What is Cellulite - and How Did I Get It?

via Velashape.com

Take the test: Which is the leading cause of Cellulite?

a) Heredity
b) Hormones
c) Smoking
d) Lack of exercise
e) Poor diet
f) None of the above
g) All of the above

Answer: g) All of the above.

Cellulite is a very common condition, especially among women. Women are basically genetically and hormonally predisposed to cellulite. Smoking makes it worse. Lack of exercise and poor diet (fatty food and little drinking) may enhance the phenomenon.

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What is Cellulite?

Rigid fibers form the fat chambers. When fat cells are enlarged, the rigid fibers push toward the soft tissue of the dermis, causing the rough surface appearance described as "orange peel," "mattress," or "cottage cheese."

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The ideal VelaShape patient is someone with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of less than 30 who falls under Cellulite Classification Levels 1 and 2. Ask your doctor to see if you're a candidate for VelaShape treatments.

The Nurnberger-Muller cellulite classification scale

Stage 1 - no dimpling while the patient is standing or lying down, but the pinch test reveals the "orange peel" appearance.

Stage 2 - "orange peel" dimpling appears spontaneously when standing up, but not when lying down.

Stage 3 - "orange peel" dimpling appears spontaneously both when standing up and lying down.

Cellulite Treatment

via Velashape.com

What is Cellulite?

Cellulite is the unsightly lumpy, dimpled skin appearance, also known as the 'cottage cheese' or 'orange peel' appearance. Cellulite consists of fat deposits that appear mainly on the hips, thighs and buttocks.

Cellulite is probably one of the most aesthetically troubling concerns of women - it is estimated 80% of women over the age of 20, regardless of their weight or size are affected by cellulite.

What causes Cellulite?

The skin's connective tissue surrounds fat cells, which are arranged in chambers. The margins of these chambers contain septae. Over time, the fat cells increase in size and number. This phenomenon together with accumulation of localized edema, push the skin's surface between the septae in an upward direction. This is what creates the lumpy and dimpled skin appearance, also known as the 'cottage cheese' appearance, associated with cellulite.

VelaShape™ Cellulite Treatment

VelaShape™ features the unique elōs™ technology combination of Bi-polar Radiofrequency (RF), Infrared Light Energy, plus Vacuum and Mechanical Massage to deploy targeted heat to adipose tissue. The combination of these energies increases the metabolism of stored energy, increases lymphatic drainage and reduces or shrinks the size of the actual fat cells and fat chambers. The net result is gradual smoothening of skin's surface with a noticeable reduction in cellulite.

Visit us online: TEXAS VELASHAPE

Frequently Asked Microdermabrasion Questions

by skinabrasion.net

Q: How Is Micro Derma Abrasion Different From Glycolic Acid?

A: Glycolic acid is used as a light chemical peel. It removes the uppermost layer of skin. Light chemical peels and Microdermabrasion are both non-invasive procedures that can also be performed at-home with special consumer kits. Neither has any major risks or side-effects and both have limited effectiveness. They can help diminish or even remove superficial scarring and wrinkles, age spots, stretch marks and uneven skin texture. For deeper skin imperfections, you may need a more invasive procedure.

Q: How Safe Is Having Microdermabrasion If I Have Psoriasis?

A: Psoriasis patients should not have Microdermabrasion. This procedures is somewhat invasive to the skin (any skin rejuvenation treatment is to some extent) and can worsen their condition. This applies to home Microdermabrasion as well, despite its mild effect.

Q: Microdermabrasion, Is It Recommended On Blackheads?

A: By exfoliating the top layer of the skin, Microdermabrasion machines clean deep into the pore and removes excess oil and dirt that clog pores - which causes blackheads. Most blackheads are removed while more stubborn blackheads are reduced.

Q: What Are The Results Of Microdermabrasion?

A: According to thousands of online testimonials, spa Microdermabrasion works on fine skin imperfections. But like with most non-surgical techniques, the effects depend on your medical condition, your body's ability to recover and on who does the procedure. Most people who have tried micro abrasion say the procedure was effective in diminishing acne scars, age spots, fine lines, enlarged pores, red marks, stretch marks and dull skin more severe skin imperfections cannot be improved with this non-invasive technique, because it only sandblasts the top layer of the skin, not being able to reach deeper layers of skin.

Q: What Qualifications Do You Need For Microdermabrasion?

A: Microdermabrasion machines can only be operated by people with specific theoretical and practical training. Since this procedure is still relatively new, regulations regarding Microdermabrasion certification vary from state to state. Generally speaking, for a person to perform professional in-office Microdermabrasion, one needs to conclude a supervised 14 to 30 hour training and pass a practical exam with the institution offering the course. This institution can be a large spa, a vocational school, a dermatology clinic, a beauty academy or a device manufacturer.

Q: Does Microdermabrasion Make Surgical Scars Even Themselves Out?

A: Microdermabrasion evens out skin texture and helps remove superficial surgical scars. More severe surgical scarring needs more advanced non-surgical techniques, like a deep chemical peel or laser face rejuvenation.

Q: Is Microdermabrasion Recommended After Accutane (Isotretinoin)?

A: Microdermabrasion is not recommended for patients taking Accutane. This acne treatment works by reducing the amount of oil produced by the skin's sebaceous glands which reduces the skin's ability to recover after body or facial exfoliation. Having microdermabrasions while on Accutane may cause permanent scarring. This applies to self systems and office treatment.

Q: Does Microdermabrasion Help If I Have Asian Skin?

A: Professional Microdermabrasion tool is appropriate for all skin colors (including Asian skin ) because this procedure sandblasts only the outermost skin layer which is made of dead skin cells. There's no damage to live tissue which could cause scarring or severe irritation. The exfoliation process involved in specialist Microdermabrasion helps the skin renew itself quicker and more effectively.

Q: How Can Microdermabrasion Make Tattoos Less Noticeable?

A: Microdermabrasion works by sandblasting the outermost skin layer but cannot abrade deeper skin layers where tattooed skin cells are which is why it cannot remove tattoos. Tattoo removal needs laser or surgical procedures which are invasive enough to reach pigmented skin cells.

For more information, contact us: TEXAS MICRODERMABRASION

Top Five Microderm Questions

by skinabrasion.net

Q: What Is Microdermabrasion?

A: Microderm abrasion is a skin resurfacing treatment that works by gently abrading the top layer of the skin with the help of micro aluminium oxide crystals or diamond tipped wand, leaving a new, fresh layer underneath. It is a non-invasive, non-surgical cosmetic procedure which can be performed at home, in beauty salons, spas and medical or dermatological offices.

Q: Is Microdermabrasion Safe?

A: Microabrasion has virtually no risks and no side effects because it is one of the least invasive skin resurfacing procedures. Contraindications, however, do exist. Patients on Accutane for 6 months previously, pregnant and nursing women, people suffering from active herpes lesions, malignant tumors, keratosis, active rosacea or weeping acne should not have microbrasion.

Q: How Much Does Microdermabrasion Cost?

A: At-home micro derm abrasion kits cost between $15 and $200 depending on brand and ingredients. Prices at beauty salons or spas range between $75 and $200 for one treatment. In clinics, a single full face abrasion costs between $100 and 300$ not including the initial consultation (which may cost an additional $150). The cost of an entire micro dermal abrasion treatment (9 sessions and 4 maintenance sessions, on average) can reach around $1,950 a year.

Q: How Effective Is Microdermabrasion?

A: Micro derma brasion is effective on diminishing and even getting rid of fine lines, enlarged pores, blackheads, age spots, hyperpigmentation (uneven skin tone), scars, stretch marks, wrinkles and dull skin. Women who've tried it (myself included) say a full micro dermabration treatment makes the skin smoother and better. Actual results, however, depend on prior medical conditions, your skin's ability to recover and on who performed the procedure. It is not effective on severe skin imperfections because microderm abrasion cannot reach deeper layers of skin.

Q: Is Microdermabrasion Good For Acne?

A: According to some dermatological studies, microdermabration is effective on mild acne. On the other hand, acne-prone skin gets easily irritated and may be too sensitive to micro-crystals. Microdermabrasion can, however, get rid of superficial acne scars and red marks.

For more information visit: TEXAS MICRODERMABRASION

Building Better Health by Adapting Your Body

By Dr. Ben Lerner

Your body will adapt or un-adapt to whatever stresses you do or don't impose on it. Consider these opposing forces.

Law of Adaption

If you run long distances, your muscles, joints, lungs and heart will adapt in a way that allows you to go the distance. This is a good thing, and the reason a marathon runner actually looks like one. And, if you're a sprinter, your body adapts for short distances. That's why sprinters look like and or train like body builders.

So if you want to improve stamina and cardio functioning, you run for a long time and your body adapts in a way to support that. If you want to increase strength and power, you do short sprints and you adapt for that.

If you want big, strong round muscles, you lift really heavy weights over a short period of time -- like a power lifter. If you want a more athletic build -- like a gymnast -- you lift weights or perform activities that create more sustained pressure.

Law of Un-Adaption

So what about the opposite action?

Whatever you're training for, you also "un-train" for. So a marathon runner doesn't make a great sprinter. Their lungs, heart, muscles and tendons are adapted for a completely different type of event. And, sprinters can't typically run a marathon. It would be like trying to ride a bull across country.

Your heart, lungs, circulatory system immune system, muscles and joints adapt to exercise by increasing their efficiency. So your muscles firm up, your joints lube up, the bones get stronger and thicker, your immune system gets cranking, your heartbeat strengthens, and your lungs and circulatory system dramatically improve their ability to take in, store and circulate oxygen.

On the other hand, if you do not exercise, your body un-adapts. Muscles get flabby, bones get soft and brittle, joints get dry, the heartbeat weakens and speeds up and you become oxygen deprived.

Exercise and Reversed Aging

People as old as 100 can dramatically increase their strength, improve their balance, restore bone density, moderate diabetes and diminish joint pain in just a few weeks of weight training. The minute you start sweating and your heart begins pounding, your arteries get more flexible and your blood pressure drops. This lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke too.

For hours after exercise, your body is more sensitive to insulin, keeping your sugar levels in check and reducing your risk of diabetes too.

Being in shape causes your heart and blood vessels to work only a fraction as hard as they do if you are out of shape. A conditioned person will have a heart rate of approximately 60 beats/minute. Someone who is out of shape will have a heart rate of approximately 80 beats/minute. This means if you are out of shape, your heart will have to beat approximately 30,000 more times per day than if you were in shape.

Dying Lighter

The purpose of weight loss is not only to weigh less, but to be healthier. Weight-reduction plans that use unhealthy foods, diet products, weird devices, drugs, supplements or even herbal "speed" to help you lose weight may make you lighter, but not healthier. When people ask me what I think about these plans I always say the same thing: "Sure, you might lose weight. You will die 10 years earlier, but at least you will be lighter."

The reality is, about the only positive thing about losing weight the wrong way is that you will make it easier on your pallbearers.

The fact is, better health does not necessarily come by simply losing weight. To improve the function of the Body By God operating system, there must be less weight and fat. It is not only how much you weigh that causes you to develop disease: It is how much body fat you have compared to how much muscle you have.

The point of exercise is to increase the amount of real muscle and decrease the amount of loosely packed muscle, or what we call "fat." Having too little lean muscle mass compared to body fat contributes to all sorts of conditions and diseases. High body-fat/muscle ratios negatively affect organ function, hormone balances, immune control, brain activity, blood chemistry and generally make you more sensitive to potentially hazardous food elements like sugar and cholesterol.

Diet alone cannot increase muscle mass and decrease fat mass. Only diet combined with exercise will increase your muscle/body-fat ratios. Through the law of adaption, the way the body adapts to exercise is by increasing your muscle-to-fat ratio. This will not only cause you to weigh less, it will cause you to have better health. Again, this will still make it easier on your pallbearers, but they will also have to wait a while before being called into action!

While many people rely on cardio activities alone and some on weights alone, to really get healthy you need both. You need to get your heart and lungs adapting in a healthy way through a regular cardio program and your lean muscle mass up by working out with weights or some kind of resistance.

Massage: It's real medicine

By Kristyn Kusek Lewis
Health.com

Having your honey rub your back is sweet, but it's tough to compete with the hands of a pro. A good massage therapist can make you feel like a new person. And now research suggests massage can ease insomnia, boost immunity, prevent PMS, and more. Maybe that's why hospitals are making it a standard therapy.

"All of our surgery patients are offered the treatment -- I call it 'service with a smile' -- and it's a mandatory weekly prescription I give myself," says Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., director of the Cardiovascular Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital--Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and a member of the board at LLuminari, a health-education company.

Our advice: Enjoy your hands-on time with your sweetie, but set aside some time for a real massage, too. Here are some feel-good reasons:

Goodbye, pain

It sounds like a no-brainer, but rubdowns are especially effective for aches like low-back pain. Researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Washington, found that massage works better than common treatments including chiropractic therapy and acupuncture. It's not clear why, but several studies show massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol while boosting the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine. Those changes slow your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and block your nervous system's pain receptors. Massage also increases blood flow to the muscles, which may help them heal.

A bonus: Massage also seems to ease distress from migraine, labor pain, and even cancer, as well as the body tenderness seen with fibromyalgia, says Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Plus, the benefits may last as long as a year after just a few treatments, says Partap Khalsa, Ph.D., a chiropractor and a program officer at the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Com­plementary and Alternative Medicine, the agency funding many major studies on massage.

Hello, dreams

Fluctuations in several types of brain waves either relax you or wake you up. Massage increases delta waves -- those linked with deep sleep -- according to a study at the Touch Research Institute. That's why it's easy to drift off on the massage table, Field says.

Nice to have you back, brain power

The Touch Research Institute study that connected massage to sleep also found that a 15-minute chair massage boosted alertness. "Subjects reported that it felt like a runner's high," Field says. Tests also show that brain-wave activity stimulated by massage is linked to improved attention.

Take that, colds

Massage helps ward off bugs by boosting your "natural killer cells," the immune system's first line of defense against invading illness. "We know that cortisol destroys natural killer cells," Field says. "Therefore, since massage decreases cortisol, your immune cells get a boost." Massage even seems to boost immunity in those people with severely compromised immune systems, such as breast-cancer patients.

Blues, be gone

Less cortisol and more serotonin and dopamine in your system may also mean less stress, anxiety, and depression. "We know that the right side of the frontal lobe of the brain is more active when we're sad, and the left side's activated when we're happy," Field says. "Our studies have observed that massage decreases activity in the right lobe and increases functioning in the left." The well-being people feel after a massage is a big reason why some hospitals offer it to anxious patients pre­paring for surgery and cancer patients going through chemo.

Shove off, PMS

A small study of 24 women with severe PMS found that massage reduced symp­toms such as pain, water retention, and mood swings. Try it with proven remedies such as exercise (and who-cares-if-they-work solutions like a little dark chocolate).

Sounds During Sleep Can Boost Your Memory

by: Dr. Mercola

A new study about a different kind of audio approach during sleep gives insight into how the sleeping brain works, and may eventually come in handy to people studying a language, cramming for a test or memorizing lines in a play.

Scientists at Northwestern University reported that playing specific sounds while people slept helped them remember more of what they had learned before they fell sleep, to the point where memories of individual facts were enhanced.

Researchers taught people to move 50 pictures to their correct locations on a computer screen. Each picture was accompanied by a related sound, like a meow for a cat and whirring for a helicopter.

Then, 12 subjects took a nap, during which 25 of the sounds were played along with white noise. When they awoke, none realized that the sounds had been played or could guess which ones had been used. Yet almost all remembered more precisely the computer locations of the pictures associated with the 25 sounds that had been played while they slept, doing less well placing the other 25 pictures.

The study adds a dimension to a theory that sleep allows the brain to process and consolidate memories.

Are you sick of lumpy thighs?

Cellulite Treatment - Celebrities Love Velashape to Reduce Fat

by Marissa Gold

Looking for a cellulite treatment? Want a quick fix to reduce fat? If you've got a few weeks, a few dollars, and reasonable expectations, Velashape might work for you.

Velashape is a medical device that applies suction and heat to skin, which breaks down fat cells. The results aren't dramatic, but you will eventually notice a smoother, less lumpy appearance to skin.

Another added beauty bonus? It can help with stretch marks, as the heat has a positive effect on skin's collagen.

"Collagen is shaped like a slinky, and the heat makes it uncoil, and then coil back up tighter," says NYC dermatologist Lori Brightman, MD.

"I wish I could tell you some of the celebrities I've done!" she smirks.

A-listers may be tight-lipped about Velashape, but reality stars like Kim Kardashian and Kim Zolciak of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" both received the treatment on their shows.

OC Housewife Gretchen Rossi and New York City Housewife Ramona Singer are also fans.

So what does it feel like? Much of the 20-40 minute treatment simply feels like a warm suction along the area being treated.

However, since the best results are achieved when fat cells are significantly heated (heat tricks fat cells into using up stored energy, which makes them shrink in size, explains Brightman), there are moments where the sensation switches from a tolerable suction to an unpleasant burning.

All in the name of beauty, right?

Will Chiropractic treatment help you?

Back pain: Will chiropractic treatment help?

Back pain — How well does chiropractic care stack up against more conventional treatments?

By Mayo Clinic staff

For many people, low back pain follows a fairly predictable course. Nagging back pain lasts a few weeks — maybe letting up temporarily when you take a pain reliever — and then it goes away.

So where does chiropractic care fit into the picture? That's up to you to decide.

What the research says

Clinical trials indicate that chiropractic care is as safe and effective as conventional treatments — which may include pain medication, rest or exercise. But that may not be saying much. Low back pain typically improves within a matter of weeks, even for people who seek no treatment at all.

Low back pain is often caused by injuries or strains, and there's no magic cure. It simply takes time for your back to heal. But treatment of some type — either chiropractic or conventional — might make you more comfortable as you wait for this healing to occur.

What does a chiropractor do?

Chiropractic treatment is based on the concept that restricted movement in the spine may lead to pain and reduced function. Spinal adjustment (manipulation) is one form of therapy chiropractors use to treat restricted spinal mobility. The goal is to restore spinal movement and, as a result, improve function and decrease back pain.

During an adjustment, chiropractors use their hands to apply a controlled, sudden force to a joint — pushing it beyond its normal range of motion. The joint's movement may be accompanied by a popping or cracking sound.

Chiropractors may also use massage and stretching to relax muscles that are shortened or in spasm. Many use additional treatments as well, such as ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation and exercises.

Is it safe for everyone?

Chiropractic care is generally considered safe, but it's not appropriate for everyone.

• Don't seek chiropractic adjustment if you have osteoporosis or signs or symptoms of nerve damage, such as numbness, tingling or loss of strength in an arm or leg.
• If you have a history of spinal surgery, check with your surgeon before consulting a chiropractor.
• Manipulation of the neck has been associated with having a stroke in rare cases.
• If you have back pain accompanied by fever, chills, sweats or unintentional weight loss, see a medical doctor to rule out the possibility of an infection or tumor.

If you're considering chiropractic care

If you'd like to try chiropractic care to treat your low back pain, a little preparation can help you get the most from your treatment.

• Consult your doctor. Talk to your doctor about the type of specialist best able to treat your back pain. In addition to chiropractors, many osteopathic physicians and some physical therapists have training in spinal manipulation.
• Make it a team approach. As with any medical specialist, select a chiropractor who's willing to work with the other members of your health care team.
• Arrange a consultation. Before you make a treatment appointment, arrange a consultation with the practitioner — either in person or by phone — to find out how he or she might address your back pain. Make sure you're comfortable with the recommendations, including how many sessions you'll need. For acute low back pain, four to six sessions are typically enough.
• Understand the risks. When limited to the low back, chiropractic adjustment has few risks. However, manipulation of the neck has been associated with injury to the blood vessels supplying the brain. Rarely, neck manipulation may cause a stroke.

Think prevention

A little care and attention can help you keep back pain at bay. Maintain a healthy weight. Exercise regularly. Sit up straight. When you lift something heavy, let your legs do the work. Avoid activities that involve repetitive bending or twisting. If you sit or stand for long periods of time, take frequent breaks to walk around.

Long time headache sufferer?

If you are a long time sufferer of headaches, and nothing has seemed to work, it may be time to make an appointment to see your local chiropractor. In the following article from Chiroweb, you will see that it is believed that many headaches are actually caused by damaged structure in the neck. Chiropractic medicine may just be the answer to all of your headache woes.

Chiropractic's Role in Treating Headaches

Cervicogenic Headache Model Gives Credence to Chiropractic

Until recently, the medical understanding of headaches has not taken into account the chiropractic model. The concept that headache pain can emanate from cervical dysfunction is still completely foreign to most of the medical profession.

Noted researcher Nikolai Bogduk, MD, PhD, professor of anatomy at Newcastle, Australia, commented:

"The people in control of the headache field seemingly have not, cannot, or will not, recognize this paradox ... that the model for cervicogenic headache is not only the best evolved of all headaches but is testable in vivo, in patients with headache complaints. No other form of headache has that facility."

Several years ago, a Canadian anesthesiologist, Peter Rothbart, MD, FRCPC, came to the same conclusions about cervicogenic headache. Dr. Rothbart made many observations in his own pain management practice which subsequently led to an article in the Toronto Star, the most widely read newspaper in Canada. The Toronto Star article, "A Pain in the Neck," was subtitled: "Chiropractors were right.

Many headaches are caused by damaged structures in the neck -- and scientific evidence proves it." The article explained that years ago, French medical professor Robert Maigne "came to believe that many headaches originated with a structural problem in the neck." He was "thought to be a lunatic," said Dr. Rothbart. But others took up Dr. Maigne's work, including Dr. Nik Bogduk.

In 1995, a team of MDs at Syracuse University established neck problems as the cause of many headaches "with scientific, anatomical proof." Dr. Rothbart termed the Syracuse results "a minor miracle." In the Toronto Star article, Dr. Rothbart made several insightful comments:

"Some brilliant people have put their hearts, souls and minds to this (headache) problem and haven't come up with anything. All we've been able to do is treat people with an array of medicines, one after the other, and hope the side effects won't be too bad."

"We couldn't believe it at first. We've been able to put together a scientific explanation for how neck structure causes headaches -- not all headaches, but a significant number of them."

"It's true that chiropractors have been saying this for years. Unfortunately, many (medical) doctors tend to have a jaundiced view of chiropractors, but they were right about headaches."

Dr. Rothbart's clinical experience and findings have led him to become a founder and president of the North American Cervicogenic Headache Society (NACHS). The NACHS is dedicated to establishing the place of cervicogenic headache in the minds and practices of those health care provider who treat headaches. At the first North American Cervicogenic Headache Conference, held last year, Dr. Rothbart remarked:

"So far as the International Headache Society and the American Association for the Study of Headaches have defined this entity (cervicogenic headache) -- it simply doesn't exist. I'm pleased to say that thanks to the works of Drs. Merskey and Bogduk, cervicogenic headache is recognized in the IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain) taxonomy. This situation creates an enormous problem in addressing the diagnosis and treatment of headaches. Since most of the physicians and headachologists are unfamiliar with the IASP taxonomy, they are unaware of this entity, so diagnosis of cervicogenic headache is rarely made. Thus, there are a large number of chronic headache sufferers who go through life with the wrong diagnosis and hence the wrong treatment for their headache. It was the ongoing ignorance about this clinical entity that motivated the founders of this society to establish a formal organization. One of our goals is for this entity to be accepted into the general headache classification, and until this happens, large numbers of patients will continue to suffer unnecessarily."

The development of the concept of cervicogenic headache has opened a new door for chiropractic. As this concept is developed and adopted, it is expected that a large percentage of headache sufferers will fall into this category. Chiropractic has much to offer as the first line care for cervicogenic headache.

Looking for smoother skin?

Have you considered having Microdermabrasion treatments done? If you have thought about it, but are confused about the process, I think this article from www.skinabrasion.net will help clear up some confusion. Once you have decided that this is the process for you, be sure to check us out........ TEXAS MICRODERMABRASION

How Microdermabrasion Works

In a nutshell, microdermabrasion is a skin resurfacing treatment that uses tools or products designed for home use, in order to rejuvenate and restore natural glow to the skin. The micro dermabrasion procedure is simple and painless AND (this is the best part) is equally effective to surgical procedures (laser skin resurfacing, dermal abrasion) and chemical peels (for superficial skin imperfections only).

Microdermabrasion machines are made of a compressor and pump that mix gentle abrasion with suction to peel the outer skin layer (10-15 microns of skin, a layer so thin that you can't see it). The entire procedure, unlike dermabrasion or laser skin surgery, doesn't take more than 30-60 minutes. You can have it on the face, neck, chest, back, feet and hands.

One of the things I love most about micro derm abrasion, is that it doesn't hurt at all (I have a low pain threshold so that was an important factor for me). Most people I talked to about microderm abrasion said that, at most, they felt a tingling sensation during treatment and a windburn-like sensation afterwards. The skin does look slightly red in the first 24 hours, but that's where the discomfort ends.

But the best part of microdermabrasion is that while it's equally effective to other, more invasive skin procedures, it allows you to get back to your daily routine immediately afterwards. One hour after treatment and I was back home, doing errands and picking my kids from school. There is a trade-off, though -- you may need between 5 and 12 microdermabrasions, scheduled 1-2 weeks apart for best results.

Think you can't be helped by a Chiropractor?

I have met many people in my profession, who need a lot of help to regain proper alignment of their spine. Many of these people are afraid, and simply unaware of the possibilities that await them, once they have experienced proper alignment. In the following article from ChiroWeb, we learn of all the reasons a person should visit a skilled Chiropractor.

People seek care for four main reasons:

1. Treatment of a specific symptom.
2. Preventing the symptom from returning.
3. Part of a total approach to optimum physical and mental health.
4. To improve their family's health.

The types of people who seek Chiropractic care can be found below.

1. People involved in auto accidents.
2. People injured on the job.
3. People who slip and fall.
4. People who have sports-related injuries.
5. People who have stress.
6. People who don't exercise as they should.
7. People who are overweight.
8. People who have various aches and pains from normal everyday activities.

The common denominator of the people in the above list is that they have either suffered mishaps that caused injury to their bodies, or they have body types that are more prone to having injuries while performing normal, everyday activities.


These categories can further be broken down into the following:

1. Very young children/infants.
2. Young adolescents.
3. Young adults/teenagers
4. People in their 20's to 30's
5. People in their 40's to 60's
6. People over 70

People in each age category have very specific types of conditions that they are more likely to confront. Chiropractic offers a unique treatment method to combat the various health issues that arise.

For example, the very young children and infants are more likely to have postural difficulties due to the various falls taken while learning to walk, run, ride bicycles, etc. They also tend to have more earaches as well due to the early weakness of the neck and muscles surrounding that area. Many of our patients have found that using chiropractic care for children offers another aspect of care that should be used in addition to the standard medical pediatric care already being received.

Younger adolescents and teenagers should be checked for scoliosis by a chiropractic physician. Chiropractic is the only profession that offers conservative treatment of scoliosis at the time of earliest onset.

To use a botanical analogy: It makes more sense to help a sapling grow straight rather than attempt to change a tree that was allowed to grow crooked over many years.

Chiropractic offers a gentle approach to help your child have the best chance of avoiding more severe treatment methods that may become necessary in later years.

It is very common for adolescent age children to have various symptoms that adults deal with as well. In my experience the difference is that many adults tend to contribute these symptoms to growing pains . And, because the children are younger, with optimal recuperative powers, they tend to respond much quicker than adults with the same symptoms. These same mild spinal conditions can become more serious if left unattended, especially for those children who develop into athletes or very active young adults.

As the age groups get older, the conditions become more obvious ones. Lower back problems, neck pain, and headaches are all very common maladies. They can be caused by poor posture, poor lifting and bending procedures, the stress of our jobs, auto accidents, etc. These conditions must be taken seriously because if not, they create more life-long problems. This is very evident when examining the 40-60 and older categories. After reviewing patient histories taken over many years in practice, it is obvious that the majority of these conditions were caused by not fully correcting spinal problems that occurred many years in the past. Perhaps this may have been due to the fact that prior to the 1990's, Chiropractic did not get the acclaim it has gotten recently in helping these structural conditions.

A Neck Injury Primer

Why is neck injury so prevalent? Largely because a very minor event can cause a devastating neck injury. Yet, there is no mystery in this. Your neck is slender in comparison to your head, which weighs an average of twelve pounds in an adult. A minor compression or twist can damage the cervical vertebrae, with resulting impingement of the spinal column, causing a devastating neck injury. Your spinal column is only the width of your small finger in the lower neck and controls your entire body. Think about it. Your entire life depends on a jelly-soft electrical cable that is about a half-inch wide. It’s not really a “neck injury,” it’s a spinal cord injury. You could strain you neck muscles all day long and they could be terribly sore, but the spine is what we are really talking about.

Spinal damage due to neck injury disables or incapacitates about ten to twelve thousand Americans every year. About a quarter million live with the result of neck injury. The most likely cause is a sudden, traumatic blow to the head, often in an auto accident. This fractures and dislocates vertebrae - the bones the hold up the spinal column. Bone fragments impact and traumatize the spinal cord, causing swelling and cell death. Blood vessels can rupture. At this point the neck injury causes the spinal cord to swell, cutting off oxygen and further hastening cell death. This is one reason that immediate care is needed after a neck injury. Swelling causes more damage than the initial accident.

After any neck injury it is essential to keep the neck as immobilized as possible. TV shows often have someone slapping an unconscious person to revive them, but given the movement of the spine this causes it’s a really bad idea - fit only for bad TV shows.

After calling for assistance and immobilizing the head as much as possible, cooling the neck with surrounding ice to reduce swelling, should help not arrive soon, is a good idea. The first treatment for neck injury, after any essential surgery, is axial traction using a rigid neck brace.

Neck injury can cause a large number of symptoms. The most commonly recognized, of course, is paralysis of some or all of the body. But there are many others, such as breathing problems and pneumonia, irregular heartbeat and blood clots, muscle spasms, bladder, bowel, and reproductive problems, and not least of all - pain.

Pain is probably the worst problem caused by neck injury, after paralysis, since it is often intractable and difficult to treat. Doctors don’t want to prescribe too many narcotics, and patients should not want to become drug-dependent zombies. So it’s a difficult balancing act for both patient and physician.

Whiplash and its Aftermath

>Whiplash is not something to take lightly. Too many people are involved in a rear-end collision and laugh off that “pain in the neck.” This is a real mistake. That “pain in the neck” could evolve into a crippling injury somewhere down the line. And at that time, the first thing the insurance company will ask for is records of the diagnosis and treatment. If you don’t have them, you are the one who will pay for treatment, possibly for the rest of your life.

Even if you have records, things may be difficult, so any time you suspect whiplash you should immediately seek professional diagnosis, from a chiropractor or physician.

What is whiplash?

It’s not just from auto accidents. Whiplash can come from any number of activities, such as sports, falls at work, or being physically assaulted. Most often, it results from a sudden jarring motion of the head. It can be caused by a blow, such as a tackle in football or an assault on the street. It can be caused by inertia. When a car stops suddenly and your head does not, whiplash will definitely ensue.

People often overestimate their strength in an auto accident, thinking they can brace themselves. But in a collision of two cars going at fifty miles per hour, the combined speed of impact is a hundred miles an hour. Trying to brace your head, which weighs an average of twelve pounds in an adult, would be impossible for the strongest man on earth. In fact, an impact of even fifteen miles an hour can cause whiplash. So something has to give.

The cause need not even be violent. One cause is repetitive stress injury - simply holding a phone by scrunching up you neck for long periods every day, can cause whiplash.

Shaking children can also cause whiplash. What is a light shaking to a grown adult is actually a traumatic injury to the soft and weak spinal cord of a child. Many people are in prison simply because they did not understand their own strength in comparison to that of a child.

As noted, seek a professional if you suspect whiplash. Seek help if you are involved in any interaction that you suspect has caused it. Also seek help if you have some or all of the following symptoms: persistent neck pain, swelling of the neck, an inability to turn your neck al the way around, persistent headaches, muscle spasms in the side or back of your neck, or a pain that shoots from your neck into your arm or shoulder.

Headaches and Migraines - You can do Something About Them

Headaches and migraines are, well, a real headache. No one likes to have them, especially at work. Unfortunately, your work may be a major cause.

Headaches and migraines can be triggered by a variety of causes, but some are very common. And the first, of course, can be your boss. “My boss gives me a headache,” may be all too true a statement. And if he gives you a migraine, it’s even worse.

Your job itself can be a problem. Let’s face it, not everyone likes the job they do - stress is often the norm. If your headache or migraine is so intense it interferes with your life, it may be time to consider changing jobs. You may be taking a cut in salary but increasing the quality of your life.

There are now some studies that warm weather can trigger headaches, so if you live in Arizona and suffer from migraines, turn up that air conditioner. It may cost a bit more in electricity, but the anger, sleeplessness, fatigue and depression caused by headaches or migraines and the ensuing pain medications, could cost a lot more.

Strong scents can also cause headaches or migraines, and we’re not just talking ammonia. Some people are very sensitive to smells. (It’s called MCS, or Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.) The headache that a normal person can get from a strong whiff of ammonia can be caused by anything from someone else’s perfume to floor wax. And many people have a mild case of MCS. Actually, since humans evolved without the presence of strong chemicals, sensitivity to them really can’t be called abnormal. We are surrounded by paints, solvents, perfumes, bug sprays, and various petrochemicals all day long. The wonder is that not all of us have migraines and headaches.

Testing for such sensitivity can be arduous and difficult, but just being more aware of smells you find unpleasant can be an indicator. New carpet, with its strong smell of glue and chemicals, can often set off a headache or migraine.

Here are some other causes of migraines and headaches. Tight hairdos that strain the scalp may cause a headache. Exercise or overexertion that increases blood pressure to the head can also cause headaches. Poor posture, especially if it bends or compresses the neck may result in migraines. Smoking, which constricts the blood vessels leading to the brain, may also cause headaches to both the smoker and those around them.

Trauma - Something Best Avoided

Most traumas are caused by automobile accidents. Oddly, this is something people fear the least. Everyone gets in their car totally oblivious to the fact that driving is the major cause of physical trauma. They even bend over to reach for a cell phone while driving at high speed during busy in-and-out traffic. Then they wonder why they are in the emergency room. So the best way to avoid trauma, statistically, is to drive carefully and always keep your eyes on the road. Let the cell phone wait. The next major cause of trauma in the United States is firearms.

Although you can’t avoid assaults, a very large number of firearm injuries are in the home - either self-inflicted, or because someone forgot to put a gun lock on his gun. And of course, a little common sense and caution may allow you to avoid assaults. Park your vehicle in a lighted place, close to a building, if you work at night. Avoid suspicious characters and places of dubious reputation. Nature put the hairs on the back of your neck for a reason - to help us head off trauma before it happens. If a situation feels bad, it probably is, so don’t walk into it, and don’t talk yourself into walking into it.

After firearms, a major cause of physical trauma is poisoning. No, we’re not talking Lucretia Borgia or secret agents. You probably aren’t James Bond. This is mostly common household poisoning. If you have children, lock up anything they might drink. Even if you don’t have children, your guests might bring some, so keeping household chemicals either high or locked is a good idea. Trauma can also be caused by workplace poisoning. Read the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) and heed it well.

Don’t think you’re a tough guy and that open bottle of per chlorate won’t harm you because it looks harmless and doesn‘t smell bad. If it says inhalation can cause lung damage, that’s just what it means. If gloves or masks are required, use them. There are other causes of trauma, from drowning to lightning strikes, but if you can avoid these three major ones, especially auto accidents, you may lead a long life.

What to do if You are Involved in a Car Accident

Of course, if the car accident involves serious injury, you may be able to do nothing. You just allow the paramedics to take over. However, if you and others are reasonably uninjured, the first step - always - is to notify the police. you should not move your vehicle. Moving it can not only be dangerous, but ruin your insurance claim. If you have triangle signs, lights, or flares, it’s a good idea to use them, in order to warn other drivers. If you do not have these, raising the trunk and hood and putting on your vehicle flashers is essential. You should, of course, get out of the road or you might cause other vehicles to be involved in your car accident.

Arguing with the other driver, if there was one, is a bad idea. Both parties are bound to claim they were right. It is best to simply stay calm and engage in a minimum of discussion until the police arrive. Simply try to find witnesses or ask if someone who was present will be a witness of your car accident.

If you have a cell phone, it might be a good time to call your insurance agent and report the car accident. Your respective insurers may dispute who was at fault, delaying your claim. The first person to get advice, or give information to their insurer, will help them resolve the dispute with the opposing company more quickly. Barring injury, some of the worst results of an accident can be insurance problems, so getting witnesses, information, a good police report, will keep your car accident a problem, rather than a major disaster.

Regarding the police report, be calm and respectful when talking to officers. Shouting and blaming the other driver, or being a Nervous Nelly, will not be helpful. Give all the information you can, as truthfully and clearly as possible. You can rehearse this in your mind while waiting for the police - it’s much better than arguing with the other driver. Policemen are human - if you make their job pleasant and simple, it may reflect in the car accident report. There is always a “slop factor” in any official report, and it’s best if it goes in your direction. Let the other person bluster and yell if they want to. Everyone respects someone who keeps their head in an emergency.

If you can walk away from a car accident, count your blessings. If you can walk away, knowing you got the facts down as clearly and as much in your favor as possible, you gave yourself a blessing.