Latest news with #skin
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Influencer who was brutally mocked for swimming in SEWAGE hits out at critics: 'I loved it'
An influencer who was brutally mocked for swimming in sewage has hit out at critics as she insisted that it has actually improved her skin. Michelle Sky Hayward, 33, from Cape Town, South Africa, recently left people all across the globe disgusted when she posted a video of herself splashing around in what she now believes was poop. In the video, she appeared confused as she went for her morning dip and noticed the water was murkier and foamier than usual. Even so, she continued on with her swim, getting the mysterious brown foam all over her body, hair, and face - and even accidentally swallowing some at one point. Afterwards, horrified viewers rushed to the comment section to warn her that what she was swimming in was likely sewage. Now, she has spoken exclusively about the ordeal with the Daily Mail, and she insisted that while she was 'horrified' by the realization, she hasn't had any negative side affects. She explained that it hasn't made her sick at all, in fact, she thinks it's been beneficial for her skin. 'It didn't make me sick at all which is great. I've been feeling really good ever since which I am very grateful for because I know a lot of people were worried,' she shared. Michelle Sky Hayward, 33, from South Africa, left people all across the globe disgusted when she posted a video of herself splashing around in what she now believes was poop 'Some people pointed out that my skin has been glowing ever since, so who knows, maybe it was beneficial to my skin.' While chatting with the Daily Mail, Michelle explained that she swims at that beach at least once a week and had never seen foam like that in it before - but she didn't think much of it. She added that she was in the water for roughly 15 minutes. 'I loved the foam because it made me think of a bubble bath. It also seemed to make the water warmer so I didn't get too cold at first,' she explained. 'I had no idea what it was, I thought it was just because of the stormy weather and big waves nearby.' The social media star added, 'I didn't notice an unusual smell about it but it did definitely taste more salty than usual.' After she posted the clip to her Instagram, she said she was 'horrified' to see all the comments about it possibly being sewage. 'The comments pointed out that there had been a sewerage spill in the area and I know that that does sometimes happen at our beaches,' she continued. But in the end, she said she's not too concerned. 'All in all I'm not too upset because in the end I had a great time in the ocean and no one really knows for sure what it was,' she concluded. One comment from Michelle's original video read, 'The situation in Cape Town - the city has sewage treatment plants, but it still discharges part of the effluents into the ocean, especially in coastal areas like Green Point, Camps Bay, and Hout Bay. 'These discharges are often only primary-treated sewage or even raw sewage, depending on the area and the system's capacity. 'The historical justification was that ocean currents would dilute the waste, which is now heavily questioned by environmentalists and local researchers.' 'It's all over her face,' someone else wrote with some throwing up emojis. 'I'm not kidding, I almost puked,' another user announced. Many others shared their disgust while some slammed her for not figuring out what it was. In a follow-up video shared to her Instagram, Michelle addressed some of the negative comments. 'No, I did not get sick. If anything, it even boosted my immune system because I've been feeling great ever since, so who knows,' she said. 'I didn't actually smell anything, it just smelled like the normal ocean smell. I did notice that the water was super murky and it's very clear in that spot [usually], there was also a lot of foam that I hadn't seen before. 'But guys, honestly, I love the foam. I loved it, I felt like I was in a bubble bath, it was so cool. I literally felt like a mermaid in a bubble bath. I was having so much fun. 'The water felt a bit warmer than usual so I was having the time of my life, it was amazing. I actually had no idea [it was sewage].'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Science proves why your skin wrinkles. Here is what you need to know
Researchers finally know why our skin wrinkles over time - and Silly Putty can help explain it. Scientists at New York's Binghamton University say experimental evidence shows that it's a similar process to stretching out a favorite hoodie or t-shirt from overuse. Essentially, aging skin stretches in one direction, contracts in another, and then collapses. As you age, the contraction gets bigger, resulting in the formation of the skin folds and creases. 'If you stretch Silly Putty, for instance, it stretches horizontally, but it also shrinks in the other direction — it gets thinner,' Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Guy German, explained in a statement. 'That's what skin does, as well.' Wrinkles start to appear after around the age of 25 years old, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Scientists have long believed that skin wrinkles due to genetics, the effects of disease, and damage from the sun. As you get older, your skin cells are replaced at a slower rate, causing the skin's outer layer to thin and forming wrinkles. Lines in the face, including forehead and frown lines, are largely out of our control, as they're caused by repeated muscle movements. Previous studies, using computational models, have also shown changes in the mechanical properties such as the elasticity and structure of the skin's middle layer during aging. The layer, which contains the proteins elastin and collagen, is the home to hair follicles, blood vessels, and sweat glands. Until now, those changes had never been proven experimentally. 'When I got into this field, that was one of my goals – can I figure out aging?' said German. 'Because if I look at the TV, the radio, online, at shops, I'm being told 1,000 different things about how to improve my skin health, and I want to know what's right and what isn't.' To reach these conclusions, German and his team used a low-force tensometer to stretch out seven tiny strips of skin from people between the ages 16 through 91, simulating the forces the skin naturally experiences. The tensometer tests the maximum force a material can withstand while being pulled or stretched before breaking. The skin was collected through elective surgery or tissue from cadavers. They found that the skin has one set of mechanical properties when you're young. As you age, things get a bit 'wonky,' German noted. 'Things degrade a bit, and it turns out the skin stretches laterally more, which causes the actual wrinkles that form,' said German. 'And the reason why that exists in the first place is that your skin is not in a stress-free state. It's actually stretched a little bit. So there are inherent forces within your skin itself, and those are the driving force towards wrinkles.' The research, which didn't delve into how these forces could be halted, was published recently in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Of course, there are other things that we know affect the skin that can contribute to appearance over time. Spending too much time outside can result in a nasty sun burn, as well as age the skin prematurely with the same effect as aging naturally. 'If you spend your life working outside, you're more likely to have more aged and wrinkled skin than those who are office workers, for example,' German warned.
The Independent
23-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
New research explains why wrinkles develop with age
Scientists at Binghamton University have experimentally shown that skin wrinkles as it ages due to a process where it stretches laterally and then contracts, forming creases. Associate Professor Guy German explained that the skin's mechanical properties degrade with age, causing increased lateral stretching driven by inherent forces within the skin. The research involved using a low-force tensometer on skin samples from individuals aged 16 to 91, providing experimental evidence for previously theoretical models of skin aging. This new finding complements existing knowledge that genetics, disease, sun exposure, and repeated muscle movements also contribute to the formation of wrinkles. Published in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, the study did not investigate methods to prevent these newly identified forces, though external factors like sun damage are acknowledged.
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Science has proven why your skin wrinkles. Here is what you need to know
Researchers finally know why our skin wrinkles over time - and Silly Putty can help explain it. Scientists at New York's Binghamton University say experimental evidence shows that it's a similar process to stretching out a favorite hoodie or t-shirt from overuse. Essentially, aging skin stretches in one direction, contracts in another, and then collapses. As you age, the contraction gets bigger, resulting in the formation of the skin folds and creases. 'If you stretch Silly Putty, for instance, it stretches horizontally, but it also shrinks in the other direction — it gets thinner,' Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Guy German, explained in a statement. 'That's what skin does, as well.' Wrinkles start to appear after around the age of 25 years old, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Scientists have long believed that skin wrinkles due to genetics, the effects of disease, and damage from the sun. As you get older, your skin cells are replaced at a slower rate, causing the skin's outer layer to thin and forming wrinkles. Lines in the face, including forehead and frown lines, are largely out of our control, as they're caused by repeated muscle movements. Previous studies, using computational models, have also shown changes in the mechanical properties such as the elasticity and structure of the skin's middle layer during aging. The layer, which contains the proteins elastin and collagen, is the home to hair follicles, blood vessels, and sweat glands. Until now, those changes had never been proven experimentally. 'When I got into this field, that was one of my goals – can I figure out aging?' said German. 'Because if I look at the TV, the radio, online, at shops, I'm being told 1,000 different things about how to improve my skin health, and I want to know what's right and what isn't.' To reach these conclusions, German and his team used a low-force tensometer to stretch out seven tiny strips of skin from people between the ages 16 through 91, simulating the forces the skin naturally experiences. The tensometer tests the maximum force a material can withstand while being pulled or stretched before breaking. The skin was collected through elective surgery or tissue from cadavers. They found that the skin has one set of mechanical properties when you're young. As you age, things get a bit 'wonky,' German noted. 'Things degrade a bit, and it turns out the skin stretches laterally more, which causes the actual wrinkles that form,' said German. 'And the reason why that exists in the first place is that your skin is not in a stress-free state. It's actually stretched a little bit. So there are inherent forces within your skin itself, and those are the driving force towards wrinkles.' The research, which didn't delve into how these forces could be halted, was published recently in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Of course, there are other things that we know affect the skin that can contribute to appearance over time. Spending too much time outside can result in a nasty sun burn, as well as age the skin prematurely with the same effect as aging naturally. 'If you spend your life working outside, you're more likely to have more aged and wrinkled skin than those who are office workers, for example,' German warned.
Health Line
11-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Skin Cancer Stages: What Do They Mean?
Key takeaways Cancer staging helps doctors determine how much the cancer has spread in the body, which helps inform treatment strategies and predict the likely outcome. Basal and squamous cell skin cancers are staged based on factors such as tumor size, nerve invasion, and spread to lymph nodes, but staging isn't always necessary as these cancers are often treated before they spread. Melanoma is staged from 0 to 4, with higher stages indicating more spread. Treatment options vary based on the stage and may include surgery, lymph node dissection, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, and chemotherapy. Cancer stages describe the size of the primary tumor and how far cancer has spread from where it started. There are different staging guidelines for different types of cancer. Staging provides an overview of what to expect. Your doctor will use this information to come up with the best possible treatment plan for you. In this article, we'll take an in-depth look at how basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma skin cancers are staged. What to know about cancer stages Cancer is a disease that starts in one small area of the body, like the skin. If it's not treated early, it may spread to other parts of the body. Doctors use staging information to understand: how much cancer is in a person's body where the cancer is located whether the cancer has spread beyond where it started how to treat the cancer what the outlook or prognosis is Although cancer tends to be different for everyone, cancers with the same stage are typically treated the same way and often have similar outlooks. Doctors use a tool known as the TNM classification system to stage different types of cancer. This cancer staging system involves the following three points of information: T: t umor size and how deep it's grown into the skin N: lymph n ode involvement M: m etastasis or whether the cancer has spread Skin cancers are staged from 0 to 4. As a general rule, the lower the staging number, the less the cancer has spread. For instance, stage 0, or carcinoma in situ, means abnormal cells, which have the potential to become cancerous, are present. But these cells remain in the cells where they first formed. They haven't grown into nearby tissue or spread to other areas. Stage 4, on the other hand, is the most advanced. At this stage, the cancer has spread to other organs or parts of the body. Basal and squamous cell skin cancer stages Staging usually isn't needed for basal cell skin cancer. That's because these cancers are often treated before they spread to other areas. Squamous cell skin cancers have a higher probability of spreading, although the risk is still fairly low. With these types of skin cancers, certain features can make the cancerous cells more likely to spread or return if it's removed. These high risk features include: a carcinoma (cancerous cells) thicker than 2 mm (millimeters) invasion into the nerves in the skin invasion into the lower layers of the skin location on the lip or ear Squamous cell and basal cell skin cancers are staged as follows: Stage 0: The cancerous cells are only present in the upper layer of the skin (epidermis) and haven't spread deeper into the skin. Stage 1: The tumor is 2 cm (centimeters) or less, hasn't spread to nearby lymph nodes, and has one or fewer high risk features. Stage 2: The tumor is 2 to 4 cm, hasn't spread to nearby lymph nodes, or the tumor is any size and has two or more high risk features. Stage 3: The tumor is more than 4 cm, or it has spread to one of the following: subcutaneous tissue, which is the deepest, innermost layer of skin that includes blood vessels, nerve endings, and hair follicles bone, where it has caused minor damage a nearby lymph node Stage 4: The tumor can be any size and has spread to: one or more lymph nodes, which are larger than 3 cm bone or bone marrow other organs in the body Treatment options If squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer is caught early, it's very treatable. Different surgical techniques are most often used to remove the cancerous cells. These surgical procedures are usually done in a doctor's office or outpatient clinic under local anesthesia. This means you'll be awake, and only the area around the skin cancer will be numbed. The type of surgical procedure that's done will depend on: the type of skin cancer the size of the cancer where the cancer is located If the cancer has spread deeper into the skin or has a higher risk of spreading, other treatments may be needed after surgery, such as radiation or chemotherapy. Some of the most common treatment options for basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers include the following: Excision: With excision, your doctor will use a sharp razor or scalpel to remove the cancerous tissue and some of the healthy tissue around it. The tissue that's removed will then be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Electrosurgery: Also known as curettage and electrodesiccation, this procedure is best suited to skin cancer that's on the uppermost surface of the skin. Your doctor will use a special instrument called a curette to remove the cancer. The skin is then burned with an electrode to destroy any remaining cancer. This procedure is usually repeated a couple of times during the same office visit to make sure all the cancer is removed. Mohs surgery: With this procedure, your doctor uses a scalpel to carefully remove the abnormal skin in horizontal layers along with some of the surrounding tissue. The skin is examined under a microscope as soon as it's removed. If cancer cells are found, another layer of skin is removed immediately until no more cancer cells are detected. Cryosurgery: With cryosurgery, liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and destroy the cancerous tissue. This treatment is repeated several times during the same office visit to make sure all the cancerous tissue has been destroyed. Melanoma stages Although melanoma is less common than basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers, it's more aggressive. This means that it's more likely to spread to nearby tissues, lymph nodes, and other parts of the body, compared with nonmelanoma skin cancers. Melanoma is staged as follows: Stage 0: The cancerous cells are only present in the outermost layer of skin and haven't invaded nearby tissue. At this noninvasive stage, the cancer can be removed by surgery alone. Stage 1A: The tumor isn't more than 1 mm thick. It may or may not be ulcerated (a break in the skin that allows the tissue below to show through). Stage 1B: Tumor thickness is 1 to 2 mm, and there's no ulceration. Stage 2A: Tumor is 1 to 2 mm thick and ulcerated, or it's 2 to 4 mm and not ulcerated. Stage 2B: Tumor is 2 to 4 mm thick and ulcerated, or it's more than 4 mm and not ulcerated. Stage 2C: Tumor is more than 4 mm thick and ulcerated. Stage 3A: Tumor thickness isn't more than 1 mm and there's ulceration, or it's 1 to 2 mm and not ulcerated. Cancer is found in 1 to 3 sentinel lymph nodes. Stage 3B: The tumor is up to 2 mm thick with ulceration, or 2 to 4mm without ulceration, plus cancer is present in one of these: one to three lymph nodes in small groups of tumor cells, called microsatellite tumors, right next to the primary tumor in small groups of tumor cells within 2 cm of the primary tumor, called satellite tumors in cells that have spread to nearby lymph vessels, known as in-transit metastases Stage 3C: The tumor is up to 4 mm thick with ulceration, or 4 mm or larger without ulceration, plus cancer is present in one of these: two to three lymph nodes one or more nodes, plus there are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, or in-transit metastases four or more nodes or any number of fused nodes Stage 3D: Tumor thickness is over 4 mm and it's ulcerated. Cancer cells are found in either of these locations: four or more lymph nodes or any number of fused nodes two or more nodes or any number of fused nodes, plus there are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, or in-transit metastases Stage 4: Cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. This may include lymph nodes or organs such as the liver, lungs, bone, brain, or digestive tract. Melanoma treatment For melanoma, treatment will largely depend on the stage and location of the cancerous growth. However, other factors may also determine what type of treatment is used. Stage 0 and 1: If melanoma is detected early, surgical removal of the tumor and surrounding tissue is usually all that's required. Routine skin screening is recommended to ensure that no new cancer develops. Stage 2: The melanoma and surrounding tissue will be surgically removed. Your doctor may also recommend a sentinel lymph node biopsy to make sure the cancer hasn't spread to nearby lymph nodes. If the lymph node biopsy detects cancer cells, your doctor may recommend surgical removal of the lymph nodes in that area. This is known as lymph node dissection. Stage 3: The melanoma will be surgically removed along with a larger amount of surrounding tissue. Because the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes by this stage, treatment will also include lymph node dissection. After surgery, additional treatments will be recommended. They may include: immunotherapy drugs that help boost your immune system's response against cancer targeted therapy drugs that block certain proteins, enzymes, and other substances that help cancer grow radiation therapy that's focused on the areas where the lymph nodes were removed isolated chemotherapy, which involves infusing just the area where the cancer was located Stage 4: Surgical removal of the tumor and lymph nodes is typically recommended. Because the cancer has spread to distant organs, additional treatment will likely include one or more of the following: immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors targeted therapy drugs chemotherapy
