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If you are significantly overweight, and diet and exercise are not doing the trick, you may be considering weight-loss surgery. You will need to discuss this option with your doctor to determine if this procedure is right for you. As with any type of surgery, there are always risks you must carefully consider. Due to these risks, there are certain requirements established by the National Institutes of Health that may be required before you and your doctor can consider bariatric surgery.

1. Morbid Obesity

   • The main qualification to have bariatric surgery is that you have a body mass index of 40 or above. This also means that you are at least 100 lbs. overweight.

   Failure or Noncompliance with Other Programs

   • Patients who are evaluated by a medical professional and judged to have a low chance of success with nonsurgical measures are usually considered. You may have a history of failure in established weight control programs or be reluctant to enter such a program.

   You are at High Risk for Obesity-Related Diseases

   • If you have a high risk of life-threatening cardiopulmonary problems, Pickwickian syndrome, obesity-related cardiomyopathy, severe sleep apnea or severe diabetes mellitus, you may be a good candidate. If your obesity is severe enough that it is greatly inhibiting your lifestyle, employment, family function and ability to ambulate, surgery may be the answer.

   Motivation to Change

   • Good candidates for this surgery should be well-informed and able to accept the risks listed below that are involved with this procedure. The patient needs to be motivated to take part in her own care, make the necessary lifestyle changes and be able and willing to participate in treatment and long-term follow-up.

   You Must Understand the Risks

   • While most patients do well with this surgery, you need to understand that you are at risk for infections, dehiscence, leaks from staple breakdown, stomal stenosis, marginal ulcers and various pulmonary problems. Gastrointestinal leaks, deep venous thrombosis and death occur in some patients.

Resources

• The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Weight Control
• American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
• Mayo Clinic: Gastric bypass surgery: What Can You expect?

Everyone likes to accentuate their eyes. It makes you look awake and attractive, and many women find curling their eyelashes before using mascara-or even without mascara use-can make your eyes come alive.

1. Conventional Curling

   • Most of us have seen the classic eyelash curler sold in department and drug stores. It looks like something used to pinch off small pieces of dough. But if used correctly, it can be your best weapon in your beauty arsenal. The classic has a small piece of plastic between the two sides of the crimper. First, make sure that plastic is there and in the slot securely. Place the curler against your eye and place the lash between the two sides. Check to make sure you have no eyelid skin in the way, then squeeze the handles together. The lashes are gently caught between the sides and squeezed to make them curl up toward your eyebrow. You can continue squeezing down your lashes and away from your face to get a more intense curl. If you wear mascara, put it on your curled lashes as soon as possible.

   Curling With Heat

   • You can intensify the standard curling technique with heat by using your hairdryer. Turn the heat to low and let it blow directly on the curler to heat it. Test it against your hand to make sure it's not too hot, then curl as before. You also can use hot water to heat the curler. Or you can choose a heated lash curler, available in most beauty supply stores. This device heats itself with the use of a standard AAA battery. The wand you apply to your lashes looks exactly like a mascara wand, and it gently heats up when turned on. Then you wisp the wand over your lashes, bending them slightly upward to curl.

   Unconventional Curling

   • No time or money to buy a curler? Go to your cutlery drawer and get a spoon. Make sure it is clean, then place one edge of the spoon's rounded bowl against the underneath edge of your lashes, then turn the spoon over toward your eye. The spoon pushes the lashes up and creates a gentle curl. You can heat the spoon for more effect. Or, for a very slight uplift, apply mascara, let it dry, then take your clean finger and gently push the lashes up from the underside with the edge of your finger. The mascara will act as a fixative, and the gentle pressure curls your lashes lightly.

Resources

• A Perfect Eyelash Curler
• MAC Falsies
• Sephora Heated Lash Curler

The terms "potency" and "efficacy" are often used interchangeably in discussing medications. However, they are two distinct terms that speak to different aspects of a medicine. A potent drug is not always the most efficacious. In contrast, many drugs with high efficacy have a low potency.

1. • "ibuprofin" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Muffet (liz west) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.

   Definitions

   • Potency is the relationship between the the dose of a drug and the therapeutic effect. It refers to the drug's strength. A drug is considered potent when a small amount of the drug achieves the intended effect. Efficacy is the ability of a drug to produce the desired therapeutic effect. Efficacy means that the drug is effective. When comparing two drugs that work equally, the one with the lower dose has a higher potency. They have equal efficacy.

   Significance

   • A medication must have demonstrated efficacy to gain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All drugs that the FDA approves have established levels of efficacy. Potency is significant with regards to side effects. Smaller, less potent, doses of medications tend to cause fewer undesirable effects while achieving the intended therapeutic effect.

   Considerations

   • When choosing a drug therapy, doctors must consider both the efficacy and potency of a drug. Though a drug may be more effective in its treatment, it may cause more side effects, have greater toxicity or cost more. The choice of a more potent or less effective drug depends on the disease status, the patient's drug tolerance and the doctor's practice experience.

   Misconceptions

   • It is commonly thought that more potent drugs are more effective. Because it takes less of a drug to achieve an effect does not mean that the drug is more effective. For example, both 500 mg of acetaminophen and 200 mg of ibuprofen resolve a headache. Although ibuprofen is more potent because it requires a lower amount of drug, both drugs eliminate the headache. They are equally effective.

   Examples

   • Highly potent drug classes include chemotherapeutic (cancer) drugs, antihypertensive (blood pressure) drugs and anitlipid (cholesterol) drugs.

     High efficacy drug classes are analgesic (pain) medications, antibiotics, antihistimines and decongestants.

1. • Peppermint is a good supplement to take for many reasons. Peppermint can help with dental problems, especially halitosis or bad breath. It can help relieve headaches and nausea, even during pregnancy. Peppermint contains menthol, which aids in clearing out the nose and chest. This is the active ingredient in many chest rubs used when you have a cold. It can help calm an upset stomach and aids in digestion. As with any herb however, there are negative aspects that can occur when taking in excess or when a pre-existing condition is present.

   Skin Problems

   • Peppermint can cause negative effects on the skin. It can cause a burning sensation and burn the eyes. Peppermint can cause hives, rashes and a purpling on the skin. In some cases, it also can cause ulcers and sores, especially in the mouth and face but also on hands, arms, and throat. For those with already hypersensitive skin, it can cause skin to be even more irritated. Some may experience more hypersensitivity on skin.

   Peppermint and Preexisting Conditions

   • If you have a pre-existing condition, peppermint can be a deadly in excess. All the normal side effects will be multiplied. Check with a doctor if you have liver disease, gall bladder problems or acid reflux. Peppermint can be transmitted to the baby while pregnant and through breast milk, giving your child side effects, so avoid it during those times. Gallstones can become worse when peppermint is taken. Those with diabetes should also take caution as well. Consult a medical professional before adding supplements to your diet.

   Internal Side Effects

   • Peppermint can relax the sphincter muscle and cause anal burning. It also can cause acid reflux, burning in the stomach, stomach upset, muscle tremors or headaches. It can also cause a slow heart rate. In excess, it can lead to brain damage, seizure and muscle weakness. It also can cause headaches, dizziness, heartburn and nausea.

   Menthol

   • Menthol, a main component in peppermint, has side effects as well. In children, strong menthol can cause choking. Menthol near eyes can cause burning and stinging. Swelling of the lips and tongue, chest tightness and swelling in throat can also occur. Trouble breathing is another common side effect if taken in excess. Menthol should be taken in moderation. In low doses, the negative effects are not as prevalent.

A non-invasive, non-surgical treatment, microdermabrasion can offer clients softer, smoother, cleaner skin with minimal discomfort, if done properly. Proper microdermabrasion training is essential to reaching the full potential of the treatment in a safe and responsible manner. There are no federal guidelines for licensing this service, each state is allowed to determine its own laws.

1. Definition

   • Microdermabrasion is a procedure that removes the top layer of skin using ultra-fine crystals of aluminum oxide, alleviating imperfections from sun damage, acne or other skin disorders. Aluminum oxide is a mineral that does not promote allergic reactions like itching, psoriasis or eczema and is helpful for fighting acne.

   Traditional and Online

   • Traditional training courses are often offered as part of general cosmetic therapy or cosmetology classes. Courses may involve skin typing, fundamentals of skin care, equipment care and operation, anatomy and physiology and typically take one to three years to complete.

     Online training courses are available. These courses are conducted via video training and are not as in-depth as other methods and offer a certificate of completion.

   National Training Standards

   • As of 2010, national microdermabrasion training standards have not been established. Each state is responsible for deciding the amount of licensure of the field, as well as who may perform these services. Some states allow only licensed physicians to perform this procedure while others allow cosmetologists to do it. Since each state differs, check with your state's department of labor for local regulations.

   Length

   • The length of the program will depend on the type of training chosen. Online microdermabrasion courses are completed in a few hours or one day, while in-person training classes will range from one week to several weeks. Again, this will depend on the program and what is incorporated with the course. For instance, as part of a cosmetology training course, microdermabrasion training could last a week.

   Cost

   • The cost will vary, dependent upon the training program choice. Online courses start at approximately $300 while in-person, one-day seminars range from $500 to $1,200. If microdermabrasion training is part of a cosmetology course, the cost is not broken down into subject areas.