How to Treat an Avalanche Victim

Mountain climbing, hiking, and winter sports in mountainous regions can be beautiful and exhilarating. In the event of an emergency, however, you should know how to care for someone caught in an avalanche. Avalanche victims may have severe injuries, and there is a serious danger of hypothermia. Be prepared to treat an avalanche victim by preventing asphyxiation, treating hypothermia, and possibly providing life-saving CPR.

EditSteps

EditLocating and Accessing the Victim

1. Call for medical help right away. Any time you are traveling or adventuring in an avalanche area, you should have some way to communicate with the outside world with you. Whether using a cell phone or a radio, signal for emergency services as soon as possible after the avalanche.^[1]
   
2. Locate the injured or buried victim. When adventuring in areas that have a danger of avalanches, always pack basic safety equipment. Each person should have a rescue beacon that is battery powered and can send out a GPS coordinate. Bring a small snow shovel for digging, and a set of long, collapsible poles known as probes.^[2] Use your equipment to locate a buried or injured person by following the GPS signal or cries for help, and probing the snow with your poles to locate them.
   
   • Make sure the batteries are fresh in your rescue beacon. Also be sure you know how to use it properly.
3. Dig the victim out to prevent suffocation. A person buried with their head under the snow can asphyxiate. Deal with the immediate risk of suffocation by starting to dig to the person as soon as possible.^[3] Once their head is uncovered, the risk of suffocation is no longer your greatest concern. Do NOT try to pull the victim out – they may have serious injuries that can be worsened by moving them. It’s best to leave them as is until help arrives, unless they are unconscious.^[4]
   
   • If they are unconscious, try to dig around them as quickly as possible so you can gently lie them flat.
   • People uncovered within the first 10-18 minutes have around an 80% chance of survival, unless death is caused by traumatic injuries. After 35 minutes of burial, likelihood of survival decreases significantly.

EditProviding Immediate Assessment and Care

1. Asses the victim’s ABC's (Airway, Breathing, Circulation). The ABC’s of treating a trauma patient involve checking for an open airway, seeing if the patient is breathing, and checking for a pulse.
   
   • Airway: Check whether the victim has an open, unobstructed airway. Use your fingers to remove any debris that has gotten into their mouth. Tilt the victim’s head back slightly to lift the chin and better open the airway.^[5]
   • Breathing: Check whether the victim is breathing by listening at their mouth while watching to see whether their chest is rising and falling. Normal CPR suggests doing this for 5-10 seconds, but if the patient is hypothermic (which is likely), their breathing will be very slow, so check for about 30-45 seconds.^[6] Occasional gasping sounds do NOT count as breathing.
   • Circulation: While watching for breathing, check for a pulse at the carotid artery. Place two fingers on the victim's neck just off to the side a little, under the jaw line. Use your forefinger and middle finger, not your thumb, to feel for a pulse for at least 30 seconds. The victim may have a very slow heart rate and you will have cold fingers, so detecting a pulse may be very difficult and can take much longer than usual.
2. Provide good chest compressions, if needed. If the victim is breathing but has no pulse, only do chest compressions. If they are pulseless and not breathing on their own, incorporate rescue breaths, as well. Perform quality CPR chest compressions using these guidelines:^[7]
   
   • Place your hands in the middle of the person’s chest, one hand on top of the other, with the heel of your hand against their chest over the sternum (the flat bone between the ribs in the middle of the chest).
   • Lean forward over the person so your arms are straight. Use your body weight to help you do compressions.
   • Compress the victim’s chest with the heels of your hands to a depth of 2 inches (about 5 cm). Compress the chest 100 times per minute. This depth and rate can be tiring – you should feel resistance.
3. Give good rescue breaths during CPR. Do not do compression-only CPR – in an avalanche situation, oxygenation is very important.^[8] If the victim is not breathing for themselves, alternate 2 rescue breaths with every 10 chest compressions.
   
   • Tilt the victim’s head back slightly and lift their chin to open the airway. Pinch their nose closed with one hand. Put your mouth over the victim’s mouth to make a seal and blow into their mouth. Blow into the victim’s mouth. Watch to be sure their chest rises when you give a breath – if not, exhale more forcefully.^[9]
   • If you have a second uninjured person present, use the Jaw Thrust maneuver to open the victim’s airway rather than tilting their head back – this can be safer for spinal injury victims. Kneel at the top of the victim’s head, and place your hands one on each side of their face with your fingers hooked under the angle of their jaw. Lift upward (toward you) with both hands.^[10] The other uninjured party will provide chest compressions and rescue breaths.
4. Continue administering CPR for at least 30 minutes. If the patient has no pulse and/or is not breathing, start CPR right away. Spend a lot longer than traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation would suggest because the victim is likely suffering from hypothermia. The old adage, “A patient isn’t dead until he’s warm and dead” applies here, to an extent. If a victim was buried for longer than 35 minutes, their chance of survival is low even with CPR. If they were dug out early enough, however, providing CPR for as long as possible, at least 30 minutes, can save a life.
   
   • CPR can be tiring, especially in severe climates. If you have a companion, switch off doing high-quality CPR every 2 minutes.
5. Suspect a spinal cord injury. Move the victim only if it is absolutely necessary; otherwise, keep them where they are and dig around them. Avalanches can carry trees, boulders and other large objects that can hit a body and possibly cause severe trauma, including a spinal cord injury. Until you are certain that these types of injuries are not present, you should not move an accident victim.
   
   • Treat anyone with a head, neck, or back injury as if they have a spinal injury.^[11]
   • If possible, stabilize the patient using a neck brace and back-board.
   • If you have to move the victim to ensure their safety and you have no stabilizing equipment, pull them by their clothing or by both arms or legs, and pull them in a straight line. This can keep spinal movement to a minimum. Do NOT twist their body or pull them by only one side of their body – this can move the spine out of alignment and worsen spinal injuries.

EditPreventing Hypothermia

1. Keep the victim moving if they are up and conscious. Someone with stage 1 hypothermia will be conscious and shivering. If the victim is uninjured enough to be standing, have them move around to keep as warm as possible. Insulate their body with more clothes or thermal wraps (you should pack these when adventuring in cold climates), and shield them from the wind. Give them warm fluids to drink, if you have any.^[12]
   
   • The goal is not to actively re-warm them at this time, but to prevent any further drop in core body temperature.^[13]
2. Insulate and warm a semiconscious victim. In stage 2 hypothermia, the victim will be partly conscious (i.e. half awake, unconscious but able to be aroused, or in and out of consciousness) and will probably not be shivering. Insulate their body as much as possible and apply any heat packs or warming mechanisms you have to them, especially around their core.^[14]
   
   • Administer oxygen, if you have it, and get them to a hospital with an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as soon as possible.^[15]
3. Keep a close eye on ABC’s if the victim is unconscious. For stage 3 hypothermia, in which the patient is unconscious, do everything as in stage 2 hypothermia. Additionally, continually monitor their airway, breathing, and circulation. At this temperature, a victim can develop an irregular heartbeat or their heart can stop beating at any time.^[16] If possible, provide warmed, humidified oxygen.^[17]
   
4. Give shocks if the victim has no vital signs. In stage 4 hypothermia, the victim is unconscious and has no vital signs – they aren’t breathing and/or they don’t have a pulse. Most likely, you will not have a defibrillating device with you, in which case provide CPR for as long as you can, giving good rescue breaths. If you do have a defibrillating device, check the person’s ECG. If they are in ventricular fibrillation (V Fib), give them up to 3 shocks to try to restore a regular heartbeat.^[18]
   
   • If you are a medical professional and you are able to establish an IV line, infuse fluids warmed to 42°-44°C (108°-111°F). The standard is 0.9% NaCl or 5% glucose.
5. Prevent post-rescue collapse by handling the victim gently. Post-rescue collapse can occur if you successfully rescue a patient with hypothermia but then they suffer a life-threatening issue once they start to re-warm. Do what you can to prevent post-rescue collapse by handling the victim in the following ways during your rescue attempt:^[19]
   
   • Handle the victim as gently as possible and keep jostling them to a minimum. Avoid unnecessary movement of their trunk and large joints like hips, knees, and shoulders.^[20] When the heart gets very cold, rough handling can induce a deadly arrhythmia.
   • Keep hypothermic patients horizontal. Standing them upright can cause a serious drop in blood pressure.
   • Remove the victim’s wet clothes and wrap them in a water-resistant and windproof outer shell that has heating pads, when possible.
   • Administer oxygen if you have it available, or as soon as possible.

EditGiving Follow-Up Care and Getting the Victim to Safety

1. Provide basic first aid. If the victim is not buried, and has vital signs (i.e. is breathing and has a heart beat), then proceed to give basic first aid. Remember to treat the person as if they have a spinal injury, to be safe.^[21]
   
   • For severe bleeding, apply pressure to the wounded area. Apply a tourniquet proximal to the injury, i.e. closer to the body, by tightly tying a belt or strip of cloth above the area.
   • Only splint a broken extremity if you have to move the victim for their, or your, safety. Otherwise, keep the person still and calm until help arrives. Speak in a soothing voice and calmly tell them to keep still and that everything is okay.
   • Provide basic first aid by cleaning and covering wounds, if possible.
2. Splint an injured limb. In the event of a broken arm or leg or injured joint, try to apply a splint to minimize pain and further injury and make safe travel easier. Follow these basic guidelines for splinting an injured limb:^[22]
   
   • Locate a strong, straight object to use as a splint. It can be a log, branch, rolled up towel, or anything else at your disposal. If using something from nature that may splinter, wrap it in extra clothing.
   • Gently wrap the injured limb in padding, such as extra clothes.
   • Apply the splint so it overlaps the joints above and below the injury. For instance, if the lower leg is injured, the splint should overlap both the knee and the ankle. Place the splint on the uninjured side of the limb (i.e. not over the injury), if possible.
   • Secure the splint with ties or tape above and below the joints. Do not tie something directly over the injury, and try not to tape directly on the victim’s skin.
   • Move the injured limb as little as possible.
   • If the person expresses pain, numbness, or tingling in the extremity after splinting, remove the splint and try again. Impeding blood flow with a splint can cause long-term damage to the limb.
3. Evacuate a minimally-injured victim immediately. If the victim is unharmed enough to walk, assist them in leaving the area. Keep them as warm as possible by insulating them and using heating packs, removing wet clothes and replacing them, and giving them warm fluids to drink. Take them to the nearest hospital.
   
   • If help is on the way, stay where you are. They will be able to reach you quickly and will do a comprehensive exam on the victim to ensure they have no serious injuries you cannot see. Only evacuate if you are unable to contact emergency services.
   • If you need to move to a safer location, help the injured person walk by supporting their weight on the side of their injury.
   • If the person must be dragged to safety, pull them by both ankles with equal tension to keep their spine straight. Use your body weight to pull them to avoid hurting yourself.^[23] If they have leg injuries, lift their arms over their heads and pull them from below their elbows.

EditTips

• Keep yourself safe when adventuring in cold, snowy areas by packing the appropriate supplies:
  • Insulating/thermal wraps
  • Avalanche rescue beacons to signal your location^[24]
  • Small shovel and long probe to locate buried parties
  • An emergency first aid kit
  • A small, portable defibrillating device
• Look for signs indicating the local hazard level in your area, which is rated 1-5. Though a rating of 3 seems average, it actually indicates considerable danger. The hazard level can change quickly in a given area.^[25]

EditWarnings

• Before your expedition, keep an eye out for red flags for the possibility of an avalanche: Obvious instability or recent avalanche activity, recent snowfall of 10-20cm or more, and quickly rising temperatures.^[26]

EditRelated wikiHows

• Rule Out a Spinal Cord Injury During First Aid

EditSources and Citations

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How to Take Care of a Garter Snake

When planning to care for a garter snake that you've caught, it is very important to know what you're doing. It requires the appropriate food, shelter, and care. If you can't provide the right environment, leave it in its own environment and admire it from afar. Remember, always check your local laws, and only capture a garter snake if it is legal in your area, and you intent to let it go within a couple weeks, unless you have a permit, license, or other government consent to possess the snake permanently.

EditSteps

EditHousing the Snake

1. Get an aquarium. A baby garter snake should do well with a tank, while a large adult would do a lot better in a tank. Don't make it too small since garter snakes are very active creatures, but they will also be extremely nervous in a large tank.
   
2. Layer the bottom of the aquarium with substrate. You can safely use cypress mulch, bark nuggets, and wood shavings (Aspen is best, Pine is probably all right, but never use cedar). Paper towels and newspaper are not good substrate, because many snakes prefer to burrow, and if they try to get under paper towels, they can become trapped and die. Also, paper towels are very thin and if you use a heat pad, the snake can become overheated and severely injured.
   
3. Add a hide away. A snake always needs a place to hide. It should be pretty small, the snake should be able to curl up tightly. It is even better if the snake can touch the the sides of the hide away when curled up. Make sure the hiding place can not fall onto your snake this can kill or injure your snake
   
4. Have some things for the snake to climb upon. You will find that garter snakes like to climb. Try a twisty tree climbing addition, but make sure it doesn't touch the top of the cage. Garters are escape artists.
   
5. For the benefit of the snake when you first bring it home, put a cover, or a large towel (not a thick one, or it will run out of oxygen) around or over the tank. This helps it to de-stress, and feel a bit more safe, since the cover helps it to feel that it's not being hunted.
   

EditRegulating the Temperature

1. Buy a thermometer. A stick on thermometer is not terribly accurate, but gives you the general idea. It should be around 72 degrees at the cool end and 75 at the heated end. If your cage is higher than 80 on the cool side your cage is too hot.
   
2. Get some heat. You can use heating pads/strips under one side of the enclosure as well as light bulb above it. Heating pads/strips should cover one third to one half of the enclosure. There should be a warm end of the enclosure and a cool end. When using a light bulb, never use more than 15 watts, they could be burned. Never use hot rocks. Garter snakes have been burned and killed by hot rocks. Also, never put them in direct sunlight, they can also be killed that way.
   
3. Ensure that the humidity is accurate. The humidity should be 50 to 60 percent.
   

EditFeeding the snake

1. Get a water bowl. It should be plastic, and big enough for the snake to bathe in. Don't make it too big, just large enough for the snake to fit inside, as they enjoy swimming, and hunt their prey this way. One of the most common mistakes with garter snakes is that they are semi aquatic. They are not aquatic, not even semi aquatic, it is their prey that is aquatic. If you keep it too moist, your snake could end up with a hard to treat blister disease.
   
2. Change the water weekly, if not more often. Clean it out every three days to one week and clean and sterilize it every two-three months.
   
3. Feed the snake. A garter snake is a carnivore and hunts prey, so you need to choose something for it to eat. It may surprise you that frozen pinkie mice are the best option by far. If you are uncomfortable with feeding your snake rodents you can feed them a mix of live or frozen fish, leeches, slugs, or worms. Buy them from a store, and they will provide all the nutrients garter snakes need, and will not have any parasites or bacteria that could hurt your snake (notice that frozen means dead mice).
   
   • If your snake won't eat mice, It can eat a mixture of fish, worms, and maybe vitamin preservatives.
   • Slugs can be a treat to be given sometimes, but they can be hard to get.
   • Baby snakes can eat parts of a pinkie mouse twice a week, and adults can eat the appropriate sized mouse once a week. The mouse should be about as big as the largest part of the snake.
   • A fish eater should eat every 5 to 6 days, and a worm eater twice a week. You need to avoid fish with thiaminase, like goldfish. Ask the person you buy the fish from about the fish.
4. When feeding it, do not sling the snake's food at it. That will probably scare it. Leave its food in the middle. Remember, they don't like jerky movements. Be slow, but you can close the lid immediately after putting the food in.
   
5. If you choose to feed the snake food that is alive, (food that it hunts and kills), create hiding spots. Spread leaves and other things for the snake to hide behind, so it can ambush its prey. Uneaten killed food should be removed within 24 hours, to prevent the growth of bacteria.
   

EditMaintaining Hygiene

1. Clean the cage regularly. Cleaning the cage is not the most fun task in the world. But to clean the cage, catch your garter snake and put it in another container a bit larger than its cage, (with holes in the top) and take out all of the things that are in the cage. If you choose to use a type of wood shaving, just dump it out and replace it. Never use soil, as it can carry parasites.
   
   • Spot clean fecal matter when it is seen.
2. To clean the cage, hose it down with a few squeezes of mild soap and scrub it with a sponge or rag, then rinse twice. The cage should be cleaned once monthly for young snakes, and every two weeks for adults, or when ever it starts to smell.
   
3. Don't give the garter too much room, as they will become nervous and stressed. Snakes are not very active in the way of slithering around, they prefer to bask in one spot, among lots of thick decoration. A bare cage makes for a scared snake.
   

EditHandling the Snake

1. Handle with care. Handling can be hard, but is a blast when done correctly. To handle the snake, approach it slowly from the side. Let it slither on to your hand, or scoop it up with gloves. Then, just make slow movements with it. Be careful and always support the snake's head and body.
   
   • Do not handle the snake for one hour after it has shed its skin. The delay in handling will give the snake's new skin time to get used to the air and temperature, and your body salts and oils will damage its skin if held within the first hour.
   • Your garter snake should be protected from your cat, as the cat may kill it.

EditVideo

EditTips

• When a snake is shedding, move the water bowl to the warm side of the enclosure, to raise the humidity.
• Many garter snakes prefer moving or live food, so you could move the food with tweezers .
• Do not attempt to pet the snake after feeding it! After feeding time, the snake may be aggressive, and will be prone to strike and/or bite you.
• Baby snakes do better with a screen to cover their enclosure, but make sure it is secure!.
• You may want a humid hideaway, which is a regular hideaway with some wet sponges. This can help with shedding.
• Don't be afraid if you see something peeling off your snake, he's probably just shedding older skin. If it has trouble shedding, take it to the vet immediately after a warm soak.
• Always have a warm side of the tank and a cool side, with a basking spot in the middle as well as on both sides..

EditWarnings

• Do not put a "hot rock" in the aquarium; there are some rocks that have heating elements in them but a snake will coil around it and can get very badly burned.
• Snakes cannot digest plants.
• Snakes bite - be careful. The snake is a living creature; respect it and seek immediate medical attention if bitten, after washing your hands with bacterial soap, warm water, and bandaging it.
• No matter what the nice person at the pet shop says, snakes do not eat crickets, or mealworms for that matter.
• If you caught the snake, let it go if it won't eat. Don't starve it. You should never keep a wild snake for over a week, and check your local laws to see if you can possess them at all.
• Garter snakes do not eat insects with exoskeletons. They can't digest them. Slugs, snails, and worms are fine.
• Don't put anything in the aquarium that can hunt the snake. Food only. When you're feeding you garter snake a food that can fight back, like leeches or live mice, be sure to watch your snake so you can assure the food does not hurt your pet. Be extremely careful with live mice! They can kill your snake.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Catch a Garden Snake
• Catch a Garter Snake

How to Do Threading

Threading is a temporary hair removal technique used mostly on eyebrows, as well as the lips, cheeks, and chin. The name derives from the cotton threads that are twisted to pull the hair from the root. It is also known as "tying" or "khite" in Arabic and is an ancient Indian method that has become increasing popular in some cities. Threading can be done at home fairly easily.

EditSteps

EditThreading Your Eyebrows

1. Twist the thread loop at the middle. Start by stretching the loop between your hands. Hold the thread so that it is stretched between your thumb and index fingers. ^[1]
   
   
   • Put one hand inside each end of the looped thread, with your palms up, before you rotate your hands several times. It might be enough to rotate them twice, although some experts suggest as much as 15 times.
   • Roll your right hand in a clockwise direction to twist the thread six or seven times times, or until you have about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of intertwined thread between your hands.
   • Twist one hand clockwise and one counter clockwise. The end result is that this motion should end up twisting the thread in the middle. When you open up your palm and fingers with the thread around it at each end of the thread, you will create a circle of thread at each end with twisted thread in the middle.
2. Test the thread. Hold the string with your thumbs and index fingers inside the loops on each side, then pull your right thumb and index finger apart.
   
   
   • The twists of thread should move toward your left hand. Now, close the space between your right thumb and index finger and open the space between the left thumb and index finger.
   • This is the threading motion that traps hairs in the twisted thread and pulls them out.
   • In order to thread your eyebrows, you’re going to open and close your hands, and the thread. Your hand should be inside the thread loop when you open it so that part of the thread is on top and the other part of the thread is on the bottom of your hand.^[2]
3. Start threading your eyebrows. Make sure to thread the eyebrows in the opposite direction from which direction your hair grows. Notice the direction of hair growth first.
   
   
   • Place the thread under the eyebrow hair that needs removing. You could apply dry loose power on your eyebrows. That will make it easier for the thread to pull it out.
   • Open up the loop and hand in the opposite direction that you want to thread (left hand to thread to the right; right hand to thread to the left). You want to place the twisted section of the thread under the hair that needs removing. When you open and close the loops, the twisted portion of the thread will tug out the hair.^[3]
4. Grab the hairs with the thread. As you twist the center of the loop, the twisted threads will pluck out the hair. Some experienced practitioners will hold the thread in their mouth, while manipulating the other ends of it with both hands. Others hold each end of the thread in a different hand.^[4]
   
   
   • You can do this fast or slow. It’s the process of opening and closing your fingers that is pulling out the hairs. Very experienced practitioners are able to do this process very quickly. When you are starting out, though, go slow.
   • Starting at the highest hairs you want removed, align the twists of thread to that hair. Open your right fingers in a smooth motion, moving the coil down, and then, open your left fingers to move the coil back. Continue these motions, working from the top to the bottom, aligning the coil of thread carefully before moving it up and down the removal area until all unwanted hair has been removed.
   • Threading can be used for lip and chin hair also. Clean your forehead with the same thread. The process lasts about 2 to 3 weeks.

EditPreparing to Thread Your Eyebrows

1. Recognize the benefits of threading your eyebrows. Although it sounds complicated, it’s really not. Threading your eyebrows has several advantages over other methods.^[5][6]
   
   • Threading the eyebrows is faster than plucking. It will also remove tiny hairs that you are likely to miss with tweezers. Some people also consider threading a less-painful method than waxing and tweezing.^[7]
   • Waxing can irritate the skin, but threading is unlikely to do so. Threading your eyebrows is also faster and cheaper than using at-home wax kits. If you learn how to do it yourself, you can save a lot of money. The thread might cost you under $1.^[8]
   • Many cities have salons that offer eyebrow threading services. If you’re not confident with your ability to do it yourself, see a professional! Threading improperly could result in eyebrows that don't look good. Professional threaders are often required to have licenses or permits.^[9]However, some studies have found dermatological complications from threading.^[10]
2. Gather the right tools. You will need a few key tools in order to thread your eyebrows. Luckily, none of these things costs very much, and they are widely available in drug stores. You may already have most or all of them at home.
   
   • Buy a spoolie or clean lash comb or, if you don’t have those, find a fine-toothed comb. Consider purchasing loose face powder. Although not essential, it’s a trick that can make threading eyebrows easier.
   • You will need very small scissors such as grooming scissors or those small scissors you can find in sewing kits.
3. Purchase the right thread. This is the most important tool that you will need to thread eyebrows. And here’s the key: Make sure that you buy 100 percent cotton sewing thread.^[11]
   
   • You need a piece of thread that is the length of your forearm plus about three extra inches. Other experts say the thread should be about 15-24 inches long, and longer if you have big hands. The less string you use, the more control you will have. Choose thread that won't snap easily.^[12]
   • Choose thread that doesn’t have a large amount of synthetic fiber in it, especially if your eyebrow hair is very coarse. If you can’t find 100-percent cotton thread, choose thread that has a high percentage of cotton in it. You can use regular thread you find at sewing or other stores.

EditPreparing Your Eyebrows for Threading

1. Choose your brow shape carefully. You shouldn't just thread your eyebrows randomly. Take some time first to figure out the shape you want.
   
   • Use a pencil to take the following 3 measurements in order to thread brows into a natural shape: to find the inside limit of the brow, measure a straight line from the corner of the nose to the inside corner of your eye, to find the outside limit of the brow, measure the edge of the nose to the outside edge of the eye, and to find the highest arch of the brow, measure the outside edge of the nose through the pupil.
   • Thread outside those lines. Use an eyebrow pencil to outline and fill in your eyebrows exactly how you want them. This will help you to ‘stay in the lines’ when you’re threading and prevent you from removing too much hair.
2. Sweep your eyebrow hair upward. Take your spoolie or other lash comb, and sweep your eyebrow hair upward. You should work on your eyebrows one section at a time.
   
   
   • Take the small scissors, and trim a tiny amount of the hair (not much at all, just the finest hairs that you see.) Next, sweep your eyebrows downward, and snip any hairs that are particularly long and that stand out.
   • Comb your eyebrow hair back into the place it normally is. It’s very important in this process that you don’t snip too much hair. Do this extremely lightly. Trim the extra hair at the beginning of the eyebrows with the scissors.
3. Tie the thread into a big loop. Take the high-cotton sewing thread into your hand. The cotton thread is what you are going to use to pull out the hairs. First, though, you need to prepare the thread for the threading process.
   
   • Fold the thread over onto itself. That’s why it needs to be so long. You’re essentially turning the thread into a long loop.
   • To create the loop, tie the ends of the thread together. To do this, just make a knot at the end of the thread. The thread should not be open at either end. It should now form a large and continuous loop.

EditTips

• Some people use the threading technique to remove splinters (although not from a hand as you need both hands to do the threading).
• Wait two hours before you put makeup or lotion on the threaded area. Your pores will be open, so you will want to keep bacteria away from them.
• You may want to experiment with different lengths of thread if you’re finding the thread hard to use. Or try a different brand of thread.
• Use a makeup brush to brush off the trimmed pieces from your face.
• Any type of sewing thread works, just make sure it doesn't snap easily. Avoid tugging too hard on the thread to check its strength.

EditVideo

EditWarnings

• Avoid the painful catching of skin between threads by letting the threads hover slightly above the skin's surface.

EditThings You'll Need

• Spool of strong cotton sewing thread
• Trimming scissors
• Brow pencil
• Brow comb or spoolie

EditRelated wikiHows

• Thread Your Eyebrows
• Thread Hair
• Thread Your Own Eyebrows
• Arch Eyebrows
• Groom Brows
• Shape Your Eyebrows Without Plucking
• Pluck Your Eyebrows
• Wax Your Eyebrows at Home
• Wax

EditSources and Citations

• Videos provided by Hafsa

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How to Cut a Mat Using a Utility Knife

Matting a picture is easy when you can purchase a pre-cut mat. Faced with a piece of art that doesn't conform to existing commercial standards, knowing how to do it yourself saves the expense and time of having a custom mat cut. Follow these steps to the letter, and you can cut your own professional, hinged mats using the most primitive of tools, a utility knife and metal ruler.

EditSteps

EditPlanning, Drawing Guide Lines and Cutting the Board to Size

1. Assemble your supplies.  Have close at hand your art work that is to be matted, mat board, cardboard or foam core board for backing, a pencil, eraser, a metal ruler or one with a metal edge, a small piece of fine grain sandpaper or an emery board, and tape.
   
2. Find a sturdy surface for mat cutting. Be sure it is larger than the mat you will be cutting and protect it with stiff cardboard. The hard, compressed type of cardboard on the backs of pads of art paper are sturdy and hard to penetrate with knife cuts. Join one or more together with tape to create a larger piece, if necessary.
   
3. Use only white, pebble surface mat board. Crescent brand can be found in the vertical bins at the craft store, near the frame department.
   
4. Utilize the perfect edges on the sheet of new mat board.
   
5. Cut the piece you will need from the top right or left corner.  Measure the inside of the frame you will be using and, in pencil, lightly mark the cuts to be done on the mat board to that size.
   
6. Chose any brand or grade of utility knife. Be sure the blade is new and perfectly sharp. For many types, you will need a screw driver to open the handle to position a new blade.
   
7. Keep in mind to always protect the piece you will be using for your mat. If you should make a bad cut, the important part is saved. Align the ruler at your pencil mark and hold it securely against the board with enough pressure to keep it from slipping as you run the knife against it. All of the cuts you will be making will be done slowly, and with a light hand. The hand holding the knife should be relaxed and the knife held loosely. At first, your cut will barely penetrate the mat board. On the second and successive cuts the knife it will fall into the groove you established with the first cut. It will take two more light cuts, to be completely through the board. Turn the board and cut the second side. You might have to approach the table from a different direction in order to keep the proper position for cutting, with the knife cutting away from the good part of the mat, into the center or what will become the opening of the mat.
8. When you have finished, take the test the piece of mat board to be sure it fits into your frame. If you have measured correctly, it should drop easily into place and be a perfect fit. Make adjustments at this point if necessary.

EditCutting the Mat Opening

1. Place your art work on the mat and visually align it in the center. Mats generally have at least a few inches of white showing around the art piece. If there is less that, find a larger frame.
2. Use a ruler and measure in from the outside edges of your mat. Determine how many inches on all sides you will need to have the hole in the mat be slightly smaller than the art piece. If there is a difference, traditionally, the bottom edge can be slightly larger. Write those four numbers on a piece of scrap paper for ready reference as you work.
   
3. Set your art aside. Measure in from the four outside edges of your mat and make a series of tiny, elongated dots in pencil, plotting the shape of the cuts for the interior of the mat or mat opening.
4. Cut the corners first. Place the knife on the mat board with the point of the knife exactly aligned with the top corner of the mat and press hard, straight down, to pierce the board. Turn the work and repeat on the second side of the corner. Creating these "L" shapes at each corner will insure perfect corners in your finished mat. These corner cuts in the board will also be starting and stopping points for your side cuts.
   
5. To cut the mat sides, repeat the steps described above. Always cut away from the important part. In this case have your ruler on the mat side and cut toward the center. Use three light cuts to get through the board. Don't attempt to tug or pull the center away. Keep cutting light strokes with the ruler until the center comes away and drops out.
6. Use sandpaper on rough spots. Sand in one direction inward from outside, or good side of your mat. Don't try to rub, tear or pull any imperfections. Use slow and methodical strokes of sandpaper or emery board.
   
7. Erase all pencil lines. Use a pink eraser, an art gum or kneaded eraser. The "pebbled" surface of the mat board makes erasures invisible.
   

EditCreating a Hinged Matt

1. Cut a piece of cardboard to serve as backing. This can be lighter weight and cheaper cardboard or a piece of foam core board. Make it slightly smaller than the mat's outside dimensions. Align the top edge of the backing with that of the mat and tape the two edges with a continuous strip of tape to form a hinge at the top.
   
2. Fold the mat and backing closed and tape from side to side on the outside to reinforce the hinge.
   
3. Place your art on the backing. Check to see it is aligned perfectly by closing the mat. Open again, and tape the art at intervals with two inch pieces of tape. Strive for neatness and cut, rather than tear these small pieces of tape.
   
4. Set the matted piece into the frame and check to see that there is nothing between the glass and the art, such as eraser crumbs, lint or fuzz.  Erase again, because new pencil marks will show up now. Check to see if you have signed your work and that the signature is showing. If you cleaned the glass, be sure it is completely dry before closing up the matted art in the frame.
   

EditTips

• Decide whether you want to work with archival materials, boards, tape, etc. Those materials are expensive and if longevity isn't an issue, use ordinary materials; boards, backing board, and masking tape. It takes quite a few years for the supplies to turn yellow and protecting your art from light and sunshine will prolong its life.
• Start with white or off white "pebbled" or slightly textured mat board. When you are comfortable cutting mats, graduate to other types of board.
• Mat board is made with only a thin sheet of paper covering the cardboard so there is little room for error. Colored mats require a sure hand in cutting, so develop your skills before graduating to colored or slick surfaced board.
• Get a new utility knife, if necessary, or at least new blades for an old knife. Be sure it is secure when opened and the blade is exposed. There should be no wobble where the blade extends from the knife's handle.
• When you reverse the blade to the sharp end, put an "X" in indelible marker on the end of the blade that is used and dull.
• Look to see if the backing cardboard of the frame has a hanger. If so, be sure to get the backing aligned correctly, hanger at the top.

EditWarnings

• Working with sharp blades it is necessary to remain focused on your task. Keep the hand holding the ruler well back from the edge you will be cutting.
• Keep all mat making materials away from children.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Cut Styrofoam
• Cut a Picture Mat
• Mat Photos
• Make a Mat Board Cutter
• Frame a Print
• Cut Quilt Strips
• Make Placemats by Weaving Paper Strips
• Frame a Canvas
• Make a Picture Frame
• Make a Fabric Picture Frame

How to Get Orchids to Bloom

Orchids are exotic plants that create beautiful blooms. The Phalaenopsis orchid, also known as the moth orchid, is the most popular variety, but there are many different species of orchid. With the right care, most orchids bloom at least once per year. Every orchid species has slightly different needs in order to thrive and bloom, but the variables are all the same – light, temperature, water, potting material, and humidity. By adjusting the environment for your particular species of orchid and providing a few seasonal triggers, you can get your plants to bloom.

EditSteps

EditProviding the Right Growth Environment

1. Make sure the light intensity is correct for the species. There are many species of orchids, but moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) are the most common and easiest species to grow.^[1] This is the kind that is sold in most florist shops and nurseries. Placing them on a sunny windowsill will usually make them happy. They like bright light, but not direct sun.^[2]
   
   • Some of the less common orchid varieties have different needs for light exposure. For instance, lady’s-slippers (Paphiopedilums) and Miltonias dislike direct light. A north facing window is a great spot for these orchid types.
   • Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Oncidiums and cymbidiums, on the other hand, need a lot of sun exposure to thrive. A south or west-facing window is better for these species.^[3]
2. Provide the right amount of water. The Phalaenopsis orchid likes to be watered once per week during its resting period (when it experiences no growth or blooms) and twice per week during active growth. It prefers to be kept dry between waterings. This means you should only water it when the potting material (which is usually a free-draining blend of fir bark) appears dry, or else the orchid could die.^[4] If the bark looks damp, it’s too soon.
   
   • Water your orchid early in the morning.^[5]
   • Most indoor orchids should be watered every 5 to 12 days, depending on the species and season:^[6]
     • Vanda and Ascocenda have the same watering needs as the Phalaenopsis orchid.
     • Paphiopedilum, Miltonia, Cymbidium and Odontoglossum varieties like to be kept evenly moist at all times.
     • Cattleya, Oncidium, Brassia and Dendrobium varieties like to be kept evenly moist during periods of active growth. At all other times, they prefer to be kept dry between waterings.
3. Maintain a humid environment. Most orchids are tropical plants, so they prefer a humidity level that they probably aren’t getting in the average living room.^[7] During the winter, a 30 percent humidity level is average for a home. The Phalaenopsis orchid likes 40 to 70 percent humidity.^[8] Most other orchids prefer 60 to 80 percent humidity. By adjusting the humidity for them, all orchid species will grow a little better. If you group your plants together in one growing area, this will create humidity.
   
   • Consider getting a humidifier for the winter months. You can also buy special trays at most nurseries that can help you create humidity around the orchid.
   • You can also try keeping your orchid in your bathroom. It will love the humidity. Make sure it's on a windowsill that gets plenty of light, but not direct sunlight.^[9]

EditTriggering Blooms

1. Consider using full-spectrum lights. When an orchid refuses to bloom, the reason is usually because it isn't getting enough light. If you are unable to provide the right amount of natural light for your orchid, look into setting up full-spectrum lights indoors. You can purchase these lighting systems at nurseries or order them online.^[10]
   
   • There are sizes and shapes available to fit any space in your home.
   • You can adjust the lighting to meet the needs of your particular orchid species.
2. Use a fertilizer formulated for orchids. Feeding an orchid the right fertilizers can stimulate it to grow faster and bloom sooner.^[11] Look for orchid food that contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). It should also include trace elements like iron. Always read and follow the instructions of your orchid food carefully. Orchids should be watered thoroughly before fertilizing them.^[12]
   
   • Some types of orchid food are granulated or dry. You must dissolve this kind of fertilizer in water before using.
   • Dry orchid food is highly concentrated. Never use it directly on the plant. Once the granulated orchid food has been dissolved in water, pour it directly on the plant.
3. Fertilize your orchid once per month during the active growing season. The active growing season for orchids is approximately March through November. Don’t fertilize from mid-December until mid-February. If you fertilize it less than that, its growth may become stunted and blooms won’t appear. If you fertilize it more frequently than that, you risk burning the roots and leaves of the plant. Burning an orchid’s roots with fertilizer will also prevent blooms from appearing.^[13]
   
   • Read the instructions for your particular orchid food carefully, since they may vary slightly from product to product.
   • Make sure you fertilize just after the flowers fade to stimulate additional blooms. Fertilize again when new leaves or shoots appear and begin growing.
4. Drop the temperature by 10 degrees at night. Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) are temperature sensitive. In nature, their blooms are triggered when fall arrives and the temperatures drop at night.^[14] If an orchid doesn’t experience a period of cooler nights, even an indoor orchid, it may refuse to make buds or bloom. If your orchid is sitting in a window, it’s probably experiencing natural temperature drops coming from outside to some extent. However, this may not be enough to trigger blooms. Before you go to bed each night, turn your thermostat down by 10 degrees.^[15]
   
   • One to two weeks of nightly temperature drops will usually trigger an orchid to bloom, as long as it’s the right time of their growth cycle.
   • For Phalaenopsis orchids, provide night temperatures of 60°F (15.5°C) and day temperatures of 80°F (25°C).

EditDiagnosing Your Orchid

1. Pay attention to the season. Each species of orchid has a growth season – a time of the year when it will naturally bloom. If it currently isn’t the orchid’s growth season, it isn’t going to bloom. Most orchids, including the Phalaenopsis orchid, will experience the growth of new leaves during the summer months. Spikes and flower buds will appear in late fall and soon after it will bloom. It will continue to bloom until spring. The blooming season usually ends around mid-February.^[16]
   
   • The Phalaenopsis orchid usually blooms once every year. The blooms can last for several months.
   • When the flowers fall off, a few more flowers might bloom from the same spike, but not always.
2. Check the leaf color. If an orchid isn’t blooming, the reason is almost always because it’s not getting enough light. One of the best ways to figure out if your orchid is getting enough light is to check its leaf color. A healthy orchid getting the right amount of sun exposure will have bright green leaves. If the leaves are dark green, your orchid isn’t getting enough light. Move it to a brighter spot, like a south-facing window. If the leaves are reddish-green, the orchid is getting too much light. Move it to a less sunny spot, like an east or north-facing window.^[17]
   
   • You will probably need to filter the light with a shade or curtain if you put a Phalaenopsis in a south-facing window. Moth orchids like a lot of light, but not direct light.^[18]
3. Check the stems and leaves for signs of dehydration. If the stems and leaves appear wilted or shriveled, your orchid needs more water. You will always need to water more frequently when the orchid is actively blooming.^[19] During the resting period (when there are no blooms), water your orchid about once per week. During the active blooming phase, water it twice per week.
   
   • Increase watering when you see new shoots and roots appear on your orchid.
   • Too much water can kill an orchid quickly. Never allow your orchid to sit in a soggy, water-logged pot.^[20]
4. Evaluate the potting material. Most orchids, including Phalaenopsis, do not grow in regular soil. They need a growing medium that provides fast water drainage and good air circulation. A free-draining blend of fir bark (sometimes referred as fir bark nuggets) is the most popular potting material for moth orchids. If you can’t identify your plant’s current growing medium, re-pot it in fir bark.^[21]
   
   • Without adequate air circulation and drainage provided by an appropriate potting material, an orchid will suffocate and die.
   • Most orchids will also grow in peat moss, dried fern roots, sphagnum moss, rock wool, perlite, cork nuggets, stones, coconut fiber, lava rock or a blend that combines several of these materials.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Grow Orchids Outside
• Grow Orchids in a Greenhouse
• Care for an Orchid Indoors
• Repot an Orchid

EditSources and Citations

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