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SENIOR POWER: Cover that gray!
Cover that gray! Dye, color, tint, whatever-it, but cover the gray hair!
Why am I, at age eighty-six, still fixated on disguising my gray hair? In classical psychoanalysis, my libido must have been arrested at an early stage of psychosexual development. Or something.
As people age, changes in hair color typically occur naturally, eventually turning the hair gray and then white. Think QE2. More than sixty percent of Americans have some gray hair by age forty, but white hair can appear as early as childhood. Think WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange.
And what about those tales that claim a shock can turn hair gray or white “overnight?” When I failed Latin, my mother went to talk with the teacher and came home with the gossip that Mrs. H. was a widow whose hair turned gray over night when her husband died in an accident. So I had better shape up. I dropped Latin and took up Spanish.
What are the causes of gray hair and “going gray?” The standard answers are one’s genetics, sex/gender, and or medical conditions. And of course, aging.
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The age at which graying begins appears to be mostly due to genetics. Two genes are likely responsible for the graying process, Bcl2 and Bcl-w.. Change in hair color occurs when melanin (naturally occurring dark pigments, especially the pigment found in skin, hair, fur, and feathers) ceases to be produced in the hair root and new hairs grow in without pigment. It’s unclear why the stem cells of one hair follicle may die before those in adjacent follicles less than a millimeter apart.
Albinism is a genetic abnormality in which little or no pigment is found in human hair, eyes or skin. The hair is often white or pale blond. However, it can be red, darker blond, light brown, or rarely, even dark brown. Progeria is an extremely rare genetic condition in which symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at an early age. It occurs as a new mutation, is rarely inherited, and occurs in an estimated 1 per 8 million live births. Persons born with progeria typically live to their mid teens and early twenties. Scientists are particularly interested in progeria because it might reveal clues about the normal process of aging. Werner syndrome (also known as "adult progeria") and pernicious anemia can cause premature graying. Vitiligo is a patchy loss of hair and skin color that may occur as the result of an auto-immune disease. Malnutrition is also known to cause hair to become lighter, thinner, and more brittle. The condition is reversible with proper nutrition.
Black hair is more common in men than in women. A recent study found that blond hair and red hair are more common in women than in men.
Wrinkles and graying hair happen to both women and men as a function of the normal aging process. Study of cultural differences suggests that ageism and medicalization can exacerbate the discomforts of biological transition by making menopause —and gray hai — symbols of passing into the devalued status of old women. Several consequences are reported by women following hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy (removal of ovaries). They include insomnia, hair loss, premature graying, dry eye syndrome, and lowered resistance to colds and infections—all familiar to many older women.xxxx
There’s good news and not so good news.
The anti-cancer drug Imatinib has recently been shown to reverse the graying process. However, it is much too expensive and with potentially severe side effects to be used to alter a person's hair color. Nevertheless, if the mechanism of Imatinib’s action on melanocyte stem cells can be discovered, it is possible that a safer and less expensive substitute drug might someday be developed.
Stress is a possible cause of gray hair. Learn how to handle stress, say the experts. Tyler Cymet, D.O., head of family medicine at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, suspects that going gray is "genetically outlined, but stress and lifestyle give you variation of plus or minus five to ten years."
Smokers are four times more likely to have gray hair than nonsmokers. Smoking also speeds up hair loss once the process has begun. Quit smoking.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is commonly cited as a cause for premature gray hair. In young people, it usually happens due to lack of nutrition in their diets. Vitamin B5 is said not only to fight premature gray hair, but to improve one’s moods and to thicken hair. Prevent hair from turning gray by taking 300 mg daily of vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid. Drink carrot juice for B5. Produce melanin in your body and restore your hair color by taking 4 mg daily of vitamin B6, which is found in egg yolks, whole grain cereals, organ meats, brewer's yeast and vegetables.
Fifty-two year old Mehmet Cengiz Oz, M.D. is a Turkish-American cardiothoracic surgeon whose TV program focuses on medical issues and personal health. He says soy products may influence darkening of the hair. Leafy green vegetables have something called paba, a precursor to folic acid, which seem to allow hair to turn darker. It doesn't necessarily turn gray hair to dark hair but might make the hair you have darker. Prevent premature gray hair by taking vitamin B-12 supplements. Food sources are fish, meat, eggs, milk and spirulina. Take Para-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA), 300-400 mcg daily.
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Cover the gray. You can do it yourself, or you can try to locate a copacetic beautician. I know of a ninety-one year old woman who has a regular “touch-up” appointment in a unisex beauty shop. If you can afford a professional salon job and regular touch-ups, by all means, go for it! Either way, all is not lost if you’re not satisfied with your first experience. Those roots will grow in faster than the guy in the car in back of you honks his horn when the light turns green. Remember Are You Being Served?’s Missus Slocombe getting time off because her roots needed touching up?
If you decide to do-it-yourself indefinitely, you’ll need to purchase a product at the drug store or super market. Look for one that claims “no drip.” You’ll also need cotton balls, SeaBreeze antiseptic, rags or paper towels, Vaseline or cold cream, swabs, a kitchen timer, and some old towels that you dedicate to the cause. Determine which brand kit and color number are best for you. Begin and end the application at the temples and around the hairline. A ‘dye job’ should last at least a month, shampooing twice weekly. I do not advocate do-it-yourself for eyebrows or eyelashes.
Consumer Reports May 2010 issue refers to “hair dyes” (beauticians prefer the terms ‘color’ or ‘tint.’) It tested 13 home hair-color kits after 16 washings and dryings.
Actors are perhaps accustomed to roles-related hair color changes. Women find it inordinately difficult to get parts as they age. Fifty-four year old actor and author Jamie Lee Curtis appeared on the cover of the May/June 2008 issue of AARP Magazine with her own gray hair. Seventy-eight year old Dame Judith Olivia “Judi” Dench has allowed her hair to “go gray white.” Forty-five year old broadcast journalist Anderson Cooper is identified with early whitish hair.
Androgenic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss and thinning in humans. Variants appear in both men and women. This condition is also commonly known as male pattern baldness. Men today are less likely to wear “a rug.” To cope with high hairlines, balding and graying, men (and not a few women) may go for the baseball cap, a type of soft cap with a rounded crown and a stiff bill eyeshade projecting in front. The back may be fitted to the wearer's head size or it may have a Velcro easy adjustment. Younger men often wear it backwards.
Seventy-two year old self-help author and motivational speaker Wayne Dyer, D.Ed. has recently self-helped his bald pate by transitioning to a modified baseball cap. The flat cap is a rounded androgynous cap with a small stiff brim in front. Fabrics include wool and cotton.
To some, gray means grandpa. But here’s the, uh, silver lining: A styled, salt-and-peppered look like that currently favored by fifty-one year old actor George Clooney can make a man seem more distinguished, experienced. Gray hair typically shows first around the sideburns, then spreads to the hairline. Many men want their beautician/barber to provide a toned-down color level—usually 15 to 20% of their hair. Gray-haired men may get a touch-up every two weeks or so, but if they get a haircut in two weeks, they lose most of the color.
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NEWS
An invitation. Candidates for election are welcome to share statements of their accomplishments and plans vis a vis senior citizens and elders. Please email them to me at pen136@dslextreme.com.
Breaking news. June 28, 2012. Abstracted from Medscape Medical News’ report: “The Supreme Court today declared that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — the most significant healthcare legislation since the creation of Medicare — is also a constitutional act. The ruling comes as a shock to many observers, who predicted the court would strike down the individual mandate to obtain insurance coverage, if not the entire law, after its 5-member conservative wing voiced misgivings about the controversial provision during oral arguments. The individual mandate was at the core of a lawsuit filed against the ACA by officials from 26 states, all but 1 of whom were Republican, as well as a business association. Similar to their Republican allies in Congress, the plaintiffs claimed that the mandate violated the Constitution's Commerce clause, which empowers Congress to regulate interstate commerce. They argued that although healthcare is a form of interstate commerce, Congress cannot compel "inactive" individuals to engage in commerce; that is, to buy or sell something. To allow the mandate to stand, they said, would open the door to further encroachments on personal liberty.”
Jack Kevorkian, M.D. died one year ago. Keith Schneider’s New York Times article, “Dr. Jack Kevorkian Dies at 83; A Doctor Who Helped End lives” begins “Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the medical pathologist who willfully helped dozens of terminally ill people end their lives, becoming the central figure in a national drama surrounding assisted suicide, died … in Royal Oak, Michigan. He was 83.” Here’s a bit more: “His critics were as impassioned as his supporters, but all generally agreed that his stubborn and often intemperate advocacy of assisted suicide helped spur the growth of hospice care in the United States and made many doctors more sympathetic to those in severe pain and more willing to prescribe medication to relieve it… Dr. Kevorkian was a lover of classical music, and before he died… nurses played recordings of Bach for him in his room.” This article appeared in print on June 4, 2011, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Doctor Who Helped End Lives. Jack Kevorkian authored four books. His Prescription: Medicide, the Goodness of Planned Death (Prometheus, 1991) is in the Berkeley Public Library collection. The 1992 video, Doctor death: medical ethics and doctor-assisted suicide, is in the collection of CSU East Bay.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Be sure to confirm. Readers are welcome to share by email news of future events and deadlines that may interest boomers, seniors and elders. Daytime, free, and Bay Area events preferred. pen136@dslextreme.com.
Until June 30. Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Friday, Noon - 5:30 P.M.; Saturday, Noon - 4:30 P.M. Kala Gallery, 2990 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley: Visions from the New California. The Visions from the New California award is an initiative of the Alliance of Artists Communities and is supported by the James Irvine Foundation. Each year the awards program celebrates six outstanding California visual artists from diverse communities. The awardees are artists whose work may as yet be unfamiliar to a wide audience, but whose compelling visions help define California. Free. 510-841-7000.
Until August 31. Environmental Education Center in Tilden Regional Park. North End Central Park Drive. Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 A.M.-4:30 P.M. Tilden Exhibit Celebrates Conservation Successes. Art exhibit celebrating the successes of conservation in the region, state and nationally. Works by 60 artists portraying plants and animals no longer listed as endangered species due to conservation efforts. Exhibit sponsors include the East Bay Regional Park District and the Merritt College Environmental Management and Technology Dept. Free. www.ebparks.org
Until Sept. 29. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 1-4 P.M. Joanna Gewertz Harris, Ph.D, Bay Area dancer, dance historian and author of Beyond Isadora: Bay Area Dancing 1915-1965, will discuss the history of East Bay performers, choreographers and pioneers of today’s dance community. The exhibit explores dance in the East Bay and includes a video by Margaretta Mitchell, an interview with Frank Shawl, and archival footage of Hanya Holm. Jeanine Castello-Lin and Tonya Staros, Co-Curators. Wheelchair accessible. Berkeley History Center, 1931 Center St. Free. 510-848-0181
Starting Tuesday, June 19. 10 A.M. Class will meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings for 4 weeks. Mastick Senior Center, 1155 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda. Victoria’s Legacy on the Island. Judith Lynch (local author, teacher and resident) serving on the City
of Alameda Historical Advisory Board will provide an overview on Victorian history and culture, highlighting the 19th century buildings of Alameda. Will include 6 slide presentations and 2 walking tours to show you how to recognize architectural details and distinguish among the various styles of fancywork homes that abound here. Sign up in the Mastick Office or call 747-7506. Free. Class limited to 25 participants.
Fridays, June 29 – July 27. 3 P.M. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Super Cinema. Explore a different theme or genre in film each month. June: Satirical Cinema. June 29: Thank You For Smoking. Free. 510-981-6241. Also July 6, 13, 20, 27.
Saturday, June 30. Doors open at 10 A.M. Mastick Senior Center, 1155 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda. The Bingo Committee will host the Summer Bingo Bash. Open to the public (18 years and older). Enjoy socialization, free apple pie ala mode (for participants), and a chance to win cash and prizes. First game begins at 12:00 Noon. 510-747-7510.
Monday, July 2. 6 P.M. Evening Computer Class at Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6241. Also July 9, 16, 23, and 30.
Monday, July 2. 6:30 P.M. "Castoffs" - Knitting Group at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Av. All levels are welcome and some help will be provided. Free. Louise O’Dea, 510-524-3043.
Tuesday, July 3. 7 P.M. ESL Conversation Group. El Cerrito Library of the Contra Costa County Library. 6510 Stockton Avenue. Free. 510-526-7512
Thursday, July 5. 10 A.M. Computers for Beginners. At Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6241. Also July 12, 19, and 26.
Fridays, July 6 – July 27. 3 P.M. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Super Cinema. Explore a different theme or genre in film each month. July: Our Weeks With Marilyn. July 6: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Free. 510-981-6241. Also July 13, 20, 27.
Sunday, July 8. 1 – 4:30 P.M. The 2012 Berkeley Rent Board Convention will be held in the main meeting room of the downtown, central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge, corner of Shattuck. A slate of candidates for the November 2012 election will be chosen. Contact: www.berkeleyrentboard.org 510-981-6100.
Monday, July 9. 7 P.M. Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. Author Talk and Slide Show. Author-naturalist Laura Cunningham will discuss her book A State of Change: forgotten landscapes of California. Cunningham has not only written the text but has also lavishly illustrated this lovely book. She has written and painted a picture of what California was like before European contact. Free. 510-524-3043
Wednesday, July 11. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours.
Also August 1, Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.
Thursday, July 12. 6 P.M. Lawyers in the Library. North branch, Berkeley Public Library, 1170 The Alameda. Free. 510-981-6250. Also July 19 and 26.
Saturday, July 14. 12 Noon – 2 P.M. Writers on Writing. Rockridge Branch of Oakland Public Library, 5366 College Av. This workshop is for writers. Australian author-journalist Stephanie Dale will help authors. Authors Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Yolande Barial and Joan Gelfanc will discuss the writing process. Reception and booksigning follow. Free. Contact: Artsinthevalley.wordpress.com
Fridays, July 13 – July 27. 3 P.M. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Super Cinema. Explore a different theme or genre in film each month. July: Our Weeks With Marilyn. July 13: All About Eve. Free. 510-981-6241. Also July 20, 27.
Saturday, July 14. 1 – 3 P.M. Origami Earring workshop. North Berkeley Public Library, 1170 The Alameda. Learn to make your own origami earrings. Taught by Nga Trinh. 510-981-6250.
Monday, July 16, 7:00 P.M. Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Av. “Author Village Rythms: African Village Celebration.” Laura Cunningham. Onye Onyemaechi, master percussionist, educator and performing musician, engages students and families in a participatory experience of African Village life. His repertoire involves student participation in African drumming, dancing, songs and stories. Free 45-minute program part of Contra Costa County Library’s Summer Reading Festival. 510-524-3043.
Thurday, July 19. 12:15 – 2:15 P.M. Literacy reading club, with Lisa Wenzel. Practice English conversation, meet other adults, build confidence in your speaking and discuss a good book. Albany branch, Alameda County Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free. 510-526-3720. Also July 26.
Fridays, July 20– July 27. 3 P.M. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Super Cinema. Explore a different theme or genre in film each month. July: Our Weeks With Marilyn. July 20: Monkey Business. Free. 510-981-6241. Also July 27.
Saturday, July 21. 11 A. M. Free counseling for landlords and tenants. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510- 981-6241.
Saturday, July 21. 1 – 5 P.M. Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 5366 College Av. California Writers’ Club – a workshop open to all writers. Free. Contact: Anne Fox 510-420-8775. Also August 18.
Monday, July 23. 7 P.M. Kensington Library Book Club. Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard. Free. 510-524-3043. Also August 27.
Tuesday, July 24. 7 p.M. Readers Anonymous book club. Amor’s Towles’ Rules of Civility. El Cerrito Library of the Contra Costa County Library. 6510 Stockton Avenue. Free. 510-526-7512.
Wednesday, July 25. 1:30 – 2:30 P.M. Great Books discussion group: Reader’s choice. Rosalie Gonzales facilitator. Albany branch, Alameda County Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free. 510-526-3720.
Thursday, July 26. 7 P.M. Down to the bone: Understanding bone health & Osteoporosis prevention. Dr. Lani Simpson will discuss bone density testing and diagnosis, how to build quality bone with nutrition and healthy digestion, and safe exercises. El Cerrito Library of the Contra Costa County Library. 6510 Stockton Avenue. Free 510-526-7512.
Friday, July 27. 3 P.M. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Super Cinema. Explore a different theme or genre in film each month. July: Our Weeks With Marilyn. July 27: The Seven Year Itch. Free. 510-981-6241.
Wednesday, August 1. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours.
Also Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.
Thursday, August 2. 12:15-2:15 P.M. Literacy Reading Club with Lisa Wenzel. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Practice English conversation, meet other adults, discuss a good book. Free. 510-526-3720. Also August 9 and 16.
Thursday, August 2. 10 A.M. Computers for beginners. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6241. Also August 10, 16, 23, and 30.
Thursday, August 2. 1:30-2:30 P.M. HEALTHY EATING FOR OLDER ADULTS: My Neighbor's Kitchen Table. Nutritionists Mary Collett, MPH and RD, Mary Louise Zernicke, MS, MPH, RD, CSG will discuss the special nutritional needs of seniors, including how our traditional foods can fit into a healthy eating plan, taking supplements and much more. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. 510-526-3720. Note: This free Alameda County Library program will be presented at 7 libraries. For information about dates and addresses for San Lorenzo, Dublin, Newark, Castro Valley, Union City and Fremont Main libraries, contact Patricia Ruscher, Older Adult Services at 510-745-1491.
Monday, August 6. 6 P.M. Evening computer class. Central Berkeley Public Library. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6241. Also August 13, 20, and 27.
Monday, August 6. 6:30 P.M. "Castoffs" - Knitting Group at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Av. All levels are welcome and some help will be provided. Free. Louise O’Dea, 510-524-3043
Tuesday, August 7. 7 P.M. ESL Conversation Group. El Cerrito Library of the Contra Costa County Library. 6510 Stockton Avenue. Free 510-526-7512
Wednesday, August 8. Annual Healthy Aging Fair. Chabot College, 25555 Hesperian BLvd., Hayward. Free. A wheel-chair accessible BART Shuttle will operate from the South Hayward BART station between 8:30 A.M. and 3 P.M. Transportation will also be available from some senior centers. Contact: Delbert Walker 510-577-3532, Amy Holloway 510-577-3540.
Tuesday, August 14. 2 P.M. How to self publish, with author Stella Baker. North branch, Berkeley Public Library. 1170 The Alameda. Free. 510-981-6250.
Saturday, August 18. 1 – 5 P.M. Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 5366 College Av. California Writers’ Club – a workshop open to all writers. Free. Contact: Anne Fox 510-420-8775.
Wednesday, August 22. 1:30-2:30P.M. Great Books discussion group. Selections from The Bhagavad Gita. Rosalie Gonzales, group facilitator. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free. 510-526-3720.
Monday, August 27. 7 P.M. Kensington Library Book Club. Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. August’s book is Wilkie Collins’ Moonstone. Free. 510-524-3043.
Tuesday, August 28. 7 P.M. Readers Anonymous. Book Club. Moshin Hamid’s Reluctant Fundamentalist. El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Avenue. Free. 510-526-7512.
Wednesday, Sept. 5. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours.
Also Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.
Thursday, Sept. 6. 10 A.M. Computers for beginners. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge Free. 510-981-6241. Also Sept. 13, 20 and 27.
Monday, Sept. 10. Evening Computer Class. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6241. Also Sept. 17 and 24.
Thursday, Sept. 13. 6 P.M. Lawyers in the Library. Central Berkeley Public Library. , 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6241. Also Sept. 20 and 27.
Wednesday, Sept. 26. 1:30-2:30P.M. Great Books discussion group. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Rosalie Gonzales, group facilitator. Free. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. 510-526-3720.
Wednesday, Oct. 3. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours.
Also Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.
Wednesday, October 24. 1:30-2:30P.M. Great Books discussion group. Troth, by Gregor von Rezzori. Rosalie Gonzales, group facilitator. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. 510-526-3720.
Wednesday, Nov. 7. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours. Also Dec. 5.
Wednesday, November 28. 1:30-2:30P.M. Great Books discussion group. Sunday Morning, by Wallace Stevens. Rosalie Gonzales, group facilitator. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. 510-526-3720.
Wednesday, Dec. 5. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours.
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