Archive for June, 2010
A Few Tips Regarding Skin Care
Most everyone is aware that their skin, the largest organ of the human body, requires regular care. Yet most people take its health and elasticity for granted by neglecting it. Like the other organs of the body, skin deserves proper attention and care since it is the first thing that other people usually notice about you, unlike other organs. Adequate skin care will also protect it from life threatening disorders and cancers.
One of the greatest acts you can do for your skin, and your body as well, is to follow a healthy diet. What you consume is reflected on your skin, unhealthy food will result in unhealthy looking skin. Eat foods that are full of vitamin A such as vegetables like carrots. Fresh fruits and veggies will also have a revitalizing effect on your skin if they are eaten daily.
Drinking lots of fresh water is also very important. Water flushes out toxins and revitalizes the cells with nutrients. To improve both the feel and look of your skin, try to drink eight glasses each and every day. It can even make dehydrated and dry skin look healthy again almost overnight.
Practicing a regular cleansing regimen will also improve the look of your skin. Make sure that you end each day with a topical cleanser and warm washcloth. Keeping your skin clean will reduce any buildup in your pores and help it breath through the night. It’s also important to thoroughly wash your face each morning before applying any make up.
Lessening the amount of sunlight you expose your skin to will also prove to be beneficial. The sun’s rays contain dangerous Ultra Violet rays which can damage your skin. Wear a hat when you go outside and apply generous portions of sunscreen to deter getting burned. Sunlight can dehydrate skin cells as well, so be sure to drink plenty of water during those hot summer months.
Moisturizing will do wonders for skin too. Choose a good one that contains vitamins and creams rather than just heavy oily scents. For optimum results, apply the chosen lotion several times a day all over your body. Problem areas like elbows and knees should be treated regularly. This will help keep your skin moisturized and hydrated.
Utilizing face masks will ensure that the delicate skin there is properly taken care of. These products are excellent in treating dry and damaged skin. They are also perfect for maintaining already healthy areas. Face masks can be mixed together with certain recipes or bought, pre-mixed, from any department store.
Exfoliating is last but certainly not least. This exercise can yield great results for damaged and dry skin. While revitalizing the skin in general, exfoliating removes dead follicles and dirt as they scrub the area clean. Like the face masks, they can be bought at stores or made from household supplies like sugar or oatmeal. To keep skin looking healthy and young you should practice exfoliating once a day.
Want to find out more about bath and body products, then visit Robbie Andrews’s site on how to choose the best scented body oils for your needs.
Breast Reduction, Medial Pedicle And Mastopexy
Introduction Mastopexy is a compound word derived from the Greek mastos (breast) and pexy (to fix or secure). It refers to the correction of ptotic and pendulous breasts. The term mammaplasty refers to shaping of the breast, as the Greek derivative plasty means to mold.
The principles and techniques used to correct pendulous ptotic breasts are similar to those used to perform a breast reduction. In all techniques used, the most critical consideration is the viability of the nipple-areola complex (NAC). This article focuses on the medial pedicle as the one that provides blood supply to the NAC. The medial pedicle technique can be used to safely perform a large breast reduction, a mastopexy, or a mastopexy with simultaneous augmentation. For information on other techniques for breast reduction, augmentation, and reconstruction, see the Breast section of eMedicine’s Plastic Surgery journal.
History of the Procedure The history and evolution of breast reduction spans many centuries. Paul from the Greek island of Aegina was the first to describe details of reduction mammoplasty in the 6th century AD.1 Multiple techniques of breast reduction and mastopexy have been described over the past century. In the last 3 decades, the main evolution and progress in the field of reduction mammaplasty and mastopexy has been in better molding of the breast parenchyma (limiting the resultant scars) and not relying on the skin envelope for long-term parenchymal support and breast shape.
Problem The true etiology of breast hypertrophy is not clearly understood. The breasts are hormonally sensitive organs that change with hormonal and, especially, estrogen variations. Breast enlargement usually begins with changes associated with puberty and pregnancy. In some women, estrogen receptors that are hypersensitive to estrogen may be a cause of mammary hyperplasia.2,3,4,5
The problem of breast ptosis is also not clearly understood. The ideal youthful-looking breast should have a natural tear drop shape, adequate projection (perkiness), and no ptosis. The entire breast parenchyma should be above the inframammary fold (IMF), and the NAC should be centered at the breast or be slightly lower than the center.
The most established classification to describe ptosis according to the relative positions of the NAC, breast parenchyma, and IMF is by Regnault.6 * First-degree ptosis – Mild ptosis in which the NAC lies at or slightly above the IMF * Second-degree ptosis – Moderate ptosis in which the NAC is below the IMF but above the highest projecting part of the breast * Pseudoptosis – Condition in which the NAC is above the IMF, but the lower pole of the breast is below the IMF * Third-degree ptosis – Severe ptosis in which the NAC is below the IMF and at the lowest projecting part of the breast Frequency The true frequency of ptosis and macromastia is not known. Most plastic surgeons in the United States typically work with patients who have these problems following pregnancy. Etiology The true etiology of ptosis and macromastia is not known. They are generally assumed to be results of hormonal changes on the breasts and, especially, the actions of estrogen on the estrogen parenchymal receptors.
Pathophysiology The pathophysiology of ptosis and macromastia is felt to be strongly associated with estrogen hormonal levels or estrogen receptor hypersensitivity to circulating levels of estrogen. The pathophysiology is not thoroughly understood. In a great majority of cases, ptotic breasts are associated with asymmetry in terms of parenchymal volume, NAC diameter and position, and shape. These morphologic differences may represent true anatomic variations or may be due to variations in physiologic actions of the breasts.
Presentation A complete patient history and physical examination should be performed. The physical examination should entail a thorough examination of the breasts and nipple-areola complexes (NACs), the axillae and supraclavicular areas for any lymphadenopathy and accessory breast tissue, and the rest of the abdomen and pelvis for any accessory breasts.
Clinically, hypertrophic breasts may present with ptosis, an enlarged NAC, decreased sensitivity of the NAC (which may improve following reduction mammaplasty), prominent and visible veins, stretch marks of the skin, and hypersensitivity and irritation of the inframammary skin.
Indications Indications to perform a mastopexy are primarily aesthetic; that is, to position the nipple-areola complex (NAC) in a more aesthetically pleasing location relative to the rest of the breast and to give the breast youthful shape and projection. The indications can also be psychological, as saggy or asymmetric breasts can be detrimental to the self-esteem of an individual. The indications for a reduction mammoplasty may be aesthetic, but they are chiefly functional. Macromastia may cause neck pain, back pain, shoulder strap indentations and shoulder pain, chest heaviness, labored breathing, headaches, poor posture, and skin irritation and infections. In addition, the psychological burden can be significant. Women with macromastia may find it difficult to exercise, participate in activities of daily living, and find proper clothing. This condition affects their self-esteem and self image.
Relevant Anatomy Blood supply The blood supply to the breast comes primarily from branches of the internal mammary artery. The thoracoacromial, thoracodorsal, lateral thoracic, and intercostal arteries also contribute. Those arteries create rich anastomotic plexuses.7
Innervation The innervation of the breast comes from the anterior rami of the second to the sixth intercostals nerves. The skin of the upper part of the breast is innervated by the supraclavicular nerves. The nipple-areola complex (NAC) gets rich innervation from the anterior branches of the second to sixth intercostal nerves and from the lateral branches of the fourth and fifth intercostal nerves. The nerve supply from the fourth intercostal nerve is believed to play a unique role in the NAC innervations.8,9 Contraindications Overall poor health is a contraindication for this procedure. Prior breast reduction or mastopexy with another technique (eg, Weiss pattern) is not a contraindication to performing this operation.
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Do Natural Slimming Strategies Work?
People frequently wonder if natural slimming strategies really work. There are only a few success stories out there. Most of what we hear is that natural slimming rarely works. We all know that there are many ways to slimming, but it is only natural slimming that offers a bright prospect which allows for a healthy result as you achieve your desired goal. Healthy and natural slimming covers three basic features: A gradual, sustained approach, rather than a crash diet; an approach that is based on good science, rather than the latest celebrity fad or fashion; and eating good, healthy food rather than artificial or packaged meals.
To know and evaluate if it is indeed a healthy slimming method, we should understand the basic reason why we gain weight in the first place. Natural slimming entails finding ways on how to curb that cause and get rid of the excess weight. We gain weight if we we consistently consume more calories than we burn. We also gain weight if we do not keep track of the food we eat, the types of food we eat and our activity levels.
There are a few people who have poor metabolism, thus slimming is very hard for them. Metabolism is in fact mostly determined by your diet and exercise.
So for many people, the problem only lies in having too many calories. The average female basically needs around 2000, yet the average daily calorie consumption worldwide is estimated to be around 3600. No wonder slimming companies are earning a lot.
Another problem is that people do not usually watch what they eat. People consume foods that are high in saturated fat, and particularly those high in refined carbohydrates and sugar. To address this, we should as much as possible go for natural slimming by avoiding the processed meals and the junk food and replacing them with fresh food such as fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Pamper yourself by visiting the top notch Slimming Salons and try the most effective Body Slimming Programs that really bring results!
Wrinkle Cream Reviews
Today, market is flooded with numerous wrinkle lotions and creams. Each product sold in drug-stores, in department-stores and over the Internet promise to wipe out wrinkles and sunburns. However, only few do their job.
Research reveals that there are some wrinkle-creams that have ingredients that help to reduce wrinkles. These ingredients are consistently tested to enhance their performance and make them invincible substances to prevent and reverse premature aging.
Hence, it is crucial to first carefully read the constituents of the products before you buy them. You should also have enough knowledge about potent components that have enormous healing ability.
Some general ingredients in anti wrinkle creams are as follows:
Retinol: It is a Vitamin-A compound and also the first antioxidant that is widely utilized in non-prescription wrinkle-creams. This really helps to neutralize free radicals that cause wrinkles.
Hydroxy Acids: Beta Hydroxy Acids, Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Poly Hydroxy Acids are derivatives of fruits that comprise sugar in them. These acids are exfoliants that clear away dead skin cells and give flawless texture.
Coenzyme Q10: It’s a nutrient that suppresses production of energy in cells. This aids in considerable reduction in fine lines around the eyes. And more importantly, it has no unwanted effects. However, you need to apply sunscreen before moving out in the sun.
Copper-Peptides: Copper is naturally produced element. It is fused with peptides, small protein fragments, to boost wound-healing. They stimulate collagen production to improve the action of antioxidants.
Kinetin: A growth factor in plants called kinetin promotes healthier skin reducing wrinkles and uneven pigmentation without any adverse reaction. It thus, helps the skin to retain moisture and improve collagen production in cells.
Tea Extracts: Extracts of green, black and oolong tea are the potent sources of natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Green tea extracts are commonly used in numerous wrinkle creams due to its immense medicinal utilities.
So, next time you go out to purchase anti-wrinkle creams then choose a product which has these ingredients. It will surely help you soothe your skin without any irritation.
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Tips On Having A Proper Skin Care Regimen
The skin is the largest of all our organs, yet it’s often taken for granted. Some women don’t give it right kind and amount of caring it requires, especially when it comes to the face. Most of the time, women start taking it seriously only when problems are already present, such as wrinkles and age spots. Having the right skin care regimen is easy – and it doesn’t need to take up much of your time.
Before going to bed at the end of the day, it’s important to get rid of dirt on your face. Use a mild facial cleanser that’s formulated to suit best the type of skin you have. Steer clear of bar soaps as they tend to dry out your skin tremendously. Too much cleansing is also bad, as it leads to tightness and dryness of the skin, as well as development of pimples and rashes.
Just what’s the best way to wash your face at night? Use warm water to open up the pores and thoroughly loosen dirt and excess oils collected in them. Use your preferred facial cleanser, gently working up a rich foam all over your face using your fingertips. Massage for at least half a minute. Rinse off with cool water, to help close the pores and make them less evident.
Regardless of skin type, it will definitely benefit from using a moisturizer. It helps seal moisture into the skin, preventing dryness. How can you tell how much moisturizer you need to apply? When your skin feels taut, tight and dry, then it’s telling you to apply more or frequently. However, remember to use one with a light formulation, to keep your pores from being all clogged up.
The primary cause of premature development of wrinkles, age spots and other skin ageing signs is sun damage. Because of this, it’s essential that you apply sun protection during the day. Even if it’s winter, cloudy, or you’re not going to stay outdoors that long, you should still apply it. Go for one which offers SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or more.
Some moisturizers are formulated with sunscreens. They’re a time saver as you don’t have to apply different products on your face. But they’re not designed to be worn all day long, because the ingredients may cause some form of irritation. It’s best if you can have two different kinds of moisturizers. One is for daytime application, with sun protection. The other is for night application to seal in moisture as you sleep.
Exfoliation of the face should also be done once a week. This will allow you to remove dead skin cells which tend to make your face look dull and lifeless. There are facial scrubs which you can buy at beauty stores or drugstores. Go for a good quality one with fine grains in it. Cheap ones tend to have big and coarse grains which can scratch and irritate the skin. There are also over-the-counter chemical peels, such as retinoids. Carefully follow manufacturer’s directions when using them.
By following a proper skin care regimen, your skin will thank you and people will compliment your glowing complexion. All it takes is daily cleansing, moisturizing, sun protecting and once in a while exfoliating. If you start now, it’s not hard to keep your beauty with you forever.
Want to find out more about moisturizing body soap, then visit Sonya Edwards’s site on how to choose the best scented body oil for your needs.