Saturday, August 13, 2011

Hair Removal: Which Method Is Best?

If you're bothered by unsightly hair, you'll find many hair removal methods available. Your task is to select the right one.

Before making a decision, you'll need to (a) research the treatment options available, and (b) answer a few questions about yourself.

Which Area Do You Want To Treat?

The area of the body you want hair-free will determine the method of hair removal you select. Is the unwanted hair on your face or elsewhere? You'll need to narrow it down even more. Do you want hair removed from your arms, legs, eyebrows, back, chest, pubic area, knuckles or where?

When you're clear about which precise area of the body you want to focus on, next you'll need to determine whether your hair problem is hereditary. Some people are simply more prone to growing darker, coarser hair. If that's in your genetic makeup, no amount of treatment is going to completely solve your situation. You will have to settle for improvement rather than cure.

How Much Can You Afford To Spend?

The next step is to determine your budget. It's important to be clear on the available money, because that will eliminate some methods. Also, be aware that most methods will require multiple treatments at various intervals. Costs for hair removal treatments can range from a few dollars a month to several thousand dollars per treatment. On average 5 or more treatments are required to do the job. Your goal is to face up to whether you can afford it, and, if so, whether it will be the best use of your money.

How Much Pain Can You Tolerate?

The next cut on which method to choose is to assess your level of pain tolerance. Seriously. Your selection of hair removal methods will depend in part on how much pain you can handle. A number of hair removal methods are uncomfortable to painful. Although the pain is temporary, only you can judge your ability to tolerate it. Waxing and electrolysis are considered the most painful, so if you can't tolerate pain, these methods will not do.

Hair Removal: Temporary Or Permanent?

You still have 1 more decision to make: do you want a permanent or a temporary hair removal method? Be aware that most methods are, unfortunately, temporary.

To permanently stop hair growth you must damage the hair germination structure within the hair follicle. To date, electrolysis is the only method that has been proven to achieve this goal. Laser therapy comes close, but more experimentation is needed for conclusive proof.

These 2 semi-permanent methods are the most expensive of all the options, so your budget may make this decision for you. A temporary method may be your only option.

Last, but certainly not least, it's very important that you make sure you're undergoing the hair removal process because you want to. It's not wise to let somebody else pressure you into this.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Fresh Fruit Facials for Healthy Skin

I was having tea with a friend last week, and we were discussing our extensive skin care regimens. As we were exchanging tips and advice, I realized that I have amassed a virtual recipe box of facials that can be done using fresh fruit. As there are many of you out there that could benefit from this knowledge, I have decided to share my insights.

One of my favorites is the peach facial, which works very well as a tightening mask. Simply take a ripened peach, and remove the skin and the pit from the center. Place the peach and the whites from a single egg in a blender, and whip until smooth. Pat the mixture onto your face, and allow it to sit there for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

I have found that the apple mask is very good for normal skin. Peel, core, and quarter an apple. Chop the apple in your blender, and add two tablespoons of honey. Blend until smooth. Then remove the mixture from the blender, and refrigerate for approximately 10 minutes. Apply the mixture to your face using a patting motion, and be sure to pat until the honey becomes tacky. Leave it on for about 30 minutes, and rinse with warm water.

I have also had great success with a Strawberry mask that my Grandmother told me about. The trick here is to use extremely ripe Strawberries. Add approximately cup of strawberries and a cup of cornstarch to the blender, and mix until smooth. Apply the mixture to your face, and be careful to avoid the area around your eyes. Leave it on for 30 minutes, and rinse it off with cool water.

The next facial mask is excellent for blemished skin. Chop a ripened tomato into small pieces, and place it in your blender. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice and some instant oatmeal or rolled oats. Mix until it is all combined. Do not mix for too long, as it will not stick to your face. If it gets too thin, simply add more oatmeal. Apply the mixture, and leave it on for 10 minutes. Scrub it off using a warm, wet cloth.

There are many different ways to care for your skin, and as many different products on the market. In my experience, the most natural treatments provide the best results. Try to avoid products that have heavy perfumed scents or appear to use poor quality ingredients. These all natural fruit facials have worked wonders for me. I hope you enjoy them.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Body Fat Percentage is The Right Way to Measure Fitness

Because your body is about 50-55% water, you can temporarily stage-manage your weight with diet pills and fad diets but, you cannot manipulate your body fat percentage. Body fat percentage is a more meaningful metric for gauging physical fitness than what you can get out of height and weight tables.

The U.S. Army established a maximum allowable body fat percentage standard that applies to everybody from recruit to four-star general. Failure to meet the body fat percentage standard means no promotions and no career training. Repeated failure to meet the standard will result in an early exit from the Army. That's a harsh result.

At least with the Army people know what to expect as a consequence of ignoring their own physical fitness. The world we all live in may not be as honest as the Army in defining those consequences but, the results may be as unkind.

Excessive body fat connotes a lack of personal discipline and can lead to low self-esteem. It detracts from appearance and suggests a poor state of health, physical fitness or stamina. That is what researchers found from measuring the responses of people to photos of different body types.

The maximum allowable body fat percentages for everybody in the U.S. Army are shown below. Chances are you are not in the military and never intend to be but, can you suggest a more thoroughly researched or carefully crafted standard?

Maximum allowable body fat percentages are categorized by age and gender. For males this is the breakdown:

Age 17 20: Max Body Fat is 20%
Age 21 27: Max Body Fat is 22%
Age 28 39:. Max Body Fat is 24%
Age 40 and over: Max Body Fat is 26%

And for females:

Age 17 20: Max Body Fat is 28%
Age 21 27: Max Body Fat is 30%
Age 28 39:. Max Body Fat is 32%
Age 40 and over: Max Body Fat is 34%

It's fair to say that knowing your body fat percentage is a necessary first step to getting fit and trim. Because your body is about 55-60% water, you can stage-manage your weight with diet pills and fad diets but, you cannot manipulate body fat percentage.

Consider making your physical fitness goal to get your body fat percentage in line with the U.S. Army standard for the maximum allowable body fat percentage for your age and gender. Once you get there you will have accomplished something meaningful and made physical fitness a positive habit. You will be able to take your body-building and fitness ambitions anywhere you want to go.

Fortunately determining your body fat percentage is easy. If you cannot or do not want to get it done at a gym or anywhere else other than privately, you can get a body fat caliper at a sporting goods store or at Amazon.com. There is an under $15 model and even one with a digital readout for around $30. The instructions that come with the body fat caliper are helpful enough for you to take readings as accurate as you would get at the gym or the doctor's office.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a persons weight and height. BMI is used for creating statistics from large groups of people and in that role is considered a reliable indicator of body fat percentage for an entire population. Youre a population of one. Get the body fat calipers.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Lasik Eye Surgery - Are you ready?

Is Lasik in your future?

Millions of Americans turn to Lasik Surgery when their vision is less than perfect and theyre tired of being tied down to wearing glasses or contacts. What part of the eye is it that may be causing all your vision trouble? Your cornea! When the shape of your cornea is irregular, the image on your retina is blurry and out-of-focus. The cornea is a part of your eye that works to focus light and projects an image on the retina. This focusing of light is called refraction. The 3 main types of refractive errors are myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. If you are nearsighted, you have trouble seeing distant objects. If you are farsighted, you have trouble seeing things close up. Astigmatism is caused by irregularities in the surface of the cornea or lens and causes the image on the retina to be distorted. Its not uncommon for a person to have a combination of all 3 refractive errors, myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Before Lasik Surgery, glasses and contact lenses were the main ways to compensate for your eye's imperfections.

What exactly is Lasik?

Lasik stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. Keratomileusis is the carving of the cornea in order to reshape it. As the laser reshapes the cornea, it changes the angle at which you see images and therefore strengthens your vision significantly. This reshaping adjusts and strengthens the power of your cornea to focus on objects near and far. If you are nearsighted, your doctor uses the laser to flatten your cornea that is too-steep. If you are farsighted, your doctor uses the laser to make your cornea steeper because it is too flat. For astigmatism, the laser can be used to smooth an irregular cornea into a more smooth shape. There are few other procedures like Lasik Eye Surgery that can give you these amazing results and permanently change the shape of your cornea in just minutes.

OK, Im convinced, now what?

Start by talking to family, friends and co-workers. Who do you know that has had Lasik Surgery? Did they have a good outcome? How long were they out of work? How much did they pay? Did they have to pay the total price prior to the surgery? Would they recommend their surgeon to you? Then armed with this information, begin researching what surgeon you would like to schedule an initial consultation with. Ask lots of questions and keep a notebook of all the details that you learn. Youve taken your first step toward better vision with Lasik Surgery!

The Perfect Lipstick Color For You

Have you ever sat in front of your dresser mirror applying your makeup and redoing your lipstick because you hated the lipstick color that you got?

Many women find choosing the lipstick color that is just right for their lips and skin tone a little confusing. It does not help that there are probably thousands of shades of lipstick colors out there, which makes the process of choosing the perfect lipstick color for your lips a little more complicated than it should be. However, if you knew how to look, you would be surprised at how easy finding this perfect lipstick color is.

The Trick to Finding the Perfect Lipstick Color

The trick to finding the perfect lipstick color for your lips is simply this: get a lipstick color that is a shade or two darker than the natural color of your lips. It is as simple as that.

Now, of course you would want to figure out just what kind of lipstick color would complement the tone of your skin. As a rule of thumb, if you have fair skin, you should go with soft pinks and corals to match the pinkish tone of your skin. Apricot would be a nice lipstick color too if you are fair-skinned.

If your skin has olive tones, the lipstick color that would suit you would be something that has tones of rose or mauve. If you have dark skin, you should pick lipstick colors with deep reds, deep browns or chocolate.

The Right Way of Buying a Lipstick

Now that you know what lipstick color you should go for, how do you determine if the lipstick you are thinking of buying is the perfect color? The answer to that is that you should try the lipstick on.

However, never ever apply the sample lipstick directly to your lips. That is very yucky. You would never know how long that lipstick has been exposed to dust and dirt and putting it directly to your lips may cause you to take in germs into your system. Instead of putting the lipstick directly to your lips, just swipe it against your finger or your palm.

There are some stores where it would not be possible for you to take a swipe of the sample lipstick on your skin because the sample lipstick is not available. In that case, what you need to do is to just hold the product against your face and take a look at yourself at the mirror. That will help you determine if the lipstick color is just right for the tone of your skin.

Do Not Stick to Just Lipstick

When you shop for makeup, do not limit yourself to just the lipstick. Get yourself a few lip liners as well. Lip liners are very helpful because they trace the natural line of your lips and prevent the lipstick from bleeding away from your lips. Take care to buy lip liners that are a shade lighter than the lipstick colors you will blend them with. You can also go for a nude lip liner if you think figuring out what color of lip liner would match your lipstick color is just too much work for you.

Another tool that could come handy when you are applying makeup is a lipstick brush. A lipstick brush is good if you are the type who wants to put on just a thin layer of lipstick instead of slathering it across your lips. A lipstick brush is also more hygienic than dabbing your fingers on the lipstick and then rubbing it on your lips. In using a lipstick brush, you minimize the need for kissing tissue to get rid of excess lipstick on your lips, as well as to prevent it from getting to your teeth.

Got the Wrong Lipstick Color?

Sometimes, even though you are sure that the color of the lipstick that you got from the store is the right one for your skin tone, there are times that when you actually get to use it, you would find that it is not really the right shade for you, or you simply do not like the way it looks against your skin. Do not despair, though. You can still make use of that lipstick. You do not have to waste money by throwing it away.

What you do in this situation is to get your lipstick brush and blend this unwanted lipstick color with your other lipsticks. In this way, you would be able to create a shade of color that would be more to your liking. You get a new shade of lipstick without buying a new one or throwing one away.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Cosmetic Surgery Restores Normal Structures Of The Body

Focus is on face, body and breast cosmetic surgery. On the other hand, cosmetic surgery restores normal structures of the body and to improve appearance and self-esteem. Leipziger is a Board certified plastic surgeon with special expertise in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, breast and body. Addiction to cosmetic surgery Some people appear to become addicted to cosmetic surgery, possibly because of body dysmorphic disorder. Sufficient amounts of repeated cosmetic surgery can lead to irreversible damage to the normal body structure. Mezrow specializes in cosmetic surgery of the face, breast and body.

Farahmand specializes in all aspects of cosmetic surgery including facial, body contouring, and breast surgery. [edit] Addiction to cosmetic surgery Some people appear to become addicted to cosmetic surgery, possibly because of body dysmorphic disorder. Hakan Usal provide comprehensive plastic and reconstructive surgery as well as non-surgical cosmetic procedures for the face, breast and body. BODY SCULPTURE Body sculpture refers to reshaping the body through cosmetic surgery or plastic surgery. Outcome of cosmetic surgery and "DIY" surgery in patients with body dysmorphic disorder. A screening questionnaire for body dysmorphic disorder in a cosmetic dermatologic surgery practice. Body image dissatisfaction and body dysmorphic disorder in 100 cosmetic surgery patients.

Fiala, board certified plastic surgeon, skilled in cosmetic plastic surgery. The surgeon one chooses is as important as knowing the type(s) of surgery being considered, whether cosmetic or functional. Whether the surgery is desired for functional or cosmetic reasons, your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount importance. By selecting an ASAPS-member surgeon for your cosmetic plastic surgery, you can be assured that he or she qualifies for such privileges. All consultations and cosmetic / plastic surgery are performed by a consultant plastic surgeon with only the highest qualifications.

Stephen Greenberg is a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic surgery. The first four chapters cover the fundamentals of plastic surgery, surgeon selection, Internet searches, and basic cosmetic surgery sites. Teitelbaum is a double-board certified aesthetic plastic surgeon setting the highest standards in cosmetic surgery. Shaun Parson, a prominent cosmetic surgeon in Arizona, says that cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery are two separate specialties. Chao is a nationally recognized plastic surgeon who specializes in delicate reconstructive and cosmetic hand surgery. Antell is a board certified plastic and aesthetic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic surgery. The most important factor when considering plastic or cosmetic surgery is the surgeon you choose. As cosmetic surgery is rarely available on the NHS, you will probably need to find a surgeon who operates privately.

Recovering from Your Surgery For most cosmetic plastic surgical procedures, you will need to restrict your normal activities for a time following surgery. As a rule, cosmetic plastic surgery is considered "elective surgery" and is not covered by most insurance plans. The key to the decision often rests in the definition of plastic surgery as either reconstructive surgery or cosmetic surgery. Most people think of plastic surgery as being synonymous with cosmetic surgery. Here are some more fast facts about plastic surgery: %u20AC%u201DWomen make up 90 percent of cosmetic surgery patients in the U.S. Bashioum is board certified by both the american board of cosmetic surgery (ABCS) and the american board of plastic surgery(ABPS).

These cosmetic surgery procedures include face lift, forehead lift, breast augmentation, liposuction, laser hair removal, rhinoplasty and BOTOX and others. The rising popularity of cosmetic breast surgery in UK is a confirmation of this fact. The top five male cosmetic surgeries in 2004 were nose reshaping, hair transplantation, eyelid surgery, liposuction and breast reduction, according to the ASPS. The news was full of debates around cosmetic surgery, particularly breast enlargements. if(top!= self) top.location.href = self.location.href breastconsult.com a resource on breast implants and cosmetic breast surgery. breastconsult.com - breast implants and cosmetic breast surgery information. breast reconstruction after cancer), cosmetic surgery of the trunk (e.g. Services at Brigham and Women's Hospital include, but are not limited to: reconstructive, breast and cosmetic surgery as well as hand and microsurgery.

kxxp://www.laser-vision.info/cosmetic-surgery/

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Have you looked lately at the toxic ingredients that are in your cosmetics and skin care products?

Have you ever examined the ingredients listed on the labels of your cosmetics or other skin care products? Do you know what those ingredients are?

What you may not realize is that many of the skin care products and cosmetics you are buying contain ingredients that are not only harmful to your skin, but also to your long term health. Many of these ingredients are known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and are used by the cosmetic industry simply because they are cheap!

Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin Care Products and Cosmetics
The following are just some of the synthetic chemicals that have been identified by scientific studies to be harmful to our health.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)
Often described as being "derived from coconut" to disguise their toxic nature, these chemicals are commonly used in shampoos, toothpaste, foaming facial and body cleansers and bubble bath. SLS and ALS can cause severe skin irritation, and are easily absorbed into the body, building up in the brain, heart, lungs and liver, leading to potential long term health problems. SLS and ALS may also cause cataracts, and prevent children's eyes from developing properly.

Paraben Preservatives
Parabens are widely used in cosmetics, deodorants, skin care and baby products to prolong their shelf life. They are known to be highly toxic and have caused rashes and allergic reactions. Recent scientific studies in the UK found a strong link between the use of parabens and the increasing rate of breast cancer in women. Researchers found a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumors tested.

Propylene Glycol
Found in many beauty creams, cosmetics and cleansers, Propylene Glycol can cause skin rashes and contact dermatitis, and has been shown to cause damage to the kidneys and liver.

Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohol is used as a solvent in many skin care products. It causes skin irritation and strips the skin of its natural acid mantle, promoting the growth of bacteria, moulds and viruses. It may also cause premature ageing of skin.

DEA (Diethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine) and MEA (Monoethanolamine)
These substances are harsh solvents and detergents that are used in cosmetics and face and body creams as an emollient. They can cause allergic reactions, and long term use of DEA-based products (such as Cocamide DEA) have been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.

Aluminum
A common ingredient in antiperspirants, aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's Disease.

Mineral Oil
Derived from petroleum (crude oil), mineral oil is commonly found as a main ingredient of face and body creams and cosmetics. Baby oil is 100% mineral oil! It coats the skin like a plastic film, clogging pores and stopping the skin from eliminating toxins, which can lead to acne and other skin disorders. Other petroleum based ingredients include paraffin wax, paraffin oil and petrolatum.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
Used as a thickener in skin care products and cosmetics, PEGs interfere with the skin's natural moisture balance, causing an increase in ageing and leaving the skin vulnerable to bacteria.

Talc
Talc is a soft mineral used in talcum powders and cosmetic powders. Scientific studies have shown that routine application of talcum powder to the genital area is linked with a three-to-fourfold increase in the development of ovarian cancer. Inhaling cosmetic powders containing talc may also be harmful to long term health.

How To Avoid These Toxins
Examine the labels of your cosmetics and skin care products carefully, and learn to recognize ingredients that are harmful to your skin and to your health. Many web sites have lists of potentially harmful ingredients in addition to those shown above (e.g. Environmental Working Group).

Don't be fooled by the words 'natural' or 'organic' on the front of the label. Many products contain at least one or two natural or organic ingredients, but they may also contain harmful synthetic chemicals as well.

Whenever possible, choose products with 100% natural ingredients such as essential oils and herbs. Your skin will love you for it!