Dementia is a progressive and irreversible decline in mental function1. Lewy Body Dementia (DLB) is a form of degenerative dementia characterised by the presence of “Lewy Bodies” which are clumps of alpha-synuclein and ubiquitin protein in neurons2. These are only detectable in post-mortem brain biopsies2.

The manifestations of dementia present themselves clinically as progressive cognitive decline which impairs day-to-day social and motor functioning. This central feature of DLB is essential for the initial diagnosis of the disorder and the initial evaluation of a patient with dementia must establish the presence of cognitive impairment and provide a measure of its severity. Three core features which are significant in the diagnosis of DLB and distinguishing it from these other disorders are2:

1.   Fluctuations in both mental cognition and relative levels of attentiveness. The severity and duration of these episodes vary among patients, however, generally, severity increases with time.

2.   Visual Hallucinations – characteristically detailed and well-formed; significant in differentiating DLB from Alzheimer’s disease as they are relatively rare in the latter disorder.

3.   Spontaneous features of Parkinsonism, such as tremors.

At least two of these core features must be present to conclude that there is DLB3. Suggestive features of the disorder include rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder, repeated falls and transient loss in consciousness. In the absence of a core clinical feature the presence of one or more of these suggestive features may help in the diagnosis of DLB. The differential diagnosis for DLB is mainly Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or other dementia syndromes. However, in Catherine’s case the presence of a number of core and suggestive features strongly indicate DLB.

In relation to Catherine, there are many indicators present which qualify her for diagnosis with the disease. Not only does she exhibit some of the core features mentioned previously but it is also evident that she is suffering from some of the more suggestive, but equally as debilitating, aspects of the disease. It is evident on examination that Catherine is experiencing fluctuations in cognition as her verbal responses are often difficult to comprehend and are unreliable. These memory lapses, along with aggressive responses, are known symptoms of dementia2. She has had some vivid visual hallucinations previously which may be a mitigating factor in her continuous falls, another suggestive feature of the disorder2.

Catherine’s husband faces many challenges as her primary caregiver. Caregiver burden is defined as the high levels of stress and anxiety associated with the provision of care to another person suffering from some kind of illness4. Catherine’s husband is likely to suffer from caregiver burden as he is the sole provider of care and his closest source of relief is his daughter who lives some distance away. He faces challenges in communication and in managing Catherine’s behaviour and struggles with his own physical fitness while also trying to care for his wife. He is likely to suffer emotionally as result of the demands placed upon him as a result of Catherine’s unwillingness to avail of respite care services.

Catherine presents many challenges to the healthcare system in that she is aggressive towards members of staff with whom she is unfamiliar. This impedes upon the quality of her care as nursing staff appreciate her condition but are unable to manage it on an acute ward. The problems with her memory make interactions difficult as she does not remember her surgical treatment and becomes aggressive and agitated at times. It is likely that as the disease progresses these factors will become more serious and incapacitating, leaving her husband with no choice but to admit her to a long-term care facility.

Societal Context

It is difficult to quantify the prevalence of Dementia in Ireland and in various countries due to variances in how we define and ration dementia and also due to methodological variances in conducting studies5. However there remain some factors such as age and gender which show consistencies across studies. It has been found that Alzheimer’s disease is more common in women, and that prevalence of dementia can double with every 5 years of increase in age6.

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI) estimates that there are currently more than 44,000 people suffering from some form of dementia in Ireland7. It is shown that the prevalence is higher in females than males with 20,000 females and 14,000 males found to be suffering in 2002 and the incidence is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years in correspondence with the aging population in Ireland. By the year 2036 the ASI estimates that there will be over 100,000 people with dementia8.

Studies have shown there are a number of risk factors associated with dementia. Along with age and gender, genetics and BMI have also been linked closely with dementia. One study found that normal-weight women had a greater risk of developing dementia than women with a higher BMI than them9. It has also been found that those with higher BMI have a decreased risk of cognitive decline10. Cholesterol levels have also been linked to the cause of dementia in that high levels of high density lipoprotein have been associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease11.

There are a number of known support groups in this country for relatives of patients with dementia7. For example, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland provides a range of services to people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The Carer and Family Support Groups operate throughout Ireland, usually meeting on a monthly basis7. This support network offers a vital opportunity for carers and family members to share experiences, information and practical advice in a supportive environment and would be of significant benefit in Catherine’s case to provide her husband with an outlet from the constant pressures associated with her disease.

The Irish Government does offer some financial support to people suffering from dementia but it appears not to be enough. There are a number of schemes which provide home care to patients, however a new report illustrates that Ireland spends only half the OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development) average on dementia services12 despite the fact we rival any other European Country in relation to the growth of dementia. According to the report for every 18,500 euro cut, four people with dementia will lose any service provided by the government12. This would be detrimental in Catherine’s case as she may eventually rely heavily on the government for support.

Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety

The treatment of Dementia is focused towards specific disease manifestations as there are no definitive treatments available. To effectively treat Dementia, patients and families should be involved as soon as the diagnosis is made. The availability of information, good health services, and support should be provided to help patients and their families to cope with dementia. The behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia have been a difficult management area for neurologists and psychiatrists alike. The key to proper management is the correct identification of each symptom and the underlying precipitating cause. The proper management is not only rewarding in terms of responsiveness in an otherwise incurable and progressive disease, but also improves the quality of life of the patients and the caregivers.

The management of dementia begins with a thorough assessment to search for underlying causes of behavioural changes. Non-pharmacological approaches should be used prior to medication use. These interventions include music, light, changes in level of stimulation and specific behavioural techniques. The type of dementia, individual symptom constellation and the tolerability of the patient will help to determine what medication should be used13.

Cholinesterase inhibitors treatment for people with DLB is commonly used in clinical practice, especially for patients that exhibit neuropsychiatric symptoms. The use of antipsychotics for agitation and aggression has shown consistent efficacy and it is the most studied pharmacological intervention14. Pharmacotherapy must be monitored closely for both effectiveness and side effects, with consideration of medication withdrawal when appropriate. Studies show that anti-dementia medicine neither cure, arrest nor delay the onset of the disease, but are helpful in symptom relief14. There is an urgent need to develop more efficacious medications for the treatment of dementia15 as in the long-term we know that a diagnosis of dementia is a sentinel event that signifies progressive loss of independence and increasing demands on caregivers.

In this case, the biggest barrier to Catherine receiving adequate healthcare is herself and the uncooperative and aggressive nature of her condition. Her husband and family cannot fully support her needs therefore she needs to be admitted to a long-term care facility. Her wishes to continue living in her own home may prevent her from getting the care she needs. Also, the fact that her husband must make the decision could be considered a barrier as he is unwilling to put her into long-term care, where the stability may help her.

Individualised rehabilitation approaches targeting relevant and personally-meaningful aspects of everyday functioning have demonstrated significant benefits in single-case and small-group intervention studies16. Cognitive rehabilitation is a relatively new approach to improving well-being for people with dementia and their families, but at present only preliminary evidence regarding efficacy is available16. However, this preliminary evidence suggests that cognitive rehabilitation does have the potential to bring about changes in behaviour, enhance well-being and maintain involvement in daily life. Psychosocial interventions of this kind can be provided alongside pharmacological treatment, and it is possible that these two approaches can complement one another to optimize benefits for the person with dementia17. There are a great many questions still to be answered, but the existing evidence provides a valuable basis for further development of this approach.

Ethical Considerations

There are a number of ethical issues to address in Catherine’s case. As DLB progresses, it gradually renders people incapable of tending to their own needs, thus their decision-making capacity is compromised and caretakers must step in and make decisions for them. Catherine suffers from dementia and requires constant care. In preventing Catherine from independently getting in and out of bed, several ethical issues are involved. Her caretakers can only effectively tend to her and ensure her safety by compromising her right of autonomy for the sake of beneficence18 i.e. doing this for her own well-being in order to provide her with adequate care. Also non-maleficence18 is a factor in this situation i.e. they must ensure she does not get harmed while moving about unsupervised

In Ireland, under the Mental Health Act of 2001, certain conditions must be must be met before someone is involuntarily admitted to a long-term care facility19. Fundamentally

The patient must be eligible to be involuntarily admitted

The “Person” sending the patient must send in application for the patient

That “Person” must fit certain requirements.

After application, a registered medical practitioner must do an examination on the patient and if he/she is satisfied, he/she writes a recommendation for the involuntary admittance of the patient in an approved centre.

Catherine definitely fits the requirements of the patient to be involuntarily admitted as she is actually suffering from a mental disorder20 and her caretakers may be considered “unfit” to take care of her. While her husband wants to respect her wishes he is physically unable to provide the level of care that she needs, even with his daughter’s weekly assistance. It is obvious that she requires constant monitoring as evident by her repeated falls. Therefore, after a mental health assessment it is likely that she be recommended to live in such a facility with more appropriate care21.

Healthcare providers are only able to advise patients and their family members on the best course of treatment and management plan available, suggesting alternatives are still within their boundaries. However, the final choice always resides with the patient and his/her family members22. Disputes which may arise become a tough issue for health care professionals to resolve, as all circumstances need to be taken into consideration before a decision can be reached23.

Word Count: 1989

Search Strategy

As part of our search strategy we used resources from the library and those online.  We found books and journals in the library useful for sourcing background information about Lewy Body Dementia. Online we used medical search database, “Medline” and “PubMed.” We had to tailor our search criteria to suit the particular section of the report we were writing.  To further refine our search findings we used the advanced search and used the “limits” option. If our search yielded too few findings, we learnt to change our keywords and to broaden our search area. For example when “Dementia” is searched PubMed reveals 119494 options, however if “dementia AND Ireland” is searched 404 results are revealed. To further refine this search we used “Limits” whereby we limited the findings to trials that had links to the free article online, were in English and were conducted on humans. This searched revealed 60 findings.

It is also useful to use sources that have been referenced by other authors and we found that once you found one or two good trials, they usually had referenced some other sources that matched your search criteria. This cut down on the searching through irrelevant articles and proved better use of our time.  All in all we found the internet very useful for sourcing our references and in particular we found PubMed and Medline user friendly once we understood how to use them properly.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Research title

: The political economy analysis of the implementation of public health user fee reforms in Malawi.

1. 
   BACKGROUND AND BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW
   

The economic crises of the 1970s and 80s led many countries to undergo structural reforms that called for reduced public expenditure for basic services. The reforms resulted in the introduction of cost sharing on the part of beneficiaries (Lucas 1988). In several countries, user fees were imposed as a means to address recurrent costs problems and an extra source of revenue for previously “undervalued” services of professional providers. Countries responded differently to the introduction of user charges depending on domestic political risk and institutional capacity to efficiently administer the fees. With the reforms, public financing of health declined in many countries, and in some cases, private service providers seized the opportunity to fill the gap (Romer, 1986). Although the involvement of private service providers helped to meet demand for those able to pay, it limited access of the poor to the same services due to the prohibitive costs.

Over the past ten years, research on economic growth has demonstrated that human capital is a powerful force in the development process (Becker 1990). In consequence, a sustained increase in this form of capital is crucial for poverty reduction in low-income countries and for an ever rising standard of living. Health is one of the commonly used proxies for human capital – an unobservable magnitude or force that is part and parcel of human beings (Schultz 1960).

Developing countries are struggling to improve the lives of people living in both rural and urban areas. The big challenge in these countries is lack of resources and problems in allocating the scarce resources. Various governments have prioritized different sectors depending on the needs and demands of the people. Some have prioritized primary education and agriculture while others have prioritized mining and health sector. Developing countries have come up with different interventions purposed to cushion people and be able to manage the risk. Some interventions have taken the form of subsidy while others have taken the form of user fee exemption to mention but two (Schultz 1961).

These interventions sometimes are driven by politics, that is why for one to effectively intervene needs to understand the interplay of politics and economics in the developing countries. Depending on policy makers, some would prefer to implement subsidy programmes while others would have user fees exemption or both. User fees are charges one pays at the point of use. The stated interventions are good for the people but to the larger extent over burden the already struggling economy of the developing countries, (Litvack et al 1993). Consequently, government sectors suffer due to being underfunded which has resulted to poor service delivery defeating the whole purpose of subsidy or user fee exemption. Some countries, thus, they have resorted to meet the deficit through the introduction of user fees. For example, in respective of health for all, Malawi government offers free public health services to everyone in the country (ibid).

Through observation, the public health services in Malawi particularly those in bordering districts such as Mchinji, Nsanje, Mwanza and Mulanje face very stiff competition on health resources because the hospitals in these districts serve even those from the neighboring countries such as Zambia and Mozambique.

Currently with the growing population, government is failing to meet the demand of the free public health services which is manifested through the lack of medical resources in the hospitals. Lack of resources might be because the government has a limited tax base to finance the public health services. For instance, in Daily Times of 18th August, 2014 carried a story that Kamuzu central hospital had suspended all the booked surgeries because the hospital had no medical resources required to carry out operations in the theaters. Burns unit department also suffered the same. In such circumstances the introduction of user fee in public hospitals becomes not an option but a necessity. The user fees may therefore, help in three aspects within health service sector: improving efficiency by moderating demand, containing cost, and mobilize more funds for health care than existing sources provided

1. 
   PROBLEM STATEMENT
   

The aim of free public health services in Malawi was to bring equality and equity in accessing health services. It has been argued that with user fees in accessing public health services, the poor people could be disadvantaged. Axiomatically, healthy people make healthy nation and participate actively in the development activities. Defeating the aim of free public health services, it is the same poor people who are now struggling while the better off and even politicians use the private hospitals. Every person has got the right to good quality health, but the poor people in Malawi are now voiceless and spend painfully on the services that were meant to be free. The situation begs a question that are the public services in Malawi really free at all when a person is told to buy aspirin tablets in private hospitals or pharmacies while the public hospitals have given the medicine to undeserving individuals such as those coming from other neighboring countries e.g. Mozambique just because public hospitals in Malawi are free. Poor people are also voiceless and lack responsibility on the hospital resources for it is given to them for free. Hospital workers have been frustrated because their working environment is not conducive since they are forced to work even when they do not have resources and are sometimes frustrated due late or nor payment at all for the extra hours rendered.

Provision of quality health services is one of the social indicators of development. However, looking at the persistent resource shortages in the public health sector, Malawi as a country is far behind the expectation. Optionally, national policy makers in some countries such as Kenya and Mozambique thought to enlarge government revenue base through the introduction and implementation of user fee with an aim of improving services, for example, by improving drug availability and the general quality of health care and extending public health coverage. Therefore, the current study aims at undertaking the political economy analysis of the implementation of public health user fee reforms in Malawi. The study will be guided by the following sampled questions:

1. What are the challenges towards the implementation of public health user fees in Malawi?
2. What is the reaction of policy makers towards public health user fee implementation?
3. Is user fee good option to finance public hospitals
4. Can Malawi manage to embrace user fee policy (in terms of attitudes, willingness and capacity)
5. How much is raised from the paying ward in the central hospitals, are the services different from the non-paying ward? If they are different, how do they differ? And how is money used. Has it brought any change?
6. What are the problems that public hospitals meet?

1. 
   OBJECTIVES
   

Main objective: to undertake the political economy analysis of the implementation of public health user fee reforms in Malawi.

1. 
   SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
   
   1. Exploring the historical discourse of public health user fee in Malawi.
   2. Determining the reasons of government failure to introduce and implement user fee in public hospitals.
   3. Analysing how people have been deprived of good health services through free public health services in Malawi.
   4. Comparing the challenges in managing the resources faced in the CHAM hospitals and public hospitals.
   5. Analysing stakeholders’ attitude, willingness and ability to embrace public health user fee implementation policy.

1. 
   HYPOTHESIS
   
   1. Poor quality of public health services can motivate public willingness to pay towards some improvement of the services
   2. Inadequate funding leads to poor public health services in Malawi
   3. Malawians are deprived of quality public health services through free public health services.
   4. User fee reform in public health services can lead to efficiency and equity in public health resources in public hospitals.
   5. Politicians wish to introduce public health user fee reform but are deterred by the fear of losing popularity
2. 
   METHODOLOGY
   
   1. 
      STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS
      

The study will mainly use qualitative descriptive and analytical cross sectional approach. Objective 1 and 2 on public health user fee trend and government failure to introduce and implement the same respectively will use qualitative descriptive approach. Whilst objectives 3-5 on analysis of people’s deprivation of good health, comparison of challenges in managing resources and analysis of stakeholder’s attitudes respectively will employ qualitative analytical approach.

1. 
   STUDY SETTTING
   

The study will take place in Malawi, population

n

of people; the ministry of health headquarters in Lilongwe, Malawi’s four central hospitals,

n

number of district hospitals n community hospitals and n health centers. There are also CHAM facilities, private hospitals and NGOs (both local and international) that support health system. The study will focus in all central hospitals because they provide tertiary management care. The ministry of health, because it is the headquarters, some selected CHAM facilities in four regions and few selected NGOs in Malawi.

1. 
   TARGET POPULATION
   

Objective 1-2 will target key informants at the headquarters and in the central hospitals and the reviews of available literature in Malawi. Objective 3 will target the discharged patients in the central hospitals and some community around the selected hospitals. Objective 4 will target the health workers in CHAM and central hospitals. Objective 5 will focus on key informants in NGOs which work with health sector.

1. 
   SAMPLING STRATEGY
   

Since the study will employ qualitative design, hence, participants will be selected purposively.

1. 
   DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
   

Before data collection, consent will be obtained from the ministry of health head-quarters and all in-charges of the facilities where the study is going to take place. The research will be explained to the participants to seek their informed consent.

Data collection tools will be pre-tested, these will include interview guide for 1) discharged patients to find out any deprivation of their care, 2) health care workers to assess the challenges in resources 3) key informants to analyse their attitudes. And checklist to assess challenges faced by health care workers and patients deprivation of care.

1. 
   ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
   

In carrying out the proposed research, the concept of research ethics will not be ignored. All people involved in this research will have to give consent. No one is going to participate against his or her will but the research would prefer to have full participation from the participants and not partial. Attention will be deployed to make sure that people’s rights are not violated through this research. Participants will be told the aim of the research and everything crucial so that they should be able to give informed consent. Participants’ identity will not be revealed in the data presentation and analysis. However, upon request, some participants predominantly NGOs will have the copy of the research findings.

1. 
   DATA MANAGEMENT
   

Data will be transcribed from Chichewa to English then themes will be developed from which quantitative data will be analysed while quantitative part will be managed by SPSS. Data will be kept confidential unless strict measures are taken to access the same.

1. 
   PRESENTATION OF DATA
   

The data will be presented through quotes and where necessary tables and graphs will be used for the part of quantitative.

1. 
   THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
   

The nature of the research demands SIDA’s Power Analysis framework. The introduction and implementation of public health user fee involves power of various stakeholders who have different powers of influence. The research then aims to analyse and gauge how much power Do these stakeholders have towards the introduction and implementation of user fees in public health services, (Shaw RP et al, 1995).

SIDA’s power analysis focuses on understanding structural factors impeding poverty reduction as well as incentives and disincentives for pro-poor development. Thus, health sector is a hub to development of which the poor have to be targeted. SIDA power analysis tool also serves to stimulate thinking about processes of change in terms of what can be done about formal and informal power relations, power structures and the actors contributing to it. The framework seeks to either deepen knowledge, facilitate dialogue, foster influence or feed into policy developing and programming of which in this case will be the introduction and implementation of user fee in public hospitals (Shaw RP et al, 1995).

In the same vein, political economy analysis also looks at the interaction of formal and informal institutions. The collected data will also be subjected to the critical analysis under the interaction of informal and formal institutions (ibid).

8.0

JUSTIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH

The current research is of paramount importance to the people of Malawi. The study will facilitate the improvement of public health services throughout Malawi. The big problem in the health sector is inadequate resources, consequently, the research is purported to carry out analysis of how public health user fee can be an alternative to financing public hospitals. The improvement in public health services entails healthy people who can actively participate in development activities. The success in the implementation public health user fee will help not to over burden the government because public health hospitals will be able to meet some needs through user fee, hence, the government will be able use the part of budget allocated to the health sector in other sectors of priority.

The study will provide an insight of development health sector and bring satisfaction to people especially those who use public health services. The study assumes that if the public health user fee reform is implemented, people will access the services of higher quality compared to the current situation in which patients are told to buy the prescribed medication in the private pharmacy because hospitals have no medicine. In this then, the implementation of user fee reduces the cost of accessing public health services in Malawi. No country can develop if the health services are poor. The vitality of the current study cannot be over emphasized, if it will be well done, Malawi as a country will register good health and social development.

REFERENCES

Becker, Gary (1991). A Treatise on the Family. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press.

Lucas, Robert, E. (1988). On the Mechanics of Economic Development. Journal of Monetary Economics 22(1): 3-42.

Pritchett, Lant and Lawrence H. Summers (1996). Wealthier is Healthier. The Journal of Human Resources XXX(4): 841-68.

Schultz, Theodore W (1960). Human Capital Formation by Education, Journal of Political Economy 68(6): 571-83.

Schultz, Theodore W (1963). The Economic Value of Education. New York: Columbia University Press.

Schultz, Theodore W (1961). Investing in Human Capital. The American Economic Review 51(1): 1-17.

Romer, Paul (1986). Increasing Returns and Long Run Growth. Journal of Political Economy 94.

Shaw RP, Griffin C. (1995), SIDA power analysis Washington DC: World Bank

Sophie Witter (2010) Mapping user fees for health care in high-mortality countries: evidence from a recent survey ; HLSP institute

Audibert M, Mathonnat J. 2000. Cost recovery in Mauritania: initial lessons. Health Policy Plan:

Chawla M, Ellis RP. 2000. The impact of financing and quality changes on healthcare demand in

Niger. Health Policy Plan: 76-84.

Lucy Gilson (—–)The Lessons of User Fee Experience in Africa Center for Health Policy, Department of Community Health, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and Health Economics and Financing Programme, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.

Litvack J, Bodart C. ( 1993) User fees plus quality equals improved access to health care: results of a field experiment in Cameroon. Social Science and Medicine.

Mbugua JK, Bloom GH, Segall MM (1995). Impact of user charges on vulnerable groups: the case of Kibwezi in rural Kenya. Social Science and Medicine.

Moses S, Manji F, Bradley JE, Nagelkerke NJ, Malisa MA, Plummer FA (1992). Impact of user fees on attendance at a referral centre for sexually transmitted diseases in Kenya. Lancet

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This research proposal was written by a student and is published as an example. See

How to Write a Dissertation Proposal

on our sister site UKDiss.com for guidance on writing your own proposal.

In today’s world, in order to achieve recognition in a particular field that you are pertaining to, the first and the foremost thing that counts is ‘the persona’ with which you carry yourself! Be it Multi National Companies or small scale companies, one of the most crucial things that can get you one step closer towards achieving your goals is having a good and magnificent personality. You ought to look presentable in any case whatsoever! And with regard to the celebrities in the Hollywood and Bollywood fraternity, it goes without saying as they have no other choice but to look beautiful and handsome in order to make a living!

These celebs come up with the most queer beauty treatments ever! Recently, there was an article published in one of the most well known newspapers about these most bizarre of the beautifying treatments undergone by celebs. What we need to understand and assess is that, how beneficial are these so called beauty treatments from a scientific and a medical point of view! Let’s have a look on these various ‘freakish beautifying treatments’.

1. 
   Liquid Gold Facial:
   

The heart of Liquid Gold, Seabuckthorn, was known for many years in northern states, as a skin care remedy and nutritional supplement. The berries of this shrub are always been associated with regeneration as they are rich in vitamins and nutrients. The oil of these berries assist in combating dry skin, visible fine lines, wrinkles and various signs of early ageing. These yellow-orange berries comprise of more than 100 nutrients, bioactive substances like phytosterols, water soluble vitamins (B1, B2, C, P, Folic acid, K) and fat soluble ones such as A, E and EFA (80-95% essential fatty acids), free amino acids, alpha and beta carotenes etc.

The Hollywood supermodel Bar Refaeli lately got a Liquid Gold Facial done which is also favored by Ayurveda since it is said to possess anti-aging properties.

When we look at this from a medical point of view, Liquid Gold is a strong resurfacing and firming treatment in order to reduce wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage. This formulation is fortified with silk proteins, licorice extract and Glycolic Acid. It increases the skin’s metabolism, thereby adding on to tightening the enlarged pores and makes the complexion brighter and clearer.

Also, this formulation is immediately absorbed by cell membranes, reinstalling a golden glow to even the most lack-luster skin. It helps to fight hyperpigmentation, acne, wrinkles, fine lines and large pores thereby making you look young and evergreen.

There are no evidences available in form of articles or papers to prove the authenticity of this liquid gold facial.

2. 
   Facelift tape:
   

Lady Gaga uses facelift tape in order to pull the skin around the cheekbones and neck to look younger.

As per the experts, medically it is just not advisable to do daily face taping since it could lead to internal scarring, which may give rise to poor absorption of nutrients to the skin and early ageing. Moreover, doing face-taping everyday may cause the facial muscles to loosen, causing wrinkles and fine lines to appear earlier than usual.

There are some benefits of using a facelift tape as well. Like for example, if applied correctly, it can make a drastic change in the way you appear, only till the tape is in place! Also, it’s much reasonable as compared to surgeries and even some wrinkle creams. It can also prove to be beneficial to those celebs who are willing to go for a facelift surgery as it will give them an idea of what they will look after they have undergone the surgery and hence assist them in making a better decision in such a case.

3. 
   Japanese nightingale droppings facial:
   

This does sound nasty. But Tom Cruise vouches for this ‘bird poop facial’. Making a preparation of nightingale droppings, rice bran and water and rubbing it on the face, makes his face look shiny which contributes in making him look good as ever! This ‘nightingale poop facial’ which is also referred to as “Geisha facial” originates from Japan. Hence the name, “Japanese Nightingale Droppings Facial”. It is said to carry out exfoliation of the dirt from the skin causing it to appear shining bright and squeaky clean.

There are proclamations that the powder made from the excreta/faeces of Uguisu bird (which is used in Geisha Facial) has properties which provide multiple skin benefits. It may be useful for cleansing skin pores, whitening skin pigment of dark spots and discolorations from scars and sun spots, balancing and evening out and thus making the skin tone brighter. It also helps in healing and re-energizing of the skin which has been hampered because of the exposure to sun and aging. This powder is fit for oily skin, rough and aging skin, although it might not be suited to a skin type that is sensitive and prone to allergies.

There are no evidences to prove that it works or vice versa. All the so called “skin-gains” are obtainable in a variety of other skin products. We might hear of people using human faeces in future for skin treatment! That’s so sickening!

4. 
   Mayonnaise as a moisturizer!
   

Past years’ legend, Joan Crawford was said to make use of Mayonnaise to moisturize her skin and hair. This is really like taking your breakfast “spread tad bit seriously!

Taking into consideration the medical background, the chief ingredients in Mayonnaise are soya bean oil and eggs, which make it a potent treatment for dry facial skin. Mayo also comprises of vinegar, which helps in encouraging the turnover of skin cells, leaving the face feeling as if it has been exfoliated. Experts say that doing a gentle mayo massage on skin daily may help boosting up skin’s moisture.

Mayonnaise is said to be the possessor of moisturizing properties that extend beyond your skin. It is also observed to be a good hair conditioner as it gives a healthy shine to the hair.

But it would be much preferable to limit the mayonnaise to just your bread and instead make use of so many easily available wonderful hair cosmetics for giving that shine to your hair!

5. 
   Snake Venom as a replacement for Botox!
   

Snake Venom is the first choice for Katy Holmes as a replacement for Botox injections.

It seems that, she believes that this synthetic venom product has some kind of ‘muscle-shocking’ effect. It smoothens out the wrinkles and relaxes the muscles of the face.

When we look at this from a medical point of view, we can see that Scientists firstdiscovered a link betweenanti-agingand the paralysis-inducing properties ofviper venom,a few years ago. If thevipercould send its victims into a permanent stupor with itsvenom, they hypothesised thatperhaps the same science could be used to tamecrow’s feetandforehead furrows

.

The synthetic venom like counterpartSYN-AKEisatopical synthetic tripeptidewhichwhen applied to the skin, relaxes the “frowning and grimacing” muscles that lead todeep wrinkles

.

Clients of the Sonya Dakar clinic in Beverly Hills line up for thesesnake-venom facials

,

whileHollywood gossip sitesproclaimGwyneth Paltrow

’s

love & beliefforDakar’s UltraLuxe-9 Age Control Complex($190), aSYN-AKE-infused skin cream.

But there is absolutely no evidence or any independent medical research to prove the authenticity of the same.

Bee venoms have been used as a replacement for Botox treatment. The research has shown that this product contributes in producing natural collagen, a special kind of protein that provides elasticity to the skin cells and keeps the skin young. To add on to it, increases the number of keratinocytes – special cells, protecting them from getting influenced by certain harmful extrinsic factors like dehydration, agents of infectious diseases, ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

6. 
   De-puff with Piles cream!
   

Sandra Bullock believes that haemorrhoid tube works wonders to tighten up facial skin.

These haemorrhoid creams comprise of vasoconstrictors – which are responsible for shrinking the blood vessels. This is helpful when it’s about haemorrhoids, since there are swollen veins, but not so helpful when it concerns sensitive area below the eyes. As a matter of fact, certain ingredients in these creams may cause irritation in the eyes and worsen the situation. Also, there’s never been any convincing or high quality medical study to prove the effectiveness of the same. Hence, not being enthusiastic about this choice will be the best thing to do.

7. 
   Shine with red wine!
   

Actress Teri Hatcher pours Red Wine in her bath which helps softening her skin.

Studies have proved that there are certain ingredients present in red wine such as the tartaric acid, an alpha hydroxyl agent helps in exfoliation of the skin, thereby making it softer.

Drinking red wine is also beneficial as because of the antioxidants present in red wine, the skin is prevented from ageing.

What we can gather from all this is that, when it comes to your skin particularly your face, dare not take chances! Some of these bizarre treatments by celebrities do have a scientific base and some kind of possible reasoning but not all. Hence, consulting the expert Dermatologist and/or Facial Plastic Surgeon for such skin treatments is always advisable.

References:

Celebrity Beauty Secrets Makeover Tips

http://www.theestheticclinic.com/dr-debraj-shome.html