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8 mistakes that make your hair thin

<p>Despite how many products you put load it up with, hair thins with age and there is scarcely anything that you can do to completely fight nature. What you can do is go into prevention mode as early as possible. There are many simple things that we do to our hair daily that is actually causing it a lot of stress and in many cases causing it to thin.</p> <p>So rather than a trip to the hairdresser every other week or falling for flashy and expensive products on cheap advertisements, follow these 8 simple tips to avoid damaging your hair and losing what you have.</p> <p><strong>1. Hot showers</strong></p> <p>We all know that hot water can dehydrate our skin, but did you know the same rule applies to your hair? Ryan Welter, MD, a Boston-based hair transplant surgeon explains; “Not only are you washing your hair’s protecting oils down the drain, but the heat throws your scalps pores into overdrive to keep up with oil production, which can damage the root and lead to additional shedding.”</p> <p><strong>2. Using too many heat tools</strong></p> <p>Ironic, isn’t it? All that that drying and curling we do to make our hair look fabulous is actually doing it the most damage. Not everyone is a wash-and-wear kind of person, though, so if you really can’t part with your heated tools, make sure you prep your strands with a heat protection spray. Also, they may be more expensive but ceramic plated tools are ten times better for your hair. The ceramic plate has a uniform heating system that makes it impossible for it to overheat and cause damage to the hair from burning. Additionally, you’ll get a better aesthetic result.</p> <p><strong>3. Crash dieting</strong></p> <p>Your diet affects everything, so it’s no surprise it effects your hair. Under eating forces, the body to direct the little energy it has to perform essential functions –like helping your heart pump blood-so generating new hair falls by the wayside. The good news is that you can eat certain foods for positive hair health. Lean protein like fish, chicken, lentil and beans all promote growth. Hair is primarily made of protein so it will make or break your hair. You should aim for about 46 grams per day.</p> <p><strong>4. Styling when wet</strong></p> <p>Our strands are never more fragile, and prone to breakage, than when they’re saturated with H20 – this is because the protective cuticle is slightly raised. Brushing or combing locks in the shower, then following with aggressive towel-drying and prompt styling is a recipe for swift breakages. To avoid this, let your hair dry as naturally as possible when you get out of the shower and wait patiently before styling.</p> <p><strong>5. Let’s talk about the colour</strong></p> <p>If your hair is dyed, and especially if it’s bleached, you will be more prone to breakage. However, there are many ways to avoid this. If you can’t be bothered fussing with various different treatments, simply leave your conditioner on for a few minutes rather than washing straight out. This will act like a hair treatment or mask without the hefty price tag. Alternatively, Moroccan oil is naturally high in fatty acids and vitamin E, making it a good treatment for damaged hair. Use sparingly on the ends, it only takes a few minutes to apply.</p> <p><strong>6. Opting for tight hairstyles</strong></p> <p>If you wear your hair back in a tight hairstyle, like a ponytail or bun, chances are it’s contributing to your thinning hair. Pulling on the hair follicles too tightly puts tension on them, damaging them and creating scars that destroy them permanently. This can lead to alopecia, a condition that permanently weakens the follicle and makes it impossible for hair to grow again.  </p> <p><strong>7. Over-shampooing</strong></p> <p>The purpose of shampooing your hair is to cleanse the hair and scalp of oil and product build up. However, there is actually such thing as over-shampooing. This can wash away your hairs natural moisture that helps your hair look healthy and dries it out. This is especially true if you’re using a shampoo that’s more tropical scented foam than nutrition for your hair. So how much should you wash it? Unfortunately, there’s no specific algorithm. See what works best for you, stick to it, and always be gentle.</p> <p><strong>8. Using the wrong brush</strong></p> <p>Something as simple as using the wrong hairbrush could be doing you a world of damage. Unfortunately, the thinner your hair, the more damage brushing in general will do. Stick to coming and wide bristle brushes as to not aggravate delicate hair cells. For slick, slightly damp hair, natural-bristle brushes are best and for those who can get away with it, stick to a comb and nothing but the comb. Just be sure to check the teeth for seams or roughness.</p> <p>Finally, always go by the golden rule; if something is going to harm your skin, it’s going to harm your hair. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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From straight to curly, thick to thin: here’s how hormones and chemotherapy can change

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>Head hair comes in many colours, shapes and sizes, and hairstyles are often an expression of personal style or cultural identity.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36631178/">Many different genes</a> determine our hair texture, thickness and colour. But some people’s hair changes around the time of puberty, pregnancy or after chemotherapy.</p> <p>So, what can cause hair to become curlier, thicker, thinner or grey?</p> <h2>Curly or straight? How hair follicle shape plays a role</h2> <p>Hair is made of <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23204-keratin">keratin</a>, a strong and insoluble protein. Each hair strand grows from its own <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470321/">hair follicle</a> that extends deep into the skin.</p> <p>Curly hair forms due to asymmetry of both the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6894537/">hair follicle and the keratin</a> in the hair.</p> <p>Follicles that produce <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318524">curly hair</a> are asymmetrical and curved and lie at an angle to the surface of the skin. This kinks the hair as it first grows.</p> <p>The asymmetry of the hair follicle also causes the keratin to bunch up on one side of the hair strand. This pulls parts of the hair strand closer together into a curl, which maintains the curl as the hair continues to grow.</p> <p>Follicles that are symmetrical, round and perpendicular to the skin surface produce straight hair.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567020/original/file-20231221-29-fp0wci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A diagram shows the hair follicle shape of straight, curly and coiled hair." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Each hair strand grows from its own hair follicle.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/diagram-hair-follicle-shape-vector-illustration-2248429145">Mosterpiece/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Life changes, hair changes</h2> <p>Our hair undergoes repeated cycles throughout life, with different stages of growth and loss.</p> <p>Each hair follicle contains stem cells, which multiply and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2022.899095/full">grow into a hair strand</a>.</p> <p>Head hairs spend most of their time in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905671/">the growth phase</a>, which can last for several years. This is why head hair can grow so long.</p> <p>Let’s look at the life of a single hair strand. After the growth phase is a transitional phase of about two weeks, where the hair strand stops growing. This is followed by a resting phase where the hair remains in the follicle for a few months before it <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/stages-of-hair-growth">naturally falls out</a>.</p> <p>The hair follicle <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/exd.13347">remains in the skin</a> and the stems cells grow a new hair to repeat the cycle.</p> <p>Each hair on the scalp is replaced <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4606321/#b3">every three to five years</a>.</p> <h2>Hormone changes during and after pregnancy alter the usual hair cycle</h2> <p>Many women notice their hair is <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/pregnancy-hair">thicker during pregnancy</a>.</p> <p>During pregnancy, high levels of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908443/">oestrogen, progesterone and prolactin</a> prolong the resting phase of the hair cycle. This means the hair <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/">stays in the hair follicle for longer</a>, with less hair loss.</p> <p>A drop in hormones a few months after delivery causes increased hair loss. This is due to all the hairs that remained in the resting phase during pregnancy falling out in a fairly synchronised way.</p> <h2>Hair can change around puberty, pregnancy or after chemotherapy</h2> <p>This is related to the genetics of hair shape, which is an example of <a href="https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/incomplete-dominance">incomplete dominance</a>.</p> <p>Incomplete dominance is when there is a middle version of a trait. For hair, we have curly hair and straight hair genes. But when someone has one curly hair gene and one straight hair gene, they can have wavy hair.</p> <p>Hormonal changes that occur around <a href="https://clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13148-019-0780-4">puberty</a> and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/20/12698">pregnancy</a> can affect the function of genes. This can cause the curly hair gene of someone with wavy hair to become more active. This can change their hair from wavy to curly.</p> <p>Researchers have identified that activating specific genes can change hair in pigs <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2023.1184015/full">from straight to curly</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5759815/">Chemotherapy</a> has very visible effects on hair. Chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cells, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2628766">including hair follicles</a>, which causes hair loss. Chemotherapy can also have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1988866/">genetic effects</a> that influence hair follicle shape. This can cause hair to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chemo-curls">regrow with a different shape</a> for the first few cycles of hair regrowth.</p> <h2>Hormonal changes as we age also affect our hair</h2> <p>Throughout life, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/">thyroid hormones</a> are essential for production of keratin. Low levels of thyroid hormones can cause dry and brittle hair.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36578854/">Oestrogen and androgens</a> also regulate hair growth and loss, particularly as we age.</p> <p>Balding in males is due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/starting-to-thin-out-hair-loss-doesnt-have-to-lead-to-baldness-34984">higher levels of androgens</a>. In particular, high dihydrotestosterone (sometimes shortened to DHT), which is produced in the body from testosterone, has a role in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7269836/">male pattern baldness</a>.</p> <p>Some women experience <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-why-does-womens-hair-thin-out-39126">female pattern hair loss</a>. This is caused by a combination of genetic factors plus lower levels of <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/3/893">oestrogen and higher androgens</a> after menopause. The hair follicles become smaller and smaller until they no longer produce hairs.</p> <p>Reduced function of the cells that produce <a href="https://www.health.com/mind-body/what-going-gray-early-can-tell-you-about-your-health">melanin</a> (the pigment that gives our hair colour) is what causes greying.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219329/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095"><em>Theresa Larkin</em></a><em>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: </em><em>Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-straight-to-curly-thick-to-thin-heres-how-hormones-and-chemotherapy-can-change-your-hair-219329">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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4 reasons why your hair is thinning

<p>Dr Libby is a nutritional biochemist, best-selling author and speaker. </p> <p>It is certainly normal to lose some hair daily, however, there are a number of reasons why your hair may be thinning. Here are the main four reasons to explain why.</p> <p><strong>1. Iron deficiency anaemia</strong></p> <p>Being low or deficient in iron can lead to hair loss. Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia can include fatigue, weakness and pale skin. You may also notice headaches, difficulty concentrating, cold hands and feet and as mentioned hair loss. Iron deficiency essentially sends your body into survival mode, so your body channels oxygen to support vital functions as opposed to what it deems non-vital – like keeping your hair intact. The best way to check your iron status is to see your GP for an iron studies test.</p> <p><strong>2. Hypothyroidism</strong></p> <p>Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormones; it can result in a host of symptoms including unexplained weight gain, fatigue, constipation, depression and difficulty concentrating. Hair, nails and skin may become more brittle and break more easily, and hair loss is also common.</p> <p><strong>3. Omega-3 fatty acids</strong></p> <p>In order to have healthy hair and avoid hair loss, we need to make sure that we are getting enough of the right nutrients in our diets, including omega-3 fatty acids. Adding more of these fatty acids to your diet can help to prevent hair loss and even encourage hair to grow healthier. Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to open the hair follicles, promoting healthy hair growth. When the body is not receiving sufficient nutrients, the hairs that are lost regularly each day are less likely to be replaced, and hair loss is more likely.</p> <p><strong>4. Vitamin D</strong></p> <p>Low vitamin D levels interfere with healthy hair follicles regenerating. Again, this can be assessed via a blood test.</p> <p>There can also be physical reasons such as excessive styling, straightening and dying, which can lead to hair loss. Heat and some chemicals can weaken the hair, causing it to break and fall out. If your hair loss is consistent it's best to seek individualised advice from a health professional.</p> <p>Do you have any advice for people with thin hair? Share in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Written by Dr Libby. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Georgie Gardner jokes about Karl Stefanovic's thinning hair on the Today show

<p>Georgie Gardner made a sly dig at co-host Karl Stefanovic’s apparent hair loss during a food segment on Wednesday's <em>Today</em> show.</p> <p>Nutritionist Joanna McMillan appeared on the breakfast TV program to explain the benefits of various food groups, when Georgie asked: “What about thinning hair?”</p> <p>Karl snapped defensively: “Why are you looking at me?”</p> <p>“I'm not. I purposefully was not looking at you, Karl... but if your hair <em>is</em> falling out, what are your thoughts?” she quipped back.</p> <p>Happy to play along, Karl bursts into laugher and jokingly suggested that Georgie and Joanna “were just ganging up on [him]”. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/karlstefanovic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KarlStefanovic</a> took <a href="https://twitter.com/joannanutrition?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@joannanutrition</a>'s nutritional advice very seriously! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/9UYen9eYir">pic.twitter.com/9UYen9eYir</a></p> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1021888547958054913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Later in the segment, Joanna advised that nuts and seeds may benefit men experiencing hair loss.</p> <p>“So, nuts can cure baldness?” Karl quickly interjects, before picking up a bowl of nuts from the table and pouring them into his mouth.</p> <p>“Look at that, my hair's thicker! It's just lush,” declared Karl as he chomped on nuts.</p> <p>“Moving swiftly on!” Georgie said, trying to keep a straight face.</p> <p>There have been rumours that Karl has undergone a secret “hair transplant</p> <p>Last year, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/hair-transplants-prevent-tv-careers-from-wearing-thin-20170302-gup32c.html">The Sydney Morning Herald</a></strong></em></span> also claimed that Karl had undergone a “subtle hair transplant” to cover thinning at the front and top, ahead of his wedding to new partner Jasmine Yarbrough.</p>

TV

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Smile and stay thin: What life was like as a 60s air hostess

<p><em><strong>Dr Prudence Black is a Research Associate in the Department of Gender and Cultural Studies at the University of Sydney.</strong></em></p> <p>“They looked fantastic but it must have restricted their movements something terrible.” – Max White, Qantas flight steward, 1947 to 1980</p> <p>In 1958, Qantas began employing Japanese flight hostesses to work on the “Cherry Blossom” route to Japan. Qantas’s Marj de Tracy had flown to Japan to select, from 150 applicants, Yoshiko Watanabe, Teruko Oshima and Kazuko Otsu. Publicity photos of the new recruits, all in their early twenties, showed them arriving in Sydney wearing full kimonos, similar to the ones they would wear on the flights to Tokyo.</p> <p>Teri Teramoto was selected to fly on the Japan route in 1964. She started training with two other young Japanese women, and the stress of the new environment meant that none of them slept properly. Each morning they left on the bus for training school without breakfast, instead each snacking on their own packet of Arnott’s Scotch Finger biscuits.</p> <p>Snacking on biscuits was not a good idea but it was difficult to find Japanese food in Sydney. With a change of diet they all put on weight, and were put on the scales and reprimanded in front of the other trainees.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39393/in-text-1_500x375.jpg" alt="In Text 1 (13)"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><em>Exotic cosmopolitanism: the Qantas Japanese flight hostess (in the background) Image credit: Qantas Heritage Collection.</em></p> <p>After training they were sent one-by-one with a check hostess on a test flight to Hong Kong. Only after completing a three-month probation period were they taken by Qantas’s Tokyo manager to a shop in Ginza to be fitted for a kimono. They would board the plane in the “Jungle Green” uniform, and after take-off, go to the toilet and, in less than five minutes, change into the traditional kimono. Qantas continued to recruit Japanese-born flight hostesses into the 1980s but in the 1970s they stopped wearing the kimono, partly due to expense but also safety issues.</p> <p>Other major international airlines introduced Asian women on their flights, and they too would wear traditional forms of dress as well as the standard uniform. In 1961 Cathay Pacific had two flights a week between Hong Kong and Sydney. It proclaimed the use of British pilots who “fly you efficiently” while the “demure Oriental hostesses pamper you charmingly”.</p> <p>Other airlines attempted to exoticise their air hostesses. On board Ansett-ANA’s new Lockheed Electras, hostesses wore gold lamé dresses for the Golden Supper Club Service on the last flight out of Melbourne to Sydney at 10pm. The dresses only came in three sizes; if the size didn’t fit safety pins were used. The rationale behind the service was that it would attract businessmen who “could relax 4 miles high” while “attentive hostesses” served meals.</p> <p>In 1967, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/history-and-heritage/uniforms/boac-uniforms" target="_blank">BOAC introduced a paper mini dress</a></strong></span> covered with a print of a sun and large flowers to be worn on the Caribbean and Bermuda flights. Cut, literally, to whichever length wanted, the dress was worn with a flower in the hair (usually a fresh orchid), and white gloves and bright green slip-on shoes. The dresses weren’t practical as they tore easily and became transparent and disintegrated when wet.</p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h2XkQfmjRVE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>They were meant to be fireproof, which was just as well as some passengers would try and stub their cigarettes into the fabric. After the plane had emptied, the hostesses would put on the standard uniform and throw away the short-lived paper dress.</p> <p><strong>The discipline of appearance</strong></p> <p>In 1959 Qantas only had 85 flight hostesses, but was receiving 800 applications a year. With the introduction of the round-the-world service and the new Boeing 707 services, advertisements were placed in the major daily newspapers for new flight hostess positions. In Melbourne the interviews would be held at Qantas House, over a period of three days. Applicants were expected to have a “pleasant personality and attractive appearance” and undergo three interviews before being selected into the training school.</p> <p>June Dally-Watkins, a well-known Australian model, had opened a school for deportment in Sydney in 1950 and Qantas employed her to teach deportment to its trainees. Pat Woodley, who had been Miss New South Wales in 1951, also ran a modelling and deportment school in Phillip Street, Sydney, which would-be air hostesses attended. Woodley advertised her school on the side of buses with the claim, “I’ll make any girl pretty”.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="688" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39392/in-text-2_500x688.jpg" alt="In Text 2 (9)"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><em>Keeping up the national image, Qantas flight hostess wearing the ‘Jungle Green’ uniform with koala, Image credit: Qantas Heritage Collection.</em></p> <p>Pat (Willbrandt) Gregory-Quilter, who started with Qantas in 1957, recalls that for her second interview she had to walk up and down the interview room before the panel of four, remove and put on her gloves and make a PA announcement.</p> <p>When she started the job, hostesses were wearing a white summer dress and she would hang her six spare uniforms on the back of the toilet door in the plane to avoid them getting crushed. More than once, an inebriated passenger urinated over the uniform.</p> <p>Gregory-Quilter worked with Qantas until 1961, then left to marry, and when the marriage failed came back in 1969 as trainer for 14 years. She was interested in achieving a more individualised look and so the Qantas training school created its own hair and make-up salon. Still the strict standards meant that the flight hostesses did tend to look very similar. The other reason for this was that wigs were commonplace at the time. They too had to be approved; they had to look natural.</p> <p>Maureene Martin joined Qantas in 1964 aged 22 and she recalls one of her colleagues calling Gregory-Quilter “Mrs Grooming Looming”, as she would appear from her office and ask them to put some more lipstick on, or something along those lines.</p> <p><strong>The high price of gaining weight</strong></p> <p>The Qantas Flight Hostess Manual was almost 260 pages, and Bev Maunsell, who had previously worked at Ansett-ANA for two years, remembers sitting in the Qantas training school thinking that they took things very seriously. As well as matters such as the placement of parsley on plates, the flight hostesses would be instructed about what to do during stopovers or between flights. They were advised to set aside one night each week to delve into their personal appearance. The order of activities suggested were:</p> <p>1. Relaxing bath.<br />2. Finger and toenails.<br />3. Hair – combed and brush scrubbed clean.<br />4. Skin care.<br />5. Superfluous hair removed.<br />6. Odd jobs – mending etc.<br />7. At least eight hours restful sleep with plenty of fresh air.</p> <p>Most were happy to adhere to the checks and the strict standards knowing that if they didn’t they could be grounded and therefore lose their pay.</p> <p>Janette (Freeman) Davie AM began with Qantas in 1967. She had to stay in training school for a bit longer as she had pimples and had to wait for her skin to “settle” before she could fly.</p> <p>When she was finally allowed to fly she would have her skin checked on each return flight. Eventually she was sent to a skin specialist and put on the pill, which normally meant weight gain.</p> <p>The issue of the hostesses’ weight was a concern as they were rostered off if they put on too much. This would have dire financial consequences, as Davie explains:</p> <p><em>We’d all moved from interstate. We all had to pay a bond to live in an apartment and we had no money left over once you paid the bond and your rent every week and fed yourself. So if someone said come back when you’ve lost the weight, it might take you three or four weeks to lose that half a stone and there was no salary during that period.</em></p> <p>It is easy to trace discrimination back to the airlines and their individual policies but there was also a sense that the air hostesses themselves endorsed the “look” required to be employed with many of them thinking that you shouldn’t fly when “you’re too fat or too old”.</p> <p>For most airlines the criteria to join were almost the same. While the height over the years had increased, the weight had remained much the same (usually a maximum of about 9 stone 7lb, but often described as proportionate to height) and it was still necessary to have completed a first-aid course. Glasses or contact lenses couldn’t be worn.</p> <p><strong>The work of glamour</strong></p> <p>While few would dispute the sheer hard work of the job there was also the hard work of being highly groomed and attractive; what might be called the work of glamour. No doubt as a recognition of the standards that Qantas achieved with their flight hostesses, Pat Gregory-Quilter was used as a judge for beach girl competitions and the Miss Australia contest.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OSkPyZSaWhk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>With most airlines offering similar services on often identical planes, the air hostesses became the point of difference. In the 1960s there was a trend for representing a sort of authenticity in ads. It was for this reason that in September 1967, Susan ( Jones) Foster became the face of Ansett-ANA appearing in an advertising campaign pitched firmly against their competition – TAA. The slogan was “How can both Airlines be the Same? We’ve got Susan Jones”.</p> <p>Foster was 22 years old. Even though she was comfortable on board chatting to the passengers, she was very shy. Without any preparation she was sent on a promotional tour of Australia doing radio and television interviews. Festival records also produced a Susan Jones EP record to be handed out on flights. The song, about a young woman who had “escaped” a small town to join the airline, was sung by the young, then unknown Johnny Farnham.</p> <p>That November, the airline ran a new advertisement, “Whoever you are, please stop sending our Miss Jones roses”, citing that they were losing “too many good hostesses to matrimony as it is”.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g2TyaXc2TAw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>By the end of the year Foster had become engaged. When the time came for her to leave Ansett-ANA, the airline placed a full-page advertisement in every major paper with a photograph of her in a wedding dress and veil, with the simple caption, “I do”.</p> <p>The idea that young, attractive and single women should represent an airline continued into the 1970s. Over at Qantas, the staff magazine announced it would run a series of photographs of the “fly-birds”. After one flight hostess appeared in her bikini alongside the caption, “a delightful decoration for any swimming pool”, it seems there were no further images in the series.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="237" height="340" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39391/in-text-3.jpg" alt="In Text 3 (3)"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><em>New Guinea Air Hostess. Image credit:  TAA Museum.</em></p> <p><strong>Indigenous Air Hostesses</strong></p> <p>After <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx" target="_blank">the 1967 referendum</a></strong></span>, where over 90 per cent of people voted to have Indigenous Australians included in the census, there were attempts to actively promote opportunities for Indigenous Australians. In June 1968, as part of a “Your Career” section in Dawn: A Magazine for the Aboriginal People of New South Wales, the Department of Labour and Industry had forwarded information about the duties and qualifications necessary to be an air hostess.</p> <p>It mentioned that the “work is often tiring, and the hostess must be of first-class health. She must speak fluently and clearly and have good eyesight, a pleasing appearance and personality and an ability to get along well with people”. The question of health was becoming an issue. An article from London mentioned that many hostesses were giving up their jobs because their health was suffering from the demands of the job and medical conditions associated with flying.</p> <p>Sue Bryant became the first Indigenous Australian air hostess when she started working for Ansett Airlines in 1970. Bryant had grown up in the inner west of Sydney, under the flight path, and she would often gaze out of the classroom window, thinking she would like to be an air hostess.</p> <p>Bryant’s first uniform was a white mini dress worn with a thin tan belt and a matching pillbox hat. By the time she left in 1973, the uniform was orange hotpants worn with a wraparound maxi skirt and brown boots. Working for Ansett Airlines of New South Wales meant Bryant flew to many of the outback towns: Dubbo, Bourke, Brewarrina and on to Charleville in Queensland. With large Indigenous populations in the towns it may have been advantageous to have Bryant on these routes but she didn’t think so, as there weren’t that many Indigenous passengers at that time.</p> <p>In 1971, Bryant appeared in Roderick Hulsbergen’s book <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.abebooks.com/Aborigine-Today-Hulsbergen-Roderick-Photography-text/963532992/bd" target="_blank">The Aborigine Today</a></strong></span> wearing her uniform, representing a modern young woman engaged in life at work.</p> <p>It was not until the end of the decade, that TAA employed three indigenous air hostesses.</p> <p>The 1960s, going into the 1970s, were a very progressive period for Australia. The postwar baby boomers were coming of age, and Australia was still an industrial country with an expanding economy. Unions were strong, and the progressive government of Gough Whitlam was elected. Support for Aboriginal Australians was on the rise, along with the inclusive policy of multiculturalism.</p> <p>Airline hostesses were part of the “boomer” demographic, and some were no doubt influenced by the atmosphere of sexual liberation and second-wave feminism. But for the most part they were professionally focused, and that suppressed any sense that sexy ad campaigns were exploitative.</p> <p>Still, what was sustaining for most of these young women was the esprit de corps that had started to gel with unionisation.</p> <p>In 1970, Qantas celebrated its 50th anniversary. A new campaign was started with an advertisement featuring a beaming flight hostess, alongside the slogan, The Friendliness of the Long Distance Australian. Now, even the smile was a matter for competitive international marketing:</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><em>Every airline has smiling hostesses. But nobody has that special open-hearted Australian smile except Qantas.</em></p> <p>What Qantas failed to notice was that their workforce of 230 flight hostesses had stopped smiling. On the 1st July 1970, the women started a seven-day strike over improved salaries and conditions.</p> <p><em>This is an edited extract from Prudence Black’s Smile, Particularly in Bad Weather: The Era of the Australian Airline Hostess, published by UWAP.</em></p> <p><em>Written by Prudence Black. First appeared on <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation.</a> </span></strong></em><img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77102/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/></p>

Retirement Life

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5 tips to prevent thinning hair in your 60s

<p><em><strong>Jacqueline Cao, founder of Shop Hair Dryers, a website that helps people find the right blow dryer for their needs and budget, shares her top tips fo</strong><strong>r thinning hair with Over60, plus seven foods that can help your hair grow faster.</strong></em></p> <p>Nearly half of all women will unfortunately experience some degree of hair thinning before the age of 60 due to estrogen dips. Thinning hair in women isn't always taken seriously by doctors but it can have a significant impact on one’s self-esteem and emotional well-being. Here are a few tips to help you deal with thinning hair.</p> <p><strong>1. Load up on the right foods</strong></p> <p>Vitamins essential for hair health include zinc, vitamin B12 and iron. You can find these vitamins from foods like fish, beans, chicken, shrimp, nuts and broccoli. Protein is also vital for hair health since hair is a protein fibre. Salmon is an excellent source of protein plus it also contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which boost hair health. You can try a protein shake as a supplement if you're finding it difficult to increase your protein intake.</p> <p><strong>2. Try washing your hair less often</strong></p> <p>Frequent shampooing can accelerate hair loss as well as dry out your hair. Try washing your hair less often and use a dry shampoo instead in between washings in order to cleanse and freshen up your hair. A dry shampoo is a product that absorbs oil and freshens up your hair without the need for water. </p> <p><strong>3. Get a check up</strong></p> <p>Hair loss may be a result of something as simple as a vitamin D and iron deficiency. A blood test can determine the amount of vitamin D and iron in your body. In this case, all it would take is a dietary change or taking a vitamin supplement in order to boost hair growth again.</p> <p><strong>4. Try minoxidil</strong></p> <p>Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is the only over-the-counter medication approved by the FDA to treat hair loss. Minoxidil works by increasing the size of the hair follicle in order to encourage thicker strands to grow. This medication is applied topically and it may take up to twelve months in order to see permanent results. It also requires commitment since the results will revert if you stop using it.</p> <p><strong>5. Manage your stress levels</strong></p> <p>Chronic and sudden stress can have an effect on hair growth. A sudden life event such as a new career, divorce or bankruptcy can cause a great deal of internal havoc. If you're under a lot of pressure you can try meditating or deep breathing in order to calm your body.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="2705" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37015/7-foods-to-make-hair-grow-faster_500x2705.jpg" alt="7 Foods To Make Hair Grow Faster (1)"/></p>

Beauty & Style

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8 hairstyles for thin hair

<p>We all want long, lush locks, but unfortunately, not all of us are blessed with natural volume. That being said, it’s quite easy to fake it these days – all you need is the right style inspiration and a flattering cut.</p> <p>The hair styling experts at Allure have picked out some of the best styles to suit thin-haired women in their 60s, and there’s something here for everyone. Take a look through the gallery above to see how stunning each one can be.</p> <p><strong>1. Touselled bob</strong> – Helen Mirren’s layered, tousled, jaw-length cut is flattering on most face types.</p> <p><strong>2. Pixie</strong> – This look is perfect for ladies with fine, delicate features like Isabella Rossellini.</p> <p><strong>3. Shaggy long bob</strong> – A bob with long, slightly messy layers gives Diane Keaton naturally voluminous locks.</p> <p><strong>4. Waves</strong> – No matter how long or short your hair, waves give even the thinnest hair the appearance of fullness, like Jessica Lange’s flattering cut.</p> <p><strong>5. Blunt</strong> – For soft-featured ladies like Olivia Newton-John, blunt, barely-layered locks are neat and youthful-looking.</p> <p><strong>6. Side fringe</strong> – A fringe is an easy update to any look, and is an easy way to fake fullness, like this cut on Sally Field.</p> <p><strong>7. Shag</strong> – Jane Fonda’s modern, fun update on the shag gives her thin hair more oomph.</p> <p><strong>8. Long and layered –</strong> If you’re lucky enough to have healthy, long hair, don’t give it the chop. Feathered, soft locks like Goldie Hawn’s are drop-dead gorgeous at any age.</p> <p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.allure.com/gallery/top-haircuts-for-women-in-their-sixties" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Allure.com</span></strong></a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Terribly thin elephant rescued and enjoying freedom

<p>A 70-year-old elephant is finally free from Thailand’s tourist industry. Noi Nah, affectionately known as the grandmother of the Elephant Nature Park rescue and rehabilitation centre, was rescued last month. She was thin, worn and distrustful of humans. But one month later, this elderly elephant looks completely different. Noi Nah is now looking healthier than ever and playing in the pond every chance she gets. It’s truly amazing what love and tenderness can do to an animal’s welfare, even when it comes later in life.</p> <p><img width="523" height="390" src="https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fhphotos-xtp1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2Fs720x720%2F11703317_711717978955546_7858106797594939245_n.jpg%3Foh%3D6f1655d4f44d86f9872310df0e5038ef%26oe%3D56125972&amp;ho=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent.xx.fbcdn.net&amp;s=94&amp;h=070eb3d393b9bff7ca4f8ac019cc2eff98d6c368f50ba8fce445d2062bb200a4&amp;size=980x&amp;c=1315392895" class="rm-shortcode" id="f6246"/></p> <p><img width="519" height="338" src="https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fhphotos-xpt1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2Fs720x720%2F11700898_711718012288876_5016601150953739487_n.jpg%3Foh%3Df2f9240c579756eadb1f31100b4d600d%26oe%3D56540A90&amp;ho=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent.xx.fbcdn.net&amp;s=497&amp;h=5b1191d3b1ff3582000257276e31952887d6677dbcd39c78daca90a1ab73c94b&amp;size=980x&amp;c=3163147855" class="rm-shortcode" id="2d621"/></p> <p><img width="519" height="375" src="https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fhphotos-xtf1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2Fs720x720%2F11745540_711718088955535_768933937804574841_n.jpg%3Foh%3Daaedce1e5be43449665ceae87207d1d3%26oe%3D56137FA2&amp;ho=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent.xx.fbcdn.net&amp;s=891&amp;h=6bfa3cb82402e89eb11974b3ba1aafe7e8948e51aa68a4db1e1b63ecf01a04bd&amp;size=980x&amp;c=992661521" class="rm-shortcode" id="49e21"/></p> <p><img width="520" height="420" src="https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fhphotos-xpa1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2Fs720x720%2F11692606_711717962288881_6017863862394414706_n.jpg%3Foh%3Ddbffb31dc4c7e6a9e9d029767a03d0d2%26oe%3D56110945&amp;ho=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent.xx.fbcdn.net&amp;s=279&amp;h=d3d7c3aaeb4ee4e0411c729148de37aad2b469457503149d6bd9e4b8213380b0&amp;size=980x&amp;c=2941670810" class="rm-shortcode" id="aa133"/></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/" target="_blank">Find out more at the Elephant Nature Park website</a>.</strong></em></span></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/07/dogs-taking-selfies/">These dogs love taking selfies</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/07/peanut-turtle-litter/">Turtle lives 20 years after being cut free from a six-pack ring</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/07/timed-photos-of-giant-dogs/">Perfectly timed photos make these dogs look like giants</a></strong></em></span></p>

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