One of the many wonderful things about deciding to quit smoking  is that you start to reap the benefits of quitting immediately. It doesn’t matter how long you have smoked, as soon as you quit, your body begins to repair itself. Generally speaking, within just 6hrs of quitting your heart rate has slowed down to a healthier rate, and your blood pressure becomes more stable. Just one day after quitting, oxygen can travel more freely to your heart and muscles, and you may notice your fingertips are actually warmer.

After just one week, your sense of taste and smell will improve, and heighten your pleasure associated with using these senses. Antioxidants such as vitamin C, which fight diseases and help to protect you from cancer, will be more prevalent in your blood. As time goes by, you’ll notice a host of other benefits such as easier breathing, more energy, and more money in your bank account!

You might be most moved by the fact that when you quit smoking you are protecting your loved ones from the harmful effects of secondary smoke. Secondhand smoke contains at least 250 toxic chemicals of which more than 50 are known to cause cancer. Babies and children are at the most risk from the health risks associated with second hand smoke and
even if you don’t smoke near them, they can still be exposed to the harmful chemicals from the smoke that is absorbed by your hair, skin and clothes.

So when you quit smoking you immediately lower the chance of your children; developing asthma, having lower functioning lungs, getting ear infections, and even SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and meningococcal disease.

At Wellcare we are passionate about helping people quit smoking. We want to lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and lung cancer, and we want you to feel great and enjoy life. Our Quit Smoking Clinic is run by a dedicated team of experts who tailor a program to your individual needs. Everyone quits smoking their own way, and we will work with you to find the best path that works for you.

Some frequently asked questions we get by patients starting their quit smoking journey withus:

1) Will I put on weight when I quit smoking?

First of all we should point out that you would have to put on an estimated extra 40kg of weight to equate to the risk of heart disease from smoking. The average amount of weight gained for people quitting smoking is only 4-5kg over 5 years. Many people actually lose weight and some people have no significant change in their weight when they make this positive lifestyle change.

Smoking is a highly addictive habit and while on their journey to quit, some people report that they feel more hungry. Eating can be used as a reward system to satisfy a withdrawal craving, and it can also mimic the habit of putting something in your mouth. Also, as we mentioned above, your sense of taste and smell will improve, which makes food taste better.

But never fear, there are tried and tested ways to avoid weight gain while quitting smoking:

• Add more exercise into your routine. You should really aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day. Examples of moderate exercise include; walking quickly or jogging, swimming, cycling, and playing casual team sports, etc. Any more than that is a bonus, and will be even more helpful in keeping weight gain at bay.
• When you get a craving try putting some safe non-edible object in your mouth. People have reported this simple substitution for putting something in your mouth can be a powerful way to control cravings. Reported oral substitutes include; toothpicks and sugarless gum.
• If the urge to snack is overpowering, eat some raw veggies or other low fat and low sugar treats. Keep these healthy alternatives stocked up and readily available, and don’t keep sugary temptations in the pantry.

Will I get grumpy or depressed when quitting smoking?

Smoking is a highly addictive habit and when you quit you experience withdrawal from the nicotine drug. You may also feel a sense of loss due to the removal of a sense of reward and pleasure from your routine. These factors can combine to make you feel irritable and depressed, and they do make it harder to quit smoking.

The clinical staff at Wellcare may prescribe some medicine to assist with the emotional effects of quitting smoking, and increasing your exercise and healthy eating are also great ways to bolster your mood during the quitting journey.

3) Should I use e-cigarettes to help me quit smoking?

There is some research to suggest that people who use e-cigarettes as an aid to quit smoking, try to quit smoking more often, and are more successful. This evidence has significant limitations though, such as being survey based, and not accounting for extraneous factors that might have impacted on the findings.

Beyond the discussion around whether e-cigs (also known as vaping) do or do not assist people to quit cigarettes, the problem with e-cigarettes is that they still contain cancer-causing chemicals, and can still increase your risk of heart disease. At Wellcare we recommend other safer methods of quitting smoking.

The dedicated team at Wellcare are committed to you quitting smoking for good. Book an appointment with our supportive, expert team now, to start the journey that will change your life forever.

The Wellcare Medical Centre is excited to announce we are now offering Belkyra treatments for double chins.

Also disparagingly known as turkey necks, gobblers or wattles, excess fat under the chin is a source of embarrassment for many men and women that undermines their confidence and self-esteem. Contrary to common misperceptions, fullness under the chin can occur in any body type, not just those who are overweight.

The pillow of fat that sits below the jawline produces an appearance of a double chin and often makes people appear older or heavier than they really are. It can be caused by extra weight, and ageing, and is also hereditary – frustratingly exercise and diet often have very little effect on reducing the size of a double chin.

Belkyra is a simple new injectable cure, that has been recently released in Australia, and the treatment results are permanent. The new treatment was developed in the United States and has been in development for over a decade. Belkyra is the only non-surgical injectable treatment available worldwide for the reduction of turkey necks or double chins.

The simple injection uses a synthetic version of deoxycholic acid, which is a naturally occurring compound in the body that absorbs fats. Results achieved with Belkyra are in line with those achieved with liposuction but are less invasive and don’t require the same recovery time.

The process itself is very safe when executed by a trained professional and only takes around 15 minutes per treatment. Some pain that occurs during the treatment usually only lasts for about 5-10 minutes and most people only need two to four treatments to achieve their desired outcome. Treatments are spaced around 4 weeks apart and ideally you should allow for 1-2 days of downtime after the treatment to allow some swelling and discomfort to recede.

Belkyra is an FDA-approved medical breakthrough for the permanent, non-invasive treatment of double chins. To enquire about, or book in for a treatment, get in touch here.

Microneedling is an innovate cosmetic treatment for winding back the clock and revitalising your skin. Those who have tried microneedling notice their skin become more plump and smooth, with a reduction in wrinkles and smoother skin texture. It’s a simple procedure with a plethora of benefits, so here we’ve written up everything you need to know about microneedling.

How Microneedling Works

A microneedling treatment involves having a spherical device covered with extremely small needles rolled over your face or neck. This process creates controlled punctures that trigger your skin to immediately repair itself. Because of this, collagen is stimulated to regenerate skin tissue, leaving your skin looking refreshed and rejuvenated. If you’re scared of needles, know that the needles involved in micronedling can be as short as 0.5mm long. What’s more, they’re gentle enough to use around the delicate and sensitive skin surrounding the eyes. And to top it all off, the entire process usually takes only fifteen minutes.

Demapen Technology

If you’ve been thinking about microneedling for a while, you’ve likely heard of the infamous Dermapen. The Dermapen offers adjustable needle depth that allows unique control over the derma roller. As the roller is applied to the specified area of skin, the needling depth is adjusted to enable the Dermapen to effectively penetrate through to different layers of the skin. At Wellcare Medical Centre, Dermapen technology is readily available for all of our microneedling patients.

Additional Benefits of Microneedling

While microneedling has an impressive ability to improve the appearance of skin, it comes with a number of other lesser-known benefits. Microneedling can minimise the appearance of acne scars, surgical scars, abnormal pigmentation, large pores, fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also an effective treatment for dry skin. To learn more about the extensive benefits of microneedling, have a chat to the experienced practitioners at Wellcare Medical Centre.

What Happens After Your Treatment

The amazing thing about microneedling treatments is that they don’t require any downtime. In some patients, there may be some redness of the skin treated, but this will likely settle within a couple of days. All patients can return to their normal work/life activities immediately, and will begin to notice glowing skin straight after their first session. So if you have a special event coming up within the next week or so, a microneedling session is a no-fuss way of giving your skin some extra radiance.

Book in for a Free Initial Microneedling Consultation

If you’d like to see the impressive effects of a microneedling treatment for yourself, you can call us on 07 3133 4483 or email us at info@wmc.org.au. Our friendly team can easily book you in for a free initial consultation with one of our experienced cosmetic doctors. Wellcare Medical Centre is open seven days a week, and offers a number of cosmetic services to have you feeling your best. Please get in touch with us to discuss any questions you may have.