Archive for February, 2012

Nail biting or Onychophagia as it is known in the medical world, is considered to be a compulsive disorder, if it’s maintained for a longer duration and occurs very frequently during the day. The condition is of higher prevalence among the very young children as well as the teenagers and approximately 30 – 40 % of these categories would practice biting of nails.

There can be several reasons apart from being a compulsive disorder for the biting of nails. These can include anxiety, lack of self confidence or being simply a ‘bad habit’. Thus, it is essential to give the due vigilance to such practice, especially in children, as it may be the presenting feature of a mental conflict.

The given consideration towards nail biting is not only because it appears a bad habit but because it actually influences the health of such individuals. Thus, some of the health issues that can be seen in long term nail biters will be,

* Shortened nail bed

* Swollen finger tips known as ‘big headed fingers’

* Discolored and less appealing nails

* Gum diseases or gingivitis

* Tooth damage and increase incidence of dental caries

* Infections and pus formation in the fingertips

* Deformed nails

* Transmission of infections from nails into the body

* Social unacceptability

There are several means of alleviating the nail biting habit and apart from such direct measures; it may require certain supportive measures in order to alleviate these symptoms. Following are some of the widely used interventions for nail biting.

* Discouraging the nail biting

There are certain nail polishes which are flavored in bitter taste and thus would discourage the person from biting the nails.

* Habit reversal training

The process being a behavioral therapy will seek to un-learn the biting habit and replace it with a more constructive action or procedure.

* Stimulus control

In this method, the children as well as the adults are examined and interviewed in order to identify what leads to the unacceptable behavior and steps will be taken to eliminate the stimulus and thus its effect.

* Mouth protectors

When children are engaged in nail biting, it’s possible to make use of a mouthpiece to protect the nails as well as the teeth and gums from effects of nail biting.

An important aspect that needs to be remembered is, the condition although will be troublesome and un-healthy for a child, it should not be given the highest priority on the day to day activities. Proper understanding of the circumstances, explaining the bad effects and praising at times of avoidance are preferred than confrontational actions.

Vanity is rising to an all time high. Women and even men are in a constant search of ways to improve their appearance. Quite a few even take major risks to go about this process. The Cosmetic industry is continually moving forward, phenomenally advancing to bring new products to market, and making the most state-of-the-art surgical procedures available to you, the consumer.

It is important to differentiate between “plastic surgery” and “cosmetic surgery”. Plastic Surgery is a recognizable surgical procedure, and is devoted to the surgical repair of defects of form or function. It includes cosmetic or (aesthetic) surgery, including reconstructive surgery. The word “plastic” is derived from the Greek “plastikos” meaning to mold or to shape. Its use in the description of cosmetic surgery is not associated with the synthetic polymer material known as plastic.

Cosmetic surgery is designed to improve cosmetics alone. Many surgical specialists are required to learn certain cosmetic procedures during their training. Procedures include dermatology, general surgery, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, maxillofacial surgery, and oculoplastic surgery.

The most common aesthetic/cosmetic procedures are listed as follows. Most of these are known by their “common names”.

Abdominoplasty (“tummy tuck“): The reshaping and refirming of the abdomen.
Blepharoplasty (“eyelid surgery”):The reshaping of the eyelids or the application of permanent eyeliner, including Asian Blepharoplasty.
Mammoplasty
Breast Augmentation (“breast enlargement”): Augmentation of the breasts. This involves either grafting fat from other areas of the body or using saline or silicone prosthetics. Primarily performed on women with Micromastia.
Breast Reduction: The removal of skin and glandular tissue. Aids is reducing shoulder and back pain in women with Gigantomastia, and Gigantomastia Micromastia. For men with gynecomastia.
Mastopexy (“breast lift“): Lifting and or reshaping of the breasts. Involves the removal of skin on the breasts, as an alternative to the removal of glandular tissue.
Buttock Augmentation: Enlargement of the buttocks. The procedure can be performed using silicone implants or by grafting fat from other areas of the body.
Chemical Peel: Minimizes the appearance of acne, pock, wrinkles, and other scars, age spots, freckles, and photo damage in general. Chemical Peels involve the use of carbolic acid (Phenol), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), glycolic acid (AHA), or salicylic acid (BHA), as the active agent.
Labiaplasty:

Unwanted hair is a common problem in many men and women. That’s why you can see beauty salons where many of them flock in every week to get rid of them. Shaving, waxing, tweezing and threading is all temporary that involve pain specially waxing. Modern technology has made it possible for the people to remove their unwanted hair vanish in one go. This treatment is known a laser treatment.

Laser is an intense beam of light, which enters the skin deep down to the follicle and the intense heat of the laser damages the follicle which inhibits future hair growth. Laser hair removal is not permanent but it has long term effects and for long lasting results there is more than one treatment sessions as well.

Laser treatment better works on the light skin with coarse hair not fine. Laser hair removal can be mildly uncomfortable because every follicle is surrounded by nerve ending, that’s why when the follicles are damaged they can be a bit painful. To overcome this, doctors apply anesthetic cream for 30 to 40 minutes before the procedure that provides adequate relief from the discomfort that occurs during the procedure.

Now the laser hair treatment is not just restricted to women, due to encroachment in technology it is possible to achieve the same smoother skin in men but in some cases men don’t want all the hairs to be removed the demand the thinning of the coarse hair in some areas of their body. Until now only this treatment can accomplish the thinning of here as desired not the complete removal. An average man needs four or five sessions for this procedure and a touch up after every one year.

Although laser hair removal is cost effective as it is now common, it slows the growth of hair but does not carries a permanent solution. It takes many sessions to provide a long period of hair free period and every year whether its men or women they need some touch ups. Fortunately the complications associated with the hair removal are rare but still it has some. Like the color of your skin fades by laser treatment on every year basis, infections can occur is the skin is injured, skins having cold sores can even develop infections after the treatment. Scarring may occur if the skin is sensitive.

All these issues can be settled by the guidance of a proper doctor who can give you better solutions.

Your skin covers every inch of your body, and keeps all the bits and pieces where they should be, so it’s very important to take good care of it. The skin is also your shop window – everyone can see at least some of it. As if that wasn’t enough responsibility for a body organ to carry, the skin is the protective barrier that keeps the worst effects of the environment from penetrating the body.

While everyone’s skin is individual in sime respects, there are four broad types – normal, dry, oily and combination. Each skin type requires slightly different care, so your skin care routine should be tailored to your skin type. Dry skin is not normal – it is drier than is desirable, whether slightly or severely. These are the basic skin care strategies for dry skin.

Internal beauty treatment

What you eat and drink affects the condition of your skin. The body needs water, and so does the skin, so it’s important to stay hydrated. Dry skin in particular needs water, so drink as much as you can. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can take moisture away from the skin.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, especially those with high water content, such as melons, grapes and salad vegetables. Aim for a high intake of vitamins A, B and C from citrus fruits, berries, dairy products and leafy green vegetables. Vitamin E is also helpful for dry skin. Find it in nuts, seeds and oils, as well as wholegrains. Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as oily fish and nuts will encourage the skin’s natural oil production.

Cleansing

Cleanse your skin twice a day – morning and evening. Avoid soap, particularly if you have dry skin. Choose a facial wash for your skin type, and look for a product with added moisturisers. Use warm water, as hot or cold water may irritate the skin. If your skin is very dry, it may be better to use moisturising facial wipes for cleansing, rather than wash off cleansers.

Never use a toner on dry skin, particularly one that contains alcohol. If you want to freshen your skin after cleansing, splash with cool – not cold – water, and pat dry with a soft towel. Don’t rub the skin, as this could encourage fine lines and wrinkles, particularly with skin that already has a tendency to dryness.

Moisturising

All skin needs some form or moisturiser, but for dry skin, it’s particularly important. Look for a moisturiser with a high oil content, or you could use coconut oil or olive oil, applied directly to the skin. Apply moisturiser while skin is still slightly moist, to

When it comes to purchasing beauty products, no place comes close to Sally Beauty Supply. They are one of the few stores that stock products that fit the needs of women and men of all ethnicities. Not only do they stock a number of products, but unlike salons, they offer reasonable price ranges. It’s hard to narrow down the best beauty products; however, there is a brand found at Sally’s that lives up to its promises.

Sally’s sells a line of products calls Dr. Miracle’s. The full line included hair care products as well as skin care products. I personally have used the hair care products on myself and my daughter. The products work on any hair type, but they are especially good for African Americans whether they wear their hair natural or relax it.

Dr. Miracle’s 2 in 1 Conditioning Shampoo works as soon as it hits your head. Your scalp tingles as it lathers up. It feels like it’s massaging your head as it cleans. Unlike a lot of shampoos, it doesn’t leave a residue on the hair that makes it look dull. The only drawback of the tingling sensation is, when I first used it on my daughter’s head, she wasn’t too crazy about it. Eventually, she grew accustomed to the feeling and actually enjoyed the feeling.

Another Dr. Miracle product sold at Sally Beauty Supply is the Damaged Hair Medicated Treatment. When we first moved to Arizona, my daughter spent a lot of time in pools because it’s sunny most of the year. Because she was in water more, her hair was suffering. I don’t chemically treat her hair since she’s so young, but I needed to use something to stop the breakage. My mother actually bought the Damaged Hair Medicated Treatment for me. In less than a week, her hair was manageable and started thickening again.

The final product that I will profile is the Anti-Breakage Strengthening Creme by the same company. This product reinforces the affects of the Damaged Hair Medicated Treatment. I primarily use this one because I experiment with my hair a lot, including wearing wigs. Wearing wigs, in particular, wears the hair out. So, using the Anti-Breakage Crme and letting my hair breathe counteracts the affects of constant hair changes.

I’m not sure of other Sally’s store, but the ones that I frequent do not keep the Dr. Miracle’s products on the shelves. They keep a display box and the actual products are in the back of the store. It’s a lot cheaper to purchase them at the store as opposed to purchasing them online because you don’t have to pay shipping. The cost of the products ranges from $4.00 to $10.00.

Sally Beauty Supply had a number of other products, but these are the ones I buy the most.