Tattoos, What You Need to Know

Many individuals choose to undergo tattooing in its various forms. Whatever their reason, consumers should be aware of the risks involved in order to make an informed decision.

What Risks Are Involved in Tattooing?
The following are the primary complications that can result from tattooing:

-Infection: Unsterile tattooing equipment and needles can transmit infectious diseases, such as hepatitis. The risk of infection is the reason the American Association of Blood Banks requires a one-year wait between getting a tattoo and donating blood. It is extremely important to make sure that all tattooing equipment is clean and sterilized before use. Even if the needles are sterilized or never have been used, it is important to understand that in some cases the equipment that holds the needles cannot be sterilized reliably due to its design. In addition, the person who receives a tattoo must be sure to care for the tattooed area properly during the first week or so after the pigments are injected.

-Removal problems: Despite advances in laser technology, removing a tattoo is a painstaking process, usually involving several treatments and considerable expense. Complete removal without scarring may be impossible.

- Allergic reactions: Although allergic reactions to tattoo pigments are rare, when they happen they may be particularly troublesome because the pigments can be hard to remove. Occasionally, people may develop an allergic reaction to tattoos they have had for years.

- Granulomas : These are nodules that may form around material that the body perceives as foreign, such as particles of tattoo pigment.

- Keloid formation: If you are prone to developing keloids -- scars that grow beyond normal boundaries -- you are at risk of keloid formation from a tattoo. Keloids may form any time you injure or traumatize your skin.

-MRI complications: There have been reports of people with tattoos or permanent makeup who experienced swelling or burning in the affected areas when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This seems to occur only rarely and apparently without lasting effects.

There also have been reports of tattoo pigments interfering with the quality of the image. This seems to occur mainly when a person with permanent eyeliner undergoes MRI of the eyes. Mascara may produce a similar effect. The difference is that mascara is easily removable.The cause of these complications is uncertain. Some have theorized that they result from an interaction with the metallic components of some pigments.However, the risks of avoiding an MRI when your doctor has recommended one are likely to be much greater than the risks of complications from an interaction between the MRI and tattoo or permanent makeup. Instead of avoiding an MRI, individuals who have tattoos or permanent makeup should inform the radiologist or technician of this fact in order to take appropriate precautions, avoid complications, and assure the best results.

The Most Common Problem: Dissatisfaction:
The most common problem that develops with tattoos is the desire to remove them. Removing tattoos and permanent makeup can be very difficult.

Skill levels vary widely among people who perform tattooing. You may want to ask the person performing the procedure for references and ask yourself how willing you are to risk permanently wearing someone else's mistake.
Although tattoos may be satisfactory at first, they sometimes fade. Also, if the tattooist injects the pigments too deeply into the skin, the pigments may migrate beyond the original sites, resulting in a blurred appearance.

Another cause of dissatisfaction is that the human body changes over time, and styles change with the season. The permanent makeup that may have looked flattering when first injected may later clash with changing skin tones and facial or body contours. People who plan to have facial cosmetic surgery are advised that the appearance of their permanent makeup may become distorted. The tattoo that seemed stylish at first may become dated and embarrassing. And changing tattoos or permanent makeup is not as easy as changing your mind.

Removal Techniques:
Methods for removing tattoos include laser treatments, abrasion, scarification, and surgery. Some people attempt to camouflage an objectionable tattoo with a new one. Each approach has drawbacks:

Laser treatments can lighten many tattoos, some more easily and effectively than others. Generally, several visits are necessary over a span or weeks or months, and the treatments can be expensive. Some individuals experience hypopigmentation -- a lightening of the natural skin coloring -- in the affected area. Laser treatments also can cause some tattoo pigments to change to a less desirable shade.

Unfortunately, knowing what pigments are in your tattoo or permanent makeup has always been difficult and has become more so as the variety of tattoo inks has multiplied. Inks are often sold by brand name only, not by chemical composition. Because the pigments are sold to tattoo parlors and salons, not on a retail basis to consumers, manufacturers are not required by law to list the ingredients on the labels.
Furthermore, because manufacturers may consider the identity and grade of their pigments "proprietary," neither the tattooist nor the customer may be able to obtain this information.There also have been reports of individuals suffering allergic reactions after laser treatments to remove tattoos, apparently because the laser caused allergenic substances in the tattoo ink to be released into the body.

Dermabrasion involves abrading layers of skin with a wire brush or diamond fraise (a type of sanding disc). This process itself may leave a scar.

Salabrasion, in which a salt solution is used to remove the pigment, is sometimes used in conjunction with dermabrasion, but has become less common.

Scarification involves removing the tattoo with an acid solution and creating a scar in its place.

Surgical removal sometimes involves the use of tissue expanders (balloons inserted under the skin, so that when the tattoo is cut away, there is less scarring). Larger tattoos may require repeated surgery for complete removal.

Camouflaging a tattoo entails the injection of new pigments either to form a new pattern or cover a tattoo with skin-toned pigments. Injected pigments tend not to look natural because they lack the skin's natural translucence.

7 Easy steps to weight loss

By Simon McNeil

It has become ridiculous: Every time I crash in front of my TV late at night after a long, hard day's work, I'm bombarded by countless infomercials revealing the newest line of fat-burning, abdominal crunching, body-sculpting, miracle-working machines. Even those Suzanne Somers or Richard Simmons diet plans make me want to shoot myself in the foot for snacking on popcorn.

Well, I have news for all of you out there: Don't diet, and don't rush off to buy the next gimmick. Here's the real secret to losing weight: Just eat less.

It's about sensibility

That's right; sensibility is the new word of the decade. After all, doing everything sensibly in your life is the key to living well. You don't need to feel trapped behind the prison of your own body anymore. All you need to do is control your portion sizes by eating less and eating sensibly.

Easier said than done? Well, like all things in life, eating less is a learned experience and takes some practice and patience. Our problem nowadays is that we're too lazy to turn this practice into a perfectly balanced meal plan.

Breaking bad habits

"The problem for most people is that they maintain certain habits that make eating less quite difficult," says Pat Booth, assistant director of the Nutrition Services Department at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center.

Old habits are hard to break, however, tomorrow you'll be looking back at the "old" you and feeling good about the "new" you that's yet to come. Get my point? It also has a lot to do with your self-image perceptions. You must first change mentally in order to then change physically.

Getting started

Anyone who has ever tried dieting knows the immediate feeling of deprivation that accompanies most weight-loss plans. The result for most of us is that we can't stick to it.

Instead of drastically cutting your diet, try gradually accustoming yourself to eating less. Take smaller portions. Leave a little on the plate. In time, you'll find you need less food to feel satiated.

As you practice putting less on your plate, consider these 7 steps to eating less (the following list is taken from Mr. Paul Wolf, Health Correspondent, and I highly recommend it):

1. Mini-meal is the operative word

Ideally, every time you eat, your plate should have some protein, a little fat and a little fibrous bulk to ensure that you feel full and satisfied. This takes some planning. It ultimately means losing the "mindlessly munching on pretzels" habit."Even if you eat fruit as a snack, healthy as it is, you won't feel completely satisfied because it doesn't have any protein and fat," Booth says.An apple followed by, say, some plain yogurt, will do more for satiety than two apples. A baked potato, which has 100 calories, contributes more to satisfaction than 20 potato chips, which, at 114 calories, adds up quickly. Top that spud with a quarter-cup of low-fat cottage cheese (100 calories), and you have a filling, healthy snack for 200 calories.

2. Don't deprive yourself

You don't want to feel deprived or hungry because drastically cutting calories will only slow down your metabolism by driving your system into famine mode.Don't count calories; just eyeball your portions. Let's say you hope to reduce your daily caloric intake from about 2,500 to 2,000. Focus on reducing your portion sizes by about 20 percent.Within a matter of a couple of weeks, you will be adjusted to the new serving sizes and they will seem normal.

3. Eat delicious and well

Every diet regimen should permit the occasional treat and nice meal out. Eat delicious food, but eat it in smaller portions.Obviously, cream sauces and fudge brownies at every meal will thwart your weight-loss goals. Learn to enjoy ordinary food as well as extraordinary delicacies.

4. Eat your calories, don't drink them

A can of Dr. Pepper soda contains 150 calories. Three of these a day is an extra 450 calories. If you add commercial beverages, juices and sugary lattes to your diet, you practically need a calculator to tally the calories that don't do a thing when it comes to fulfilling your appetite.Stick to water and tea and get your calories from more filling and satisfying foods.

5. Exercise is the perfect partner

Your diet will be all the more successful if you combine it with regular exercise.Approach your exercise and diet plan with a focus on how you look and feel, not how much you weigh. In other words, think in inches lost, not pounds. Remember; muscle weighs more than fat.

6. Make meals last

Yes, two Balance protein bars have only 360 calories and also contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. But you can down these suckers in a matter of seconds. Where's the chewing satisfaction? A couple of nutrition bars are not a meal or even a mini-meal for that matter.The satiety centers of the brain may not get the message right away that you've had enough. Eat slowly, chew carefully and don't put more food in your mouth when you haven't dealt completely with the last bite.

7. Discover your food triggers

What makes you succumb to temptation? Do you turn to the pantry the instant you turn on the TV? For some, if it's in the house, that's all the temptation they need. For others, stress is a trigger. The stress hormone cortisol fuels cravings, according to Pamela Peeke, M.D., author of Fight Fat After Forty.Everyone knows that bigger portions won't fill the empty spaces of our lives or give us lasting relief from unpleasant moments. Discovering your triggers is a step toward self-control, which is the basis for eating less.So next time you see one of those annoying infomercials, follow this 3-step exercise: pick up the remote, change the channel, then put the remote back down.

It's easy to be slim

Diets don't work. Not only do they make you miserable and feeling hungry, they actually make you gain weight by slowing down your metabolism. Instead, watch your portion sizes, don't consume sugary beverages, eat slowly, do a little exercise, and you'll be shedding those unwanted pounds in no time.

Virility Foods

By Dustin Driver

Sex is good for your health. A 1997 study by randy researchers at Queens University in Belfast found that men who had more orgasms had half the death rate of, ahem, flaccid guys. To reap those rewards you don’t need to guzzle love potion or pop potency pills, you just have to grab a sack of almonds. Or maybe slurp down a few oysters and some olive oil. Some simple foods can naturally boost your sex drive. Want hard proof? No problem. Scientists have studied their effects and they’re more than willing to share. So eat up and get ready for blast off.

Oysters

Oysters harbor lots of zinc, almost more than any other natural source. And zinc, we’ve learned, is a high-octane sex-drive booster for men and women. These soggy sacks of protein are aphrodisiacs after all. If you can’t stomach oysters, try pumpkin seeds or good old beef, both of which are also excellent sources of zinc.

Hard evidence: According to the Cornell Institute for Reproductive Medicine Center for Male Reproduction in New York, zinc is a key raw material for testosterone production and male fertility. Other medical texts cite zinc as being vital to the production of semen. The doctors at Cornell also say that zinc is essential for the prostate -- your body’s love pump.

Tomatoes

Mamma’s tomato sauce could get you into some real trouble. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a key ingredient that benefits your virility and prostate health. Tomatoes also have lots of vitamin C, which is great for overall health. Raw or cooked, they’re good news for your potency.

Hard evidence: Researchers at the University of Illinois and the West Side VA Medical Center found that tomato sauce, and its contained lycopene, helps prevent prostate cancer and promotes prostate health. So next time, ask for extra tomatoes on that hoagie. They’ll keep you pumped and primed.

Almonds

Almonds, and nuts in general, are good for your member and your virility. They contain arginine, an amino acid that is a key part of the erection process. In fact, arginine has been called nature’s Viagra.

Hard evidence: Studies at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Department of Surgery in Torrance, California, found that arginine increased the frequency and duration of erections in rats. It’s not quite the same thing as testing the amino acid on humans, but it’s worth further study. And eating almonds and other nuts can help lower your cholesterol levels to boot.

Walnuts

Walnuts may provide a real, all-natural alternative to Viagra. The Romans and French have used them as aphrodisiacs for centuries. Like almonds, they contain arginine, but in higher quantities.

Hard evidence: A team of researchers at the University of Malaya in Malaysia recently decided to test the ancient love potion. They squeezed about 3.3 kilograms of walnuts to produce a super-potent extract. The result is a pill that can keep you rock solid for up to four hours. It has been approved in Malaysia and the researchers hope to get broader approval in the future. In the meantime, you might want to chow down on some walnuts. But use them in moderation, as they’re high in calories and could lead to love handles.

Chilies

Spicy chilies can also add some zing to your sex life. The “hot” ingredient, capsaicin, increases your heart rate, dilates blood vessels and releases endorphins, which is definitely a plus when you’re feeling passionate.

Hard evidence: A team of Hungarian researchers at the Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Medical University measured vascular dilation and permeability in rats that had a healthy dose of capsaicin. No surprises, hot chilies triggered increased blood flow and dilated blood vessels. Does this mean you should rub chili past on your lil' john? No, definitely not. Still, eating chili peppers or food that contains them, can raise your heart rate, increase blood flow and release endorphins.

Ginger

Like chilies, ginger can supposedly kick your love life into action. Its spicy properties can, according to research, increase blood flow and help with testosterone production.

Hard evidence: In Nigeria, Dr. Yinusa Raji of the University of Ibadan, fed rats ginger extract for eight days. At the end of the experiment, he found that their testosterone levels had increased. And, to top it off, their testis had gained weight. The study hasn’t been duplicated for verification, but it’s a surprising find nonetheless.

Celery

If you smell nice, you’ll have better luck with the ladies. But you’ll need more than Old Spice to really get them going. Celery contains the hormone androsterone, which is released through male perspiration. It’s odorless, but it signals “maleness” and virility as a pheromone and could, therefore, land you a date. Eat a bunch of celery and you’ll be pumping out androsterone in no time.

Hard evidence: Some romantic scientists at the University of Kentucky tested androsterone’s effects by spraying it on photos of, well, homely guys. They showed the photos to various women before and after the treatment. When their photos were sprayed, those average guys were perceived as more “attractive.” Now, where can we get some of this celery cologne?

Eat up

With enhancers like Viagra storming the market for all you under-performers out there, it's hard to imagine almonds, walnuts and tomatoes garnering the same results. But, when you think about the health benefits of popping a few oysters as opposed to popping a few pills, the natural way is just so much more uplifting.