Prevalence of Cosmetic Procedures among Lebanese Women.

Lebanese women have been portrayed as conceited and obsessed with physical appearance and its beautification through cosmetic procedures. Despite the pervasiveness of this notion, no formal studies have been conducted to assess the true prevalence of cosmetic procedures among Lebanese women. Additionally, no data exist to elucidate trends in popularity of cosmetic procedures over time. A cross-sectional study was conducted across Lebanese universities where surveys were distributed to women aged 18-31 years to estimate the prevalence of surgical, noninvasive, and dental cosmetic procedures in young Lebanese women. The collected survey data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). In a sample of 877 women, 44% reported having undergone at least one cosmetic procedure in their lifetime. The most popular procedures performed were laser hair removal (32%), teeth whitening (14%), and rhinoplasty (9.3%). The obtained results revealed an increasing prevalence of cosmetic procedures, mirroring global trends. A variety of factors have contributed to the increasing popularity of cosmetic procedures, namely, higher availability, better affordability, and wider social acceptance over time. (SKINmed. 2022;20:422-427).

Retinal measures correlate with cognitive and physical disability in early multiple sclerosis.

Further studies are needed to determine the role of retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) in non-optic neuritis (ON) eyes of patients with early MS. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between retinal layers' thickness and cognitive as well as physical disability in patients with the early RRMS. Participants in this cross-sectional study were adults with early RRMS, stable on interferon beta-1a, or fingolimod therapy, and without a history of ON in one or both eyes. Patients were evaluated clinically, underwent a battery of cognitive tests, and a retinal OCT scan which was also performed on a group of healthy age- and gender-matched controls. We studied 47 patients with RRMS, on interferon beta-1a (N = 32) or fingolimod (N = 15), and 18 healthy controls. Multivariate analyses controlling for age, disease duration, treatment, and education when exploring cognitive function, showed that pRNFL thickness correlated negatively with 9HPT (standardized Beta -0.4, p < 0.0001), and positively with SDMT (standardized Beta 0.72, p = 0.007). In patients with early RRMS without optic neuropathy, retinal thickness measures correlated with physical disability and cognitive disability, supporting their potential as biomarkers of axonal loss.