Hello Sadia,
I'm 27 years old. I rebounded my hair 1 and half year back, from Singapore, it was really shiny and was looking good, but recently I had a hair cut and my hair is becoming rough and frizzy. I oil my hair thrice a week and use Pantene Pro-v and Sunsilk shampoo and also use conditioner, but nothing works, I also did hair treatment from a renowned saloon, but still I'm upset, can you please help? Another thing is my skin, the skin of my body is fine but my face is so oily, there is no glow, also have some pimples, I have done facials at different saloons but am not happy with at all. Can you please suggest something by which I can remove my pimples?
Thanks a lot.
-Samira

Dear Samira,
It's very important that after oiling your hair through any chemical treatment to take extra care for your hair. For starters you should use shampoo and conditioner that is specifically for chemically treated hair. Regular sessions of deep conditioning (not only oil therapy) is essential for rebounded hair, a one-off attempt at hair treatment is not enough. There are so many 'hair treatments', you do not specify which one you underwent. Use leave-in hair conditioner at all times after using 'Restoria' shampoo. Trim your hair regularly. I'm sure your hair condition did not deteriorate overnight, the time for action should have been as soon as you noticed a little roughness.

As for your skin, wash your face with Margo neem soap twice a day. You should not be doing any facials if you have pimples. You should undergo pimple treatment. Regular use of clove cream and neem face pack will help you.

Dear Sadia,
I'm a great fan of your column and I think your tips are great as they are very easy to follow. I'm a university student and need your advice on what type of make-up should I wear to class. I want to keep it light and natural but at the same time I want it to enhance my features. I am of medium complexion and my plus points are my eyes so I want to highlight them. My skin is very oily so please suggest a few brands of face compacts and foundations that are long lasting. Your suggestion will come as great help.
Thanks.
-Ambreen

Hi Ambreen,
It possible you should pass any foundation entirely. Use a compact powder which is goes exactly with your skin colour. If it is even slightly lighter it will show in daylight. Pierre Cardin, Mac, Loreal have excellent compact makeup. Kohl your eyes with black kajal (Revlon eye pencil, the one that needs to be sharpened not the one in plastic casing).

A light brush of mascara (no eye shadow for the daytime) will do the trick. A natural lip gloss with a hint of colour would be ideal. It might need reapplying during the course of the day.

Dear Sadia,
As per your advice I've started applying grated cucumber to my eyes in order to remove my dark circles. However, how long must I continue with this process (e.g. 1 month?)? And once the dark circles disappear, will they reappear again if I don't apply cucumber?
Thanks!

It depends on how dark your circles are, for some people a month is enough. It's important that you are getting enough sleep for the best results. Sure, they will come back if you are not careful with your lifestyle. Late nights and the pressure of reading too much are a big part of the reason.

Dear Sadia,
I am 32 years old and I want your help for my skin problem. My facial skin is actually good. But my pregnancy period affected my face deeply. Black spot (like mesta) started appearing. 2 month ago I visited a doctor .He gave me an ointment. But I don't feel any change. Any suggestions? Please help.
Thanks
-SS

Pregnancy pigmentation is quite distressing but don't worry it will fade, it can take between a few weeks to a year for some people. Keep using the cream the doctor has given you. Use the following pack daily

1 tbsp Uptan
1 tsp Salt
1/2 lemon juice
1 tbsp yoghurt
Apply, semi-dry, light massage, then wash off.

Dear Sadia,
Due to the excessive growth of my beards I used to shave within 3 days so that my skin becomes unhealthy & rough. Please advise me. I use aftershave lotion after shaving but does not appear to be good for my skin, what can I do for extra protection?
Rajja

Within 3 days? I thought men shave every morning? Anyway before you shower put a few drops of Johnsons baby oil in your palm, mix with water by rubbing your hands together and apply on your face then proceed with your shave. Don't use aftershave lotions. Instead switch to aftershave balm (Kenzo, Paco Rabbane). And use vaseline lotion before going to bed every night.

Dear Dr. Khan,
I live in Australia and I use to read your contributed published article in Lifestyle for the last one year. My questions are whether Bangladeshi dentists are capable for doing porcelain work and whether they are maintaining maximum hygienic environment nowadays like other western countries? Will appreciate your kind responses.
-Abdul Kader

Dear Mr. Kader,
Thanks a lot for reading my article regularly. You will be happy to know that nowadays some dental clinic in Bangladesh are providing world standard porcelain crown and bridge with reasonable price. About hygienic environment; I think every dental clinic should give/have highest priority in maintaining germ free environment to prevent cross contamination like HIV, Hepatitis virus etc. Yes I can assure you that some dentists are maintaining this germ free environment.

Dr. Khan
I always have bad breath even after maintaining strict oral hygiene according to your published article about bad breath. But there has been no significant improvement. I feel frustrated to consult with any dentist. Is there a cure? Do you have any other advice for special investigation?
- Jobaida Rahman

Dear Ms. Jobaida
Every disease has a definitive treatment, so long as the diagnosis is correct. Please keep in mind that only about 50- 60% of “bad breath” problems originates from oral/dental region, whereas rest comes from other systemic problems. I do understand that you are maintaining strict oral hygiene by yourself, but did you have professional cleaning every year? Did you check whether you have any caries or not? Sometimes or it is a real difficult job to clean your hidden plaque/tartar by regular toothbrush and paste yourself. Please try to use dental floss and an interdental brush for cleaning in between your teeth.

Dear Dr. Mahfuj,
I always have dental phobia, and have read many of your articles on the topic. I tried to follow your instruction but have not had too much relief. I am 32 years old. Please give me a solution.
-Akbar

Dear Mr. Akbar
By the way, dentistry is no more horrifying issue, it is an absolutely painless approach. I always suggest choosing a dental clinic having a clean atmosphere, friendly environment and close to your home. Take an early appointment as the first patient and tell the receptionist that you are nervous about treatment. This first appointment with your dentist will usually be to discuss your fears about treatment and to do an initial examination of your teeth.

Hello Dr.Khan
I never can chew properly, especially hard food, with my artificial denture. I am thinking of getting a bridge but before that I had a few queries: is there any other way I can have a tooth replaced other than by availing a bridge? Can I make a very good quality artificial denture? Do you have any new technology to make the denture more comfortable?
-Akram Hossain

Dear Mr. Akram
Yes, another good option will be dental implant. Unfortunately we have yet to start dental implants in Bangladesh. You will be happy to know that we are going to start dental implant in the department of Dentistry, BIRDEM hospital by the end of this year. But for performing dental implants, pre-assessment study is very important for the overall success rate. So I strongly recommend you for a pre-assessment session rather than wait for dental implant.
Yes, you can make a good quality denture also. I think you should go to your dentist for checking your denture whether any laboratory error exits. Metallic denture (cast) may be another option for comfort.

Under a different sky
By Iffat Nawaz

Natokiyo

For those of you out there who are as old as me, you must remember our childhood Dhaka days, and Bangladesh Television programs. You must remember waiting for 5 p.m. when BTV would start airing their shows on weekdays, and after waiting patiently for further 30 minutes, there would be cartoons, which made my day! Smurfs, Scooby Doo and Spider Man, how I waited for that half hour…living in that age when nothing was taken for granted…

And I remember waiting with adults in the 80s to watch “E soptah er Natok” (Drama of the week) on Thursday nights, I remember the natoks would have great themes, and acting- it would engulf us for an hour and leave us longing for more, but we would have to wait one whole week for the next one. And they were almost always very good.

Sometime in the 90s, all that changed. There were more natoks being produced, more channels were added. Bengalis were keeping up with the rest of the world with their soap opera watching and no longer under-privileged. And with time the subjects of the natoks also changed, and from being interesting, to slightly interesting and then to not interesting at all I stopped watching them completely. I don't know if it was because I was a teenager and watching natoks were no longer considered cool, or if it was because the natoks themselves were not as striking.

A few years ago, I got hooked again. It was a natok called Ekkanborti, which then followed by another one called 69 and they transformed me back to the person who enjoyed Bangla dramas. And because of age or nostalgia I no longer resisted the longing to watch actors spreading Bengaliness all over my television screen.

So I started searching for more dramas, which were available here in the USA. Some were good and some not so but I still watched them for the latest fashions and trends in Dhaka, the new slang spoken by young and old, to figure out what and how people do, think, act these days. And a common theme started bothering me…quite a lot.

It was when America or England or some other popular country where many Bengalis have settled in, was portrayed in Bengali Natoks. According to Bangla natoks, the people who live in America and England, earning in dollars and pounds transform into these ridiculous beings without manners or reasons whom I am sure does exist to a small extent, but seriously it is so far from the truth in most cases. In Bangla natoks the portrayal of an ex-pat visiting Bangladesh is usually either pessimistic, or confused- someone who is very conceited, snubbing everything about Bangladesh or better yet a fraud, trying to marry a pretty Bengali girl to bring her back to some hell hole in New York, through his lying and cheating. When Bangla Natoks try to portray a younger Bengali woman living abroad it's often with some uncomplimentary connotation, about how she is breaking her Bengali boundaries in many critical ways, how becoming Americanised is such a terrible thing, in fact words like “American” or “Londoni” are usually mentioned with a bit of mockery in Bangla natoks.

I know in dramas a lot of the points are exaggerated, but a lot of the times they are based on very little of the real truth or what is perceived to be the truth. The Bengali dramas usually hold a message, they try to provoke feelings from us. And in this case of comical or bad Americans and Brits the message isn't so becoming. Sitting here watching characters modeled after us ex-pats I am often not sure if I should laugh, cry or get upset. And while I turn off the television before finishing most of these deshi-gone-bideshi dramas I try to remind myself maybe most sensible Bengalis aren't watching these, and even if they were to watch it they would know how misconstrued these are.

Perhaps this is not a big deal, perhaps I am thinking about this more than I need to, but honestly even in this 20 some years of my life I have learnt that stereotypes are scary, blown-out-of-proportion truths or lies are also harmful, and I urge for those with the pens and cameras writing and directing Bengali dramas about people living abroad, to not just create an image that amuses the audience but to create an image that also speaks of the white not just the black, and even if you want to portray the grey in between, please first figure out how to draw.