Asbestos has many appealing qualities for builders. It is strong, flexible and corrosion resistant. It is also burn resistant and a good insulator. There are not many substances with these qualities and may explain why it was so widely used. It becomes hazardous when asbestos containing materials are disturbed or damaged. Asbestos is made up of microscopic bundles of fibers. When the materials become disturbed or damaged, these fibers separate and may become airborne. These fibers may get into the lungs and that may lead to serious and even fatal diseases. Some of these diseases include:

Asbestosis is a non-cancerous lung disease. Inhaling asbestos fibers for an extended period of time causes it. This disease takes twenty five to forty years to develop. As asbestos fibers become trapped in your lungs, the body will produce an acid to try to eliminate these fibers. The continued production of the acid can eventually scar the tissues in your lungs. An excessive amount of scarring may cause the lungs to function improperly. This can lead to serious breathing difficulties. If asbestosis is left untreated, it may cause cardiac failure. At this time, there is no effective treatment for this disease. People who renovate or demolish buildings that contain asbestos have the greatest risk of getting asbestosis. The chances of getting this disease through physical contact with a person who works with asbestos are minimal. People who worked in naval shipyards were the first ones diagnosed with asbestosis.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the pleura (the outer membrane that encloses the lung and chest cavity) and/ or the peritoneum (the membrane lining the walls of the abdominal cavity). In the United States, there are only about 3000 new cases of this disease annually. Exposure to asbestos has been the cause in all of the cases. The exposure in these cases lasted anywhere from fifteen to thirty years. Unlike other forms of cancer, there is only one known cause of mesothelioma. Studies indicate that people who work in areas that contain asbestos, such as mines, mills, factories, or shipyards, or who manufacture and install asbestos installation are at the greatest risk of getting mesothelioma. You are also at risk if you live with a worker exposed to asbestos or near any area containing asbestos. Studies also indicate that younger people are more likely to contract mesothelioma when they inhale asbestos. This is the reason why people are going to great lengths to protect school children from asbestos exposure.

Many cases of lung cancer can also be attributed to asbestos exposure. Lung cancer is actually the leading cause of death among all of the illnesses caused by asbestos exposure. You can aggravate the effects of lung cancer by about fifty percent if you start smoking. People who work in occupations where they are directly involved in the handling of asbestos are at a greater risk of getting lung cancer. Exposure to both asbestos and another carcinogen, such as cigarette smoke, puts you at greater risk of contracting lung cancer than exposure to asbestos alone. There was a study that indicated that exposure to asbestos and smoke makes you ninety times more likely to contract lung cancer than a person who is not exposed to either. Some of the symptoms of lung cancer include coughing, breathing irregularities, chest pains and anemia. It usually takes fifteen to thirty years of exposure to asbestos to contract lung cancer.

By Michael Russell

Ninety percent of all Mesothelioma cases are traced to have been caused by exposure to asbestos. In fact, asbestos is the primary cause of Mesothelioma cancer. Let us try to take a quick look at asbestos and how it generally leads to Mesothelioma.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is one of the most useful minerals which can be found from rocks abundant in many countries. Its tiny fibers are as strong as steel yet can be woven easily. One of the most sought characteristics of asbestos is that it has high resistance to chemical reaction and heat.

Uses of Asbestos

UK was known to be the largest importer of asbestos; it is because asbestos can be used in construction and household appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, etc… It could also be used in building ships and vehicles.

Furthermore, asbestos is also a good insulator that’s why many companies use asbestos to manufacture amosite insulation boards and other building materials. Others use it as hardener and come up with the asbestos cement.

Types of Asbestos

Asbestos has only three types; brown, blue and white asbestos. Among the three, brown and blue asbestos are not allowed to be exported to other countries since they are the most common causes of Mesothelioma cancers. White asbestos, on the other hand, was thought to be harmless until cases of Mesothelioma caused by it emerged in the early 1980’s.

How Asbestos gets into the body

Dangers start when asbestos is damaged because it releases very tiny fibers which can be easily breathed in. These particles will make their way to the lungs blocking the small airways. The bad thing is that they cannot be coughed out. However, the natural defense mechanism of the body will try to break them down which will further result to inflammation of the lung tissues. Although, there are cases which asbestos are taken into the body through digestive system but the most common is through respiratory tracts.

Types of Mesothelioma

There are three types of Mesothelioma which are named after the tissues where asbestos fibers settle for a very long time and where the first symptoms can be detected.

Pleural Mesothelioma

When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they will settle down in pleura, the membranes which surround the lungs. There are no immediate effects and symptoms once asbestos is inhaled but over the years, Mesothelioma cancer cells will be developed due to frequent irritation that asbestos fibers would create. Other lung diseases can also be expected.

Peritonial Mesothelioma

Aside from being inhaled, asbestos fibers can also be swallowed through food and will stick in the digestive system of the human body. Researches showed that the particles will greatly damage the abdominal membranes called peritoneum; inflammation is the first symptom.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

This is the rare type of Mesothelioma but it is also the type with faster effects since asbestos fibers will cause great damages to pericardium, the membrane which holds the heart. Although experts don’t have a clear view how the fibers reached the heart, but it is believed that fibers travel through bloodstream.

Mesothelioma cannot be detected immediately. It will take 20 to 30 years to experience its first symptoms. That is why people who have been exposed to asbestos are advised to consult a physician at early stage.

By Nancy Van Pelt

Are you sick of using glasses or putting in your contacts every single day? Do you want a solution that will correct your vision forever? You should consider getting New York lasik eye surgery done and then you can crush your glasses and lose your contact lenses forever. Here are a few things to make sure of when choosing a New York lasik eye surgeon.

The first thing you need to know is how much experience does the surgeon have. You want a surgeon that has at least 5 good years of surgery experience and is up to date with all the latest lasik procedures. This is very important because you are going to be trusting this person with your vision and you want to make sure you are going to get the results you want.

The second thing to know is whether or not your surgeon is board certified. If the surgeon you are considering is not board certified, then you need to find a different one. It is very important that they have become certified because it shows you that they are qualified to perform the operation you are considering.

The last thing to check is the surgeons references. Any good surgeon will have plenty of clients that are willing to give a great reference. Sometimes they will provide you with a phone number for them and other times they will have signed testimonials right on file. Either way you need to make sure that the surgeon that works on you has great references.

You are going to be trusting your vision to the surgeon you choose so make sure you are comfortable with the person and you are confident that you will end up with 20/20 vision when it all over with. Your New York lasik eye surgery will go great if you have a surgeon that you are comfortable with and know will be very thorough from the beginning all the way til the end.

By Benjamin Robert Ehinger

The FDA has officially approved LASIK surgery as the appropriate treatment for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. In the United States, about four million people have been benefited by this procedure. New York city has been rated as one of the most popular location for getting a corrective laser eye surgery that frees people from the burden and hassle of contacts and glasses. The cost of LASIK surgery is enormous because of the delicate nature of the procedure and the techniques involved.

New York City is well known for its eye specialists and surgeons. People who wear glasses or lens may consult them to verify whether they require a laser eye surgery. Some centers and doctors advertise on the subways but the prices quoted are often misleading. The prices of LASIK surgery vary from one provider to another and depend on many factors. A definite cost of LASIK procedure is determined during a free comprehensive eye exam with an eye specialist. Patients may also visit counselors to know the available options and gain information on various payment plans. They offer a range of competitive prices that have easy paying financing alternatives. Some centers provide payment options, which allow the patient to pay 50% of the total cost at the time of the surgery and the remaining 50% in installments during the postoperative visits.

Many people looking for good eye surgeons may not be able to afford the actual cost of surgery. There are various online sites that offer counseling with LASIK surgeons who schedule free LASIK evaluation of patients. The surgeons conduct laser vision correction techniques at a cost as low as $83.00 per month. It includes all pre- and post-operative care and any LASIK associated follow-up care required for two years. Usually the price of LASIK includes all preoperative testing, the LASIK procedure, and follow-up postoperative treatment plus a complete post-operative kit.

By Damian Sofsian

With the popularity of the new lap-band bariatric surgery procedure, more and more previously overweight people are approaching plastic surgeons to address the aftermath on their body of their massive weight loss of more than 100 pounds.

While bariatric surgery can do wonders to help you lose weight, the downside is that you will come out of the weight loss process with a lot of extra sagging skin and stubborn areas of fatty deposits that you simply cannot get rid of through regular exercise and diet. For some of these areas liposuction can work quite well to help contour your body. In other areas more radical procedures will have to be performed.

Skin Elasticity Issues Following Weight Loss Surgery

Where a more average-sized person can easily lose 20-40 pounds, and their skin has enough elasticity to bounce back from being stretched, the skin of a post-bariatric surgery patient simply is unable to do so because it has been over-stretched for too long.

Because of this loss of elasticity, post weight loss patients will require much more work performed by a plastic surgeon to achieve the same result as the more average-sized person is able to achieve on their own through simple diet and regular exercise.

Candidacy for Liposuction after Weight Loss Surgery

Generally speaking, the prime candidate for liposuction is the patient who is of average weight and who simply needs some targeted areas of fat removed. However, often post-weight loss surgery patients can see some good results utilizing liposuction as well.

But, it is important to know that these patients will not see the optimum results over time because as they age their skin will be much more likely to sag than someone who has not undergone a massive weight loss.

As long as a weight loss patient is realistic in their expectations of their outcome from liposuction they can be a good candidate to have it performed, usually in conjunction with other plastic surgery procedures such as a tummy tuck, abdominal lift, breast lift, arm lift, face lift, and neck lifts.

How Much Sagging Skin is Normal Following a Massive Weight Loss?

Generally, age and the amount of weight lost determine how much sagging skin you will have on your body after a massive weight loss. If you are younger, then you are in a position to have less sagging skin because skin tends to have more elasticity when you are younger versus when you are older.

Additionally, if you have lost 100 pounds you will have much less sagging skin than someone who has had to loose 250 pounds to reach their goal weight.

If you have undergone a massive weight loss, due to diet and exercise or through bariatric surgery, you are to be commended on your achievement. If you are unhappy with your new post weight loss body, then you should consider scheduling an appointment with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss your options for improving your new body’s appearance. Through liposuction and various other procedures you can achieve a body that you will be happy to show off.

By A Aaronson

Liposuction has become the most common cosmetic treatment – or rather, surgery – in the USA, with upwards of 400,000 individuals seeking liposuction treatments alone in 2006, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. This is nearly double the amount of treatments reported by the same institution a decade earlier. Surely, the number of people seeking liposuction will continue to increase as the prices go down and doctors compete for patients.

And how the numbers have come down! Looking online, it is possible to find advertisements for liposuction starting at $137! This is quite misleading. For starters, it surely does not include the total amount of fees that will make their way on to the patients bill. For instance, hidden fees might include hospital room / operating room fees, fees from an anesthesiologist, both of which can be significant.

There is an even more damaging cost to cheap liposuction though, far worse than an extra fee tacked into your bill: a messed up looking body.

While liposuction, as mentioned, has become an incredibly common procedure, and one which is usually performed successfully, like any medical procedure – this is surgery, after all! – there are real risks. And common sense will reveal that when doctors charge less and less, there is often an increased risk for all the bad things you do not want to have happen to a patient.

One particularly reprehensible act that’s been reported is for a doctor to simply take the patients money, cut them open, seal them back, and… never perform the removal of fat. Or at best, perform a very small bit of removal, and then leave it at that. it’s something that it’s very  hard to catch and would be very hard and very expensive to prove legally.

More realistically though, going for the bottom of the barrel in prices without weighing in all the other important factors – such as the doctors experience, his or her reputation, and his or her willingness to answer all your questions and work with you in your liposuction treatment, looking at just the cost of the procedure can end up with a world of trouble.

Would you really want to risk…

Strange folds in the skin? Weird dimples and bumps? Self-described skin deformation? Visible scars on the buttocks, thighs, abs, arms and legs? What about scars on the face? Perhaps even worse, what about skin deformation on your face?

The point is that finding the lowest price is not the goal of getting liposuction: getting a great looking body is the goal, and just as you wouldn’t go out and buy the cheapest car and expect it to run great, don’t seek out the cheapest liposuction and expect much more than cheap results. It’s not worth it!

By Ben Quick

One of the most popular approaches to remove stomach fat and contour its shape is through laser liposuction. This plastic surgery procedure has become the most common form of fat removal in the United States, and the new age surgery uses a laser instead of harsh suctioning which is safer for patients. Fat removal on the stomach is popular because it is one of the most difficult areas on the body that is resistant to exercise even crunches and sit ups.

Having plastic surgery on the stomach area of your body will remove the fat deposits that just won’t go away. Laser liposuction on the stomach isn’t just removal of fat tissue cells, but it is also a way to contour your body and give back curves where love handles and unsightly bulges have made you feel uncomfortable. This type of plastic surgery has also become increasingly more popular among male patients as well.

Laser surgery is quickly replacing tummy tuck surgery which was previously considered the best way to lose pounds on the abdomen. Because this method is safer and limits the amount of post-operative pain in patients, it is becoming a more preferred way for plastic surgeons. It can be done on the lower or upper parts of the abdomen, although most patients opt for both areas at the same time to get the full contouring effect.

Using a laser instead of a large suctioning device leaves patients with smaller scars and a tighter skin tone. Because the laser is as small as a needle, the laser tool needs only tiny incisions to perform the surgery. There is also less bleeding since the laser burns the blood vessels disallowing any blood to leak into skin tissue.

As stated before, laser liposuction has minimal post-operative pain, so patients are often able to return to daily activities shortly afterwards. Patients can have the plastic surgery operation on a Friday and return to work on Monday with little uncomfortable pain. Medication is determined by the severity of pain and discomfort reported by the patient. Some people claim that simple Tylenol is enough to dull the pain after surgery.

Older techniques used for liposuction required patients to wear a girdle that kept the stomach skin tight while going through recovery. Laser liposuction actually firms the skin and patients report a much tighter and firmer area after surgery. Leakage from the tiny, healing incisions may be observed, but this is normal after plastic surgery.

Some swelling may occur after liposuction in the abdominal area. The swelling will go down after a few days, but it may contribute to the discomfort after the surgery. Patients are advised that the swelling my hide the complete results from fat removal on the subject. It may take weeks before you will notice a different in the stomach since swelling often makes the stomach look larger during the healing phase of plastic surgery.

If you are looking to remove fat from your stomach, ask your plastic surgeon about a safer way using laser liposuction.

By Beverly Kingly

It has been estimated that by the year 2020, the number of women who get breast cancer may be as high as 1 in 5. That number is staggering. With the help of a “healthy breasts” lifestyle, you can defy those odds, and help to beat those ominous forecasted statistics. You can help change the future.

Chances are, if you are a woman, or even a man for that matter, you know someone or at least have an acquaintance who has either battled breast cancer, or succumbed to the disease. I am no different.

My Story?

I am 31 years old, and about eight years ago a very dear relative of mine, my aunt, passed away from complications directly related to breast cancer. About 3 years before her passing, she went to the doctor because of a lump in her breast. After going through several rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, we all thought she had beat the cancer and was going to enjoy a long healthy life.

After being in remission for about a year, the cancer returned with a vengeance. Before we knew it, the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, her back and her liver. She passed away, a shadow of her former self, and a very warm, brave and compassionate person was gone from our lives, just like that.

I wanted to share the story to convey the pressing importance that we take good care of our bodies, and our breasts, so we can help ensure our long, healthy stay here in this world.

Some Lifestyle Tips for Breast Cancer Prevention :

1.) Cut the unhealthy, saturated fats and substitute with healthy fats like olive oil. If you use butter, use organic butter.
Actually, it’s really best to buy all organic dairy products, since toxins like chemicals and pesticides tend to build up much more in animal fat – which is what dairy is made from, animal fat and biproducts.

2.) Cut out the underwire, push up, and tight-fitting bras. It has been speculated for years that more pressure on your breasts can result in more toxin buildup in the breast area, as well as agitate any tendencies toward tissue abnormalities. Wear looser fitting bras whenever possible. Even better, go braless when you don’t need one.

3.) Moderate breast massage may be helpful in breast cancer prevention. Some studies have shown this practice to be therapeutic and speculation is that the massage helps free the breasts of toxins and improves circulation.

4.) Get plenty of antioxidants in your diet. Foods rich in antioxidants, which help defend against cancer-causing free radicals, are as follows:

a. Dark green leafy vegetables

b. Brightly colored fruits

c. Red Wine

d. Tomatoes

e. Garlic

f. Tea (especially green tea)

g. Berries

5.) Moderate exercise, or at least not having a sedentary lifestyle.

6.) Get organic foods whenever possible. The pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals and other general toxins that are in
our food, our water and produce just seem to be getting worse. Many speculate the increasing number of cancer cases is partly to blame on the foods we eat and the water we drink. Also try to drink distilled or filtered water rather than spring or tap water.

7.) Smoking and drinking alcohol have both been shown to be possible risk factors, so it goes without saying what needs to be done if either of these habits are a regular part of your lifestyle.

We can never prevent any disease 100%, and it is true that breast cancer has also been linked to a hereditary factor. However, this doesn’t mean we can’t dramatically bump the odds in our favor and enjoy a disease free, cancer free life.

By Danna Schneider