Health and medicine blog.

Acne surgery: This procedure greatly speeds acne clearing and appearance by manually removing blackheads and whiteheads. A round loop extractor is used to apply uniform smooth pressure to dislodge the material. Lesions that offer resistance are loosened by inserting a pointed instrument to carefully expose the contents.

Intralesional corticosteroid therapy: If one or several painful acne cysts develop, fast relief is available with this relatively painless procedure. Each cyst is given a single injection of a dilute cortisone solution, using an ultrathin needle.

Laser and light therapy. Laser- and light-based therapies reach the deeper layers of skin without harming the skin’s surface. Laser treatment is thought to damage the oil (sebaceous) glands, causing them to produce less oil. Light therapy targets the bacterium that causes acne inflammation. These therapies can also improve skin texture and lessen the appearance of scars, so they may be good treatment choices for people with both active acne and acne scars.

Dermatologists will use very aggressive treatments to try to prevent the progression of severe acne. They will try to stop it in its tracks while at the same time, work to prevent permanent scarring. Oral antibiotics and medications such as accutane, may be used at this stage as well as drainage techniques and surgical incision, also known as Acne Surgery. Other acne treatments such as injections of corticosteroids can be used. This is primarily used to melt cysts over a period of a few days. The acne therapy chosen by your determatologist will be matched to the severity of the condition effecting your skin.

Acne laser treatment for scars

Acne laser treatment has also been tried recently in a related form of skin disease called Acne Inversa, caused by sweat gland inflammation. This chronic condition is characterised by inflamed abscesses in the groin and armpits, and rarely on the scalp. The usual acne treatment of oral antibiotics often helps to control the condition, but the scarring left by the abscesses can be severe enough to limit movement, and is not always helped by cortisone injections. Acne laser treatment may offer a less invasive treatment than full surgery, and together with other acne medications such as Isotretinion, acne scars may be a thing of the past for these patients.

Acne Treatment Guide

Chemical Peels and Dermabrasion

This involves the application of an exfoliate, such as glycolic acid, to the areas affected by acne. Sometimes, microdermabrasion is used as an alternative. The result is the peeling off of the top skin layers that opens comedones, and since the pores are no longer clogged, acne is eliminated.

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Think you don’t know what alternative medicine is? It’s more common than you think, and now has a firm place in the world today. Certain therapies not formerly thought of as legitimate medical treatments are now being used on a more frequent basis to treat a variety of ailments, quite often with endorsement from the medical community. Some of the more common types of alternative medicine treatments include:

– Massage therapy
– Aromatherapy
– Hydrotherapy
– Acupuncture
– Herbal Remedies
– Meditation
– Spiritual therapy

More than likely, you are familiar with many of these treatments; maybe you have even experienced a few yourself. Many of these treatments are not only used to treat many common health problems, but are used by people all over the world in order to achieve total well-being.

For thousands of years, the treatments deemed alternative today were standard practice. And now, people seem to be turning to these optional therapies when they are in a health crisis, or if they feel they have nowhere else to turn.

There are factions of people throughout the world who prefer to take advantage of the natural effects that alternative medicines and therapies offer, rather than depend on synthetic drugs to cure or prevent ailments. Herbal medication have the benefit of being completely organic, or from the earth, and often provide equivalent remedies to prescription drugs.

Alternative medicines and treatments have become part of the fabric of our society today. While many of these therapies are meant to be used as a treatment for a health problem, some are used by people as simply a method of relaxation or reward. Chief among them is massage therapy. Massage has become incorporated into the routines of many individuals in today’s society as a means of stress reduction, rather than pain relief.

Meditation is another form of alternative medicine that has become an integral part of many lives in today’s society. With its roots steeped in ancient spiritual history, meditation acts like massage in that it provides a release for stress and anxiety. In order to perform mediation correctly, though, you should learn as much as you can about it first. Many people enjoy this type of alternative therapy a great deal because of the personal control they have when performing it. Many individuals in today’s society highly recommend meditation as a type of alternative medicine.

The stresses of today’s society have led some to cry out for change. Many find solace and healing in alternative medicine treatments. The natural treatments and calming effects of many of them are exactly what many people have been searching for in order to reduce their stress. The average person is forced to deal with a large amount of stress on a daily basis. Alternative medicine and treatments bring relief to the stresses and anxiety that people of today’s society feel weighed down by.

In today’s society, we see a great deal of stress, anxiety, and illnesses. Alternative medicine provides a viable option to traditional medicine that aids people in the maintenance of their well-being in their busy lives. Massage therapy and meditation are two common treatments that people can turn to, that can also have a positive effect on today’s society as a whole. As we move forward in society, you will continue to see a shift towards more acceptance of alternative medicine and therapy.

Many obese individuals have it rough and wish they could lose weight fast. Many individuals would like to have bariatric surgery but often feel afraid (sure, cannot blame anyone- Who is not afraid of surgeons?). Complications of bariatric surgery are plentiful on cyberspace. Some people who have undergone weight loss surgery, but success is never guaranteed. Sometimes it is the individual who has unrealistic expectations and other times it is the surgeon hyping up the treatment.

In any case, surgery for weight loss today is more refined and generally safe. Many newer minimally invasive procedures have been developed which means less time mucking around with surgery, less risk of anesthesia and no large incisions. Surgery is much superior to drugs when it comes to weight loss. However, not everyone can undergo weight loss surgery. Obese patients are always at risk for complications when they undergo any type of surgery. Over the years, certain criteria have been developed to ensure both patient safety by selecting the right patient.

Candidate for bariatric surgery

The surgeons do agree that just looking at an obese patient is not adequate to determine his/her eligibility for weight loss surgery. The current guidelines in North America for selecting patients for weight loss surgery include the following:

    - Individuals who have failed to lose weight with drug therapy. The drug therapy should have been tried out for at least 3-6 months
    – Individuals who have failed to lose weight  after enrolling in an intense exercise program of more than 12 month duration
    – Individuals who have a BMI in excess of 40 kg/m2
    – Individuals with a BMI between 35 and 40 kg/m2  and also have on or more co morbid conditions. This may be uncontrolled diabetes, arthritis, poor life style or bed ridden.

When dealing with acne skin care, most of the medical professionals typically suggest that people affected with acne need to apply certain acne skin care methods that will support improving their skin condition.

Acne - really severe skin disease that affects millions of people from everywhere in the world. It does not only affect the surface of the skin but also the inner layers. Acne normally occurs on the face, neck, chest and back, and it usually starts during the adolescent times.

During the last years, a quantity of acne experts and skin care professionals have done a lot of studies on how to keep acne from breaking out. Fortunately, these skin care professionals have issued some acne skin care tips that might be of help for fighting acne. I have picked out the three most potent acne skin care tips, that you will be able to follow in order to have a more healthy skin.

Acne Skin Care Tip # 1: Always Clean Your Skin Very Softly

First off, and although not a cause for acne, personal hygiene is still really essential for fighting acne. So what most of the skin care experts normally advise, you should softly clean your skin with a mild cleanser leastwise twice a day. This easy acne skin care tip is considered to be significant for fighting acne as washing your face or the additional affected areas will wipe off the acne-causing bacteria found on the skin. Besides noe that although you are occasionally told to scrub your face, scrubbing is not a good acne skin care tip as it will just activate the development of acne, exacerbating the condition. Likewise this acne skin care tip, it is necessary to note that astringents are not always recommended unless the skin is very oily. And, they needs only to be used on the oily spots.

Acne Skin Care Tip # 2: Resist From Frequently Holding Your Skin

A different, very helpful acne skin care tip is to deflect frequently manipulating the skin. Don’t squeeze, pinch or pick your pimples as it will just aggravate your condition. A lot of of people have looked at this acne skin care tip as one of the most crucial acne skin care pointers, recognizing that it might just induce infection and scar formation. As this acne skin care tip applies, you should resist off rubbing and touching your skin lesions if possible.

Acne Skin Care Tip # 3: Always Choose Cosmetics Carefully

The last acne skin care tip agrees that people who are being treated for acne need to change a few of the cosmetics they use. Note that to avoid the attack or the development of acne, the cosmetics you are using, like the foundation, blush, moisturizers, and eye shadow, ought to be oil free. Apart from that, this acne skin care tip also admits that you need to keep off oily hair products for they might cause closed comedones. Thus, those products that are marked as noncomedogenic should be applied.

In  reality a lot of us are very conscious of our skin condition. And per se, we are always wanting to have a fresh, good-looking skin as much as possible. Regrettably, a lot of us also neglect to come to the decision that simple steps are the most beneficial ways to fulfill this goal. We are oftentimes blind enough that we don’t realize what’s really right or wrong for our skin. We oftentimes fall in such frustration and desperation that makes us go purchase any high-priced beauty product that in the long run just turn out to be a waste of time and money, and even worsen our acne. Hopefully, the above-named acne skin care tips will be a good beginning to help you enhance your skin condition.

Common myth about acne is that it only troubles teens and adolescents. However, the reality is that a battalion of adults do suffer from it as well, leading to physical, psychological and social effects on persons suffering from acne.

These effects might be permanent and cause real problems. Especially as with adults, acne leaves lasting and ugly scars since as the skin matures and loses collagen, it takes longer for the scars to heal.

It might be difficult to name the psychological effects referable to common misunderstandings that go with them. For example it would be legitimate to say that the psychological effects of adult acne is easier to deal with because the person has matured and is not prone to teenage scenes. However, actually the psychological effect in adults might be even bigger, as this is a condition commonly believed to be specific to teens.

Today it is easier for adults to look for treatment from dermatologists, since acne goes forward being realized as a problem not limited just to teens but also to adults. Sales of over-the counter treatments have expanded likewise awareness about adult acne.

Research into adult acne has been extensively enforced to find out its causes and effects on older patients. This at once leads to increased awareness about this condition and makes it easier for a lot of people to look for adult acne treatments.

Nowadays information about this condition is promptly available from the web, medical journals and publications. This signifies a better public understanding. Additional concern is also given to the psychological effects acne has on adults. Remember that they, exactly like teens, are impacted by people’s attitudes towards them.

In summary, the key to treating this skin problem is to understand what causes it. Knowledge about it, and how to treat its physical reflection means that the social and psychological troubles can be treated as well.

Diabetes in pregnancy is associated with increased morbidity for the mother and the infant. Complications of pregnancy-related diabetes include birth defects, congenital abnormalities, shoulder dislocation during delivery, cesarean delivery, excessive fetal weight and head size, and hypertension. Risk factors for gestational diabetes, or glucose intolerance first diagnosed in pregnancy, include advanced maternal age, overweight or obesity prior to pregnancy, family history of diabetes, and belonging to an ethnic group with a high prevalence of diabetes (African American, Native American, Hispanic, South or East Asian, or Pacific Islander.) A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that in addition to the well-known complications of diabetes during pregnancy, women with gestational diabetes are more likely to experience depression during and after pregnancy.

PregnancyThe retrospective study analyzed data from more than 11,000 births to women in New Jersey from 2005 to 2007. All the women were continuously enrolled in Medicaid for the 6 months prior to and 12 months after delivery. The International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes or prescription records for an antidepressant or antidiabetic medication identified the women with diabetes and depression. Of the study population, 100 women with prepregnancy or gestational diabetes were identified. The women in this group had nearly double the risk of depression during pregnancy or in the postpartum period compared to women without diabetes (15.2% versus 8.5%.) Women with diabetes, but no history of depression, experienced postpartum depression at a rate of 9.6%, compared to 5.9% of women without diabetes or history of depression.

Depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period poses great risk to the mother and child, including impaired functioning for the mother, decreased bonding between mother and child, and maternal thoughts of harming herself or her baby. Depression can lead to inadequate care of both the new mother and the child, posing long-term health and safety risks to both if left untreated.

Previous studies concluded that women with gestational diabetes had more negative perceptions about their health than women without diabetes. These women also had higher anxiety levels during pregnancy and lower sense of overall well-being and health than non-diabetic women. In the same way, many studies have indicated that diabetes unrelated to pregnancy is associated with depression, so this new link may not be entirely pregnancy-related. Additionally, this study looked at women in a low-income demographic, which, can itself, be a risk factor for depression.

Depression affects at least 10% of mothers during the perinatal period. Likewise, diabetes occurs in nearly 9% of pregnancies. Women with gestational diabetes, and their children, are more likely to experience birth-related morbidity and develop chronic disease in the future, including diabetes and hypertension, even if their blood glucose returns to normal after pregnancy. Improved outcomes in pregnancy-related diabetes can be achieved through improved compliance to diet and medication regimens, better control of blood glucose before and during pregnancy, improved neonatal care, and early screening for glucose intolerance and fetal abnormalities. The American Diabetes Association recommends screening women for glucose intolerance in the first trimester of pregnancy if they possess a risk factor for diabetes, as well as screening all women between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports theses guidelines.

Women with diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to experience a numerous medical complications before, during, and after pregnancy, as are their infants. Now, depression may need to be added to the list of adverse outcomes associated with diabetes in pregnancy. With growing populations of ethnic groups in the US at increased risk for diabetes, as well as an increase in obesity and an increase in childbearing age in women, the prevalence of gestational diabetes will continue to rise. The newest study asserts that more research is needed to understand the exact relationship between diabetes and depression, but the increased risk of new-onset depression related to gestational diabetes calls for more intervention for women at highest risk for both diabetes and depression.

So you are thinking about having dental implants huh? We are here to make your job easy in this process. There is quite that you and your dentist need to know about this procedure. And if everyone involved is well informed and prepared, the process is very simple and you will enjoy your brand new teeth for a very long time.

I am going to throw in a monkey in the wrench for you first however. Imagine Dr. Average. He has never done or placed any implants. The last time he had taken a course in anatomy was way back in the first year of dental school, and he has been out of school for a good 20 years. Let’s make him one of the doctors who has never done any surgery, meaning, he has never cut the gums, nor has he ever had to put any stitches on anyone. Dr. Average decides that he wants to start doing implants. So he finds an online course for dental implants, or a one day course if he is slightly more motivated, and Monday morning, he is an implantologist and unbeknownst to you, you are his first patient!

So what are the things you must know and learn before you have dental implants. The first thing is are you a good candidate for dental implants? People who suffer from medical conditions that has an effect on the immune system of the body, or inflammatory system, would need to be further evaluated. This is why a thorough, updated medical history is needed. At time, blood lab work up need to be done prior to having dental implants done. Anti inflammatory medications, steroids, pain medications and antibiotics are some of the medications that maybe prescribed to you before and after this procedure.
What else? Well, the big question is why do you need dental implants? Is it because you have broken your tooth? Then the cause of this needs to be evaluated. If not, you can do the same damage to the implants. What if you lost your tooth or teeth due to periodontal or gum disease? Did you know that you could lose the implants due to the same reason as well? Your diet, the PH of your mouth, your stress level, how you eat, chew, how the muscles of your head and neck function, all play a role in determining if you are a good candidate for dental implants or not. And if not, what are some alternatives, and or things that you can do to make you a good candidate for it now?

So what else does your dentist need to evaluate? Your dentist must evaluate the quality of your bone. Some implant companies even provide different types of implants for different types of bone. I will give you an example. Let’s say, you just bought a 2 beautiful 42 inch flat screen TV’s to be mounted on the wall in your house. One, you would like it to go on your living room wall (dry wall). The other, you would like it to go on a thick, old Oak entertainment center. Do you use the same screws or even number of screws for mounting these TVs? The same concept applies to dentistry. There are different types of quality and denseness of bone in the mouth. First of all, without taking CT scans, the only other way that a dentist can evaluate the quality of the bone is when they start to place the implant in your mouth, purely by the way the bone feels. Is this really scientific? You be the judge of that. CT scans today are an important piece of the puzzle to evaluate patients and also to treatment plan dental implants. The next thing is planning the implants. Where should it go and at what angle? These are the questions that the dentist who is going to be placing the crown over the implant (or the denture) will determine. If there are two dentists, a surgeon and a restorative, they must collaborate. Who is the quarter back? The restorative or the dentist who places the crown, not the surgeon. Unfortunately, this does not happen often. Many times, the surgeons are the ones who determine where they would like the implant to go and then the restorative dentist ends up having to restore a positionally and esthetically compromised implant.
Why do you have to know these things? Because these steps are not followed properly most often.

So where do you start?
1. Have your medical history be checked thoroughly by your dentist. Make sure no lab works are needed. Make sure you are a good candidate for dental implants, get rid of all existing causes of damage and pathology, correct bite issues, get gum disease and bite disease and dietary issues under control.
2. Consult the Restorative Dentist first. They must take models of your mouth, determine where they want the crowns to go, have special stents made by the lab.
3. You will wear these stents and have a CT scan of your jaw done.
4. The restorative dentist determines, the position and angulation of the crown that needs to be positioned in your mouth.
5. The surgeon determines if there is adequate bone to position the implant in the proper position and angulation that the restorative dentist had requested. If not, then bone grafting, sinus grafting or other procedures will be needed. The surgeon will evaluate the thickness of your gums as well.
6. The number of implants, type (based on the preference of both dentists and also based on your bone quality), the size and length of implant are all determined by both dentists.
7. The procedure is performed on the CT scan once virtually to make sure not complications in terms of positioning and anatomical structure (such as nerve damage) will happen. The CT scan will be sent to special labs to have a surgical stent fabricated so that the surgeon will duplicate with much accuracy the placement of the implant in your mouth in comparison to the CT scan or virtual version.
8. Once the surgical stent is available, then, you will be scheduled to have your implant(s) placed.

Follow the post up instructions, ice your face and take the proper medications.

Anxiety - troublesome disorder often associated with both physiological and psychological changes in the body. The emotional and behavioural symptoms can be very unpleasant and typically include apprehension, excessive worry or a feeling of impending doom. In most people, anxiety is a typical response to stress and helps one cope with a difficult situation. However, in some individuals the symptoms do become excessive and start to dictate behavior.

The majority of individuals who have chronic anxiety are referred to a psychiatrist or a psychologist. The treatment of anxiety is often a combination of drug therapy and cognitive behavior counseling. However, a number of individuals do poor with conventional medical therapies and have started to seek out alternative health care remedies. One of these therapies is the use of herbs.

There have been a number of herbs which have been evaluated for their role in treating anxiety. The most common herbs used to treat anxiety are kava, passion flower, valerian and theanine.

Kava has been the most studied and is probably the one which is the most sold in health food stores. Several short term studies have shown that it can reduce anxiety in within a few days after starting the herb. The majority of individuals who have taken kava are now unwilling to take any conventional medications.

However, recently there have been reports of Kava and liver damage. There are reports in the literature that after short term use Kava can induce a form of hepatitis and liver failure. In Europe, Kava has been banned from health food stores. In the USA, the FDA has issued warnings to health stores about this herb. Kava is currently widely available in the USA and the FDA is still deciding on its future.

Passion flower, valerian and theanine have also been shown to reduce anxiety and are considered safe. So far the side effects reported have been mild and of a short duration.

One of the major problem with herbs is that the quality and quantity is variable in each formulation. Herbs are sold as dietary supplements and thus often do not undergo the strict quality control required of a drug. Recent reports also indicate that many herbal products from the orient have contaminants; and fake products are not unheard of.

So if you are considering taking a herbal supplement for your anxiety, discuss this with your health care provider. Even though herbs are cheaper than pharmaceutical medications, you do not want to end up paying more to treat complications of these natural remedies.

Maybe your doctor recently broke the news that you have diabetes. Or you have learnt that you are at risk of getting diabetes. And so now you are worried – scared of what diabetes will do to you. Worried about the drugs you have to take and their side effects. Its not just you who alone is worrying. There are about 21 million American adults and children who suffer from some form of diabetes. Though insulin and other anti diabetic drugs are available, many are now resorting to alternative medicine.

What exactly is diabetes?
Diabetes is condition in which the glucose in your blood is higher than normal either because the hormone insulin is not secreted at all or whatever insulin is secreted does not work properly. This increased blood glucose affects almost all the important organs in our body including the heart and kidney. It is said that diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death. Insulin and oral anti diabetic drugs are routinely prescribed to treat diabetes.

Alternative medicine – the new trend
The faith in alternative medicine is rising very steeply and it is estimated that as much as 50% of the American people are using some form of alternative treatment. One of the surveys conducted on alternative medicine concluded that people felt there were added benefits from alternative medicine use, lower cost, and perceived fewer side effects.
The alternative medicine for treating diabetes is basically divided in to two categories:
*Those that can control the blood sugar levels
*Those that help in weight loss and thus indirectly control diabetes.

To control blood sugar levels
Vitamin and mineral supplements help the body to secrete insulin well that helps in controlling diabetes. It is said that minerals like chromium, magnesium, vanadium and zinc help control the blood sugar levels.
Many plant foods decrease the blood sugar levels by virtue of their fiber content among other mechanisms. Some of the popular plant foods that are used to control blood sugar are fenugreek seeds, peas, brewer’s yeast, buckwheat, broccoli, garlic, ginger, ginseng, hawthorn, nettle and okra.

To control weight
Type II diabetes is associated with obesity. It is said that maintaining optimum weight is the single most important factor in controlling blood sugar in Type II diabetes. People use many substances as part of alternative treatment to bring down their weight and thus indirectly control diabetes. Some of the popular substances used to control weight are extract of Hoodia gordonii, chitosan, camsogia garcinia, pyruvate, germander, Momordica charanta, Sauropus androgynus and aristolochic acid.
The other alternative therapies being used to treat diabetes are – faith healing, reflexology, macrobiosis, astrotherapy (tying pieces of coral around the arms), pearl therapy (oyster pearls boiled in milk and then drinking the liquid), meditation, ayurveda and homeopathy.

Juvenile Diabetes - Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the insulin producing pancreatic beta cells. The gradual loss of beta cells results in life-long dependence on exogenous insulin. At the moment, the earliest identifiable process in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetic has been the development of autoimmunity to pancreatic beta cells in the measurable form of islet auto-antibodies.

Although the autoimmunity usually precedes the clinical disease by months to years, its occurrence may already be too late for therapeutic approaches aimed at preventing progression to overt diabetes. The initiators of the autoimmune response have remained unknown and the mechanisms supporting progression towards beta cell failure have been poorly understood, making discovery of effective prevention a challeng.

In 1994, an ongoing birth cohort study (DIPP, the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention study) was launched in Finland, supported by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International. Over a period of 14 years, more than 130,000 newborn infants have been screened for genetic risk and over 8000 at-risk children are being regularly followed.

The investigators found that the individuals who developed diabetes had reduced serum levels of succinic acid and phosphatidylcholine at birth, reduced levels of triglycerides and antioxidant ether phospholipids throughout the follow-up and increased levels of proinflammatory lysophosphatidylcholines several months prior to autoimmunity to pancreatic beta cells. The metabolic profile was partially normalized following the autoimmune response, suggesting autoimmunity may be a relatively late physiological response to the early metabolic disturbances. The observed lipid changes were not attributable to HLA-associated genetic risk.

Metabolic profiling at early age may therefore aid in determining the risk of type 1 diabetes. The reported findings imply that metabolic or immunomodulatory interventions during the pre-autoimmune period may be used as a new potential strategy for prevention of type 1 diabetes.