According to the Centers for Disease Control, the single best way to prevent the spread of influenza is to get vaccinated every fall. Each vaccine contains strains of three different viruses, which change each year based on estimations about which strains of the virus will circulate in a given year. Antibodies begin to form in the body and provide protection about two weeks after receiving the vaccination.

Those persons most susceptible include the elderly over age 65, young children under the age of 6 months, and anyone else with a chronic health condition, such as those with immunosuppression, chronic heart or lung conditions with compromised respiratory function, or those currently on aspirin therapy. Those persons who work with or care for anyone susceptible should also receive the vaccine, such as health care workers, day care providers, or anyone else who wants to reduce their chance of getting the flu and possibly spreading it to others.

There are currently two types of flu vaccine available, the flu injection, and the nasal spray vaccine. The injection is given with a needle in the deltoid muscle of the arm, and contains an inactivated or killed virus, which may be administered to anyone over the age of 6 months with or without chronic health conditions. The nasal spray vaccine is made from a live virus and can be given to healthy persons ranging in age of 5 to 49 years. Since the nasal spray vaccine is a live virus, it is not recommended for pregnant women, instead, they should receive the killed virus.

Facelifts are one of the most common cosmetic surgeries available to the public, with thousands done every year in the United States alone. As we age, the skin on our faces loosens and wrinkles. That is simple a fact of life. For those who are aging less gracefully than others, a face lift can be done. Talk to a cosmetic surgeon today to learn how a face lift can work for you. Most frequently, face lifts are done in conjunction with other types of cosmetic surgeries.

Facelifts cannot stop you from aging. Once you have a facelift, your skin will still continue to age, so you may not see the results you hope for. This is not your doctor’s fault—this is life. Medicine can only do so much to improve our looks. At your initial consultation, your doctor will go over how the face lift will work for you and talk to you about the results you will see. In most cases, you will be able to see a digitally enhanced version of your face as it will appear after surgery. Make sure that your doctor answers all of your questions.

The actual face lift begins with a few small incisions—at the temple near the hairline, below the earlobe, and behind the ear in the hair. The muscles and sagging tissues in your face will be tightened and excess skin will be removed. The result is a lifted face, hence the name. Your doctor will then stitch the incisions. In some cases, small inquisitions will be made used the chin as well to lift the neck.