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The hidden costs of looking good |
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Written by Harry Jackson Jr., MCT
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Monday, 11 June 2007 |
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The effort to look good can range from putting on makeup to braving the risk of skin cancer by basking in the sun to the scary extreme of body dysmorphic disorder — a condition in which people despise their looks so much that they endure years of serial plastic surgery.
Some efforts border on the ridiculous.
For example, a relatively new form of elective eye surgery replaces a healthy cornea with a colored artificial lens.
And some women undergo surgery on their feet to help them fit into more fashionable shoes.
Other efforts are more common.
"If a little bit of lipstick and blush allows you to feel brighter, that's OK," says psychotherapist Heather Raznick. "But is it interfering with your ability to function? Is it a way to bypass your interior?"
Raznick blames pressure from the media for many unrealistic goals regarding personal appearance. From magazines to television, women especially are bombarded with images "that are only attainable by a small percentage of people," she says.
Nevertheless, you may be putting your health at risk for the sake of appearances. Here are some examples:
COSMETICS
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration scrutinizes cosmetics, and old horror tales of deadly cosmetics have for the most part dried up. Poisonous additives, such as mercury, arsenic and even residue from poison ivy, are banned.
Still, be wary of cosmetics sold exclusively through the Internet or late-night television, says Dr. Dee Anna Glaser, professor of cosmetic dermatology with St. Louis University School of Medicine.
Products that claim to be "natural" often do so to avoid FDA scrutiny.
To be safe, dermatologists say, try any new cosmetic on one patch of skin to check for an allergic reaction.
Ill effects are rare and cause little more than redness or a short-lived rash.
A GOOD TAN
Tanning beds and the sun emit radiation associated with skin cancer, including melanoma, which can be deadly. In fact, tanning beds emit five to 15 times more ultraviolet rays than an equivalent amount of time in the sun. Also, UVA rays, the type that don't cause sunburns, are as guilty in skin cancer as the UVB rays, which cause the sunburn.
Don't fall for the speeches about sun and tanning beds helping the body produce vitamin D. You get enough from your diet or with the time you spend outdoors just walking to your car.
TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS
The biggest danger comes from dirty tools. HIV, hepatitis C, hepatitis B and other blood-borne diseases can be spread with tattoo needles. Even with sterile tools, anything that punctures the skin can push germs from outside the skin inside your body. Also, be aware of allergic reactions to red and yellow dye. Those tend to be mild and short-lived but not so rare.
FINGERNAILS
Cuticles — Cuticles act as a gasket, a sealer that protects the skin behind the nails from infection. Pushing them back or cutting them off defeats the purpose.
Artificial nails — Artificial nails can trap germs that cause infections. It's best, doctors say, to use fake nails only for special occasions, then to remove them and go natural. In addition, dirty tools can spread hepatitis, HIV, herpes and other diseases carried in the bloodstream from one customer to another.
HAIR
Hair replacement — Hair replacements that puncture the skin risk infection. Dermatologists say they get patients regularly who have infections from hair inserts. Know the risk.
Braids — Pulling the hair so tight that it hurts can cause permanent hair loss later in life. If it's painful, it's too tight.
Hair chemicals — Most chemicals are safe and regulated. A debate rages as to whether chemical burns, dyes and straighteners cause hair loss after age 40 or 50. Most hair loss is genetic. But inconclusive evidence points to a lifetime of bleaches, dyes and burns from straightening chemicals as being deadly for hair follicles.
SHAVING
Scraping the hair from your face daily is a double-edged blade. Sensitive skin can be irritated; skin with curly, brittle hair can get hair bumps; clumsy shavers can cut themselves. But shaving also acts as an exfoliant, removing dead surface skin.
If you constantly chop the tops of bumps, get advice from a professional.
Aftershave prevents tiny infections. But keep your face clean if you have trouble with razors.
SHOES
Women's shoes — Only Chinese foot binding tortured women's feet more than fashionable high-heeled shoes. The American Podiatric Medicine Association says that ill-fitting high-heel shoes unnaturally slant the foot forward and down while bending the toes up. The group doesn't recommend heels higher than 2 inches.
Dr. John J. Holtzman, a podiatrist with Missouri Foot and Ankle in St. Louis, says high heels won't cause permanent damage.
But "with that tight toe box, you'll cause inflammatory areas on the skin that can lead to pain," he says, or hammertoes, corns and bunions.
Hard, flat shoes with no arch support can cause foot pain, too. Wear sandals and flats that have thick, spongy soles and arch supports.
The danger from ankle breaks or other injuries if you fall off one of those high-high heels is real.
Look into "comfort pumps" or "performance pumps" for work and social activities. Get wider toes to save the front end of your feet. Shoes with laces are easier on your feet than slip-ons. Wider heels help with balance and protect your ankles.
Dr. Michael Horowitz, head of Feet for Life centers, also warns that the enduring pain of poorly fitting shoes can change a woman's personality from pleasant to combative.
Her mate, who may have pressured her to wear high heels so that her legs look pretty, may be wondering why she has a bad disposition, he says.
"All of this is aesthetics," Horowitz says. "It's a matter of choice."
Men's shoes — Men spend so little time selecting shoes that they sometimes end up with footwear that rubs blisters and causes inflammation. Also, they should wear sandals with arch support.
YOUR EYES
Contact lenses — Contact lenses are safe, but eye infections are possible if you don't take the contacts out and clean them as directed.
COSMETIC SURGERY
All surgeries have risks. And the more complicated the surgery, the longer time under anesthetic, the greater the risk, says Dr. Gregory Branham, director of the facial plastic surgery department at Washington University School of Medicine. Also, anything that punctures the skin risks infection, doctors say.
Botox — Botox continues to be recognized as a safe treatment to relieve forehead wrinkles. Doctors warn of the danger of getting cut-rate treatments from unqualified practitioners. Seek treatments only from a physician or someone supervised by a physician. | Only registered users can write comments.
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