Plastic Surgery Pittsburgh

Huwebes, Mayo 28, 2015

10 Things All Brides Do But Would Never Admit To

Like, you know, turning your bridesmaids into your servants

You’re knee-deep in the months of budgeting, working out like a fiend, and negotiating with your mother. You’ve resolved not to turn into a bridezilla because you are not that kind of bride. You are a perfect angel who’s not asking for much: just a fairytale party that meets the fantastical expectations you’ve had since childhood. You’ll succeed for the most part at this, but underneath those layers of test makeup, you’re still human, and thus likely to commit these 10 bridal behaviors.

1. Consider Taking Out a Second Mortgage for the Dress of Your Dreams
You were warned not to try on a dress that was out of your price range, but you saw those layers of chiffon and that beading that was so unique and you just couldn’t resist—and now your days and nights are haunted with images of you walking down the aisle in a dress that’s (literally) suited for a princess. You guys don’t really need appetizers at your wedding, right? And flowers are so overrated.

2. Wonder if You Can Get Away with Uninviting Your Mother from Your Wedding
Yes, you realize she gave you life and made you the person you are today, or whatever, but with every “family friend” she “asks” you to invite and every comment about how it’s “interesting” that your bridesmaids are showing so much skin, you have horrible fantasies about eloping or somehow letting Mom’s invite get lost in the mail.

3. Turn Your Bridesmaids into Your Servants
That DIY centerpiece looked so easy on Pinterest, but the reality is that you have way too much spray tanning and teeth whitening to do and thus do not have time to hot glue fake birds onto 23 mason jars. Luckily, you have a trusty group of beloved girlfriends who are there to ~~do manual labor~~ craft for you while you ~~boss them around~~ give them constructive criticism.

4. Invite People Because You’re Secretly Hoping They’ll Offer a Service You Can Use
Whittling down your list is so hard, and the final decision on who makes the cut depends on a number of factors—not least of which, if you’re honest, is whether one of your friends is an amazing photographer or has the voice of an angel. You’d feel worse if you weren’t paying $75 for their dinner.

5. Scour Your Fiancé’s Friends’ Instagram Accounts for Details on What Happened at the Bachelor Party
You said that you trusted him and just wanted him to have fun at his party, and you meant it...until visions of a woman named Fantasy giving him a lap dance went racing through your mind.

6. Cheat...on Your Stupid Wedding Diet
The big day will come and go, but those photos are around forever, which is why you’ve committed to this amazing (torturous) miracle (idiotic) diet. Maybe you’d actually be able to subsist on quinoa and kale if you weren’t dealing with an endless list of flaky caterers and friends who still haven’t RSVP'd and OMG someone give you a cookie, like, yesterday.

7. Go Back and Forth over Whether You Will Change Your Last Name
His last name is okay...for something that sounds like a rare kind of fungus. You want to have the same name as your kids someday, though, so you’ll probably take it. Or maybe you should hyphenate? Regardless of what you decide, you’ll have long conversations with multiple girlfriends before ever bringing it up with him.

8. Be Perpetually Disappointed in One of Your Bridesmaids
It’s hard to believe right now, but there was a time in your life when this wedding wasn’t all you could think about. Back in those days, when you were called to duty as a bridesmaid, you swore that when it was your turn, you wouldn’t freak out over everyone attending every single event. And yet, here you are, furiously explaining to your sister that her selfish decision to go to the ER on the day of your shower is making you question her love for you.

9. Be Truly Horrified by Some of the Presents You Receive
It’s the thought that counts—unless that thought is, “this couple definitely needs a bright orange crocheted tea cosy.” You’re very grateful for every gift you guys get (that’s your official stance anyway), but for the life of you, you can’t remember registering at the flea market.

10. Make the Secret Executive Decision to Wear Hair and Eyelash Extensions for the Rest of Your Life
Yes, you said you were going to get them “just for the wedding,” and you meant it— but after spending one day running errands with your all-false-everything, you’ve gotten a taste of what it feels like to look like a pop star. And you’re never going to give it up. You’ll figure out that whole “find time and money to go to a salon every week” thing as soon as you get your seating plan done.

All gifs courtesy of giphy.com

Turns Out, We've All Been Pooping the Wrong Way Our Entire Lives

Yup, there’s actually a technique to it.

How many of you actually think about how you’re sitting on the toilet when you take a crap? (Anyone?) Turns out, it's something you should consider. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Giulia Enders, the author of Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ (it's a bestseller in her native Germany and was just released in paperback in English), explains that there is a right way to position yourself on the potty, and it's all about squatting.

"1.2 billion people around the world who squat have almost no incidence of diverticulosis [a condition that occurs when pouches in the bowel become inflamed, leading to abdonimal pain, constipation, and rectal bleeding] and fewer problems with piles [hemorrhoids]," says Enders in the interview. "We in the west, on the other hand, squeeze our gut tissue until it comes out of our bottoms." (Sorry for the nasty mental image.) Enders, who is studying for a microbiology degree in Frankfurt, Germany, also tells The Guardian that there are various studies showing that people can poop more efficiently if they squat. One 2012 study published in the Digestive Diseases and Sciences journal, for instance, found that people who squatted on a 12-inch toilet while pooping took 51 seconds, while those who sat without squatting on a 16-inch toilet took 130 seconds.

Can't picture what squatting on the toilet looks like? Enders tells The Guardian that you can use a little stool to place your feet on while you're sitting. Voila—it's as simple as that. You can also buy what's called—we sh*t you not—a "Squatty Potty," to make things even easier.

A photo posted by Kami // Cleanse Your Life (@cleanseyourlife) on May 23, 2015 at 3:33pm PDT

Try this technique yourself the next time you've gotta go. Your bowels will thank you—and maybe you'll even tone your legs at the same time.

How to Check Yourself for Skin Cancer

Could your mole be something serious?

If you haven’t made an appointment with your derm yet for your yearly skin check, it’s time to get on it. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. (nearly five million Americans are treated for it every year)—and one in five of people will get it during our lifetimes, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. So it’s kind of a big deal.

Already been inspected by your doc? Good for you—but that doesn’t give you the liberty to skip paying attention to your skin for the next 365 days. (Sorry!) It’s important to keep track of the moles on your body year-round since any changes to them could signify skin cancer. Yikes.

RELATED: 5 New Ways to Spot Skin Cancer

If you’re healthy with no history of the disease, ask your dermatologist how often you should be checking yourself, says Debra Wattenberg, M.D., a dermatologist with the Academy of Dermatology. Meanwhile, if you’ve got a lot of moles, you should check yourself two to three times a year, in addition to your annual exam, she says.

Here’s how to do it: Strip down to your birthday suit, and position yourself somewhere with good lighting. “Start at your scalp, and separate strands of hair to look closely at it,” says Wattenberg. “Then, move down to your face. Look under your nose and behind your ears. Continue down your neck, and look at your arms, underarms, and the back of your arms. Move on to your chest, abdomen, and pelvis and groin area. Then you should sit down and check your feet. Look at the area between your toes, as well as under your nails.” Finally, have a partner look at the backs of your legs, your butt, your back, and everywhere else you can’t see yourself (you can also use a mirror to do this). “The back is the number one place people get melanoma,” says Wattenberg.

The bottom line: Nothing beats being examined by a trained professional’s eye, but you should still be aware of what’s happening to your skin. Your vigilance could save your life.

Miyerkules, Mayo 27, 2015

11 Men Reveal The Sex Moves They Hate (But Won't Admit to Your Face)

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Certain Chain Restaurants Are Cutting Artificial Ingredients from Their Menus—But Will That Even Matter?

A nutritionist weighs in on whether the food will actually be healthier.

A growing number of fast food chains are removing artificial ingredients from their menus, and two more have just joined the list: Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Taco Bell announced that it plans to get rid of artificial flavors and colors in its food by the end of the year, and Pizza Hut will get rid of them by the end of July. (Both restaurants are owned by the same company, Yum Brands.)

Taco Bell says that more than 95 percent of its food items will be impacted by the change, minus drinks and food from other brands like Doritos. “These changes will not compromise the taste and flavors enjoyed at Taco Bell,” the company says in a press release.

On the chopping block for Taco Bell: The yellow No. 6 coloring for its nacho cheese, “black pepper flavor” used on its beef, and high-fructose corn syrup.

While Pizza Hut says they’ll get rid of artificial ingredients (but don’t say which), they pointed out in a press release that they don’t use fillers in their meat toppings or add sugar or oil to their marinara sauce. They also said their cheese is made from 100 percent whole-milk mozzarella and that they’ve already reduced the amount of sodium in their pizzas.

Why are they doing this now? "Today's consumer more than ever before wants to understand the ingredients that make up the foods that they enjoy," Pizza Hut CEO David Gibbs said in a statement.

Of course, they may also be feeling pressure from consumers now that other restaurants and brands have done the same thing. In the past few months, major companies like Kraft, Nestle, Pepsi, Chipotle, McDonald’s, Subway, and Panera have declared that they’re eliminating certain ingredients from their menus.

While this all sounds good, what does it mean, exactly? Will Pizza Hut and Taco Bell be healthier as a result of ditching artificial ingredients?

Not exactly, says nutritionist Jessica Cording, R.D. “Removing these ingredients is a positive step, given the range of related health concerns,” she says. “Regardless of what we do and don't know about the long-term effects of these flavoring, coloring, and sweetening agents, they certainly aren't actively good for us, and many consumers and health-care professionals will be happy to see them go.”

Nutritionist Lisa Moskovitz, R.D., founder of New York Nutrition Group, agrees and points out that artificial flavors and colors aren’t doing anything for us nutritionally, anyway.

She’s particularly happy to see Taco Bell’s yellow No. 6 dye go but points out that this still doesn’t make either place the best restaurant to visit when you’re trying to eat well since the changes don’t significantly lower calories, salt, sugar, or saturated fats in their foods.

“These foods should not be a staple in anyone's diet no matter how many artificial ingredients they filter out,” says Moskovitz.

So while eliminating artificial ingredients is a step in the right direction, pizza and tacos are still foods that should only be eaten here and there. If you want to eat healthy, it’s better to choose foods that contain more nutritious ingredients, not just real ingredients…or you could always prepare your meals yourself.

Consider Yourself Very Lucky if You Don’t Have One of These 5 Vaginal Disorders

Your lady parts will cry after reading this.

Your vagina is a pretty low-maintenance body part (it cleans itself, after all). But for some women, it can be a major pain—literally. Numbers vary, but a small percentage of otherwise healthy women deal with rare but very real vaginal conditions that cause excruciating discomfort that makes having sex—and even day-to-day activities like sitting down—extremely difficult. And the worst part is, doctors don’t always know what causes them, which means treatment can be spotty or nonexistent. Here are five down-there disorders that make life difficult for some unlucky ladies.

Muscles That Clench So Much, You Can't Insert Tampons
This is typically what happens when you have vaginismus, a mysterious disorder characterized by involuntary tightening of the pelvic floor muscles that control the vagina, says Teresa Hoffman, M.D., an ob-gyn at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. The clenched muscles can be uncomfortable or painful, even triggering spasms. “What causes it isn’t clear, but there may be a psychological component to it, such as anxiety or past sexual abuse,” says Hoffman. The good news is, vaginismus can be treated. One option involves Kegel exercises: tightening and then releasing the pelvic floor muscles over time to help you gain control over them. Another treatment option is to insert slender plastic dilators you get from your doctor into the vagina regularly to relax the pelvic floor muscles.

Intense Burning Pain at the Opening of Your Vagina
Women with vulvodynia experience chronic pain at the opening of the vagina. We’re not just talking about a dull ache; the pain is often described as being an intense burning sensation, says Hoffman. The worst part is, it’s unclear what’s behind it. “Glands at the opening of the vagina become inflamed for some reason, making it too painful to have sex,” says Hoffman. Even activities like walking or sitting can be excruciating. Since the cause is unknown (it’s not related to STDs or other infections), treatment generally involves lessening the symptoms. That can mean going on antidepressants or other meds or having surgery to excise the inflamed areas, says Hoffman.

White Plaques That Develop Down There-and Become Crazy Itchy
Add lichen sclerosus to the long list of side effects of perimenopause, that life stage in your mid- to late-40s when production of sex hormones such as estrogen begins to wind down. “Lower estrogen levels can result in the formation of thick white plaques on the skin of and around the vagina,” says Hoffman. “It’s very itchy; it’s like eczema of the vagina.” Besides the pigment change, vaginal tissue affected by lichen sclerosus becomes thinner, which can also lead to discomfort and irritation. In severe cases, it can even make sex impossible. Luckily, lichen sclerosus can be treated with steroids or topical estrogen, says Hoffman, but it needs to be seen by your gyno so she can properly diagnose it.

Blocked Hymen Keeps Your Period From Leaving Your Vagina
The hymen—the ring of tissue at the entrance to the vagina—normally has a small hole in it, to allow menstrual blood and other fluid to escape. But some girls are born with an imperforate hymen, meaning this membrane totally blocks off the opening of the vagina, says Hoffman. “It’s usually diagnosed in teenagers after menstruation begins: The blood from a girl’s first periods has no way of leaving her vagina, so it builds up inside, causing a lot of pain,” says Hoffman. Once diagnosed, the hymen is corrected via a relatively minor surgical procedure, and it won’t affect a girl’s ability to have sex or get pregnant in the future.

Tender, Marble-Sized Lumps That Can Cause a Fever
Feeling an egg-size lump on your labia would be pretty freaky, right? That’s what can happen if you develop a cyst in the Bartholin's gland in your vagina. Here’s the lowdown: Each side of your outer labia contains a Bartholin’s gland, a tiny organ that exists to lubricate the outer end of the vagina. Thing is, it’s not uncommon for one of the Bartholin’s gland ducts to become clogged. Fluid builds up inside the duct, triggering a lump that can range in size from a pea to a marble, says Hoffman. Crazy as that sounds, the real problem happens when the duct becomes infected, turning into an absess. You’ll know this is the case because the lump will feel tender and painful, and you may even develop chills and a fever. "If that duct forms a cyst, it might be uncomfortable but not painful," says gynecologist Laurie Streicher, M.D., the author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever. "An absess, on the other hand, is horribly painful. Patients come in [to the doctor's office] waddling like a duck, saying, 'You've got to see me right now.'"

Should this happen to you, you need to hit your gyno’s office to have it drained, or the abscess will just get worse. “Antibiotics are needed too, to keep the infection from coming back,” says Hoffman. Cysts and absesses can recur in women who've had them before. "Unless you remove the gland, it can come back," says Streicher, who explains that that's really only an option for women who keep having absesses form (you won't notice anything different once you heal from surgery, but it is a painful procedure). And although there are no preventative measures you can take to prevent cysts, Streicher says that for the majority of women she's treated for an absess, she's drained it once and not seen recurring issues afterward.

7 Signs You Need to Try Another Bra Size

Is it time to break up with your boulder holder?

Like when you found out what sex was or that Lance Bass is gay, discovering that you've been wearing the wrong bra size is a life-altering moment.

Unfortunately, a lot of women are still living in the dark, says Lori Kaplan, director of Bra*Tenders lingerie store in New York City. And ignorance is definitely not bliss. "When you're wearing the right-sized bra, you can look 10 pounds thinner and 10 years younger in a minute," says Kaplan. That's because, when your girls are lifted, your waist is more distinguishable and your torso looks longer, she says.

Though Kaplan recommends getting professionally fitted for a bra once a year, you can assess how your goods look in your current bra with the pointers below from Kaplan. Are your boobs hanging tight—or are they ready for an upgraded boulder holder?