women health issues

Botox has made a huge splash in the health and beauty market because of its ability to erase and minimize wrinkles. The stunning success of the BOTOX solution has had beauty enthusiasts lining up to receive their wrinkle treatments. Are botox treatments safe? After all BoTOX is a protein toxin produced by clostridium botulinum bacteria. This is the first cousin to the deadly botulism bacteria.

Botox has been safely used by opthamoligists for over a decade without any serious side effects being reported. This drug has actually been around since the early 1960’s. Originally it was used as a treatment for crossed eyes. The manner in which botox works is that it is injected into the muscle where the wrinkles appear. When the botox is injected into the muscle the frown lines
crow’s feet and laugh lines temporarily disappear. I stress the use of the word “temporary” because a botox treatment normally lasts about 3 to 6 months. Botox treatments were approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment of muscles that produce frown lines.

Botox injections have quickly become the fastest growing cosmetic procedure and are anticipated to be used on over 4.5 million patients in 2006. They are more popular than breast augmentation. Current botox patients report that after several treatments that the effects of this wrinkle cure last much longer. It is important to note that Botox is ineffective for fine wrinkles because fine wrinkles do not appear because of facial expression caused by facial muscles.
On the flipside
the one negative of botox treatments is a slight and temporary drooping of the eyelid. At the present time this appears to be the most important side effect of botox treatment.

While botox has been safely used by millions of patients
it is recommended that pregnant women
or women who are breastfeeding their babies as well as patients suffering from neurologic disease should never use botox.

Botox treatments do not work for everyone. However
over 90% of patients who have been surveyed are extremely happy with this procedure. This temporary cure for wrinkles has created quite a bit of excitement in the health and beauty field. This procedure is administered by qualified plastic surgeons. The average cost for a simple botox treatment is about $200 - $400 for each area that it is applied to.

Cornrows and braids are one of those timeless styles that have crossed all gender and ethnic gaps. In fact
nothing is more beautiful than heedful of intricate braids and rows and no two styles are exactly alike. That is why more and more people are choosing to express themselves and their individual style through braiding and rowing.

But as with all styles
cornrows come with their own special challenges and problems. One of the most obvious problems associated with any tight braiding technique is breakage. While black hair has fewer tendencies to break than Caucasian hair
it can still take a great deal of abuse if the braids are not done and cared for properly. In addition to breakage
you can also experience dull
frizzy and dry hair as a result of wearing cornrows or braids.

To avoid all of these drawbacks and to keep your braids looking shiny and neat
follow the following care tips:

ท Choose your artist wisely – As with any artistic field
braiders come in many levels of expertise. Be sure to choose one that has been in the business for a good while. Also
ask to see sample photos of the stylist’s work. This will give you a good idea about their level of expertise.

ท Grow hair to proper length - In order to get a good braid
your stylist has to have enough hair to work with. A good rule of thumb to follow on length is 10cm for straight hair and a minimum of 5 cm for curly hair.

ท Cleanse without disrupting – Granted
shampooing your hair with all of those rows and braids is not an easy task. To clean down to the scalp without disrupting your style you can use a shower massager or dental water pick.

ท Wrap to prevent frizz and breakage – When you’re sleeping
your hair comes into constant contact with your pillow and your movements cause friction and tension to be applied to your braids. This can result in fly away hair
frizz and breakage. To avoid this simply wrap your head with a do rag or cloth before sleeping.

ท Keep salon appointments – If your braid artist tells you to get a trim every 6 weeks
do so. And if he or she tells you to get your braids redone within a certain time frame
be sure that you do. This will help keep your braids looking neat and fresh.

The never ending battle against the Media and it`s bogus idea of the "PERFECT WOMAN". *sigh*

Lately I have been studying the media
reading articles
watching news
and looking for anything that I can find to make me feel that there is still hope for our world. If you have read any of my past blogs
then you will already know where my concerns lie.

For those of you that are just reading me for the first time
my concerns are strong regarding women of today and their search for the true identity of themselves.

Women today have fierce competition. I have spoken to many men also and they have strongly let me know that they would not trade their gender for any amount of money. They actually feel sorry for the women of today. A few of them even shared with me that they hate the fact that everywhere they look
the media's idea of
The Perfect Women
is stuck in their faces. Sure its nice to see
any human being will appreciate a nice looking picture. What happens at that very minute though is that they (the men) are put in a situation of feeling that they are betraying their partner by not knowing exactly how to react. I know
I know
some of you are thinking that it is the women's fault that the men think that way. I will agree in some cases
but these men that I have spoken to were being quite genuine in the fact that they themselves did not appreciate it.

I will be the first one to say yes to prostitution. Why? Because it keeps some of the damn rapists of the streets from attacking the unwilling women. I say yes to pornography; it keeps the men that are afraid to approach real women relieved of a very needed natural release. I also say yes to alcohol and to chocolate with ice cream
but my dear readers
before you frown on me for what I just said
hear me say this. "I do not condone the force and uncontrolled manor with which the media shoves all this down our throats. I thought this was a free country. When did we lose the right to choose whether we want to have the media's idea of
The Perfect Woman
shoved down our throats every time we turn on the television
walk into a bar
just drive down the road (billboards)
open a magazine
listen to a song
or even simply look in our teenagers room."

I was reading an article that was advertising the new television line ups for this falls season. I was horrified when I read about the graphic violence being used against women. Episodes showing a woman thrashing in a cage
with duct tape across her eyes
while a man's hands are shown grabbing her bloodied fingers through the bars of the cage and ripping off her fingernails. Another is chained up like a dog in a basement by her so called loving husband. It gets worse; there is also one with a woman paralyzed by venomous spider bites and is being raped by a masked figure. These are what society is allowing for after dinner viewing. I am embarrassed to even say that this is my world seeing this. They made more noise when Janet Jackson slipped a peak of her nipple at a damn football game. In a word...SAD!! The media has definitely figured out how to make money at every woman's expense.

On a much happier note
in my searching the worlds media I did find a very refreshing commercial put out by DOVE. It can be viewed at their website:

www.campaignforrealbeauty.com . "Cheers Dove" is all I can say. Dove is pushing hard and continuing an uphill climb to bring back what was put on this earth as
The Real Women.

I also ran into an article trying to cut this refreshing change down. The magazine people that pride themselves on using air-brushed models with unrealistic looks
called the Dove girls in this commercial
civilians
. Ha! Now that is a very obvious show of defeat. They're even trying to say that women of today will not want to buy from ads that do not promise you unrealistic beauty. Ladies
the media is in fact calling you stupid as far as I read. I take that as an out right insult.

It's about time that someone stood up and gave the media's negative actions a run for their money. Money made at real women's expense
as I said already once. They also mention something as silly as women worry if they looked fat in their pants
as being an old age insecurity. DUH! No one ever said it was new
jeesh. I am also curious just how far women today are willing to let the media's idea of "The Perfect Woman" go. We are already the butt-end of the cosmetic surgery joke. I feel that the only reason any woman would be turned off by Dove's real women
is because they have been so brain washed into thinking that the media's idea of "The Perfect Women" is what is real. I feel sorry for them. Ladies of today
we must stand up and fight back. Do not let them turn
what is suppose to be real
into barbie dolls.

So many women are confused about what is
and what is not. Why do you think so many women suffer from low self-esteem
with cosmetic surgery at every street corner and so many unrealistic expectations coming to us from the media on how a women is suppose to look? Blah
blah. It's no wonder women are so confused.

Well I know that there is strength in numbers and I do know that there are more women today that are sick of all of the media's ideas. Ladies with low-self esteem
stand up
go to the store
and support DOVE. So what? They make money and yes
maybe there is a bit of truth that they too are using us as a way to profit. But at least we have a place to start to turn things around. We will never be able to turn them back
but we can make them work for us
not against us. Oh if anyone thinks that Dove has asked me
or payed me to speak of them in my blog
NO and NO. I am speaking on behalf of every women out there has been damaged by all the garbage that the media is trying to run our world with. Womens Selfesteem.com is happy to say that Dove is doing a very good thing
on the "real women" of today's behalf.



"Don't back down just to keep the peace


Standing up for your beliefs builds self-confidence and self-esteem."

-Oprah Winfrey

Dorothy Lafrinere
Owner/Operator
Website- http://www.womensselfesteem.com
Weblog- http://www.justblogme.com/Dorothy
Forum- http://womenselfesteem.proboards29.com
email- dorothy@womensselfesteem.com

Tanning bed lamps are used in every tan bed or suntan lamp. When purchasing new or used tanning beds
look at the lamps. Make sure they are good for tanning and meet FDA guidelines for safety. Another consideration is access. Be sure the lamps are easy to change when needed. Being able to easily perform the maintenance yourself is important when you buy a home bed.

There are differences in lamps used in conventional and high pressure beds. Make sure you are buying the right tanning bed lamps for your bed. They aren’t interchangeable. If purchasing replacement lighting bulbs on the internet
check the make and model of your bed carefully. Make sure the lamps you are buying are made for your bed.
 
High Pressure Tanning Bed Bulbs
 
High pressure beds use quartz lamps in a variety of sizes. The gases inside these bulbs ( http://www.tanning-beds-tips.com/tanning-bed-bulbs.html ) or lamps have pressure that is slightly higher than atmospheric pressure. In these beds
the lamps are located in the top of the bed
so you tan from above only. When you have tanned on one side of your body for about 10-12 minutes
you turn over and tan the skin on the other side. The surface of these beds is much more comfortable than a conventional bed.

The biggest benefit of these lamps is the time you need to spend in the bed. Since you tan faster
you need to spend less time in the salon. You can achieve your tan in about 3 weeks of 3-5 sessions each week. With a conventional bed
it would take at least a month to achieve the same level of color. Maintaining your tan is easier too. You only need 2-3 sessions each month to maintain the color
compared with that many sessions each week in a conventional bed. These bulbs use UVA rays only
not UVB rays which are responsible for burning.
 
Conventional Tanning Bed Lamps
 
Conventional beds use long
tube like lamps that resemble fluorescent tubes. The lamps ( http://www.tanning-beds-tips.com/tanning-bed-lamps.html ) are located on the top and bottom of the bed. All areas are tanned at the same time
without the need to change positions during the session.

Conventional beds use UVA and UVB rays in varying levels. Some use both and others use mostly UVA with a bit of UVB rays. UVA rays are responsible for the aging effects on the skin and UVB rays are the burning rays that cause sunburn when you are outside in the sun. It’s important to determine which type of rays your bed emits. You want to be sure to replace your existing bulbs with comparable newer lamps.

Another consideration in the type of bed you have at home or in the salon is the tanning bed lotion you will use. Different lotions are better for each type of bed. The owner of your tanning salon can help you choose a lotion that will work for the bed you are using as well as your skin type. Regardless of the bed you are using
you should always use a lotion. Lotions help you tan faster and nourish your skin.

If you watch the tabloids
you know that even the stars have bad hair days. It just seems that when the professional stylists are out of the picture
it is inherently human to have a less than glamorous mane. But you can do your part to stay ahead of the battle by following these great tips for hair care.

1. Use a professional conditioner that is formulated for your specific hair type. While you can skimp a little on the shampoo
a good
professional conditioner is a must have. Look for products in salons that are customized for your hair type. For instance: If you have color or a perm
choose a conditioner that is for chemically processed hair. And stay away from those all-in-one shampoo and conditioner combos.

2. Choose a cut tailored to your face and body shape. The number one mistake that people make when choosing a new hairstyle is to pick a style based on popularity rather than how it will enhance their features. Always choose a new cut based on how it will enhance or detract from your facial features and build. If you have broad shoulders
choose a full-bodied cut over a close cropped head hugging doo.

3. Don’t forget your UV protectants. Just as your skin gets damaged by wind and sun
so does your hair. To combat this
look for finishing products such as mousses
gels and sprays that block UV rays.

4. Keep your appointments. Did you know that your hair will split faster than it will grow? You need to get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks
even if it’s just a micro trim. A good hairdresser makes them good because they know what to leave on the head
not take off.

5. Leave chemicals to the professionals. There is a reason why beauticians need to go to school to learn how to handle chemicals and hair processes. You can do irreparable damage with these products even if the package says that it’s way easy. And even if you don’t make your hair fall out
you could end up looking like a clown and paying a stylist big bucks to fix your mess. (Note: Most stylists charge double the rate for corrective color than they do for normal color processes)

6. Get color for interest and body. Every cut needs a little bit of color to make it truly breathtaking. No matter whether your taste is subtle or dramatic
you can add interest and volume to your tresses with a color process. Highlights
lowlights
all over color
gray coverage
you name it
it’s all good for your look.

7. Do weekly conditioning treatments. Even if your hair is extremely healthy
it is constantly on the attack from wind
sun
cold and heat. During the summer months
your hair is battered even more when it absorbs chlorine and other chemicals from your pool.

8. Get an ionic ceramic flat iron. Instead of frying your hair with a conventional metal plated flat iron. Straighten your tresses
add shine and infuse moisture with one of the a negative ionic flat irons. We personally use T3 irons for all our work.

9. Choose your styling products wisely. Avoid products that leave build-up on your hair. If you see white gunk
that means that your product is not water-soluble and may be coating your hair shaft. Build-up causes limpness
breakage and inability to curl not to mention the white flakes.

10. Did you know that if you use a towel after your shower to dry your hair you are causing split ends and adding static electricity to your hair. Don’t rub the towel back and forth over your hair
scrunch the towel around your hair like your would scrunch crackers in your soup.

While all of these tips won’t make you look like you’ve hired a personal hairdresser
they will help you look the very best that you can each and every day. When it comes to hair care
remember that you wear your hair everyday. Now isn’t it worth the time
effort and money that it takes to keep it looking spectacular?