* Surveillance studies required for Durata ICD leads
* St. Jude shares down more than 4 percent
Aug 16 (Reuters) – Patients implanted with certain heart defibrillators made by St. Jude Medical Inc should have X-rays or other imaging tests to check for abnormalities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday.
The agency also called for surveillance studies of the company’s implantable defibrillators with its newer “Durata” lead, sending shares of St. Jude down more than 4 percent.
The lead is a wire attached to the device that is inserted into the heart to detect abnormal heart rhythms and deliver an electrical shock to restore normal heartbeat.
The X-ray recommendations apply to products with “Riata” leads, which were recalled by St. Jude in November 2011 after reports of premature erosion of the insulation around the conductor wires, also called insulation failure.
The company stopped selling the Riata leads in late 2010, but around 79,000 remain implanted in patients in the United States.
St. Jude said in June that an internal investigation showed that damage to one of its Durata defibrillator lead wires was not caused by the same type of abrasion which forced the recall of its Riata products.
The FDA also said it is requiring post-market surveillance studies on St Jude’s recalled QuickFlex and QuickSite CRT leads. CRT devices are small, battery-powered units implanted in the chest of heart failure patients.
Insulation failure may cause some of the electrical conductors inside Riata leads to move within or move entirely outside the outer lead insulation. the lead can malfunction, causing potentially life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms.
Shares of St. Jude fell 4.4 percent to close at $36.87 on the new York Stock Exchange.
Cosmetic surgery should always undergone with a sound mind. this means you need to check out as much, as you can about the surgeon beforehand. Don’t worry about being offensive when you ask him personal questions about his qualifications. Include the school, and extra courses that he has studied. this helps give you peace of mind.
Find out from your doctor, who will be administering the anesthesia. It will either come from the surgeon, a specially-trained nurse depending on the complexity of the procedure, or an anesthesiologist. you have the right to insist that a second person administer the anesthesia as a precaution, but it will most likely cost you more.
If your doctor has only been talking up the benefits of your surgery, you may want to reconsider your surgeon. a quality surgeon will talk to you about not only benefits but also the risks and dangers associated with your surgery. If your doctor is nothing more than a salesman, you should keep looking.
Research the plastic surgeon. Look for recommendations and reviews from other people that have already had surgery performed by the doctor. It is best to check this out before getting the surgery done. you would not want to get a surgery performed by a doctor, who has less than perfect reviews.
Now that you have read this article you surely know somewhat more about cosmetic surgery than you had before. If any of this information surprised you, you now have the opportunity to talk with your physician about it before you go through with your surgery. consider all of this information thoroughly before deciding what surgeries you want done.
If you are considering cosmetic surgery, you need to know that you have found the right plastic surgeon. Most doctors can put on a good performance at a consultation to make you feel comfortable. What else can you look at to make sure you are getting the best quality physician for your procedure?
First, look at how well the doctor interacts with you. Does he give you his full concentration? Does he ask enough questions to truly get a feel for where you are coming from and what your approach to and reason for the procedure is? Ask a lot of questions at your consultation so that you force the doctor to interact with you, and so that you are thoroughly prepared for the procedure and in order to understand his approach to it. do not just listen to his presentation about the procedure.
Next, look at the doctor’s credentials. any plastic surgeon you visit will have a medical degree, but check into his certifications. is he a board certified doctor, or does he simply carry a license? Check the board’s website to verify that the doctor is, in fact, certified, rather than simply taking the doctor’s word for it. Certification proves that the doctor has sufficient training to perform this type of surgery, and to perform it with a measure of skill.
An excellent plastic surgeon is going to have a good reputation, not just in the general community, but also with other doctors. Ask your primary care provider for a recommendation as to a cosmetic doctor you can visit for your procedure. Talk to any friends in the area who are in the medical field, such as nurses, that might have a recommendation.
You may also want to look for a doctor who specializes in the procedure you are considering. this will ensure that the doctor uses the best and most up-to-date methods, and it will also ensure that the doctor has skills to do an aesthetically pleasing job. if you have a special method or technology in mind that you wish to have used when you have your surgery, make sure you look for a doctor with experience using that particular method.
Another sign of a good plastic surgeon is one who has hospital privileges. this does not necessarily mean you will have your procedure done at the hospital, but it does mean that you can be admitted to the hospital if something goes wrong or a complication develops. In order to have hospital privileges, the doctor will have to pass a series of background checks to ensure he does good work. the fact that the doctor has hospital privileges not only gives you peace of mind that your health will be protected if you experience complications, but it also helps you feel confident that the doctor is well qualified.
Remember, choosing a plastic surgeon is something you should do with a lot of care and consideration. this doctor will directly impact your appearance as a result of the surgery. you need to make sure you have the right doctor for the job.
CHICAGO (AP) – U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., a Chicago Democrat who took a hushed medical leave two months ago, is being treated for bipolar disorder, the Mayo Clinic announced Monday.
The Rochester, Minn.-based clinic specified his condition as Bipolar II, which is defined as periodic episodes of depression and hypomania, a less serious form of mania.
“Congressman Jackson is responding well to the treatment and regaining his strength,” the clinic said in a statement.
Bipolar II is a treatable condition that affects parts of the brain controlling emotion, thought and drive and is likely caused “by a complex set of genetic and environmental factors,” the clinic said. the statement also mentioned that Jackson underwent weight loss surgery in 2004 and said such a surgery can change how the body absorbs foods and medications, among other things.
The statement Monday was the most detailed to date about the congressman's mysterious medical leave, which began June 10. But it raised new questions about when the congressman can return to work.
A Jackson aide said last week that the congressman was expected back in the district within a matter of weeks, but Jackson's spokesmen declined to comment Monday.
His father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, wouldn't say much about the diagnosis.
“I'm glad he's getting the treatment he needs and is responding well,” the elder Jackson said, adding that “there's no timetable” for his recovery.
Experts and mental health advocates say many people are able to work and function in their daily lives while managing treatment.
Treatment includes medication and psychotherapy, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. the institute estimates about 5.7 million American adults suffer from the disorder, which can be a lifelong disease.
At least one other member of Congress has suffered from it while in office.
Former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island has talked openly about his lifelong struggles with bipolar disorder and addiction. He's was a leading voice in Congress for removing stigma linked with mental illness. the son of the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy was a congressman for 16 years and retired last year.
The younger Kennedy was arrested in 2006 after an early morning car crash near the U.S. Capitol that he said he could not remember. after spending a month at Mayo for treatment of addiction and depression, Kennedy pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of prescription drugs.
“I had two of the biggest successes in politics after I went to treatment,” Kennedy said, referring to getting nearly 70 percent of the re-election vote in 2006 and his legislative victory of getting a bill requiring mental health parity passed in 2008.
“It was because I ran toward the problem and not away from it. When I returned to my district, I spoke openly about it,” he said.
Kennedy said he planned to visit Jackson on Thursday. he said he and Jackson had a lot in common: both served on the House Appropriations Committee together and had famous fathers.
Jackson's office didn't announce his medical condition until about two weeks after he went on leave, and it initially described the problem as exhaustion. Later, his office disclosed that Jackson had “grappled with certain physical and emotional ailments privately for a long period of time.” a statement from an unnamed doctor said Jackson had a “mood disorder.”
Earlier this month, Jackson's office announced he was at Mayo and being treated for depression and gastrointestinal issues, after a transfer from the Sierra Tucson Treatment Center in Arizona.
Though the Mayo Clinic mentioned Jackson's weight loss surgery, its statement Monday stopped short of directly tying it to his mental health problems. Mayo Clinic spokeswoman Traci Klein declined to comment.
Dr. Jaime Ponce, president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, said there is no evidence that the type of surgery Jackson had can cause bipolar disorder. a deficiency of the nutrient thiamine can cause a brain condition that could mimic bipolar disorder, Ponce said, but “bipolar disorder is totally different.”
Jackson underwent a duodenal switch procedure in 2004, which involves removing part of the stomach and rearranging the intestine so less food is absorbed. he lost 50 pounds.
Dr. Vivek Prachand, associate professor of surgery at University of Chicago, said people already taking medications for depression can undergo weight loss surgery but may need their medications adjusted afterward. Prachand added that surgery is a drastic change that can trigger an episode in someone with a history of depression.
Jackson aide Rick Bryant said last week that Jackson appeared in good spirits and wanted him to push forward on projects in the district, which includes Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs. Jackson, who first won office in 1995, is on the November ballot with two little-known candidates and is widely expected to win re-election.
The timing and manner in which the medical leave was handled has invited scrutiny.
Jackson is under a House Ethics Committee investigation for ties to imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Jackson's office announced his leave just days after a former fundraiser connected to the probe was arrested on federal medical fraud charges.
Jackson has denied wrongdoing.
Associated Press writers Carla K. Johnson in Chicago and Michelle R. Smith in Providence, R.I. contributed to this report.
In plastic surgery, we continually strive to make every face that we operate on better. sometimes the facial problem is easy and the surgery straightforward. other times, the facial problem is more difficult to identify and takes more careful analysis. Knowing what makes a face attractive is important of we are to try and change a face to make it so. We know it when we see someone attractive but it may be hard to know why we think so. Beauty is thought to be subjective and emotional and the question of what makes a face attractive can seem to be impossible to answer. Research studies in the past ten years or so, however, has shown that there is a scientific basis to an aesthetically-pleasing face.and it can be specifically measured.
A beautiful face should be symmetric from side to side. The most attractive faces are those that have a remarkable amount of evenness between the right and left sides. this has been demonstrated through a photographic mirror-image technique. A picture is taken and a line is drawn down the middle. Two faces are then made by flipping over the mirror image of one side to make a complete face. then compare a ‘right-sided’ face to the ‘left-sided’ face. The closer that these two facial images look, the more symmetrical and attractive is that face.
The relationships between the size and shape of the forehead, nose, eyes, lips and chin should be harmonious and not distracting. There are very specific measurements consisting of angles and ratios between these facial structures that create favorable proportions. The study and science of facial relationships is known as anthropometry and every face can be easily analyzed on paper. (there are software programs that can do it today in a matter of a few minutes)
Youth is always equated with greater attractiveness and the face is no exception. Increasing lines, wrinkles, and sagging of the skin makes a face look more aged. but symmetry and good facial proportions can still make the aging face very appealing.
Don’t forget that facial expressions, how often the eyes and the mouth moves and in what direction, can negate even the most imbalanced face. Smiling is far more attractive than frowning In and of itself, it aids in making the face more pleasant. There is no one who isn’t favorably moved by a big and inviting smile.
Our goal as plastic surgeons is to make faces more attractive. this is accomplished by improving symmetry between the two sides of the face, putting certain facial features such as the nose and chin into better balance with the rest of the face, and giving the face a more youthful rested look.
X Factor sensation Alexandra Burke talks about bad boys in her new single, but do good guys always finish last when it comes to dating? A number of ladies go for the naughty boys because they say that all the mischief adds spice to a relationship. however, many women also go for the good guys because these nice chaps are much more dependable. when it comes to on-line dating, is it better to give off the impression that you are a bad guy, or that you are a good guy?
The answer, depends on what kind of ladies you want to get.
Bad guys are generally also looking for naughty girls. these chaps often go for illicit encounters, extramarital affairs, or adultery. Surveys show that many bored housewives take interest in bad guys, so if you are looking to hook up with a married chick, then be sure you come off as a wayward rebel. give the impression that you don’t take relationships seriously and are not into commitments. You will thus attract women who are just looking for casual dating and good old adult fun, with no strings attached.
Want a serious relationship? then be a good guy. Nice chaps are serious, sensitive, and are often looking for long-term partners. Don’t worry – it’s not as if all the girls want the bad guys. There are also good guys who get the girl of their dreams, especially in on-line dating sites. You are more likely to get the attention of nice girls you can take home to mum if you give out the impression that you are a dependable man.
The important thing is to play your cards right. Be sincere and tell it like it is – that’s how you win the girl that you want. Be careful in composing your dating profile and make sure that you are perceived the way that you want to be perceived – whether you want to look like a good or bad guy is entirely up to you.
Printed on a small pillow on the couch in Liz Harrison’s living room is the phrase “The Lord Comforts me.” A few feet away is a small plaque that reads “Nothing is Impossible to a willing Heart.”
These aren’t just decorative items but a reflection of the KFSN (Channel 30.1) anchor’s strong faith that is helping her deal with breast cancer. She was scheduled to have surgery Monday.
“I am not afraid. My days were numbered from the get-go. God knew from then how many days I would have. So I don’t care what the statistics are. he has the only answer,” Harrison said a few days before the surgery. “It makes you pause and take stock of your life. you get a reality check that you are not going to live forever.
“But I am able to deal with this because of my faith. with everything I’ve been through, I think my faith has increased because God has been faithful all the way through.”
That is the big reason why Harrison, 52, was able to approach the days before the surgery with a positive outlook and a deep sense of calm. She also found strength in the love she has been getting from her husband, Keith, the relaxation she has found in being an amateur painter and the support of friends, including a weekly prayer group that meets in her home.
“I feel great. That’s the thing about breast cancer. you don’t feel any different. A lot of people ask why I am still working and I’m like ‘Why not?’ I am going to start feeling crummy after the surgery on Monday,” Harrison said.
“I’m appreciative for every day. I have my bad days. I get very down sometimes and get mad. with this, I think it’s much harder on the people around you than it is on you because they don’t have control over the situation.
“My favorite Scripture is 1 Corinthians 10:13. it says whatever trials you encounter, God will give you what you need to get through. he will always get you through.”
Harrison has known since she was 20 that while there is no immediate history of breast cancer in her family, the fibrous tissue in her breasts gave her a higher potential to face cancer. During a self-examination in June, she found what she describes as “a blob” in her left breast.
After she met with her doctor, Harrison was scheduled for a mammogram and an ultrasound in July.
“It’s a good thing they did the ultrasound because the mammogram didn’t pick it up,” Harrison said. “But you know when there’s something there that shouldn’t be there. I knew when I went in for my mammogram that I probably had cancer.”
Doctors discovered a type of cancer known as invasive lobular carcinoma. it begins in the milk-producing glands of the breast and becomes invasive when it has broken out of the lobule and has the potential to spread to other areas of the body. because she discovered the mass so early, it was at stage one, which generally means it’s localized to one part of the body.
Current statistics show one in eight women will have breast cancer and 10% of them will face the kind Harrison is fighting.
The cancer was discovered in one breast but Harrison decided to have double mastectomy surgery to dramatically reduce the chances of the cancer recurring.
She already had decided to have reconstructive surgery and her plastic surgeon was scheduled to be in the operating room to place spacers behind the muscles that will slowly create a place for implant surgery after six months.
Harrison will find out Thursday, after the pathology work has been completed, whether she will have to undergo chemotherapy.
The cancer has been just the latest challenge for Harrison, who laughingly said she should write a book. Harrison has kept a journal and had plenty to write about, from the death of her father from a brain tumor in March to the eight years she was off the air — 1995-2003 — to spend more time with her sons — Ben and Jason — who battled drug addictions.
Harrison also has had two hip replacement surgeries and a mild form of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system, that kept her in bed for a month.
Then there was Ben’s much publicized arrest and trial that ended with him being sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery and grand theft.
Harrison said she believes her sons are back on the right path as Ben has two more years on his sentence and Jason is studying to be a hairstylist. Her daughter, Lindsay, is in college in Dallas.
The fact Harrison has been at KFSN since 1983 has put her in the public eye through all of her trials and tribulations. She has dealt with the attention by being as honest and open as she could be. in this case, she has been willing to talk about the cancer in hopes it will be a reminder to others the importance of self-examination.
Best-case scenario has Harrison back in the anchor chair at the beginning of October. Until Harrison returns, Amanda Perez will be the primary fill-in on the ABC station’s 11 p.m. weeknight news. Perez shouldn’t get too comfortable because Harrison has complete faith she will be back on the air soon.
One of the more important aspects of obtaining cosmetic plastic surgery, is letting yourself to retrieve Converse Pas Cher soon after the procedure is carried out. be sure that you possess some time off of operate and institution, in order to chill out and heal. Look at this write-up for further tips about cosmetic plastic surgery, that you need to take into account.
In no way experience an operation that you will be not totally persuaded that you want. when you are experiencing any second opinion of experiencing it done, usually do not practice it. You may not need to have to undergo a second surgical treatment, to undo what continues to be accomplished. Odds are, should you not seriously want to buy, you do not want it.
Stomach tucks, often known as Abdominoplasty, improves the look of the belly. Excess skin area, and body fat is removed within the method resulting in a the appearance of a toner, tighter belly. this technique is incredibly typical in females, who have experienced youngsters, or those who have shed significant bodyweight. the typical price of the procedure is Per cent5,200 in the states.
Be sure that you Converse Pas Cher are emotionally ready for your plastic surgery. Some surgeons could even make you check out a psychiatrist well before, your method. not just do you have to prepare yourself for unwanted effects, but you have to prepare yourself for your way you will look after your surgical treatment.
You will likely have to take out hairs prior to the functioning request your doctor what technique is finest. Usually, waxing is the greatest solution, however, you might be able to shave unless you have a lot of hair. Your physician must be able to advise the higher strategy and the very best goods.
Should you be having plastic surgery option following plastic cosmetic surgery choice, it may be a chance to Converse all Star pay a visit to having a psychological wellness expert. People who are so unhappy with their body, which they constantly have to alter them usually, have some thing deeper taking place in their day-to-day lives. when you are among those individuals, you could take advantage of a bit of guidance.
Assume some scars. Lots of people go into cosmetic surgery with improbable requirements of emerging using an excellent physique. while many methods make developments in the direction of minimizing this, the actual fact stays that a majority of depart some form of scar tissue. Stomach tucks are among the biggest, and you may count on a lasting scar from cool to hip Converse all Star after surgical procedure.
It is essential to choose a cosmetic surgeon that has the appropriate qualifications, to do the processes that you simply attempt to get. Lots of physicians who happen to be unskilled in the type of support you would like will provide their professional services for your needs. Should you go with your doctor who may have no training, you then work the chance of the treatment not going Converse all Star nicely.
As stated in the beginning in the article, relaxation and pleasure is essential in terms of coping with plastic surgery. make sure you get some good time away from job. Get a good amount of sleeping. Recall the suggestions in this article, so that you can have the very best encounter probable.
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If you have a television or perhaps the internet, then maybe Air Max 95 you’ve listened to a few things about surgical treatment. More than likely, it’s been good quality info blended in, with awful information and facts. the reality is, when done properly, cosmetic surgery is a great issue. the subsequent write-up provides guidance, that can help anybody get correctly done surgical treatment.
For any cosmetic plastic surgery, be sure that you go with a reputable cosmetic surgeon, that has the experience to perform your method. an incredible doctor will take the time to sit down together with you, and help you understand the dangers concerned prior to getting the surgery. they is likewise prepared to demonstrate their references, as well as any additional information which you ask for.
When you check with a doctor when you can see photos of other individuals who have possessed exactly the same method with him. You can try it as an a negative sign if he will show you some photographs you may not like. Most medical doctors will reveal Nike Air Max their finest images, so unless you like them it implies you will be not fond of what can be their very best job.
Usually do plenty of investigation about the plastic surgery treatment centers you are searching for. Make sure there have been no issues in opposition to the doctors who operate there. If you discover any complaints, you must discover just what taken place and exactly what the medical clinic managed to make certain this wouldn’t occur once more.
Always follow the guidelines your surgeon offers you for your publish-op care. If you wish to repair properly, you have to do every little thing people say. Even when you don’t believe that it is required. Your personal doctor may be the skilled in this situation, they understand greatest. when you don’t Air Max 2012 follow their suggestions, you might wind up back on the doctor’s place of work in pain.
Prior to going into surgery, determine what your alternatives are if points go awry. If you have a bad plastic surgery practical experience, you could be too sentimentally jeopardized once the reality to efficiently investigation your options. do oneself the favor and do the analysis in advance it can provide the assurance that you should entirely relax for that surgical procedure.
Request your plastic surgeon to see before and after photos of people, they may have executed surgical treatment on just before. Using this method, you will notice the sort of job they generally do and judge if the operating specialist is right for you. If you do not Nike Air Max like everything you see from the photographs, visit an additional physician.
No matter what your determination for getting plastic surgery, think about getting it carried out away from city so that you decrease other folks realizing the change if you give back. Even when you are using a modify completed to right a childbirth defect or outcome of any sort of accident or many forms of cancer surgical treatment, some individuals might take action harshly anyhow. they may not know your motives and judge you as vain. You do not need this, as the total level is to feel better about oneself.
With all the Air Max 95 information and facts that should go all around about plastic surgery these days, it’s hard to explain to what’s true. Cosmetic surgery generally is one of the best processes that folks could at any time wish for, that may be, if it’s done right. the guidelines offered over, will guarantee that potential individuals will receive cosmetic surgery completed correctly.
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Beauty salons, featuring spas, body massage and facial treatments, have sprung up across China in recent years and business is booming. (Feng Yongbin/China Daily)
Shanghai sizzles in the summer. in China’s humid south, the temperature can easily climb to 38 deg C by lunchtime. For years, locals have rushed to overcrowded swimming pools and assembled in air-conditioned shopping malls in a vain attempt to avoid the sweltering streets.
But now, there’s a new kid on the block for heat-harassed residents. An industry previously perceived as shady, unregulated and downright unseemly, has come in from the cold. China’s beauty industry has had a makeover.
Candlelight, fragrant essential oils and soft Zen music are rapidly becoming the order of the day, helping to calm frazzled minds, while therapies tailored to individual need and based on the use of natural herbs and spices, provide succor for body and soul.
But the treatment doesn’t come cheap, especially in a country where salaries are still relatively low. An hour at a spa costs 900 yuan (US$141) on average, that’s around one-fifth the monthly salary of a junior white-collar worker. even promotional packages can set the customer back more than 600 yuan a visit.
The cost doesn’t seem to have dampened enthusiasm, though: “We are absolutely packed all the time,” said Carolyn Zhang, assistant vice-president of China Spa Business Development and Corporate of Banyan Tree Spa, a luxurious Shanghai health center.
“I often treat myself to this luxury,” said Sherry Guo, 25, who works in the human resources department of an international home appliance company. Gao earns about 6,000 yuan per month and although that’s not a huge amount, she spends freely on facials and body massages. She calls it a “reward” to herself.
“I usually search online to see if the high-end places have special offers. I would rather spend money on this than on food. After all, I don’t gain weight by indulging in the therapy, and it’s good for my health,” she laughed.
Beauty salons featuring spas, massages and decompression treatments have sprung up across China in recent years, leaving industry insiders excited by the rapid expansion. The industry’s market value has already surpassed 400 billion yuan per annum and will reach 600 billion in the next three to five years, with an annual growth rate of more than 15 percent, according to a report published in June by ChinaVenture Capital and Private Equity Association, a leading investment consultancy.
Unseemly imageThe industry’s recent success is a far cry from the situation 20 or even 10 years ago. “I never expected it would flourish in this way,” said Zhou Yanli, a 30-year-old senior facial therapist at Palai Spa, which has 40 salons across China, including three in Shanghai.
After graduating from technical secondary school in 1998, Zhou tried many different jobs, but the thought of becoming a beauty therapist never crossed her mind. After years working in jobs as varied as hotel waitressing and sales, she read an advertisement for Yue-Sai beauty school in 2003. “Yue-Sai is a household big brand in China so I thought the school must be aboveboard,” she said.
“Previously, the industry was nothing like it is today. The image was so bad that parents were worried their children would be exposed to loose morals if they worked in beauty salons,” she explained.
Even in the late 1990s, most beauty salons were simply small booths hidden away in the backstreets. They mainly offered facial massages and simple plastic surgery procedures such as eyelid blepharoplasty (surgical modification of the eyelid and surrounding areas.)
But those establishments, with their shaded lamps and handwritten signs advertising “beauty salon” or “massage parlor”, sometimes offered other services and, warranted or not, the women who worked in them earned an unenviable reputation. “Many people considered women who worked in beauty salons to be promiscuous or, at the very least, they were not seen as good women,” said Zhou.
The salons have also benefited from societal changes over the past few decades. “You have to understand that in the past, people actually despised the pursuit of beauty,” said Shan Xiaoli, a 55-year-old who frequently visits beauty salons.
As a young woman, Shan wore the same dark-blue jacket and trouser combination as everyone else and even after China instigated its reform and opening-up policy in 1978, under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, it still took time for people to accept that an interest in makeup, attractive clothes and the acceptance of beauty as a concept did not automatically mean a person was decadent.
“When I was younger, a girl who cared much about her appearance was seen as shameful,” said Shan. “I only dared wear lipstick in my bedroom and quickly wiped it off when I left the room,” she said, adding that cosmetics were rare in those days and that she was given them by an aunt who was visiting from Hong Kong.
Shan said she likes the feeling of being taken care of during the facial massages, which she regards as compensation for advancing years. “They won’t make me young again, but they do make me feel more confident,” she said.
Meanwhile, the privacy afforded by salons may also offer a partial explanation for the radical change in attitude towards the beauty industry in the past 10 or 15 years. Patrons feel they can let go and unburden themselves during treatment.
The salons don’t just provide beauty services, according to Zhou, they also serve as a safe haven for many women, who enjoy the atmosphere and revel in their anonymity. “They tell us their secrets and relate stories about their relationships and families. They realize that we form a different circle than their family and friends and won’t have an impact on their lives,” she said.
And it’s not just women. An increasing number of men are now visiting beauty salons – Banyan Tree Spa said that 45 per cent of its customers are male – but their motivation is entirely different. “Like gyms, the salons are good places to build up guanxi (relationships), you know, and all businessmen need something like that,” according to Zhang. The professional requirements of male customers are different, too. Unlike their female counterparts, men prefer body massages to skin care.
In addition to its reputation as a hotbed of sexual impropriety, the industry was also held back by concerns over safety. although things have improved over recent years, the industry is still affected by those concerns to some extent.
One of the highest-profile cases of recent years is that of Wang Bei. The 24-year-old singer, a contestant on a popular TV talent programme Super Girl, died in an anesthetic accident while undergoing plastic surgery in 2010. her death garnered nationwide attention and led to calls for more stringent, and better policed, regulations.
One prominent critic, Zhang Huabin, a professor of plastic surgery at a medical school in Guangdong province, said the increasing demand for cosmetic procedures had led untrained medical personnel to jump on the plastic surgery bandwagon, a practice he called “risky and irresponsible”.
In 2010, the China Consumers’ Association received almost 10,000 complaints about unsafe cosmetics, 20 per cent of which were used in beauty salons. Small and medium-sized hair and beauty salons in remote areas were the focus of the most of the complaints. in its subsequent report, the CCA said the beauty industry still lacked regulation.
Rigorous trainingIn an effort to reassure the public and bolster the image of the industry, many beauty companies have instigated rigorous training programmes for the thousands of women hoping to enter the industry.
“You have to book early to gain a place on a course to train as a therapist. if you leave it too late, there won’t be any vacancies,” said a trainer at the Shanghai Beauty Farm School, who declined to be named.
With 18 salons in the city, Beauty Farm offers one of Shanghai’s most popular training courses for candidates looking for an entry point to the burgeoning industry. a qualified therapist can easily obtain the license to work required by the authorities, and those with outstanding marks get the chance to work in one of Beauty Farm’s salons.
The training regime, which lasts two months and costs each candidate 4,320 yuan, is strict and very demanding. “If you want to enter a Beauty Farm salon, you have to work extremely hard,” said the trainer, who pointed out that classes begin at 8am and end at 9:30pm.
oreover, an aptitude for the work is not the only important criteria. Candidates are required to present an above-average appearance and cracked hands or body odor are definitely not acceptable.
“I love the working environment here,” said Vivien Xu, who works as a facial therapist at a recently opened spa center in the quiet and leafy Jing’an district of Shanghai.
Although the job can be both physically and mentally demanding – therapists require a fair amount of physical strength, and have to remember hundreds of hand positions used in massage, plus all the main acupuncture points – Xu said she loves the Spa’s tranquil setting.
She decided to enter the beauty industry after graduating from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine two years ago. “My academic background wasn’t strong enough to get me a good job in a hospital, but I am satisfied with where I am now,” she said, adding that she can earn as much as 6,000 yuan per month, and more important, the career path is attractive.
Zhang from Banyan Tree said the company provides its employees with job opportunities around the world, and also operates “fast-track” programs to encourage employees to constantly improve their skills. “For many young women, it’s an ideal job. and believe me, they’re lining up just to get a chance,” she said.
By SOPHIA TAREENAssociated Press
Beauty salons, featuring spas, body massage and facial treatments, have sprung up across China in recent years and business is booming. (Feng Yongbin/China Daily)