July 24, 2012 Clippings

How safe is your fairness cream?

The recent mercury scare in fairness creams has brought up the question of the safety of skin lightening products once again.

It looks like every skin care product in the market seems to have skin lightening properties nowadays, but are they all safe to use? This is the question that many women have been worrying about for a long time and now their worries have escalated due to new scientific findings, like the misuse of mercury in many skin care products today.

Mercury, which is an important ingredient in many skin lightening creams nowadays, is dangerous and doctors across the world are warning people not to use such creams indiscriminately on the face or body. The spectrum of products that should not be used carelessly range from creams, soaps, powders to body lotions. Since mercury can cause kidney problems and nervous system diseases, it is best to watch out and keep away from products that contain this substance.

Says noted dermatologist Dr. Divya Appachu, "Always check the ingredients on the label of a jar of a skin lightening product. If ingredients like liquorice are mentioned, the cream can be quite harmless but make sure it is not mixed with any other chemicals. Sometimes, using too many lightening products or too many cosmetics can cause hyperpigmentation (dark spots) too. If you don't know what a certain ingredient on a label is, always check with your dermatologist before buying it. And always remember you really cannot be any lighter than you are genetically."

So, the next time you want to buy a skin lightening product, don't be in a hurry to buy the most expensive or the cheapest product you can find. Nor should you go by a pretty jar or by following the beauty reviews on the internet. Buy creams with ingredients that are familiar to you, and consult with a skin care expert before actually using anything on your face that promises lighter skin.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

24.07.2012

How breast cancer cells damage bones

Victorian scientists have found that some breast cancer cells can turn off a signal that causes the immune system to attack them.

Switching off the interferon immune signal lets the cancer cells secretly spread to secondary sites, most commonly the bones.

The discovery achieved by researchers from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Monash Institute of Medical Research could help stop breast cancer from spreading to the bones and becoming deadly, News.com.au reported.

"We have discovered a mask that breast cancer cells put on, allowing them to hide and spread to bone, thriving undetected," said Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre's Dr Belinda Parker.

Researchers hope that existing interferon therapies could be used to "unmask" the cancer cells.

Dr Parker said once the cells were detectable and open to attacks from the immune system, they could contain them to the breast and stop them forming secondary tumours.

There are already interferon treatments for hepatitis, skin cancer and HIV, but they have not been trailed in breast cancer patients.

"If we can stop the first spread to bone, then it is possible that we could prevent subsequent metastases to the brain, lung and liver," Dr Parker noted.

Prof Paul Hertzog, of Monash Institute of Medical Research, said interferon responses were critical in protecting people from infection.

"This discovery gives us the groundwork to develop and test new diagnostic and treatment strategies," he said.

The research, conducted in pre-clinical animal models, was published in Nature Medicine.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

24.07.2012

One who has lost confidence can lose nothing more

Boiste