Author: a_c1536

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All About Lip Fillers

Lip fillers have always been controversial, but it has been increasing in popularity since Kylie Jenner debuted her new lips in 2015. Many opposers argue that fillers produce an unnatural appearance; however, the right professional can create the illusion of having naturally full and defined lips. 

What Are Lip Fillers? 

Fillers are injections that add volume to your natural lips. They are a type of dermal filler that consists of hyaluronic acid. There are several brands of filler, such as Restylane or Volbella. I use Juvederm Ultra, which is a thinner substance than other Juvederm products. It is designed for deeper filling and to create more definition. This quick procedure only takes about 5-10 minutes and gives you 9-12 months of plump lips; depending on your age and metabolism, they might fade sooner or last longer.  One syringe can also cost anywhere between $500-$1000.

Before the Appointment

Prior to getting your lip fillers, you’ll have to meet with the healthcare provider doing your fillers to assess what type of filler you need, the amount, and the shape you are trying to achieve. They will ask you about any allergies and collect your medical history. Some providers will ask for a reference photo, so make sure to come to your appointment with a reference photo in mind. If your provider doesn’t want a reference photo, then be prepared to thoroughly describe what you want your lips to look like. Your healthcare provider will also take photos of your face and lips to compare before and after the injections. Afterward, they will examine your face and lips and give their expert opinion on the appearance to go for. This consultation appointment takes about 30 minutes. Some specialists that can perform lip injections are plastic surgeons, dermatologists, or cosmetic facial surgeons.

During the Appointment 

During the lip filler procedure, your provider will start by applying a topical numbing cream to your lips. This numbing cream consists of lidocaine, benzocaine, and tetracaine. Some providers even offer a nerve blocker injection, which is a local anesthetic that targets the nerves to lessen pain. It should take about 15-30 minutes for your lips to become completely numb. 

Once the numbing cream and/or injection has set in, your specialist will begin the injections. Using a tiny needle, your provider will begin injecting the corners of your lip, along the edges of your lip, the cupid’s bow, and the center of your lip. It is standard to use 1 milliliter of filler, but some people will use 2 milliliters. It is recommended not to get more than that in one sitting. With the numbing cream, you won’t feel much pain but a pinching sensation, or it may be uncomfortable pressure. The entire procedure can take as little as 30 minutes or as long as an hour. 

After The Procedure

After the procedure is done, your healthcare provider will massage the fillers into your lips to absorb it. They will also give you an ice pack to assist with the swelling and bruising that is accompanied following the procedure. Swelling and bruising will usually go away after 24 to 48 hours; however, it may last up to a week. For an hour after the procedure, you should not drink anything hot because you will not feel if you have burned your lips due to the numbing cream. For 24 hours after the injections, do not suck through a straw or pucker your lips as it can cause the filler to move. Lastly, avoid putting on lip products for at least a day. A follow-up appointment is typically made 2 weeks following your procedure to massage your lips again and ensure the filler is settling nicely.

This is a photo showing the before and after comparison of my lip fillers the first time I ever got them.

Advantages of Fillers

Lip fillers are safe to inject, and the fillers are also natural to us as we produce hyaluronic acid in our bodies. Having plumper, more defined lips can also give you a boost in confidence and self-esteem. Although lip fillers are not necessary and all-natural lips are beautiful, it can be fun to change your appearance a little. On another note, if you aren’t happy with your fillers, then you can have them reversed by injecting hyaluronidase to dissolve the filler. They are a great temporary way to add volume to your lips.

Disadvantages of Fillers

As with any other procedure, lip fillers have potential risks and complications that can occur. One risk is an infection at the injection sites. Some people may also experience asymmetry, which can occur if your provider does not inject the filler equally throughout your lips. Migration of the filler towards your nose can also occur, and sometimes the tissue may die if the filler is injected too far into your lip. It is always recommended to do your research on healthcare providers and find a reputable one before getting your fillers done.

 

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Piercing Aftercare Advice

Before jumping into my tips and tricks for piercing aftercare, I wanted to disclose that I am not a professional, and this routine works best for me but may not work for you. The number of times you should clean your piercings daily depends on the sensitivity of your skin. With that being said, let’s begin.

Saltwater Solution

My favorite solution, and many piercers will agree, is a homemade saltwater mix. Using an eight-ounce spray bottle, I will fill it to the top with purified bottled water and then put a quarter teaspoon of iodized salt into the spray bottle. Once shaken very well, I will use it to spray my piercings periodically throughout the day– approximately five times a day. The spray bottle method makes it easier to clean more complicated piercings, such as the septum. I will also spray q-tips and clean around the piercing more thoroughly to make sure any crusties are being removed. 

At least three times a day, I will create this solution again, but in a coffee cup. Once the salt dissolves, I put the cup in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds, then hold the hot water mixture against my piercings for five minutes. This allows the fresh wound to drain and speeds up the healing process. However, you may not be able to clean your piercing as often. As I mentioned earlier, it depends on your skin’s sensitivity, as the salt may cause your skin to dry out faster or irritate it. For example, I am unable to soak my nostril piercing three times a day because the skin on my nose will dry out quicker and peel. As a result, I will usually submerge it in saltwater once a day and spray it three times throughout the day.

Antibacterial Soap

In addition to cleaning my piercings with saltwater, I will use antibacterial soap to wash them in the shower. This is always the last step in my shower routine to ensure there is no shampoo and conditioner on my ear piercings. I always recommend not using soap on any facial piercings and sticking to the saltwater solution. However, the soap on ear and body piercings will help keep the piercing extra clean and prevent infections.

While in the shower, pump a dime size drop on the palm of your hand and mix it with water until soapy. Using the tip of your finger, gently rub it around the front and back of each piercing. Once done, thoroughly rinse each piercing because any leftover soap can dry up and irritate the piercing and/or skin. 

Piercing Complications

I wanted to also mention the consequences of not regularly cleaning your piercings. The most common and significant complication is an infection. Some signs of infection include redness, swelling, discharge, and/or feeling hot to the touch. If you believe your piercing may be infected, it is important to contact your piercer or doctor before it worsens. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics if the infection is severe enough. 

Other complications that can occur are rejection and migration. Piercing rejection can occur if the body sees the piercing as a foreign object and tries to push it out. Some signs of rejection/migration are the hole of the piercing getting larger, jewelry moving more freely, jewelry becoming more visible under the skin, and/or the jewelry hanging differently. In the case of a rejecting piercing, it is important to take it out immediately, or the scarring will worsen. 

Another complication that can come from piercings is keloids. Keloids are thick raised scars that can be pink, red, or brown and darken over time. They are usually harmless to the body but may be cosmetically unappealing. If left untreated, keloids can grow larger over time and become itchy and painful. To minimize a keloid, use the saltwater method I mentioned above to ensure the piercing site is clean.

 

This is an example of a keloid I had growing on my conch piercing. After a couple weeks giving it extra cleaning and soaks, it cleared up completely.

Other Tips

Some more tips I recommend to keep your piercing clean and infection free are to always wash your hands before cleaning your piercing. It is crucial never to touch your piercings with dirty hands. That one should be a given, but it never hurts to repeat important information. Also, do not try to move or twist the piercing as this can cause inflammation and irritation to the wound. 

Another common tip in the piercing world is to not change the piercing earlier than the recommended healing time. For example, most cartilage piercings take about four to six months to heal and can be changed after that. With the help of a piercer and excellent piercing aftercare, you may be able to switch it sooner; however, always follow your piercer’s recommendations.

Here are a few of my favorite piercings on my ears: the double tragus and rook. Piercings are a fun way for people to express themselves, and a new piece of bling can give people a boost in their confidence. However, it is important to follow a good aftercare routine to keep your piercing clean, assist with the healing process, and prevent it from having to be taken out. Stay clean and keep your bling. Thank you, everyone for reading!

 

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The Truth About Family Vloggers

Over the past year, I have found a new love for Youtube. Youtube has become one of the most popular social media apps in today’s age, with no signs of decline anytime soon. The videos I initially watched were family vloggers, but with a deeper dive into Youtube, I learned the negative effects of these channels. 

Child’s Wellbeing

When a parent creates content revolving around their children, the child’s well-being becomes the second priority while money takes the lead. Often times these videos are made at the expense of a child’s emotional, or sometimes even physical, well-being. For example, one father vlogger, Cordero James Brady, racked up millions of views and subscribers by pranking his children. However, he made headlines when one prank went too far. The viral video showed him feeding his children ice cream laced with laxatives. He continues to record them as they sit in the bathroom, crying out in pain. 

Fortunately, many viewers noticed the child abuse happening and led to the immediate cancellation of this Youtuber. On the other hand, there are still thousands of parents on the internet exposing their children to the same abuse and not getting repercussions. Most people see how these channels are causing problems, but they don’t realize the toll it has on a child and the consequences it will have later in life. Another family channel under fire last year was 8 Passengers for the questionable ways they punish their children. Their second oldest child, Chad, was sent to the Anasazi Foundation Wilderness Therapy Program for ten weeks for behavioral issues. This well-known program has had many controversies around it and the child abuse that occurs at this camp. 

Once Chad was back, he almost immediately lost access to his bedroom and had to sleep on a beanbag for six months for pulling a prank on his younger brother. In a video posted about this, the 15-year-old explained how he had no friends, and no one at his school wanted to talk to him. The content posted about him and the consequences made by their parents is causing a mental and emotional toll on this child.

Privacy/Consent

In addition to a child’s wellness being jeopardized, their privacy and consent are taken away with each video posted. Many of these family channels have gained some of their highest views on videos about their daughters hitting puberty, bra shopping, and menstrual cycles. It raises the question of where the boundaries are with some of these channels, and are these kids old enough to be able to give consent to these videos?

First, let’s focus on privacy. Having millions of people know when a little girl has hit puberty and watching them experience their first-time bra shopping gives children almost no privacy. These topics are some of the most private– and sometimes embarrassing– things for a young girl to go through; therefore, they should not be made into content for others to watch. On another note, some of the people watching these videos are watching them for the wrong reasons. Focusing on the analytics of some of the most popular Youtube pages, approximately 70 percent of males, especially those between the ages of 18-44, watch these videos. 

It is concerning to think that these men are watching videos about young girls getting their first periods and learning how to shave. More so, it should be even more concerning that parents are exploiting their children’s privacy without regard to who may be watching. Nonetheless, there should be more guidelines on Youtube’s terms to prevent the exposure of children in this way. 

Another idea to bring up is the age of consent and informed consent. One excuse many of these channels have for exploiting their children is that the child gave them consent to record and post them. However, a very young child cannot give informed consent because they honestly probably don’t understand exactly what they are consenting to. 

These children are also unaware at a young age of the effects this will have on them later in adulthood. Once the child is old enough to get a job, their employer will look them up and see hundreds of videos from their childhood. Not to mention, videos about getting their periods and bra shopping is not something most people want their employers to see. In addition, many children of Youtubers grow up and speak out about their experiences growing up and consistently having a camera shoved in their face. These children have also mentioned their lack of consent and privacy in these videos and the effects it had on them in school, public, and a professional setting. 

In conclusion, it is important to be protecting children from the risks of Youtube and having their lives posted all over social media for money. Rather than teach children it is okay to grow up filming everything they do, let’s teach children the risks of the internet and hide them from the predators out there. The internet is a scary place and having no sense of privacy opens the door for millions to know everything about these kids when they are as young as a newborn. Children should be able to live a normal childhood and grow up without worrying about the repercussions of their parent’s actions. Audiences can do their part by not supporting these channels and educating themselves more on the negative impact family channels have. Let’s make the internet a safer, more mature space and protect young children from the internet.