Facial surgery may offer migraine cure

Facial surgery that targets and removes small portions of migraine-triggering muscle or nerve tissue may offer permanent relief for some people with the debilitating headaches, a new study suggests.


More than 30 million Americans experience migraine headaches.

"Other migraine treatments either temporarily prevent the symptoms or they may reduce the symptoms after the migraine headaches start," says Bahman Guyuron, M.D., a professor and the chair of the department of plastic surgery at the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University. "What we are offering is essentially a cure."

In a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Guyuron and colleagues looked for people who had migraines that started in a specific region on the front, side, or back of the head. The researchers injected Botox into these trigger points to temporarily paralyze the muscle; if the injections helped relieve the migraines, the patients were randomly divided into two surgical groups.

After the Botox wore off, one group had a face-lifting surgery combined with the removal of muscle tissue or nerves in the area that triggered the migraines. Fat or muscle was used to fill in the area after tissue was removed. Health.com: Quiz --Surprising migraine causes and cures

The second group had a sham procedure, in which incisions were made but all muscles and nerves remained intact. A total of 75 patients were involved in the study.

In the year after the procedure, 57 percent of those who had the actual surgery reported the complete elimination of migraine headaches, compared with just 4 percent in the sham surgery group. In addition, 84 percent of those who had the surgery reported at least a 50 percent reduction in migraine pain compared with just 58 percent in the sham group. Health.com: Secrets to a stress-free home

Don't Miss
Women's migraines linked to higher stroke, heart attack risk
Health.com: The Top Migraine Triggers
As for side effects, one surgery patient had persistent numbness of the forehead, and 10 of 19 patients who had the procedure on the side of the head had a slight but persistent hollowing in their temple region.

More than 30 million Americans experience migraine headaches. However, Robert Kunkel, M.D., a consultant at the department of neurology at the Cleveland Clinic, says this surgery probably won't become a common procedure, despite the results. Health.com: Knowing your mother's health history can lower your risks

"This may be a technique that will help a small number of migraine patients who have responded to Botox, but it's certainly not a procedure for generally treating migraines," says Kunkel, who was not involved in the new study. He points out that people who had the sham surgery probably suspected that they were in the placebo group, since the face-lift would most likely have reduced wrinkling. If a treatment isn't completely blinded, it can skew a study's results; if patients suspect they've had a sham treatment, they may be less likely to say their migraines are cured.

However, nearly 60 percent of the people who had the sham procedure reported some migraine relief too. Guyuron believes this could be related to a placebo effect, or the incisions could have disturbed some of the nerve branches and actually relieved migraines in some way. Health.com: 20 little ways to drop the pounds and keep them off

Health Library
MayoClinic.com: Migraine
MayoClinic.com: Migraines: Simple steps to head off the pain
Overall, there was a 92 percent success rate, notes Guyuron. "This study offers powerful evidence to the plastic surgeon, the neurologist, and the insurance companies that this operation is effective," he says. "Not only are they headache free, depending on the trigger site, but they also may look younger."

The Migraine Foundation, the Plastic Surgery Education Fund, and the Prentiss Foundation funded this study. Some of the study coauthors have consulted for Allergan or have been paid speakers for pharmaceutical companies.

Credit : health.com

What is the Best Firming Over the Counter Night Cream? And Other FAQs

Author: Frank Langella

Do you want to know what is the best firming over the counter night cream? Well, you are in the right place then. Many people, who look for a firming cream that really works, do not actually know what it is that they should look for in an anti aging product.

All this and more covered in the FAQs listed below:

Why does my skin wrinkle?
As our skin ages, the Collagen and Elastin fibers that hold it together tightly, break down due to wear and tear. Our body is not able to produce enough of these proteins to undo the damage and the skin becomes loose as a result. Fine lines and wrinkles also start developing on it.

I have heard about Collagen injections. Do they work?
Collagen injections insert a synthetic collagen into your skin. It does show some initial results, but then this is not a permanent treatment. The effects of the injection begin to wear off after a few months and you have to keep repeating the treatment indefinitely.

It can also cause side effects like muscle weakness, hyper tension and allergies. My recommendation – stay away from this stop gap arrangement and look for a long term solution to the problem – like a natural cream that removes wrinkles permanently.

So, what is the best firming over the counter night cream?
A good cream will contain natural ingredients to increase the production of Collagen and Elastin in your body.

Look for natural substances like Cynergy TK. This extract from the wool of New Zealand sheep has been found in studies to significantly enhance collagen and elastin production in the skin.

Avocado Oil is a rich oil derived from the Avocado pear. It penetrates deep into the skin and moisturizes it from within. It also increases the collagen content in the skin and helps keep it smooth and wrinkle free.

Phytessence Wakame is a sea kelp from Japan that nourishes the skin effectively. It also prevents the breakdown of hyraluronic acid in the skin. This acid is what binds the collagen and elastin fibers in the skin together and helps keep the skin firm and tight.

Is it safe?
That’s the beauty of using natural products. There is absolutely no risk of any kind of side effects when all you are dealing with is natural substances. You can use such natural products with complete peace of mind.

Now that you know what is the best firming over the counter night cream, take what you’ve learned and find out these effective natural substances. A fresh, young skin can be yours too!

About the Author:

For information on best treatments for aging skin, visit my website today and learn about natural and beneficial skin substances I've discovered that I'd like to share with you.

Frank Langella is a dedicated researcher of skin care health and products. He shares his research on his website - TotalSkinSolution.com. If you want to know how to turn back the clock for your skin, visit - http://www.totalskinsolution.com/ and learn about the skin care line our editors personally use and recommend.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - What is the Best Firming Over the Counter Night Cream? And Other FAQs

Laser Treatment For Acne Scars- Exactly What Is It And How Does It Work

Author: joginder

A treatment known as laser treatment for acne scars mainly works through the use of assorted wavelengths and various levels of intensities which are dependent on your situation to contour that scar tissue that currently exists. The laser treatment for acne scars can also, in a significant manner, lower the adjoining red skin that takes place near acne lesions that have since healed.

A physician determines the kind of laser that he will utilize during the procedure which are based on the results that you and your physician are hoping to achieve. Your physician can eradicate tissue that is unwanted with a carbon dioxide laser. Physicians have noted that for some individuals a single laser treatment for acne scars is all that is needed to accomplish the sought after effects.

Resurfacing Using Ablative Lasers

The utilization of what is known as an Ablative laser induces the elimination of the outermost layers of your skin as well as scar tissue that is undesirable is burned off and this subsequent action makes the dermal collagen to tighten up which assists in lowering a scars visibility.

The most typical kinds of lasers that are utilized for laser resurfacing are what are called erbium lasers and ultra pulsed carbon dioxide lasers. This kind of laser treatment for acne scars causes exposure of skin that is unprotected so using the appropriate skin wound care must be utilized and you need to be checking frequently for the possibility of infections. The skin may actually remain red for roughly one year even though the redness will have a tendency to fade after several months after an individual has had laser treatment for acne scars.

Non-Abrasive Lasers

These types of lasers create alterations to the dermis and will not do harm to the epidermis in the process of the procedure. A laser that is named smooth beam centers on and heats up thes sebaceous gland which assists an individual in lowering the quantity of sebum and acne that is subsequently formed. This type of procedure heats up the collagen which accomplishes the objective of tightening the dermis which results in scarring that is less visible.

What is typically done is your doctor will administer an anesthetic before the laser surgery and the skin surface temperature is lowered which assists in precluding the epidermis from becoming harmed from the laser. The patient may feel some possible stinging while having the procedure however the anesthetic assists the patient to cope with the stinging sensation.

The length of time it takes for the procedure is dependent on the quantity of scars involved that the physician needs to work on. Generally speaking the procedure takes a little over an hour. Typically, three laser sessions within a period of a month is necessary.

There are some physicians who choose to utilize what is known as the N-Lite which is another type of non-abrasive laser. It's primary function is to stimulate the formation of collagen and typically the patient has to have three treatments to arrive at a satisfactory end result. There are various types of procedures that are available for addressing acne scars and utilizing laser treatment for acne scars is a one option that you may want to consider. Please consult your physician first.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Laser Treatment For Acne Scars- Exactly What Is It And How Does It Work

Best Way to Fight Blackheads

Author: Tim Archbold

Blackheads are caused by the oily secretion in the pores or hair follicles that have become clog with skin cells. The name blackhead comes from the fact that it becomes black in color due to it’s exposure to the air and it oxidizes. Sometimes blackheads take care of themselves by naturally coming out of the pore but a lot of times some treatment may be necessary to clear them up.

The best thing to do is keep the face clean. Washing the face at least twice a day will help clean out the pores so the oils can pass through. If you have naturally dry skin, over washing the face may be too irritating because the skin may get too dry.

To help clear up the skin there are a number of over the counter products available to use. When selecting one, think about your skin type, for example is it oily or dry. Some products may be over drying for the skin so it helps to know type you have. Try one of the acne face cleansers to see if it helps the condition of your skin. They will clean deeper into the pores to help allow the oils to naturally pass through.

If something a little stronger is needed try something with salicyclic acid in it. Maybe try Biore Strips, they are like a tape that is pressed onto the skin and left in place for about ten minutes. Pull them off and they pull the blackheads out of the pores. Also try to keep your hands away from your face so dirt is not passed onto the skin, remember we are trying to keep the face clean.

Some people have more trouble with blackheads and acne than others. If the acne gets out of hand do not give up trying to fight it. If it starts to get out of control, do seek help from a dermatologist.

About the Author:

Go to Treat Your Acne to discover more information on how to prevent and treat acne and pimples. Tim Archbold’s lifelong interests are Health and Fitness.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Best Way to Fight Blackheads