Archives for March 2019

For as long as records have existed, women have been taking steps to enhance their appearance. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, one way that modern women do this is by undergoing elective procedures to re-form problem areas in an effort to look more attractive. Breast implants are quite common, and many women today are also choosing to have implants inserted into their derrière.

Unfortunately, all surgical procedures come with risks, and some of the materials used for these types of implants have been linked to anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a type of blood cancer. Marla Ahlgrimm explains that more than 600 women worldwide have been diagnosed with the disease after receiving textured breast or gluteal implants. 16, including nine in the United States, have died.

The vast majority of implant -related cancers were triggered by breast implants. In 2019, it was confirmed that butt implants caused the condition in at least one woman one year after the surgery. Marla Ahlgrimm explains that gluteal implants are filled with silicone and are used to augment the shape of a woman’s buttocks. In 2017, more than 36,000 gluteal augmentation procedures were scheduled and performed by surgeons globally.

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Spring is in the air, and the daffodils are blooming throughout much of the country. Marla Ahlgrimm says that now is the perfect time to focus on safety. If you don’t already have a first aid kit, you should spend some time putting one together.

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, small injuries, such as scrapes and bug bites, can often be treated at home. However, you have to have the right tools to do it. This is where a first aid kit comes in handy. The first thing to put into your first aid kit is an up-to-date first aid manual, which your doctor may be able to provide. You will also want to keep information handy relating to any medical conditions suffered by members of your family.

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that a first aid kit should include an assortment of sterile gauze pads and adhesive tape. Gauze is absorbent and can help larger injuries, such as would be sustained by a small bicycle crash, stay clean and heal faster. You should also have antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, and hydrogen peroxide available.

If you’re going to be going on vacation, or if you have a family boat or swimming pool, you should keep a fully-stocked first aid kit in your luggage, boat, or near the pool. Instant cold packs to treat swelling and heat exhaustion along with calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream will also come in handy throughout the spring and summer months. Marla Ahlgrimm explains that tweezers and alcohol wipes are essential when you have children, especially if they like to climb trees or run barefoot in the yard.

Your first aid kit should also include a few non-prescription medications such as ibuprofen and Tylenol. Keep a thermometer and small package of Kleenex available to help treat summer colds.

Once you have your first aid kit together, Marla Ahlgrimm says that you should make a point to keep it out of reach of children. Check your kit twice per year and replace anything that has been used or is expired.

As women, we’ve long been conditioned to do our hair and makeup daily. But there’s plenty of reasons to skip the foundation and let your natural beauty shine through. Marla Ahlgrimm says that just four of these are:

1. You’ll save money

If you’ve ever walked into an Ulta or Sephora, you know that makeup is big business. A name-brand foundation can easily set you back $40 or more. Good powder isn’t much less. And considering that makeup should only be kept for six months before hitting the trash bin, it isn’t hard to spend $50 to $100 per month on makeup. Marla Ahlgrimm says this money may be best spent on skincare — moisturizer and gentle cleansers can make your skin look more radiant than any tinted product.

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