09 Sep Henna History Tips,Tutorials, and Videos

Henna History Tips, Tutorials, and Video

On week 27 we have a really fun post with lots of expert information about a form of art that is used in many countries including the USA. It is lots of fun and beautiful when it is well done. So here we go, we did extensive research on it and we wish for you to enjoy it, please share so other people can have fun also.

We would like to thank you for all your faithful visits and appreciation we truly are grateful for it without it wouldn’t be a blog, from all of us at I-RAMA.

WHAT IS HENNA?

Henna (Lawsonia Sienna), also called henna tree is a flowering plant.
The English name “henna” comes from the Arabic حِنَّاء (ALA-LC: ḥinnāʾ) or colloquially حنا, loosely pronounced /ħinna/. Henna is a tall shrub or small tree, 2.6 m high. It is glabrous, multi-branched with spine-tipped branchlets. Leaves are opposite, entire, glabrous, subsessile, elliptical, and broadly lanceolate (1.5–5.0 cm x 0.5–2 cm), acuminate, having depressed veins on the dorsal surface. Henna flowers have four sepals and a 2 mm calyx tube with 3 mm spread lobes. Petals are obovate, white or red stamens inserted in pairs on the rim of the calyx tube. an Ovary is four-celled, style up to 5 mm long and erect. Fruits are small, brownish capsules, 4–8 mm in diameter, with 32–49 seeds per fruit, and open irregularly into four splits.
The henna plant is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, and northern Australasia in semi-arid zones. Henna’s indigenous zone is the tropical savannah and tropical arid zone, in latitudes between 15° and 25° N and S from Africa to the western Pacific rim, and produces highest dye content in temperatures between 35 °C and 45 °C. During the onset of precipitation intervals, the plant grows rapidly; putting out new shoots, then growth slows. The leaves gradually yellow and fall during prolonged dry or cool intervals. It does not thrive where minimum temperatures are below 11 °C. Temperatures below 5 °C will kill the henna plant. Henna is commercially cultivated in Morocco, Algeria, Yemen, Tunisia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Turkey, Somalia, and Sudan. Presently the Pali district of Rajasthan is the most heavily cultivated henna production area in India, with over 100 henna processors operating in Sojat City.

 The Origin of Henna

http://hennacolorlab.com/what-is-henna/

The name henna also refers to the dye prepared from the henna plant and the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes. Henna has been used for centuries to dye skin, hair, and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wool, and leather.
Henna was used for cosmetic purposes in the Roman Empire, Convivencia-period Iberia, and Ancient Egypt, as well as other parts of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East and South Asia.  It can be found in other hot climates like Pakistan, India, and Australia. There is very persuasive evidence that the Neolithic people in Catal Huyuk, in the 7th millennium BC, used henna to ornament their hands in connection with their fertility goddess.
The use of Henna in the 4th-5th centuries in the Deccan of western India is clearly illustrated on Bodhisattvas and deities of cave wall murals at Ajanta, and in similar cave paintings in Sri Lanka. The evidence proves henna usage in India seven centuries before the Moghul invasion, and hundreds of years before the inception of the Islamic religion, which began in the mid-7th century AD. – in southern China and has been associated with erotic rituals for at least three thousand years, during the ancient Goddess cultures.

See more at http://hennaartconnection.com/history-of-henna#sthash.NHWOpNle.dpuf

The plant grows best in heat up to 120F degrees and contains more dye at these temperatures.  It wilts in temperatures below 50F degrees.   It also grows better in dry soil than damp soil.  The leaves are in opposite decussate pairs and vary in sizes from approximately 2-4 cm. long.  The flowers are fragrant, produced in conical panicles 1040 cm long, each flower 5 mm diameter, with four white petals. The fruit is a dry capsule 68 mm diameter, containing numerous 12.5 mm seeds.
The henna plant contains lawsone which is a reddish-orange dye that binds to the keratin (a protein) in our skin and safely stains the skin.  The stain can be from pale orange to nearly black depending on the quality of the henna and how well one’s skin takes it.  A good henna, fresh from hot & dry climates, will stain the darkest.

There are several places where you can look for henna: Indian, Islamic, Middle Eastern, or Moroccan aromatherapy or specialty body care shops, some organic and natural pigment supply companies carry it. When you wish to buy Henna several things you should check for the first one is to make sure that the product is for the skin not for the hair.Henna for hair is often chemically treated and includes tiny bits of leaves instead of the fine powder that is needed to pass through the small tip of a mehndi applicator.You must not grind the Henna or sift it you lose a great percentage of your product is a waste of time and money.
Quality control is crucial in this search due to some products can fail to leave any stain at all, some products that were opened, expired, half used or not even in the container!

Here is what to look for:

That the bag is not open at all, check the expiration date on the box and that has not been corrected ( that actually happens, or if the box says Black Henna that product is not what you want. even if the pictures on the container are black that doesn’t mean that the Henna is black.
If you want to purchase Henna in bulk, this product sold like this way usually comes in three colors: Black which usually is for the hair, and will not leave any mark on the skin, neutral, which is made to leave as little as color possible is not intended for Mehndi; Red, which is what is what you want, usually the store will tell you that all of it is fine, not so much at all.
The Henna powder for Mehendi should be as fine as talc powder, sometimes maybe little twigs or bits of leaves if your intention is to do fine delicate designs get the best fine quality. The Bulk Henna sold, for the most part, has got 30% to sometimes 60% of products that will have to discard or use to dye the hair. Bulk Henna quality varies dramatically.

TIP:

In a Hindu store, the advantage is that is used for common ailments as well as cosmetic purposes. Get a small amount and test it at home.

A fresh top quality Henna will be very fragrant, like a fresh herb. The color will be green and sometimes amber or brown. This should not be mistaken for neutral Henna, which is always pale brown in color. There is no such a thing as truly black Henna. Sometimes Henna stains from pale orange to deep rust or sienna.
Henna paste drys black as it is drying the skin and the paste still on, so the photographs you see are taken before the paste was removed, if you happened to get a very strong henna it will stain a blackish color the reason for that is the red color deepens to black but soon enough you will see the blackish color fading to red. The fine detail is more likely to keep the black shade and that is usually due to multiple applications or leaving the paste on the skin longer time with the proper heat, anything else involves harsh chemicals added to the Henna.
Henna comes in different shades but not in different colors, in if you find that in the market the product you are seeing got substances added to the recipe, by Loretta Roome
recommends finding a strong natural Henna begin learning recipes and application techniques.
Most Henna that is readily available on the market is treated, on the box it may say 100% pure Henna, read the ingredients, because they do not specify what happened to it before it was packaged. This kind of product will have a very strong artificial odor and will look gray they usually contain turpentine, kerosene, or clove oil which for most people is too strong and can cause a skin reaction, is always recommended to do a small patch test.Most of the products manufactured in the States are extremely overpriced and filled with unnecessary fillers, with cheap applicators, stencils, oils, and clutter, and some cases are no Henna at all !!! great.
A decent 1 pound costs about $12.00 so if you are paying more than that for three ounces you are over paying.
I several ingredients that are used to make Mehndi paste one of them is black tea, like Ceylon black, works great, dark coffee to like the kind that you find in Middle Eastern stores, do not purchase flavored coffee or light beans it won’t work, Tamarind, is very popular in Indian, Latin, and Asian stores, is a fruit and usually sold dried, the cost is, usually about $3 dollars a pound, ( use it for skin masks due to the fact that contains natural AHA which renews skin in an amazing way and way cheaper than the products sold in a bottle with no so pure AHA), the fruit from the Dominican Republic is too light in color. Tamarind also comes in concentrate form which is good to use too. In these stores, you can find clove, mustard oil, and eucalyptus oil. Make sure that they are essential oils in tinted glass bottles.

The same with pre-made pastes sold in cones or tubes, the reality is that real quality Henna only last fresh two to four days premixed, the premixed have very harsh preservatives that can react on your skin very different than real pure Henna, you can order Henna that is already mixed you have to be prepared to pay more for overnight shipping, is a number of reliable places that you can order from Loretta Roome shares these reliable sources.

Let’s talk tools from Loretta Roome suggestions:

She suggested the Jacquard bottle for the applicator and you can locate it in an art supply store along with items used for dyeing or batik. They are half ounce plastic bottles, with metal tips sold separately in three sizes with .09, .07, .o5 centimeters opening, you will need to make cones to fill your Jacquard bottles. she shares other ways to do this in her book The Timeless Art of Henna Painting

Jacquard bottles

Cone applicators for Mehndi

Basic ingredients:

Henna
Tea
Coffee
Spring Water or Distilled Water
Lemons
Sugar

Optional Ingredients

Eucalyptus Oil
Mustard Oil
Cloves
Okra
Tamarind
Garlic
Pepper
Orange Blossom Water
Cardamom
Black Walnut Hulls ( Ground )
Fenugreek Seeds
Pomegranate

Basic Tools

Cone or Bottle (with tip)
Scissors
Scotch Tape
Tea Strainer with handle
Ceramic, Glass, or Wooden Bowl
Wooden or Plastic Spoon
Lemon Squeezer or Reamer
Flat Toothpicks
Cotton in balls or strips
Heavy duty clear plastic drop cloth or freezer bags
Cotton swabs

Miscellaneous Items Loretta Roome recommends

Coal
Incense
Cosmetic Makeup Applicators
Pumice Stone
Loofah, fiber cloth or Mitt
Candles
Heating Pad or Hair dryer
Plastic wrap
Gauze

Here Loretta Roome shares Resource Guide:

Color Trends
5129 Ballard Ave. NW
Seattle, Washington 98107
206-789-1065

Reshma Henna

Shelly Mehndi powder Kaveri Enterprises

Sada Bahar Dulhan Mehndi red

Green color Henna

Amber color Henna

Different color Hennas

 Green Henna most used:

 Amber Henna:

For body decorations, the leaves of the henna plant are dried, crushed into a fine powder, and made into a creamy paste using a variety of techniques.  This paste is then applied to the skin, staining the top layer of skin only.  In its natural state, it will dye the skin an orange or brown color.  Although it looks dark green (or dark brown depending on the henna) when applied, this green paste will flake off revealing an orange stain.  The stain becomes a reddish-brown color after 1-3 days of application.  The palms and the soles of the feet stain the darkest because the skin is the thickest in these areas & contain the most keratin.  The farther away from hands and feet, the henna is applied, the lesser the color.  The face area usually stains the lightest.   The designs generally last from 1-4 weeks on the skin surface depending on the henna, care, and skin type.
Henna works on all skin types and colors.  It looks just as beautiful on dark skin as light skin but because some people skin may take the dye better than others, it can look more prominent on one and not as much on another (even lighter skin).  But nevertheless, henna is a symbol of beauty, art, and happiness and is meant for EVERYONE!

Because henna acts as a sunblock, there is an added benefit to having henna designs in the summer.  For those who love to get a tan, It leaves tan lines!  In order to benefit from this, it is best to get a henna design, let its natural color stay on for 3-5 days and then go and get a tan.  This way you can enjoy the natural henna color on your body, the henna color with the tan, and then tan lines in the shapes of the design (once the henna fades away)!  The tan lines last as long as the actual tan!

Various shades are procured by mixing henna with the leaves and fruit of other plants, such as indigo, tea, coffee, cloves, and lemon. The resulting paste is often used as a hair dye.
When used in decorative body art, sugar and oil are also added to the mixture to strengthen the color and longevity of design.
The earliest civilizations to have used henna include the Babylonians, Assyrians, Sumerians, Semites, Ugaritic, and Canaanites. The earliest written evidence that mentions henna specifically used as an adornment for a bride or woman’s special occasion is in the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, inscribed on a tablet dating back to 2100 BC, found in northwest Syria. Henna has also been used extensively in southern China and has been associated with erotic rituals for at least three thousand years, during the ancient Goddess cultures.

Because henna has natural cooling properties, people of the desert, for centuries, have been using henna to cool down their bodies.  They make a paste of henna and soak their palms and soles of the feet in it to get an air conditioning effect.  They feel its cooling sensation throughout the body for as long as the henna stain remains on their skin.  Initially, as the stain faded away, it left patterns on the skin surface which led to ideas to make designs for decorative purposes.  In the ancient Egyptian time, mummies wore henna designs and it is documented that Cleopatra herself used henna for decorative purposes.
Henna was not only a popular adornment for the rich but the poor, who could not afford jewelry, used it to decorate their bodies as well.
From the deserts of North Africa of northern India, magnificent designs blossom and vanish upon hands and feet of women. Most commonly associated with romantic love and the ritual of marriage, henna designs are an integral part of bridal adornment in Hindu, Moslem, and Sephardic traditions now.

HENNA IN THE WEST

Today people all over the world have adopted the ancient traditions of adorning their bodies with the beautiful natural artwork created from the henna plant.  It became a very popular form of temporary body decoration in the 90’s in the US and has become a growing trend ever since.  Celebrities like Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Yasmine Bleeth, Liv Tyler, Rihanna, and many others proudly adorn their bodies with henna and show them off in public, movies, videos, etc. People throughout the west have adopted the eastern tradition in their lives by having their hands and feet painted for weddings, bellies painted while in pregnancy, heads adorned with henna while going through chemotherapy, scars camouflaged to make them unnoticeable, etc. Most commonly associated with romantic love and the ritual of marriage, Henna designs are an integral part of bridal adornment.
Mehndi is an art form that traditionally has been practiced exclusively by women. In North Africa, Asia, the Middle East, or any Indian or Moslem community, you will find women who decorate themselves with Henna. It is taught and practiced largely in the oral tradition, with recipes and patterns passed from one generation to the next. But while Mehndi retains an aura of festivity and well-being, it remains a sacred practice intended not just to beautify the body but to invite grace and good fortune into one’s home, one’s marriage, and one’s family. It is a kind of Talisman, a blessing upon the skin.

CULTURAL

Henna is used for many reasons including self-expression; a celebration of special occasions like weddings, holidays & birthdays; inspiration; reminders; beauty; cosmetic treatments; medicinal uses; blessings & well-being; to be part of an ancient tradition; and an alternative or precursor to a tattoo.
Henna painting in its purest form is largely improvisational and intuitive. Ancient symbols and motifs are subject to the whim and imagination of the artist, and great emphasis is put on the singularity and originality of each interpretation.

This art has always involved a relationship of the personal and the traditional, spreading slowly from one culture to another over thousands of years and taking on a new meaning with each rebirth. Now we become a part of this new evolution and we can discover for ourselves what Mehndi brings to our lives today, I am grateful for the opportunity, to leave something this old with my contribution.
Today, brides prefer to have their henna done prior to the Mehndi night so that they can enjoy the festivities and also have a deeper stain by the wedding day.
Tradition holds that for as long as the henna stain appears on the bride, she doesn’t have to do any housework!  Also, the darker the stain the better the marriage and the better the mother-in-law will be!  So you can imagine why the bride would want the stain to come out dark and last as long as possible! How about that ladies? something to play with aside from the Henna.

Traditional Wedding Henna 

White wedding Henna 

Henna was used for cosmetic purposes in the Roman Empire, Convivencia-period Iberia, and Ancient Egypt, as well as other parts of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East, and South Asia.  It can be found in other hot climates like Pakistan, India, and Australia.   The plant grows best in heat up to 120F degrees and contains more dye at these temperatures.  It wilts in temperatures below 50F degrees.   It also grows better in dry soil than damp soil.  The leaves are in opposite decussate pairs and vary in sizes from approximately 2-4 cm. long.  The flowers are fragrant, produced in conical panicles 1040 cm long, each flower 5 mm diameter, with four white petals. The fruit is a dry capsule 68 mm diameter, containing numerous 12.5 mm seeds.
The henna plant contains lawsone which is a reddish-orange dye that binds to the keratin (a protein) in our skin and safely stains the skin.  The stain can be from pale orange to nearly black depending on the quality of the henna and how well one’s skin takes it.  A good henna, fresh from hot & dry climates, will stain the darkest.
For body decorations, the leaves of the henna plant are dried, crushed into a fine powder, and made into a creamy paste using a variety of techniques. This paste is then applied to the skin, staining the top layer of skin only.  In its natural state, it will dye the skin an orange or brown color.  Although it looks dark green (or dark brown depending on the henna) when applied, this green paste will flake off revealing an orange stain.  The stain becomes a reddish-brown color after 1-3 days of application.  The palms and the soles of the feet stain the darkest because the skin is the thickest in these areas & contain the most keratin.  The farther away from hands and feet, the henna is applied the lesser the color.  The face area usually stains the lightest.   The designs generally last from 1-4 weeks on the skin surface depending on the henna, care, and skin type.
Henna works on all skin types and colors.  It looks just as beautiful on dark skin as light skin but because some people skin may take the dye better than others, it can look more prominent on one and not as much on another (even lighter skin).  But nevertheless, henna is a symbol of beauty, art, and happiness and is meant for EVERYONE!
Because henna acts as a sunblock, there is an added benefit to having henna designs in the summer.  For those who love to get a tan, It leaves tan lines!  In order to benefit from this, it is best to get a henna design, let its natural color stay on for 3-5 days and then go and get a tan.  This way you can enjoy the natural henna color on your body, the henna color with the tan, and then tan lines in the shapes of the design (once the henna fades away)!  The tan lines last as long as the actual tan!

Various shades are procured by mixing henna with the leaves and fruit of other plants, such as indigo, tea, coffee, cloves, and lemon. The resulting paste is often used as a hair dye.
When used in decorative body art, sugar and oil are also added to the mixture to strengthen the color and longevity of design.

While henna is known by many names including Henne, Al-Khanna, Jamaica Mignonette, Egyptian Privet, and Smooth Lawsonia, the art of its application is referred to as Henna (Arabic) or Mendhi (Hindu).
According to:http://www.islamicmedicine.org/henna.html

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Henna is considered an herb and has long been known to have healing qualities.   It is used topically and usually not ingested or inhaled.  In ancient times it has been applied to the skin surface for such ailments as headaches, stomach pains, burns applied to a burn area for first and second degree burns decreases pain and fluid loss from the burn site (including sunburns), open wounds and ulcers, warts especially on the warts which are resistant to cryo (Nitrogen liquid ) It help to heals fissures and cracks in the foot and reduce foot infection., as a fever reducer, athlete’s foot and even the prevention of hair loss Herpes Simplex it dries the vesicles at the site early.   It is also a sunblock and has been used on the noses of animals to prevent sunburn.  Another use of henna would be to apply it to goatskin bags after they have been salt-cured.  It “insect-proof” or “moth-proofs” the bags by making the skin poisoned or inedible.
Used as an antiseptic and as an astringent, it is often applied to bruises and sprains, as well as boils, burns, and even open wounds!!! caution is suggested here consult your health provider. It is used to treat ringworm and headaches, sweaty hands, burning feet, and athlete’s foot. Because of the cooling effect, it has on the skin, a ball of Henna paste is placed I the hand of a fevered child in order to bring the temperature down. An extract derived from putting Henna leaves in boiling water is used as a gargle to alleviate and get rid of a sore throat, and taken internally to act as a tonic and to help stomach pains.
The Bark of the Henna plant is used to treat jaundice, enlargement of the Spleen and various skin diseases. It is also used as a deodorant since its cooling effect prevents perspiration.

http://www.islamicmedicine.org/henna.html

TRADITIONS

Henna is traditionally used for special occasions like holidays,
birthdays and weddings in Africa, Pakistan, India, and the Middle East.  The most popular of the traditions is the Mehndi (henna) Night where the bride, her family, relatives, and friends get together to celebrate the wedding to come.  The night is filled with games, music and dance performances that may have been rehearsed for months prior to the event by those closest to the bride while the bride gets extensive henna patterns done on her hands and feet that go to her elbows and sometimes, knees.  The bridal patterns can take hours and are often done by multiple henna artists.  The guests will usually receive small designs (tattoos) on the backs of their hands as well.
Today, brides prefer to have their henna done prior to the Mehndi night so that they can enjoy the festivities and also have a deeper stain by the wedding day.
Tradition holds that for as long as the henna stain appears on the bride, she doesn’t have to do any housework!  Also, the darker the stain the better the marriage and the better the mother-in-law will be!  So you can imagine why the bride would want the stain to come out dark and last as long as possible!
Another link can be found in the poetry and folklore of India, where Mehndi is often referred to as love juice.
Mehndi marks a rite of passage, in a woman’s life. In classical Indian tradition, there is no formal ceremony at the time of puberty to celebrate the young girl’s coming of age Mehndi is there for associated with the sexual initiation into womanhood, as well as the union of husband and wife.
It is associated with transformation and transcendence.
Ceremonial painting is considered sacred work, and beautification a form of worship.
Mehndi is a language. In India, there is a special term Shringar, that is used to describe the beauty of a woman’s creativity and Shringar is the power of beauty beneath the surface, and Mehndi is also included in the Kama Sutra as one of the sixty-four arts of women.
Adornment in India is usually motivated by religious beliefs and has none of the stigmas of vanity and materialism that it has in the west.
One of the most common superstitions about Mehndi has to do with the color of the Henna if the color is deep red, for example, it is said that love between the husband and wife will be strong and long-lasting.
In Morocco, there is a very clear understanding that symbols of protection are the only action a human can take in the face of MEKTOUB (destiny), the determining force behind every individual’s life. Often Henna is used to guard against misfortune put on the forehead to determine the fortune of the woman or the man.

Here we share some videos of authority Mehndi application and facts these are very informative and a must if you wish to do Mehndi at home.

Mehndi: The Timeless Art of Henna Painting by Roome, Loretta 

Mehndi, the ancient art of painting on the skin with henna, beautifies the body, rejuvenates the spirit, and celebrates the joys of creativity and self-expression. More than just a temporary tattoo, Mehndi offers us a way to participate in a centuries-old tradition still practiced in India, Africa, and the Middle East.

In this stunning and authoritative book, Loretta Roome traces the origins and meanings of traditional designs, demonstrates how to create them on the skin, and reveals the recipes, tools, and techniques needed to paint designs that range from simple to complex. The result of years of research and the author’s experience as one of the nation’s foremost mehndi artists, Roome’s book offers practical information, creative inspiration, and many suggestions for enhancing the playful, intimate, sensual, erotic, and spiritual aspects of the ancient and amazing art of mehndi.

Teach Yourself Henna Tattoo: Making Mehndi Art with Easy-to-Follow Instructions, Patterns, and Projects

Color your world with the fabulous art of henna tattoo with this book of patterns and instructions for the body and even home decor objects! Learn how to combine the 5 basic henna shapes into a variety of exotic Mehndi designs.

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26 Aug Human Touch and our internal connection to wellbeing

Human Touch and our internal connection to wellbeing

Here on week 26 we are sharing another miraculous aspect of our human qualities, and that is TOUCH. Why write about touch? Well, it is very simple. We touch ourselves all the time even unconsciously at night when we sleep, brushing our hair, and in so many ways we are in contact with ourselves through touch. With that said, doing the same action with awareness will add up a lot more benefit to it. Being a mother, wife, pet owner, and a human being, I am always using touch to communicate feelings. In Chile where I was born, we are very touchy, we hug and kiss when we meet and express our emotions through touch a lot, which when I moved here caused me a lot of rethinking before I touch someone. It is a different custom that is all. Touch does so much for living beings from a comforting, reassuring, warning, and encouraging behaviors. Touch creates secretion of hormones and so much more. When I became a makeup artist I realized that through touch I could do so much, so I took courses in Cranial Sacral, Polarity, and medical Qi Gong. There I realized the depth of just how a small amount of touch produces considerable changes, not only physically but in the emotional and etheric systems. I used it to support the actors and many times the members of the working team. I fell in love with the idea of offering an extensive service that covers more than one gift alone and I continue to learn the gifts of touch. Here is important research from authorities that are loving, caring people that share their views and knowledge on touch. Enjoy and use your heart’s intention when you touch and you to will make a huge difference.

Thank you once again. We have deep gratitude for all your support and visits from all of us at I-RAMA.

Dacher Keltner, the UC Berkeley psychology professor and faculty director of the Greater Good Science Center, shares his insights from the new science of touch: compassionate communication, touch therapies, and proof that “to touch is to give life.”

According to http://www.isciencetimes.com/articles/6073/20130917/sensitive-human-touch-new-research-suggests-fingers.htm

Highly qualified Researchers from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden tested for years the depth of human tactile perception to get a feeling for how advanced human touch really is. In their Research, they found that human fingers can identify textures whose ridges are mere nanometers in size (also “nanometre”) is a unit used in measurements to measure length. One nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, so nanometers are certainly not used to measure long distances, it does not work for that. Instead, they serve to measure extremely small objects, such as atomic structures or transistors found in modern CPUs. It’s the first time this kind of data has been quantified, and the results are extraordinary.

“This means that, if your finger was the size of the Earth, you could feel the difference between houses from cars,” Mark Rutland, Professor of Surface Chemistry at the Royal Institute of Technology and one of the authors of the new study on human touch. “That is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this research. We discovered that a human being can feel a bump corresponding to the size of a very large molecule.” that is how amazing the human body really is.

If we consider that our skin is the largest organ we have, and for most people can be very sensitive and responsive through it, touch is of great importance to humans and many species of animals.

The warm feeling of a handheld it has so many emotional and physical ramification in our lives, the sensation of a soft cheek against ours, arms around shoulders in an embrace for a hello, a goodbye, or a conforming hug it can all go a long way toward expressing so many different feelings. But touch can actually give more than a momentary tingle touch can comfort and heal.

The somatosensory system, also known as somatic senses, touch or tactile perception, is a complex sensory system. It is considered one of the five traditional senses. It is made up of a number of different receptors, including thermoreceptors, photoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, and chemoreceptors. It also comprises essential processing centers, or sensory modalities, such as proprioception, mechanoreception (touching), thermoception (perception of temperature), and nociception (sensation of pain). The sensory receptors cover the skin and epithelial tissues, skeletal muscles, bones and joints, internal organs, and the cardiovascular system.

Somatic senses are sometimes referred to as somesthetic senses, with the understanding that somesthesis includes touch, proprioception and (depending on usage) also the type haptic perception.

Processing primarily occurs in the primary somatosensory area in the parietal lobe of the cerebral cortex: information is sent from the receptors via sensory nerves, through tracts in the spinal cord and finally into the brain.

The system works when activity in a sensory neuron is triggered by a specific stimulus such as pain, for instance. This signal then passes to the part of the brain attributed to that area on the body—this allows the stimulus to be felt at the correct location. The mapping of the body surfaces in the brain is called a homunculus and plays a fundamental role in the creation of body image. This brain-surface (“cortical”) map is not immutable, however. Dramatic shifts can occur in response to stroke or injury.

General somatosensory pathway

A somatosensory pathway will typically have three long neurons: primary, secondary and tertiary (or first, second, and third).

• The first neuron always has its cell body in the dorsal root ganglion of the spinal nerve (if a sensation is in parts of the head or neck not covered by the cervical nerves, it will be the trigeminal nerve ganglia or the ganglia of other sensory cranial nerves).
• The second neuron has its cell body either in the spinal cord or in the brainstem. This neuron’s ascending axons will cross (decussate) to the opposite side either in the spinal cord or in the brainstem. The axons of many of these neurons terminate in the thalamus (for example the ventral posterior nucleus, VPN), others terminate in the reticular system or the cerebellum.
• In the case of touch and certain types of pain, the third neuron has its cell body in the VPN of the thalamus and ends in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe.

Periphery

In the periphery, the somatosensory system detects various stimuli by sensory receptors, e.g. by mechanoreceptors for tactile sensation and nociceptors for pain sensation. The sensory information (touch, pain, temperature etc.,) is then conveyed to the central nervous system by afferent neurons. There are a number of different types of afferent neurons that vary in their size, structure, and properties. Generally, there is a correlation between the type of sensory modality detected and the type of afferent neuron involved. For example, slow, thin, unmyelinated neurons conduct pain whereas faster, thicker, myelinated neurons conduct casual touch.

The receptive field of a particular afferent neuron is given by the sensory receptors supplying it and in turn from a particular region of the skin.

Spinal cord

In the spinal cord, the somatosensory system includes ascending pathways from the body to the brain. One major target is the postcentral gyrus in the cerebral cortex. This is the target for neurons of the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway and the ventral spinothalamic pathway. Note that many ascending somatosensory pathways include synapses in either the thalamus or the reticular formation before they reach the cortex. Other ascending pathways, particularly those involved with control of posture are projected to the cerebellum. These include the ventral and dorsal spinocerebellar tracts. Another important target for afferent somatosensory neurons which enter the spinal cord are those neurons involved with local segmental reflexes.

Brain

The primary somatosensory area in the human cortex (also called primary somatic sensory cortex or SI) is located in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe and makes up four distinct fields or regions known as Brodmann areas  The postcentral gyrus is the location of the primary somatosensory area, the main sensory receptive area for the sense of touch. Any individual neuron has its receptive field on the skin.

A relationship between the somatosensory cortical areas and their projection of the body was discovered by recording electrical activity in the human cortex after mechanosensory stimulation of different body parts during neurosurgical procedures. These data led to the construction of somatotopic maps in which a somatotopic arrangement was generated. Like other sensory areas, there is a map of sensory space called a homunculus at this location. For the primary somatosensory cortex, this is called the sensory homunculus. Areas of this part of the human brain map to certain areas of the body, dependent on the amount or importance of somatosensory input from that area. For example, there is a large area of cortex devoted to sensation in the hands, whereas the human back has a much smaller area. The somatosensory information involved with proprioception and posture also targets an entirely different part of the brain, the cerebellum.

The effect of touch depends, of course, upon the situation. A touch from someone can be relaxing or reassuring, off-putting or gentle, soothing or stimulating. Touch can also bond us together in ways that transcend words or in situations in which words may not help. Take babies, for instance. In one study it was found that fathers who gave their infants daily bedtime massages displayed more enjoyment and warmth with their child. In another, babies given a blood test were either swaddled in blankets or held, skin-to-skin, by their mothers. The babies being hugged had lower heart rates and cried 82% less than those left wrapped and lying in their cribs.

Touch’s comfort can extend to older kids, too. After receiving massage sessions, adolescents with ADHD expressed feelings of happiness, and their teachers noted a decrease in the adolescents’ fidgeting and off-task activities. Even self-massage has benefits, as proven by a study of people trying to deal with the cravings and anxiety associated with quitting smoking. When they felt the urge to smoke, test subjects were advised to rub their hands together or stroke their earlobes. Rubbed away with the tension was the urge to light up.

Some might argue that touch and massage just distract us from our aches or anxieties. But what to make of research that links massage therapy to decreased blood pressure in adults with hypertension or to the improved immune function in women with breast cancer? Some research suggests that people who are deprived of touch early in life may have a tendency toward violent or aggressive behavior later, and research in rats has found that rats with a strong mothering instinct (measured by licking and grooming their babies) were more likely have babies that showed a strong mothering instinct.

So, is touch simply a pleasant, soothing diversion? Is it mind over matter, or something more? No matter what the case, embrace the power of touch and invite it into your life:

• Go in for the rubdown. Even if you don’t have aches and pains, book a visit to a licensed massage therapist. You’ll leave more relaxed.

• DIY massage. If you’re shy about stretching out for a massage therapist, try self-massage techniques, like rubbing your hands together to warm them and then cupping them over your closed eyes. Feel the calm wash over you as your eyes and facial muscles relax.

• Conduct some hug research. When you greet a friend or family member, go in for an embrace rather than a handshake or nod. Sample a few different varieties of a hug – arms around the waist, hands on the shoulder blades. Linger in the hug a little and really relish the sensation of closeness.

• Touch is an all-ages activity. Babies can benefit from gentle touch and massage, but the need and desire for human contact don’t dwindle as we age. Remember older relatives and friends, especially those who live on their own or who have lost their husbands or wives.

From https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201503/8-reasons-why-we-need-human-touch-more-ever

Physical contact distinguishes humans from other animals. From a warm handshake or sympathetic hug to a congratulatory pat on the back, we have developed complex languages, cultures, and emotional expression through physical contact. But in a tech-saturated world, non-sexual human touch is in danger of becoming rare, if not obsolete. Despite the benefits of digital advancement, it is vital to preserve human touch in order for us truly to thrive.

Humans become nearly unrecognizable in the absence of touch. Two hundred years ago, French scientists spotted a creature resembling a human running through the forests. Once captured, they determined he was 11 years old and had run wild in the forests for much of his childhood. Originally the child, “Victor,” was determined to be an idiot; French physicians and psychiatrists eventually concluded he had been deprived of human physical touch, which had retarded his social and developmental capacities.

Scientific research now correlates physical touch with the following important areas:

1 Decreased violence. Less touch as a child leads to greater violence. American developmental psychologist James W. Prescott proposed that the origins of violence in society were related to the lack of mother-child bonding. Child developmental research illustrates that the absence of physical bonding and healthy attachment between an adult and child may result in lifelong emotional disturbances.

2 Greater trust between individuals. Touch helps to bond people together. Daniel Keltner, the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and professor of psychology at University of California, Berkeley, cites the work of neuroscientist Edmund Ross, who found that physical touch activates the brain’s orbitofrontal cortex, linked to feelings of reward and compassion. According to Keltner, “studies show that a simple touch can trigger a release of oxytocin, aka ‘the love hormone.'” Our skin contains receptors that directly elicit emotional responses, through stimulation of erogenous zones or nerve endings that respond to pain, according to researchers Auvray, Myin, and Spence.

3 Economic Gain. Keltner links economic benefits to physical touch, probably because “touch signals safety and trust; it soothes. Basic warm touch calms cardiovascular stress. It activates the body’s vagus nerve, which is intimately involved with our compassionate response.” NBA teams whose players touch each other more, for example, win more games.

4 Decreased disease and stronger immune system. Physical touch may also decrease disease. According to research conducted at the University of North Carolina, women who receive more hugs from their partners have lower heart rates and blood pressure: “Hugs strengthen the immune system…The gentle pressure on the sternum and the emotional charge this creates activates the Solar Plexus Chakra. This stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body’s production of white blood cells, which keeps you healthy and disease-free.” Research at the University of California’s School of Public Health found that getting eye contact and a pat on the back from the doctor may boost the survival rate of patients with complex diseases.

5 Stronger team dynamics. Paul Zak, the author of The Moral Molecule, argues, “We touch to initiate and sustain cooperation.” He conducted a “neuroeconomics” study from which he argues that hugs or handshakes are likely to cause the release of the neurochemical oxytocin, which increases the chances that a person will treat you “like family,” even if you just met.

6 More non-sexual emotional intimacy. Interpersonal touch has a powerful impact on our emotions. Studies have shown that a gentle brush of a woman’s arm can boost a man’s chances in love; another study showed that two-thirds of women agreed to dance with a man who touched her on the arm a second or two before making the request.

7 Greater learning engagement. When teachers touch students platonically, it encourages their learning. French psychologist Nicolas Guéguen reports (link is external)
 that when teachers pat students in a friendly way, those students are three times as likely to speak up in class. Another recent study has found that when librarians pat the hand of a student checking out a book, that student says he or she likes the library more and is more likely to return.

8 Overall wellbeing. Adults require human touch to thrive. Keltner says, “In recent years, a wave of studies has documented some incredibly emotional and physical health benefits that come from touch. This research is suggesting that touch is truly fundamental to human communication, bonding, and health.”  As Sharon K. Farber says, “Being touched and touching someone else are fundamental modes of human interaction, and increasingly, many people are seeking out their own professional touches and body arts teachers—chiropractors, physical therapists, Gestalt therapists, Rolfers, the Alexander-technique and Feldenkrais people, massage therapists, martial arts and T’ai Chi Ch’uan instructors. And some even wait in physicians’ offices for a physical examination for ailments with no organic cause—they wait to be touched.”

In conclusion: Physical touch is the foundational element of human development and culture. The growing preoccupation with digital media versus personal physical contact, combined with the social and legal restrictions over the physical contact in our schools and workplaces, may unintentionally affect these factors negatively. To foster a safe social environment in a climate of mediated communication, we should intentionally hold on to physical touch.

It all starts in the bottom layer of our skin. There, a series of informational conveyor belts called Merkel cells, feed data from the skin to the body’s central nervous system. The body then responds with a surge of hormones. And, if you’re receiving the right kind of touch — as opposed to a creepy one or a punch in the nose — you’ll get a dose of oxytocin, the aptly named “cuddle hormone.”

The results are palpable. Spearheaded by labs throughout the country that are dedicated to the science of touch, a slew of new studies are proving that touch — gentle, empathetic, and supportive — comes with incredible emotional and physical health benefits. “Touch is our body’s largest and the oldest sense,” says Jeanne AbateMarco, MS, RN, CNS, clinical nurse coordinator of the Department of Integrative Health Programs at NYU Langone Medical Center. “It’s a channel of communication. It’s integral to the human experience.”

But, no two touches are the same.

From:http://www.livescience.com/35219-11-effects-of-oxytocin.html

Oxytocin

Oxytocin the so-called “love hormone” is being increasingly shown to trigger a wide variety of physical and psychological effects in both women and men.
The hormone’s influence on our behavior and physiology originates in the brain, where it’s produced by the by a structure called the hypothalamus, and then transfers to the pituitary gland which releases into the bloodstream. Like antennas picking up a signal, oxytocin receptors are found on cells throughout the body. Levels of the hormone tend to be higher during both stressful and socially bonding experiences, according to the American Psychological Association.
“It’s like a hormone of attachment, you might say,” said Carol Rinkleib Ellison, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Loomis, California and former assistant clinical psychiatry professor at the University of California, San Francisco. “It creates feelings of calm and closeness.”
Though scientists have long known about oxytocin’s role in breastfeeding and childbirth, “We’re just learning more about it now,” Ellison said.

A stream of studies in the last decade has focused on oxytocin’s effects on body and mind. Here’s a look at what we’ve learned.

Though often referred to as the “trust hormone” oxytocin is increasingly being seen as a brain chemical that does a lot more than just bring couples closer together.

New research is suggesting that oxytocin plays a crucial part in enabling us to not just forge and strengthen our social relations, but in helping us to stave off a number of psychological and physiological problems as well. But more conceptually, oxytocin is proving to be a crucial ingredient to what makes us human. Here are ten reasons why oxytocin is simply the most incredible molecule on the planet:

1. It’s easy to get

One of the neat things about oxytocin is that you can get your fix anywhere and at any time. All you need to do is simply hug someone or shake their hand. The simple act of bodily contact will cause your brain to release low levels of oxytocin — both in yourself and in the person you’re touching. It’s a near-instantaneous way to establish trust. And the good news is that the effect lingers afterward. There’s even evidence that simply gazing at someone will do the trick — or even just thinking about them. And you shouldn’t feel limited by the human species; it also helps to hug and play with your pets. And for those who can’t produce enough oxytocin on their own, or who feel they could use a boost, the molecule can be easily synthesized and administered as a drug.

2. A love potion that’s built right in

Often referred to as the “love molecule”, oxytocin is typically associated with helping couples establish a greater sense of intimacy and attachment. Oxytocin, along with dopamine and norepinephrine, is believed to be highly critical in human pair-bonding. But not only that, it also increases the desire for couples to gaze at one another, it creates sexual arousal, and it helps males maintain their erections. When you’re sexually aroused or excited, oxytocin levels increase in your brain significantly — a primary factor for bringing about an orgasm. And during the orgasm itself, the brain is flooded with oxytocin — a possible explanation for why (some) couples like to cuddle after.

3. It helps mom to be a mom

But oxytocin isn’t just limited to helping couples come together — it’s an indispensable part of childbirth and mother-child bonding. Oxytocin helps women get through labor by stimulating uterine contractions, which is why it’s sometimes administered (as Pitocin) during labor. It’s been known to promote delivery and speed up contractions. After birth, mothers can establish intimacy and trust with their baby through gentle touches and even a loving gaze. In addition, mothers can pass on oxytocin to their babies through breast milk. And it’s worth noting that fathers can reap the benefits of oxytocin as well; new dads who are given a whiff of oxytocin nasal spray are more likely to encourage their children to explore during playtime and are less likely to be hostile.

4.Reduces social fears

Given its ability to break down social barriers, induce feelings of optimism, increase self-esteem, and build trust, oxytocin is increasingly being seen as something that can help people overcome their social inhibitions and fears. Studies are showing that it may be effective in treating debilitating shyness or to help people with social anxieties and mood disorders. It’s also thought that oxytocin could help people suffering from the post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, given that autism is essentially a social communication disorder, it’s being considered as a way of helping people on the spectrum as well. And lastly, oxytocin, through its trust-building actions, can help heal the wounds of a damaged relationship — another example of how the mind gets its plasticity.

5. Healing and pain relief

Amazingly, oxytocin can also be used to heal wounds (through its anti-inflammatory properties). Studies have also shown that a rise in oxytocin levels can relieve pain — everything from headaches, cramps, and overall body aches. Now, that being said, the trick is to get some oxytocin action while you’re in pain — which is not so easy. This is where synthetics can certainly help. Alternately, if you find yourself in physical discomfort, you could always ask your partner for a roll in the hay. So guys, be sure to use this crucial information the next time your significant other declines your advances and tells you she has a headache.

6. A diet aid

Perhaps surprisingly, it can also be used to prevent obesity in some instances. Researchers have observed that oxytocin and oxytocin receptor-deficient mice become obese later in life — and with normal food intake. Scientists believe that the hormone might be responsible for a series of beneficial metabolic effects, both in mice and humans. Moreover, by giving oxytocin-deficient obese mice oxytocin infusions, their weight returned back to normal levels. The mice also showed a reduced glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. This clearly suggests an alternative option for those struggling to keep the weight off.

7. An antidepressant

Oxytocin was first observed to have a connection to depression through its effects on mothers suffering from the postpartum syndrome. Researchers found that some new mothers were dealing with depression on account of low levels of oxytocin. In fact, they were able to predict postpartum during the pregnancy if the expectant mother had low levels of oxytocin. Recent studies of blood levels and genetic factors in depressed patients have revealed the potential for treating people with clinical depression and even anxiety disorders.

8. Stress relief

Not surprisingly, given its ability to alleviate social anxiety and produce feelings of trust, oxytocin has the peripheral ability to reduce stress — which is no small thing when you consider the toll that stress takes on the body. Oxytocin has been observed to reduce cortisol in the body and lower blood pressure. It’s also been known to improve digestion, which is often disturbed by high-stress levels. Interestingly, oxytocin and the oxytocin receptors have been found in the intestinal tract; it improves gut motility and decreases intestinal inflammation.

9. Increases generosity

In what could be seen as either a good or bad thing, oxytocin has been observed to increase generosity in humans. Evolutionary biologists, particularly those who subscribe to the selfish gene theory, have long struggled to understand why people sometimes share or give away things — often at a personal cost. But several lines of research have connected oxytocin to feelings of empathy. In one study that required persons to share money with a stranger, infusions of oxytocin were shown to make some subjects as much as 80% (wow!) more generous than those on a placebo.

10. It’s what makes us human

In other words, all the above. It’s clear that we really wouldn’t be human without it — we would simply lack the ability to be the social, caring species that we are. Now, it should be noted, however, that, while oxytocin increases in-group trust, it produces the opposite feeling for those in the out-group — so it’s not the “perfect drug” some might proclaim it to be. That being said, oxytocin plays a crucial role in forging our ability to spark and maintain relationships, while endowing us with the ability to empathize, trust, and even love one another. Without it, we would be something significantly less than what we are.