• Home
• About

Subscribe

Do You Love Cultured Pearls?

Few women don’t like pearls. It’s so shining and beautiful. But do you like cultured pearls? As we know, the pearl, symbol of purity, virtue and modesty, is also one of the most precious types of jewellery. Technically known as “organic gems”, pearls have been harvested and worn for more than 4,000 years. Their appearance, and how they are acquired, has changed dramatically over that time, and especially in the past hundred years. But pearl jewellery remains a classic.

A pearl is formed when an irritant, such as sand or a parasite, becomes lodged in the shell of an oyster. The oyster deposits layers of a semi-translucent crystalline material called “nacre” around the intruder, building the layers up for years, and creating a pearl. Natural pearls take many years to develop and often have irregular shapes, ranging from slightly off-spherical to twisting, bulging shapes called “baroque.” In any shape, they’re rare and very costly.

Around the beginning of the 20th century, it was learned that if a sphere of material was placed into an oyster and the oyster stimulated correctly, the oyster would create an almost perfectly round pearl. The longer the pearl remains in the oyster, the larger and more valuable the pearl becomes. These are called “cultured” pearls. Almost all pearls used in today’s jewellery are cultured pearls.

Pearls are cultured all over the world, but Japan, China and America remain in the forefront of production. Different types of oysters in seawater, or mollusks in freshwater, create cultured pearls with different sizes, colours and other qualities.

Cultured pearls are rated on five different qualities:

Luster and orient

Luster is the sharpness and intensity of the reflections on the pearl’s surface, and orient is the iridescent colours one sees within the pearl. The higher the luster and orient, the more valuable the pearl.

Colour

Colour describes both the main colour (usually white, black or yellow) and the undertone (often pink, rose, or even green.) Pearls can also be dyed any shade according to personal preference.

Cleanliness

This describes how many imperfections are found on the pearl’s surface. All real pearls – natural or cultured – will have some imperfections, but the fewer and less noticeable they are the better.

Shape

In general, spherical pearls are the most prized. However, it is common to find small imperfections of shape, which can sometimes be desirable as long as they are symmetrical. Teardrop-shaped pearls, for instance, are often used in earrings and pendants.

Size

Cultured pearls are sold by diameter, measured in millimeters. In general, larger cultured pearls are rarer and more costly. But you should also consider how well matched pearls are when combined in jewellery, such as on a necklace or in earrings. Look for pearls that are essentially the same size, colour, shape and luster. Keep in mind that the better matched pearls there are in a piece of jewellery, the higher the cost. That’s why pearl earrings cost more than two individual pearls.

When you buy cultured pearls, remember they’re fairly soft gems. They can easily be scratched if they bump into things, or by other jewellery. Keep them separate from harder gems in your jewellery box.

Black Cultured Pearls

Black cultured pearls come from a variety of sources. The rarest are those from a large, black-lipped oyster found in the South Seas. These oysters create large, silver-gray to black pearls that can have other colours as overtones – the most valuable being peacock green.

Given the rarity of South Seas black cultured pearls, enhanced black cultured pearls can be used as an alternative. These are dyed all the way through using a process called “French dying”, which produces an even, strong colour that lasts for years. However they’re coloured, they are real cultured pearls and need to be handled with the same care as any others.

Fresh Water Pearls

Recently, techniques have been developed to culture pearls in freshwater mollusks. These are sometimes called “Biwa pearls”, after the Japanese lake where they were first developed, but today that name should only be used for cultured pearls from Lake Biwa.

Freshwater pearls are cultivated around the world, although China is the foremost producer. Some are spheres and used like other round pearls; some are button-shaped and used to accent jewellery; some are blister shaped, or even Rice Crispie shaped. Large ones are often called Mab

What I Konw About Gold

What is gold?

The dictionary says “Gold is a remarkable, rare metal, with an unparalleled combination of chemical and physical properties. It is the only yellow metal and bears its name from the Old English word for yellow, ‘geolu’. It is also the only metal that forms no oxide film on it’s surface in air at normal temperatures, meaning that it will never rust or tarnish.”

And we also know that gold’s chemical symbol, Au, comes from the latin word for gold, aurum. In the Periodic Table of Elements, gold is classified as a transitional metal with the following characteristics;

• Symbol: Au

• Atomic number: 79

• Atomic mass: 196.96655 amu

• Number of protons/electrons: 79

• Number of neutrons: 118

• Melting point: 1,064.43

Rule 27: Cut Out the Curfew

Shawna Todd is the happily married mother of two children who has learned to fill her plate daily and eat through it by 11 p.m. each night.

Believe it or not, negotiating weekend curfew times for your teen driver doesn’t have to be a battle.

How does one go about setting a reasonable curfew time for their newly licensed 16-year-old high school student? Addressing this issue can be a daunting task and most likely a dilemma that faces every household. Once your teen is issued that much-sought-after freedom pass of a driver’s license from the DMV, your parenting skills will be put to the test.

If you thought you lost sleep when they were a newborn, think again. Those tiny worry lines all of a sudden become much more deeply ingrained in your face as you watch them put the car in reverse and jet out the driveway. After trying several approaches, we found the following solution to setting a reasonable curfew time.

As we all know, children will push the limit and want to stay out much longer than their parents can keep their eyes open. When our son first started to drive we found ourselves constantly trying to negotiate with him as to a reasonable time to return home on Friday and Saturday nights. In the beginning we were the time initiators, giving him the expected time to return home. We made it very clear that whatever time we set, he was expected to be in the door and on his way to bed, not driving in and parking the car. He was pretty good at staying within his parameters, and if he was going to be a few minutes late, he knew that a phone call at anytime of the night was appreciated versus his parents sitting, waiting and worrying.

This approach worked for awhile, but as his social calendar grew, he wanted stay out later. Each week he would try to get us to lengthen the time and occasionally we did, but it was a constant discussion, and it was growing old fast. Truly, it was a war over extra minutes, and the battle of the clock reared its ugly head every single weekend. We found ourselves groaning, he was complaining, and all were getting tired of the negotiations. Something had to change!

By pure chance our 13-year-old daughter was taking a conflict resolution training course at about the time we could think of no other approach to this daunting curfew dilemma. As we sifted through the paper work she brought home, the wheels started turning, the light bulb came on, and our answer to this whole curfew mess was right there. Hallelujah!

Answer their question with a question. Right from the very beginning this approach worked. We can now say that “from experience” when either of our children asks “What time do you want me home?” We found it best to not give a time, but instead answer them back with a question. “What time would you like to come home?”

More times than not they always gave a time that was earlier than we were thinking. Even from our seasoned son who we had struggled with in the beginning. Oh my, could it be this easy? Yes!

This approach gave them a feeling of control and setting their own rule. The big plus: They were always timely. Occasionally, we would extend the time by 30 minutes as a reward as long as it was reasonable. We never allowed a time after 12:15 a.m. Why the 15 extra minutes? That way they could leave their event at midnight, not feel like the first one leaving and have the time needed to drive home.

Now, in the process of surviving our second teen driver, we can honestly say we do not think either ever caught on to our reverse psychology.

As excerpted from “42 Rules ™ for Working Moms” Super Star Press, 2008.

Laura Lowell is the executive editor and author of “42 Rules for Working Moms.” She has gathered practical advice and information from working moms all over the world to share with others. She lives and works in Silicon Valley with her husband and two girls. http://www.42rules.com/working_moms/index

Rule 28: Dare to Compare

Tia Yates is a Legal Assistant in house for Washington Mutual Bank, the loving wife to William and a grateful Mom to four active boys ages 2-14.

Comparison is comfortable. We compare prices and nutrition labels at the grocery store. I certainly compared my babies to my friends; percentiles, sleeping habits, first words and steps. It was not a far slide into comparing myself to other moms – unfortunately with an obscured view.

I watched these “all together” women with an amazing talent for keeping it all running smoothly. Never missing the PTA meeting, always able to manage their work schedules around the school events and making adorable snacks. They were the poster moms for “having it all.” I, on the other hand, felt like I was always running late, taking every shortcut I could find, and collapsing into bed at night. I didn’t realize it, but comparing myself to those moms was driving how I was living. It made me very critical of myself and in turn my family.

I had always shied away from sharing too much with moms at school or other activities. I didn’t want them to see that I occasionally dropped the ball in my juggling act. It was bad enough that I felt judged by the stay at home moms. I was horrified when I would forget until the last minute that it was our week to bring snack, and I had to buy something from the store! They would never serve a store-bought snack! My husband would tell me I was being irrational, but I could not help it. I was so thankful when our school district mandated store bought items for school.

When my third son came along our lives changed a little more then we expected. Eventually he would officially be labeled “developmentally delayed,” but the path it took to get there, filled with specialists, and therapy appointments, sleepless nights and heavy-hearted days made me stop comparing myself to other moms. Not because I had had an epiphany. I wish. It was because I did not have the energy.

I also got to know a lot of my “pedestal” moms better. They would ask how therapy was going, or if we had attained this or that goal, and suddenly their guards were down. I learned that they had their mom at home to help keep house or bake cupcakes for them, or a part time job out of their house that allowed for more flexibility in schedule.

As things settled into life as we know it today, I realized how much more I enjoyed working the book fairs and attending the fundraising events for the kids’ schools or sports. I don’t kick myself if it does not all work out perfectly, and I am not able to make every single event. I love the contributions I do make because I am doing it for myself and my children now, and not because I am trying to be like someone else, or because I will feel like I am less of a mom if sometimes I can’t swing it.

Today I love that I can accept myself as a good mom, and while I still catch myself measuring my birthday party planning skills to another mom’s (I did once make a pi

Rule 29: Don’t Let Yourself Go

Tina DeMattia, is 36 years old and has one child. She just earned her Marriage and Family Therapy license after completing 3000 hours of internship and two written licensing exams.

During my pregnancy, I was finishing up an internship, and working a private practice to become a psychotherapist. I had supervision twice a week, group therapy and individual therapy once a week. Needless to say, I had a lot of emotional support! I took great pride in my clothes and make-up and got my hair and nails done on a regular basis. While I have struggled with my weight my whole life, I have always tried to look as good as I could at whatever weight. I loved being pregnant because I didn’t have to hide.

After I had my son, I was overwhelmed with how I felt about him; how inadequate I felt as a mother and how disgusting I thought I looked. I went into survival mode, and I didn’t care about my appearance anymore. I came dangerously close to becoming the “weird pajama lady.” I felt depressed and isolated. If I showered and ate everyday it was a miracle. We ate take-out almost every night and I didn’t wear anything without an elastic waistband. All of my attention was on my baby and how to take care of him.

To be honest, I actually loved the idea of staying in my jammies all day, shuffling around in my slippers doing the “coffee fuckaround” endlessly. This goes by many names, but basically it is when you have your first cup of coffee at 8 a.m., next thing you know, it is 1 p.m. You’ve drained the coffee pot, you haven’t showered or done anything in particular. You swear the clock is wrong; it is almost like a time warp. There was a point when I realized I had let myself go—emotionally and physically.

My regular emotional support system was gone, along with my hygiene. My TV addiction had peaked to a new low. I was obsessed with TLC’s “Baby Story” and two different make over shows. I was astounded by how many makeovers were dedicated to helping working moms get their groove back. I thought to myself, oh my God, those poor women. What happened to them that they forgot about themselves? Then I caught the expression on the mailman’s face when I greeted him with yet another tardy bill to go out. “What’s his problem?” I thought. Then I went inside. It was 2 p.m., I hadn’t brushed my hair, I was wearing my glasses, Christmas pajama bottoms (in June,) with a stained sweatshirt and slippers. “Oh, I am one of those women now” (And I have to go back to work next week!).

I called other working mothers for advice. Most of them said, “I don’t have time for that besides, who would watch my children?” I went back to my therapy group and asked my friends for support and help. I felt guilty at first, but then I asked my husband to watch OUR child so I could go shopping and get my hair and nails done. At that point, it did not feel frivolous to me, it was necessary. After I had completed my own makeover, I felt so much better about myself. I vowed to never let myself go ever again.

When I went back to work, I felt more confident again, and I was grateful for a reason to shower, put myself together and activate a different part of my brain. I remember that my nanny complimented the fact that I always put myself together. She mentioned that the other mothers she worked for run out of the house wearing whatever, with wet hair, no make-up and coffee. I thanked her and smiled to myself.

It feels important to me to help other mothers realize that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of others. What we wear and what we look like says a lot about who we think we are and how we are doing. I encourage all working mothers to ask for help, eat right, exercise, sleep, get massages, get your hair and nails done and spend some money on some clothes that fit and make you feel good. You are worth it!

As excerpted from “42 Rules ™ for Working Moms” Super Star Press, 2008.

Laura Lowell is the executive editor and author of “42 Rules for Working Moms.” She has gathered practical advice and information from working moms all over the world to share with others. She lives and works in Silicon Valley with her husband and two girls. http://www.42rules.com/working_moms/index

Rule 30: Put on Your Oxygen Mask First

Victoria Ryan knows that the most valuable contribution she has made to the U.S. workplace is her ability to influence senior leaders to allow flexible time, job-sharing, part-time work, comp-time and remote employment. Today two of five children are at home.

Have you been on a plane with your kids and heard the flight attendant tell you to put on your oxygen mask first? The immediate response is, “No way, I need to take care of my kids (husband, mother, best friend, stranger in the seat next to me…). The idea is contrary to instinct.

What does it really mean? Simply this: If you don’t don your mask first, you won’t be there for all those other people when they need you. And for those of us with daughters who might become working moms, too, what better opportunity to be a role model whose values are clear: I take care of me!

The question becomes, what is your oxygen mask? For each of us, the answer is different. It might be:

- taking that hot bath when there is so much to be done outside of the bathroom.

- going for a walk with a friend late at night when your teenager is suffering with a paper that they could have started a week earlier.

- taking the last piece of homemade apple pie that you made and haven’t yet had a piece of.

Take the mask first! Soak in the bath. Enjoy the walk. Eat the pie. Taking good care of your self is not selfish. Au contraire, it is the most valuable gift you can give to your self and to all who depend on you.

My “taking care of me” things are neither complicated nor time-consuming. They include:

- Physical fitness every day: a run, a walk, yoga, stretching, tennis.

- Eating well: that means healthy and the not-so-healthy on occasion, keeping the splurges special.

- Creating ‘alone time’ for me (send the kids grocery shopping – that’s a double win – the grocery shopping is done by someone other than me and I get alone time!).

When you first start taking care of yourself, you might hear some snotty, unsupportive remarks. As I was heading out for a much needed, mental health walk one night, one of my teens with a looming deadline said with indignance and a full-blown glare, “I can’t believe you are leaving right now.” I came so close to canceling, but walk I did. And guess what? She handled the “crisis” and was better because of it. I saw and heard the confidence in her. That only happened because I walked away.

Another time, I had arranged for my then-husband to take the kids on an overnight to a local hotel with a pool to get some time in the house by myself. What a treat, right? Wrong. The whining was relentless, and I nearly broke down and cancelled. I don’t know where the strength came from, but I held firm as they spewed things like, “you don’t love us” and (from my husband) “what will you do with all that time?” Amazing he lived to see morning.

Remember, if this is new behavior for you, loved ones are not used to seeing you taking good care of yourself. Stay the course. Grab that mask and breathe. Then help them find theirs.

As excerpted from “42 Rules ™ for Working Moms” Super Star Press, 2008.

Laura Lowell is the executive editor and author of “42 Rules for Working Moms.” She has gathered practical advice and information from working moms all over the world to share with others. She lives and works in Silicon Valley with her husband and two girls. http://www.42rules.com/working_moms/index

Rule 31: Volunteer Your Way

Jan McDaniel has spent the last 25 years working in various senior management positions at some of the world’s largest High Technology companies. She did this while raising two daughters.

It’s important to be involved with your children’s activities: school, church, dance, drama or sports. You don’t want to be the only parent who meets the teacher for the first time at back-to-school night or open house. You want to make a positive impression with the important people that influence your children. You want to be able to have an open dialog at any time with these influencers, as well as with your children. The trick is to do it on your terms in a way that works for you and your family.

But any of you who have anxiously shown up for a PTA meeting or a fundraising committee know that your time and talent is too valuable for what can often be unfocused gab fests. Take charge. Pick one or two volunteer activities that put you in total control. For instance, sign up to be room parent for your child’s class. This job typically involves you assigning parents to stuff folders on Fridays or bring cookies to the mother’s tea. It’s the one job that puts you in the driver’s seat and also allows you to work around your schedule. You can choose the fun things you want to do and assign the chores to others.

Show up early for the first open house and pounce on the field trip lists. Have your calendar ready and sign up for the first and last field trips of the year. You’ll be able to schedule these trips into your calendar, meet all the kids at the beginning of the year and make a great connection with the teacher. The end-of-the-year trip is always the most fun and relaxed and typically has nothing to do with the curriculum. That is purely a selfish selection that my kids and I always looked forward to.

Take the initiative. If your kids play sports that require snacks after the games, show up for the first parent meeting with a snack schedule ready to hand out to all the parents. I’ve yet to meet a coach who doesn’t appreciate this job being handled before it gets assigned. Put your name on the snack list for the first game so your job is already done. That way, the coach doesn’t assign you to something like volunteering on picture day (that requires you to stay all day on Saturday with a 1,000 players) or to making a banner or worse yet to the end of the year party (that requires you to collect money for coaches’ gifts and to figure out who wants what on a pizza order).

At church, meet with the youth directors or head of Sunday school and explain that your tight schedule doesn’t allow a long-term volunteer commitment, but you would like to do a few things throughout the year. After all, you aren’t a total deadbeat; just a working mom who knows how to allocate her time. Provide an extra set of hands for a Sunday project, call parents, or better yet, do the snack list. Anything that shows your interest and can be done at night or introduces you to the children is great. Driving to events is often fun and gives you that chance to observe the dynamics of the group your children hang out with.

Some of the best discussions with my kids are the result of my being involved in their lives. A lot of working moms feel like they don’t have the time to volunteer. I’ve found that I can do it, as long as I do it my way.

As excerpted from “42 Rules ™ for Working Moms” Super Star Press, 2008.

Laura Lowell is the executive editor and author of “42 Rules for Working Moms.” She has gathered practical advice and information from working moms all over the world to share with others. She lives and works in Silicon Valley with her husband and two girls. http://www.42rules.com/working_moms/index

Grow Where You’re Planted

Do you ever feel that your life will begin some time in the future? Whether you want to move to another city, are waiting for your children to grow up, want to get married/remarried, or maybe you’re holding out on life until you have more cash, the phrase “bloom where you are” can help you make it through times when you feel like your life is truly going to begin later.

For me, it has been about wanting to move to another city. I’ve lived in the Atlanta area since I was 9 years old, with the exception of two years of college in Washington, D.C. I remember watching a dance show on the beaches of southern California when I was 13 and thinking, “Wow, I would love to live there”. Ever since then, my spirit has felt restless and has wanted to travel the world. I even entertained thoughts of being in the Peace Corp.

But family life was the path that I seemed to choose first. As a matter of fact, I had my first child eight months after graduating from college, which I finished in Atlanta. But that desire to see the world and live in “more exciting” places never left me. I’ve always known there is so much more out there to see and experience.

I’ve seriously considered moving to California, New York (where I was born), Florida, and even a few places overseas. I always felt that once I moved, my life would really begin and I would be able to live this fantastically inspiring existence.

Then, I realized that my value doesn’t start then. I have something to offer now…right where I am. Yes, one day I will “haul butt” to my dream locale, but Atlanta ain’t that bad either. I can accomplish all of my immediate goals right where I am. And with the internet, almost any business goal is now feasible.

In this lifetime, there is seldom a perfect time to start or try anything new. The limitations we place on ourselves when we say, “I’ll do it when…” can be disheartening and morally deflating. Having adverse, complicated, stressful, or even situations in which you simply desire a change doesn’t prevent you from having a wonderful, fulfilling existence now. Make the most of the opportunity you have to flourish where you are, whether, it’s a physical, psychological, emotional, or financial situation that has you feeling a little unhappy.

However, you should never stay in a situation that is harmful to you. That’s not what this expression speaks to. It does mean that you should expand your way of thinking by looking for contentment where you are today because so many of your blessings could be right in your face–waiting for you to acknowledge them.

Work to change what must be changed in your circumstances, but also find a way to shine…now! You may not like where you are for whatever reason, but know that you are the key ingredient to making shifts in your own mindset.

Lynn Lawson publishes One Funky Mama, an online guide that encourages moms to live fuller lives. Sign up for the semi-weekly ezine at www.onefunkymama.com and you’ll be happy you have that extra little push to make your life more fulfilled.

Where Did All My Friends Go?

Why do most of us women put friendships aside for our relationships? We can have a bunch of girlfriends, but as soon as we find a potential mate, we put those friendships on the backburner. We, as women, tend to place so much emphasis on finding love and marriage that our relationships with our women friends often suffer.

We find our bliss with being with our new boyfriends or mates. Every one of our waking moments is spent thinking about being with them or actually being with them. We are often so in love that we can’t see past our mates and tend to lose ourselves in the relationships.

Our friends hear from us less and less. We hang out with them, if our man wants a night out with the boys. But, we don’t initiate time with them as we used to. Our focus gets narrower as we begin to plan our life as part of a couple. At this point, we rarely spend time with our friends and begin to identify ourselves through our relationship.

Then, once we have children, it becomes even more difficult to nurture our girlfriend relationships. We become so busy managing our family lives that we can’t figure out how to include our friends anymore. But, then one day we wake up and ask ourselves, “Where did I go?” We realize that we’ve gotten lost in our relationship.

You see, part of our overall wellness depends on the bonds that we have with our peers. And your mate, most likely, isn’t nearly the equivalent of a girlfriend (unless you can communicate with him like you would a girlfriend - now, come on!).

We may find ourselves falling into a place of discontentment, thinking, “Wow, my mate still maintains his friendships, while I only have a girlfriend or two, and I don’t even see or talk to them very often. Where did all my girlfriends go?”

If Sex and the City teaches us anything, it should be how to maintain our friendships? We should place importance on maintaining our ties with our girlfriends. If we haven’t nurtured those ties like we should have, then we need to start doing it now, by reconnecting with them through dates; i.e. lunch, dinner, movies, girlfriend weekends, etc. But what if we need to establish new friendships? How do we go about finding them?

Remember how easy it was to make friends when you were a little girl? You usually found someone who looked like they had something in common with you, chatted with them for a little while, then popped the question, “Do you wanna be my friend?” It was just that simple. We received a yes and were off to the playground.

Why has adulthood tainted our approach in making new friends? Oftentimes, we women approach establishing a new friendship in the same regard as finding a mate. We want to give people certain criteria before they can move into the realm of being our “friend”. We may subconsciously have a checklist. They have to have this (check)…this (check)…and this (check), and definitely not “that”.

Then, if we don’t have enough women in our circle who meet those criteria, we say that it’s too hard to find any good women friends. What we sometimes fail to realize is that no one friend can be all things to us.

We have to have that friend who knows all about fashion and one that teaches us how to take better care of ourselves. Then, we have to have a friend that can help us find our spiritual center and one that can show us how to have a good time. And, finally, we should have that older friend with wisdom and a single-without-kids friend (so we can live vicariously through them). These are just a few examples of how friends can play different roles in our lives– and you can play a role equally important in theirs.

Sometimes, when approaching women that we may be interested in connecting with, we may feel a little uneasy expressing to them that we would like to get to know them better. We may not want to appear desperate or get rejected. But putting ourselves out there to get to know other women is the way to get new and interesting people into our lives.

Once we start connecting, we have to make an effort to keep in touch with them, just like you would if you were getting to know someone for any other reason. Here are a few ways to transition a new acquaintance into a friend.

1. Contact them once a week or every two weeks just to see how they’re doing;

2. Initially invite them to coffee or lunch; &

3. Invite them to events or outings that may interest them.

You should learn pretty quickly whether the woman you’re approaching is receptive to your friendship. And most women will be receptive. And, if they aren’t, would you really want them as a friend anyway?

So, this is your task. Find at least three new women in the next 30 days that you can connect and develop a relationship with. You can find them through your work, organizations that you participate in, or through your child(ren)’s activities. You’ll be happy you did and your life may just feel a little more fun and fulfilled.

Lynn Lawson publishes One Funky Mama, an online guide that encourages moms to live fuller lives. Sign up for the semi-weekly ezine at www.onefunkymama.com and you’ll be happy you have that extra little push to make your life more fulfilled.

Understanding Botox Treatments

Botox treatment has become nearly an everyday phrase and is often joked about in magazines, on TV and the Internet. Most people associate the word botox with looking young. Some people have the connotation that this is something reserved only for the rich and famous. Most of society probably has only heard that botox treatments provide super fast results. Others may feel that botox treatments involve taking some wonder youth injection that transforms your face to a younger you for remainder of your life. As a matter of fact, the words “botox treatment” can be considered as synonyms for “younger face.”

So, what is the hidden secret involved in botox injections and how does this wonder chemical really do its work? Are there many non-publicized risks and issues as a result of? Well, first, we must try to understand the answers to all such questions regarding botox treatments.

How do Botox treatments work?

Before proceeding, allow me to pose a query. Why do you have wrinkles on your face? Understanding this will give you a firm (no pun intended) foundation before you can begin to understand the effects of botox.

There are about 52 muscles in your face, not including any individual distinctions regarding things like posterior and inferior, longitudinal and transversus, and major and minor. All of these muscles tend to overlap making it difficult to actually identify each one individually.

These muscles continuously expand and contract, over and over during the course of any given day. This process is repeated day in and day out throughout your entire life. As a result, there eventually comes a point in time that wrinkles will begin to form on the surface of your skin. If you could avoid this continuous muscle action, no wrinkles would ever form. But, that would entail not smile or laughing ever again! Good luck, right?

How to achieve this result?

Well, as a second point of background information, you need to understand that we all have two types of muscles in our bodies - voluntary and involuntary. The voluntary type, of course, we move whenever we desire. The other group of muscles, as you guess, we have no control over and move or contract when they feel the need. Botox treatment or Botox injections involve forcing or re-training these facial muscles NOT to contract. How is this done?

You have certain chemical compounds within your body that carry electrical impulses to the brain and order the facial muscle to contract. If these neuron message are prevented from reaching the brain then facial muscles won’t contract. This sounds fairly simple, right? You just put up a stop sign within your neural pathways and tell the impulses to halt. Actually, botox is that stop sign. Botox is the chemical that was developed to prevent neuron messages from reaching the brain. Naturally, the wrinkle formation stops and eventually the existing wrinkles may even disappear.

Naturally, this cessation of electrical impulses is not something we would like floating through our entire bodies. All muscular functions would stop and you would be immobilized. This is the very reason botox treatments are only available via injection form. This is also the very reason botox must be taken under strict medical supervision. Botox treatments are definitely beneficial for those seeking a more youthful appearance. And now I hope you a bit more equipped to make a decision on whether or not Botox is for you. Be sure to visit my site for more insight into Botox.

Understanding Botox Treatments - P.j. Germain - Be sure to speak to your nearest physician to obtain professional Botox advice before considering any Botox treatments.

Next Page »