Financial Mail stumbled upon a few sites with young women plastered on the main page that entice consumers to take out a loan for various reasons. Payday loan firms are usually viewed as the last resort for people who have depleted their credit options.

Short-term loans are very impractical as they can have annual percentage rates reaching even beyond 4,000%; add troublesome “rolling over” loans that are a custom penalty for missing payment deadlines and how bad an alternative it is becomes more obvious.
Survey was conducted a week ago that reveals about one-fourth of the UK population have debt problems with a payday loan. Firms offering these loans, however, seem to be sharpening their tools by extending their reach to attract the Facebook crowd, promoting instant gratification and setting aside consequences for later.

Online payday loans are notorious for trying to reel in prospects with tempting offers. Some even unethically convey suggestive messages to make people apply for a loan — a sin major payday player The Money Shop is guilty of, according to the Advertising Standards Authority — and it seems they will accommodate just about anyone.

Affiliate savingaccountpaydayloans.co.uk, for example, justify cosmetic surgery as a good reason to take out a loan. Even when an unemployed 18-year-old girl living with her parents tries to apply, the site will process the request and redirect to links that give quotes for loan terms.

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The deadline for submission of application materials is on February 1, while the winner will be announced by the Selection Committee on March 31.

The awardee will receive a support of $8,000 for expenses associated with meeting attendance, application reviews, rendering services to ACS and ASPS, and participating as a pro team member in health policy committees of both organizations.

A short evaluation of the awardee’s experiences and activities is scheduled to take place at the end of the scholarship period. Minor accounting is also necessary.

To be eligible, applicants must be good-standing members of both ASPS and ACS, aging between 30 and 60 years. Members who have applied to similar programs from other organizations are still eligible, but the scholarship will be withdrawn if a different scholarship has been accepted. The awardee is tasked to inform the ACS Scholarship Section if such a development occurs.

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Burge said her daughter, Poppy, begged her for a boob job — so she gave her the voucher. However, it’s intended for her to use after she turns sixteen. Burge already had plastic surgery amounting to nearly $1 million, so it’s obvious where her daughter picks up the idea. Other than Poppy, the 51-year-old mother also has two other daughters, 27 and 17, who are interested and have experienced plastic surgery.

Despite Poppy’s rather grown-up interests, she’s a normal kid who loves sports and playing outdoors. Burge says little girls are different in this day and age, such that they no longer like to pretend as princesses but rather as pop icons like Lady Gaga and girlfriends of famous soccer athletes.

Members of the American Psychological Association are troubled with the rate of little girls who are trading away their innocence for more mature setups this generation, especially when shows like “Toddlers & Tiaras” are around. Shari Miles-Cohen, senior director of women’s programs for the American Psychological Association, says kids should develop physically, emotionally, psychologically, and socially at their own ideal paces.

“Childhood is a time to learn about the world, explore, pretend, imagine and create in a safe vacuum of innocence,” she said. “Bypassing those critical life experiences and developmental stages by trying to dress, act and be treated like an adult leaves these children lacking important life skills that help them be confident and successful adults.”

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Facial paralysis takes away the ability to smile. Surgery to restore the function has a 30% failure rate. However, not doing anything about the problem either could be harmful to child growth. Having no way to express oneself through facial movement can bring heavy social consequences to a child since it’s the primary nonverbal method of self-expression, like conveying happiness and contentment.

In the article, Dr Tessa A. Hadlock and colleagues from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Boston examined pediatric patients having free gracilis transfer, which entails taking part of the gracilis muscle in the thigh and placing it into facial muscles. The group compared 17 children with facial paralysis who received 19 surgeries to 17 adults with the same condition and number of surgeries. This is for the purpose of finding out the failure rates in children, how much smiles and quality of life (QOL) improved following the operation, and whether there is a difference between experiences of adults and children. Results gathered from this research were intended to be a basis for aiding physicians and families make further informed decisions with the surgery.

The strongest focus of smile improvement was the extent at which the corners of the mouth move. The average change in children was 8.8 mm; similar results observed in adults. The surgery failed in 11% of children patients, while it failed in 21% of the adults. Pre-operative and post-operative QOL measure for Facial Clinimetric Evaluation (FaCE) was completed in 13 children, resulting in a statistically impressive QOL improvement after the operation.

The authors conclude that amidst the acceptable failure rate of free gracilis transfer, it enables vastly improved smiles and virtually higher QOL with respect to facial function. They add that the surgery would be helpful, especially when pursued early, in lowering social consequences as facially-paralyzed children interact with friends and other people.

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Dr Stanley Gulin, a cosmetic plastic surgeon, noticed that women are beginning to accept that bigger isn’t always better.

Another plastic surgeon, Dr Manny Pena, also saw the trend forming after getting as much as two dozen women a year opting for more conservative implants. He says it’s because bigger implants have affected their lifestyle. Most reasons he encountered for the swap either had to do with going for a slimmer look or bigger implants were getting in the way of activities. It’s not uncommon for large breast implants to be associated with back pains, especially if the consumer doesn’t possess the minimum body specifications to support them.

Besides gaining a more natural look, smaller implants do less wear on the breast tissue, retain their shape a lot better, and are substantially lighter. Not all guys prefer women with big breasts, anyway, so the ladies need not go for large implants.

Dr Pena says height, weight, frame, and lifestyle are deciding factors for finding the right size of implant on a woman.

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Her team of 15 professionals, including anesthesiologists and nurses, began the one-week program at the University of Guayaquil in Porto Viejo, Ecuador.

Dr Downey expressed the need for updated techniques in surgery, especially in countries that lack the resources for training, as they improve outcomes and lower complications. She believes there is more value in teaching people how to do things than doing things for them.

This was her fourth trip for volunteer training, and the team she goes with travel to developing countries to offer free reconstructive surgery services to the poor who become impaired from injuries due to farming and other industrial accidents, severe burns, or congenital problems.

In her blog, she shared how well the residents in Ecuador absorbed their teachings and noted how vastly different and complex the cases were as opposed to what typical US residents would be exposed to.

“As always, I get so much more from these trips than I give,” said Dr Downey.

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A good surgeon would give the patient everything they need to know about the procedure. A better, respectable surgeon would also welcome the patient’s questions, anxieties, and other concerns, and address them in a comprehensive, informative, and honest manner. In this situation, being a patient, the best way to get good information is to know what you need to know.

Below are some questions to ask your surgeon:

“Are you a board-certified plastic surgeon?”

Before going into any other details about the surgery, make sure that you have made the right choice with who will be performing it.

A doctor with board certification (as opposed to those who are not, but still operate on patients) is the best way to go: these are professionals who have mastered the basic AND necessary skills to provide safe, quality medical service. More importantly, board certification is a way for the surgical authorities – in this case, the Philippine Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons – to give that surgeon their full permission to operate on patients. Anyone seeking for safety MUST opt for a board-certified plastic surgeon.

“Which procedures are your specialties?”

Together with board certification, professional aptitude towards a particular plastic surgery procedure (hopefully the one you’re planning to get) is your best bet that the doctor will be fully-capable and fully-equipped to perform the surgery the safest, best way possible.

“What is your safety record?”

A good surgeon would give you an honest percentage of their success rate, helping you in making your decision to either go with this surgeon, or someone else.

“What are the risks involved in the procedure of my choice?”

As the patient, it is your absolute right to know about the possible dangers and risks to the surgery. Whether it be the side effects, or a surgical worst-case scenario completely out of the surgeon’s hands, you have a right to know what you are getting yourself into. This will help you better understand the procedure, and perhaps gauge the surgeon in terms of how he would respond should such risks occur.

“May I see some ‘before and after’ photos of your most recent patients?”

This is a very good way for you to properly understand two things: (a) the actual results of the procedure, as opposed to possibly higher expectations, and (b) the skill of the doctor.

“What procedure is the best for me, given my desired overall results? Why?”

This question gives you the advice of a professional regarding what you’d like to see happen after the surgery. Is a nose lift really the right procedure for you, or will a face lift give better results? Why? What are the effects of a nose lift, compared to the effects of the face lift?

“What should I do to prepare for the surgery?”

That the surgery go smoothly and safely is one of your main concerns as a patient. This requires utmost care, even before the scheduled operation. The doctor should readily give you the needed information and guidelines on what to do and what no to do during the weeks prior to the surgery. List down your personal habits and find out which ones you should refrain from engaging in. How far ahead should you plan? These are questions that a surgeon should be more than happy to answer.

“Can the surgery be reversed?”

This is in case for any reason you are not happy with the results of the surgery. Again, you can never know too much.

“What are the most common complications when it comes to the type of surgery I’ve chosen?”

Knowing the symptoms is not enough to ensure absolute safety and peace of mind. Each surgical operation has its own risks; knowing the ones unique to the procedure you’ve chosen will only do you good, and can help you prepare for any situation that may come up.

“How long would I have to wait before I can go back to my normal daily activities?”

Some operations require more bed rest than others. Make sure to find out how much rest you’d need to have after surgery. Jumping back into work prematurely may compromise the healing process, possibly leading to undesired and dangerous consequences.

“How long will it take before I see the final results?”

All surgical procedures will show some bruising and swelling that will become more visible during the days (or weeks) immediately after the operation. These side effects, however, will eventually subside. Make sure to ask your doctor for how long the swelling and bruising is expected to persist, and when you will be able to see the end results. This warns you of any extended side effects that may be signs of complications.

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Dr Paul Michael Peloso, director of the research at Merck, New Jersey, says that at the moment their current study doesn’t sell botulinum toxin as a form of therapy for neck pains. There is a possibility, however, that its potential relieving abilities will show more significance in higher types of neck pain. Further research must be made to confirm this.

No botulinum toxin injection is free of risks. Most of the time, the muscle experiences tenderness of pain, weakness, or a general sense of being unwell. Some have anaphylactic reactions, while some have even died.

Of the trials, some were designed to compare the effects of administering botulinum toxin or a placebo injection of saline to two unique groups with neck pain. There was no apparent difference between the groups either at 4 weeks or 6 months. Furthermore, the effects of adding botulinum toxin to physiotherapy were similar to that of adding either an anesthetic or saline.

Botox typically targets muscles affected by the upper motor neuron syndrome, or a state wherein the muscles can’t effectively lengthen. Symptoms of this condition include muscle weakness, loss of reciprocal innervation, reduced movement control, and hypertonicity. Botox, upon injection, allows the muscle to decrease its level of contraction, resulting in better reciprocal motion, which means an increase in the ability to move and exercise.

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Research was made to help settle concerns that fatigue may have a larger role as contributor in causing rising safety issues for procedures performed later in the workday or workweek. The study also has data showing no increase in deaths during the summer months, a time when new hospital residents begin work.

Over 32,001 results of elective surgeries, performed between 2005 and 2010, were observed, which was led by Dr Daniel I. Sessler of The Cleveland Clinic. Possible mortality within 30 days after surgery was evaluated based on the time of day of the procedure (between 6 am to 7 pm), day of the week, and month of the year. Emergency surgical procedures were omitted from the research, together with operations that are closely related to it. The variations in results by faces of the moon were also taken into account as a “negative control”.

Findings for total risk of death within 30 days after surgery was valued at 0.43%; adjusting other factors, the risk was discovered to be closely similar for patients who were operated at different times of the day. Furthermore, nothing remarkable was seen to conclude that there is increased risk of mortality for surgeries performed later in the workweek.

Risk after surgeries based on time of year showed no change. Particularly, it didn’t increase for operations done in July and August, at which time the majority of new residents begin work in teaching hospitals. The phase of the moon didn’t have any contribution either. A near-identical study also showed similar results, with findings of total in-hospital complication rate being 13%.

Dr Sessler and his team says that patient care, in general, may be affected by human factors, like fatigue, circadian rhythms, scheduling, and staffing — where older studies elicited concerns that propelled a new study for confirmation. The new study quells any suspicion and says the timing of surgery doesn’t affect safety. From Dr Sessler’s words, “Elective surgery thus appears to be comparably safe at any time of the workday, any day of the workweek, and in any month of the year in our teaching hospital.” Finally, the team that conducted the research says the results apply to hospitals that perform “high risk surgery in a high-risk population”, but may not apply to other hospital types.

Drs Franklin Dexter and Alan P. Marco said through an editorial that the findings suggest facilities can decide either to add more operating rooms or use existing ones late on hectic days just from typical economic tradeoffs, as patient safety can’t be risked whichever course of action is taken.

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For a patient to potentially have the best outcomes, cigarette use must be avoided for as long as possible, before or after surgery. Fully quitting entails a better chance for smooth surgical process, which may mean no problems like a wound infection after the procedure.

Numerous patients also see surgery as a viable way to quit smoking indefinitely, since most don’t get the urge to spark a cigarette while staying at the hospital. The odds of successful abandonment of the vice are almost doubled if tried around the time of surgery.

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