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A literature review is an explanation of what has been published on a subject by recognized researchers. Occasionally you will be asked to write one as a separate assignment (sometimes in the form of an annotated bibliography--, but more often it is part of the introduction to an essay, research report, thesis or dissertation.

Critical literature reviews help to write your literature review more effectively:

A literature review must do these things:

a.be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing
b.synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known
c.identify areas of controversy in the literature
d.formulate questions that need further research

Before writing literature review ask yourself questions like these:

1.What is the specific thesis, problem, or research question that my review of literature helps to define?
2.What type of literature review am I conducting? Am I looking at issues of theory? methodology? policy? quantitative research (e.g. on the effectiveness of a new procedure)? qualitative research (e.g., studies )?
3.What is the scope of my literature review? What types of publications am I using (e.g., journals, books, government documents, popular media)? What discipline am I working in (e.g., nursing psychology, sociology, medicine)?
4.How good was my information seeking? Has my search been wide enough to ensure I've found all the relevant material? Has it been narrow enough to exclude irrelevant material? Is the number of sources I've used appropriate for the length of my paper?
5.Have I critically analyzed the literature I use? Do I follow through a set of concepts and questions, comparing items to each other in the ways they deal with them? Instead of just listing and summarizing items, do I assess them, discussing strengths and weaknesses?
6.Have I cited and discussed studies contrary to my perspective?
7.Will the reader find my literature review relevant, appropriate, and useful?
Tips on writing a literature review (Hart 1998)

Fat can enhance breast reconstruction results

Posted Friday, March 20, 2009

When a woman receives implants during reconstructive surgery, she may experience some implant deformities. However, doctors and experts find supplemental fat injections to be an outstanding option for smoothing and reshaping the reconstructed breast.

Last year, the American Society of Plastic Surgery was presented with compelling evidence that fat injections are a safe and effective way to correct implant wrinkling in a reconstructed breast. Additionally, doctors report very high satisfaction from patients who have undergone this procedure.

"My reconstruction patients could not be happier with the improvement fat transfer gives to the appearance of their breasts," study co-author Gregory Scott, MD, told colleagues at an ASPS conference.

So does this mean fat injections should be used for purely cosmetic breast augmentation, too? There is a great debate over this because it is unclear just how much fat must be used, and the side effects include possible calcification of the fat that could be mistaken for tumors in a mammogram. There is no breast tissue left after a mastectomy, so these concerns are significantly lower when it comes to reconstruction.

Tags: ASPS, breast augmentation, breast cancer, breast implants, breast reconstruction, breasts, fat injections, fat transfer, injectable, mammogram, mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, research, study
Related: Implants vs. fat injections

Proven peels for acne

Posted Monday, March 16, 2009

Despite years of professional and at-home use, there had never been a study comparing alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acid peels for the treatment of acne until this year. Not surprising to those who've prescribed and used them, both types were found to be highly effective.

Using 20 participants with mild to severe acne, researchers applied a glycolic (AHA) peel to one half of their faces and a salicylic (BHA) peel to the other half every other week for six weeks. The vast majority of the patients experienced similar, noticeable improvements on both sides after each treatment.

So, which type of peel is right for you? While AHA and BHA have comparable clarifying results, you may want to consider that the study showed more peeling and scaliness on the AHA side of the participants' faces. Additionally, a few patients developed new blemishes on the AHA side over the course of the study. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you will experience these side effects, so talk to a dermatologist about making the right choice for your own skin.

Tags: acne, AHA, alpha-hydroxy acid, beta-hydroxy acid, BHA, chemical peel, exfoliation, glycolic acid, peel, research, salicylic acid, side effects, study

The risk your skin and eyes share

Posted Tuesday, March 17, 2009

When you hear the word melanoma, you probably think of skin cancer. But technically, it is cancer of melanocyte cells, which means it can occur anywhere the body has pigment. One of those places is the eye's iris.

Canadian researchers wanted to determine if certain skin features can help determine a higher risk of uveal (iris) melanoma. As suspected, fair and easily-sunburned skin, common and atypical moles, and freckles do, in fact, reflect a greater likelihood of developing this kind of cancer.

Because the risk of uveal melanoma decreases as pigment increases, older caucasians with light eyes whose skin fit the aforementioned characteristics are the most likely to become one of approximately 2000 people who are diagnosed with this kind of cancer in the U.S. every year.

Tags: cancer, ethnicity, fair skin, freckles, melanocytes, melanoma, mole, pigment, research, skin cancer, study, uveal melanoma
Related: Why your moles might not become melanoma

 

When skin is both oily and dry

Posted Tuesday, March 03, 2009 by Heather Long, Aesthetician, Mesa, Arizona

One of the top skin complaints I've consistently heard from my clients is that their skin is "oily dry." Not knowing how to treat the problem, their misguided choices usually made it worse. They would usually try to control the oil with a foaming face wash that would strip the skin's layers, consequently leaving dry areas even flakier. Then, they would load a thick moisturizer on top of that in an attempt to take care of the dryness, which only trained the skin to make less oil there. It's a vicious cycle.

So, how do you treat this partially-oily, breaking-out, dry skin? One of the most important things to do in this situation is to exfoliate. You're dealing with some oily skin that isn't being properly exfoliated, so dead skin cells (those dry patches just hanging out there) are clogging up the pores (along with extra sebum production) and causing breakouts. Find an appropriate skin cleanser, exfoliate (either with a scrub or hydroxy acid), and moisturize with a product suited for your skin type.

Do this several times a week until you start to see better results. Then, you can taper back on the exfoliation step, keeping in mind that exfoliating should always be a weekly part of your skincare regimen.

Tags: acne, AHA, alpha-hydroxy acid, beta-hydroxy acid, cleanser, combination skin, dry skin, exfoliation, face scrub, face wash, moisturizer, oily skin, scrub

A procedure for smaller pores

Posted Friday, February 13, 2009

Regardless of your skin type, large, obvious pores can keep you from looking like you have flawless skin. Originally developed for hair removal, Isolaz is a groundbreaking painless treatment that employs both suction and laser therapy to thoroughly clean your pores, clearing them of dirt, sebum and debris, and ultimately making them seem smaller.

Not only does Isolaz help to address pore size, it also fights mild to moderate acne. The 10-minute, no-downtime-required treatment uses a vacuum to first gently lift bacteria to the surface before a laser light—which doesn’t cause light sensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy—kills the bacteria and sloughs away dead skin cells and oil.

Your skin may feel warm directly after the treatment, but you will see a visible difference in pore size after about four treatments, which run about $375 each.

Tags: acne, bacteria, exfoliation, Isolaz, laser, light, pores, pregnancy, procedure, sebum, treatment
Related: Cleaner pores from a reliable ritual