Fujibio Hepatitis C Test Kit

Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect the liver. If left untreated, it can sometimes cause serious and potentially life-threatening damage to the liver over many years.

However, with modern treatments it's often possible to cure the infection, and most people with it will have a normal life expectancy.

You can become infected with it if you come into contact with the blood of an infected person.

How do you get hepatitis C?

The hepatitis C virus is usually spread through blood-to-blood contact.
Some ways the infection can be spread include:

• sharing unsterilised needles – particularly needles used to inject recreational drugs 
• sharing razors or toothbrushes 
• from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby 
• through unprotected sex – although this is very rare 

In the UK, most hepatitis C infections occur in people who inject drugs or have injected them in the past. It's estimated around half of those who inject drugs have the infection.

Getting tested for hepatitis C

Seek medical advice if you have persistent symptoms of hepatitis C or there's a risk you're infected, even if you don't have any symptoms. A blood test can be carried out to see if you have the infection.

You can test yourself for hepatitis C by using Fujibio Hepatitis C Rapid Test Kit. It is accurate and result within 15 minutes.

Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent or limit any damage to your liver, as well as help ensure the infection isn't passed on to other people.

Fujibio Hepatitis C Rapid Test Kit

Fujibio Hepatitis C Rapid Test Kit is an indirect lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay for the qualitative detection of lgG and lgM anti-Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human serum, plasma or whole blood. It is intended to be used as a screening test and as an aid in the diagnosis of infection with HCV. Any reactive specimen with the HCV Ab Combo Rapid Test must be confirmed with alternative testing method(s) and clinical findings.

Fujibio Hepatitis C Rapid Test Kit is indirect lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay. The test cassette contains of: 1) a burgundy colored conjugate pad containing proprietary recombinant protein A conjugated with colloidal gold (Protein A conjugates),2) a nitrocellulose membrane strip containing a test band(C band). The T band is pre-coated with recombinant HCV antigens, and the C band is pre-coated with anti-protein A antibodies.

When an adequate volume of test specimen is dispensed into the sample well of the test cassette, the specimen migrates by capillary action across the cassette. The IgM or IgG antibody to HCV if present in the specimen will bind to the HCV conjugates. The immunocomplex is then captured on the membrane by the pre-coated non-conjugated HCV antigens, forming a burgundy colored T band, indicating a HCV Ab positive test results.

Absence of the T band suggests a negative result. The test contains an internal control (C band) which should be exhibit a burgundy colored band of the immunocomplex of anti-protein A IgG/protein A-gold conjugate regardless of color development on the T band. Otherwise, the test result is invalid and the specimen must be retested with another device.

ASSAY PROCEDURE

Step 1: Bring the specimen and test components to room temperature or frozen. Mix the specimen well prior to assay once thawed.
Step 2: When ready to test, open the pouch at the notch and remove device. Place the test device on a clean , flat surface.
Step 3: Be sure to label the device with specimen’s ID number.
Step 4: For whole blood test
-Dispense 1 drop (about 40-50ul) of the whole blood specimen into the sample well,
Step 5: Set up timer.
Step 6: Resultys can be read in 15 minutes. Positive results can be visible as in short as 1 minute.
Don’t read result after 15 minutes. To avoid confusion, discard the test device after interpreting the result.

INTERPRETATION OF ASSAY RESULT

1. NEGATIVE RESULT: If on;y the C band is developed, the test indicates that no detectable antibodies to HCV are present in the specimen. The result is negative.

2. POSITIVE RESULTS: If both C and T bands are developed, the test indicates for the presence of antibodies to HCV in the specimen. The result is positive.

Samples with positive results should be confirmed with alternative testing method(s) and clinical findings before a positive determination is made.

3. INVALID: If no C band is developed, the assay is invalid regardless of color development on the T band as indicated below. Repeat the assay with a new device.Preventing hepatitis C

There's no vaccine for hepatitis C, but there are ways to reduce your risk of becoming infected.
These include:

• not sharing any drug-injecting equipment with other people – including needles and other equipment such as syringes, spoons and filters 
• not sharing razors or toothbrushes that might be contaminated with blood 

Treatments for hepatitis C

Hepatitis C can be treated with a combination of medicines that stop the virus multiplying inside the body. These usually need to be taken for several months.

Most people will take two main medications called pegylated interferon (a weekly injection) and ribavirin (a capsule or tablet), although newer tablet-only treatments are likely to replace the interferon injections for most people in the near future.

These newer hepatitis C medications have been found to make treatment more effective. They include simeprevir, sofosbuvir and daclatasvir.

Using the latest medications, up to 90% or more of people with hepatitis C may be cured.

However, it's important to be aware that you won't be immune to the infection and should take steps to reduce your risk of becoming infected again.

THE 2-IN-1 FACIAL BRUSH AND EPILATOR I KEEP REACHING FOR

A few years back I spoke about the Braun Cleansing Brush and Epilator and since it’s still in my life I thought it was worth a little recap.

I love a 2-in-1 product, especially when it’s effective and travel-friendly such as the Braun Face 810. It is both a facial epilator and facial cleansing brush but unlike most facial cleansing brushes I have used in the past, it’s battery powered and very compact.

It even made it into my luggage for my month long holiday in Portugal as the facial epilator is a life safer! Unlike some facial brushes I have tried it isn’t too abrasive on my sensitive skin but still helps keep my skin looking healthy and smooth. It’s great to remove sun cream build up after the beach or pollution from my skin after a busy day in London.

I use the epilator part is also great for removing unwanted hair from the upper lip and the middle of the brows. I don’t even find it to be too painful, far less painful than threading in my opinion and far more convenient.

The Braun Face 810 has really earned its place in both my bathroom and travel luggage over the last few years and I can’t see anything else replacing it anytime soon.

ESSIE LUXEFFECTS COLLECTION

I’m a huge essie nail varnish fan but their glitters are always something else. Every year they release a Luxeffects range in the run up to Christmas and it’s always a sparkly, shimmery, festive explosion.

The essie Luxeffects 2015 collection was much anticipated…so when I saw that the whole range contained bar glitters I was a little disappointed. I’m not a huge fan of bar glitter as for some reason I always think it looks itchy…! Luckily, I soon changed my mind when I got the polishes onto my nails.

At first glance this looked like a standard clear polish with silver bar glitter, but close up you notice the blue circle glitter which makes it a lot mored interesting. As with all of the polishes in this collection, the glitter is easy to apply and doesn’t require much placement. I only needed one coat of Seche Vite over the top to make the finish as smooth as I’d like, which is good as some glitters remain a bit bobbly and rough even after top coat. This polish feels very Christmassy to me – it kind of reminds me of the Snow Queen when over the white polish!

This one instantly caught my eye just because I love fuchsia pink anything. This has pink/purple bar glitter with multi-size black circular glitter in a clear base. I love the combo or black and fuchsia: it’s pretty with a bit of an edge.

Gold and copper are some of my favourite glitter colours when it comes to nail varnish so this one was always going to be a winner in my book. The combination of gold and copper in the clear base is very eye-catching and unusual. There are no contrasting circle glitters in this one.

This is the stand out shade for me, just because it’s an unusual combination of colours that doesn’t instantly grab you but definitely holds your attention once you see it on. It’s a clear base with rose gold, blue-silver and dark grey bar glitters in two different sizes. In some lights it leans to mauve, while in others it’s very blue-toned. Again, there are no circular glitters in this one. I think this would look super pretty over a pale grey or a pale pink toned greige.

Here are the shades over black so you can see the colours a bit better. Doesn’t ‘tassel shaker’ look stunning in contrast to the black? LOVE. These are shown without top coat so you can see the finish – slightly mattifying so I’d definitely recommend a top coat to add shine as well as smoothing out the finish.

Finally, I wanted to show you the essie ‘all I want for christmas’ gift set that’s currently in stores – a super cute set that contains 5 of the most popular (and seasonally appropriate) essie nail varnishes. The polishes included are: fiji, cocktail bling, fishnet stockings, licorice (american spelling, before anyone corrects me!) and bahama mama. All beautiful shades that will see you through winter, spring and beyond!

This gift set is £24.99 (plus there is a free gift in Boots if you spend over £15 on essie)

Mio Liquid Yoga

Mio Liquid Yoga hands down gets the best named product of the year prize! Liquid Yoga – I love it. Described as a restorative bath soak, it’s the bathing equivalent of sucking an extra-strong mint. I totally get that it can give you a complete mind-sweep because it’s bracing and embracing at the same time.

The formula contains liquid Epsom salts of which I’m a big fan of for easing away aches and pains – it really does seem to do the trick, so those, along with a slug of Arnica take care of achy bits. Obviously, you could just use straight Epsom salts (from any chemist) but then you wouldn’t get the yoga bit – a huge slug of spearmint, cypress, lavender, mandarin and chamomile. Mio Liquid Yoga also contains Murumuru Butter so skin doesn’t feel tight when you get out of the water. It’s £26 for a 200ml bottle, so personally, it’s priced at ‘treat’ level, but oh, what a treat.

The only thing I’m not really sold on is the ‘slimming’ element of Mio – with this range, it’s disguised more as ‘fitness’ thing, but a waist slimming lotion and bust firmer are reinforcers of poor body image and putting cream on the bits you aren’t happy with is a bit like sticking a plaster on a cut – it won’t cure the cut or the cause, but it will make you feel like you’ve done something about it.

There is something very weird about the bottle though – it doesn’ t want to photograph straight and just when I was really berating myself for being a bit rubbish at pictures (which I am), I notice it’s also a little skew-wiff on the SpaceNK website.

How To Treat Blemish Prone Skin With Avene

I was lucky enough not to be too troubled by spots/acne during my teenage years, twenties and thirties. My big issue was facial hair which I learnt how to manage and became less bothered by it. Most people are hung up about at least one aspect of their appearance whether it’s spots, a hairy upper lip or a facial feature but I think it’s important to remember that we scrutinise our own faces far more than anyone else does and notice things about them that others just don’t see.

Anyway, back to spots. I had a scant amount until the age of 40 and then, bang, they started erupting with regular frequency on my chin. Though it’s hard to say for sure, I think the likely cause was either hormonal (I’d just had a baby) or weight gain as high blood sugar is thought to contribute to acne. Most likely it was a mixture of the two but, regardless, it was a problem I wanted to solve. While the spots were annoying, it was actually the marks they left behind that concerned me the most and, in particular, the scarring.

I went to highly regarded dermatologist, Dr Sam Bunting, who advised using a combination of prescription and over the counter products. Thereafter my skin improved considerably and has stayed that way apart from the occasional spot and some congestion. Unfortunately, on-going consultations with a dermatologist can be expensive and as a result I hadn’t been to see Dr Bunting for several years. Therefore, I was delighted to see her at an event held by Avene to discuss all the issues surrounding adult acne along with their Clearance range.

Avene couldn’t have chosen a better expert than Dr Bunting to work with and I knowDr Bunting has too much integrity (and is too much in demand) to work with a brand she doesn’t believe in. The central message that Avene and Dr Bunting conveyed was that you’re never too old to suffer from spots. In fact, there seems to be an increased incidence of people suffering from problem skin later in life. The other important point was that it’s nothing to be ashamed about but it is something that can be treated with the right products.

The Avene Clearance range provides everything that’s needed to help tackle acne (including the residual marks) in a way that won’t dry skin out and is suitable for those with sensitive skin. Also, one of the products contains the recognised anti-ageing ingredient Retinaldehyde, which is a Vitamin A derivative. This means that you don’t get to miss out on an anti-ageing element at a time when its probably most needed.

Another point worth making is that a routine to tackle spots/acne takes commitment and patience. It’s not something that will work overnight but improvements will be seen incrementally over several weeks.

The two most important products in the range are Clearance Expert and TriAcneal Expert. Though I no longer suffer from regular outbreaks I’ve been applying these a few times a week just to my nose and chin to help prevent the odd spot, black heads and general congestion.

Clearance Expert – This helps control the production of oil and contains Diolényl which reduces spots and blackheads. It’s also anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. It can be used am and pm and mattifies the skin so it makes a good base for foundation.

TriAcneal Expert – This also contains Diolenyl, the ingredient mentioned above. Alongside that is X-Pressin which is a gentle exfoliating enzyme that reduces the appearance of the marks spots leave behind. Then there is Retinaldehyde, the Vitamin A derivative, that helps to unblock pores and has a general anti-ageing effect on the skin. This treatment is applied in the evening.

Another product that’s also worth adding into the routine would be the Soothing Hydrating Serum as keeping skin hydrated is just as important when you’re dealing with spots as any other time. I’d actually recommend this serum to anyone as it makes skin feel great.

10 LIP PRODUCTS TO TRY THIS SUMMER

Summertime is all about a sun-kissed glow and lips with a pop of color. Here are 10 lip products that you need to try!

1. Stila Lip Glaze in Kitten

This is a perfect for a nude shimmery summer look. It also has some staying power!

2. Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry

You’re going to need some extra moisture from all the sun and this is perfect for that plus some nice color!

3. NYX Matte Lipstick in Summer Breeze

This is a perfect summer pink.

4. Milani Lipstick in Flamingo Pose

Hello gorg bright coral pink!

5. Khroma Double Take Lipstick/Lip Gloss in Nectar

This is a great duo for an apricot/peachy color.

6. Tarte LipSurgence Skintuitive Lip Gloss

This goes on clear and turns your lips a pretty pink shade as it adjusts to your temperature and pH.

7. Sun Bum Sunscreen Lip Balm SPF 30 in Pomegranate

This is my new fav sunscreen lippie. It smells great and doesn’t taste like sunscreen.

8. CK One Shine Lipstick in High

This is a shimmery natural looking pink with high shine and moisture!

9. Nivea a Kiss of Strawberry SPF 10

I love a good Nivea lippie and love that this one has a little UV protection.

10. Baby Lips in Pink Punch SPF 20

Another one for great moisture, UV protection, and sheer color.

Not the Holy Grail, But Close: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil

I know I've mentioned this before, so forgive the ranting, but I have a problem with lip pencils.

My slightly asymmetrical mouth and "soft" lip line pretty much demand the use of a pencil when I'm trying to achieve a polished, finished lip look, so I know I'm stuck with 'em. But, most of the shades marketed as "nude" or "natural" are nothing of the sort on my lips; they just end up looking orange or brown, and they invariably ruin my lipcolor by mixing themselves in.

I try pretty hard to find lip colors that have NO orange in the base, since they just look horrific on me (this makes a "nude lip" very, very difficult). So these pencils just end up muddying my efforts -- literally!

In my travels I've found only two pencils I loved (Urban Decay Lounge and Clinique Pink Truffle), but one was discontinued and the other was a limited edition. I used both until they were down to tiny nubs, and then the quest for a new one began.

I tried Stila, Smashbox, Laura Mercier...all were too brown, too orange, too matte, too muddy. Finally I came upon the 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil range from Urban Decay, and I finally forgave the company for discontinuing Lounge.

They have done their penance by introducing Wicked.

Wicked (middle one of the horizontal pencils in the photo) is a creamy light/medium pink with absolutely NO orange or brown. None! It glides on easily without dragging, feels soft, and really stays on. My only quibble is that it's almost a little too pink -- I'd prefer it if it weren't so bright and had some of the dusty rose quality that Lounge had -- but hey, I'll take it.