Plastic Surgery Blog

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, liposuction was amongst the top five procedures performed on Americans in 2006. Reports show that 403, 684 patients went under the knife within the year.

Although liposuction has proven to be a safe and efficient way to alter the body’s shape, there are noninvasive alternatives for those looking to nip and tuck without the surgery.

Noninvasive Body Shaping

For women who are opposed to surgery and injections, noninvasive procedures offer less risks and minimal downtime.

Statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) show that minimally invasive operations increased eight percent to more than 9.1 million procedures in 2006 alone.

Growing in Popularity

Body shaping procedures are reportedly among the fastest-growing operations and are expected to continue to grow at an annual rate of 17.6 percent to almost 32 million by 2010.

In 2005, 69 percent of these procedures were supposedly attributed to liposuction treatments; however, doctors claim that there is a growing desire for noninvasive options.

Thermage

Thermage has come to be a popular procedure for patients who want to improve their look without going under the knife.

Thermage is a noninvasive procedure that helps tighten and contour skin for a younger looking appearance.

“Many of our patients see a decrease in abdominal girth, reduction in surface irregularity and improvement in skin texture and tightening,” says Gordon H. Sasaki, director of the Sasaki Advanced Aesthetic Medical Center.

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Age is something that every one has to deal with at some point in life; however, according to some plastic surgeons, it’s how you deal with unwanted wrinkles that separate the average from the fabulous.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery claims that people between the ages of 35-50 had the most procedures in 2006. Reports show that in 2006 alone, 5.3 million people within this age rage went under the knife for some tucking and enhancing.

Faced with Wrinkles

As we get older it’s unavoidable that the soft tissues of the body will lose volume, a phenomenon that typically happens most in the face and can be exaggerated by weight loss.

Research has shown that once wrinkles have set in, the only way to replace the lost volume, which will restore your youthful appearance, is through a cosmetic procedure.

“As we age, there is a loss of volume under the tissues and dental support which causes sagging skin in the lower part of the face and wrinkles,” explains Dr. Arnold Klein, a world renowned cosmetic dermatologist.

Tips to Creating a More Youthful Appearance

According to Dr. Klein, the appearance of your face is all about restoration, not renovation.  He offers the following tips to his patients to help them achieve a more youthful glow:

·    Have realistic expectations of your surgeon- Some doctors can make false promises and it’s important to know that, although surgeons can create beneficial outcomes, they can’t create miracles
·    Do your research- Understanding the different procedures and picking the right surgeon is essential in having an overall positive outcome in your surgery
·    Never settle for permanence- Doctors suggest that patients should never allow anything permanent to be injected into their face because permanent injections can often cause permanent problems

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Maintaining healthy skin during the winter months can often be a difficult task, but skin-care expert Tracie Martyn says there are ways to look radiant and fabulous, even in the chilliest of weather.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 9,553,980 non-surgical procedures were conducted in 2006. Procedures such as chemical peels, botox, skin resurfacing and mesotherapy are all ways in which patients can maintain a healthy and younger looking glow throughout the holiday seasons.

The Importance of Exfoliation

Tracie Martyn, who helps top notch celebtrities like Madonna, Kate Winslet and Susan Sarandon keep their faces looking fresh, says that exfoliation is one of the most important things you can do for your skin.

During the winter months Martyn suggests that both men and women exfoliate more often, up to three times a week, to get rid of dead skin.

“I think people can make the mistake of buying very expensive, heavy creams, thinking their skin is dry, when really they just need to exfoliate,” explains Martyn.

Effective Exfoliating

Martyn says she prefers exfoliating products with fruit enzymes in them since they are gentler on the skin.

She also says that application techniques make all the difference when you’re trying to get your skin to look its best. When applying products she says upward strokes are the way to go.

The Importance of Sleep

Martyn also says that sleeping with a humidifier as soon as the weather starts to get colder can prevent the cold air from damaging skin long-term.

“As soon as you feel that really dry air happening, that’s when you need to use it,” explains Martyn. “I even recommend that my clients use one in their offices.”

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Up until now, Botox has been the only FDA approved antiwrinkle therapy and reportedly made more than $1 billion in sales world-wide last year. According to the American Society for Plastic Surgeons, Botox shots are the most-frequently performed cosmetic procedure and an estimated four million Americans received the injections in 2006 alone. However, a new antiwrinkle method is quickly sneaking its way into our cosmetic world and researchers say that the maker’s of Botox, Allergan Inc., should be prepared for their competition.

New Way to Fight Wrinkles

Reports claim that Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp., is getting ready to submit an application to the FDA to get their antiwrinkle product, Reloxin, approved. Doctors are estimating that it may be less than a year until Botox’s competition starts showing up in dermatologists’ offices.

Physicians are hoping that Reloxin will be better priced than Botox, whose price is continuing to rise.

“Many dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons are excited about the possibilities for a lower-priced form of botulinum toxin,” says Joel Schlessinger, a dermatologist in Nebraska.

As of now, patients are paying an estimated $500 for Botox injections, which reportedly last for about four months.

Reloxin Trial Conducted

At a recent dermatology meeting in Las Vegas, Dr. Schlessinger spoke about Reloxin to a trial of 300 patients who were assigned to receive either the drug or a placebo. The most common side effect the researchers found with Reloxin was headaches, which reportedly affected 11 percent of the patients.

“Botox is more of a household name than Restylane but, we’re in the middle of a vanity boom so all of the companies involved should win,” says David Steinberg, an analyst at Deutsche Bank AG.

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