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There are many types of tooth restoration procedures and treatments available in dentistry in Fort Lauderdale. Each of these procedures can prevent or treat certain dental problems to enhance, maintain or prevent the decay or damage of teeth. One of these treatments that are commonly done by dentists is the filling of dental inlays and onlays.

Dental inlays and onlays are restorations used to repair back teeth that have minimal to moderate damage. They are also a treatment method to save a tooth that is not totally damaged. Dental inlays and onlays are also used to restore cracked or fractured teeth that are not too severe to require dental crowns.

Materials used for dental inlays and onlays are porcelain, composite resin or gold. The type of material used for dental inlays and onlays depend on the need of the patient as well the recommendation of the dentist. All of the materials used in dental inlays and onlays are the same color as the natural tooth, making them an ideal replacement for metal fillings.

Inlays and onlays require less reduction to the tooth unlike traditional tooth fillings. Also, they do not expand or contract when exposed to changes in temperature. The use of inlays or onlays also helps strengthen the natural teeth. Dental inlays and onlays are more durable than other fillings, making them ideal an ideal restoration method.

The differences between dental inlays and onlays are very minimal. Dental inlays are often used on teeth that are damaged on the indented top surfaces. Dentists would also often use dental inlays to replace old or damaged metal fillings. On the other hand, dental onlays are used to treat damage or decay to one or more of the cusps. Cusps are pointed projections on the chewing surface of a tooth.
The placement of both dental inlays and onlays are basically the same. Patients would often have a couple of consultations with the dentist prior to the actual placement of the inlay or onlay. On the first visit, an impression of the affected tooth is taken. This is important to be able to match exactly the specifications of each patient.

Once the impression is made, it is then brought to a dental laboratory and technicians will create the permanent inlay or onlay. While waiting for the permanent inlay or onlay, the patient is provided with a temporary one to prevent any further damage to the affected tooth. Upon receiving the permanent inlay or onlay, the dentist from Cosmetic Fort Lauderdale will then place it on the damaged tooth.

The placement of a dental inlay and onlay has minimal to no down time so patients can return to their normal activity once the inlay or onlay is placed. Patients, however, may expect minimal tenderness in the tooth area. This tenderness, however, is only temporary.

When seeking information on asthma help, many people first want to know what it is. Then they want to know what is causing them to have their nasty symptoms. And another very big question have is what can they do about it. We will address those three questions here in this article.

Having asthma means that your lungs and airways are extremely sensitive to and easily irritated by certain things. There is no clear and definitive answer as to why some people get it and others don’t. If you do have it and your airways get irritated, here is what happens:

1. The insides of your airways begin to swell from the irritation. So now, instead of breathing through a normal sized opening, that opening starts to get smaller.

2. The muscles around the outside of your airways start trying to squeeze your airways closed. This makes the airways even smaller.

3. To make matters even worse, your already shrunken airways start to fill with gunk or mucus.

You are now left to try and breath through plugged up much smaller airways. This is all happening inside your body. Soon you will start having the typical symptoms such as a tight chest, wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing.

The next item on our asthma help list is to answer the question of what is causing your symptoms. We mentioned that certain things irritate your airways. These things are called your triggers. Unfortunately, there is no specific list of things that everyone with this disease is sensitive to.

You will need to figure out on your own what things irritate your airways. Once you figure them out, you will need to do your best to stay away from them. Since prescription medications aren’t very effective for many people, staying away from your triggers will help to reduce your signs and symptoms.

Our final asthma help question addresses what you can do about your disease. Unfortunately, what many people do is believe the lie of the big drug companies that there is no cure for this disease. By getting you to believe that, they are assured of a lifetime customer for their over priced and inferior product.

When taking prescription medications, most people have to be on at least two different meds, one of which is an emergency inhaler for when their everyday drug doesn’t work. And they will still spend too much time in their doctor’s office or even the emergency room. We won’t even get into the potentially dangerous side effects of these drugs.

What many more people are beginning to do is switch to natural cures for this and other diseases. These people soon realize that they’ve been lied to for many years after their symptoms begin to disappear in as little as a weeks time.

Hopefully this asthma help article has given you a little better understanding of what this disease is and what causes your symptoms. As far as what to do about it goes, you can continue to be miserable with your symptoms for the rest of your life by taking prescription drugs. These drugs just try to control your symptoms and the frequency of your asthma attacks.

But you do have a much better option. There are some very effective natural asthma cures and treatments available that can completely eliminate your disease.

Don’t believe the lie of the billion dollar drug companies who make their profits selling you inferior products. Check out my web page that has all the details on the most effective natural asthma cures and treatments available.

Diet mistakes can keep you from getting to your goal weight. But you’re not alone; many of us are guilty of one (or several!) of these weight-loss errors. For those who have a lot of weight to lose, or have been fighting the weight for years with no reaction, there are some Clenbuterol (clen) stacks that will push your body to the limit of its fat burning capabilities. Clenbuterol is very effective for fat loss. As a prescription drug in Europe, it’s also considered safe and effective for long-term use in treating asthma.

Clenbuterol is a strong stimulant and produces thermogenic effect in the body (increases body temperature) which results in increased metabolism that burns fat. Far from being a steroid, this weight loss treatment is in fact an ephedra-like product. Excess fat is shed much quicker when using it as it speeds up the metabolism and the circulatory system.

Despite of an illegal performance enhancing drug, clenbuterol is believed to be a drug to be improving muscle tone and performance. It has been used for decades by bodybuilders preparing for a contest, as the drug is a very potent aid in stripping body fat down to paper-thin levels. Female bodybuilders are particularly fond of the drug as it not only is incredibly effective for fat loss, but also provides increases in strength and muscle size without the risk of masculinizing side effects (such as facial hair and a deepening voice) seen with most anabolic steroids.

Clenbuterol is distributed in two forms: as a pill or syrup. Most users prefer the pill, as it can be carried and used discretely. Usually the Clenbuterol is taken in combination with T3 Cytomel and Ketotifen for long, fast and best results. Normally your body will not get any effect from Clenbuterol after 3 weeks. It’s believed that the loss of effect is due to the body reducing the number of Beta 2 receptors, making the drug less effective. This is why we take it with Ketotifen. The Ketotifen will keep your Beta 2 receptors in good shape, meaning you can use Clenbuterol for longer up to 6 weeks. If you would like to prolong your Clenbuterol cycles with the Ketotifen you will need to start taking the Ketotifen about a week after you start taking the Clenbuterol. Cytomel is the most common brand name for a synthetic thyroid hormone- more specifically, it’s a synthetic version of T3 (triiodothyronine). Thyroid hormones are often referred to as the metabolic regulators of the body. High levels of T3 speed up the metabolism of an individual, allowing him to burn more calories and use calories more sufficiently. Those who combine these two compounds (alternate 3 weeks of Clenbuterol then 3 weeks of t3 Cytomel) will burn an enormous amount of fat. Note that if you have any kind of thyroid problems then the Cytomel is not for you.

Clen is not harmful for humans, but like lots of other medicines you need a prescription for it. Generally, the dose is gradually increased, based on how well the drug is tolerated, to a typical daily dose range or two to four (40-80 micrograms) tablets for women and two to eight (40-160 micrograms) tablets for men. You must cycle clen, or your body will get used to it. Clen should not be taken by anyone who has not read up on how it should be consumed (cycled), etc. A clen cycle generally lasts 2 to 3 weeks with a break in between cycles lasting equal to or longer than the cycle itself. This medication if used correctly can decrease weight and relieve people of years of misery associated with their weight problem.

This is a good question. You know why?

Anxiety is a deep-rooted feeling. It was born in your subconscious mind. It shows up under various forms. And when it shows up, it brings discomfort. People who suffer from anxiety, although the feeling is scary and difficult to go through, sometimes are so used to having it show up, that they can’t think of not suffering it. When an anxiety attack pops up, they suffer a lot. And sometimes the sufferance is so heavy that they fear for their life.

Other people may be of help. The mere fact of being able to speak to somebody, may be of great help for the sufferer.

For me it was always a great relief. Just the fact that there was a human being around, was a great help. However, there are people who suffer that abuse other people’s presence. I don’t say that they do it consciously. I think it is an unconscious pattern. They feel that other people tend to protect them. And they want to be protected from the “ugly world”. In this way, they never have to face the real problem behind their anxiety. Maybe that they don’t even think of it.

For them it’s just anxiety: which is the passport to other people’s help. These are the people who don’t want to get back their health. They will always think that they are in need of help, that others have to help them. I have known people like that. Don’t talk to them about how to overcome anxiety. They don’t want to overcome it. They probably would never admit it. But this is their reality. And they do not want to change it. Why not? You never know, it might be dangerous!

Want to keep your skin clean and blemish-free without damaging it? Here are some natural ways to get rid of acne – without the harsh ingredients.

1. Drink a lot of water.

Water helps your body flush out toxins. That’s why it’s important to keep hydrated. Drinking lots of water will also help keep your skin from looking cracked or dry.

2. Eat right.

What most people don’t know is that these anti-bacterial soaps and facial cleansers actually have very harsh chemicals that can do a lot of damage to the skin and leave it dry. What you eat affects your skin. Stay away from oily foods and consume lots of fruits and vegetables. Fruits like tomatoes and blueberries are great anti-oxidants and will help keep your skin clear and glowing. The zinc found in nuts help keep acne away. If you want, you can also take vitamin E supplements – a well-known remedy for acne problems.

3. Exercise.

Exercise not only burns the excess fat away but also helps give you great skin! When you engage in physical activity, your pores open up and detoxify your skin through sweating. So, get into those jogging pants!

4. Get enough sleep.

Sleep is very important to your body. Stress and lack of sleep can actually make your skin produce more oil, thus clogging your pores and making you break out. So get some proper shut eye for six to eight hours every night. And you’ll wake up refreshed both in mind and body. And your skin will thank you for it too!

5. The Four Best Ways To Get Rid of Acne

We have listed four hot methods to banish your acne in only 3 days.

Lots of people think that being overweight is an appearance issue. But this is actually a medical concern because it can seriously affect a person’s health. Obesity is as much a disease as any other physical disorder. Obesity is bad news for both body and mind. Not only can it make a person feel tired and uncomfortable, carrying extra weight puts added stress on the body, especially the bones and joints of the legs. Obesity not only affects your health, but also hampers the entire quality of life, sometimes people get depressed with lower self-esteem. Weight loss can help improve the harmful effects of being overweight. As more and more people try to improve their lifestyles by eating healthy and exercising, diet pills are becoming increasingly popular. The growing popularity of diet pills is evident from the large variety of such pills flooding the market. Clenbuterol and Cytomel have become recently the most wanted weight loss supplements.

Clenbuterol raises internal temperature, heart rate, oxygen transportation, and protein/fat metabolizing abilities…while simultaneously slowing basal metabolic rate thus causing burn more calories even when a person is at rest. Though users would love to stay on clenbuterol indefinitely, it’s rarely used for more than a month at a time, even among professional weightlifters. It’s believed that the loss of effect is due to the body reducing the number of Beta 2 receptors, making the drug less effective. In many countries doctors prescribe these pills for people with chronic breathing disorders like asthma as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier.

For fast fat-burning goals Clenbuterol diet pills is often stacked with another fat-burning agent for quick effect, or alternated with another fat-burning agent by people who need to stay lean on a year-round basis. Usually cytomel (T3) is used for such purposes, with alternating cycles of 3 weeks each. Cytomel is the most common brand name for a synthetic thyroid hormone- more specifically, it’s a synthetic version of T3 (triiodothyronine). Thyroid hormones are often referred to as the metabolic regulators of the body. High levels of T3 speed up the metabolism of an individual, allowing him to burn more calories and use calories more sufficiently. Cytomel used alone or with some other medicaments, could be used to treat obesity. In bodybuilding circles Cytomel is mostly used as fat-loss drug.

The combination of Clenbuterol and Cytomel is praised in weight loss circles, to be the most potent diet pills available. While Clenbuterol weight loss tabs are a great thermogenic fat burner, that will burn fat by increasing the body temperature and enhance protein processing, Cytomel can be used to increase the metabolism and lead to better and faster conversion of calories. It is advised to take both, but to alternate 3 weeks of Clenbuterol then 3 weeks of T3 Cytomel, this means your body is always being stimulated in some way to make you lose weight, but you’re always resting your body from one of the medications for 3 weeks (neither T3 nor Clenbuterol can be used for longer than 3 weeks without requiring a 3 week break), unless you use Ketotifen with the Clenbuterol. The Ketotifen will keep your Beta 2 receptors in good shape, meaning you can use Clenbuterol for longer up to 6 weeks. It is also recommended that the cycles should start gradually, slowly increasing the dosage and then tapering off gradually.

If you want to lose weight and planning to use Clenbuterol and Cytomel T3 for your weight loss goals, the perfect place to buy them is over the Internet. Buying them online offers convenience, you can buy Cytomel t3/buy Clenbuterol with just a few mouse clicks. You can also compare their prices and insure to buy only from genuine, approved dealers.

Anxiety is a major disorder affecting almost 1 in 10 people in the US and almost the same worldwide. Treatments for this condition are quite extensive due to the many variations to the disorder and associated phobias etc with treatments almost as varied as the many conditions. In this article, we will review how to be Anxiety Free Through Exercise.

Exercise and illness don’t seem to go together, yet when undertaken by building the individual up progressively on a approved plan, the results become very evident, producing in some cases an actual cure to the original condition. Exercise encourages the body’s release of serotonin to the brain triggering the brain to release of endorphins the elixir of life into the body. Exercise also improves ones, general control over the body, improves our fitness and gets the body to function as it was designed,(a key point missing from our westernized societies where we have become very sedentary).

Most anxiety sufferers have a common position where they feel that they have a degree of loss of control over there a body and there actions. The net outcome from this is an increase in stress and anxiety that often is reflected by developing into a panic attack. The majority of people can accept and operate effectively with a degree of loss of control without compromise to their lifestyle however, the reverse applies to anxiety disorder sufferers where any loss of control triggers an attack which can debilitate the body for several minutes or up to an hour.

We have limited control over our lives but fortunately, we do have the controlling interest in our bodies and what we do with or for them. This is where we can, treat anxiety through exercise, as part of a cure. Exercise can reduce stress levels, improves the hearts general condition and reduces hardening of arteries, to name but a few of the improvements it produces. Stimulation by exercise causes a variety of internal organs to release of additional chemical compositions that further tune the body while calming the brain. You cannot ask for more than that from a simple activity while fighting the debilitating impact of anxiety.

Our physical image and our mental function are improved through undertaking exercise. It increases the metabolism helping to shed fat and burn calories, while providing mussel tone to key muscles . The result is improved body image, greater self-belief in ourselves plus in our appearance, which makes us less inclined to have anxiety issues.

Making sure you set aside the time each day to exercise is the key to achieving an exercise program. Exercise in the morning can be full on to test our abilities as we have the full day to recover. The evening should be less stressful to allow you to relax and to unwind for a couple of hours before retiring to sleep. You may want to look at Yoga, isometric exercises and meditation to form your evening program.

Through using exercise to treat stress, anxiety and panic attacks, you are able to stimulate your body, while clearing the mind of negative thoughts, which may harbor the triggers to another anxiety of panic attack. So ensure you maintain a regular exercise program that builds you mind body and inner self-confidence.

So use this valuable resource, get out there and exercise to treat anxiety.

The word allergy comes from two Greek words: “allos” meaning other and “ergon” meaning work. Allergic reactions are abnormal over-reactions by the immune system to harmless, protein substances called allergens, which are contacted through the skin, inhaled or injected. An allergen is a substance that causes an allergy.

Common Allergens:

* Animal dander. This is material shed from the body such as feathers, dried skin, hair and feathers)
* Bee stings
* Foods, especially nuts, fish, shellfish
* Insect bites
* Medications
* Plants
* Pollen.

Causes:

Allergic reactions can be caused by two main factors: host factors or environmental factors.

Host factors:

* Hereditary; the likelihood of developing an allergy is inherited but the specific allergen to which you are allergic is not inherited.
* Sex: boys are at a higher risk of sensitivity than girls (except in the case of asthma).
* Race, although this may be as much to do with to environmental factors as race itself.
* Age: younger children are at greater risk of sensitivity.

Environmental factors:

* Exposure to infectious diseases in early childhood
* Pollution
* Allergen levels
* Dietary changes

Symptoms:

* Skin:
o Redness
o Itching
o Inflammation
o Blistering
o Weeping
o Crusting
o Rash
o Eruptions
o Hives (which are itchy bumps or welts)

* Lungs:

o Wheezing
o Tightness
o Chest discomfort
o Difficulty breathing
o Difficulty swallowing
o Coughing
o Shortness of breath

* Head:

o Swelling of face, eyelids, tongue, lips and throat
o Redness
o Headaches
o Dizziness or light-headedness
o Weakness
o Anxiety, apprehension or fear

* Nose:

o Blocked or stuffy nose
o Nasal congestion
o Runny nose
o Sneezing

* Eyes:

o Red and bloodshot
o Itchy
o Swollen
o Watery

* Stomach:

o Pain
o Cramps
o Nausea
o Vomiting
o Diarrhoea
o Bloody Diarrhoea

* Severe reactions:

o Unconsciousness
o Anaphylaxis
o Shock

In severe cases anaphylaxis can occur and this requires immediate medical attention. It is a combination of other allergic symptoms that appear rapidly and are potentially life-threatening. It can induce shock; one sign of shock is that organs don’t get enough blood, and therefore oxygen and nutrients, due to very low blood pressure. The person may appear red or pale, sweaty or dry, confused, anxious or they may be unconscious. The person also has difficulty breathing. Anaphylactic shock is caused by sudden dilation or widening of many, or several large, blood vessels brought on by the action of chemical mediators. A sudden drop in blood pressure can lead to unconsciousness, cardiac arrest or death.

At the moment there is a theory called the hygiene hypothesis which has been “extensively investigated by immunologists and epidemiologists”. It involves the idea that people who live in too sterile environments are not exposed to enough pathogens to keep their immune system busy so it over-reacts to normally harmless substances. There is some evidence to show that allergic diseases are more common in industrialised countries or urban areas rather than more traditional agricultural countries or rural areas. Also, using antibiotics to treat babies under 1 year old has been linked to an increase in asthma and other allergies, as has the use of antibacterial cleaning products.

The Immune Response:

In an allergic reaction the immune system recognises the particles (such as dust or pollen) as foreign and initiates a two-phase immune response. The first phase is called the acute response and occurs immediately after exposure to the allergen. T-lymphocyte cells, which are white blood cells involved in immune response, recognise the allergen as foreign and produce cytokines (these are similar to hormones and are involved in cellular communication). Cytokines stimulate another type of white blood cell, called B-lymphocytes, to produce specific antibodies (antibodies are proteins with a variable region that has a complementary shape to a specific antigen). In allergic reactions the specific antibody is called immunoglobulin E or IgE. IgE binds to special IgE receptors on mast cells and basophiles. Mast cells are found in connective tissues while basophiles circulate in the blood; both are involved in inflammatory responses. This first stage is known as sensitisation because the body is now sensitive to a particular, normally harmless, particle. Therefore when the body encounters the substance again, the allergen (substance) binds to the IgE which is on the surface of mast cells and basophiles. This activates the mast cells and basophiles to release histamine, from stores known as granules, into surrounding tissues. Histamine causes:

* Blood vessels to dilate so blood pressure drops.

* Stimulates glands in the nose and respiratory passages to produce mucous, also known as phlegm.

* Mucous membranes, which line the nose and respiratory passages, to swell because fluid leaks out of the blood vessels.

* It stimulates nerves.

* Smooth muscle contraction. (In asthma the muscles surrounding the windpipe contract narrowing the airways and increasing the resistance to air flow so breathing is difficult.)

The second phase in the immune response is called the late-phase response. This normally occurs 2-24 hours after the acute response, once the chemical mediators such as the cytokines, have subsided. The chemicals released earlier by the mast cells attract other types of inflammatory immune cells including neutrophils, lymphocytes and macrophages, to the site. These produce chemicals and other, generally toxic, substances that irritate the body. Neutrophils also release chemicals and enzymes which break down proteins causing further tissue damage.

Treatment:

For mild cases:

First aid can be administered before further medical help arrives. This includes:

- Calming and reassuring the person: anxiety can often worsen symptoms.
- Identifying the allergen and if possible removing it and avoiding further contact.
- Applying calamine lotion, a cool compress or cortisone cream to rashes.

Oral antihistamines can be taken but these have adverse side effects including making you drowsy and affecting your concentration so you aren’t allowed to drive or operate machinery if you are on them. They should only be taken for a few days. For rashes anti-inflammatory steroid cream or cold wet cloths can be applied to cool the area.

For severe cases:

Emergency medical help should be sought, don’t wait to see if the symptoms worsen, because they can worsen very rapidly so it is better to get medical attention as qu
ickly as possible. Again first aid can be administered while you wait for further help to arrive:

- If they are unconscious use DR. ABC. This stands for danger, response, airways, breathing, and circulation.

- Danger: First check that you aren’t endangering yourself or the other person. Remove any dangerous objects that may be around.

- Response: Call their name and introduce yourself (even if the person knows you well) watch for any response either verbal or movement.

- Airways: Check that their airway is clear, removing any objects that may be obstructing the airways (such as chewing gum), tilt the head back slightly to open the airways.

- Breathing: Check that the person is breathing by placing your head close to their mouth and nose, listening and feeling for breath or moisture. If they aren’t breathing then you should begin mouth to mouth resuscitation by pinching their nose and placing you own mouth over theirs creating a seal, then breathe hard into their mouth.

- Circulation: To check that the person’s heart is still beating, find the pulse in their neck which should be just to the side of the windpipe. If there is no pulse begin Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by doing chest compressions to try to pump the heart. (If they aren’t breathing either include breaths as well)

- If the person is awake calm them and reassure them.

- Identify and remove the allergen where possible.

- Administer emergency medication if the person has it, for example an auto-injector with a pre-measured dose of the drug epinephrine (Epipen)

- To treat shock lie them flat (unless it causes discomfort or makes breathing difficult) and raise the person’s feet, keep them warm.

Medical treatment for severe allergic reactions may include providing oxygen support or even artificial ventilation. Also fluids may be injected in to veins (intravenously-IV) to help raise the blood pressure.

For more long-term treatments antihistamines can be prescribed such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra) and loratadine (Claritin). Nasal corticosteroids can be prescribed for persistent nasal symptoms; these include fluticasone (flonase), mometasone (Nasonex) and triamcinolone (Nasacort). For more severe cases Epinephrine can be injected as this acts as a bronchodilator (it widens the bronchus and bronchioles which are part of the windpipe). Epinephrine also constricts blood vessels so blood pressure increases. Inhalers can also be prescribed and antihistamines can be given intravenously or intra-muscularly to counter the histamine that the body has produced. Corticosteroids can be given intravenously for a rapid reversal of the effects of the chemical mediators produced by the body.

For people with persistent or disruptive allergy symptoms immunotherapy can be given. Immunotherapy reduces the severity of the reaction or eliminates hypersensitivity altogether. There are several different methods of immunotherapy:

1. Allergy shots. These alter the immune response which prevents future reactions. They are administered as a series of shots containing increasing amounts of the specific antigen to which the person is allergic. The person should then become desensitised.

2. Another method is to progressively distort the production of another antibody called Immunoglobulin G which blocks the excessive Immunoglobulin E production. This means that the person builds up increasing immunity to increasing amounts of the allergen.

3. Intravenous injections can be given, containing monoclonal anti-IgE antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies against one specific antigen produced by a cloned hybridoma cell. (Hybridoma cells are B lymphocyte cells fused with myeloma cells) These monoclonal anti-IgE antibodies bind to free and B-lymphocyte-associated IgE, which signals their destruction. They don’t bind to IgE that is already on mast cells as this would stimulate an allergic reaction.

4. Sublingual immunotherapy. This can be administered orally and it takes advantage of oral immune tolerance to non-pathogenic antigens such as food and bacteria. In other words the immune system doesn’t attack these antigens.

Prevention:

One of the best ways to prevent allergic reactions is to identify what triggers them and then avoid or remove the triggers as much as possible.

Tests:

Skin tests: These tests are more sensitive, simpler and cheaper than blood testing. It involves exposing the skin to small amounts of various substances, or suspected allergens and assesses the presence of IgE antibodies. The substance can be injected intradermally (into the skin). If you are allergic to that substance then a visible inflammatory reaction occurs within 30 minutes. There is a scale of severity where +/- means borderline reactivity and +4 means a large reaction. These tests are usually carried out on the forearm or the back.

Blood tests:

Blood tests measure the total IgE level by estimating the amount of IgE in the serum.

Allergic Reactions due to body piercings:

People can get allergic reactions from body piercings for two reasons: they are allergic to the metal or they are allergic to a product used as part of aftercare treatment.

Metal allergy due to inferior jewellery:

Symptoms include:

* Redness
* Itchy
* Burning
* Tender
* Highly inflamed around the piercing
* Localised dermatitis
* Granulation tissue where visible
* Opening of the piercing appears significantly larger then the jewellery
* The tissue around the piercing appears to retreat from the piercing.

This can be treated by using biocompatible jewellery such as Titanium or a low-porosity plastic like Tygon or PTFE.

Often the jewellery can cause problems because it is poor quality or you are sensitive to it and have allergic reactions. If you catch an infection then you must eliminate the reservoir which is often the jewellery. Cheap nickel or brass commonly triggers allergic reactions and in some cases antibiotics may be needed. Alloys of gold, copper, silver and trace metals can also be irritating and prevent complete healing, therefore it may be better opting for more expensive but good quality jewellery such as titanium which is inert and used in internal surgery although it must be highly polished to reduce its porosity. Implant grade stainless steel is good as well because it is least likely to produce an allergic reaction or an infection. The implant grade stainless steel must be approved by ASTM and meet standard 316L and 316LM.

The American Society for Testing Materials or ASTM was originally set up 100years ago by engineers to standardise steel used in railways. Now it is used for standardising many other things as well. A standard is a document which is developed and established within consensus principles of an organisation which meets the requirements of ASTM procedures and regulations. It is usually developed by the people who have a stake in the standard’s development or use. The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is the European equivalent of ASTM. “Isos” is also the Greek word for equal which is also why it is called ISO as the actual words translate differently in different languages. Standards ensure desirable characteristics of products and services such as quality, environmental friendliness, safety, reliability and efficiency. It is recommended that titanium us
ed in jewellery should meet ASTM standard F67, F136 or better, whereas steel should meet ASTM F138, F1537 or better and it should only be worn temporarily and only in healed piercings. 24 karat gold and platinum alloyed with Iridium or Ruthenium are biologically inert but they are heavy, soft and easily scratched and damaged. 18 Karat gold (75% gold) can be used in new piercings and 14 karat gold in healed ones, but gold-filled or plated jewellery should be avoided as the metal is thin and wears away or is chipped easily. Silver is bad as it tarnishes and can be deposited so that it permanently darkens and stains the skin. However, sterling silver is ok in most piercings but not in places where the skin is moist such as the mouth or genitals.

Product allergy:

Symptoms:

* Delayed healing
* Localised irritation
* Redness
* Localised dermatitis
* Seeping
* Expansion of piercing channel

To treat this you should stop using the aftercare or your current care regime and use a milder product with less aftercare.