Q: I AM a 35-year-old Caucasian man in good physical and emotional health. In recent years, I have had a rapid rate of growth of grey hair on my head. This apparently doesn't look very good because many of my friends have suggested that I dye my hair. Thegrey hair makes me look and feel older. Is there anything I can do to slow the growth or stop it? Dr Rose writes: Grey hair occurs when pigments are no longer produced at the hair's root. The new hairs that grow are transparent and appear grey or white. Contrary to popular belief, shock or stress does not cause grey hair, even though there have been many reports of people who literally turn grey overnight.
There is a rare type of scalp disorder called alopecia areata, in which hair loss can occur rapidly leaving the hairs that are not pigmented looking very white. However, your hair probably turned grey because of genetic programming. On average, most Caucasian men begin to grey at about age 34.
If you want to dye your hair you should be aware of the risks. Some people are allergic to coal tar dyes, the most popular form of hair dye. Your scalp is extremely sensitive and the chemicals used in hair dyes may penetrate the skin.
Q: I just read about a woman with an ovarian cyst. Can you tell me more about this condition? Dr Rose writes : Usually discovered during a routine pelvic examination, ovarian cysts are abnormal, fluid-filled swellings in the ovary. In up to 95 per cent of cases, ovarian cysts are non-cancerous.
The symptoms may include pain in the abdomen, pain with sexual intercourse, irregularities in the menstrual cycle including no menstruation, or heavy and painful periods. However, most women experience no pain at all.
Most thin-walled and fluid-filled cysts will go away on their own, or stay the same size and do not cause the woman any discomfort. The more complex cysts do not, and may need to be removed by surgery before they rupture. When the cyst is very large the doctor may also need to remove the ovary.
