Category: Skin

Symptoms And Treatment Of Botulism And Safety Issues Surrounding Botox

Botulism has quietly (all too quietly) made news several times in the past month. The FDA issued alerts about recalls of canned beans, black-eyed peas, and asparagus from the New Era Canning Company. Soon after that, another botulism-related alert was issued. This time the FDA warned about possible adverse reactions to Botox and Botox cosmetic and Myobloc. Injections of the Botulinum toxin for cosmetic purposes and/or for therapeutic purposes have, again, been implicated in botulism-related deaths and illness. Though rare, Botulism is a very serious illness and one I believe is, perhaps, not well understood by the general public. Here I will explain some things everyone should know about Botulism. I will also discuss safety issues surrounding Botox injections.

Botulism is the name of an illness caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum spores are neurotoxins and cause paralysis of the affected areas. When the toxins spread to the the respiratory system, the result is respiratory failure. The illness, as you’ve probably guessed, is fatal if left untreated.

Symptoms of Botulism

According to the CDC, initial symptoms of Botulism include:

Double vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and muscle weakness. In the food-borne version, symptoms usually appear within a day or two of consuming the contaminated food.

The forms and causes of botulism

There are three kinds of Botulism:

Wound Botulism occurs when the bacteria enter a wound site and produce toxins.

Food-Borne Botulism occurs when contaminated food is consumed. Contamination is most common in improperly canned vegetables.

Infant Botulism

You might be surprised to learn that among these three, Infant Botulism is the most common. Infant Botulism occurs when C- Botulinum spores proliferate in the digestive tract. This kind of botulism is typically caused by a baby ingesting dust or honey that has been contaminated with the bacteria. The infant’s digestive system is not able to remove the bacteria quickly enough and the bacteria soon produce the toxins. The disease is rare and most infants survive with treatment. Signs include constipation, muscle weakness, a weak cry and breathing problems. To read more about Infant Botulism, please visit the link I’ve included with this article in the resources section.

Treatment for Botulism

Treatment does exist but afflicted persons need to receive it as soon as possible. Botulism victims are given an anti-toxin (except in cases of infant botulism) and, if necessary, are put on a respirator to assist breathing. Medical care may be needed for several weeks to several years, in some cases.

About Botox, Botox Cosmetic, and Myobloc

Botox® is a name for injectable botulinum toxin type A and is approved for treatment of some kinds of muscle spasms. Removal of the nasal tip with botox will be effective without any surgery. Different kinds of muscles will be treated through the botox in the nose of the person.

Botox® Cosmetic also uses botulinum toxin type A. These injections are used for anti-wrinkle cosmetic purposes.

Myobloc™ uses botulinum toxin Type B and is approved for therapeutic use of a nerve disorder in the neck called cervical dystonia as well as cosmetic anti-wrinkle purposes.

The most serious adverse reactions related to Botox were found in cases where botulism toxins were inappropriately used for young cerebral palsy victims. The FDA does not recommend Botox injections for children under twelve.

Other cases off adverse reactions have been indicated in those receiving Botox injections for cosmetic purposes. What happened in all cases is the neurotoxins spread past the injection site to other areas of the body.

Although Botulism is rare, I am concerned that the general public remains largely uninformed about recalls and safety issues regarding our food supply. This illness is such a serious one that I feel it warrants much more attention. Also, the recent notification about Botox highlights the importance of developing stricter regulations regarding the use of C-Botulinum in any setting. Some fatal cases a few years ago were linked to cosmetic surgeons/assistants who used botulinum injections that contained very high concentrations of the neurotoxin. That clinic staff even had unregulated access to such large concentrated amounts of this neurotoxin should be alarming (the link to that story is available below).

The therapeutic uses for Botox are undisputed. However, due to the toxin’s serious nature and very real potential for overdose and misuse (accidental or intentional) stricter regulatory measures need to be addressed and put into place.

Is a Razor Cut Right For You? – Essential Things To Know!!

Using a razor to cut the hair is a technique which has been used for decades. The popularity of the razor cut comes and goes, depending on style trends. Razor-cutting gained popularity in the 1970s in response to the ultra-blunt and geometrical styles popularized by Vidal Sassoon in the 1960s. Razor-cutting once again became trendy in the 1990s and remains so to this day, although current trends are once again leaning toward the blunt and geometrical Sassoon-style cuts.

Does this mean that razor cuts are no longer stylish or trendy? Not exactly. In today’s fashion-saturated world, there is room enough for all kinds of haircutting techniques, from blunt scissor cuts to highly-textured razor cuts. The reason for this is because not everyone has the natural hair texture and thickness for a severe blunt cut. Razor cuts will always be a popular choice for those with medium-fine to medium hair types.

While many women have contemplated getting a razor cut, there are some general rules which influence the type of haircutting technique used by a stylist. Here are some of the “rules of thumb” I use in the salon in order to decide whether or not a razor cut is right for my client.

  1. Razor cuts are not ideal for those with curly hair. Curly hair tends to look unhealthy and damaged when cut buy a razor, since the razor cuts each hair at an angle instead of straight across. If you were to look through a microscope at hair cut by a razor, you will notice that the ends of the hair are angled, since the hair is cut on a bias.  The benefits of the nassrasierer test will be more as compared to the dry razor. The reviews and ratings should be checked before purchasing of the product. The ends of hair cut by scissors, on the other hand, would look blunt.
  2. Razor cuts are not ideal for those with super-fine hair. While razor-cutting can be used to add volume to certain hair types, it will only make super-fine hair appear stringy at the ends.
  3. The ideal candidate for a razor cut would be someone with medium hair density, or hair that is not too fine or not too thick. The ideal candidate would also have a very slight amount of natural wave to the hair, so that the hair can be easily straightened or curled with an iron or styled with a blowdryer.
  4. Is the client okay with a certain degree of un-evenness? A razor cut is supposed to be highly-textured and, to a certain degree, imprecise. I would be quite wealthy if I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen a stylist give a terrific razor cut to a client, only to have a client say “My hair looks uneven”. Guess what? It’s a razor cut. Every hair on the hair is not supposed to look even after a razor cut. If you want every hair on your head cut to exactly the same length, get a scissor cut.
  5. Is the client okay with regular maintenance? Razor cuts will need to be trimmed more often than scissor cuts. Since razor-cut hair is angled and tapered at the ends, the ends will be weaker and therefore more susceptible to damage. After six weeks, most razor cuts will look ratty and scraggly at the ends. Generally, razor cuts should last between 4-6 weeks, while scissor cuts should last between 6 and 8 weeks. In other words, if you’re the type of client who only likes to go to the salon two or three times a year, a razor cut is not for you.

These are the five basic things I take into account when performing a consultation with a client interested in a razor cut. If you are able to ask yourself these same questions, then you will be able to decide whether or not a razor cut is right for you.

A Guide To Pompholyx And My Treatment

Pompholyx, AKA dyshidrotic eczema, is a common type of eczema that appears on the hands and feet (Pedi-pompholyx). I learned about this condition when I first got it on the soles of my feet back in 2004. It started out as tiny blisters with a clear watery filling that appeared deep in the skin. After a while, my feet had a burning sensation like my feet were on fire. Then the skin started cracking and peeling. Unfortunately being a woman my chances of getting Pompholyx is a little higher than men.

Everyone of every race can be affected by it and people between the ages of 20 and 40 are most likely to get Pompholyx. I tried many ways of curing it. While I still have it, I have made it possible to live with it. You will want to read this to save yourself some trouble and serious pain.

No one knows what causes pompholyx, although it may be triggered by a few factors. Some of these are hot weather, excessive sweating, stress, grief, allergies to metal and detergents for washing clothes or dishes. In my case, I seem to have a lot of trouble with soy and soy-based products, heat, detergents, dyes, and perfumes. Switching to dye-free, perfume-free detergents made a difference with my Pompholyx.

 

 

The Symptoms of Pompholyx

When I was working in a nursing home, I noticed that tiny blisters started to appear on my feet. Soon after, these blisters would break open and the skin would peel off. After that, my feet would have areas of hardened skin… like someone had turned my skin into armor. I have read everywhere that after two weeks it will clear up. Excuse me for a moment while cleaning the coffee off the screen that I just shot out my nose from laughter. While it may go away for a little bit at times, it will come back very quickly and with unrelenting revenge.

How Can It Be Diagnosed?

Because of its distinct symptoms, Pompholyx can be diagnosed by a doctor or dermatologist.

What Treatments Are Available for Pompholyx?

So far, my doctor gave me a steroid cream to rub on the soles of my feet. It was so horrible. Not only did it not help, it actually made it worse. My skin became so thin that it was cracking and bleeding. Then I tried tea tree oil which made the steroid cream look like a godsend. It got so bad that I couldn’t walk. I tried other treatments but the best thing I found was something I came across by accident.

 

 

St Ives Apricot facial scrub is an exfoliating scrub that helps get all the dead skin off your face. One day while showering, I got some on the sole of my left foot. I thought that my foot couldn’t get any worst and so I scrubbed it gently with the St Ives facial scrub. When I got out and dried off, my foot looked so much better that I gently scrubbed my other foot with it too. I had bought St Ive’s Vitamin E body lotion a week before and drenched my feet in it then put light airy socks on and propped my feet up on a cushion and read a magazine. Usually, lotions didn’t help because they are so greasy they hold the heat to my foot and make it worst. But this lotion isn’t greasy and while it is pricey, it was well worth it. About an hour later, you couldn’t tell I had Pompholyx at all! Moreover, the services provider also helped me with Professional medical billing services which really lowered my total medical bills making it easier for me to manage.

Within a couple hours, my feet were drying out again. I found that if I kept a schedule of putting lotion my feet every two to three hours, my pompholyx is manageable and isn’t a major issue.

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