All posts by Tia

The Truth About Morpheus8 First Treatment

The Truth About Morpheus8 First Treatment

One of the latest cosmetic treatments is making a lot of noisy trends on social media, but I am here to break through the noise and give you all the real truths about Morpheus8 micro needling RF.

What is Morpheus8?

Morpheus8 is micro needling plus fractional radiofrequency that can be used on the face and/or body. It’s considered to be the non-surgical facelift because it can create such a drastic difference in skin firmness and texture. The cartage holds either twelve to twenty-four needles that push down quickly into the skin causing tiny injuries that will stimulate collagen and firmness. Most people will need between 1-4 treatments to get the maximum benefits.

I’ve documented the week through pictures and videos, which you can watch on YouTube.

Why Did I Choose Morpheus8?

I had an adverse reaction to the vaccine, which affected my eye. My ophthalmologist suggested I needed laser therapy on the area to help heal the eye and the skin around it. After doing due diligent research, I came across the Morpheus8. Most reviews and research showed that it could be highly effective on the area I needed work on. However, the social media rabbit hole I went down was quite scary as people said it was agonizing pain and healing. But it didn’t make sense that something so painful would be so mainstream. So, it left me with a lot of nerves and questions.

So, I sought out a trusted professional. I met with celebrity makeup artist, Kristina Ruggiero, of Wilmington, Delaware and owner of Beauty Bar by Kristina Ruggiero and BBKR Med Spa to get more answers on the procedure. After a detailed conversation and answering all my questions, there was no doubt, BBKR Med Spa was the place for me to get the Morpheus8 procedure.

 Preparing for Morpheus8

It’s important to remember that Morpheus8 is a procedure. It takes some prep beforehand to make sure you stay safe and heal well. Be certain to stop retin-A and topical acids including Vitamin C a couple days prior to the procedure. Also, pause vitamins that can thin blood a few days beforehand because bleeding does happen with the treatment. It must be said that not everyone is a perfect candidate for micro needling RF, so be sure to talk with a doctor and technician about your skin type, tone, and medical conditions when booking your appointment to make sure you qualify.

I also took mental and physical preparation beforehand to be in the best shape I could be in before getting the Morpheus8 treatment. Don’t work out the day of or several days after the treatment. Things like hypnosis and breathing exercises before and after can help in the overall healing process

Treatment 1

On the day of treatment, go with clean skin. Take a few supplies with you. Headphones, acetaminophen, Aquaphor, sunblock SPF 50, a throw blanket or sweater, and if you have allergies, ask your doctor about premedication with Benadryl.

After you sign all the appropriate documents, ask your tech about taking two acetaminophen before you lay down. This is a good time to keep your headphones close by as well. The doctor or tech will clean your face before applying a thick coat of numbing cream. The numbing cream will sit on your skin for about an hour. If the numbing is on your face, be sure not to move around too much so it doesn’t run. If you need to take Benadryl, be sure to take it about fifteen minutes before the procedure. (Please note: Get a ride from someone else if you have to take Benadryl before treatments since it can cause drowsiness.)

After the doctor checks to make sure you are fully numb and cleans your skin one more time, the procedure will begin. The device makes noise each time it touches down on the skin. There is also a smell of burning hair that fills your nose, but it’s not bad.

Does Morpheus8 Hurt?

This is a loaded question since pain thresholds are different for every individual. The short answer is yes, it does hurt. However, it doesn’t hurt everywhere. It is painless in some areas and painful in others. It’s most painful around bony areas. However, it is not comparable to childbirth or anything else excruciating. I would compare it to a tattoo. It’s more annoying than painful most times, but yes, some spots might make your eyes water. I did not have laughing gas or a stress ball to curb the pain, and I didn’t need it either. Nevertheless, adrenaline did kick in and I got cold. Hence, the reason I say to bring a blanket. It was nice to have a fluffy blanket to keep me cozy during the discomfort.

How Long is the Treatment?

It all depends on what area you are getting treated, but my full face took about 20-30 minutes. It went by very quickly to my pleasant surprise. Once the treatment was done, there was no residual needle pain.

Immediately after, a cooling cream was put on my skin. My face felt hot as it would if I had been out in the sun a little too long. It didn’t burn badly, it was just hot and tight. Then, a thick layer of Aquaphor was placed on my face. After a few minutes of letting that soak in, a sunblock with SPF 50 was put on top. Moments later, I was allowed to sit up and be on my way.

The future treatments, which are scheduled 3-4 weeks apart from one another. Each treatment will take around the same amount of time.

Two Hours Later

My face calmed down two hours later. The redness started to subside, and there was no pain. I did feel like a had a slight sunburn, but nothing to really complain about.

Day One: The First Night

I washed my face with a dab of Cetaphil, which is a gentle cleanser and patted it dry. After, I applied more Aquaphor.

Also remember:

  • Make sure your bedding is clean.
  • Rest when you can.
  • Sanitize anything used near treatment area. Ex: eyeglasses, cellphones, etc.
  • Keep the skin clean, hydrated, and protected with SPF 50.
  • Eat Healthy and drink plenty of water.
  • Do not have heat exposure for 48 hours (including drying hair, saunas, steam, etc.)
  • No swimming for 48 hours.

 Most importantly, stay out of direct sunlight for at least 3 days.

Day Two

Keep your area clean. That includes washing it with gentle cleanser two to three times a day. Keep applying Aquaphor to keep skin moisturized. Makeup is fine after 24 hours, but if you can go without it, it isn’t a bad idea to keep the pores clean for several days.

Day Three

The skin will begin to purge, so don’t be surprised by any breakouts. Do not pick or pop the area. The skin will clear up after a couple of days.

Day Four

If everything is healing nicely, you can resume your usual skincare routine. My routine includes the following,

Replenix Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Wash 10 with Aloe Vera

Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum – La Roche-Posay

Anthelios AOX Daily Antioxidant Face Serum SPF 50 – La Roche-Posay

Day Five

Anytime I was outside, I applied my SPF 50 and wore a bag hat to protect my face from the sun.

Day Six

I finally returned to my regular makeup routine. I also only washed my face twice a day, which is my regular routine.

Day Seven

By the time I hit a full week after the procedure, my breakouts had mostly cleared up. I also noticed that I had slight grid marks under my one eye. However, there was no need to panic. I have been reassured that the grid will disappear over time, and my second treatment should improve any appearance.

Is it Worth IT?

So far, only after one treatment, I would have to say that I am happy. I see a difference in certain areas already. I have always been proactive with my skincare. So, I think my results will be great when all is completed. I am back to using retin-A and using red and blue light therapy.

Read: WHY HEALTH IS OFTEN THE MOST CONTRIBUTIVE FACTOR OF BEAUTY

If you are contemplating getting the Morpheus8 and have any questions, feel free to reach out. Celebrity Makeup Artist, Kristina Ruggieo’s BBKR Med Spa is a beautiful place to help you with any of your cosmetic procedure needs. The staff is professional and the best at what they do. Plus, they are constantly having specials. I am so grateful to them for helping me with my medical issue around my eye. It’s been a long road of getting my eye back to health, and thanks to BBKR and Morpheus8, things are looking great (Pun intended)!

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on TwitterTikTok, or Instagram.

Home Sweet (and Safe) Home

Home Sweet (and Safe) Home

When you have a young family, you want to do everything that you can to keep them safe. We teach our children how to stay safe when they are online or out and about, but as parents, there are steps that we need to take to make sure our homes are as safe as they can possibly be. Here, we look at some tips to make sure your home is a place of safety and security for your children. 

Read: 3 REASONS WHY YOUR HOME SHOULD HAVE A SAFE

image

1. Keep on top of home maintenance.

A well-maintained home is a safe home. For those who rent their homes, this is generally the responsibility of the landlord. They should be carrying out regular inspections to make sure everything is as it should be, and if you notice something amiss, you need to let the landlord know as soon as possible so they can get it sorted by calling out a plumber or electrical services.

However, for homeowners, this is your responsibility. Staying on top of basic maintenance tasks will save you money because big things are less likely to go wrong, but most importantly, it will make sure your house is as safe as possible. Things like problems with the electrics can lead to serious fires or electrical accidents, and plumbing issues can cause floods, and mold and structural issues, which can all make your home unsafe.

2. Be ready to deal with disasters

While the above pointers can help to keep disaster at bay,  it is never guaranteed. By their very nature, natural disasters are unpredictable and the only thing you can do is to be prepared as possible. 

If you and your family are prepared, you can act quickly and calmly should any disaster strike. Have emergency kits ready with things like spare medication, bottles of water, and a fully stocked first aid kit. You should also have copies of all your important documents and a list of phone numbers somewhere accessible and safe in case you need to evacuate.

While it won’t keep you safe physically, it can help you to recover mentally and physically if a disaster should ever happen, allowing you to rebuild your life as soon as possible.

3. Install security systems

Sadly, there are many risks that we face from outside of our house. It can be really hard to feel safe and comfortable in your home if it is broken into or vandalized. You may have to fork out financially, as well as deal with the psychological trauma and perhaps even physical danger that an intruder poses.

Read: CAN YOU LIVE AT HOME WHEN RENOVATING

The good news is that there are things that you can do to make your home secure, including installing a high-quality security system. Would-be criminals may be deterred if they are aware of the presence of a security camera and alarms, and if they do change their luck, there is a greater chance of them being caught. It can also help to bring your home insurance costs down.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on TwitterTikTok, or Instagram.

Get Superior Temperature Control in Your Car with These Tips

Get Superior Temperature Control in Your Car with These Tips

Getting into a car that’s too hot or too cold is not pleasant. A really hot car can even be dangerous, especially if you have pets, young children or anyone else vulnerable in the back. When it’s really hot or cold outside, you don’t want to have to wait a long time for your vehicle to get to a comfortable temperature. But it can take some time for your car to heat up or cool down, especially if it’s been sitting out in the elements for a while.

So what can you do if you want to make sure you have good control of the temperature in your car? You can consider a few tips that will help you to get your car to the right temperature, whether you’re trying to heat it up or cool it down.

Image from Pexels – CC0 License

Understand the Temperature Controls

Firstly, you need to make sure you understand the temperature controls in your car. This is especially important if you’ve recently bought a new car, particularly if you’re replacing an older model with a much newer one. You need to understand the options you have for climate control in your vehicle and how they work so that you can use them properly. Of course, taking a look at your owner’s manual is a quick way to find out how to work everything. If you’re more of a visual learner, consider looking for videos online that will show you what to do.

Read: CAR MAINTENANCE: IT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO YOU!

Keep the Heat Out

One of the hardest things is preventing your car from heating up on a hot day. If you have a nice cool garage, you might find it a little easier. But if you have to park outdoors, your car can be scorching when it’s time to get in it. Fortunately, there are various things you can do to help keep the heat out. For a permanent solution, consider automotive tinting on your windows. This can be much more than just aesthetic, helping to keep the heat out. You can also consider window screens if you don’t want to go for tinting. Of course, parking in the shade can help too.

Know How to Warm Up Quickly

On the other end of the scale, getting into a freezing cold car isn’t fun, either. It can take a while to heat up, but you might not want to get in wearing your coat. Some people may recommend turning on your engine to heat your car before you’re ready to go. However, this is not only bad for your vehicle but also bad for the environment. Instead, you can turn on your ignition without starting the engine. You can idle for up to 30 seconds before turning on your heater, which will allow the air to warm first.

Image from Pexels – CC0 License

Maintain Your Heating and Cooling

Maintenance of your car’s heating and cooling is a must if you want them to operate efficiently. It should be part of the checks when you get your car serviced, but there are other things you can do to keep it running smoothly too. Checking your air conditioning filter is one of the important steps you should take to ensure everything is working as it should be. Of course, it’s also important to keep an eye on how everything is operating and whether there are any problems that need to be fixed.

Use Your Heater and AC Efficiently

When you know how to use your heater and AC as efficiently as possible, it can help to protect your car and get more from the system. For example, there’s no need to turn the heating up to high to try and get your car to warm up quicker. Keeping the air conditioning on even when you have the heat on is smart too. It won’t pump in cold air, but will instead help to prevent humidity from building up and causing foggy windows.

Take Passengers into Account

When you have passengers in your car, it can make it more difficult to prevent the windows from fogging up. Opening a window slightly can help, letting out moisture to keep the car more comfortable. It can also be helpful to turn up the fan for your passengers in the back seat to make sure they’re getting enough heat. Turning down the heat can help to keep it more comfortable for you in the front while your passengers get the heat they need too.

Read: 4 REASONS WHY YOUR HOME IS SO COLD

With the right knowledge of your car’s controls and how to use them efficiently, you can keep it at a comfortable temperature all year.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on TwitterTikTok, or Instagram.

Essential Ways to Look After Family Health in the Home

Essential Ways to Look After Family Health in the Home

Image Credit 

The home is where you should feel safe and healthy, but too often, that is where you find the greatest threats to your well-being. The good news is that if you nowhere to look, you can eliminate the threats and improve your life quality; you can also protect your family from common health conditions like asthma and other breathing difficulties. Find out more below.     

Read: 4 SIMPLE ACTIONS THAT IMPROVE YOUR GENERAL WELL-BEING

Lead an Active Life 

Few things could be quite as important as leading an active life with your family. Humans have evolved to be active; that’s why we stood upright in the first place so that we could travel long distances. These days, we live more sedentary lives, but we all need to stay active and healthy. 

Staying active improves physical, emotional, and mental health; it also reduces the chances of ill health by strengthening the immune system. There is no need to invest in expensive health care products for the family; simply arrange to go on a walk and hike on the weekend and stay active.   

Maintain a Healthy Diet 

An active life is a high priority for your family’s health, and so too is the food you eat. Nowadays, we are caught in the grip of a cost of living crisis. Inflation is soaring, and so are food prices. Unfortunately, healthy food is always more expensive anyway, making it harder to stay healthy. 

The good news is there are some handy meal hacks that allow you and your family to maintain a healthy diet for less. While healthy food items contain vegetables, they are priced higher because of the recipe and packaging. Core ingredients are often far cheaper to buy and make. 

Keep the Family Hydrated 

If you want your family to stay healthy and shiny, and to live their best quality of life, make sure you all stay hydrated throughout the day. Around 60% of the body is made from water, which is required to replenish lost fluids and create new fluids like blood, and revitalize the body’s cells.

Experts recommend that people drink around four liters of water every day to maintain the health and functionality of the body. As well as maintaining the body’s health and making their skill radiant, water is also effective for weight control. Drink water before meals to reduce appetite.  

Create Reliable Patterns 

If you want to improve the health and well-being of your family, create reliable patterns for them. Following the discipline of a routine or habit – especially when it’s one that benefits your wellness – your family can enjoy more self-care time, more creativity, and better mental health as well. 

So what reliable patterns should you create to make your lifestyles happier and healthier? Start with reliable night and morning routines that support individual well-being in your family. Think bout meal times and create schedules so that family members can enjoy more self-care time. 

Clean the Gutters 

In the fall, gutters clog up with leaves. While this might not seem like a health hazard at first, it can become one when water starts to get into the home, causing mold and breathing issues. Not only that, blocked gutters create flooding issues around the home and can freeze the pipes. 

Most people clean the gutters once a year in the fall, but that may not be enough to protect your home from the worst effects of blocked drains. The good news is that cleaning the drains is a straightforward DIT task; all you need is a set of ladders, some gloves, and a pipe with a hose.    

Clean the Carpets 

Carpets are a great choice for any room in the home, especially when you live in a cooler climate and want a cozy feeling in your room. Carpets are perfect for bedrooms for this reason. However, carpets can attract dust mites and bacteria that can lead to allergies and asthma. 

Unlike wooden flooring, you might also encounter carpet stains, which can look unsightly; they can also be difficult to remove. There are some DIY hacks on the internet to remove carpet stains, but if it’s a strong stain like coffee or wine, you might need to call a professional service. 

Clean the HVAC 

If you live in a warmer region, you might use an HVAC system to cool the home (some cooler regions also use HVACs). An air conditioning system is very effective and convenient, but it can also be hazardous, especially if you forget to clean it, allowing dust and bacteria to circulate. 

An HVAC system uses air ducts in the walls and ceiling to circulate air around the home, but unless the filters are cleaned regularly, your family might suffer the effects of unclean air in the rooms. HVACs can be cleaned by homeowners, but it’s often better to get professional services. 

Check-in with Each Other 

Families tend to be close, but you still need to check in with each other regularly to stay in tune with how people are feeling and what is going on in their lives. Family check-in is a way to improve the mental and emotional well-being of the family, creating a happy and healthy home. 

Check-ins don’t need to be formal events; they can be as simple as messaging a family member to check on how they are getting on at the moment. Alternatively, you could create a regular activity for family members as a way to connect and get up to speed with their life and events.     

Limit Screen Time 

These days, screens are everywhere. Whether we are working or enjoying some downtime, we are usually looking at a screen. But screens can be harmful to mental and emotional well-being, especially when we watch them late at night. Try to limit screen time with some household rules.  

Read: 5 REASONS WHY YOU’RE NOT GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

Holistic Health  

When it comes to staying healthy, there is no one-step solution. Reducing your calorie count might reduce your weight somewhat, but it needs to be coupled with exercise to really take effect. Diet is another important element in the equation. Adopt a holistic attitude towards health.  

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on TwitterTikTok, or Instagram.

5 Essentials For Taking Better Care Of Your Health

5 Essentials For Taking Better Care Of Your Health

You can’t deny that one of the most important things in your life is your health. This means that it is essential for you to take great care of yourself. When you have a busy schedule with family life and work, it can be extremely difficult for you to divvy out the time that you need to take care of your well-being. 

Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash

That being said, there are ways that you can start taking better care of yourself. Let’s have a look at some of the tips below: 

Have A Fresh Look At Things

Even when you aren’t feeling great, most of us tend to take our health for granted. You may think that your health is good, especially if you have the energy to go about your daily routine as normal. However, ignoring your health and not maintaining it can lead to things creeping up on you. 

If you continue to promise yourself that you will start to exercise soon, meditate, or change your diet, but you never do it, you might need to think about relooking at your habits more closely. It can be really easy to feel guilty when you prioritize your own car. However, if you want to be able to help others around you or take care of a family, the best thing you can do is to make sure you are as healthy as you can be. Whether it’s looking at how to choose the best facelift, spending some time going for a run, or remembering to eat at lunch, make sure you take proper care of yourself. 

Prioritize Your Hearing

Hearing health is a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of overall wellness. Maintaining good hearing health is crucial as it enables us to communicate effectively and impacts our emotional well-being, social interactions, and cognitive functions. If left untreated, hearing loss can lead to feelings of isolation and depression and even contribute to cognitive decline. Implementing preventative measures such as reducing exposure to loud noises and regularly undergoing hearing checks can be crucial in preserving our auditory health. Regarding innovative solutions to hearing impairment, the Lyric hearing aid stands out as an excellent choice. This 100% invisible hearing aid provides a clear, natural sound and can be worn 24/7 for months. Therefore, caring for our hearing should always be considered in our quest for optimal health.

Make Sure You Stay Up To Date With Your Health Checks 

If you think that the only time you go to the doctor is when you are sick or that you only see the dentist with a toothache, you are wrong. This means that thighs could have got too far, and something could have potentially been done sooner. Regular checks are extremely important because they are how you detect potential health concerns early on. They are often easier to treat and less intrusive at this stage. This makes it really important to factor in time for regular, routine checkups. 

Read: WHOLE-BODY WELLNESS THROUGH SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Get Your Body Moving 

Most people are aware that physical activity is good for you. However, the full extent of these benefits never seems to be appreciated. Health health, stress levels, blood pressure, muscle gain, and diabetes risks are all positively impacted by regular exercise. If you are looking to boost your health, physical activity is one of the most accessible methods of doing this. 

It’s not something that needs to be expensive, either. In fact, there are plenty of ways you can exercise for free. Nothing is saying that you need to go out and buy expensive equipment or join a gym in order to get some exercise. For example, running is a great way to work out. It doesn’t require any expensive equipment, and you can go anywhere outside. Strength training is a great one for building muscle mass. However, you may need to invest in weights that can sometimes become costly if you are going to be lifting heavy. 

Look At Your Mental Health 

Your physical health and mental health are connected. Therefore, it is important for you to address them both equally. It has been proven that your mental health can impact your physical health and increase your chances of certain health conditions. 

If you concentrate on your mental health and how you are coping with everyday life, you will be able to act quickly and get the help that you need sooner rather than later. Try to look at becoming more mindful and find activities you can do to make yourself feel less stressed and calm. The benefits will really be worth it in the end. 

Try To Improve Your Sleep 

You are supposed to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night, depending on your activity levels throughout the day. Few people actually get the sleep that they need. Yes, it can be challenging to get this amount of sleep every night. However, you should try your best to make sure you do get enough rest. 

Excessive anxiety or stress can make it more difficult to fall asleep. If you find that you are tossing and turning and can’t get to sleep, it might be a good idea to talk to your doctors. 

Read: BRUTAL REALITY OF SLEEP DEBT

These are five essential ways you can take care of your health. Make sure you include all of them as much as possible. Do you have any other areas that should be included? Please add them to the comments below. 

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on TwitterTikTok, or Instagram.