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By Ana P. Santos

MATERNAL HEALTH. Poor women end up having more children than they want or can afford. Photo by Rhoda Avila of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is making progress in maternal health but needs to accelerate improvements, said the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) who is in the Philippines to meet with government officials, including President Benigno Aquino III.

“The Philippines is not the worst place for maternal health, but there is a need to accelerate the rate of progress,” said UNFPA executive director Dr Babatunde Osotimehin during his Philippine visit to tackle maternal health.

Osotimehin also noted President Benigno Aquino III’s seeming support for the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, which the influential Catholic Church has consistently urged Aquino not to sign.

“My impression from the meeting with the President is that he is committed to the RH bill. He is talking about country development on the basis of RH rights and the ability of people to make decisions for themselves,” said Osotimehin.

‘Unlikely’ MDG

The reduction of maternal deaths is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), a set of 8 international development goals that 193 UN member states have agreed to meet by 2015.

In the Philippines, it is one of the MDGs least likely to be met, according to experts.

Based on the 2006 Family Planning Survey, the Philippines has a recorded maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 162 deaths per 100,000 live births. The goal, on the other hand, is to lower the MMR to 52-55 deaths per 100,000 live births.

The main causes of maternal death are hemorrhage, sepsis, obstructed labor, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, and complications of unsafe abortion – most of which are highly preventable with proper pre-natal care and the presence of a skilled birth attendant during delivery.

“The government is putting money into health and prioritizing it,” added Osotimehin. “There is an increase in the health care budget, an increase in health care practitioners, more health facilities, and a conditional cash transfer (CCT) that has been put into place to make health care more accessible.”

CCT program

The CCT program, or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), is a social assistance program that gives cash assistance to extremely poor households. Positioned as a conditional cash grant, recipients are given monthly cash grants that range from P500 to P1,400 per household, depending on the number of eligible children.

In exchange, the family is required to meet certain requisites like sending their children to school and availing of healthcare services. Expectant mothers, in particular, are expected to get regular pre- and post-natal check-ups, and professional health personnel must be present during the delivery.

An estimated 3 million people are enrolled in the CCT program. The number of beneficiaries is expected to go up to 5 million in 2016.

“Maganda ‘yung conditional cash transfer ngayon kasi mayroon na siyang kondisyon na pre-natal at saka mag-attend ng session ng family planning,” said Lina Bacalando, a community health worker at Likhaan Center for Women’s Health, a women’s NGO that provides RH care and services in the most depressed areas in Manila like Vitas, Baseco, and Tondo. (The conditional cash transfer program is better now because it comes with a condition to undergo a pre-natal check-up and to attend a family planning session.)

Addressing inequity

The CCT is seen as one concrete way to address the inequity between the rich and the poor, which has been shown to have a direct correlation to maternal health.

The National Demographic Health Survey of 2008 reported that 70% of births take place at home, and 94% of women in the richest quintile has a skilled birth attendant (SBA) during their delivery, while only 26% of women have SBA present.

According to a study published by the Guttmacher Institute, a US-based reproductive health think-tank, the poorest women (those whose households fall under the lowest wealth quintile) have about two more children than they want, while those in the richest quintile have only 0.3 more children than they want.

The report also said that only 41% of the poorest women use contraceptives, compared with 50% of the wealthiest.

“There are 3 things that we need to focus on to prevent maternal deaths: access to emergency obstetric care, availability of these services, and the affordability of these services. It is crucial that family planning services reach the poor,” said Ugochi Florence Daniels, the UNFPA country representative to the Philippines.

According to a cost-benefit analysis presented by the UNFPA, the government stands to have $5 in health care and capital expenditure for every $1 spent on maternal health.

Maternal health a global concern

The report “Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2010” shows that from 1990 to 2010, the annual number of maternal deaths dropped from more than 543,000 to 287,000 – a decline of 47%.

According to the report, while substantial progress has been achieved in almost all regions, many countries particularly in sub-Saharan Africa will fail to reach the MDG target of reducing maternal death by 75% from 1990 to 2015. –Rappler.com

UNFPA executive director Dr Babatunde Osotimehin met with pregnant and lactating women during a UNFPA medical mission.

        

Three DOH-retained hospitals to get cryotherapy machines

Now on its fifth year, the free cervical cancer screening program of the Department of Health (DOH) in partnership with MSD and medical societies namely the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS), the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists of the Philippines (SGOP), and the Philippine Society for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy (PSCPC) during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month will now enable patients to get screened, be diagnosed and get treated in the same hospital.

        

IASSCS PUBLICATION MENTORING PROGRAM

1° CALL FOR PAPERS 

“My experience is both very engaging and enlightening. It helped me develop my research and writing skills more and encouraged me to go beyond the borders of my research and extend my knowledge in order to formulate a more in-depth discussion”.  

“I was amazed with the rapport and strongly wish to continue the interaction with my mentor. Indeed the support was priceless”

We are pleased to announce the IASSCS Publication Mentoring Program. The goal of this pre-submission paper review program is to provide an opportunity for young and/or less experienced junior researchers and/or activists on sexuality from the Global South (who are currently living/studying there) to receive feedback from more experienced researchers. This program will also provide an important learning and networking experience for paper writers and mentors alike.

There are two categories considered as part of this program:

1. Conceptual-Methodological: to provide technical support regarding conceptual and methodological issues in the publication of research results in journals in English. This mentoring seeks to strengthen the quality of academic papers and their likelihood of acceptance for local, regional or international publication.
2. Editorial: to provide editing support for papers written by non-native English speakers, or not originally written in English, in order to improve the quality of the translation and language before submitting for publication. This mentoring seeks to improve the language quality of papers in order to increase the chance of acceptance for publication in English.

The IASSCS Publication Mentoring Program Coordinator will match mentors with authors according to categories, topics and common interests, as well as facilitate the process.

We would like to invite you to be part of this exciting learning experience by sending in your paper for mentoring and becoming part of the IASSCS Network.

What to do before sending your paper?

• We recommend that you have at least one supervisor or colleague reviewing your paper and that he/she gives you feedback before sending it to the IASSCS Publication Mentoring Program.
• ­You should identify two scientific journals for submission. Therefore, it is important that you prepare your paper in accordance with each journal’s submission guidelines.

What will you receive?

• Each paper will receive 2 rounds of feedback from the mentor.
• If required, mentors will give advice regarding appropriate journals for publication.
• For the 1^st category, mentors will support authors by answering questions regarding conceptual and methodological issues and formal requirements on the papers, such as introduction and conceptual framework, research methods, analysis, discussion and conclusions/recommendations.
• For the 2^nd category, mentors will support authors by editing and improving the language quality of papers for publication in English.

What do we expect from you?

• Each paper sent for mentoring must be a final draft and follow a previously identified journal’s submission guidelines.
• Each main author is allowed to send only 1 paper.
• It is the author’s responsibility to incorporate the mentor’s feedback/suggestions into the paper. Mentors are not expected to make any changes to the paper.
• Once the program has been completed, the author will be required to provide a brief feedback and evaluation (1 to 2 paragraphs) regarding their experience and recommendations to improve the program.
• When a paper is published, authors will be expected to acknowledge the support received from mentors and the IASSCS Publication Mentoring Program.
• The program coordinator reserves the right to return draft papers to the authors if they do not follow the submission guidelines.

Send a summary (800 to 1000 words) of your paper (including title, abstract and 3-5 keywords  by October 8^th, 2011 for the Publication Mentoring Program, indicating the category of application, to the following e-mail address: fvaldivia@iasscs.org (Subject: 2012 IASSCS – Publication Mentoring Program).

All summaries sent will pass by a selection process. Among those selected a match process will be carried out to identify mentors that better match with each paper. Finally, participants selected will be asked to send full version of papers by October 22^nd, 2011 in order to start with the mentoring support. For any information, please write an e-mail to fvaldivia@iasscs.org

        

This article was written by Ana Santos originally published in IRIN News.

Ifugao Hammocks can make a difference. Photo: Courtesy of UNFPA Ifugao Hammocks can make a difference

BOLIWONG, 11 July 2011 (IRIN) – Hammocks are helping an increasing number of women in the remote mountains of Ifugao, a province in the northern Philippines, reach hospital to give birth.

The ayod, an improvised hammock, is an indigenous tradition used to transport the sick and elderly through mountainous terrain. A formalized ayod initiative, the Ayod Community Health Teams (ACHT), is helping an increasing number of rural women deliver their babies in health centres.

“The ayod has always been there, but now, institutionalized as a community effort, it has mitigated the two factors that greatly affect maternal health, namely: the decision to seek care and the means of transportation to get it,” said Hector Follosco, a provincial programme officer for UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Ifugao.

According to 2006 figures released by the National Statistical Coordination Board, Ifugao has a maternal mortality ratio of 260 per 100,000 live births, far above the national average of 162 per 100,000.The National Demographic Health Survey of 2008, the most recent, reported 70 percent of births in rural areas of the Philippines take place at home.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which supported the ACHT project in 2008 and other maternal health initiatives starting in 2006 in three Ifugao municipalities – Alfonso Lista, Aguinaldo and Mayoyao – reported the number of deliveries in these birthing facilities increased from 17 percent in 2006 to more than 34 percent now.

“Solid community efforts have made facility-based deliveries the norm, rather than the exception. And we are seeing the results of that,” said Nobuko Yamagishi, JICA health programme coordinator.

“Foot ambulance”

Often referred to within the community as an ambulance on foot, the ayod is carried by male relatives and accompanied by others – relatives or neighbours – who carry food and water and take turns when the carriers need to rest.

Its use became official under a provincial order passed in 2008, together with a national mandate requiring all pregnant women to go to a health centre for pre-natal care.

The order established the ACHT, tasked with monitoring and tracking the health of pregnant women in their community. The volunteers become part of a birth plan, and are on call for emergencies, including trips to the nearest hospital via hammock.

Ifugao ACHT, now managed by local government, has 185 teams and an estimated 2,865 members.

“We have a record of the pregnant women in our village, monitor their progress and remind them about getting their monthly pre-natal exams,” said Albert Dangpahon, captain of Boliwong, a village in Ifugao. Under the mandate, such village captains are part of the ACHT.

“It is tiring and it makes us all very anxious when a pregnant woman is in labour, but it is also very fulfilling,” said Dangpahon who, along with companions, has carried numerous pregnant women in a hammock, sometimes for eight hours, to the nearest health facility.

Slow but sure progress

At first, mothers accustomed to the tradition of home deliveries were sceptical.

“Mothers were still hesitant to give birth at the birthing health centres because it was too far and there was no way to get them there. They thought they would be better off delivering at home under the care of a traditional birth attendant who can also cook and clean for them. At home, their husbands would also be near them,” Mary Josephine Dulawan, a provincial health officer, told IRIN in Ifugao.

To address that, the ACHT launched community awareness campaigns on the importance of birth facility deliveries. Such campaigns have helped young mothers like Auri, who preferred to go by one name, decide to give birth in a healthcare facility, rather than at home. “It’s better in the centre. It is clean and they take care of you and your baby,” the 21-year-old said.

Elsa Palang, a mid-wife in the Boliwong birthing health centre, delivered Auri’s baby.

“There are more and more women giving birth at the birthing health centre,” Palang said. “Before, giving birth in a hospital or birthing health centre was out of the question because the travel was too long and it would be expensive. But now, there is the ayod.”

The women do not pay for being carried on the ayod, but often give food to the carriers.

        

By Elizabeth Fox, Sex and Sensibilities.com Summer Intern

The inevitable puberty and sex talks can be some of the most dreaded events of a girl’s adolescence. This is true as much for the girl’s mother as for the girl herself—mothers often despair over how to navigate this tricky time without falling flat on their faces. Well mothers, though we can’t be there to hold your hand through this one, we can give you a helpful push in the right direction. Read on for our best advice about how to ensure your daughter ends up safe, sensible, and SaSsy.

(Photo from The Telegraph)

Before we begin:

Below, we’ve broken the process of puberty into five different stages. Though each stage has an average age assigned to it and an average order of events, every girl develops at her own pace. Your daughter’s development may be behind or ahead of her age group, and the stages of her development may not occur exactly as listed, but the information below should give you a basic idea of where she is, where she’s been, and where she’s headed.

Being acquainted yourself with the bodily changes your daughter is going through, will hopefully make you prepared to have The Talk about, ahem, sex.

Stage 0

Puberty is the process by which the body reaches full physical and sexual maturation. During this time, the body experiences radical growth, the mind develops, and secondary sex characteristics (i.e. breasts and wider hips on females, and a low voice and facial hair on males) appear. Before puberty begins, at around ages 8 and 9, it is a good idea to talk to your daughter about the many changes that await her. Explain exactly what will happen to her body in the next few years (for more information on that, read on) and answer any questions she may have.

Stage 1

Puberty begins when an extra burst of hormones from the hypothalamus triggers the development of sex hormones. In girls, this usually occurs around the age of 11, though, as said before, it is also normal if your daughter begins to develop earlier or later. At this time, the clearest sign that puberty has begun is the appearance of breast buds, or small, tender lumps beneath the nipples. The areolas begin to get darker and hair may grow around them. Uneven breast growth is also common, so a girl in the midst of puberty may have one breast bigger than the other.

Within a few months of breast growth, thicker, darker hair usually begins to grow in the pubic area, underarms, and legs. At this time, girls may begin to have acne, which is caused by puberty’s active oil glands, and increased perspiration and body odor.

During this stage, help your daughter adjust to her new body. It is quite possible that she will be embarrassed by her new developments, so only gently offer to talk to her about the changes she is going through. Products such as deodorant/anti-perspirant, face wash, or acne cream may help lessen any embarrassment she feels, as would anything else that allows her to keep up good hygiene. As she has now officially begun puberty, you may want to buy her her first feminine products so she can be prepared when her period comes.

The appearance of acne is often one of the most distressing elements of this time. In an interactive feature entitled the “Daughter Puberty Evaluator”, WebMD, an online medical resource run by trained professionals and advised by trusted medical doctors and psychologists, offers several recommendations on talking to your daughter about acne:

• “Know that there are a lot of myths about acne. Reassure your daughter that breakouts aren’t caused by having bad thoughts, her diet, or by not washing her skin enough.”
• “Clearing up your skin takes time.”
• “Don’t minimize or dismiss your daughter’s feelings about her skin. Acne can cause a lot of despair in some teens.”
• “See a professional. As soon as you notice your daughter picking at her skin, visit a skin professional because she’s at risk for permanent scarring. In addition, if your daughter’s skin is affecting her interactions with people, a visit to the dermatologist may also be in order. Severe acne may also indicate more serious medical problems like polycystic ovarian syndrome, so take it seriously.”

(Image from http://treatmentforacne-fame.blogspot.com)

Stage 2

Within a year after the onset of puberty, or around age 12, the breasts generally enter the second stage of development, softening on both sides and growing beyond the areola. Pubic hair continues to grow coarser, darker, and more numerous. At this time, a girl will generally have a growth spurt. Though she may continue growing into her mid to late teens, this is the body’s major step towards the adult form. The hips widen, the waist narrows, and curves appear, as well as an increase of fat on the stomach, legs, buttocks, and arms. This is all completely normal and is just the body’s natural way of making a girl into a woman, but it is understandable if your daughter becomes self conscious; a certain amount of body griping is to be expected in all adolescents. The best thing you, as her parent, can do in this situation is remind her (without overdoing it) that she is beautiful. Do not draw attention to her changed physical appearance, especially if the changes include increased body fat.

When talking to your daughter about her changing body, WebMD’s “Daughter Puberty Evaluator” recommends these two tips:

1.      If your daughter has gained a lot of weight, “explain that she’s just gearing up for a growth spurt. Girls need healthy weight gain during this time in their lives. Be careful not to make them feel pressure to diet.”

2.      “Remember that how you feel about yourself will be reflected in how your daughter views herself. Think about what you are communicating about body image.”

(Image from http://gladchildhood.blogspot.com)

Stage 3

In another year, at about 13 years old, the breasts would have continued to grow, with the areola and nipple differentiating into a separate mound on top of the breast. Pubic hair also increases and spreads across the pubic triangle. It is at this time, about two to two and a half years after a girl begins puberty, that she can expect her first menstrual period.

The first period occurs, on average, between the ages of 10 and 16 years old. It signifies that a girl has reached physical adulthood and is able to get pregnant. When this happens, we recommend providing your daughter with the supplies necessary to navigate this transition comfortably—pads, tampons, liners, pain relievers, hot compresses–you name it.

As always, offer to talk to your daughter about her changes, perhaps by sharing your own first period story. WebMD’s “Daughter Puberty Evaluator” suggests that you:

• “Tell her how long a period normally lasts and how often they occur.”
• “Let her know what to expect. You can explain that during her period, hormones can cause nausea, cramping, and diarrhea.”
• “Explain sanitary products to her. The choices of sanitary products are dizzying. Explain the different options and discuss the pros and cons of each. Don’t expect your daughter to go shopping with you. Bring some different products home and show her how to use them.”
• “Talk about odors and discharges between periods. Explain to her that normal discharge is her vagina’s way of naturally cleansing itself. Teach her to wipe front to back after using the bathroom to avoid vaginal or bladder infections. Caution your daughter against using douches or feminine sprays. The harsh chemicals these products contain can damage the delicate membranes of her genital region.”
• “Talk about the gynecologist. While women do not need to get a Pap Test/Smear until the age of 21, if your daughter experiences unusually heavy bleeding or severe cramping that causes her to miss out on activities, a visit to the gynecologist may be in order.”

Also, as pregnancy is now a definite possibility, this is a good time to make sure your daughter knows about sex and its consequences. Depending on your daughter, you may have already deemed that talk necessary—and we definitely encourage you to discuss sex with your daughter starting from a young age, adding more information as she gets older.

(Image from http://www.ehow.com)

Stage 4

After a girl has her first period, the breasts gradually finish developing into their full adult form, and pubic hair generally grows to cover the pubic triangle and spread thinly down the thighs and up the abdomen. The patterns of pubic hair, as well as the final shape of breasts, vary radically from woman to woman as much as all our other traits. Every woman has a different body, and as long as she is healthy, your daughter is completely normal. Though your daughter will probably be adjusting to her new body now, always be there for any questions she may have, especially as she could already be entering relationships and becoming sexually intimate with people.

This would actually be the best time to talk to your daughter about responsible sexual behavior and positive sexuality.  We will talk about that more in Part 2 of this article.

        

Re-posted from FemaleNetwork.com

by Ana Santos

Cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women. FN gives you the 411 on this (literal) lady killer.

Photo by ssdg4773 via sxc.hu.

In the Philippines, 10 Filipinas die of cervical cancer every day, making it the second most common cancer affecting females, next only to breast cancer. Worldwide, 500,000 new cases and 250,000 deaths attributed to cervical cancer are reported each year. As we learn more about this illness, more and more women are becoming interested in learning what they can about it, especially if they are themselves at risk or know someone whose life has been touched by cervical cancer. We’ve seen this in the activity on our own GirlTalk forums, where there are threads devoted to discussing cervical cancerand cervical cancer vaccines.

However, this cancer is preventable and treatable, especially if diagnosed early. Here’s a quick guide on the essential things you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones.

• Causes
• Types
• Risk factor
• Symptoms
• Prevention
• Vaccination

WHAT CAUSES CERVICAL CANCER?

Unlike other cancers whose origins or causes are unclear, the cause of cervical cancer (the cervix is the lower narrow part of the uterus or the womb) has been traced to the Human Papilloma Virus or HPV.

According to Dr. Cecilia Llave, M.D., PhD, the program director of the Cancer Institute at the University of the Philippines-PGH, “It has been found that 99.7 percent of women with cervical cancer are also positive for HPV. For a woman to have cervical cancer, she must have been consistently and persistently infected by HPV, making HPV the necessary cause of cervical cancer.”

Half of cervical cancer cases occur in women between the ages of 35 and 55.

Photo by vancity197 via sxc.hu.

HOW MANY TYPES OF HPV ARE THERE?

According to Dr. Efren Domingo, secretary general of the Asia Oceania Research Organization in Genital Infections and Neoplasia and the organization’s president in the Philippines, there are over 100 different types of HPV.

“HPV is the one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. An estimated 50 percent of sexually-active people will get genital HPV infection in their lifetime. Most are relatively harmless and, in most cases, are spontaneously cleared by the body’s immune system.”

WHICH HPVS ARE HIGH-RISK AND WHICH ARE LOW-RISK?

There are, however, certain types of HPV that lead to cancer.

Says Domingo: “HPV 6 and 11 are called ‘low-risk’ types. They cause abnormal cervical changes that show up in pap smear results and cause 90 percent of genital warts.

“HPV 16 and 18 are ‘high-risk’ types and cause cervical cancer and abnormal cervical changes that sometimes lead to cancer. Seventy percent of cervical cancer cases are linked to HPV 16 and 18.”

It is estimated that 50 to 80 percent of women will acquire an HPV infection in their lifetime. Studies show that, of these, up to half will be infected with a high-risk HPV type.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CERVICAL CANCER?

Common signs and symptoms of cervical cancer are:

• vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause
• watery or bloody vaginal discharge with a foul odor
• pelvic pain during intercourse

However, some cases of HPV are asymptomatic. It is best to have routine pap tests within three years of when you begin having sex or at age 21, whichever comes first.

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT MYSELF FROM BEING EXPOSED TO HIGH-RISK FACTORS?

Here are some tips for reducing the likelihood of your contracting a high-risk HPV type.

• Avoid smoking.

The exact linkage between smoking and cervical cancer is not yet known, but smoking increases risk of precancerous changes we as well as cancer of the cervix.

• Be faithful.

The greater your number of sex partners, the more your partner’s number of sex partners, the greater your chance of acquiring HPV.

• Practice safer sex.

Use condoms correctly and consistently and for each type of sex: anal, oral, or vaginal.

• Abstain from sex.

Even better than sticking to one sexual partner or practicing safe sex is having none at all. So if you’re of two minds about entering a casual relationship, our advice is to just say no.

• Delay first intercourse.

Having sex before the age of 18 increases your risk of HPV. Immature cells are more susceptible to pre-cancerous changes that HPV can cause.

HOW DO HPV VACCINES WORK?

HPV vaccines cause the body to develop antibodies against HPV and protect it against infection. HPV vaccines have been seen to provide 70 to 80 percent protection against cervical cancers. 

Cervical cancer vaccines mostly work to protect against high-risk HPVs. Basically, there are two vaccines currently available: Cervarix and Gardasil. Cervarix provides protection against the high-risk HPVs 16 and 18 and is generally cheaper than Gardasil. However, Gardasil provides protection against HPVs 6 and 11 as well as 16 and 18. For more details, please see the comparison chart below:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CERVICAL CANCER VACCINES:

Below are some common inquiries about getting yourself or your daughter vaccinated for cervical cancer:

What if I miss my second or third dose?

There is no need to restart the vaccine series due to missed doses. If you miss the second dose, you may get the shot as soon as you remember; you would then get your third dose after 12 weeks. If you miss the third dose, you may get the shot as soon as possible.

It is important to get all three doses to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Do we have to be screened prior to vaccination?

There is no recommended screening method for HPV prior to vaccination at the moment.

Should I still continue regular screening and testing even after I have been vaccinated?

Yes. Cervical cancer screening should still continue for women, regardless of whether or not they have been vaccinated.

For more information on cervical cancer, visit the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP)website at www.cecaphil.org.

        

Re-posted from  The Manila Times

By Ana P. Santos

“A Brazilian is a simple courtesy.”

Walk around the “streets” of Strip and you’re bound to see this written on their walls.

It’s a simple yet evocative calling to take it all off and get a Brazilian wax and have their hair from the pubic area—this means the hair around the anus, the perineum and vagina—completely removed by waxing.

Ouch!

Tab Abad, managing director of Strip, The Ministry of Wax, acknowledges that the procedure may involve a bit of pain, but attests that the benefits far outweigh this little inconvenience.

“Brazilian wax is exactly that—a simple courtesy—to yourself and to your partner,” says Abad who has an evident passion about hair removal.

“I’m a waxer. Even way back in high school, I would remove my hair down there. It has nothing to do with being kinky or slutty. It’s really a matter of hygiene. It’s cleaner and helps fight against odor, especially during that time of the month.”

“Waxing also works as a gentle exfoliation to remove dead skin cells and leaves your skin soft and supple. Which is maybe why guys like it when their girlfriends get a wax,” Abad quips, not denying the sensual benefits of waxing.

However, the problem for Abad was more of finding a place where her waxing ritual could be a less painful one. “Even when traveling to other countries, I would try to get a Brazilian wax, and it would always come out to be painful. Then I tried Strip when I was in Indonesia. It was such a memorable experience that I decided to open the franchise here.”

A memorable experience is what Abad strives to give her customers who come to Strip (pun intended). “I can guarantee that after the first time, you’ll keep coming back for more.”

Strip’s skilled therapists called Striperellas all go through a strict training boot camp consisting of at least four weeks of vigorous training before they get to touch their first customer, “They’re trained to do a Brazilian in 15 minutes flat.” Now, that’s a quickie.

Each customer is given their own individually sealed hygiene pack, which includes latex gloves, spatulas, wet wipes, cotton pads and buds. “We use fresh latex gloves throughout the waxing process and we never double dip our spatulas,” says Abad.

But more than that, it’s the care and attention to the little details that make a Strip waxing experience as painless as possible and even, a hair short of being . . . pleasurable.

“We monitor the temperature of the wax regularly to make sure that it is not too hot when applied on the skin. We use a combination of both soft and hard wax depending on customer preference and suitability. For soft wax, we use a lavender wax that is gentle and great for sensitive skin. For hard wax, we use vanilla white chocolate wax that is almost painless. Our clients say that the wax smells really good. At the end of the procedure, we apply cream to soothe the area.”

The first time is never really the best

Newbies and virgins who may still feel squeamish about taking it all off for the first time. To help, they will be provided with a Brazilian Virgin Forest SOS kit, which includes every time needed to soothe pain of the “first time.” The kit includes an animal squeezy toy to hold on to, an SOS card which lists post-waxing treatment care, a shower bath puff and Strip X-ed Out Cream to apply to the area.

As for the veteran waxers, they can even opt to style their own do. Strip offers shapes like an arrow (your choice of pointing up or down) or a heart. “This is more for the adventurous type, or those who want to try something new. These are all done free hand and not stenciled. But we also have to assess if the cut is right for the client. For those who aren’t bushy enough, it may not come out right.”

Everything a girl can do, a guy can too.

Taking it all off is an equal opportunity thing and boys can get their own Boyzilian, a Strip trademark service.

Just like its female counterpart, the Boyzilian involves the stripping of hair from the penal/pubic area, the base of the penis and testicles. Boys can also opt to have their hair styled in various shapes—just as the women can.

It is a special and sensitive procedure. Abad says that only four of her Striperellas received the special training that qualifies them to do this procedure.

“Most of the male clients that avail of this service are the athletes like the swimmers and the triathletes who need the hair removal for speed.”

For those who would assume that this is a service that would attract mostly uh, metrosexuals, Abad says, “You’ll be surprised. I have one male client who is the waxer. He brought his girlfriend here because he wanted her to wax as well.”

Why would a man subject himself to such pain? Well, Abad says, “Hygiene. And I have been getting a lot of feedback that the procedure makes ‘it’ look bigger because there’s no more hair covering it.” And Abad swears, the ladies most certainly appreciate the smoothness.

“If the men like the smoothness of a Brazilian, then imagine how the ladies love the smoothness of a Boyzilian.”

Hmm . . . just another reason to take it all off.

Strip Manila is located at the 2F Serendra, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Tel. no. 856-9145. Mobile number 0917-847-2112; e-mail: customercare@hareminc.com.

Photos taken from Strip Manila’s Facebook Page.

        

Re-posted from Orchestroscopy


Blood stains. I saw them everyday for months during a certain period in my life.Blood on the floor, on hospitals gowns and on previously pristine white sheets. The room could almost be a set of a horror movie if not for the dozens of crying babies and nursing mothers..

For weeks it was always the same routine. Everyday, I would march the hallway armed with my medical artillery. Thermometer, stethoscope, a sphygmomanometer and a piece of paper. The whole bond paper will be filled with vital sign statistics after my round was done. Temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. One column for the mother, one column for the baby. Multiplied by a hundred.

I would always brace myself upon entering the ward because I know an hour of repetitive vital signs taking will pass before I get to leave and inhale fresh air again. Imagine this: 12 single sized hospital beds, 4 mothers per bed plus baby. Sometimes we get a 2-3 pairs of mother and child per hospital bed on a good day, but 6 pairs on a toxic shift. And yes, you did the math correctly. That’s a dozen people sharing one mattress. They would sleep while sitting down. Sometimes, the brazen ones would sleep on the bare floor.

I have to give credit to the hospital for doing the best they can. A few times per day, someone would wipe the floor with a heavily scented disinfectant, gather soiled hospital gowns and change the blood stained bed sheets. But with mothers and babies pouring in like giving birth is the newest craze of the nation and there is a million pesos to be won if a baby came out of your womb, there was still a lot to be done.

The odor of lochia mixed with the sharp sterile smell of industrial antiseptic would always haunt me on my way home. It stuck to my uniform and even my hair. While riding a jeepney, thoughts of these mothers cramped all together in clumps while their babies cried in discomfort occupied my mind. Furthermore, snippets of their stories would replay in my head like some eerie documentary montage about the status of women in some God-forsaken country. But this was not some African jungle miles from where I live, this was home.

I remember once overhearing a conversation, while giving medication, between my patient and her mother. A newborn baby girl was sleeping at their side. The grandmother was scolding her child because she would not stand up for herself when her husband got angry at her for giving birth, for the 3rd time, to yet another girl. He told her that he still wanted to try to have a boy, despite his meager income. I tried butting in to say that the father always determine the sex of the baby and it was not and will never be the mother’s fault for giving birth to a beautiful baby girl but they looked so heated I didn’t dare trespass.

Social Services were always in our part of the hospital. It turned out, there were too many mothers who cannot pay the hospital fees to be able to go home with their child, hence, they get left behind to stay in the ward until they have the adequate finances to settle the bills, therefore occupying precious space that was supposed to be for newly arrived patients. Many of these families have more than 3 children to raise and take care of. And I wonder, if they cannot settle a less than 5,000 php hospital fee, how much harderwould it be to feed, clothe and educate their existing children?

I always enjoyed watching mothers fill-out the birth certificate forms in the lying-in area. The choice of a child’s name must have been an important decision for the couple that most commonly include both parties’ ideas. It will be the name the baby would be forever identified with. However, I was shocked by the percentage of women who would look at their husband’s / unwed father’s faces in a clueless haze asking him what he wanted to name the baby and even to the point of what spelling should the name be spelled in. It was the image of absolute reliance and incapability to decide that struck me the wrong way.

See, I grew up in an environment where women held all the cards and did all the decision making that has to be done. I couldn’t understand how these women could justdepend everything on their spouses without having an opinion of their own. More than once, the mothers would always pass the birth certificate form to the father despite our request that they fill it up themselves. I could sense their hesitation and awkwardness in handling something important and it pained me to witness how crippled their sense of self worthwere. Empowered, these women were definitely not.

She was 16, pregnant on her second trimester and was having respiratory problems. During my night shift, I went into her room almost every hour because she was having a hard time breathing despite already being administered Oxygen via nasal cannula and positioned in high Fowler’s(almost sitting). I took her Vital Signs more frequently and in the process, got to know her, and the father of the child who was watching her, a little better. She was a sweet girl, well-mannered, soft spoken, with lovely eyes. I thought that she shouldn’t be undergoing this kind of life-threatening condition at her age, that maybe, a little more guidance and information could have made a long way, but I do commend her strength in such adversities.

Shift ended. I endorsed the situation and went on my way. It was the last day of my stay in the ward and I felt pretty accomplished. I learned a lot and got to meet interesting people along the way. I wished the best to all the patients I’ve met during my stay and said a little prayer for those who may be needing a tad more help than others. I slept soundly that night. The next day, I learned thatLovely Eyes and her baby died in the delivery room due to respiratory complications.

So call me whatever names you want, threaten me with eternity in the fiery depths of hell.

These are the reasons why I support the RH Bill.

        

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