Archives December 2017

Facial Hair Transplants on Men are the Next Big Thing

Half of a man’s head of hair will be gone prior to it becoming cosmetically visible. As many men throughout the country struggle with hair loss on top of their heads, many men also deal with thinning or non-existent beards.

To combat the lack of beard hair, many men are turning to facial hair transplants. According to WNDU, Dr. Ken Williams of the Irvine Institute of Medicine and Cosmetic Surgery has seen a large number of people looking for more hair on their faces.

“We take that hair from the back of the occipital region of the scalp,” Dr. Williams said. “We take that hair, and we transplant it and individually insert it into the face where hair follicles are lacking.”

This process can take either a few hours or almost an entire day. The facial hair will then fall out within two to three weeks, but regrows within three months. Doctors find that it is as successful as a regular hair transplant.

Dr. Williams says that the procedure can work on anyone who is looking for a fuller beard. He says that many people change their beards for religious reasons, to cover scars, or for transgenders.

“It doesn’t matter what gender they are, which orientation they are, the color of their hair, the color of their skin,” he said. “This is something that can be done for anybody who wants facial hair.”

A man who goes by the name of Justin wanted a fuller beard. He said he with his current facial hair situation, there wasn’t a lot going on.

“I just wanted a more distinguished look,” Justin said. “I’ve always wanted to be able to grow like a full beard.”

Justin says he spent about $20 thousand on three procedures. Even though that was a lot of his money, he said that it was worth it in the end.

“It’s just fuller,” Justin said. “It’s just fuller, thicker, which is exactly what I was going for.”

Experts Advise Against Consuming Raw Flour

With the holidays coming up, everyone may feel a little bit tempted to nibble on some raw cookie dough while making yummy treats. However, you may want to think twice before you do it.

While most people are aware of the dangers of raw eggs, which may contain salmonella, recent research has found a new dangerous bacteria. A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that raw flour can carry E. coli, which can cause extreme intestinal problems when ingested. The bacteria are normally found in meats and other moist environments, but is proven to be found in raw flour as well.

The study reported a total of 56 cases of E. coli from December 21, 2015 to September 6, 2016 in 24 different states across the country. Only 17 of the victims needed to be hospitalized.

Despite this outbreak being over, researchers still want people to know that these types of bacteria can be found in raw flour and other foods.

So while many people don’t see the harm in tasting a bit of raw cookie dough, it can actually be quite dangerous. Unbaked, room-temperature cookie dough is dangerous because it’s at the perfect temperature for bacteria to grow. However, cold temperatures can stop harmful bacteria from growing. Because of this, the dough should be kept in a refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or a freezer below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

“We’re not trying to ruin people’s holidays but we want them to be aware of the risks,” stated Samuel J. Crowe, the lead author of the study and an epidemiologist with the division of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the New York Times.

Symptoms of an E. coli infection can include nausea, stomach pains, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and dehydration. Experts recommend that you see a doctor right away if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms after handling flour products.

In order to keep yourself, family, and guests safe from foodborne illnesses, experts recommend following these four safety food measures: clean, chill, separate, and cook.

Be sure to wash your hands before and after handling any food products. Additionally, it’s important to remember to wash all surfaces, like cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and countertops, that come in contact with food.

The refrigerator is a safe place to store foods before and after cooking. Additionally, it’s a great place to thaw frozen meat because it stays at a consistent temperature. Because not everybody can afford a $60,000 refrigerated trailer, make sure your fridge is cleaned out and has plenty of room to store all of your holiday food. It’s important to remember to never defrost food at room temperature to avoid allowing bacteria to grow.

When working with raw eggs, meat, poultry, and seafood, it’s important to keep them away from foods that don’t need to be cooked. Make sure different utensils and surfaces are used for each type of food. Keeping these foods separate will reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

The best way to tell if food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer. Each food has its own safe temperature, which you should be aware of when cooking. When the food is hot enough to kill bacteria, that is when it’s safe to eat.

So remember, safety is key this holiday if you want to avoid getting sick. Stay away from raw cookie dough and see a doctor immediately if you think you’ve contracted a bacterial infection.

Central Florida Woman Wants Changes to Sedation Dentistry After Losing Her Son

The dental hygiene sector has gained advanced training and knowledge on how to properly administer dental sedation, especially for pediatric use. In fact, each year there are roughly 250,000 pediatric dental sedations performed, making the practice much more widespread. Sadly, despite all the technology and information dental professionals have available to them, there are still complications every so often.


A Central Florida mother is trying to get lawmakers to take a closer look at the entire practice of sedation dentistry after she lost her son two days after his dental extraction.


According to Click Orlando, 17-year-old Christopher Power was in for what was supposed to be a simple dental procedure to remove a few teeth before he got braces. But he stopped breathing once he was under anesthesia.


“Not having my child leaving with me, it’s heartbreaking for any parent,” said Alison Power, Christopher’s mother.


Alison now wants lawmakers, both locally and nationally, to take a closer look into how sedation dentistry is governed and administered within the dental community.


“He will not die in vain,” she added.


The dentist who performed Christopher’s procedure, Dr. Steven Baxter, actually had two other administrative complaints on file with the Florida Board of Dentistry for failing to take a preoperative radiograph during a dental surgery in 2014 and 2001.


Power was under the impression that Dr. Baxter was, in fact, an oral surgeon, but he is not.


“I’d seen no reason not to trust him,” she said. “The way it is being done right now, [with] someone in the room who has no knowledge, it’s unacceptable.”


Power has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baxter and asked the Board of Dentistry to revoke or suspend his dental license. She now wears a green wristband to honor Christopher’s memory.

So far, no hearing has been set in the case before the Board of Dentistry. Until the wrongful death lawsuit is resolved, the grieving mother has another mission: to get Florida lawmakers to take a closer look at the sedation dentistry industry.

When improperly administered, anesthesia can be extremely dangerous, and Power wants to ensure sedation dentists are qualified to administer any drugs they give to patients in the future.