Number of Plastic Surgeries Rise Again for the Second Straight Year despite Difficult Times

Interest in plastic surgery has remained strong, both in our practice and nationally, as recently reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, of which we are proud members. We are fortunate that 2011 was a pretty good year because individuals, out and about in the workplace and job market, understood the importance of looking good to stay in the game.

Plastic surgery procedures, such as breast augmentation and tummy tuck, have always and continue to enjoy a strong demand. Facelift has jumped ahead, possibly because of the pressure on those 50 somethings to prepare for the ever increasing retirement age. Among men, we have seen significant interest in lid rejuvenation, as no one wants to look tired at the office and on the go.

The biggest surprise has been in the surge in nonsurgical treatments. Overall, a big winner has been Botox Cosmetic. Facial fillers, too, – Juvederm being one of our favorites – have also increased in popularity. Injectable fillers remove frown and laugh lines, and are used also for lip enhancement. We aren’t referring to the Hollywood look, just enough fill to smooth out facial lines and plump lips enough to give back a fullness of health and youth.

As spring season approaches, we are ready to shed the winter skin, and peels, photo facial laser, and microdermabrasion are very effective on the dry non-tanned skin of the winter season. And don’t forget about laser hair removal! We hope 2012 is even better for all, and we look forward to helping get you ready for it.

Botox versus Dysport, New Results are in Comparing which Works Best.

Botox has been a standard in our practice for the control of frown lines or ‘eleven’s’, softening crow’s feet by the corner of the eye, lip lines, and let’s not forget forehead lines that build up over time. We have had excellent results by mapping each treatment and have our followers in a consistent program with consistent results, now for at least ten years or more, for some of our patients. Our total experience goes back even further to the mid 1980’s before Botox Cosmetic came along, when we were first pioneering new ideas with the standard Botox preparations in order to control frown lines better than with a brow lift alone.

Now a new form of injectable botulinum toxin to control frown lines is available called Dysport and we frequently get calls as to which is better. Dysport is certainly newer on the scene, but is newer better? And how does it compare?

A January article in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal by Dr. Michaels at the University of Massachusetts has compared Botox and Dysport to answer these questions. In a very well designed study, patients were treated with Botox on one side of the face, and Dysport on the other in standard patterns. The dosage was adjusted as one unit of Botox is equivalent to 2.5 units of Dysport. The results have shown both are able to get measurable improvements, and both last the same length of time. In short, when used in the dosage and patterns described, the results were identical!

So there your have it, new, but not improved. And Botox has been a godsend to so many in our office who will just not kick the Botox habit. Even a special event such as a Wedding, can require Botox in the underarm to keep you cool and dry. We welcome Dysport, though Botox is here to stay!

Confusion about Liposuction is on the Rise.

The competitive world of medical technology is always trying to build the better tool for liposuction. We have reached a point in the medical arms race where there is confusion as to the ‘best’ way to perform liposuction or body shaping. Monthly, the list of various techniques seems to lengthen: traditional, tumescent, ultrasound, water, tickle, laser, vaser, smart, external ultrasound, radio-frequency. And, let’s not forget ‘non-surgical’ liposuction, like mesotherapy, and cool liposculpture. The list keeps growing. As they say, there must be fifty ways to lose your blubber. The claims of one system’s benefit over another’s are clouded in marketing hype and promotions. It seems that one system will drift off as interest wanes, only to be replaced by the “new and improved” next generation.

So what really is the best way to complete liposuction? Our practice focus is, and always will be, on the result. The procedure is matched to the individual’s needs with an emphasis on a safe and pleasant experience. It is not the tool, or the liposuction system, that gives dramatic body contouring and previously “unseen” superior results, as ads may claim. It is the skill and artistic ability of the surgeon that will give you an excellent result. Some systems may be easier in one instance or another, but skill and judgment trumps all of them. Michelangelo might have changed chisels over time, but we bet that the results have been the same no matter what he used.

With your liposuction, set your focus on the best result as we do, and worry less about the best tools to get you there.

Can your Breast Implants save your life?

After breast augmentation, there is a worry that breast implants might limit a very robust and physical life because of a concern that breast implants can rupture. Mammograms, perhaps, cause the first worry, followed by strenuous active adventures, such as scuba diving, and rock climbing. Even kick boxing will come up as a risk to breast implants. The facts are that implants are quite durable, and with all sports and activities, anything goes. Sport related injuries are bound to happen before your implants will develop problems.

Can you believe that your breast implants could save your life? We have heard stories of women who have believed that their breast implants have cushioned the blow in an auto accident and saved them from death and injury. We have recently heard in a report by a Florida television station that a woman was attacked by an assailant wielding a knife and was stabbed in the left chest. Her saline breast implant prevented the knife from piercing her chest, saving her life!

Let’s hope for all we drive safely, and stay out of harms way. After implants, you can count on a full and active life. Though maybe, just maybe, your breast implants might save the day for you as well.

Is Stem Cell Breast Reconstruction a Reality Today?

There is a virtual news storm on television and over the internet concerning stem cell reconstruction of the breast since an announcement by Suzanne Somers, a noted television personality, that she had chosen stem cell reconstruction of her breast after lumpectomy and radiation. The story has been covered by popular programs such as Dr. Oz, and CBS news which carried a story about the new way stem cells re-grow the breast. The internet now is blanketed with stories about stem cell breast reconstructions, and clinics have begun to advertise the merits of the technique.

We have known that fat grafting is gaining ground for facial rejuvenation, breast enhancement, and correcting dents and defects. We know also that abdominal fat does indeed carry stem cells, which are the ‘originators’ of all tissues. Teams of researchers have been investigating methods to separate and enhance the stem cells with growth factors to improve the results of grafting. Many of the publications have come from a team in Japan under Dr. Yoshimura who actually came to the U.S. to participate in Ms. Somers’ reconstruction, and there is ongoing work in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia to confirm and advance our medical knowledge.

Stem cell is the buzz phrase of today, and is extensively promoted in surgery and even in skin creams. So is stem cell enhanced breast reconstruction a reality today? Unfortunately, there is much hard work to be done before an FDA approved regimen is in clinical practice. We just don’t know enough about the process, the effect of growth factors, and risks. The FDA has a careful role to make certain that patients are not deceived, or at worst harmed. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons anticipated the explosive claims and promotion of stem cell therapy with a position statement which can be found on their website, which reinforces the fact that good science will lead to good medicine. In the meantime, structural fat grafting and replacement in the breast is now a taking shape and is supported by medical studies, and may be the basis of Ms. Somers’ fortunate result after all.

New Study Shows You Do Look Younger after Facelift!

We have always relied on face and neck lift as a foundation for facial rejuvenation. Facelift has been a very popular procedure in our practice for those who simply wish to look their best. How much improvement do patients enjoy from facelift procedures? A recent study quoted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has evaluated individuals, between the ages of 45 to 70, both before and after facelift. The panel was asked to judge the ages of the patients based on the photos from before their surgery, and candidates were estimated to be a year younger than they actually were. Generally speaking, people who want to look good, do look better than average. However, after face and neck lift, the panel estimated the patients’ ages to be 7 to 8 years younger than they actually were!

The study did uncover another interesting fact. When facelift is combined with eyelid rejuvenation the impression on the panelists was even greater. Multiple procedures lead to happiness and better results according to the study. None of the patients had included any skin care, or facial fat transfers, as is our standard of care, so who knows just how good the results might have been.

So the results are in; facial rejuvenation will not only make you look fresher, you can look younger by 7 years. Now that is something a cosmetic surgeon can be proud of. Not the fountain of youth, but a fountain of youthful looks and living a life worth having.