APRIL, 2018 | The HEALTH wonder women 25
APRIL, 2018 | The HEALTH wonder women 25
Premature babies susceptible to health problems
billion( US $ 80 billion) and the skinlightening market alone is valued at over RM508 billion( US $ 13 billion).
One survey by London-based market research firm Synovate found that four out of 10 women in Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea used a skin-whitening cream.
In addition, the report said that more than 60 global companies are competing for a share of Asia’ s estimated RM704 billion($ 18 billion) dollar market.
Speaking to The HEALTH in an exclusive interview, UITM Private Specialist Centre consultant Plastic and Aesthetic surgeon Dr Wan Syazli Rodzaian Wan Ahmad likened skin whitening products to playing with fire.
“ There are many beauty products in
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the market that contains hydroquinone which is a bleaching drug. It suppresses the melanin- the cell that gives colour to the skin and it causes it to be removed.”
“ Quantity used is uncontrolled to suppress the melanin to get a whitening effect. The problem is, over the long term, it could result in various kinds of complications. One of this is where the skin becomes very thick and silvery which basically alters the skin appearance. It totally disfigures and is very difficult to treat. We can’ t do laser on it, can’ t apply medication, except for very little steroid,” he said.
Dr Wan also explained that there was no scientific evidence to prove that Vitamin C and Sheep Placenta injections aided skin whitening.
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PREMATURE babies are babies born before age 37- 40 weeks. These special babies, often need to be treated at Neonatal Neurosurgery or NICU Intensive Care Unit until they reach“ enough months”. Since these babies are born prematurely, their internal organs are usually inadequate and they may have respiratory problems, digestive problems and even other problems including the condition of the eye called Retinopathy of Prematurity( ROP).
According to UiTM Medical Eye expert and lecturer Dr Azlindarita Aisyah Mohd Abdullah who is also University of Malaya Medical Centre Paediatric Ophthalmology Fellow, babies who are at risk for ROP are less than 32 weeks of age, and birth weight is less than 1500g.
“ In addition, babies who need respiratory aids for a long period of time after birth, babies born within 24 – 28 weeks who experience intraventricular haemorrhage, and babies that are born less than 1250g at birth is at a higher risk of ROP,” she said.
Premature babies will usually be screened by an eye specialist at four weeks of birth, or at 31 weeks for babies born younger than 26 weeks.
“ When the baby is born before 36 weeks, the progression of the blood vessel cease for a while, hence the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor( VEGF) are paused. What’ s more, if the baby
Dr Azlindarita Aisyah Mohd Abdullah.
needs the help of a respirator in the trachea or endotracheal tube( ET Tube),” she explained.
Such support elevates the oxygen levels, allowing other organs such as the brain, heart, lungs and intestines to have enough oxygen supply.
When the baby is two to four weeks after birth and getting bigger, the baby will be able to breathe naturally without the help of a respirator as the oxygen level decreases slightly. For example, a baby breathing with an ET tube gets 50 per cent oxygen while in the environment we breathe with 21 per cent of oxygen. So in relative or comparison, the oxygen level in the baby’ s body decreases. This enables for VEGF to be reproduced.
During this time, blood vessels will try to grow but if too much VEGF is produced, the growth becomes abnormal.
Babies with ROP, have the risk of having vision problems such as farsightedness, squinting and amblyopia.
carpal tunnel syndrome in the absence of any risk factors,” he said.
According to him, the median nerve is a large nerve of the upper limb which supplies important muscles of the hand controlling movement of the thumb such as turning the door knob, holding a pen and even putting a thread through a needle.
“ As the median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel – a tunnel at the base of the hand just over the wrist area, it becomes compressed causing weakness of the innervated muscle as well as sensory disturbances over the first three fingers of the hand.”
He describes the sensory deficit as pins and needles which is specific for a median nerve injury. Wriggling the hand somewhat relieves the compressed nerve over the wrist and symptoms temporarily improve.
Some clinical tests reproduces the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Also known as provocative tests, this includes the Phalens test, reverse Phalens test and the more specific Durcan’ s median nerve compression test.
“ Patients who present late may have loss of muscle bulk of the thumb area over the palm of the hand, due to diminished nerve supply as a result of chronic compression of the median nerve.”
“ Occasionally, the attending doctor may perform investigations such as nerve conduction studies and electromyography which helps distinguish carpal tunnel syndrome from other median nerve entrapment syndromes. Having said that, it is rather a straight forward condition, and is clinically diagnosed with no need of any blood investigations or imaging modalities,” he said.
Carpal tunnel syndrome when detected early can be treated nonsurgically. Physiotherapy including wax therapy, nerve gliding exercises and electrical stimulation are all beneficial for early carpal tunnel syndrome.