From Britney to Beyonce, starting a family has never been more celebrated. What could be more beautiful than bringing another life into the world? But having a baby doesn’t only change your life; it changes your body as well.

What is a Mommy Makeover?

Over last several years, Mommy Makeovers have become mainstream. This catchall phrase describes a select set of cosmetic procedures, which are specifically designed to restore the appearance of a woman’s body after childbirth.

After having a baby, many women notice changes in their breasts, buttocks and abdomen. Breasts that were once firm can lose their perkiness and sit lower then they did before. And no matter how many planks or crunches you do, your tummy just isn’t as flat as it was before giving birth. In fact, you might even notice that there is a split in your abdominal musculature, which doesn’t respond to diet and exercise.

Typically, a mommy makeover is performed as a single procedure that targets these trouble zones. Depending on the areas of concern, different cosmetic procedures are performed during a mommy makeover, which includes:

• Breast augmentation
• Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
• Buttocks lift
• Liposuction

Mommy Makeover Consultation

During your consultation, your surgeon will take a detailed medical history. He or she will ask which areas you would like to improve, what your expectations are and what type of lifestyle you live.

In addition to a complete physical exam, be prepared to discuss the following:

• Your desired outcome of surgery
• Drug allergies, past surgeries and any medical conditions
• Current medications, vitamins and herbal supplements you are taking

Your surgeon will also examine and measure the areas of proposed surgery including your breasts, abdomen and buttocks. Keep in mind that mommy makeovers aren’t limited to only these three areas. You may find that your arms and thighs aren’t as tone as they were before getting pregnant. Mommy makeovers are individualized, so make sure you address any areas of concern during your initial consultation.

Am I a Suitable Candidate?

Mommy makeovers are highly personalized procedures. You should only do it for yourself and not because you or your significant other has an ideal image. The goal of a mommy makeover is for you to correct laxity that often accompanies childbirth.

The best candidates for the procedure are ones who:

• You live a healthy lifestyle
• You exercise regularly
• You don’t abuse alcohol or smoke
• You are at an ideal weight
• You have a positive outlook and have realistic expectations about the procedures

What is the Recovery Period?

Your recovery time will depend on the number of procedures you have performed during your mommy makeover. If you have breast augmentation, you will wear a support bra and elastic bandage to support your breasts and minimize swelling. If you choose to have a tummy tuck and liposuction, you’ll need to wear a compression bandage to control the swelling in these areas as well.

You will also be given specific instructions on self-care, which may include:

• Proper care of the surgical sites
• Proper application techniques of topical medication and proper dosing of oral pain medication
• Warning signs of an infection
• When to follow up with your surgeon
• When you can return to regular activity

Questions You Should Ask Before the Procedure

After you’ve been deemed a good candidate and decided which procedures are best for you, write a list of questions to ask your surgeon before your surgery, Many times, patients forget to ask basic questions, which can lead to unnecessary stress after their procedure.

Be sure to ask your surgeon specific questions and what to expect while you are recovering, such as:

• How often should I change my dressings?
• What are the signs of infection?
• When is it safe to shower?
• What type of diet should I follow?
• Are there any physical restrictions?
• When can I return to work?

Preparing for Your Mommy Makeover

In preparation for your mommy makeover, your surgeon may recommend some or all of the following:

• Smoking cessation
• Avoid alcohol
• Stop taking aspirin or other types of blood thinners
• Have blood work drawn

Depending on the procedures you choose, your mommy makeover may be performed in an ambulatory setting under general anesthesia or in an outpatient center under local sedation.

It’s important that you understand all the aspects of a mommy makeover. Be sure you ask your surgeon any questions you may have. And even with all your excitement and anticipation about your new look, it’s normal to have some anxiety about the procedure.

Don’t be afraid to discuss your feeling or concerns with your surgeon. Making sure you feel as beautiful and confident on the inside as you are on the outside is what we do best.

If you’re interested in a mommy makeover, contact Doctors Plastic Surgery for a consultation. They have offices in New York and Chicago, and they employ an expert team of doctors, including Dr. Lin, Dr. Everett, Dr. Blaine, Dr. Ghersi, and Dr. Altman.

Technological devices have become increasingly prevalent in modern society and today are nearly ubiquitous. We are on our computers all day at work, watching our big-screen televisions in the evening, and hooked to our smart phones at all times in between. Aside from the massive social and economic impacts this technological revolution has had, these omnipresent devices have been found to cause a number of different health effects as well. Here, we will examine the effects of extensive screen time on your eyes, a phenomenon known as “digital eyestrain.”

Signs that you are suffering from digital eyestrain include eye discomfort, redness, dryness, eye watering, tired eyes, blurred vision and headaches, particularly after looking at a screen for a prolonged time. People with digital eyestrain may experience a few to all of these symptoms in varying degrees of severity, and symptoms tend to increase during the day over the course of digital media use, then gradually subside after screen time is discontinued.

One of the more significant technology-related dangers to your vision is prolonged exposure to non-natural types of light. The screens on your phone, television, and computer produce greater amounts of light at the blue end of the spectrum than you would normally encounter in nature. Rays of blue light are at a higher wavelength than other colors, are packed with more energy, and are able to penetrate deeper into your eye past your natural filters, where they can cause damage to the important cells and structures in the back of your eyes. Glasses with special lenses that filter out blue light can be helpful in preventing blue light-induced damage and reducing related eyestrain. Some screens, particularly computer monitors, also emit low levels of UV light, the non-visible type which can cause sunburn and snow blindness and can cause damage to your corneas, lenses and retinas.¹

Many of the problems that arise from excessive device use are not caused by the screens themselves but from the consequences of focusing your eyes to a point close to your face for too long of a time. Forcing your eyes to focus close-up for extended lengths of time can stress your optical muscles. Eye tiredness and difficulty focusing are common problems after working up-close for a stretch of time, and repeated, prolonged screen time can lead to myopia. When working at a computer, remember the 20-20-20 rule: keep the screen at least 20 inches away from your face, and take a break every 20 minutes to focus on a distant object for at least 20 seconds. Also remember to blink!  We can forget to blink frequently when staring at a screen, which can cause some of the dryness and discomfort we experience. Lubricating eye drops can also be a great help.²

While technology and display screens are significant parts of most people’s daily lives, being aware of their effects on your eyes and knowing some basic remedies can make digital eyestrain less of a concern. Use blue-filtering lenses, don’t focus too closely on the screen, and make sure to give your eyes a rest once in a while, and they can remain healthy and sharp-focused for a good part of your life.

 

Scheffer C.G. Tseng, MD, PhD, is Chief Technology Officer of TissueTech, Inc and a practicing Ophthalmologist. He is a world renowned surgeon in ocular surface reconstruction and is well published with over 300 peer reviewed clinical and scientific papers. For over 30 years, Dr. Tseng has been dedicated to making a difference in the lives of his patients. He is the creator of Cliradex & PROKERA

When you think about dieting, dreams of quick fixes and short-term habit changes spring to mind. If you’re serious about your health, however, diets should never be quick or short-term. Discover five good reasons why diets shouldn’t be temporary and get some healthy tips for finding your perfect long-term diet plan.

Drastic Diets Put Your Body in Starvation Mode

It’s easy to assume that eating fewer calories while maintaining the same level of activity will prompt your body to burn that excess fat. In reality, when you go on a drastic diet and severely limit your calorie intake, your body goes into starvation mode. This can slow your metabolism, causing you to burn less energy, lose muscle, and put any weight loss on pause. In contrast, a healthy eating plan can help you lose weight slowly and steadily, without any starvation.

Restrictive Diets Can Compromise Your Nutritional Intake

Restrictive diets severely limit your calorie intake, which prevents you from getting essential nutrients. Without enough carbs, proteins, fats, and micro-nutrients, your body can’t function properly. Rather than compromising your nutritional intake, adopt a healthy eating plan that gives you the right balance of nutrients to meet your weight loss goals.

Quick-Fix Diets Discourage Lifelong Healthy Practices

Image via Flickr by Destinasjon Trysil

Quick-fix diets claim to offer results overnight or in a few days. In doing so, they discourage you from adopting healthy practices that keep you feeling and looking great for the rest of your life. In comparison, following a healthy diet and exercise plan with the LifeSum app encourages you to make nutritious meals and regular workouts a way of life.

Short-Term Diets Don’t Get to the Root of the Problem

If your bad eating habits have caused you to put on weight, the cause of those extra pounds might go beyond overeating. Going on a short-term diet might help you lose those extra pounds temporarily, but you’ll probably gain them back just as quickly if you don’t do some soul-searching. When you make long-term changes to your diet and exercise plan, you’ll be able to get to the root of the problem, determine why you’re overeating, and make healthy changes that stick.

Fad Diets Can Cause Unhealthy Eating Habits

Temporary diets won’t give you an adequate chance to examine your unhealthy eating habits, but fad diets can actually encourage dangerous patterns of consumption. If the diet you’re considering requires you to eliminate entire food groups or limit eating to once a day, it probably won’t help boost your health in the long term. Make a point of avoiding fad diets, and put your health first by finding a low-carb, high-protein, or even Mediterranean eating plan that works for you.

Temporary diets falsely promise immediate results, but in most cases, they only wreak havoc on your body, compromise your eating habits, and cause your energy levels to plummet. Instead, commit to a long-term diet and exercise plan, and look forward to building a strong body and a healthy mind.

 

Spider veins, also known as telangiectasia or hemangiomas, are red and purple blood vessels near the surface of the skin. They usually appear on the legs and face, measuring up to one millimeter in diameter. Statistics show that at least half of all women are affected by this condition. Spider veins are typically not palpable. Unlike varicose veins, they tend to develop in clusters. Both men and women can develop spider veins.

What Causes Spider Veins?

This health condition is linked to a number of factors, including heredity, hormonal imbalances, obesity, and occupations that involve a lot of standing. Spider veins usually occur during pregnancy, menopause, and puberty. Other causes include the use of birth control pills, exposure to ultraviolet rays, and injury to the skin. It is estimated that 30 to 60 percent of adults have spider veins.

Pregnancy is one of the main factors contributing to the development of spider veins. Having family members with vein problems increases your risk. Spider veins that appear on the cheeks or nose are usually caused by sun exposure. Other risk factors include a sedentary lifestyle and postmenopausal hormonal replacement. This condition may occur at any age, but it is more common in adults between the ages of 18 and 35.

The Symptoms of Spider Veins

More than 60 percent of the patients with spider veins experience pain, swelling, itching, burning, bleeding, and phlebitis. When left untreated, this condition may cause chronic leg ulceration, hemorrhage, and deep venous thrombosis. In women, symptoms may be worse during pregnancy. Some patients develop ulcers and painful blood clots with inflammation of the vein. Other symptoms include:

• Aching pain
• Darkening of the skin
• Rashes
• Heaviness in legs
• Cramping
• Fatigue
• Skin ulceration
• Stasis dermatitis
• Tingling
• Cellulites
• Bleeding

These symptoms are the result of decreased blood flow in the affected areas. Swelling may also occur due to inflammation of the weakened veins. In rare cases, spider veins may lead to severe health problems such as pulmonary embolism, postphlebitic syndrome, and persistent low-grade inflammation. If the skin on the ankle becomes thick and changes color, contact your physician immediately.

Treatment Options

Spider veins can be treated on an outpatient basis. If you suffer from this condition, it is recommended to wear compression stockings and avoid long periods of standing or sitting. Compression stockings improve blood circulation and prevent spider veins from getting worse.

Other treatment options include sclerotherapy, vein stripping, laser surgery, endoscopic vein surgery, ambulatory phlebectomy, and catheter-assisted procedures. Sclerotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for spider veins. This procedure uses a saline solution that is injected into the veins. Your doctor may also recommend laser surgery, which makes the veins fade and disappear.

Surgical procedures to treat spider veins include stripping and litigation. Doctors often use intense pulsed light treatments to destroy abnormal veins. Most therapies have high success rates and provide fast results. Ongoing treatment can help keep spider veins under control. Contrary to popular belief, telangiectasia is not a cosmetic condition because the disease is often associated with venous insufficiency and other severe complications.

About this article: Vein Clinics of Ireland is a professional and courteous service dedicated to the treatment of varicose veins and spider veins. For further information on vein treatments visit this cosmetic clinic.