Finding medical information about all the health problems and concerns you collect as you get older is no easy task. Have you ever read the printed information that comes with a prescription? Is that sheet of paper a reminder that you need to expand your vocabulary because you are not familiar with the medical terms? When you read the list of your medical risks taking this medication do you ask yourself why anyone would take it in the first place?

Now you are in a quandary because your doctor gave you this prescription and wants you to take the medication. You want to find out if the risk of taking it is worse than the condition you have that your doctor is treating. You can call the office and ask the doctor or his assistant but you want more information about your condition before you even do that. So where do you go to find medical information that is reliable?

One of the best reasons for using your local library to find medical information is that the reference librarians can help you. Most libraries have medical reference books that you can only read in the library. Often times the books are located close to the reference desk because the librarians keep track of them. The librarian knows which books can help you find your information. Take them to a table and either photo copy the pages or take notes or do both.

Most libraries also have internet access and a data base that includes medical information. They usually have a collection of basic medical references which may include medical dictionaries or encyclopedias, drug information handbooks, basic medical and nursing textbooks, and directories of physicians and medical specialists. You may also want to find magazine articles on a certain topic. Look in the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature for articles on health and medicine that were published in consumer magazines. Be sure to ask the librarian which of these resources is available on line and open to the public because life on the internet changes quickly.

Libraries also have computer databases indexing hundreds of popular magazines and newspapers as well as some medical journals. In these journals you have free access to some of the articles but not to everything without a paid subscription. However, many of the databases or indexes have abstracts that provide a summary of each journal article. Although most community libraries do not have a large collection of medical and nursing journals, your librarian may be able to get copies of the articles you want through Interlibrary loans. You may have to pay for this service.

Again, the reference librarian will be able to walk you through all this and help you organize that information. Again, some of that information may not be available to you at home because you need to be a member of this or that organization. Copy the url addresses that are open to the public so you can look at those sites at home and on your own time.

Cosmetic surgery is accessed predominantly in areas where body and image-consciousness are big, which makes sense. Those who live in societies or who compete for a living in places like Hollywood and New York, for example, reportedly feel more pressure to look a certain way. These individuals, both men and women, turn to the use of cosmetic surgical procedures to be more beautiful (though it can be argued that this is measured most reliably in the eye of the beholder).

Scar revision, performed by plastic surgeons and doctors is common. Why? The truth is that many cosmetic surgery procedures-even when performed by highly experienced surgeons-can leave scars. Fortunately for patients, the options for reducing or eliminating these scars comprise a full menu, wherein each technique is preferable to a certain situation or area of the body/surgical procedure.

Techniques utilized by surgeons to eliminate or reduce the appearance of scars, no matter how long a patient has borne them include:

1. Injectable treatments used to fill scars, requiring repeated, regular applications for complete erasure
2. Surface treatment types such as dermabrasion, laser therapy (also termed light therapy) chemical peels, and skin bleaching
3. Topical gels, tapes, external compression
4. Complete scar removal while the patient is under general anesthesia, followed by careful wound closure: At times this requires a skin graft; timing is critical, with the best results realized two to three full months after a scar has matured

Low risk (except in the case of the fourth option using general anaesthesia) and highly effective, scar revision treatments have proven successful in making the most of cosmetic surgeries while providing patients with viable solutions when they are faced with unsightly scars. Patients preparing for any type of cosmetic surgery will do well to inquire about scar revision options post-op to reduce or eliminate scarring. Those who have not undergone cosmetic surgical procedures but who for other reasons suffer with scarring–as a result of disease, deformity or dermal conditions–can also benefit.

The best course of action is to investigate options and schedule an appointment to speak with one or more cosmetic surgeons about possible procedures and realistic expectations for results. Well established facilities provide online resources and procedure descriptions, and many clinics offer financing options for those whose scar revision therapy might not be covered by healthcare insurance.