The jewelry market worldwide has always welcomed new materials in jewelry making and exquisite designs. Among the various materials that jewelry is made of the most common are gold, silver and platinum.

However, in the modern world that demands quality and affordability, materials like pewter, silver variants, plastic and brass are also being used extensively. These materials are not only affordable, but also enable the common man to indulge in the jewelry pieces that are designed with a lot of care and well within the market demand.

With the rise in popularity of hip hop and rap bling, the associated jewelry and the extensive body piercing trend has generated a fresh demand for jewelry pieces that the youth and enthusiast can afford and sport. There are earrings, belly button rings, finger rings, bangles, bracelets, chains, eye brow rings, nose rings, etc that are marketed world wide. The market for such enthusiasts caters to the demand for new designs in very versatile materials. Pewter jewelry is gaining in popularity and is a favorite with the youth of today.

Pewter is basically an alloy of tin and a little lead. The mixture could also be that of tin with copper, tin with antimony or tin with bismuth, depending on the look desired and the variant preferred. Pewter is distinguished easily from silver jewelry due to its slightly dull appearance. No matter what you use or how you clean pewter jewelry pieces, the luster of silver is never obtained. However, the dull appearance without a doubt gives it a unique look all by itself.

Pewter jewelry is easier to maintain than silver sterling or oxidized. But the cleaning procedure remains the same for both. There are dedicated dips and polishes that can restore some of the sheen and help to maintain the pewter jewelry pieces. Always remember to sue a clean and dry cloth when wiping the jewelry after cleaning the pieces.

Pewter jewelry should be stored in separate pouches so that the metal alloy does not react with the other pieces. This naturally dull metal has a look that is entirely its own and cannot be mistaken for any other metal. It is extremely versatile and the jewelry pieces look great at work, at home or at informal social gatherings.

There are a number of dedicated online and offline pewter jewelry stores that offer great selection in the jewelry. Pewter jewelry is fast gaining in popularity because of its affordability and you could pick up the pieces at various online auction sites too. The jewelry is easy to identify and the investment is worthwhile because pewter jewelry lasts for a long time.

There are exquisite sets of matching earrings, necklaces, finger rings and bracelets being marketed worldwide and these can be accessed at any dedicated store. Pewter jewelry is great to gift, especially to adolescents and enthusiasts. The jewelry made form pewter can be worn as you prefer, for example, the earrings could fill in for eyebrow rings or belly button rings and so on. The designs can be simple or elaborate and intricate according to your personal preference.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about jewelry and diamonds. When looking for jewelry, we recommend you shop only at the best online jewelry stores for pewter jewelry, loose diamonds, diamond rings, pewter fashion jewelry, fashion earrings, fashion pendants, engagement rings, wedding rings, and wedding bands.

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Corals are skeletal remains of a marine animal, the polyp corallicum. It is composed of calcium carbonate and noble red, Corallicum rubrum is the most valuable coral. Corals are calcified sea creature skeletons which grow in formations that resemble the branches of a tree.

Most of the corals used in jewelry come from the Mediterranean Sea or Pacific Ocean near Taiwan and Japan. The formation of precious gem corals takes places deep undersea. The most distinctive feature of the precious corals is that it takes a perfect polish. Corals appear like a tree in a natural state and this allows a lot of polyps to be fed by water nutrients that surround the colony of corals.

You can find corals in white and red colors. These grow in branches which look like underwater trees. All over the world, people like wearing making and wearing coral jewelry. Gold jewelry and corals in coral stone form are one of the most ancient gem materials. Coral jewelry used for adornment purposes since prehistoric times, is made all over the world. Jewelry along with coral inlays has been there since the Iron Age. A lot of religious significance is associated with corals.

Corals, located at the depth of three and three hundred meters, can be found along the shores of Japan, Hawaii, Western Mediterranean, Bay of Biscay, Australia, Malaysian Archipelago and Canary Islands.

History of coral jewelry:

Coral rosaries are used by the Tibetan Lamas. In the Buddhist scriptures, coral rosaries have been considered as one of the seven treasures. Jewelry items like coral necklace, coral rings and coral bangles that were worn against the skin was said to be a powerful talisman which was effective in stopping bleeding, warding off hurricanes and protecting from evil spirits.

Torre del Greco, near Naples is the traditional coral fashioning center. This was an Italian campaign of Napoleon, with his associated taste for everything Italian which heralded the carved coral jewelry fashion. During this period, rose pink variety was very popular. During 1860’s ovoids and coral beads were set into brooches made of gold, similar to turquoise. In 1870’s jewelry makers started combining coral in bloomed gold brooches with emeralds and diamonds.

Taking care of coral jewelry:

Corals are precious and delicate gems so make sure that you take proper care of your coral jewelry. if you want to clean coral jewelry on your own, you can use a moist soft cloth and wipe it very gently because it is a softer gem and its hardness is just 3.5. This is the main reason why it should be stored in a very careful manner so that it does not get scratched. Coral is also porous so make sure that it does not come in contact with any sort of chemical or else it might get spoilt.

Coral jewelry is not only precious but it is also the oldest form of jewelry made with gemstones. Some pieces are as old as 25,000 years. It even predates the use of pearls that started much later. Every coral gemstone has its own color and distinct quality. Coral in black color is considered to be dramatic and exotic, something that provides guard against misfortune. Pink colored coral is very delicate and it is said to bring good health. Red coral is very romantic and it can never go out of fashion.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about jewelry and diamonds. When looking for jewelry, we recommend you shop only at the best online jewelry stores for coral jewelry, loose diamonds, diamond rings, coral fashion jewelry, fashion earrings, fashion pendants, engagement rings, wedding rings, and wedding bands.

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The second most common metal used in jewelry making is silver. The various types of silver like oxidized silver and sterling silver have dedicated markets of their own, world wide. The versatility of this metal and its ability to last like a heirloom, makes the metal an all time favorite.

This metal is known to offer a rich look to any ensemble and silver rings, chains, trinkets, bracelets, bangles and even the exquisite earrings can be worn daily, to work, at home an at parties, both formal and informal. Of the different variants of this metal, sterling silver is definitely the most sought after.

Sterling silver jewelry is the next best investment for the common man after gold. The affordability and designs make the jewelry good investment. In fact, even as the metal tarnishes and oxidizes, it takes on a new look that is very ancient and original in appearance.

The black and dull metallic appearance looks great on ethnic attire and especially the colors black, white and red. Now, with hip hop bling being the in thing for teenagers, sterling silver jewelry has found a new market niche. The metal amply satisfies the urge to sport great jewelry such as eye brow rings and belly button rings that are very popular among the young enthusiasts.

Sterling silver is basically a metal with ninety two percent of silver. The high quality and the silver rich metal is thus naturally exposed to tarnishing and hence this type of jewelry demands a lot of maintenance. Routine cleaning ensures that the jewelry is kept looking new and shining.

The cleaning process as applicable to this form of jewelry is directed towards maintaining the luster and shine associated with the metal. When buying sterling silver jewelry, which is definitely not very cheap, you should look for the stamp on the piece that specifies the purity or the word ’sterling’ somewhere on the underside of the jewelry.

The tarnishing that this jewelry is susceptible to arises out of the fact that the essential oils from the body react with the metal. However, in the case of silver, unfortunately, all variants tarnish and so does sterling silver. This type of jewelry oxidizes i.e. it reacts with the oxygen in the air and loses the original shine.

There is a dedicated market of clientele and jewelry-designers world wide that caters to the demand for coated or protected sterling silver jewelry with rhodium that helps to prevent tarnishing. There are a number of specially created dips and polishes marketed that make the maintenance of sterling silver jewelry easier. They restore the original color to the jewelry in little or no time at all, fractions of seconds in fact!

You can look after your exquisite collection of sterling silver jewelry with a home made solution of any mild liquid soap and water and a drop of ammonia. Then, dip the pieces in the solution and wipe them dry with a clean and soft cloth. The general myth that vinegar helps in cleaning sterling silver is a farce. It does not and should be avoided.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about jewelry and diamonds. When looking for jewelry, we recommend you shop only at the best online jewelry stores for sterling silver, loose diamonds, diamond rings, sterling silver fashion jewelry, fashion earrings, fashion pendants, engagement rings, wedding rings, and wedding bands.

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Over time, our skin becomes wrinkled and discolored due to sun exposure and normal aging. Although this process is normal, not every wants to accept the changes that come along with age. There are all types of anti-aging creams and other products on the market that state they can reduce the signs of aging, but do they really work? The answer to this question is yes, but not every product on the market is able to give the results they state will occur.

When top-quality products are used, reversing the signs of aging is now possible. Discoloration of the skin is one of the major problems that occur with age, due to years of sun exposure and exposure to the natural environment.

Other factors can increase the aging process as well, such as smoking or living in areas with high pollution rates. Discoloration typically occurs on the cheeks and forehead, but can also occur on the neck as well as other parts of the face. Anti-aging products with bleaching ingredients can help to correct these small flaws, by bleaching dark spots in order to give the face a more natural and even look. The most commonly used bleaching ingredient is hydroquinone, and has been shown to tone down blotchiness and blemishes that occur with aging.

Wrinkles are another major problem that occurs with aging, yet there are all types of products and procedures on the market that can temporarily correct them. More expensive treatments include cosmetic surgery and Botox or collagen injections, but both can be very expensive and risky to undergo. Anti-wrinkle solutions work to tighten the skin to reverse and prevent wrinkles, but the results can only be minimal and temporary.

Anti-wrinkle creams are typically packed with antioxidants; such as Vitamin E and C. Antioxidants are natural ingredients derived from fruits, and have shown to protect our bodies from the free radicals that trigger the aging process. When combined with Vitamin A, antioxidants can work to reverse the signs of aging while smoothing and tightening the skin.

The texture of skin tends to diminish with aging, especially with increased sun exposure. While typical lotions can smooth the skin and give it a softer feel, it cannot reverse the signs of aging.

Exfoliate scrubs can work to get rid of dead skin cells to give the skin a softer look, but the problem with skin texture actually comes from the inside.

Creams and lotions that contain Vitamin C, Vitamin E, copper, and alpha-hydroxyl acid can actually penetrate the outer layer of skin and work from the inside out, by providing moisture to all layers of skin to give it a softer and smoother feel. Skin repairing creams only have a temporary effect though, and must be used on a daily basis in order to provide long-lasting effects.

Anti-aging products that contain the right ingredients have been shown to work, but there are also many brands on the market that don’t work as well. High concentrations of active ingredients must be present in order to give results, but even those cannot guarantee satisfactory results for every single customer. So the answer to whether or not anti-aging products really work is yes, but only those that contain the right ingredients and high concentrations of them.

The only way to get guaranteed results is to undergo cosmetic procedures to reverse the signs of aging, but they can be very expensive, risky, and there is always the chance of a procedure not coming out to the patients satisfactory.

Anti aging creams and other products are great for slowing down or improving the signs of aging, but cannot stop or reverse the natural effects on the skin that occurs after years of exposure to free radicals.

Kenneth Black is the owner of a popular Skin Care website. Visit this site today to learn the latest on anti-aging skin care products .

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Some people love to take long, luxurious baths. Others can’t wake up without a shower in the morning. Whichever you prefer, hydrotherapy, in the form of a bath or shower, is something almost everyone enjoys. There’s nothing better for waking us up in the morning than a nice, hot shower. And there’s nothing better for relaxing our bodies and soothing our minds into restful sleep than a bath before we go to bed. It lowers our body temperature and prepares us for sleep, naturally.

Scented Bath Salts

When I want to relax, I take a bath with these bath salts. I’ve been making them since the 70’s when I sold them at craft fairs. Now I make them for my own enjoyment. They’re so simple to make and leave your skin soft and silky. Kids love to watch them color the bath water and they’re not irritating like commercial kids’ bath products can be.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sea Salt, Kosher Salt or Rock Salt
20 Drops Essential Oil

Add the essential oil to the salt. Spread it out on a cookie sheet covered with tin foil or parchment paper. (Don’t use paper towels, because they’ll absorb the scented oil.) When it’s dry, which may take as long as 24 hours or as little as 3, pour it into a pretty glass jar with a cover. If you like colored bath salts, use a couple of TBSPS of beet juice, or non-toxic food coloring to the salts with the essential oil. You can find non-toxic food coloring at Health Food Stores. To use, just scoop out about a half-cup and add to running water.

Remember, scent is a very personal thing. It’s wonderful to surround yourself with it in your own home. But it’s considerate to keep it very light or just not use it in public.

Scented Shower Gel

Ingredients:
1 Cup Water
1 1/2 Cups Liquid Glycerine Soap, Scented (Dr. Bronner’s or any natural brand)
2 TBSP Finely Milled Sea Salt
Natural Food Coloring (optional)

Add liquid soap to water. Do not add water to liquid soap, because you’ll have a kitchen full of suds. Stir in salt and coloring, if you want it. If it separates, shake gently before using.

Variations: Use unscented liquid soap and add about 20 drops of essential oil to it. Or add a stick of cinnamon, a tsp of ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut or chocolate extract. Store in a shampoo bottle.

Simple Soothing Milk and Honey Bath

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Dry Milk Powder (I use organic)
2 TBSP of Dried Honey Powder (I use HoneySweet Brand)
2 Cups of Finely Processed Oats (I use my food processor)
12-20 drops of essential oil (I use half lavender and half rose)

Mix milk and honey powder in large bowl. I use a whisk. Add essential oil, mix well and put in a plastic bag or tightly covered jar. Let the powder absorb the oil for at least 24 hours. Add 1/2 cup under the tap while you’re running your bath. This is a good bath powder for children, although I omit the essential oil for children under 2, just in case it irritates them.

Looking for Natural, Organic and Green information? Get craft ideas, recipes and formulas for homemade household helpers. Lill’s List is your resource for everything that’s good for you.

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Acne is an irritating skin problem that may affect any person irrespective of age and gender. Still teenagers are found to be more prone to the attack of this skin problem. If not carefully handled it may end up in serious infections and scares on the face of the person suffering from acne. One has to be very careful while selecting acne products to treat this problem.

It is quite difficult to choose the best invention from the large variety of acne products now available in the market. But you have to be extra cautious when it comes to acne products to treat this problem. You should be aware of the use and the reactions of each and every ingredient used to make the product before you buy one.

Pimple skincare solutions are available in oral and topical forms. Oral pimple solutions are meant for internal use. These acne products are sure to treat the problem from inside. Topical solutions for bad skin problem are available in different forms such as creams, cleansers and lotions that are to be applied on the affected areas. It includes both medical and cosmetic products.

Most of these products act as preventive treatments to avoid pimples. The person using them will be compelled to use it continuously over a substantial period of time to avoid these spots from appearing on face again. Still these topical acne products are considered to be more effective than oral medications to give relief from the problem with fewer side effects.

One has to be careful to choose the best of all topical pimple solutions to keep his or her face away from the attack of these fungal creatures. Both chemical based and herbal based pimple products are now available in the market. If you are thinking of going for a chemical based product, always go for a formula that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to make the treatment more effective. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are very effective to treat the problems associated with pimples.

You will have to purchase a good acne cleanser if you want to make the treatment for pimples more effective. Choose a good quality cleanser from a reliable manufacturer of cosmetic products. It should be able to reduce excess oil and debris that are deposited under the skin. Select one that will go with an exfoliation cream to give a total cleaning to your face and to avoid spreading of spots. Using a product called Acnezine has shown amazing results and a money back guarantee is offered to ensure satisfaction.

For your free course teaching you exactly how to cure acne using the natural remedy Acnezine simply go to http://acnezine-review.org

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Dr. Eric Kaplan, author of Dying to Be Young says, People need to know what Botox is. Botox was actually derived from Botulinum Toxin which was originally a bio-weapon.

Just like the seven million other Americans who received Botox injections last year, Just like seven million other Americans Dr. Kaplan and his wife, Bonnie, wanted to look younger. As a result, they found themselves completely paralyzed.

The Kaplans survived this harrowing experience with a proactive attitude and the belief that Self-worth does not come from anti-wrinkle creams and Botox injections.

Amidst the commercialism of deadly anti-aging products and drugs that promote the quick cure-all, there are real alternatives to improve your health and beauty from the inside out.

So, here a few tips about Botox before you buy the surgery:
- Derived from Botulinum Toxin originally a bio-weapon
- Bubonic Plague began with Botulism
- Blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles
- Can cause paralysis

There are a lot of natural things people can do to improve overall health other than commercial toxins:
- Dont be a victim
- Dont say you dont like the way you look
- Be proud of who you are
- Be proud of how you look
- Be happy with who you are and you can go on with the next level of life

Drugs are a big business in this country and most drugs today are owned by public companies. Rather than researching cures, we develop treatments that keep people on drugs indefinitely. Drugs are a big business in this country and most drugs today are owned by public companies.
Americans pay the most for their health care yet we are not even in the top ten countries for quality of health care.
Become proactive for your own involves your health. Go back to the basics of eating right, exercising and taking natural supplements.
There are supplements that reduce:
- Colon cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Lung cancer
- Risks of heart disease

Believe in yourself and you are capable of anything. The conflicts in daily life may seem overwhelming at times, but a positive attitude makes all the difference.
The Crucial steps to healing Dr. Kaplan shared are:
- Enjoy life the way it is
- Maintain healthy habits
- Be a goal setter
- Gratification comes from hard work, dedication, and perseverance
- Have a purpose in life
- Set good examples for your children

Follow the proactive strategies outlined by Dr. Kaplan during his recent interview for some self-confidence and belief in yourself.
He says, “Wrinkles are not the true you. Stress causes wrinkles. Anxiety causes wrinkles. Worry causes wrinkles. Look at the good in your life, go back to the basics and realize the greatness in your life.”

Dr. Proactive, Randy Gilbert, enjoys producing the “Inside Success Show” and presents his insightful interview with Dr. Eric Kaplan based upon the techniques from his book.
You can hear the entire inspirational interview for free by going to:
http://www.insidesuccessradio.com/Guests/Eric-Kaplan

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At first, the medical term, telangiectasia may seem quite foreign to you, but actually this is really just a technical way to refer to spider veins. Appearing on the face, chest and neck, spider veins are small blood vessels that become visible with discoloration. These blood vessels may also appear on the legs and do not offer any definite function. This is why removing them is a common procedure that does not hinder the health of the individual in any way. Spider veins are most often removed because they are viewed as an unattractive blemish on the skin.

What Causes Spider Veins?

In regards to the face, spider veins tend to surface through a wide range of causes. Whenever the face becomes flushed or blushes, the threat of developing telangiectasia emerges. Spider veins in the face might form due to any of the following factors: spicy or hot meals, exercise, hormonal imbalance, excessive sun exposure and cortisone medications. Some people also inherit the condition from their parents, while others suffer from acne rosacea (adult acne). There are also a few rare skin conditions that result in the formation of facial spider veins.

Exploring Spider Vein Treatment

Many consider the use of vascular lasers as the best approach in treating spider veins. There are two ways to accomplish this kind of treatment. The first involves pulses of light coming into contact with the skin while the second deals with a beam of yellow-green light used to treat single blood vessels.

If you are concerned with damaging the healthy skin surrounding your spider veins, there is no need to worry. Since the color of telangiectasia is usually pink, red or purple, the laser light is absorbed into these entities. When the blood vessels take in the laser light, they eventually shrink without harming normal skin.

When treating a high number of spider veins, there are many different skin types to consider. To effectively treat your skin, a small test will be performed to determine the correct laser settings for this type of procedure. After the test patch of skin confirms the proper approach in treatment, larger patches of skin can be treated.

While undergoing a spider vein treatment, you may feel a fleeting sensation on the skin that is accompanied by a momentary sting. When large patches of skin are being treated, a patient may receive sedatives, pain pills or laughing gas for the procedure. Most patients are able to withstand the treatment without any assistance from medication.

After the completion of a treatment, the skin will seem red or display purple discoloration. These are temporary effects that will subside over time. In rare cares, blisters may develop after a treatment. Sometimes, a handful of patients experience a reduction or increase in the pigmentation in the skin. Scarring is also of concern, but only occurs in a minute percentage of patients.

While nearly all cases of telangiectasia may enjoy positive results, there are a few patients where vascular lasers will not offer relief from spider veins. Often, those with pigmented skin or having a dark tan will not benefit from laser treatments.

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

One of the many joys of treating spider veins with lasers is that most cases are solved in one treatment session. The complete removal of severe cases of telangiectasia may require several treatments, but a definite improvement is visible after the first session. You should also know that the full effect of the treatment does not completely reveal itself until all discoloration has completely faded away.

There are also a number of vascular conditions that require more than one treatment. For example, Port Wine Hemangiomas often requires 6-18 treatments, while it takes 2-3 treatments to correct Cherry Angiomas and Venous Lake Angioma. The blotchiness on the neck caused by intense sun exposure (Poikiloderma) usually takes 3-5 treatment sessions to fully correct.

Aftercare

It is important to protect treated skin from the sun or tanning until your normal skin color has returned. The skin should also be gently cleansed. In the event that blisters, crust or scabs should appear, the patient should apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment to affected areas.

Will Spider Veins Reemerge?

After treatment, it is possible to notice a new batch of telangiectasia to reform in its place. This may signify a deeper condition that causes spider veins, such as acne rosacea. Treating the underlying condition will allow patients to no longer suffer from the formation of telangiectasia.

Spider veins that form in the corners of the nose are most likely to come back because of the pressure level of the blood vessels in this area. Often, this cannot be avoided. Staying out of the sun to protect the skin from burning will also lead to less spider veins.

If you tend to frequently blush or flush, you stand a higher risk in developing telangiectasia. Also, uncorrectable patches of spider veins often occur in patients with inherited traits, such as fair skin. Brief laser touch ups will help to keep newly formed spider veins under control.

Barry A. S. Lycka is one of North America’s foremost authorities on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. You can find out more at http://www.barrylyckamd.com and http://www.restoringyouthonline.com. He is founder of The Ethical Cosmetic Surgery Association (http://www.ecsaonline.com).

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There are many skin treatments available today and, over recent years, high energy pulsed CO2 and Erbium YAG lasers have become increasingly popular. The lasers do repair deep wrinkles by molding and re-shaping supple collagen and elastic skin tissue, but can be painful and slow to heal.

Light facials or Photorejuvenation facials can also improve the problem of finer wrinkles, sagging skin, blood vessels and brown pigmentation spots. Photorejuvenation does not leave the patient with sores or scabbing, which means you does not have to take time off from everything to heal. It does require several treatments before the skin tightening and re-shaping can be noticed.

Should you anticipate much improvement?

If you have very deep scars or wrinkles, you should consider a more aggressive treatment than Photorejuvenation. Those who have small, fine wrinkles or uneven blood vessel blotches or marks will see great results. As with any anti-aging treatment, the sooner you take action against the tell-tale signs, the more success you will have and the less deep wrinkles will form in the future.

Will there be any pain?

If you decide to have your whole face treated, you may experience discomfort. It is not to the extent that you will need anesthetic injections, but some patients do like to apply cold packs or use topical anesthetic creams.

What do I need to do beforehand?

Prior to getting Photorejuvenation facial treatments, you will be given some steps to follow on caring for your skin. You should not wear any foundation or make-up and must keep your skin clean. You will be instructed to massage some Emla into your skin about half hour or so before the appointment, concentrating on the areas to be treated. You also need to stay out of the sun, as any tanning before your Photorejuvenation can increase blotchy patches.

How regularly can I have Photorejuvenation?

Often the treatment program will be around five sessions over about a month. Some people may only need three treatments over two weeks. You will also be given recommendations for looking after your skin at home and would probably benefit from a yearly light maintenance facial.

Are there any adverse effects?

When you have a Photorejuvenation facial treatment, you will look like you have just done a hard aerobics session. Your skin will appear red and flushed, but won’t be burned or scab as with laser treatments. This will usually only last for a matter of minutes and, for some, a few hours after your session. If you have stretched or sagging skin, you may be a bit puffy as well. If you have had any brown blotches worked on, you will notice them go darker and eventually fall off. In some rare cases, patients do get some blistering that also heals not long afterwards.

Photorejuvenation facial therapies are milder on the skin than laser treatments and are perfect for people who does not yet have deep wrinkles or over stretched skin. It heals a lot faster and you only require maintenance about once a year after your program is complete. You will definitely see improvements in the appearance of fine lines, veins and blotches after Photorejuvenation therapies.

Barry A. S. Lycka is one of North America’s foremost authorities on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. You can find out more at http://www.barrylyckamd.com and http://www.restoringyouthonline.com. He is founder of The Ethical Cosmetic Surgery Association (http://www.ecsaonline.com).

Technorati Tags: ipl, laser, sundamage, photrejuvenation

Hair transplant refers to surgical removal of hair follicles from a hair-bearing donor site and their relocation to a balding or bald area by a grafting procedure, in order to restore normal healthy hair growth at the recipient site over a period of time. The most common application of hair transplant is in treating male and female pattern baldness.

Hair transplant is a minor outpatient surgery carried out under local anesthesia and a single session lasts about 3 to 5 hours, depending upon the number of grafts performed.

The total number of sessions required for full treatment will depend on the (i) the area of the bald patch, (ii) the size and number of grafts used, (iii) the hair density desired by the patient, and (iv) the individual characteristics of the hair, e.g., coarse, fine, curly, etc.

History of Hair Transplant

Hair transplant in its present form has evolved a long way ever since it began in 1952, when Dr. Norman Orentreich performed the first hair transplant for male pattern baldness in New York City. For many years, hair transplants were carried out using more or less the same method. It involved direct removal of 4-mm-diameter circular grafts (called punch grafts or plugs) from the back of the head by punching, giving the donor area a moth-eaten look. Each graft carried 15 to 20 hair follicles. Such large grafts resulted in acorn row or a dollar haircut look, not a fine natural look. This technique is outdated now.

In the 1980s, hair transplant surgery evolved dramatically with the emergence of the method of harvesting mini-grafts (4 to 8 hair) and micro-grafts (1 to 3 hairs) from a strip of donor tissue; a combination of mini and micro-grafts gradually replaced the punch grafts. Mini-grafts were used to create fullness and density, whereas micro-grafts were used to give a soft, feathered natural look to the hairline.

The nineties saw the emergence of a very refined surgical procedure called the follicular unit hair transplant (FUT). This very precise and painstaking procedure involves transplanting hair using 1- to 4-haired follicular units, exactly like how natural hair growth occurs. This procedure gives a fine natural look to the transplanted hair and is now considered a Gold Standard in hair transplant.

Statistics on Hair Transplant

To give you an idea of how prevalent hair transplants have become today, here are some statistical facts and figures according to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) 2005 Practice Census: An estimated number of 168,155 hair transplant procedures were performed worldwide in 2004, of which 87,987 were in US alone. The US market for hair transplant was estimated to be a whopping US $811,684,185!

Hair Transplant Procedure Today

The procedure begins with the removal of a donor strip (usually 1 and 1.5 cm wide) from the back or sides of the scalp under local anesthesia. The opening is then closed with self-absorbable sutures. The donor strip is then dissected into grafts of three different sizes: single-hair micro-graft, 2-hair single follicular unit, and 2 and 4-hair modified follicular unit. This takes about 2 to 3 hours. After the individual hair follicles are isolated from the donor strip and the excess tissue removed, they are immediately inserted into pre-cut micro and mini slits or punctured holes that are strategically placed so as to give a natural and aesthetically appealing look to the hair that will grow in future from the transplanted follicles. An expert surgeon can place up to 50 grafts per square cm. The surgery does leave a scar in the donor area, but that gets covered once the hair grows fully.

A far less invasive method of obtaining hair grafts for transplant is the follicular unit extraction (FUE) method. Here the surgeon examines the donor tissue under a microscope and selects individual follicular units and then plucks them out using a fine needle, eliminating the need to excise the skin from the back of the head. The benefits of the FUE method are faster healing, less trauma, no strip scar, and the surgeon’s ability to individually select follicular units. However, this procedure is far more time-intensive than the traditional strip methods and therefore much more expensive.

Since the hair transport involves outpatient surgery, recovery is speedy. You can go to work the very next day itself and carry out all your normal activities within a week. Post-surgery, you would need to take the prescribed antibiotics and vitamin supplements for some days to avoid wound or graft infections and aid healing. The transplanted hair will fall in 2 to 4 weeks time and new hair will start growing in 3 to 4 months time; within 6 to 9 months the hair growth will become normal, allowing you to style your hair as you please.

Since the hair is transplanted from ones own scalp, it is a safe procedure with no major or long-term side-effects. The only important requirement to get good results is to have healthy hair growth at the donor sites. So do not wait to get your hair transplant done until you go completely bald!

Other Areas for Hair Transplant

Other than treating male/female pattern baldness, hair transplant surgery makes it possible to restore hair on other areas of the body too, e.g., eyebrows, eyelashes, chin, moustache, sideburns, chest and pubic area.

According to ISHRS 2005 Practice Census, 95% of the hair transplant surgeries were done for treating baldness (89% for male baldness, with 30% of them being in their 40s). Approximately 3% of hair transplants were performed on eyebrows, about 1% on moustache/beard, 0.35% on eyelashes, 0.34% on the pubic area, and 0.06% on the chest.

In fact, the earliest hair transplant carried out by a Japanese dermatologist Dr. Okuda in 1939 was for restoring hair on the eyebrows and eyelashes of burn patients by using small grafts from the scalp.

Advantages of Hair Transplant

The greatest and most palpable advantage of hair transplant is that you have your own new crop of hair thats there for keeps! Unlike a wig, there is no fear of transplanted hair moving around or changing position, no matter what the activity. And since the transplanted hair is harvested from your own scalp, there is also no fear of tissue rejection or foreign body reaction as in other organ transplants. Also there is no headache of matching color and texture that you face while shopping for a wig.

The transplanted hair can be shampooed and styled just like normal hair, because they are your normal hair. A hair transplant can immediately take away 10 years off your visible age. It makes your looks youthful and boosts your self-esteem.

How Expensive is Hair Transplant?

Though at first glance a hair transplant procedure may appear expensive, in the long run it can turn out to be more economical than buying wigs. Due to the stiff competition in the hair transplant market, the rates have fallen from the earlier US $15 per graft to US $3 per graft. Of course, the number of grafts required will depend on the area of the bald patch, the size of the graft, the required hair density, etc. In general, the total cost of hair transplant can vary from US $4000 to $15,000.

Whatever the case, considering the boost and positive energy it adds to the psyche, a hair transplant is worth every cent. After all, its hair today, not gone tomorrow.

Barry A. S. Lycka is one of North America’s foremost authorities on cosmetic, skin cancer and laser surgery of the skin. You can find out more at http://www.barrylyckamd.com and http://www.restoringyouthonline.com. He is founder of the Etical Cosmetic Surgery Association (http://www.ecsaonline.com)

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