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors.  Trichotillomania is a type of impulsive control disorder. Its causes are not clearly understood. It may affect as much as 4% of the population. Women are four times more likely to be affected than men. 

Symptoms usually begin before age 17. The hair may come out in round patches or across the scalp. The effect is an uneven appearance. The person may pluck other hairy areas, such as the eyebrows, eyelashes, or body hair.

These symptoms are usually seen in children:

• An uneven appearance to the hair
  Bare patches or all around (diffuse) loss of hair
  Bowel blockage (obstruction) if people eat the hair they pull out
  Constant tugging, pulling, or twisting of hair
  Denying the hair pulling
  Hair regrowth that feels like stubble in the bare spots
  Increasing sense of tension before the hair pulling
  Other self-injury behaviors
  Sense of relief, pleasure, or gratification after the hair pulling

Most people with this disorder also have problems with:

• Feeling sad or depressed
  Anxiety
  Poor self image”

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According to MayoClinic.com, for some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. For others, the urge to pull hair is overwhelming and can be accompanied by considerable distress. Some treatment options have helped many people reduce their hair pulling or stop entirely.

An article on Trichotillomania at Wikipedia.org suggests that support groups and internet sites such as the Trichotillomania Learning Center can provide recommended educational material and help persons with trichotillomania in maintaining a positive attitude and overcoming the fear of being alone with the disease.

Trichotillomania is classified as an impulse control disorder and leads to noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment.  Teens and adults with the disorder may find coping with the disorder in every day life somewhat easier by consulting a trained hair loss professional who may recommend a wig or hair prosthesis to mask the resulting hair loss and allow the sufferer to interact normally in social and public situations such as work and school.

Resources:
Trichotillomania Learning Center
OhioHealth.comMemphis Trichotillomania Support Group

FUE: Follicular Unit Extraction - Minimally Invasive Hair Transplant Surgery

Follicular Unit Extraction Offers Minimally Invasive Surgery Technique to Hair Transplantation.

Hair transplantation is simply the transferring of hair from a "permanent" area of the scalp to another area in which hair has fallen out due to heredity or some other cause. For most men and women who lose the hair on the top of their head, the hair on the back and sides of their head is relatively thick and is likely to remain so for the rest of their lives. This "permanent" hair is harvested by means of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), and then meticulously dissected under the microscope to produce hundreds of tiny follicular unit grafts of one to three or four hairs each.

In hair transplantation, these newly created tiny grafts of "permanent" hair are distributed artistically over the balding scalp according to a carefully planned pattern. They quickly take root and, after a short resting period of four to six months, grow and keep on growing for the rest of your life.

Both the removal of hair follicles and subsequent transplantation create small surgical "wounds." Prior to Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), donor hair was removed by the more traditional method of "strip harvesting," which created a wound that had the potential to scar when healed.

Over the past decade, significant progress in the techniques of hair transplantation have tended to further reduce surgical invasiveness. Hair transplantation has moved steadily from the grafting of "plugs" containing 20 or more hairs to the use of donor-hair follicular units containing one to three hairs.

The technique of follicular unit extraction (FUE) has shown the potential to harvest donor hair with minimal invasiveness and much reduced potential for scarring at the site of donor hair removal.

Follicular unit extraction is the method of removing single hair follicles from a donor site, using extremely small excisions, and is considered to fall within the definition of minimally invasive surgery.  Hair transplant surgery as a whole is considered as outpatient procedure.

Currently, the most common method for removing donor hair on the scalp is to surgically remove a small strip of follicle-bearing skin and underlying tissue; the follicles to be transplanted are then dissected out of the follicle-bearing strip. Although donor wound scarring is an infrequent complication of such a procedure, the potential for scarring concerns some patients. FUE offers an alternative for selected patients who have a medical history of scarring or who are concerned about the possibility of scarring.

Follicular unit transplantation continues the ever-growing emphasis on achieving a “natural” look for hair transplant patients, especially in the all-important area of the front hairline. It is a technique that, like micrografting, uses one to four follicular units to achieve a natural distribution of hair coverage over the scalp and avoid the corn-row or “pluggy” appearance that has historically been associated with hair transplantation.

An additional advantage of follicular unit transplantation is that individual follicular units are the natural hair-bearing structure in the scalp, and transplanting them as units increases the likelihood of natural growth after transplantation.

The availability of Follicular Unit extraction and transplantation expands the number of options a patient may consider for surgical hair restoration. Whether it is the best option for an individual patient depends upon the individual patient characteristics, including cause of hair loss, type of hair loss, likelihood of hair loss progression over future years,  and the patient’s wishes for the “look” that he or she wishes to achieve from hair restoration.

After this new hair grows out, it can be washed, cut, or styled in whatever way you like. There is nothing fragile about transplanted hair. It can even be permed or colored. A person with a transplanted head of hair can sleep, swim, ski, go to the barber shop – in other words – do everything they ever did before, knowing that once again they have their own hair back again.  And best of all, no one will know!

Transitions Intl. Donates to Friends of Kids with Cancer

In November of 2010 Judy Ciapciak, the Executive Director of Friends of Kids with Cancer, a non profit group in St. Louis, was presented with a toy chest of assorted toys to benefit the children she works with. This contribution was presented by Transitions International, as part of their way of giving back to the communities they visit when they hold their convention for Transitions International members. The transitions board members that made this possible are Alica Stevens, President and owner of Genesis II, Virg Christoffels owner of Christoffels and Company, Dave Barker, owner of International Hair Restoration Systems, Nikki Walsh, owner of P.K. Walsh, Dennis Murphy owner of HairQuarters, and Scott McCarty, owner of Shear Pointe, Inc.

Great article on school bullying and what to do about it today in the Victoria (Texas) Advocate newspaper by writer Sarah Womble:

Sarah Womble

"Do you remember the school bully who went around teasing and threatening you or your classmates? Remember how you felt? Remember how you wished he would just go away?

Ever wondered what happened to someone who was teased or bullied or what became of the bully himself?

Teasing and bullying is an ongoing problem for many of our children. Research reports shows that at least 20 percent of children ages 2 through 17 experienced one or more forms of bullying during the past year.

According to a nationally representative survey, the risk for being bullied peaks during middle childhood, with the highest rates occurring among 6- to 9-year-olds.

An exception was Internet harassment, where the peak age was 14-17.

Those who are the victims of teasing and bullying can experience long-term consequences. Victims of bullying may suffer from anxiety, fear and low self-esteem. They may avoid peers, school and social activities where they may be exposed to teasing or bullying. In some cases, children may drop out of school to avoid being harassed or attacked.

"Negative consequences for those who bully have been demonstrated as well," said Rick Peterson, assistant professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service parenting specialist. "Childhood bullies have school attendance and performance problems. Those who bully tend to become aggressive adults and are more likely to become involved in criminal activities."

Read the entire article here.

New NeoGraft Hair Transplant Procedure: No Scars.

PHOENIX, AZ.  (Fox 10 News) - Looking in the mirror was getting harder and harder to do for Clay Johnson. Watching his hair thin and recede, he decided it was time to make a change.

"It's a very quick procedure and there's no reason people have to suffer with baldness at all anymore," said Dr. Ryan Tsujimura.

North Valley Plastic Surgery is one of the first to offer hair transplants with no scaring surgery and you don't have to be put under using NeoGraft. The machine which just recently hit the market suctions out anywhere from one to four hair follicles at a time from the back of the head, then implants them into balding areas.

"It's very new, we're very excited about technology..it's the first machine that can harvest the micrographs," said Tsujimura.

Clay never really looked into hair transplants because he knew the popular "strip method" involved surgery and left a scar. "It leaves a scar on the scalp and especially for men who like to wear their hair short, you see a white line going all around the scalp and it's very hard to camouflage it," said Tsujimura. The best candidates are men and women who are just starting to lose their hair.

The NeoGraft procedure can add up. It Clay's case, it was about $12,000, but it's given him a confidence boost which he says is priceless.  "It makes me feel better about myself..certainly everyone wants to look their best, feel attractive and for me, I don't like and see a version of myself that is less than I'd like it to be..I like to look the best I can," he said.

The whole process can take time. Clay's procedure started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 4:00 p.m. and it will take about a year to see full results.  In some cases, this can be a one time thing, but depending on the person, you may have to back for another procedure.  It's all out of pocket since insurance does not cover the procedure.