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AmLactin Keratosis Pilaris and LittleRedBumps.com

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AmLactin“Keratosis Pilaris,” “Keratosis Pilaris.” Hmm, sounds weird, doesn’t it? Besides sounding weird, it’s a common skin condition that according to the American Academy of Dermatology nags 40 percent of the world’s population1, yet there is no cure. The AmLactin family of moisturizers is launching www.littleredbumps.com, a website devoted to the management of the dry skin associated with Keratosis Pilaris also known as KP.

“The goal of littleredbumps.com is to educate people through an innovative creative approach about managing the dry skin associated with KP,” said Mark Evenstad, president of Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., the marketers of the AmLactin family of moisturizers. “The website features Laurie Rose also known as Miss Little Red Bumps, and is designed to entertain people who are searching for information about KP.”

As the virtual host of www.littleredbumps.com, Laurie Rose speaks to visitors with enticing, exciting and minimally icky information about KP in three vignettes. Visitors visit “Laurie’s world” and experience her quirky, positive insights about the challenges of being a young person in today’s millennium. Visitors are also regaled with “toe tapping” original songs designed purely for entertainment, which along with the vignettes, can be downloaded for free.

“KP is not fun because it often raises its ugly head in a person’s teens and twenties so this contemporary site will be informative and entertaining because of its upbeat messages and free music and video downloads,” said Dr. Alan Fleischer, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “I see lots of patients who are suffering from extremely dry skin associated with KP so the management tips I provide on the site will also be of practical value.”

The site also offers visitors valuable coupons for the AmLactin family of moisturizers, including AmLactin, AmLactin XL and AmLactin Foot Cream Therapy. For more information, visit www.littleredbumps.com.

About Keratosis Pilaris and littleredbumps.com

There is no cure for Keratosis Pilaris (KP) and the cause remains unknown, however it tends to run in families. People with KP may experience flesh-colored or red bumps around hair follicles on the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and cheeks, extremely dry skin and, in some cases, itching.1 It is important to be aware that other medical conditions can mimic KP, so people with these symptoms should visit a doctor or dermatologist to confirm a diagnosis.

Littleredbumps.com and The AmLactin family of moisturizers are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition. Some skin conditions may be worsened by moisturizers, so people should always follow their doctor’s skin care recommendations.

AmLactin

The AmLactin family of moisturizers are the number one dermatologist and podiatrist recommended brand of moisturizers2,3 and are readily available without a prescription at fine retailers nationwide and online. For more information, visit www.amlactin.com.

Upsher-Smith

Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. is a rapidly-growing pharmaceutical company that manufacturers and markets both prescription and consumer products. Upsher-Smith prides itself on providing safe, effective and economical therapies to the ever-challenged healthcare environment. For more information, visit www.upsher-smith.com.

1. www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/skin_dry.html
2. Most recommended moisturizing product for rough, dry skin. Omnibus Study. Dermatology Times. 2008
3. Kloos Donoghue S. Podiatry management annual practice survey. Podiatry Management. February 2009.

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RN Factor Skin Care is a Hit with Celebrities

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RN FactorRN Factor skin care was selected to take part in GBK’s MTV Movie Awards Party and Lounge. The summer beach-chic affair was held at a private estate in the Hollywood Hills, in honor of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards’ nominees, presenters, celebrities and VIPs.

RN Factor skincare was created by Raynee Bird R.N., BSN, Aesthetic Nurse Specialist, who combined her over 25 years experience in the skin care industry and know-how of what works and what doesn’t. The unique line of skincare products are paraben, sulfate and petroleum free which are gentle to the skin. Moreover, no animal testing was involved in the line’s creation. Her products contain natural and organic ingredients as well as high concentrations of actives.
The products are made fresh in small batches, meaning your serum or masque, for example, is made when you place the order.

The other main focus of this line is “Thinking outside of the cosmetic box”, according to Raynee, “I don’t like to sell products grouped into systems, i.e., Dry, Aging or Sensitive. Everyone’s skin is so different, I made products so that you can mix and match according to your skin type and condition.”

Raynee has recently become business partners with Angel Carter, sister of musical artists Nick and Aaron Carter. Angel handles the business and public relation side in addition to being the director of their new facial clinic based in Hollywood, CA. She is an aesthetic skin therapist.

What the celebs are saying:
“I love the Deep Pore Cleanser and so do my pores”.
“The Pumpkin Masque works great and smells good enough to eat”.
“I am so glad that your products are paraben free”.

For more information on RN Factor, please go to www.RNFactor.com.

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Acne Scar Removal Treatment Creams

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Bio Skin RejuvenationWith 85% of the population experiencing some form of acne, it’s no wonder why acne scar removal is such an important topic. Scarring can be much more than a reminder of a bad phase in one’s life but also can affect one’s self-esteem and confidence.

Now there’s hope to diminish and even eliminate those disfiguring acne scars with the use of natural acne scar products that were designed to support the immune system and heal acne lesions quickly and thus avoid scarring.

Both products, BioSkinExfol and BioSkinForte, made by Andes Natural Skin Care, LLC, include a biological serum secreted for its own skin protection and repair by a mollusk: a little snail of the Helix Aspersa Müller species (also known as Cryptomphalus Aspersa) with soft tissues having molecules, structures and cells very similar to those of human skin.

The biological serum is also a powerful antioxidant, and its regenerative properties have been validated by scientists, as we reported in a previous press release, in the January 2008 issue of the Journal of Pharmacology and Physiology of the Skin.

This complex natural organic skin care serum cannot be replicated even in the most sophisticated laboratories and can not be patented because it is a secretion that exists by the biological workings of a living being and not by a manmade chemical reaction. Thus, by its very nature, nobody can claim exclusive rights to it.

Once again Mother Nature’s workmanship provides its own superior solutions through a humble little creature in a way similar to another invertebrate with a soft body, the oyster, that secretes Nacre, an iridescent substance we call mother-of-pearl, to coat an irritant and over time create a beautiful Pearl.

The secretions are collected in a humane, non-harmful process and then stabilized by biotechnology so that its enzymes, antioxidants and its messenger and healing proteins not only are not degraded by hydrolysis but can be readily available when applied topically on human skin.
Because of this surprising solution, these powerful products are able to:

  • Control acne quickly and effectively without side effects because it’s completely compatible with living cells.
  • Soften and dissolve existing scar lesions and damaged tissues with enzymes.
  • Open pores and greatly reduce ice-pick acne scars, hypertrophic scars and post surgery scarring.
  • Inhibit dangerous, pathogenic skin bacteria, including acne by the action of anti-microbial peptides, and act as a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
  • Rebuild collagen and elastin back to the pre-scar levels with the amino-acids released from the breakdown of damaged tissues.
  • Trigger the formation of glycosaminoglycans, the molecules that give skin its capacity to keep in moisture - true skin moisturizing .

Dermatologists say “The end result is like making the ‘cleansers’ of the cells strong again. If they’re strong, they’ll dissolve things that aren’t supposed to be there like pore plugs, excess and hardened sebum, injured and worn out cells, pollutants and free radicals.”

These acne scar treatment products operate through a removal process called hydroxylation. By continued application, the natural enzymes clean out debris, consume dead material and open up the vascular system to bring new oxygen into the cells. The copper peptides and glycoproteins within the biological substance trigger and speed up proliferation of fibroblasts that are responsible for the production and regeneration of healthy skin.

For our staff “it’s such a pleasure to share the beauty and genius of this 100% natural discovery with those who have suffered too long with acne and acne scars and see them regain their self confidence”.

By design, the skin cells of our epidermis are packed tightly together to keep foreign material out, so it’s not easy to penetrate them with normal moisturizers.

Physical exfoliation of the top 10 or so microns of skin, especially of rough scar tissues, helps to penetrate more easily the outer layer of the skin into the epidermis and the basal layer, while they also polish the surface and make it look and feel softer and more even.

BioSkinExfol, our version of a home microdermabrasion cream for acne scar treatment, uses micro-crystals to polish away the upper most microns of damaged skin, and the enzymes of the snail’s organic healing serum to further ‘dissolve’ scar tissues, while its skin regeneration accelerators increase the natural healing process.

BioSkinExfol contains natural ingredients that resurface, protect, moisturize, repair and renew the skin. The organic ingredient mimics the intercellular structure of skin, and not only dissolves damaged skin cells but builds up the underlying structure of the skin - giving strength and support to further reduce the depth and appearance of pitted or ice-pick acne scars, rolling, boxscar or rough raised old acne scars or hypertrophic scars.

One customer wrote, “This product is simply amazing!! My skin is smoother than I ever could have imagined. My acne scars are disappearing right before my very eyes, and my skin in general just looks much brighter and clearer.”

Because Bioskinexfol is only for people whose acne has already healed, use Bioskinforte for existing severe acne to treat the acne AND heal scars at the same time.

Bioskinforte was created to help with cystic and stubborn acne that hasn’t seen results from other treatments. It’s the strongest natural acne treatment cream available and is distinct from other harsh acne treatments because it doesn’t cause sensitivity to sunlight, dryness, flakiness or redness, but it leaves skin smooth, refreshed and takes away the imperfections and blemishes of both acne and their scars.

BIOSKINFORTE goes to the root of the acne problem because it contains enzymes, natural antimicrobial peptides, antioxidants, and natural skin repair substances that restore the skin’s texture, balance and healthy appearance. With BIOSKINFORTE, cystic acne, skin abscess, permanent facial scars and post-inflammatory dark skin hyperpigmentation can be avoided.

Nature has never corrected problems with quick fixes, because there’s no such thing. Only with repeated action, little by little, in a way similar to how an oyster creates a precious pearl, beauty can be restored if the cream is applied with discipline every day.

These products can allow you to enjoy results that no surgery or chemical peel can warrant, and if you treat scars and acne with them you won’t risk having to regret further scarring and unwanted side effects.

For more information regarding Bioskinexfol, Bioskinforte or other products containing the same biological skin care ingredient, consult the following resources:

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Crib Colorists Consider Crazy (Hair) Color Categories

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Takes More Than a few Words to Clarify Haircolor Categories 

 Categories of hair color: what would you guess is the primary defining characteristic of categories of Hair Color?

 How Long the Color Lasts  -  is the answer…………sounds simple, huh? That is where the simplicity ends.


There are 5 main categories of hair color: Temporary, Semi- Permanent, Demi-Permanent, Permanent and Bleaches / Lighteners. We will review the first 2 today. There is such horrible misrepresentations out there in the aisles of Sally’s, Target, Walmart and every other place that sell the inexpensive “crap-in-a-box” Haircolor Kits. If I could choose how to best help the public in home hair coloring it would be to teach them what each of these hair color categories are, so they know how to avoid them and learn not to support these companies that are leading you down these paths of hair destruction. So many women contact me with horrific stories of hair destruction, so please if you don’t understand, ask questions in the comments section so this can be solved and for all to see. 

I understand how thousands - no millions of people every single day - look at a box of haircolor that has “Semi Permanent” printed on the box, and purchase it with the thought that it will NOT be permanent, that it will NOT make a demarcation line, that it will gradually and thoroughly shampoo out and then it doesn’t do any of those things. This problem is not the consumers, it is NOT YOUR mistake . . .it is the mistake of the company that sells these products. Maybe some people shrug me off  . . . and say ” there are so many more serious problems out there“….but I know from up front experience that these problems lead you… the consumer…to 1) depression 2) anger 3) insecurity… and that is only the top 3 issues.

So many times it happens to teenagers, who many times purchase their 1st box behind the parents back, and we all know how fragile a teens emotions are. We’ve all done things like that with our hair……but the point is, what is printed on the outside of that box, NEEDS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT IS “INSIDE” of IT — PERIOD.  I am taking a huge risk here as the large shampoo manufacturers actually advertise on my Blogs here which you will see all around this page here. . . . they may pull their ads with this article…. I wish I was wealthy enough to, not care. . . . but I’m not. We will see, I am not against these companies. . .  I just want them to treat the consumer fairly. I have dozens of people all the time in total tears and breaking down because of the mess the “Crap-in-a-Box” Kits and cheap hair color purchased at Sally’s are used. 
I want to start by teaching as clearly as I can “what” each category of hair color means. Maybe the large manufacturers will read this, you just never know nowadays whose reading your words  ;-)

It wasn’t until very recently, when they came up with a new line of hair color that actually has permanent Krazy Kolors, did I decide that I don’t really want any hair color to be truly, totally, permanent. A company name PRAVANA was born, by a man who worked for about 20 huge hair company’s over his career, he invented a true permanent  > Krazy Kolor palette. From all accounts given to me by others - these Crazy Colors were coming in with reports from everywhere that they were rock solid> Permanent. Maybe this sounds good to some, as it first did to me, mainly because Krazy Kolors are the first colors to fade, no one has ever been able to get them to last bold and vivid as first applied.. . but think about it, HOT PINK > screaming YELLOW in your hair forever — until you cut it out ??!?  The concept started to bother me, I put a lot of thought into a totally permanent hair color & if I really would want one, the decision was a resounding NO. 


Truthfully, most people only want bright colors in their hair for brief periods of time, and it wasn’t until this new hair color revelation that I started picturing a fully permanent hair color and the disadvantages - of. Its fun, its unique

Having used one of my KC quotes for years on this topic” there is no such thing as permanent hair color - even permanent fades“– permanent hair color  — shampoo-fades, sun-fades, hot tool-fades,  on & on, therefore, it is not truly permanent in my book, nor should it be in yours. Don’t ever think it will be so permanent nothing can be done to change it.  If you haven’t heard of VANISH yet, please look in the LABELS on the right-hand Sidebar, under Decolorize. Read the posts, which is how Celebs change hair color safely and frequently - its is very expensive - but at least it exists.

It reminds me precisely of the problems that go hand in hand with the Crap-In-A-Box (boxed hair color) Kits, the way the hair color seems pasted or GLUED in the hair - it doesn’t budge at all. For those of you that I have gone through the long - Rejuvenate &  Decolorize Your Hair -trek with ( years of Dark Boxed hair color stuck on your hair ) - some have needed up to 10 boxes of VANISH to get it all out.  

We expect hair color to fade somewhat, otherwise how would you go lighter in the Spring and Darker in the Fall, if it didn’t fade somewhat ? You wouldn’t. How would you get that wonderful refreshment that comes with that Touch-up every 6 weeks ? You wouldn’t…..not if Permanent Hair Color didn’t fade a tiny bit. Think about that the next time you choose the category of hair color you choose. Most of us really do like to change our hair color a little bit within a single year….for that we should use Demi permanent + Permanent Hair Colors, not any of these new weird strains of hair color that are popping up. Here is a chart from Sassoon and therefore from England where Advanced/Master hair cutting,styling and hair coloring got its roots and which most countries recognize as the leader in hair - all facets. 

5 Categories of HAIR  COLOR ,

Temporary Hair Color .- Water-based, coats the hair shaft, becomes longer lasting with heat.  Includes: Rinses, Colored Tinted Shampoos & Conditioners, Colored Styling Products.  …….Deposits Color ONLY, coats the hair strand temporarily. Does not  Lighten or Lift,  uses No Developer, No Activator as long as it is 1 bottle, you are safe. 
Semi-Permanent Hair Color …..Deposit-Only hair color - designed to last Haircut to Haircut, originally. No Developer, No Catalyst, No Activator - again - no nothing - that’s how you can tell if it is a true Semi Permanent or not. Semi Permanent  color is more penetrating than temporary but should not leave a L/D (Line of Demarcation). On normal healthy hair semi-permanent colors should eventually fade with shampooing.
Demi Permanent Hair Color……All Developer/Activator/Catalyst under 20 Volume, so 19 Volume and below. The common versions are 10 & 15 Volume + in the Color Touch Line : 6 & 13 Volume are the 2 EMULSIONS supplied with that line. If you take a tube of Koleston Perfect ( which is permanent hair color) and use it with 10 Volume developer, that turns it into Demi Permanent Hair Color.
Permanent Hair Color…..All Developer 20 Volume and above. 20 Volume Lifts 1-2 Levels and Deposits. 30Volume Developer Lifts 2-3 Levels and Deposits
Lighteners/Bleaches -  lightening the hair

1} Temporary Hair Color
Temporary haircoloring products are designed to last shampoo to shampoo. Temporary color is what many of us use at Halloween, it can be sprayed in and shampooed out. The pigment molecules in temporary color are large and therefore don’t penetrate the cuticle layer, allowing only a ‘coating action’ … that may be removed by shampooing. We use these haircolors in the movie business frequently, when a Stunt man or woman doubles an actor, you are chosen by your height,weight & talent. Wardrobe and hair can be altered very easily which makes for an almost perfect visual double, the last act is either wearing a wig ( no one can stand) or tinting our hair with a temporary hair color, at all times I kept 5-10 temp. “ROUX” colors on hand.
READ the label - remember how important your hair is to you.  Lasts only until you shampoo out, it rains, swim. Do not get too careless with this category….or it can stain very porous hair. May be called a “rinse”.    Temporary products color the surface of the hair, superficially. They are formulated to prohibit penetration of the cuticle; high-weight tint molecules that cannot pass into the cortex are used. The labels of temporary hair color may list acid dyes, basic dyes, FD&C & D & C dyes. Because the molecules are so large - if overused - they reduce natural shine. When I was using these a few times a week in the Stunt business - my hair felt like straw….so be very careful. There is NOTHING like a HEALTHY HEAD of HAIR.
This type of hair color only makes a physical change not a chemical change in the hair shaft. Not very many people lay claim to using this type of hair color, but I have and I can say when used frequently they don’t damage the hair but they do dry it out… I wonder how it would work for victims of oily hair….?
Temporary haircolors are available in a variety of colors & products, such as:

  • color rinses applied weekly to add color
  • colored mousses & gels used for slight color/dramatic effects
  • hair mascara
  • special effects
  • color-enhancing shampoos/conditioners : the red/brunette/blond boosters so prevalent right now 
  •  

2} Semi Permanent Hair color 
Semi-permanent haircoloring was first conceived to blend gray, and to give those hesitant to color their hair the first time a sample go-round. It evolved into a great haircolor for men, same day color for Relaxer’ed ethnic hair + perfect color for damaged hair. Semi-permanents are ideally suited to these tasks because they only DEPOSIT , there is NO lifting - NO Lightening in a true S/P. I still can remember to this day, that our very first attempt at real hair color in Hair Academy was Semi-Permanent which we performed on each other. It was such a cool feeling to change hair color for the first time and with a true semi-permanent it gives the most dynamic shine I had ever seen..it was mind-blowing. Semi Permanents typically blend low percentages of gray while demi-permanents blend or cover more gray.
What becomes a huge problem for everyone and most specifically the consumer - YOU - is there is no rules or laws to protect you from buying the correct product. As I tell my clients constantly, “there could be battery acid in that color you bought and it would not be against the law” !! That is very true, and very scary.
Semi - Perm is color formulated to last through several shampoos, depending on the hairs porosity. The pigment molecules are small enough to partially penetrate the hair shaft and stain the cuticle layer, but they are also small enough to diffuse out of the hair during shampooing and thus fade with each shampoo. If it is truly a semi-permanent it will last only 6 - 8 shampoos. It cannot lighten hair, so the change is minor and it does not require the maintenance of “new growth”. It is formulated without AMMONIA and is generally as gentle to the hair as shampoo.
True Semi-Perm haircolor is used straight out of the bottle, if the color requires an activator-developer-processor-peroxide —> “of any sort at all”  that moves it to a different classification (demi-permanent). The reason they use the term “activator” instead of “developer”  is to confuse the consumer, most will not know that a true semi-permanent should not be mixed with  A N Y T H I N G!   Check whatever you are purchasing, if it says “SEMI-PERMANENT” it should have a tube or bottle of hair color and NOTHING else - PERIOD! That way you can be assured of no, line-of-demarcation, once it begins washing out of your hair.
If they want the color to do something else, change categories - re-name it and follow the “unwritten & written laws” about it, so no one gets hurt. The problem here is the improper use affects millions of people not just a couple dozen.
The activator develops the color pigments within the formula and helps to swell the cortex and open the cuticle for color penetration
Semi Permanents are completely incapable of LIGHTENING, I have seen a number of kits that claim they are semi permanent blonding kits. That is an oxy moron there is no such thing as a semi-permanent that lightens hair, to lighten you would need a “bottle of peroxide” I hope this is becoming crystal clear to many of you.
Clairol has at least 10 infringements on this term . . . . I cannot even stand to read them,  they are so far from the truth. It is downright blatant FALSE advertising of a chemical  procedure a person applies to their own body, I feel just horrible that it is done to people every single day. The only way I can see to help is by educating the people that read this BLOG. There is no way I can go to a magazine, a TV show, even a newspaper with this info. Not one of them will print it. WzZhy? The company that owns Clairol is the number 1 advertiser in the entire USA, no one in their right mind would jeopardize how they bring in the most revenue. PLEASE do your own policing .The funny part of this is…….they also are the only ones to have the best Semi Permanent on the planet (the BEAUTIFUL Collection) . . .we use it at Vidal Sassoon Academy, I still use it today - I wouldn’t use any other brand.! ? ! ? ! ? !

Demi’s and Permanents are next. Hold on.
 For those new to Killer Strands . . . my number 1 recommendation for everyone is to go back to the beginning of the Posts . . Skim through them - read the ones pertaining to you. There is a lot of information here in no particular order, I have been telling new readers this for a year……..every person I relay this too. . . Thanks me.    It will be the truth in Hair Care wide open for all to see. Enjoy.

Killer Chemist

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Obagi On Sale For You - Obagi Skin Care Products

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Obagi On Sale For You - Obagi Skin Care Products

Obagionsaleforyou.com commercial advertising our great selection of Obagi Skin Care Products. We carry everything you need to get younger, healthier looking skin than ever before. Visit http://www.obagionsaleforyou.com today! Video produced by http://www.visible.net
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How to Prepare an Oatmeal Bath

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How to Prepare an Oatmeal Bath

Prepare an oatmeal bath with these household tips and soothe your skin.
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Health Tips Facts- Hepatitis C Virus Symptoms, Risk Factors,Cure

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What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C Virus causes an inflammation of the liver. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is found in the blood of persons who have this disease. HCV is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person.

What are the causes?

Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Persons who may be at risk for hepatitis C are those who:

(1) Received blood, blood products, or solid organs from a donor who has hepatitis C

(2) Have injected street drugs or shared a needle with someone who has hepatitis C

(3) Have been on long-term dialysis for kidney failure

(4) Have frequent contact with blood on the job such as doctors

(5) Share personal items, such as toothbrushes and razors, with someone who has hepatitis C

(6) Are born to hepatitis C infected mothers

What are the symptoms?

Many people who are infected with the hepatitis C do not have symptoms. Hepatitis C is often detected during blood tests for a routine physical or other medical procedure. The following symptoms could occur:

(1) Jaundice

(2) Abdominal pain in the right upper abdomen

(3) Fatigue

(4) Loss of appetite

(5) Nausea and vomiting

(6) Low-grade fever

(7) Pale or clay-colored stools

(8) Dark urine

(9) Generalized itching

How is it diagnosed?

There are several blood tests that can be done to determine if one has been infected with HCV. Your doctor may order one or a combination of these tests.

a) Anti-HCV (antibody to HCV) :-

EIA (enzyme immunoassay): This test is usually done first. If positive, it should be confirmed

RIBA (recombinant immunoblot assay): A supplemental test used to confirm a positive EIA test

Anti-HCV does not tell whether the infection is new (acute), chronic (long-term) or is no longer present

Qualitative tests to detect presence or absence of virus (HCV RNA)

Qualitative tests to detect amount (titre) of virus (HCV RNA)

Hepatitis virus serology with negative antibody to hepatitis A and hepatitis B

ELISA assay to detect hepatitis C antibody

Hepatitis C PCR test

Elevated liver enzymes

Liver biopsy showing acute or resolving hepatitis

What is the treatment?

Some patients with hepatitis C benefit from treatment with interferon alpha or a combination of interferon alpha and ribavirin.

Interferon alpha is given by injection just under the skin and has a number of side effects, including flu-like symptoms, headaches, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, depression, and thinning of hair. Treatment with interferon alpha may also interfere with the production of white blood cells and platelets.

Ribavirin is a capsule taken twice daily, and the major side effects are severe anaemia (low red blood cells) and birth defects. Women should, therefore, avoid pregnancy during and for 6 months following treatment.

Recently, a version of interferon alpha with a longer half-life (pegylated interferon alpha) has been introduced, and the longer half-life means the injections are taken weekly instead of the three times a week with standard interferon alpha. Pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin lead to a sustained response in approximately 50% of patients. A sustained response means that the patient remains free of hepatitis C virus 6 months after stopping therapy. People with hepatitis C should avoid any substances toxic to the liver (hepatotoxic). All patients with hepatitis C should be immunized against hepatitis A and B also.

People with hepatitis C should also be careful not to take vitamins, nutritional supplements, or new over-the-counter medications without first discussing it with their doctor. Patients with hepatitis C should avoid alcohol. Even moderate amounts of alcohol speed up the progression of hepatitis C, and alcohol reduces the effectiveness of the treatment.

What are the complications?

Chronic hepatitis

Cirrhosis

What is the prevention?

One should avoid contact with blood or blood products whenever possible. Health care workers should practice universal precautions when handling blood and body fluids.

One should not inject drugs of abuse, and especially not share needles with anyone. One should be cautious when getting tattoos and body piercings done.



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