Plastic Surgery Blog

In an episode of the plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck, a man brings his show dog to McNamara/Troy for some cosmetic tweaking. The doctors declined to perform plastic surgery on a dog, and the job was taken up by a less scrupulous surgeon. I remember wondering if the show was mocking the industry or if plastic surgery for pets was real. Apparently, it is.

The demand for pet plastic surgery is particularly high in Brazil, where one veterinarian has been performing aesthetic procedures on man’s best friend for 15 years. The Sao Paolo vet extols the benefits of plastic surgery for pets—from Botox for Shar-Peis to mammary gland tucks on post-pregnancy show dogs.

And despite prohibitions from the American Kennel Club (the organization that sets the guidelines for breeds on the show-dog circuit), not to mention objections from breeders and animal rights activists, pet cosmetic surgery continues to gain popularity in the United States.

I have to ask why? Is it really important to have attractive pets?

The Brazilian doctor argues that the more attractive the pet is, the better the owner-pet relationship. This, to me, seems absurd. We love our pets because they provide us with unconditional love and companionship. Not because they’re pretty. Or because they can win a show.

I’m not saying that aesthetic enhancement can’t be a good thing. In fact, I think it very much can be. But only for people who are capable of making their own decisions.

Technorati Tags: pet plastic surgery, nip tuck

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Do breast implants enhance self-esteem…and sexuality? What’s the most sought after cosmetic procedure in the United States? What are some of the latest skin tightening technologies? To find out the answers to these and other questions, check out these latest plastic surgery news stories!

11.5 MILLION COSMETIC PROCEDURES IN 2006
Nearly 11.5 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2006, according to statistics released today by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Compared to 2005, cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical increased 1 percent. The Aesthetic Society, which has been collecting multi-specialty procedural statistics since 1997 says the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased 446 percent since the collection of the statistics first began.

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Better Measurements, Better Results After Facial Reconstruction
A simple new measurement technique could improve outcomes after facial reconstruction surgery, researchers report.The calibration method measures the distance between the top of the external ear canal (porion) and the most prominent point on the chin (pogonion) on patient photographs. This calibration helps facial plastic surgeons use computer imaging software to achieve good results, concluded a U.S. study in the March/April issue of the journal Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.

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The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Releases Report on Tissue Tightening Technologies
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) has released a report on tissue tightening technologies. Tissue tightening is a non-invasive procedure meant to tighten and/or lift lax, sagging or wrinkled skin on the face and neck.

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Study: Breast Enhancement Boosts Self-Esteem, Sexuality
Breast augmentation is one of the most sought after cosmetic procedures in America. Since 2000, the number of procedures performed has jumped 476 percent, with more than 300,000 women undergoing augmentation procedures every year. These numbers raise a pertinent question: Is bigger really better?

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Technorati Tags: breast enhancement, facial reconstruction, cosmetic procedures, dermatology

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Do you ever wonder about the future of cosmetic surgery? For instance, what will surgical procedures be like 10 years from now? Will new procedures be available? And what about wrinkle-reducing and other age-defying cosmetic products? What will the Botox of the future be?

No one really knows what the future holds. But we do have some ideas. The following are just a few:

Botox for better healing—Recent research has shown that Botox, when injected immediately after a wound occurs, encourages better healing and helps to reduce scarring.

Skin rejuvenating lamps—In the mid-1980s, the Paterson Lamp was developed to treat non-melanoma skin cancers. However, scientists discovered an unlikely side effect of the lamp—smoother skin around the areas of treatment.

Self-tanning cream that prevents skin cancer—Researchers have recently discovered a self-tanning cream that works in much the same way as natural sunlight but without the sun’s damaging effects. The research suggests that the cream induces lighter skin to take on properties of darker skin, which is less prone to sun damage and skin cancer.

The bottom line: The future of beauty is closer than you may think, so keep your eye out for these and other cosmetic developments!

Technorati Tags: botox, tanning cream

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It’s hard to quantify beauty, but that’s precisely what a pair of Australian scientists has done with a new computer program designed to rank a woman’s face on a scale of one to 10. This isn’t the first software devised to measure beauty, but it is the first that attempts to accurately rate it—within a 1.5-point margin of error.

The scientists say the technology has cosmetic applications and can be used to help patients determine whether or not surgery could make them more beautiful. Even so, is beauty something that should be numerically measured?

To compute a woman’s beauty (and why shouldn’t men be judged on appearances too?), the software analyzes facial measurements and proportions and then compares them to images in its database of more than 200 actresses, models, and other “attractive” women around the world.

So essentially, a woman submits her photo and the program spits out a number somewhere between one and 10—but only after measuring her against the beauty elite. The whole process strikes me as strange. Not to mention completely impersonal and superfluous.

Plastic surgeons are, in a sense, artists. Part of their skill is to be able to look at a face and see proportion or lack thereof. Do skilled surgeons really need a software program to tell them where a woman can use a little nip or tuck?

Even more, do women really need this? Don’t we all already have some idea of how attractive we are…or aren’t? Is a number really necessary? As a woman, I know I prefer something a little more personal. I’ll take a compliment over a number any day.

Technorati Tags: perfect 10, cosmetic software

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This is perhaps one of the most important questions you can ask yourself before choosing to undergo plastic surgery. Unfortunately, it’s a question often overlooked, and in some cases, just completely ignored.

While certainly not true of everyone who opts for cosmetic surgery, some people choose to go under the knife for all the wrong reasons—to please a significant other, because they think it will change who they are or the circumstances of their lives, because it’s trendy, etc.

However, cosmetic surgery is not something that should be taken lightly. If you’re considering a cosmetic procedure, you should take a good look at your motivations first. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to determine if you’re really ready for plastic surgery:

• Why am I choosing to change my appearance? Am I doing it for myself or because I feel pressure from someone else?
• What are my expectations? Are they realistic? Do I understand that plastic surgery will not change who I am or the circumstances of my life?
• Am I ready to accept the risks associated with the procedure? Do I understand that the results are permanent and no results are guaranteed?
• Am I in good physical and emotional health?
• Can I afford the surgery? Including the costs associated with recovery time?

Remember: When it comes to plastic surgery, be honest with yourself and your motivations.

Technorati Tags: cosmetic surgery, cosmetic surgery costs, cosmetic surgery risks

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