From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Subject: Re: Why hair loss?
Date: 15 May 1997
Newsgroups: sci.med.diseases.hepatitis

In <5lav9a$gpt$1@loki.tor.hookup.net> toad@outer-net.com (Diane)
writes:

>Could someone please tell me why interferon makes you loose your hair?
>Thanks, Diane



   There must be something about immune activation that makes women in
particular occasionally lose their hair.  What happens is that all or
most of the follicles all go into the normal several month resting
phase which happens between several-year growth phases.  In the normal
person this happens at random in follicles.  After a febrile illness,
or interferon, it can happen to all the follicles at once.  Hormones
occasionally trigger it also (it's a rare side effect of birth control
pills).

   Not to worry, it's temporary, and no damage has been done.  After
the normal few months of rest, all the follicles start their years-long
growth cycle again, and all the hair comes back.

                                         Steve Harris, M.D.

From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Subject: Re: What is the function of body hair?
Date: 02 Jun 1997
Newsgroups: sci.med

In <5mro39$tts@news.rhrz.uni-bonn.de> Torsten Nahm
<nahm@cips01.physik.uni-bonn.de> writes:

>Hello,
>
>having been stripped of most of the thick body hair since evolving from
>apekind, some conspicious patches remain on the human body which I would
>like to ask about.
>
>While the main hair presumably serves as protection against the sun and
>the eyebrows protect the eyes from dirt being carried down by sweat, what
>is the function of the male beard, male and female pubic hair and the
>hair in the armpits?
>
>                                                Torsten




   To cool someone in a hot climate, it's helpful to put cold
compresses on scalp, neck, armpits, and groin, where blood flows close
to the surface with mininal fat protection.

   Well, hair happens to grow in these places, trapping sweat which
cools by evaporation, and thus probaby serves the same function.

                                          Steve Harris, M.D.

From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
Subject: Re: Graying hair is not natural
Date: 8 Aug 1998 04:02:30 GMT

In <6qggv3$gil$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com> farmerdean@my-dejanews.com writes:

>There is a great misconception being generated that graying hair is a
>natural part of the aging process. It is not true. Graying hair is a sign
>of certain nutrients are missing. If these nutrients are added back (by
>being massaged into the hair and scalp every day) the hair will turn back
>to the natural color over a period of time. Is there anyone who would
>like to discuss this?



   I'd like to discuss it.  You're out of your everloving mind.  I know
people who take every nutrient they can think of (PABA, B5, biotin,
inositol, Ho-Shu-Wu, you name it), like Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw,
and they still turn gray.   Elderly turn gray no matter how many
vitamins, antioxidants, and fancy nutrients you feed them.  This is
genetic, and on a clock.  Generally, you can't mess with it, except to
dye the things.


                                           Steve Harris, M.D.