For some men, the search for a baldness cure is akin to the age-old search for the fountain of youth. The virility, attractiveness, and just

Hair Skin

overall masculinity associated with a full head of flowing hair is understandably something that many men would do anything to hold on to . . . and the inse­curity associated with losing your hair is the reason so many hair loss prod­ucts have been so successful.

Vitamin C, the scurvy-fighting nutrient that’s abundant in citrus fruits and broccoli, is needed to form collagen, the “glue” within

Vitamin C Food Source

connective tissues that give shape and elasticity to skin and blood vessels. As the body ages and those connective tissues lose strength, skin becomes thinner and blood ves­sels are more fragile. Sun exposure accelerates the breakdown of connective tissues, making older people who’ve spent years in the sun more susceptible to bleeding and bruising. The sun’s rays also deplete stores of vitamin C, the very vitamin that the body needs to protect cells and tissue from free radical damage.

Some doctors recommend multivitamin/mineral supplements for most people who are at risk for developing pressure

Bedsore Skin

ulcers, because it ensures that they get the appropriate nutrient intake every day.

A multivitamin/mineral supplement is especially important for older people who are confined to bed or to wheelchairs. They are frequently defi­cient in a wide array of vitamins.

You would think that a couple of thousand years would be enough time to find a way to beat an ailment as common as bedsores. Evidence of these painful lessons has been found in ancient Egyptian mummies, but today we’re still struggling to prevent bedsores from forming on people who are confined to bed.

Clearly, the quality of mattresses has improved since the rule of King Tut. Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, have less to do with beds and lots to do with nutrition, say the experts. And that, sadly, is something that can still be pretty poor even in this day and age, especially among the elderly.