Life gets busy and as much as we want to, we can’t always keep up with the news. 

No worries! We have gathered the top stories of Health24 for this week. And it’s a mixed bag: From plastic surgery to blood facts to quitting milk. 

Pick of the week

SEE: How plastic surgery has evolved

A practice dating back as far as 6th century BC, the plastic surgery field of medicine has grown and continues to grow by leaps and bounds. 

This video will take you inside the industry, especially people obsession to want “famous faces”. 

Blood, blood, blood! 

Thursday 14 June was World Blood Donor Day and we featured several articles highlighting why it is so important to donate blood. 

Lifesavers: Meet two of SA’s most prolific blood donors

Meet Mike O’Neill and David Schreuder, two of South Africa’s true heroes, who have saved countless lives with their blood donations. Mike has donated blood 725 times and David 674 times. 

SEE: How much do you know about blood?

Blood is essential for life and there’s more to this red substance than you may think… We have compiled an infographic with some of the most important facts.

Personal experiences

We had two stories that stood out this week: In both cases people opened up about their struggles and we got the wiser for it. Readers gave us their tips for quitting smoking, while one of Health24’s writers Mandy Freeman opened up about her battle with acne and what happened when she stopped drinking milk. 

7 readers reveal how they quit smoking

Smoking is a difficult habit to give up. Anyone who has tried will know it’s not easy.

But what’s clear is that it is possible. We put it out to our readers and here’s what helped them quit. 

‘I had acne and then stopped drinking milk – this is what happened’

Health24 writer Mandy Freeman gave up drinking milk – and a few weeks later she noticed some surprising results.

And finally…

3 ways to boost your memory

Whether you’re studying for an important exam or learning a new language, there’s convincing proof that nonstop cramming sessions may not translate into the long-term memory retention you want.

Follow our step-by-step guide on how you can make the most of your study sessions and ace that exam.