Know about some basic facts of Mentoplasty Surgery

The popularity and huge success of plastic surgery is due to the fact that there is in fact no part of the body or face that cannot be treated with the help of plastic surgery. It is due to this reason that despite being quite an expensive affair the popularity of plastic surgeries has not decreased a bit. Among these is one such surgery that has not come much into lime light but has been part of the plastic surgery sector for a long time. This surgery is called Mentoplasty which is also called in a colloquial term as chin job. This is again like any other surgery which is a choice by an individual as a disproportionate chin size does not pose any problem to the body or to the face muscle or bones.

What is Mentoplasty?

This is a chin surgery where the either through the reduction of the chin size or enhancement of the chin size a proportionate shape is been delivered to the chin area. This is a proper surgical method which requires incisions and hence this surgery should not be taken lightly at all.

Some Basic facts About Mentoplasty

• Many times it is been found that surgeons refer to go for chin surgery despite the fact that actually have a problem of disproportionate nose. The newly positioning of the chin may either magnify or minimize the effects of the nose and can actually provide a proper proportionate look of the face.
• Chin surgery is usually best recommended to those who have passed the age of 20 or are fully adults. This is because the facial muscles and bones are in a constant growth process though that process is quite slow. Hence it is better to wait till the bone development in the chin area has completely taken place.
• The surgical process is quite delicate and hence it can several hours for the surgeon to finish.
• A huge incision is usually made at the time of the surgery. Hence most surgeons are of the opinion that when the incision is done within the mouth which is naturally a concealing position. Sometimes in case of an external incision it is done just below the chin in the area where the neck begins. The scarring cannot be avoided and hence such concealing areas are being sought.
• Following the surgery it is often found that after the surgery one can experience an uncomfortable feeling while chewing and can even feel that the other skin on the chin is tight. For pan immediately after the surgery, pain killers are often prescribed.
• Infections are possible in case the implant in chin enhancement move out of its location.

Hi I am Carl Bowman a soccer player by profession. Few years back my chin had been reduced a little after a small accident. It was then I was looking for a mentoplasty surgeon who was affordable and board certified. After much searching I did get a fantastic surgeon and can say that for facial surgeon in New York is best for Facial and cosmetic procedures.

Why Home Hygiene is Crucial for Your Health

Today we are far too used to being lax with the hygiene of our homes, often neglecting it out of laziness or boredom. That however has to change we would never or very rarely ignore our own personal hygiene so things should really be no different when it comes to that of our residence. Hygiene goes a lot deeper than just the look, feel and smell of a place there is a lot more than meets the eye if we don't do a thorough job at cleaning and sanitizing the environment of our homes. Proper disinfection and cleaning are vital to keeping diseases and infections away from our homes as well as allergies and the like.

That being said even though hospitals and laboratories have to be perfectly clean and sterile in order to avoid the aforementioned problems our homes should be no different in many ways. Infection prevention is an important aspect of our lives when it comes to health and it is especially important if we have pets around the house. Pet hair, dead skin particles and more constitute a risk for respiratory issues and help provoke them, especially in asthmatics and other similar sufferers. What can be done to avoid that? Instead of sanitizing the entire home when you're done cleaning you should mostly address the high-risk areas around the house. So what can be done to sanitize your home and what should be done exactly?

• Don't put it off for later

Like we mentioned earlier a lot of us would prefer to enjoy a nice quiet weekend rather than clean if the situation doesn't look that bad. That however has to be avoided since without proper motivation you simply won't get the job done right. Find a way and clean up on a regular basis as that way you'll have less to take care of in the long run.

• Sanitation

After you are done cleaning your home there are a few areas that need to be sterilized especially during high risk times such as a flu epidemic or something similar. Begin by doing the following:

• Fill up the kitchen sink with hot water mixed with one cup of bleach. Pick up all the utensils you use frequently and place them in the water for an hour. While that is going on wet a cloth into the mixture and wipe down all the surfaces of your kitchen to sanitize and destroy the germs as much as possible. Once the hour has passed take out all the utensils and wash them with hot water and soap and let them out to dry. Make sure you wash them well as to not have any problems with the bleach mixture later on.
• Remove all covers from the beds and the pillows around the house. When you wash them add a teaspoon of bleach to the water and let it agitate for a bit before you add the covers in. Then use a disinfectant spray to deal with the mattresses and pillows.
• Spray the vacuum filter with a disinfectant and use it to vacuum the carpets and rugs. For the floors you can add a cup of bleach to a bucket of hot water and then mop them up. Remember to open the windows to let some air in since bleach has a powerful scent.
• Disinfect every surface from computer mice to door handles if possible to minimize the risks.

The article has been submitted by: Brixton Cleaning Options.

Cystic Fibrosis and Medical Tourism

Cystic Fibrosis of CF in short is a genetic disorder which gets passed down through recessive genes and has adverse effects on the pulmonary system of the affected. The disease's characteristics come from a defective gene which causes the formation of thick mucus in the lungs which overtime causes a number of respiratory problems alongside a weakened immune system which paired with the mucus buildup opens the lungs and digestive tract to bacterial infections. The disease is currently incurable because of its unique properties although some treatments to prolong and improve the lives of the affected exist. Patients require regular observation and tests because of the inevitable infections present so medics can give accurate diagnosis.

Treating CF is a battle on many fronts because of the weakened immune systems of the affected. It includes antibiotic treatments in an attempt to slow or prevent the progression of the bacterial infections which can be done orally or intravenously or through inhalations. The overall life expectancy of the affected varies according to each case, but what every one of them has in common is that the infection can never be completely overcome. Treatments and preventative measures developed over the last few decades have significantly improved the life expectancy, though those treatments are not available freely across the globe.

That being said a lot of countries in the world have cystic fibrosis specific clinics and centers who take care of patients affected by this disease, however in many of the the developing countries their fate is pretty grim because of the lack of resources, knowledge or competence about CF. Many of the affected feel the need to look for help elsewhere, often way beyond whatever their country can offer as a way of dealing with the problem and therefore medical tourism appears as the only viable option for them to have a fighting chance.

One of the places in the world currently which helps in the treatments of patients with CF is the Dead Sea resort where the atmospheric pressure and climate help the affected adapt to treatments. Other targets for medical tourism sought after are France and Canada because of their excellent medical care systems and others across the globe. The treatments however are very expensive and usually way beyond the scope of what the average patient can afford. Patients have decreased options when it comes to earning an income because of their condition and the need for constant treatment and immune-boosting and stimulating therapy without which their condition would quickly deteriorate.

Many of the local cystic fibrosis associations have banded together under the banner of the federation Cystic Fibrosis Worldwide, which do their best to offer help to the affected and to raise the public awareness and summon as much help as possible from the global society. The rising costs of global healthcare and the few localized places where one can get the right treatments and lung transplants have forced less fortunate patients to seek desperate help. International laws unfortunately prevent the free movement abroad they really need so they can receive care, so for the most part they are looking for ways to sponsor their needs either via the many organizations which deal with helping them or through their own means.

Overall the need for a raised public awareness of the needs of the affected is very acute since their disease isn't as popular and well-known as others spoken of on global media channels and the internet. Although not as obscure as certain genetic disorders and syndromes it is entirely possible for patients to receive care if their options were open. We can only hope that in time their pleas and needs will be addressed so they can travel freely to where they can receive the proper treatment and that raised public awareness would provide them with the finances needed to afford it.

This guest post has been provided by: Vacationhomes

Neem Health Benefit

Neem is a magical tree and especially the neem leaves that are used for its medicinal properties. Neem oil that is extracted from neem seed cannot be consumed because of associated disadvantages but neem leaves can be taken internally. But do not consume these if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.

• Neem leaves in the form of paste can be directly applied to skin. You can use the neem leaves for bathing in water. This cures the skin related problems.
• Neem leaves are very good in treating chickenpox.
• If you are diabetic and will consume neem leaves empty stomach in the morning then surely you can cure your diabetes.
• An inflammation can be subsided with neem leaf paste.
• These are great detoxifiers so given to purify blood.
• If you suffer from excessive hunger then eat the fine paste neem leaves with brown rice. This is has curative properties.
• To cure any kind of skin infection mix turmeric with neem leaves paste and apply it on your body for at least three months.
• If you have pimples on your face then apply the neem leaf decoction. Even this can be used to treat minor wounds as this reduces the chance of getting further infection. You can also cure dandruff and hair loss with this.
• It cures urinary tract infections.
• Neem oil is extensively used in hair fall and early graying of hairs with very satisfying results. It also find its application in dandruff and in lice growth.
• It has given very good results in diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis

West Nile outbreak light in Ky. but 'one of the largest' in nation

U.S. health officials reported Wednesday three times the usual number of West Nile cases for this time of year and one expert told the Associated Press it was “one of the largest” outbreaks since the virus appeared in this country in 1999.

So far, 1,118 illnesses have been reported, about half of them in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kentucky has reported few cases.

In an average year, fewer than 300 cases are reported by mid-August. There have also been 41 deaths this year. Most infections are usually reported in August and September, so it’s too early to say how bad this year will end up, CDC officials said. AP reports that West Nile virus peaked in 2002 and 2003, when severe illnesses reached nearly 3,000 and deaths surpassed 260.

 The best way to prevent West Nile disease, say experts, is to avoid mosquito bites. Insect repellents, screens on doors and windows and wearing long sleeves and pants are some of the recommended strategies. Also, empty standing water from buckets, kiddie pools and other places to discourage breeding. (Read more)

More hospital-acquired infections are reported in patients cared for nurses who are overworked, study finds

Getty Images stock photo.

Overworked nurses dealing with heavy patient loads are associated with increases in hospital-acquired infections, say researchers with the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

"For each 10 percent jump in the proportion of nurses who logged high levels of burnout, there was roughly one additional catheter-associated urinary tract infection per 1,000 patients and almost two extra surgical site infections per 1,000," reports JoNel Aleccia for NBC News.

Researchers conducted a survey with 7,000 registered nurses at 161 Pennsylvania hospitals and matched that data with hospital infection rates and characteristics of hospitals nationwide. The study found more than a third of nurses said they feel high levels of burnout. They cared for an average of 5.7 patients each, and "when even one patient was added to that load, the result was an additional 1,351 infections within the hospital population studied," Aleccia reports.

The study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, also found cutting down on burnout not only reduces infections but saves money. Cutting it by 30 percent decreased urinary tract infections by 4,000 and surgical site infections by more than 2,200, resulting in a savings of between $28 million and $69 million each year, researchers found.

When it comes to nurse-to-patient ratios, no one seems to be tracking the averages, Aleccia reports. They can range from one nurse for every one or two patients in intensive care units or a one-to-five ratio, as mandated in surgical units in California. (Read more)

Lyme disease in Ky. probably more common than reported

Nearly anyone who has spent considerable time in the woods this summer has later discovered they carried a visitor back with them — one the size of a freckle who latches on for dear life. Ticks are not uncommon in Kentucky, though Lyme disease, which is spread through the bite of a black-legged deer tick, is not commonly seen in the state.

But those numbers are likely under-reported, Keiara Carr reports for The Courier-Journal, in part because "Current medical guidelines say the disease is so rare in Kentucky that doctors should look for alternative causes for symptoms that might suggest Lyme disease."

Only five cases were reported in Kentucky in each of the past two years and there was just one case in 2009. But it's likely cases went under-reported because doctors don't give the blood test that diagnoses Lyme. They just don't feel it's necessary given the rarity of the disease in the area, Carr reports.

But Mike Gatton of Louisville knows all too well that it's possible. He got bitten by a tick while mowing his lawn two years ago. He developed a rash on his leg but when he went to the doctor he was tested for a variety of diseases, including West Nile, multiple sclerosis and Lou Gehrig disease, but not Lyme. "I was feeling more and more fatigued. I was having severe headaches. I was really concerned," he said.

When he got another tick bite a year ago and had the same reaction he had to the first bite, he put the tick in a vial and brought it to his doctor, who still dismissed the possibility of Lyme. He is now being treated with antibiotics he takes intravenously.

Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache and fatigue. Sometimes, a rash that looks like a bull's eye around the tick bite can develop. Usually, people get better with large doses of antibiotics. If left untreated, "the infection can be painful and debilitating, causing arthritis or spreading to the heart and nervous system," Carr reports.

Guidelines by the Infectious Disease Society of America "to help doctors decide if a patient is eligible for treatment say the patient should have received the tick bite in an 'endemic area," Carr reports, which makes sense according to Paul Mead, a consulting physician for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "For example, a physician in Africa evaluating a child for fever should have malaria at the top of his list; a physician in Kentucky should not," he said. (Read more)

Swine flu killed nearly 300,000 worldwide, study finds

The swine flu of 2009, often referred to as H1NI, killed an estimated 284,500 people, making it 15 times more deadly than it was thought at the time of the pandemic, a new study has found. The report, published Tuesday in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, said the numbers might be eventually be  as high as 579,000 people. The original count, tabulated by the World Health Organization, was a mere 18,500.

Those nearly 300,000 deaths were confirmed by lab testing, which the WHO warned vastly underestimated the situation "because the deaths of people without access to the health system go uncounted, and because the virus is not always detectable after a victim dies," reports Sharon Begley for Reuters. In Kentucky, the Department for Public Health reported there were 41 confirmed H1N1-related deaths, said spokeswoman Beth Fisher.

More than 50 percent of swine flu deaths were in Africa and southeast Asia, though they only account for 38 percent of the world's population. Because vital statistics data are either non-existent or incomplete in poorer countries, researchers had to rely on estimates and assumptions but did start with hard data, including the number of health workers who went door-to-door to ask about flu-like symptoms in rural areas and obtained nasal and throat swab samples. They used these numbers to get an estimate on the proportion of a country's population infected with H1N1. Results show the flu killed two to three times more people in Africa than elsewhere. It infected children most, adults moderately and the elderly hardly at all. (Read more)

Tips to Reduce Risk of Salmonella

In case you haven't been keeping up with the news, you might want to be wary of your eggs. There may be bacteria lurking in your eggs Benedict due to a recent suspected salmonella contamination at Hillandale Farms and Wright County Eggs in Galt, Iowa.

Food and Drug Administration alerted the company of salmonella contamination at one of its farms. The FDA encountered salmonella enteritidis during a routine inspection, at which point the company voluntarily sounded the alarms.

Salmonella bacteria can cause infections that may result in fever, nausea/vomiting, chills, muscle cramps and pain, and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually pass within a few days, but can last much longer in children and people with weakened immune systems. Salmonella is more likely to be found in undercooked eggs or those stored above 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

As of now, there may be as many as 1,500 cases of food poisoning related to contaminated eggs. Wright County Eggs cautions consumers to be on the lookout for the following:

Eggs sold under the brands Lucerne, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Albertson, Sunshine, Hillandale, Farm Fresh, Trafficanda, Lund, Shoreland, Kemps and Dutch Farms.

Six-, eight-, or 18-egg cartons with labels starting with the letter P; containing code numbers 1026, 1413 or 1946, and Julian dates between 136 and 225. A label would appear as "P-(Code Number)-(Julian Date)"

The recall only affects shell eggs, and Wright County Eggs assures consumers that its other egg products are safe. The company continues to work with the FDA to investigate possible sources of contamination. They have further taken steps to destroy any potentially affected eggs.

In the meantime, you can keep up with the latest egg updates from the Egg Safety Center or the Food and Drug Administration.

Vitamin D Health Benefits

BY: Boris Washington

Vitamin D offers numerous health benefits, which make it the key factor for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. For that reason, we have to take care of the levels of vitamin D in our blood. We already know that vitamin D is essential for the regulation of the calcium in our body, it takes care of the bone density and prevents numerous diseases related to our bones thus preventing bone deformities.

We have to highlight its effects on our immunity. Vitamin D is there to minimize the risk of respiratory infections and regulate the blood pressure. Some recent studies have shown that vitamin D can play a key role in the prevention of up to 17 types of cancers, breast cancer being one of them.

Vitamin D can also increase the serotonin levels, which makes it a great way to deal with depression and other mental health issues. It also prevents diabetes type I because vitamin D can regulate the levels of insulin in our blood. And finally, this valuable vitamin has been recently tested, and the results show that it can help in the treatment and prevention of several heart diseases. As you can see there are more than enough reasons to take care of your vitamin D levels.

One of the best ways to get the recommended daily dose of vitamin D is from the sun, by spending some time exposed to direct sunlight. Sunlight exposure makes our skin and body start synthesizing vitamin D. However, there are many reasons why people don’t get enough vitamin D from the sun. The use of sun blocker creams is one of the reasons. Luckily, you can still get your daily dose of this vitamin from food and vitamin D supplements.

Some of the foods loaded with vitamin D are:

• fatty fish
• cod-liver oil
• eggs
• fortified cereal
• fortified milk

If you decide to take vitamin D supplements always talk to your doctor and strictly follow the doctor's advice. Of course, it is important to do everything it takes to avoid vitamin D deficiency but taking high doses of vitamin D for a longer period of time can be dangerous too. Vitamin D is part of the fat-soluble vitamins group which means that it gets stored in our body so vitamin D toxicity symptoms are quite possible, especially if you take more vitamin D than required.

So, it is recommended to check your vitamin D levels at least twice a year and react in time, no matter whether you are vitamin D deficient or about to experience vitamin D overdose symptoms.

Measles is still around; rate in 2011 was highest in 15 years

Measles virus (Photo by Scott Camazine/CDC/Getty Images)

In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared measles had been eliminated in the United States. But last year, the nation had the most cases of the infectious disease since 1997.

A report released last week shows there were 222 cases of measles and 17 measles outbreaks in 2011. In a typical year, there are usually just 50 to 60 cases. This year, there have already been 25 cases.

"Of the 222 reported cases, 50 percent were associated with the 17 outbreaks and 90 percent were associated with importations from foreign countries — 26 percent from U.S. residents traveling abroad and 10 percent from foreign visitors," reports Alexandra Sifferlin for Time magazine.

Each case is treated with intense investigation because of the highly contagious nature of the virus. "You can catch measles just by being in a room where someone with measles has been, even if they left," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diesease. "It's serious; one out of three people who got it last year had to be hospitalized." No one died, however.

Of the 196 U.S. residents who contracted the virus last year, 166 had not been or did not know if they had been vaccinated. More than 80 percent of them were eligible for vaccine.

"Many people think diseases like measles are gone and that they do not need to vaccinate themselves or their children," Sifferlin reports. "But the CDC warns measles is still prevalent worldwide. Globally, about 20 million people get measles each year." (Read more)

Kentucky second highest in antibiotic consumption in U.S.

The next time you ask your doctor for an antibiotic, or if he or she offers to give you one, think again. It might do your health no good, but could be bad for public health.

"Every time an antibiotic is used ... future effectiveness of that drug is diminished," but Kentuckians take antibiotics at the second highest rate in the country, with 1,205 prescriptions per 1,000 people, says a study by the Centers for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy. Only West Virginia had a higher rate, 1,214 per 1,000. 

Studies show 1 million antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily every year. "Though antibiotics offer no benefits for colds and other viral infections, many people, including doctors, continue to view these drugs as a quick fix," said a press release by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which helped fund the study.

The problem with the overuse of antibiotics is that bacterial infections become resistant to them. To illustrate the issue, CDDEP says, "High-level penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumonia in the United States has experienced a thousand-fold increase in the last 20 years," rising from 0.02 percent in 1987 to more than 20 percent in 2004. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus — known more commonly as staph — increased from about 2 percent in 1974 to 50 percent in many U.S. hospitals in 2004.

"The problem of resistance is an evolutionary game played between humans and microbes: we try to stay ahead by creating new antibiotics, and microbes develop resistance to our drugs," CDDEP reports. "Unfortunately for us, microbes evolve resistance to antibiotics faster than we can create new drugs, meaning that, in recent years, bacteria have been winning this 'arms race.'"

Though there is no cure to resistance, managing the levels at which people become resistant is possible through judicious prescribing, vaccination, hospital infection control, treatment strategies and new antibiotics. (Read more)