Shaving Techniques and the Prevention of Shingles

If you've finished shaving before the steam on the mirror has completely evaporated, it means you probably didn't spend enough time.

**Shave in the direction of hair growth.** This can be difficult, especially in hard-to-reach and hard-to-see areas.

However, scraping along the grain can reduce skin irritation, swelling, redness, and pain.

To achieve a truly thorough and smooth shave, you should shave again after the first coat.

This way, any fish that slipped through the net during the first "sweep" can be removed.

**Avoid alcohol** Post-shave moisturizer is not medically necessary, but it contains something that can make a well-shaved face look more radiant.

Do not use anything containing alcohol or witch hazel tincture-otherwise you might end up in the bathroom wincing in pain and spinning around in circles.

Check the ingredients of your aftershave; many best-selling brands contain alcohol, but there are also alcohol-free fragrances specifically formulated for sensitive skin.

**Latest Information**

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On average, there are 385 hairs per square inch on your chin and upper lip, and these hairs grow at a rate of about 1 inch every 8 weeks.

At this rate, in 50 years, the amount of beard that grows on every square inch of your chin could stretch for more than 2 miles.

**Shingles**

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> ------**How ​​to prevent unwanted relapses**

As the Bible says, "Everything has a cause," and illness is no exception.

When you were a child, chickenpox made you unbearably itchy, and when you grow up, you have to suffer from shingles.

In fact, chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus-varicella-zoster virus, which is a herpesvirus.

When chickenpox has long become a memory, the virus doesn't leave; instead, it lies dormant in nerve cells.

The immune system monitors and controls it year after year, often for decades.

But suddenly, for some unknown reason, the virus reappears on the skin's surface, causing a band-like rash (the name "shingles" comes from the Latin word "band," meaning belt or band), often accompanied by blisters, itching, and pain, sometimes quite severe.

Who is easy to obtain?

"There's no way to predict who will get shingles, and there's no way to prevent it," said Dr. Marilyn Cahillier, director of the pain management team at the Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Boston.

Moreover, people whose immune systems have been weakened by AIDS, certain cancers, and other diseases are particularly vulnerable to shingles.

Although the varicella-zoster virus can actually "come back" at any time, the likelihood of it occurring increases with age, likely because the immune system loses some of its vitality as people age.

There are approximately 200,000 to 300,000 cases of shingles each year, with a significant proportion of them occurring among the elderly.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the chance of getting shingles after age 50 is 1 in 1000; by age 80, the chance is 10 in 1000.

The proportion of men and women suffering from this disease is roughly the same, and the symptoms are also the same.

If you are a centenarian, then the likelihood of the virus you encountered as a child returning to you increases.

It is estimated that 40% of men who had chickenpox as children eventually develop shingles.

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• Commonality: The United States reports 200,000 to 300,000 new cases each year.

It is estimated that 40% of people who have had chickenpox will develop shingles.

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Risk factors: You can only get shingles if you have had chickenpox.

In addition, age is a major factor, and diseases that damage the immune system (AIDS, lymphoma) also increase the likelihood of developing the disease.

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> • Affected age group: The vast majority of people who get shingles are over 50 years old.

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Gender differences: None.

The incidence rate is the same for men and women.

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· Seeking help from: Internists or family doctors can treat uncomplicated shingles, while dermatologists are more specialized in this area.

If you have postherpetic neuralgia, you can consult a neurologist.

**Persistent pain**

Having shingles is no easy or pleasant experience.

Typical symptoms begin with pain and itching, often accompanied by fever and fatigue, followed by the appearance of red blisters, usually on one side of the chest or waist.

The blisters will form hard scabs within 10 days to two weeks, at which point the condition will end.

Most people will not get shingles again.

But for 10% of patients, this experience will not be easily forgotten.

The long-term complications of shingles are like a horror story-the pain known as postherpetic neuralgia can last for months or even years.

The cause of postherpetic neuralgia is still unclear, but the pain-a sharp, stabbing, deep, unpleasant, and often persistent sensation-is notoriously distressing.

This pain often manifests as a persistent allergic reaction; even the slightest touch or a gust of wind can trigger immediate pain at the site of the blisters.

The red rash and endless pain have earned shingles a nickname: "the rose belt from hell".

Like shingles, postherpetic neuralgia also tends to affect people of all ages.

If you get shingles in your thirties or forties, the chances of you developing postherpetic neuralgia are extremely low.

But if your father, who is over 60 years old, gets shingles, then postherpetic neuralgia will be impossible to get rid of.

The only way to guarantee you won't get shingles is to avoid getting chickenpox.

Is it too late to say this? Maybe.

It is estimated that 95% of Americans had chickenpox as children.

You will not get shingles from someone else.

However, if you or your child have never had chickenpox, you should stay away from people with shingles.

The varicella-zoster virus is contagious, and the blisters of shingles are entirely composed of this virus.

Chickenpox can easily be transmitted through direct contact.

Remember, chickenpox is much more dangerous for adults than for children.

> **Prevention** **---** **Or Restriction** **---** **Outbreak**

Generally speaking, some over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, are sufficient to control the pain caused by a shingles outbreak.

However, there is no drug that can directly treat this disease.

The prescription antiviral drug acyclovir may reduce the chances of developing postherpetic neuralgia.

Note that it is only "possible".

Dr. Neil Pannis, professor of pharmacology at Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, said that clinical records have not yet proven the drug's efficacy, but some informal evidence suggests that it may reduce the chances of developing the disease.

Even if it involves some risk, this kind of attempt is worthwhile.

Furthermore, it has been confirmed that oral acyclovir can shorten the duration of shingles, reducing the number of days between the appearance of blisters and the formation of scabs.

But it has to be done quickly.

"You should see a doctor as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms," Dr. Casilier said.

"After 24 hours, it's difficult for doctors to do much."

She added that when shingles rashes appear on the face, seeking medical attention promptly is absolutely crucial.

If the virus travels up along certain cranial nerves, there is a risk of blindness, and this is by no means an exaggeration.

At this point, the doctor may administer a large dose of acyclovir intravenously.

Apart from acyclovir, almost no other medications have any effect on shingles.

The use of steroids such as dehydrocorticosteroids to treat shingles is still quite controversial in the medical community, because steroids suppress the activity of the immune system and may therefore worsen the infection.

Dr. Pannis only prescribes steroids when the pain is exceptionally severe, and as a precaution, he also prescribes acyclovir at the same time.

**Other Assistance Measures**

When shingles occurs, other measures can be taken, including:

The old methods, such as the lotions and solutions that Dr. Pannis calls "old skin disease medications," can still relieve some discomfort.

Some over-the-counter astringent solutions, such as domeboro, can absorb oozing fluids; cold compresses, cornstarch, and baking soda can also relieve pain.

Following some common sense, you should avoid scratching or picking at the wound, as this will slow down the healing process and allow the virus to spread.

Make sure you get enough rest to ensure your body can fight the virus.

Also, as mentioned above, if you feel pain, you can take a painkiller such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.

In addition, try to maintain an optimistic attitude; the illness will pass eventually.

Dr. Cahillier says that for patients with postherpetic neuralgia, there is sometimes a range of medications that can help relieve the pain, such as sedatives, anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants (especially amitratriptyline), and even methomyl-imidazol for treating stomach ulcers.

**Use something spicy** There are two other weapons to deal with postherpetic neuralgia: one is capsaicin extracted from red chili peppers, and the other is the old topical drug aspirin.

Capsaicin can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. Its ointment (zostrix) is a powerful preparation that acts on nerve endings to deplete substance P.

Substance P is a chemical substance that transmits the sensation of pain.

However, zostrix can only be used after the wound has healed.

Aspirin ointment applied to the painful area can also act directly on nerve endings.

Dr. Robert King, professor of neurosurgery at Syracuse University School of Medicine, State University of New York, reported that aspirin ointment can relieve pain for 2 to 4 hours in cases of both shingles and postherpetic neuralgia.

He was using aspirin that decomposes into chloroform.

You generally can't do this at your local pharmacy.

Dr. Casilier suggests that homemade ointments can also be very effective.

The method is to crush two aspirin tablets and pour them into several spoons containing a high concentration of petroleum jelly solution.

When these methods fail to relieve pain, strong anesthetic methods, such as injections, can be used to temporarily numb the nerves for a period of time.

"A fundamental premise in medication use is: the more medications available, the fewer medications are actually effective," Dr. Pannis said. "I use all kinds of medications."

> Let time heal the wound. If there is really no other way, then there is still time.

Dr. Pannis says that in most cases, postherpetic neuralgia will resolve on its own.