Hope Counseling Center
(907) 451-8208
926 Aspen Street
Fairbanks AK 99709

Celebrity Services

Mix of mental health and substance abuse services
Services Provided: Substance abuse treatment
Type of Care: Outpatient
Special Programs/Groups: Adolescents, DUI/DWI offenders

Laser Acne Treatment

Laser surgery has been in use for some time and reduces the scars left behind by acne, but doctors have done little research on lasers treatments for the prevention of acne. Doctors use the laser to address the following: to burn away the follicle sac from which hair grows; to burn away the sebaceous gland that produces oil; to induce oxygen in the bacteria, thereby killing them. Since lasers and intense pulsed light sources cause thermal damage to the skin, there are concerns that laser or intense pulsed light treatments for acne will induce hyperpigmented macules (spots) or cause long-term dryness of the skin. In the United States, the FDA has approved several companies, such as Candela Corp., to use a cosmetic lasers for the treatment of acne. However, efficacy studies have used very small sample sizes (fewer than 100 subjects) for periods of six months or less, and have shown contradictory results. Because laser treatment are relatively new, protocols remain subject to experimentation and revision, and treatment can be quite expensive. In addition, the company that produces some Smoothbeam laser devices recalled their products due to coolant failure, which had resulted in painful burn injuries to patients.

Sleep

Think of everything people do during the day. Try to guess which activity is so important that people should devote one-third of every day doing it. The first things that come to mind are probably: working, spending time with family or pursuing leisure activities. However, there is something else people should be doing about one-third of the time--sleeping.
Many people view sleep as merely a "down time" when the brain shuts off and the body rests. In a rush to meet work, school, family or household responsibilities, people cut back on sleep, thinking it will not be a problem, because all of these other activities seem much more important. However, research reveals that a number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help to maintain good health and enable people to function at the highest levels.
While people sleep, the brain is hard at work forming the pathways necessary for learning and creating memories and new insights. Without enough sleep, people cannot focus and pay attention or respond quickly. A lack of sleep may even cause mood problems. In addi­tion, growing evidence shows that a chronic lack of sleep increases the risk for developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and infections.
Despite the mounting support for the notion that adequate sleep, like adequate nutrition and physical activity, is vital to well­being, people are sleeping less. The nonstop "24/7" nature of the world today encourages longer or nighttime work hours and offers continual access to entertainment and other activities. To keep up, people cut back on sleep. A common myth is that people can learn to get by on little sleep (such as less than six hours a night) with no adverse consequences. Research suggests, however, that adults need at least seven or eight hours of sleep each night to feel rested. Indeed, in 1910, most people slept nine hours a night. But recent surveys show the average adult now sleeps less than seven hours a night and more than one-third of adults report daytime sleepiness so severe that it interferes with work and social functioning at least a few days each month. As many as 70 million Americans may be affected by chron­ic sleep loss or sleep disorders, at an annual cost of $16 billion in health care expenses and $50 billion in lost productivity.
What happens when people do not get enough sleep? Can people make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends? How does sleep change as people become older? Is snoring a problem? Do people suffer from sleep disorders? Read on to find the answers to these questions and to better understand what sleep is and why it is so necessary. Learn about common sleep myths and practical tips for getting adequate sleep, coping with jet lag and nighttime shift work and avoiding dangerous drowsy driving. Many common sleep disorders go unrecognized and doctors cannot treat them.