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'Do your research': Tattoo removal myths busted as stars go under the laser, plus which Aussie state tops the ink charts
'Do your research': Tattoo removal myths busted as stars go under the laser, plus which Aussie state tops the ink charts

Sky News AU

timea day ago

  • Entertainment
  • Sky News AU

'Do your research': Tattoo removal myths busted as stars go under the laser, plus which Aussie state tops the ink charts

With shirts off and sleeves rolled up for summer, many Australians have been forced to confront their ink head-on, and for a growing number, winter is prime time to start the removal process. As celebrities like Dune star Josh Brolin, Victoria Beckham and comedian Pete Davidson begin erasing their body art, experts say everyday Aussies are following suit, triggering a surge in laser tattoo removal across the country. According to 2023 data from McCrindle, around 30 per cent of Australians have at least one tattoo, up from 20 per cent in 2018. Tattoos have found particular popularity among Australian women, with one in three (33 per cent) inked, compared to just 26 per cent of men. "This gendered preference showcases the growing acceptance of tattoos as a means of self-expression and personal adornment among women," McCrindle said. Queensland tops the list when it comes to the most tattooed state, with 36 per cent of residents sporting ink, followed by South Australia (33 per cent), and Western Australia (30 per cent). Victoria and the Northern Territory come in next at 29 per cent each, while NSW sits at 26 per cent. The ACT and Tasmania round out the list at 22 and 21 per cent, respectively. While most Aussies get their first tattoo between the ages of 18 and 24, but as time goes on, the ink doesn't always hold the same appeal. A quarter of Australians (23 per cent) now say they regret at least one of their tattoos, up from one in five (20 per cent) in 2018. That might explain why Australian-based tattoo removal company Removery Australia has seen a 30 per cent jump in removal treatments over the past year alone. Jason Erwin, Director of Operations at Removery Australia, said a growing number of clients are referencing celebrity tattoo removal journeys as inspiration. "Celebrities are just like anyone else- they have lifestyle changes, shifts in their careers, and ultimately can rethink their body art," Erwin told "When a high-profile celebrity documents or discusses their tattoo removal journey, it increases awareness of the service and tends to support a normalisation and acceptance for the wider public." Brolin, for example, recently revealed on Instagram that he was having his back tattoo removed "because he didn't need it anymore", joking that his natural edge was "intimidating enough". Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham opened up about having the initials of husband David Beckham removed from her wrist. "I had these tattoos a long, long time ago, and, they just weren't particularly delicate," she told US morning program TODAY. "My husband has so many gorgeous tattoos, and the children do, and they're very fine… But mine were just a little bit thick, and they were bleeding a little bit and just not looking as pretty." According to Erwin, the most common reason Australians seek removal is simply that their tattoo no longer suits their current life. "Tattoos relating to old partners account for roughly 13 per cent of removals," he said. "These clients are now at a different stage of their lives and their tattoos no longer suit their lifestyle or reflect who they are." Other top reasons include poorly designed artwork (18 per cent), changing taste in tattoo style (12 per cent), and placement in a highly visible area that can't be easily hidden (nine per cent). And winter, Erwin said, is one of the best times of year to start the removal process. "Less sun exposure to a tattoo that is being removed means simpler aftercare, quicker healing time, and less time for your body to process out the ink," he explained. Thankfully, Irwin said, modern laser technology has made the process far more precise and far less painful than many expect. While full removal typically takes between eight and twelve sessions spaced at least six weeks apart, it's also possible to fade a tattoo enough to allow for new ink in the same spot. "Because the technology we use is non-invasive, the surrounding skin is unharmed and able to be tattooed as it would have been beforehand," Erwin said. "We recommend clients wait at least six weeks after their laser treatment before getting tattooed in that area, but ideally waiting three months or longer will provide the best results." Although tattoo removal is becoming increasingly common, Erwin said the most important step is doing your research. "When choosing a service provider, key things to note are what technology is being used, their tattoo removal experience, and whether they have a solid library of results and client reviews," he said. "Whether you're regretting your tattoo 24 hours after getting it, or 10 years later, the most important thing is knowing your options."

Global vaccine reserves helped avert 5.8 million infections, over 300,000 deaths since 2000: Study
Global vaccine reserves helped avert 5.8 million infections, over 300,000 deaths since 2000: Study

The Hindu

time6 days ago

  • Health
  • The Hindu

Global vaccine reserves helped avert 5.8 million infections, over 300,000 deaths since 2000: Study

Global stockpiles of vaccines under programmes supported by 'Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,' helped prevent more than 5.8 million cases and 327,000 deaths from outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries since 2000, according to a new study. The alliance, established in 2000, funds the roll-out and scale-up of new vaccines through routine healthcare systems and preventive campaigns. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Global Health, highlight life-saving impacts and economic benefits of nearly USD 32 billion due to outbreak response immunisation programmes aimed at containing vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Importance of population immunity, insurance coverage and aid "For diseases with routine vaccination programs, maintaining high levels of population immunity is vital for preventing large outbreaks," lead author Dominic Delport, a PhD candidate at Burnet Institute, an Australian-based medical research institute and NGO said. "But when outbreaks do occur, a rapid vaccine response typically provides the greatest protective impact for the population at risk -- and the faster the response, the greater the impact," Delport said. The researchers added that with routine vaccination declining and also impacted by cuts to the US' foreign aid, the study highlights the ongoing need for an insurance policy against major outbreaks of diseases like cholera, Ebola and measles. The study analysed 210 outbreaks across 49 low- and middle-income countries that occurred between 2000-2023 for five diseases -- cholera, Ebola, measles, meningitis and yellow fever. Challenges in routine vaccine coverage Globally, routine vaccine coverage has been shown to falter, with a recent study published in The Lancet journal attributing this to persistent inequalities, challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy -- factors which increase the risk of vaccine-preventable outbreaks, it said. Low- and middle-income countries have been studied to bear the major brunt of these outbreaks. Senior author Nick Scott, associate professor and head of modelling and biostatistics, Burnet Institute, said the global decline in routine vaccine coverage highlights the value of vaccine stockpiles as insurance against major outbreaks. "Routine vaccine coverage is declining due to many factors including vaccine hesitancy and funding cuts for organisations like USAID and Gavi, and in many places gaps in coverage due to COVID-19 disruptions haven't been filled yet," Scott said. "And as routine coverage declines, the prospect of more major outbreaks means there's a growing need for global vaccine stockpiles," the senior author said. Impact of outbreak immunisation programmes The authors wrote, "Across 210 outbreaks, ORI (outbreak response immunisation) programmes are estimated to have averted 5.81 million cases 327,000 deaths." The team also looked at the impact of outbreak response immunisation programmes in helping control large outbreaks in low- and middle before they became overly disruptive. Larger outbreaks are linked with worse health and economic outcomes, often requiring more disruptive public health measures that involve travel interruptions and school and business closures. "We found here that the presence of the (outbreak response immunisation) consistently resulted in smaller outbreaks (eg, reducing the percentage of measles outbreaks with more than 100,000 cases from 41 per cent to eight per cent)," the authors wrote. "(Outbreak response immunisation) programmes are critical for reducing the health and economic impacts of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases," they wrote.

Global Vaccine Reserves Helped Prevent 327,000 Deaths Since 2000: Study
Global Vaccine Reserves Helped Prevent 327,000 Deaths Since 2000: Study

NDTV

time6 days ago

  • Health
  • NDTV

Global Vaccine Reserves Helped Prevent 327,000 Deaths Since 2000: Study

New Delhi: Global stockpiles of vaccines under programmes supported by 'Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,' helped prevent more than 5.8 million cases and 327,000 deaths from outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries since 2000, according to a new study. The alliance, established in 2000, funds the roll-out and scale-up of new vaccines through routine healthcare systems and preventive campaigns. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Global Health, highlight life-saving impacts and economic benefits of nearly USD 32 billion due to outbreak response immunisation programmes aimed at containing vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. "For diseases with routine vaccination programs, maintaining high levels of population immunity is vital for preventing large outbreaks," lead author Dominic Delport, a PhD candidate at Burnet Institute, an Australian-based medical research institute and NGO said. "But when outbreaks do occur, a rapid vaccine response typically provides the greatest protective impact for the population at risk -- and the faster the response, the greater the impact," Delport said. The researchers added that with routine vaccination declining and also impacted by cuts to the US' foreign aid, the study highlights the ongoing need for an insurance policy against major outbreaks of diseases like cholera, Ebola and measles. The study analysed 210 outbreaks across 49 low- and middle-income countries that occurred between 2000-2023 for five diseases -- cholera, Ebola, measles, meningitis and yellow fever. Globally, routine vaccine coverage has been shown to falter, with a recent study published in The Lancet journal attributing this to persistent inequalities, challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy -- factors which increase the risk of vaccine-preventable outbreaks, it said. Low- and middle-income countries have been studied to bear the major brunt of these outbreaks. Senior author Nick Scott, associate professor and head of modelling and biostatistics, Burnet Institute, said the global decline in routine vaccine coverage highlights the value of vaccine stockpiles as insurance against major outbreaks. "Routine vaccine coverage is declining due to many factors including vaccine hesitancy and funding cuts for organisations like USAID and Gavi, and in many places gaps in coverage due to COVID-19 disruptions haven't been filled yet," Scott said. "And as routine coverage declines, the prospect of more major outbreaks means there's a growing need for global vaccine stockpiles," the senior author said. The authors wrote, "Across 210 outbreaks, ORI (outbreak response immunisation) programmes are estimated to have averted 5.81 million cases 327,000 deaths." The team also looked at the impact of outbreak response immunisation programmes in helping control large outbreaks in low- and middle before they became overly disruptive. Larger outbreaks are linked with worse health and economic outcomes, often requiring more disruptive public health measures that involve travel interruptions and school and business closures. "We found here that the presence of the (outbreak response immunisation) consistently resulted in smaller outbreaks (eg, reducing the percentage of measles outbreaks with more than 100,000 cases from 41 per cent to eight per cent)," the authors wrote. "(Outbreak response immunisation) programmes are critical for reducing the health and economic impacts of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases," they wrote.

Global vaccine reserves helped avert 5.8 million infections, over 300,000 deaths since 2000: Study
Global vaccine reserves helped avert 5.8 million infections, over 300,000 deaths since 2000: Study

Time of India

time6 days ago

  • Health
  • Time of India

Global vaccine reserves helped avert 5.8 million infections, over 300,000 deaths since 2000: Study

New Delhi: Global stockpiles of vaccines under programmes supported by ' Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance ,' helped prevent more than 5.8 million cases and 327,000 deaths from outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries since 2000, according to a new study. The alliance, established in 2000, funds the roll-out and scale-up of new vaccines through routine healthcare systems and preventive campaigns. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Global Health, highlight life-saving impacts and economic benefits of nearly USD 32 billion due to outbreak response immunisation programmes aimed at containing vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. "For diseases with routine vaccination programs, maintaining high levels of population immunity is vital for preventing large outbreaks," lead author Dominic Delport, a PhD candidate at Burnet Institute, an Australian-based medical research institute and NGO said. "But when outbreaks do occur, a rapid vaccine response typically provides the greatest protective impact for the population at risk -- and the faster the response, the greater the impact," Delport said. The researchers added that with routine vaccination declining and also impacted by cuts to the US' foreign aid, the study highlights the ongoing need for an insurance policy against major outbreaks of diseases like cholera, Ebola and measles. The study analysed 210 outbreaks across 49 low- and middle-income countries that occurred between 2000-2023 for five diseases -- cholera, Ebola, measles, meningitis and yellow fever. Globally, routine vaccine coverage has been shown to falter, with a recent study published in The Lancet journal attributing this to persistent inequalities, challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy -- factors which increase the risk of vaccine-preventable outbreaks, it said. Low- and middle-income countries have been studied to bear the major brunt of these outbreaks. Senior author Nick Scott, associate professor and head of modelling and biostatistics, Burnet Institute, said the global decline in routine vaccine coverage highlights the value of vaccine stockpiles as insurance against major outbreaks. "Routine vaccine coverage is declining due to many factors including vaccine hesitancy and funding cuts for organisations like USAID and Gavi , and in many places gaps in coverage due to COVID-19 disruptions haven't been filled yet," Scott said. "And as routine coverage declines, the prospect of more major outbreaks means there's a growing need for global vaccine stockpiles," the senior author said. The authors wrote, "Across 210 outbreaks, ORI (outbreak response immunisation) programmes are estimated to have averted 5.81 million cases 327,000 deaths." The team also looked at the impact of outbreak response immunisation programmes in helping control large outbreaks in low- and middle before they became overly disruptive. Larger outbreaks are linked with worse health and economic outcomes, often requiring more disruptive public health measures that involve travel interruptions and school and business closures. "We found here that the presence of the (outbreak response immunisation) consistently resulted in smaller outbreaks (eg, reducing the percentage of measles outbreaks with more than 100,000 cases from 41 per cent to eight per cent)," the authors wrote. "(Outbreak response immunisation) programmes are critical for reducing the health and economic impacts of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases," they wrote.

‘Too late to slow down': Koroibete on that Adelaide tackle and unfinished Wallabies business
‘Too late to slow down': Koroibete on that Adelaide tackle and unfinished Wallabies business

Sydney Morning Herald

time11-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Sydney Morning Herald

‘Too late to slow down': Koroibete on that Adelaide tackle and unfinished Wallabies business

But Koroibete was now hurtling across, at maximum velocity. 'I predicted right – but I got there too early,' Koroibete continues. 'Instead of tackling with my right shoulder, I used my left. I was lucky I didn't get a yellow card, maybe, looking at it. But I did try to use my arms. 'I was full-tilt. And when the ball was there, it was too late to slow down. I thought, 'Yep, just have to do this'.' Without a single tap on the brakes, Koroibete collided with Mapimpe, sending the Boks winger skyward and almost straight over the corner post like a high jumper. Commentators were confused – did Mapimpe leap? – until replays revealed the crazy that had unfolded. 'It was like he was shot out of a cannon,' former All Black Andrew Mehrtens said of Koroibete. Koroibete: 'It didn't hurt, it was just a shock. It's a full sprint and then eyes up and the ball was there. It happened so quick. I was just lying down and thinking, 'What's just happened?' The boys pulled me up and go, 'You got him'.' 'The boys pulled me up and go, 'You got him'.' Marika Koroibete Koroibete also scored a try that day, and was in the middle of everything. He was man of the match as the Wallabies defeated the world champion Springboks. 'That was my first time playing here,' Koroibete said. 'And hopefully there are some more good memories to make this weekend.' This weekend Koroibete is back in the City of Churches as one of the star attractions of the Australian and New Zealand Invitational XV, who play the British and Irish Lions on Saturday night, in the last tour match before the Test series gets underway. In 2022, when Koroibete was at the peak of his powers and won his second John Eales medal, it would have been easy to assume the flying Fijian would go on to be part of the Wallabies' Test campaign against the Lions in 2025. He is still only 32. But some challenging years then followed for Koroibete. The 2023 Rugby World Cup, and Test season, was a slog with no real winners, and 2024 saw Koroibete's form dip for the Wallabies. It ultimately ended in surgery for a broken wrist. So when Joe Schmidt was putting together a squad to take on the British and Irish Lions, he rang Koroibete in Japan and explained he was going with local players. 'I understood that,' Koroibete said. 'They have a lot of players playing well and I spoke to Joe, and totally agreed with what he was saying.' The mystery of Koroibete's fall from grace tracks back to the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, when the former Storm star says his love for rugby was majorly challenged. They'd been preparing intensively for months. 'You work so hard for something, and get nothing for it, it's tough,' he said. But as many Australian-based players went home and took a long break, Koroibete had two weeks off and was straight back into the grind for Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan. 'I went back and thought, 'I'll play well for my club, and then get my break'. Playing for the Wallabies, and building for a World Cup, it takes a big toll out of you,' he said. When that season finally finished, Koroibete was cooked, and, believing the Wallabies would look to rebuild their squad in 2024, he didn't expect a call-up from new coach Schmidt. 'I relaxed, and was in half-holiday mode. I didn't do any training and in my mind I was going to come back to the Wallabies. My mind switched off. I was just like, 'I will go home and then go back to Japan in September',' Koroibete said. 'But I got picked, and I went in. Yeah, I know I wasn't in my best form last year. And I ended up getting injured.' Koroibete broke his wrist in the first ten minutes of the Wallabies' tight loss to New Zealand in Sydney but played on, and it wasn't revealed until a week later. He thought it was only a bruise but when asked to do a push-up, he couldn't. Surgery followed. Koroibete had an injury-affected season in Japan but says he is now in good nick, and returns to Adelaide in a far better place mentally as well. He is not done, as far as Wallabies aspirations go, and plans on showing Schmidt – and the Australian rugby public – as much against the Lions. 'This year, mentally, I am totally different,' Koroibete said. 'Even though I didn't play that much games with my wrist injury, this year I am in good shape and I want to get back to my best, and show that. 'There is a lot of high expectation for me from people, because I had been playing well for the Wallabies for the last few years. Loading 'Meeting that expectation is my big motivation this year. I want to get back to my best. 'Not being picked in the Wallabies, I understood. But now we have just this weekend to try and show my potential. Hopefully,I will get a call from Joe later on, if he needs me.' The AUNZ side is a unique chance to impress a whole bunch of people. 'It is a team that hasn't played together since 1989 – 36 years there – so for us, it is a massive opportunity to show the Anzac spirit,' Koroibete said.

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