Medical

Edward A. Pechter, M.D. F.A.C.S. has been serving the Santa Clarita Valley for over 25 years.  He is a board certified plastic surgeon, having trained at the Division of Plastic Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he is also an assistant clinical professor.  He is Santa Clarita’s first full-time plastic surgeon, and has been voted eleven times as “Best Plastic Surgeon” by readers of the Los Angeles Daily News.

Unwanted hair has traditionally been removed by wax, tweezers, shaving, chemical depilatories or electrolysis.  These techniques are time consuming, monotonous, painful, and have limited efficacies.  Electrolysis, once a popular procedure for permanent hair removal is invasive, tedious, and only partially effective and can result in scarring or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. 

What appears to be the least expensive alternative may have hidden costs and consequences. Independent caregivers and/or registries that merely provide the services of non-employees (also called independent contractors), typically charge a lower hourly rate for care than an in-home care agency that employs its caregivers.  At the same time, the client who uses an independent caregiver may end up bearing hidden costs and assuming additional risks.  Those costs and risks may include lack of background checks on caregivers, lack of training, and employer liability, both in terms of insurance and taxes.

I don’t think any of us would argue that children have it made.  Wouldn’t we all like to have little to no responsibility, go to school for a few hours per day, skateboard and play?  Specifically, most adults would like to visit the dentist twice per year and the appointment result in no cavities or one treated without the resulting three-hour numbness and time-consuming inconvenience.
With nutrition, dental hygiene and fluoride decay should be declining.  Scarily, decay has now become epidemic in children. 

Has something ever happened, either good or bad and you said, “I knew this would happen?”  Sometimes it is our intuition, and sometimes we believed that this would happen and sure enough it did.  What we ardently believe will happen.  This is why we need to be careful as to what thoughts we entertain.  Our mind is very good at picking up images. 

With the hectic pace of the holidays, serious injuries from ice-related falls inevitably occur.  A Valencia foot and ankle surgeon says falls on icy surfaces are a major cause of ankle sprains and fractures, and it’s critical to seek prompt treatment to prevent further damage that can prolong recovery.

Henry Mayo Newhall MemorialHospital Offers Free Care for Your Heart Community Health Fair

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, research has clearly shown that lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk of heart disease—and the first step is having cholesterol checked. 

February is the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day and many of us become acutely aware of the deficiencies in our relationships during this month.  Maybe we are not even in a committed relationship.

Proper nutrition plays a key role in the functioning of the heart, similar to the maintenance of a car’s engine relative to its ability to function.  Without proper care, the engine will have major dysfunctions and eventually quit running.  If we’re not mindful, the same can happen with the heart.

What will colonics do to the colon?  It Cleanses the Colon: Toxic colon debris is broken down and removed so it can no longer harm your body or inhibit elimination. Once impacted material moves out, your colon can begin to work as it was meant to.  Actually, a colonic is like taking a shower on the inside of the large intestine (colon).

A new report published in ScienceDaily (December 23, 2008), suggests that treating gum disease in patients who have diabetes with procedures such as cleanings and periodontal scaling is linked to 10 to 12 percent lower medical costs per month.

One of the common complaints that we hear is “what can be done about my droopy eyelids and will my health insurance cover it?”  Droopy upper eyelids is a condition called “dermatochalasis” which means redundant or excess skin.  The excess skin with dermatochalasis can droop over the eyelashes and block the upper field of vision. 

Today, a holistic approach to healing includes a thorough awareness of how our minds enhance our recovery process.  Mindfulness is a spiritual discipline that calls on the power of your mind to manage physical and emotional pain.  For people living with cancer, staying in the present and being mindful about your healing ability is very important.

Constipation is mainly caused by the disturbed transmitting function of the large intestine and also related to the function of the spleen, stomach and kidney.  In view of the difference in etiology and pathogenesis, this illness can be divided into two types: deficiency and excess.

The safest weight loss procedure currently available is the Lap Band System.  In the United States the Lap Band procedure is FDA approved for patients over the age of 18 with a Body Mass index (BMI) of 35 (about 75 pounds over ideal body weight and classified as severe obesity) or over with a weight-related medical problem such as diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea or BMI of 40 (about 100 pounds over ideal body weight and classified as morbid obesity) or higher where a weight-related medical condition is not necessary as the amount of this excess weight alone is considered enough of a health threat to warrant a weight loss procedure. 

Advanced dental techniques now provide consumers with exciting, new options for enhancing their smiles.  Revolutionary methods are now available for bleaching teeth to make smiles sparkle!

Even if you no longer have your natural teeth, you should see your dentist regularly for an oral examination.  The dentist will examine your mouth to check for any problem with the gum ridges, the tongue and the joints of the jaw, as well as screen for oral cancer.  For a variety of reasons, many older adults are more susceptible to oral diseases, including oral cancer.  About 95 percent of all cancers are found in people over age 40.  However, many of these cancers are treatable if detected early.  Oral tissues are also checked for signs of other diseases that can first manifest themselves in the mouth.

Both companies also make a gel that is thick enough to be ‘form stable’ and can keep its shape without an outer shell.  This thick gel has been utilized in implants known as gummy bears. These devices are being placed in women today only in clinical research trials. There are some compromises associated with this type of breast implant, though.