More Men Consider Procedures

By Clea Spahn

Cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures in the country are still mostly sought after by women, but nowadays there are more and more men that are choosing to have these procedures done. Non-surgical techniques of improving one's appearance are becoming more widely accepted, and men have become more open about having them.

Most men want a fast recovery time, and for the procedure to be unnoticed by their friends, family and coworkers, they want the process to fit into their life with ease. It has become evident that men have been looking closer at their skin and noticing imperfections, they are interested in looking their best, as well as watching for signs of skin cancer. It's also easier to see that the more sun exposed are also the most aged and this is no surprise given the deleterious effect of UV light on the skin's elastic network.

Future sun damage can be reduced, and damage from the past can be repaired as much as possible. It is pretty quick to apply, a little at night before bed, and an application following the morning shave.

For men, one of the more popular types of procedures is rhinoplasty. This may be due to the self-consciousness about a big nose, of an odd shape or a crooked nose. Rhinoplasty is generally performed as a day patient under a general anaesthetic and return to work is possible after a week but some bruising may persist for as long as two weeks.

Facial rejuvenation procedures such as face and neck lift and blepharoplasty can be done with very inconspicuous scars and this also appeals to men. Men do not wish to look like a lot of work has been done. In many cases, a man would mind having some wrinkles less than having obvious signs of having undergone a cosmetic procedure.

Fat is targeted in men using exercise and proper diet regimes, but even so, there are still some areas that have fat remaining. The abdomen is where most men have excess fat, or in the flank area. Shaping of these regions with liposuction can be done as a day patient and return to work the next day is usually possible which can suit the busy male lifestyle.

Those men who are particularly interested in having a muscular look to their bodies seem to be prone to look at hair removal as an option. The more powerful lasers are much more effective at significantly reducing hair numbers. Preceding the series of procedures to target the troublesome areas of the body, it is recommended that tanning is not done.

Men have these procedures done because of their own concerns, and they are not the same as what motivates women. In the world of business, competitiveness is big, and how someone looks is part of it. Finding a cosmetic surgeon that is experienced in procedures for men is a good idea, as it seems that many men today want to appear as they did in their youth.

About the Author:

See www.vitalitymwi.com for all your aesthetic medicine needs. Or, see medical weight loss here.

Healthy Bones for Men and Women Alike

by Baxter

Man and Woman by Marie Lossky

Upon reviewing our blog this morning on the topic of thinning of the bones or osteoporosis, and its precursor osteopenia, I found we had discussed the condition quite a few times, with some posts looking at the very technical aspects of diagnosis, Wolff’s law and other helpful concepts (see What is Osteopenia? And How Can Yoga Help?). However, my motivation for investigating the topic one more time arose out of preparing for a Teacher Training workshop I led over the weekend in Berkeley.  I was teaching to a group of 18 yoga teachers attending a post-graduate program in yoga therapy at the Niroga Institute. Over the course of the weekend, we covered topics ranging from basic skeletal anatomy to diseases and illnesses like arthritis, scoliosis and osteoporosis. And in preparing for the seminar, I purchased Yoga for Osteoporosis by Loren Fishman, MD and Ellen Saltonstall, and read, with great interest, the first several chapters that lead into their recommendations of yoga poses for osteoporosis.

There were several points that jumped out at me that I feel are worthy of repeating or, in some cases, sharing for the first time on these pages. First off, there is the perception that I believe still exists among the general population that osteoporosis is primarily a problem for women, and so men immediately tune out when the topic comes up. I’d recommend you tune back in, fellas! The following statistics are compelling for me as a man to start addressing prevention of osteoporosis in my own life:

While it is impressive that one in two women over 50 have an osteoporosis-related fracture, it is still quite impressive that one in four men over 50 will also experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.  More men over 50 will sustain a hip fracture due to osteoporosis than will develop prostate cancer (this was shocking to me!)  How come this is not being announced all over the country! And the mortality rate in the first year after a hip fracture is 25%! That’s right, one in four adults who sustain a hip fracture will be dead and gone within the 12 months that follow the break.

So, it is now clear to me that this condition is of equal concern for both men and women and has profound and serious consequences once it develops. The typical recommendation, still found on all of your standard info outlets, is for patients with osteoporosis or at risk for osteoporosis to do weight-bearing, impact exercise ( like walking and running) to stimulate bone growth.  The trouble with this, as Nina notes in her evaluation of the Fishman early protocol for osteoporosis (Friday Q&A: Is Loren Fishmans Osteoporosis Sequence Safe?), is that this approach can actually worsen other conditions we often have as we get older, like osteoarthritis.

But the great news that I shared with my aspiring yoga therapists is that low-impact practices like yoga asana may be as effective as older, mainstream recommended practices, like walking, hiking, aerobics and such, with less chance of worsening conditions like arthritis. The research data that shows that we can stimulate new bone growth along lines of stress by holding poses for between 8-72 seconds is, for me, the pivotal nuance to add to the yoga practice you are already doing. Because of this, I have been working recently with holding postures for 30-60 seconds, depending on the physical demands of a given pose (for example, holding Downward-Facing Dog for 60 seconds while holding Hand to Foot pose (Hasta Padangustasana), a much more demanding pose on many levels, for 30 seconds).

Remember that engaging opposing muscle groups while doing the pose increases the stimulation of the underlying bone cells that make new bone. So, in Downward-Facing Dog I consciously engage the muscles around all the joints I can think of: wrists joints (the third most commonly fractured joint in osteoporosis), elbows, shoulders, hips (the second most commonly fractured joint in osteoporosis and the one with the gravest consequences), knees and ankles. And because the vertebrae of the spine are the number one area of fracture in osteoporosis and often lead to chronic, debilitating pain, I have been adding in accessible back bends, like Locust pose, low Cobra pose and Bridge pose, which engage the extensor spinae muscles that attach along the entire length of the spine, and therefore each vertebrae, and holding these poses for 30-60 seconds.

Fishman also notes that while the mainstream medical community has often warned about twisting actions for osteoporosis, as they could lead to vertebral fractures, he and Saltonstall have continued to include simple, basic twists, like seated Sukhasana twist, in their protocols. He believes they may actually be stimulating vertebral bone strength. And the main caution in doing yoga if you already have osteoporosis or osteopenia (precursor to osteoporosis) is avoiding or modifying deep forward bends, which can increase your chances of vertebral fractures.

So, the take home messages for my trainees and all of you:

• Osteoporosis affects both men and women as we age, and it is easier to prevent than it is treat it, so get your yoga going, especially you fellas!
• A well-balanced yoga practice, done on the feet or hands or both, is a “simple, silent, inexpensive, and impact-free (for those with arthritis) way of applying force…” to build bone. 
• Holding your poses for 30-60 seconds is the key adaptation in transforming any yoga asana practice into a bone-building practice, even for your limbs that may not be bearing weight (such as your arms in Warrior 2, for example).
• If you already have a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia, minimize or avoid forward folding poses.

Live long and have strong bones!

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