Plastic Surgery Pittsburgh: Abril 2015

Huwebes, Abril 30, 2015

12 Times We Almost Quit Watching Grey’s Anatomy

The moments that made us reconsider our dedication to the hospital drama

Grey’s Anatomy is close to winding down season 11, and boy has it been a wild ride the last decade and counting. Shonda Rhimes, the creator of the show, has put the docs at Seattle Grace-turned Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital through more tragedy in 11 years than anyone should ever have to deal with in their lifetime. Most recently, she killed off neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd, and we’re still reeling from the loss—one fan even went as far as to create a change.org petition to bring the character back.

While we’ve thought about cancelling our DVR pass when things got ridiculous over the years, we’ve dutifully stuck with our favorite hospital drama from the beginning, through the good times (“Pick me, choose me, love me”) and the very, very bad (ghost sex, anyone?). Here, we’ve ranked the moments that made us consider dropping the show for good.

12. When the Show Put on a Musical Episode (Season 7)
Was this really necessary?

11. When Izzie and George Hooked up (Season 3)
Izzie and Alex had smoldering chemistry. But Izzie and George? They came across more like brother and sister. Ew.

10. When Meredith and Derek Get Married Via Post-it Note (Season 5)
So many weddings ended in disaster—it would've been nice to see this one play out successfully.

9. When April Left Her Hot Hubby Jackson to Volunteer Overseas (Season 11)
Have you seen this guy?

8. When Arizona Cheated on Callie (Season 9)
They seemed like the happiest and most stable couple on the show—then this happened.

7. When Meredith Tried to Drown Herself (Season 3)
We get that Mer was all dark and twisty—but we have our doubts that she'd go as far as to take her own life.

6. When Cristina Left Seattle (Season 10)
No more late-night dance parties with BFF Meredith? No thanks.

5. When Alex Dated a Woman Who Had Lost Her Memory (Season 4)
His doomed-from-the-start relationship with Ava/Rebecca/whatshername lasted way too long.

4. When Izzie Had Sex with a Ghost (Season 5)
We swooned over their relationship when Denny was alive. But when Izzie (who did have a brain tumor, to be fair) had sex with Denny’s ghost? That was just too freakin’ weird.

3. When One of Our Favorite Couples Died in a Plane Crash (Season 8 and Season 9)
Couldn’t Shonda have thought of some other non-deadly way to have Lexie and Mark exit the show? And to make matters worse, we had to wait a whole summer after the finale to find out that McSteamy had died.

2. When Cristina Didn't Show up to McDreamy's Funeral (Season 11)
She should've been there to support Meredith, the woman she calls her "person."

1. When McDreamy Died in a Freak Car Accident (Season 11)
The world would be a better place if this had never happened.

All gifs courtesy of giphy.com

10 Adorable Prom Photos That Will Make You Miss Being Young and in Love

The sex in the back of a car part still sucked, though.

When you're in high school, nothing gets the stomach butterflies flapping their delicate wings quite like the word "prom." Whether you went with your high school sweetheart, you had a hot date who made you a nervous wreck, or you went with "just a friend" who everyone knows you had a crush on, your prom night probably holds some pretty great memories.

So since it's prom season (and we're in the mood for some sparkle, tulle, and romance), we rounded up 11 adorable prom pics that'll have you feeling all nostalgic for your high school loves.

Yesterday's surprise before practice I love you babe and thank you for my lovely teammates that helped him surprise me! #promposal #429

A photo posted by Marika Watanabe (@marika_w21) on Apr 30, 2015 at 10:51am PDT

Best night with my best girl. @megconger

A photo posted by Meaghan Weitz (@mequequez) on Apr 26, 2015 at 7:58am PDT

Happppy belated birthday and tbt with @langton95 #prom #throwbackthursday #tbt #happybelatedbirthday

A photo posted by Megan Kellogg (@kellomeggs) on Apr 30, 2015 at 12:49pm PDT

Prom with my amazing boyfriend<3 #prom #love #boyfriend #2k14 #promlove #corsage #pretty #lovehim

A photo posted by Emily (@thenamesemilyyy) on May 17, 2014 at 11:28pm PDT

#throwbackthursday To going to Prom With this girl. #prom #2015 #beverlyhills #highschool #tbt @bronteyamodim

A photo posted by ariavila21 (@ariavila21) on Apr 30, 2015 at 11:32am PDT

Love the Love!! Prom 2015. @madisonhalley_ @tylerfowler_3 #promlove #Lubbockbound #thatlook

A photo posted by Holly George (@4ggeorge) on Apr 18, 2015 at 5:37pm PDT

Remember that one time we went to prom together? Yeah that was pretty fun #tbt #prom #promthrowback #dangwelookgood

A photo posted by macayla gibbons (@macaaylaa) on Apr 30, 2015 at 1:28pm PDT

HOW BEYOND CUTE ARE THEY?!?! Taylor Robinson and her boyfriend Justin Hampton were #PERFECTION for CHS prom! Taylor chose a #HotPink Private Collection by Alyce dress and her boyfriend Justin stayed true to his #Manliness in a black tux with #MossyOak vest and hot pink matching tie! You guys are seriously #TOO cute together! #Prom2k15 #Prom #GorgeousDress #GoldenNeedleProm #PromDress #alyceparis #privatecollection #GoldenNeedleProm #goldenneedlegirl #tuxedo #tuxedocentral #goldenneedletux #gnprom #cutestcouple

A photo posted by The Golden Needle (@goldenneedlebridal) on Apr 30, 2015 at 12:46pm PDT

#tbt to going to prom with my baby and being our own prom king and queen of the night. I love you babes you'll always be my queen #2yearsago #2013 #prom

A photo posted by Sam Shaw (@shaw78) on Apr 30, 2015 at 12:55pm PDT

We are ready for prom. ♡ @logan.hhs Photo credit to @jwestrope

A photo posted by Michael Martin (@wvnatureboy) on Apr 25, 2015 at 2:35pm PDT

There’s a New Cure for Double Chins

Get the deets.

“I love my double chin!” said nobody, ever—and if a new drug becomes popular, double chins might soon become a thing of the past.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Kybella, a drug that promises to get rid of double chins with a few simple injections. Kybella is identical to the deoxycholic acid produced in the body that helps it absorb fats, and it works to dissolve fat under the chin by destroying the membrane of fat cells, causing them to burst. The rest of the fat cells are then absorbed back into the body.

The drug’s safety was tested in two clinical trials of 1,022 patients and can get rid of a double chin within six months after receiving monthly injections, the FDA says. Patients can be injected up to 50 times per treatment, meaning it could take up to 300 injections to get rid of a double chin altogether.

While 300 is a lot, for many people that's still preferable to current, more invasive options for getting rid of a double chin: liposuction or plastic surgery.

Of course, ditching a double chin with a few simple injections isn’t without potential side effects. The FDA says there’s a risk of developing nerve injury in the jaw that can cause an uneven smile or facial muscle weakness, as well as trouble swallowing. The FDA also warns that Kybella can destroy other types of cells, such as skin cells, if it’s accidentally injected into them—so proper injection is important.

“It’s an intriguing new drug,” says dermatologist Cynthia Bailey, M.D., a diplomat of the American Board of Dermatology and president and CEO of Advanced Skin Care and Dermatology Inc. “Once the cells are gone, you don’t make new ones, and the body seems to handle the digestion of ‘exploded’ fat cells without problems.”

However, she points out that the remaining fat cells still have an unlimited ability to pack in fat, so they can swell up—and cause another double chin—if a person gains weight again. Bailey also says that, just like any new medicine, we don’t really know what other unintended consequences there are until Kybella hits the market and is used more often.

Matthew Schulman, M.D., a plastic surgeon in New York, stresses that Kybella isn’t an end-all, be-all for people with double chins. He says liposuction is still preferable with necks that have a larger amount of fat. And, if a person’s neck has extra fat or loosing, sagging skin, a surgical necklift is the best way to go.

RELATED: Can You Get Rid of Cankles?

Overall, Bailey thinks Kybella will be popular. “So many people are unhappy with their chins as they age, and to date, we have not had great options for shrinking the fat pad in it,” she says.

Kybella should be available starting in June. Unfortunately, insurance won’t cover the injections, and it’s too soon to say how much it will cost.

And since we know you’re wondering, Kybella is only FDA-approved for blasting double chins, not other body parts—right now, at least.

Could Putting This Food on Your Face Be the Key to Glowing Skin?

It might just be the cure for your complexion woes.

Good news for women who suffer from acne, rosacea, or eczema: Your new go-to skin healer may already be inside your fridge. Yogurt and other foods containing probiotics (like kefir and miso) can be used to combat skin issues that are caused by inflammation, says Whitney Bowe, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. This is due to what Bowe refers to as the "gut-skin axis," meaning the connection between your gut health and the condition of your skin.

Stress, anxiety, and depression can slow digestion and movement in the gut, says Bowe. When you combine that with eating refined comfort foods—"your typical Western diet, devoid of fiber," says Bowe—this can cause the amount of bad bacteria in your gut to increase quickly. And all that bad bacteria can then leak out into your bloodstream, leading to system-wide inflammation, which can cause acne, rosacea, eczema, and signs of aging.

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How Probiotics Can Help Calm Your Complexion
If your diet and stress levels are causing bad bacteria to thrive in your body, eating more healthy bacteria (i.e., probiotics) can help balance out your system, reseal your gut lining, and decrease inflammation. Eating probiotic-rich foods—such as yogurt, kefir, miso soup, and kombucha—or taking oral probiotic supplements can help increase the amount of healthy bacteria in your system. If you're thinking of taking an oral supplement, Bowe recommends making sure that the probiotic strain in that particular supplement have been proven to indeed decrease inflammation. Currently, she says the strains with the most scientific evidence include lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, and bacillus coagulans, but you can also check with your dermatologist for recommendations.

Interestingly, probiotics may also help you maintain younger-looking skin. While there's nothing you can do about genetic aging, probiotics may help reduce the effects of aging caused by external factors. In fact, animal studies have shown that consuming probiotics before sun exposure results in less skin damage, as well as a quicker recovery time after being out in the sun, says Bowe. This doesn't mean you should ditch your SPF just because you eat lots of yogurt, but knowing that there's one more thing you can do to protect your skin is a definite plus.

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Should You Be Putting Yogurt on Your Face?
There are also new studies indicating that there may be benefits associated with using probiotics topically. The mechanism behind this is still being explored, but Bowe says she has been recommending yogurt masks to her clients for years due to the positive results she has encountered in her research. Yogurt has also been used as an ingredient in Indian bridal facials for generations, and celebrities like Lauren Conrad swear by masks made from the food.

The benefit of applying yogurt to your face is twofold. First, yogurt contains lactic acid, which is a natural exfoliant and great for acne-prone skin. Second, much like ingesting probiotics, using yogurt that contains live active cultures topically has also been shown to decrease inflammation through skin absorption. While scientists are still researching which bacterial strains survive best on the skin's surface, Bowe believes that probiotics in skin-care products is going to be a big trend.

Courtesy of Brands

Where to Find Products with Probiotics
Does the thought of putting live bacteria on your face weird you out? Many skin-care companies have developed products that contain "probiotic technology." While some face creams, like Epicuren Acidophilus Probiotic Facial Cream ($78, epicuren.com), contain actual probiotic cultures, a lot of other companies have created products that contain ingredients derived from the extracts of bacteria or that are made up of broken-down probiotic cells that are no longer alive.

Products with probiotic technology include Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream ($18, burtsbees.com) and Clinique Redness Solutions Makeup with SPF 15 ($27, clinique.com). And we love TULA Hydrating Day & Night Cream ($49, tulaforlife.com). TULA—a skin-care brand founded by Roshini Raj, M.D., a gastroenterologist who also studies the benefits of probiotics in skin-care products—uses probiotic technology in all of their products.

How to Handle Falling on Your Face in Yoga Class

Or doing any other silly yogi thing we're all bound to do at some point or another

Once upon a time, when I was a yoga ninja-in-training, I took an incredibly packed yoga class in Santa Monica, California. We were practicing sun salutations, which involve a move during which you jump from a standing forward fold into a pushup position called chaturanga. Ideally, this transition is executed with quiet ease.

The teacher decided to pluck me out of the crowd of 80 people to use as an example.

“Now, let’s watch Kathryn jump back into chaturanga,” she said. I did exactly what she asked.

“Isn’t that amazing?" she exclaimed. "Look how tiny she is, and yet when she jumps back to chaturanga, she sounds like a ton of bricks!”

The class erupted into laughter while I melted into an embarrassed pile of failure, wishing I could abracadabra my way out of the mortifying experience.

"Look how tiny she is, and yet she sounds like a ton of bricks!” The teacher proceeded to give tips on ways I could make my jump back smoother and lighter, but the damage had been done. I had crashed down (literally) in front of a group of 80 people. I involuntarily became the butt of the daily yoga joke, and my ego was trashed.

Of course, what I didn’t realize at the time was how far off my concept of failure was. I had translated not doing something well to failure when, in fact, it actually translates simply to learning.

Every student of every discipline must fall and must "fail." I tell my students regularly that messing up is a gift to every individual. If we came into a yoga class and executed everything perfectly on the first try, there would be nothing to work toward! There wouldn’t be anything luring us back, no projects to dedicate ourselves to achieving, no celebratory ‘a-ha!’ moments of victory.

I had crashed down (literally) in front of a group of 80 people. Being perfect at something would be horribly boring.

Keep that in mind every time you do something that you consider embarrassing in a yoga class (or anywhere else, for that matter). If you fall flat on your face from crow pose, get back up and laugh! That’s what a child without fear of judgment would do. It’s also a great moment to note, "Okay, so that adjustment didn’t work out so well for me. Good to know. I’ll make sure to not do that again!" Every hiccup, bump, or fall is a teacher in and of itself.

Being perfect at something would be horribly boring. I heard this quote recently, and it’s the perfect way to sum up all of this: "What is the difference between a master and a beginner? The master has failed more times that the beginner has even tried."

Next time you fall down, pick yourself back up, little ninja. That fall was a mere stamp of progress on your winding road to awareness, strength, and knowledge.

Kathryn Budig is a jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the contributing yoga expert for Women's Health magazine, a Yoga Journal contributor, yogi-foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam's Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws, and author of Rodale's The Women's Health Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or on her site.

This New Health App Allows Doctors to Post Pics of Patients' Gross Medical Problems (NSFW)

Is it an awesome advancement in medical care or huge invasion of privacy?

The next time you head into the doctor’s office with a weird “I have no idea what this could possibly be” health issue, get ready—your M.D. could very well whip out her cell phone, take a photo, and upload it for the world to see.

A new smartphone health app called Figure 1 allows doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to snap, upload, and share photos with others. Basically, it’s set up like an Instagram for M.D.s. Users can browse images based on body part (eye, nose, stomach, upper limb, back, etc.), mark photos to review later, and comment on them.

The photos, which are as gnarly as you might imagine, are sure to churn most people’s stomachs. But for health care professionals, especially those who are new to their field or in an area with limited support, they could be vital to helping them make accurate diagnoses and treatment decisions.

Figure 1 / jskenndy

“Medicine is a profession in which we are all constantly learning, says Sachin H. Jain, M.D., chief medical officer of CareMore Health System. “One way we learn is by consulting other physicians and medical professionals. Tools like Figure 1 that help facilitate conversations with other clinicians about clinical care will help us take better care of patients and augment our learning and understanding of medical conditions and their treatments.”

But is sharing patients’ images (there’s even an entire image feed for reproductive organs), even if it’s for the patient’s good, above board? Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy regulations, which are intended to prohibit doctors from sharing personal information about their patients, don’t extend to photos in which the patients are not identifiable. For that reason, Figure 1’s website states that users must remove any identifying details related to the patient (like faces or tattoos) prior to uploading. The app even contains an automatic face-blocking tool and manual block tool for any other features a doctor needs to hide from view. And before an image goes live on the app, moderators check to make sure the patient is in no way identifiable.

Figure 1 / Brad369

But is that enough? “While the photos themselves may fall outside of the HIPAA privacy regulations, the subsequent discussion between physicians about the particulars of a patient’s malady may inadvertently disclose personal health information,” says N. Hausfeld, M.D., a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and founder of The Society of Physician Entrepreneurs. “I would therefore make it mandatory to receive the patient’s permission to disclose their photographs and other pertinent information about their history on a platform like this.”

Figure 1 does contain an in-app consent form for those users who want to get their patients’ consent as well as those that have to due to jurisdiction or medical facility requirements. “Patient privacy must always remain at the forefront of our considerations and it will be up to apps like Figure 1 to build in appropriate safeguards to ensure that patient privacy is always protected—and it will be up to healthcare professionals to continually exercise common sense when using these tools,” says Jain.

Figure 1 / jhiland317RN

The one safeguard it doesn’t have, though, is a way to verify that everyone commenting on photos and giving diagnoses are actually doctors. And even if the commenter is a physician, users need to know that he or she has the appropriate background and expertise to offer up opinions, says Hausfeld.

Currently, anyone can join the app, look at images, and even comment on them. (Seriously, you’ve got to take a look!) However, only medical staff can become “verified.” Just like Twitter’s blue tick verifies a user is legit, the app puts a check mark by users’ names if Figure 1 staff members have verified that the users are, in fact, who they say they are. They do this by contacting the user’s medical facility or searching authoritative databases. Fellow users have no information about the health care professional apart from their username and specialty.

It’s an iffy area, and getting a second, third, or thousandth opinion—especially online—has both serious pros and cons. In the end, it’s up to the doctor and patient to figure out what’s best for them...right?

Will Doing Workouts That Are Twice as Long Double Your Weight-Loss Results?

The official answer

Summer is almost here, offering up the double-whammy of constant beach trips and weddings every other weekend. You know what that means: a renewed commitment to the gym because you want to look good and feel even better. In the interest of shaping up fast, should you lengthen your workouts for the best results? Actually, you should do the exact opposite and shorten them, says Debi Silber, M.S., R.D., W.H.C., F.D.N.

“We know so much more about fitness now," she says. "We used to think long, drawn-out cardio sessions were the best way to blast fat. Now we know the shorter bursts in high-intensity interval training burn so much more fat in a fraction of the time." Science backs her up in a major way: Not only does high-intensity interval training (HIIT) amp up your calorie burn, it strengthens your heart, helps regulate your blood sugar, and keeps your metabolism chugging along at a higher rate after the workout’s done.

It seems logical that a longer workout would help you drop pounds faster, but there are a few reasons quick sweat sessions are the way to go. First of all, even though exercising pays off with feel-good endorphins, extended workouts can actually boost your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. “Your body perceives long workouts as a stressor, so your adrenal glands respond as if your body’s in crisis and flood you with cortisol,” says Silber. When your body interprets those stress signals, it doesn’t properly convert food into glycogen, or energy. Instead, it sends those calories straight to your middle, where they park themselves as fat, says SIlber.

Beyond that, longer workouts can promote an injury that sidelines you from the fitness game completely, especially if you’re jumping into them all of a sudden. “If you’re doing the same kind of exercise for a long time, you’re putting way too much stress and tension on your muscles, joints, and ligaments,” says Silber. HIIT workouts don’t leave you as injury-prone, and they give your muscles a chance to bounce back in their newer, sleeker forms.

Longer workouts, on the other hand, might exhaust your muscles to the point where they can’t change as easily. “With the right kind of exercise, you’re breaking down the muscle in order to build it back up," says Silber. "When you over-exercise, you’re not giving your muscles a chance to repair." Ditching marathon workouts in favor of the HIIT variety helps promote muscle confusion, which protects your muscles from getting used to one kind of workout and not changing.

Then there’s one of the biggest benefits of HIIT: It just takes less time. “The biggest excuse people make for not exercising is that they don’t have time," says Silber. "If you try to lengthen your workout, you just won’t want to do it." But you’ll be hard pressed to convince yourself you don’t have 20 minutes to squeeze in a workout, especially when you know it’s one that’s proven to deliver results.

Miyerkules, Abril 29, 2015

The Time Men Consider Sex O'clock

How does your guy's sexy schedule compare?

When do you feel your sexiest? Chances are, it's not when your guy most wants a roll in the hay—at least according to a recent survey from the British sex toy company Lovehoney and reported by the Daily Mail Online. Men are horniest at 7:54 a.m., according to the findings. Women, on the other hand, said their sexy time was at 11:21 p.m., on average.

To come to these (admittedly unscientific) conclusions, Lovehoney surveyed 2,300 people, 68 percent of whom said they've dated someone whose sex drive was out of sync with their own at least once.

Surprisingly, only 16 percent of men said they wanted to knock boots right before bedtime. Something tells us most dudes would be all too happy to get some action, regardless of the timing (and that the majority of ladies would also likely compromise if it meant more sex was in the cards). But if you're struggling with a low libido, it can't hurt to load up on these foods that boost your sex drive. Especially since so many of the eats—like salmon and peaches—are delish.

Turns Out, You Could Still Be at Risk for HPV Even if You Had the Vaccine

A convincing argument to continue using condoms—even if you've gotten the shots

If you had the HPV vaccine when you were younger, that means you don’t ever have to worry about getting the disease…right?

Wrong. A recent study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research found that women who’ve had Gardasil (the original HPV vaccine) could still be at risk for certain high-risk strains of the disease. (The study hasn't been published in a journal yet.)

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease, and it can lead to cervical cancer. While there are about 200 types, only about 40 strains are spread through sex, and only a handful are associated with cervical cancer. Gardasil is available for young women ages 9 to 26 and boys ages 9 to 15.

For the study, researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) analyzed data from 592 women ages 20 to 26. Eighty of them had gotten Gardasil, while the rest of the women were not vaccinated against HPV. Those that had Gardasil were less likely to be infected with one of the four strains (6, 11, 16, or 18) that the vaccine protects against: 11 percent of the women who had Gardasil were infected with one of the four strains, compared to 20 percent of the unvaccinated ladies.

The vaccinated women who were found to be infected were most likely exposed to the HPV virus before getting Gardasil, says Abbey Berenson, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics at UTMB. "The vaccine does not protect against infections that existed before a patient was vaccinated," she says.

Here’s the scary part, though: 60 percent of the women who had Gardasil were actually infected with other high-risk strains of the disease that the original vaccine doesn’t protect against, compared to 40 percent of the unvaccinated women. Whoa.

The researchers factored in things that could raise the risk of HPV (such as how many sexual partners the women had), yet they found that the women who had the Gardasil shot were still 40 percent more likely to contract one of the high-risk strains not covered by the vaccine. Berenson explains that this was likely a chance finding. "The measures in this study were only taken at one point in time, and the sample was relatively small," says Berenson.

Alyssa Dweck, M.D., an ob-gyn and the co-author of V is for Vagina, who was not involved in the study, says it's possible that women who've been vaccinated may feel more protected and therefore might exercise less caution when it comes to practicing safe sex—which could help explain why the ladies in the study who got their shots were more likely to become infected with these other strains of HPV.

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So what does that mean for you? The researchers suggest that women who’ve had the Gardasil shot could benefit from getting a new version of the vaccine—Gardasil 9—that protects against nine strains of HPV, which was approved in December 2014. However, this shot, like the original vaccine, is only recommended for women ages 9 to 26 (since most women over 26 have already been exposed to the virus, which would reduce the vaccine's efficacy). It's also important to keep in mind that the study only looked at a small group of women. "When you think about the millions of people getting this vaccine, [80 women] is a pretty small group," says Dweck.

That being said, practicing safe sex is crucial—whether or not you've been vaccinated. Condoms don't fully protect against HPV (it's spread through skin-to-skin contact so they don't offer enough coverage), but they can still lessen the chance of getting it. HPV can also be spread through anal sex and most likely through oral sex, as well, so condoms and dental dams are still super important to use, says Dweck. And when it comes to cervical cancer, check in with your ob-gyn about how often you should be getting tested. Dweck points out that the guidelines have recently changed. Starting at age 21, you should get a pap smear every three years until age 30. Once you hit 30, you can either get a pap smear with an HPV test every five years or a pap smear without the HPV test every three years.

Would You Let Your Friend Breastfeed Your Baby?

...Or would you breastfeed hers?

You share everything with your girlfriends, so you might as well breastfeed their babies too, right? Err...

That’s one of the concepts explored in new research from The Ohio State University. In the study, researchers surveyed 500 new mothers about their knowledge of breast milk sharing as well as if they had used donated milk or donated milk themselves.

Here’s what the researchers discovered: Women who were educated and had higher incomes were more likely to be aware of the concept of breast milk sharing. They were also more likely to consider using another woman’s breast milk and to donate their own milk for another baby. Four percent of the women surveyed had either used donated milk or provided milk to another child, and nearly half of them did it with friends and relatives.

Yup, they either breastfed a friend’s or relative’s baby or had a friend or relative nurse theirs. That’s not shocking to Diane L. Spatz, Ph.D., a professor of perinatal nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and nurse researcher at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Spatz hosts a regular panel of breastfeeding moms and says several of the participants in the last panel mentioned that they cross-nursed. “Cross-nursing has always happened in certain communities, but it’s definitely increasing,” she says.

Why is it happening? Most women do it to help a friend or family member who is sick or has a lowered milk supply. “For women who are very informed about the benefits of human milk and the risks of infant formula, they feel like cross-nursing is a better-informed choice,” says Spatz.

But while 25 percent of the new moms who participated in the recent research were game to swap milk, 27 percent of the women surveyed said they hadn’t thought about safety when it came to using breast milk from another woman. That’s pretty risky—even if you’re getting milk from a friend, says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D.

“Human milk is a bodily fluid, and cross-nursing can spread diseases,” she says—those include hepatitis, HIV, and other STDs. Certain medications, caffeine, and alcohol can also be transmitted through the milk and affect your baby. “While you may pay close attention to what you put in your body, other women may not,” points out Wider.

And even just a difference in diet can make an impact. For example, if your friend has one more cup of coffee than you a day, the caffeine in it could affect your baby, keeping him awake and making him jittery.

Cross-nursing can also confuse or frustrate a baby who has bonded with his mother, says Wider, which can make it difficult for him to nurse on either one of you afterward.

There’s the psychological aspect of it, too, says Kristi Watterberg, M.D., a neonatalist and professor of pediatrics at the University of New Mexico. While Watterberg says the reaction really depends on the mother, she points out that if a mom has a friend or relative nurse her baby and then discovers something that upsets her about that person’s medical history or diet, there’s no going back. “Both outcomes might be stressful,” she says.

Watterberg also cites a 2012 study published in the Asian Journal of Transfusion Science that looked at people who received blood transfusions from relatives and friends instead of going to a blood bank, thinking it was safer. As it turns out, it wasn’t, and it put a lot of pressure on the friends or relatives who may have had something in their background they didn’t want to talk about. Meaning, it’s totally possible that your friend or sister has an STD that you’ll never know about because she’s embarrassed—but it could be transferred to your baby if she cross-nurses your child.

While the FDA doesn’t say that women shouldn’t cross-nurse, it does warn that feeding a baby with milk from a source that isn’t its mother is risky. It also says it’s best to talk to your doctor first.

Despite the risks, Wider notes that there are some potential benefits to cross-nursing. If a mom can’t breastfeed temporarily due to an illness and knows her friend’s medical history, the baby can get the benefits of breast milk in a situation where he or she might not otherwise have the opportunity. Wider also points out that you’re more likely to know your friend’s medical history and what she puts into her body, making her “probably safer” than a stranger.

But while experts stress that breast milk is the best way to feed an infant, Watterberg says we don’t really know how the actual milk from another source can impact your baby and whether it carries the same benefits as nursing your own child, like improved neurodevelopment.

So should you have your BFF cross-nurse your baby? Maybe. Just talk to your doctor first—and make sure you know everything about your friend’s medical history.

These 5 Moves Can Strengthen, Tighten, and Transform Your Body

Here's a brand-new routine using the same #Gimme5Challenge exercises!

If you’ve been following along with the #Gimme5Challenge, you know that we're about to be one month down! Congrats to all participants! You ladies have been so committed, and the results are showing.

I’ve been checking you out on Instagram and noticing two things: 1) Several of you have made solid improvements in your strength. You’ve increased your weight load for many of the moves, and that’s amazing. 2) Your technique has improved on the more complicated moves like the front squat and deadlift. This, too, is a sign that you're getting stronger.

Officially bumped up to 10 pounders for the @womenshealthmag #Gimme5Challenge! I won't lie, the end of the workout was not pretty but I'm actually kind of excited to be sore tomorrow #WhoAmI? How's the form on my chest press @hollyperkins? Thanks! - Kara B

A video posted by @whgimme5challenge on Apr 21, 2015 at 5:37pm PDT

If you haven’t been taking part and just stumbled across this challenge, stay with me for a minute. I’ll show you how you can join us this month!

Now begins the next stage of fun! In order to keep making improvements in your strength and fitness, it’s essential to keep asking your body to do new work. So for the next 30 days, I’m going to shake things up and give you brand new programming with the same five moves. Yep—same moves, but you’ll execute the workouts differently.

I’ve designed the program so that you can join us even if you haven’t been following along since April 1. This month’s program is different from last month's, but it is also designed for all fitness levels.

its friday. so how about a mid-week selfie shot since my black skinnies are fitting better and better as the #gimme5challenge continues @hollyperkins @womenshealthmag #friYAY #ootd -Kara S.

A photo posted by @whgimme5challenge on Apr 24, 2015 at 4:18pm PDT

The key is this: In order to inspire change and strength improvements in your muscles, you must demand that they work harder than they are currently able to. That sounds like a conundrum, but it’s really pretty simple. This month, I’ll ask you to perform 10 repetitions of each exercise. Choose a weight load at which you can complete the first eight repetitions with excellent technique. Not sure what that looks like? Check out the guided tutorials on each move below! The weight that you choose should be heavy enough that the last two repetitions (numbers nine and 10) should be very, very hard—your perfect technique should begin to break down a bit.

Dinner it's been a salad week for me with Red Wine Vinegarette @womenshealthmag @hollyperkins making better food choices as well as #Gimmie5 T.Martin

A photo posted by @whgimme5challenge on Apr 16, 2015 at 5:54pm PDT

Before I introduce this month’s new programming, I’d like to review some of the tools that will help you to make the most of this challenge.

1. Be sure to take pictures of yourself at the start to serve as your "before" photos, and take progress photos every two weeks throughout the challenge. (Here are some tips on snapping those pics.)
2. Take your circumference measurements at the start and every two weeks. (Check out our handy instructional infographic here.)
3. Follow us at @whgimme5challenge and @hollyperkins on Instagram.
4. Post photos and videos of your workouts on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #Gimme5Challenge. I’ll answer questions and provide feedback on your video if you’d like!

So let’s get to the good stuff! This month you’ll be performing the same five awesome moves:

This month will look similar to last month, but I’ve changed the order and pairing of exercises and increased the number of reps. This is going to give your body the perfect amount of new stimulus to inspire new progress and changes.

#GIMME5CHALLENGE, PART 2: MAY 1 TO MAY 30
You’ll be following a straight set system again this month. This means that you will complete one set of an exercise for the noted reps and then rest for the designated time. Then you’ll complete all five sets of the same exercise before moving on to the next move. For this month, you’ll complete five sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest in between all sets.

Suggested weekly schedule:
Monday: Workout A
Wednesday: Workout B
Friday: Workout C

Here are videos demos of me performing each of the five moves:

Dumbbell Front Squat

Dumbbell Deadlift

Bent-Over Row

Dumbbell Chest Press

Dumbbell Overhead Press

Remember: Technique trumps everything! Make sure you spend some time reviewing the moves here and watching the video tutorials. If your technique is right, all you have to do is select the weight loads that make the last two repetitions hard. And that’s it! So simple, right? When you are smart about exercise selection and programming, it doesn’t take tons of fancy moves to see results.

I can’t wait to follow along with you ladies this month! Let’s get STRONG!

Nothing is more motivating than having a friend work out with you! -Lindsey @hollyperkins @womenshealthmag #gimme5challenge

A photo posted by @whgimme5challenge on Apr 8, 2015 at 3:45pm PDT

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Holly Perkins is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, founder of Women’s Strength Nation, and author of Lift to Get Lean.

How to Heal Your Bruises a Whole Lot Faster

Bare your legs without any embarrassment.

Warmer weather is finally (finally!) here, and you know what that means—it’s time to show off your gams in cute skirts and sundresses. Granted, you may feel less inclined to reach for your favorite pair of Daisy Dukes if you experience bruising on the regular. Find out what’s to blame for your dark spots—and follow these doctor-approved tricks to speed up the healing process.

What’s Making You Bruise?
Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that transport nutrients between blood and surrounding tissues—and any change to them can lead to a bruise. "You have little capillaries that are only cushioned by tissue [collagen] and skin," says Rachel Nazarian, M.D., a dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in New York City. "Anything that causes that skin to thin, the collagen to decrease, or the actual walls of the capillaries to be weaker [and break], is going to increase your likelihood of bruising."

RELATED: 7 Reasons You Bruise Easily

Some areas—like the shins—have less cushion, making them more prone to bruising. Another culprit? Vitamin deficiency. The two main vitamins you need to prevent them are vitamin C and K, says Nazarian. "If you're vitamin deficient, you actually have a clotting abnormality," she says.

And unfortunately, some people are just more susceptible to bruising than others. "When the skin is more transparent [a.k.a. you're pale], the blood underneath is going to be more obvious," says Nazarian. So while you may not actually be bruising more, the marks are more apparent.

How to Speed up the Healing Process
If your bruise is changing color, that’s a good sign. What starts as a deep red-purple will eventually turn into a yellow-green, and then a golden brown before the bruise disappears. But we know that can feel like it takes forever. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to speed things along.

Dermend Moisturizing Bruise Formula Cream ($30, cvs.com) is one topical treatment you can use daily if you're prone to bruising. You can also use it when you have a bruise since it’s infused with arneca, a flower that increases blood circulation and treats inflammation, says Nazarian.

If you’re vitamin-deficient, ingesting vitamins C and K, either through your diet or via supplements, will help prevent constant bruising, while topical application will help to heal a bruise faster. Try applying VI DERM Vitamin C Topical Serum ($80, vipeel.com) or Reviva Labs Vitamin K Cream ($19, gnc.com) to areas you often get them so that you can start treating them before they even appear.

Oddly enough, eating a lot of pineapple may also do some good, too. The fruit contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps reduce swelling, says Nazarian.

Nazarian also recommends icing the bruise within 24 hours to reduce inflammation and possible pain, in addition to applying an elastic bandage. "Using a bandage can help slow the blood flow to better control the bleeding,” she says. “It can minimize the size of the bruise."

The Best Camouflage Options

While you’re waiting for that thing to completely fade, you can use cover-up to conceal bruises. "My go-to [brand] is Cover FX,” says Nazarian. “[Their products] tend to have more of an opaque covering with a lot of different skin tones and provide great coverage when basic makeup won’t cover it." Simply dab the product over the bruise, and blend with your fingertips.

And since bruising is less noticeable on darker skin tones, swap in a tinted body lotion for your daily moisturizer. Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer ($6.79, jergens.com) and NKD SKN Gradual Glow Daily Tan Moisturizer ($15, ulta.com) provide all day hydration and safe color.