I have been reading some terrible stories about MediSpa’s (read Medical Spa’s)and the disasters that some are dealing with after visiting one of these treatment centers or clinics. You see, MediSpa’s are spa like clinics where medical treatments, such as laser treatments, botox, and more, are performed. Often by untrained professionals.
A rise in problems ranging from burns to scars to infection, or even worse, are definitely on the rise with these spas opening just about everywhere these days. Scary, isn’t it?
One way to know if a MediSpa is probably a safe place in which to have a procedure performed …read more

Today is the Great American Smokeout. What does that mean? Stop Smoking.
Really, you know smoking is bad for your health. I know it is addictive, as I used to smoke. Luckily, quitting was easy for me. I don’t know why, but after smoking for over three years, I was trying to get pregnant and knew I had to quit. And I did.
The American Cancer Society is the official host of this annual event, and they are a great resource for educating yourself in how to stop smoking. Your doctor is a great resource too. I urge you to make an …read more

I love pedicures. Nothing is like a good, old fashioned pedicure.
Forget those run of the mill, on every corner nail salons where you might leave with something not so pretty (can you say fungus?) for the low price of $20. Yuck. I rather indulge myself just once a month with a pretty (and safe) pedicure from a reputable spa. And I only pay $45, including a tip.
I have been drooling over the latest Summer nail colors, and cannot decide which of these I should bring in for my next pedicure appointment.
First there is Essie’s Jumpin’ Junkanoo, a beautiful brown based …read more

I recently heard from Dr. Michael Salzhauer, a Miami board-certified plastic surgeon who wants to warn consumers about the dangers of foreign plastic surgery.
With the recent plastic surgery sudden increase in the United States, prospective patients looking to enhance their appearance are going to great lengths to get the surgery,and many look for bargain prices.
Today, cosmetic surgery is a booming business in places like Mexico, Latin America, and Europe where their low prices are the main draw. Dr. Salzhauer is aware of the dangers of foreign cosmetic surgery versus the safer and regulated surgical environment commonly found in the …read more

You stay out of the Sun as much as possible, don’t you? You also wear sunscreen every day, right? And only self-tanner is what turns your skin a beautiful golden bronze – true?
Nowadays, when I am at the beach, I plop myself down under an umbrella, but what about the years in the past?
I remember sunning myself for hours on end as a teenager. I used Crisco, Baby Oil, and tanning oils with no sunscreen in them. You know all the tings that promised the deepest darkest tan. So un-safe.
Please practice safety in the sun. Every 67 minutes someone dies …read more

Every year, on our birthdays, we are always reminded that is time to make the yearly Doctor appointments. There is the physical from the primary care Doctor, the annual Pap Smear from the Gynecologist, the Mammogram, and if applicable, the colonoscopy, bone density scans, etc.
This year, we are doing something different in my family. Today is my mother’s birthday. Her wish is for us all to make our Doctor’s appointments a little early this year. As we have been dealt with a devastating blow just two months ago when my brother was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma Multiforme (a very aggressive, …read more

I know that I’m certainly not. I have gotten into the habit of waking up wide awake at 3:30. What I usually do is get up and work on my blogs for an hour and then force myself to go back to bed at 4:30 or so. I am usually able to fall back to sleep, but when I do wake up, I feel horrid.
But it seems that I’m not alone. I found some statistics put out by the National Sleep Foundation and it reported that at least 63% of Americans are suffering from lack of sleep! They …read more