Lifestyle Choices

It is truly more dangerous now than even a few years ago to expose yourself to the sun! Scientists have noted a substantial decrease in the ozone layer above the earth’s atmosphere. This is the layer that acts as a protective filter to save us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Measurements in the late fall, winter, and early spring showed a reduction of 5 percent as opposed to the previous decade. Calibrations initially focused on the seasonal “hole” in the ozone layer, (more…)

In common with all other life forms, the human body goes through a natural cycle of decay. This normal deterioration is inevitable, but need not necessarily be uncomfortable. Discomfort and a poor quality of life mean that ageing is taking place too quickly. Ageing is a process; being old is a sentence. The ageing process should be like of brandy: the better the ageing process is managed, the better the end product. (more…)

The sand in our hourglasses runs out at different rates. Everyone is different and these ten steps will take different people along different paths. It may cost you a little more to follow them; you may need to look after yourself a little better; it may take a while — but you are worth it. (more…)

Ear Cosmetic Surgery Scars

The scar will be about three inches in length but it will be hidden by the crease of the ear.

Ear Cosmetic Surgery Problems

Infection is not common but it is vital to call a doctor at the very first signs — increased rather than decreased reddening, swelling and aching of the ear after the first few days — because infection that is not treated quickly can lead to permanent damage to the cartilage of the ear and a misshapen appearance possibly worse than the one that has been corrected. Infection is a higher risk if the ear has been seriously injured prior to surgery. (more…)

As ears are virtually fully grown by the age of six, ears that are going to be unacceptably prominent will definitely be noticeable by that age. Unfortunately, it is other children not similarly afflicted who tend to notice them most and a child’s life may be made a misery by teasing in the early school days. On the plus side, this is one cosmetic operation which can be carried out in childhood and is usually obtainable on the NHS without more than a few months wait. (more…)

The following is a list of lifestyle adjustments that could improve the quality and length of your life:

• Go for a regular medical check-up.
• Keep a record of your and your family’s medical history.
• Avoid pollution as far as possible.
• Try to live in a crime-free area.
• Have your home and workplace tested for radon.
• Live within 50 km of a hospital or emergency unit.

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Just as all of us first have to learn how to write and practise writing, a good lifestyle does not develop overnight. Nor do we all write in the same way but there are basic letter shapes and the direction in which we write (from left to right) that form the basis of our style. Thus your lifestyle will not necessarily conform to what I am going to suggest below nor will it be like other people’s lifestyles.

Try to make your lifestyle “legible” for your children because the sooner one starts to write, the smaller the chance that a good style will cause a cramp. (more…)

Who is at risk? Everyone!

No one is safe from sun damage! You suffer an increased risk if your skin is Type I or II — that is if you are of Scottish, Irish, Scandinavian, or northern European descent and have fair skin that burns easily but does not tan. Especially at risk are people who have freckles, blond, red or light-brown hair, and blue, green or gray eyes. (more…)

Decreased Immunity

Your skin is your first layer of protection from the environment. These capture foreign substances and organisms to present them to the immune system deeper in the skin and in the blood.

It is known that after exposure to UV light, the number of Langerhan’s cells markedly decreases and can even disappear completely, making us far more susceptible to skin infection. When you suffer sunburn you compound the problem. Not only are your immune cells depleted, but the blistering of acute sunburn breaks down the skin, making infection more likely. (more…)

Skin Photoallergies

A photoallergy is a specific immune reaction that occurs only in certain people after they have been exposed several times to the offending substance and then sunbathed or used a tanning bed. Even a small amount of the substance can cause a red, scaly or blistering eruption when the person sunbathes. The rash usuallybegins over 12 hours after exposure.

A photoallergic reaction is very individual. (more…)

There is no doubt that the sun does damage the skin. “If you tan now, you’ll pay later!”

You will be surprised to learn about the many kinds of sun damage that you or your friends or family may suffer if you do not take the proper precautions. You were probably unaware of some of these hazards.

Sunburn

Although most people admit that they’d like a light suntan, nobody wants a sunburn. Nevertheless there are many people who love to spend hours at the beach, thinking that their sunburn is the first step towards a “glorious” tan. Many people have at one time shared this view. (more…)

Chemical sunscreens

There are more than 20 different compounds that the American FDA recognizes as safe and effective ingredients of chemical sunscreens. The most common are: 1) para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and PABA derivatives (known as esters, such as padimate-O and padimate-A); 2) cinnamates; 3) salicylates (all three types absorb only UVB); 4) benzophenones (such as oxybenzone which absorbs primarily UVA); and 5) anthranilides, which absorb UVA as well as UVB. (more…)

It should reassure you to know that sunscreens are classified as over-the-counter drugs, not merely cosmetics. That means that all ingredients in each preparation have undergone testing to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness. Each particular sunscreen formulation must also be checked prior to sale to demonstrate its sun protection factor (SPF).

Interestingly, the sunscreen ingredients accepted as effective by regulatory bodies differ a little from country to country. (more…)

Always wear sunglasses when you are outdoors and exposed to solar radiation. Your eyes need the protection. So, incidentally, does the skin around your eyes, which is especially delicate and susceptible to sun damage. Wrinkles are a factor, too. Without protective sunglasses, sunlight makes us squint giving us both “crow’s feet” wrinkles alongside our eyes and extra wrinkles across our forehead. (more…)

The only “safe” tan is the tan obtained from a bottle! Effective self-tanning creams contain the chemical dihydroxyacetone, which reacts with the keratin protein in the outer layers of skin to dye the skin brown. (Be careful! Dihydroxyacetone darkens all keratin protein, including hair and wool.)

This type of self-tanner is perfectly safe and can give the tan you desire if applied properly and uniformly. There are many formulas which give different shades of tan. The consistency of the cream or lotion also varies — self-tanner must be applied evenly to prevent splotchiness. Quite a few products are good, so experiment with several brands until you find one that you prefer. (more…)

Have you ever heard of an “indoor environmentalist”? Most people associate the environment with the “great outdoors” and the “wonders of nature”. On the contrary, our own “environments” are increasingly indoors, and increasingly “unnatural”. Whether at home or at the office, your skin suffers in special ways from the indoor environment with its closed atmosphere and surrounding work materials. How do you recognize actual or potential irritants? How can you protect your skin from daily damage by the indoor surroundings you take for granted? How can you correct or at least improve your indoor environment? (more…)

Baggy Eyelids Removal Pain and Recovery

You can go home the same day, with two small strips of bandage over your stitches to protect them. These can be removed a few days later, when your stitches come out. Your eyelids will ache initially but the pain should not be severe. If it is, call a doctor, as there may be internal bleeding. (more…)

Blepharoplasty is the technical name for correction of baggy eyelids and it is almost as commonly carried out as rhinoplasty (nose correction). The sagging of skin around the upper and lower eyelids is one of the natural signs of ageing and, if pronounced, may be particularly distressing to those who are very conscious of their appearance. It can, however, occur much earlier in life, due to an inherited disposition, but have much the same impact: that is, you feel you look old well before your time. (more…)

Port-wine stains are birthmarks which occur on the face and/or neck and derive their colour from dilated blood vessels either just below the skin or in the deeper layers.

Removal of port-wine stains

The elimination, as far as possible, of the disfiguring marks. However, there is no really successful surgical treatment and some residual disfigurement is likely o remain.

Removal of port-wine stains, for whom is it appropriate?

This procedure can be carried out at any age from childhood. (more…)

Giant brown birthmarks may sometimes cover a large area of the body or the face and neck and cause a great deal of distress. Unfortunately simple excision is rarely the answer as the brown pigment usually extends deep into the skin. A skin graft may be necessary.

Removal of Brown Birthmarks

To remove the unsightly pigmented area with the best cosmetic results possible in each individual circumstance. (more…)