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Keep Hydrated
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Staying hydrated is important for keeping your heart and circulatory system healthy. Thirst often feels similar to hunger, so drinking plenty of fluid can prevent over-eating and weight-gain. We have some tips to help you stay hydrated.
Am I dehydrated? Symptoms of dehydration include headaches, tiredness, irritability and difficulty concentrating. If your urine is pale and clear then you are hydrated. If your urine is more yellow, brown or dark in colour with a strong smell, you are probably not drinking enough. How much should I drink?
Aim to drink six to eight cups or glasses of fluid every day. You may need to drink more during hot weather, or if you are doing a lot of physical activity.
What should I drink? Water is best, but if you don’t like water, you could try herbal teas or sugar-free squash. Coffee and tea also count, but try to cut out any added sugar. You can get water from fruit and vegetables, such as cucumber, watermelon, tomatoes, oranges and apples. Avoid drinking too much alcohol as it causes you to urinate more, which can lead to dehydration.
If you’d like to support Heart Research UK’s vital work into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk for inspiration on how you could help.
You can find lots more tips, recipes and health advice at https://heartresearch.org.uk/
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Move Over Brows IT’S THE TURN OF THE LIPS!
By Marcia Trotter
As Audrey Hepburn once famously said: “I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick”.
Now you can follow in the footsteps of the famous Hollywood icon – but with none of the daily maintenance. Move over eyebrows, the Lip Blush is the new treatment craze. We have never had such a demand for the lip tattoo, a semi-permanent solution to the daily application of lipstick.
Gone are the days when visions of a lip line tattoo conjured up a conker brown harsh line outlining the natural lip. The treatment now is so subtle and natural, replacing colour that has been lost with age or re-defining pale coloured lips.
The impact is immediate, giving the illusion of volume and fuller lips instantly. It is a perfect alternative for ladies who do not want to have filler, but likewise it can also work hand-in-hand with aesthetic treatments to create a very personal and individual look.
The treatment will also balance any asymmetry or lopsidedness in the lips to create the perfect pout.
The correct terminology is Micropigmentation, but is more commonly referred to as semi-permanent makeup. It is not a new treatment; it has been around for decades and has proved to be safe and highly effective.
The first question I usually get asked is “Will it hurt?”
The lips have more than a million different nerve endings, they are one of the most sensitive parts of our body and are 100 times more sensitive that our fingertips. So yes it’s a reasonable question to ask.
But with the new advanced techniques and fine needles we use it’s possible to reduce the discomfort level to just a tingling sensation. Many of our clients report no discomfort at all, it’s just an unusual sensation if you haven’t experienced it before.
The process involves inserting medically graded pigment into the upper layers of the skin using a specialised micropigmentation device and sterile needle.
The colour can be matched or enhanced to be brighter and more vibrant. However, it is not possible to make the lip paler or use nude shades with this treatment.
The lips are an essential aspect of the face and play a critical role in facial expression, speech, sensation and physical attraction.
As the eyes are the gateway to the soul, the lips reveal your moods; a smile says happy, a frown says sad, pursed lips say angry and open lips say shock. So it’s important they look their best.
When creating a look, we take the colour back to the very edge of the vermilion border, this the area where you would normally line your lip with a cosmetic lip pencil. There should be absolutely no cross over into the surrounding skin as the pigment would hold in the skin and be a different colour to what it would in the lip tissue.
We then recreate a soft, rounded Cupid’s Bow, this is the two raised areas in the centre of the upper lip. Then the coloured pigment is gently shaded into the lip and blended into the natural lip colour.
The initial treatment is a two-step process, the second layer is added six weeks after the initial treatment. It can then last for several years.
Lifestyle and age can affect the longevity of the treatment. Smoking and sun exposure will speed up the fading process, also excessive use of exfoliating products can cause the pigment to fade.
As we age collagen and elastin depletes every decade. The skin thins, becomes more fragile, the fatty tissue beneath the skin decreases and the production of natural oils is less which make the skin drier. Lips will gradually become thinner and their natural colour fade.
External factors like sun exposure will cause premature aging so it is important to protect the lips from UV rays with a balm containing a SPF.
The skin on the lips is much thinner and more delicate than other parts of the body. It has only three to five layers whereas other parts of the face could be as much as 16 layers thick.
Lips are very vascular giving them their pink/red shade because the skin is translucent the blood vessels are more visible.
The beauty and convenience of having a semi-permanent lip colour is evident but it doesn’t mean you are stuck with the same colour tones. By adding a lip gloss you can create a different look for different occasions. It’s such a versatile treatment and a great beauty investment.
Marcia Medical & Cosmetic Clinic 10a Shaftesbury Avenue Timperley, Altrincham WA15 7LY
N 07773 229 229 E Email: info@marcia.co.uk www.marcia.co.uk
