Plastic Surgery Blog

As the amount of cosmetic surgeries being performed yearly continues to rise and more Americans go under the knife for lipo, facial surgery and breast augmentation, the country seems to be delving deeper into an age of pure vanity. To top off the “must look perfect at all times” phase that is the current trend in the U.S., is our ever growing fascination with being tan.
It was hoped that with all the research revolving around how bad tanning can be on your skin and the risks that come along with getting that desired glow, people would be thinking twice and be more cautious before surrendering their bodies to the UV rays. However, lately the opposite seems to be happening and more men and women are hitting the beach and the tanning salons to get that golden look.

TV Ad Claims Tanning is Safe
A TV ad that is set to start airing in the upcoming summer months, reportedly claims that tanning can actually be beneficial and good for people.
The group sponsoring this ad backs their claims up with the known fact that vitamin D, which the body gets from the sun, is essential to our overall health.
According to Sarah Longwell, from the Indoor Tanning Association, studies against tanning are supported by “junk science” and tanning is completely safe.
“More and more it’s becoming just what the doctor ordered,” says Longwell.
Then how do we account for the numerous cases of skin cancer that have arisen in patients who spent too much time in the sun? Are all scientists, researchers and medical experts lying to us, for whatever reason, because they don’t want us to be enjoying some nice weather or looking slightly darker than normal from time to time? Highly doubtful.

Campaign Proves to be Controversial 
Many dermatologists and researchers believe that the advertisement is only going to be harmful to consumers and increase their risk for developing various skin complications and even cancers related to sun exposure.
These health experts want to remind the American people that although the body does need vitamin D, this is available to them through various foods and drinks.
Which is why there’s no real point, whether some “tanning associations” are trying to promote burning your skin or not, to test the findings of experts in the medical field and risk your own health for that “perfected” look.
A healthy alternative to frying your skin? There are numerous tanning products currently on the market that work wonders and spray tan has proven to be just as successful in appearance as the real deal.

Bookmark to:
          

New reports show that although African Americans have skin that appears more youthful long term, they are typically the first race to show any real signs of aging.
According to research, facial aging appears in the outer corner of an African Americans eyes before it does in the eyes of Caucasians and Asians.
The Difference of an Eye
Researchers have attributed the reasoning behind the early signs of aging to the fact that African Americans tend to require more attention to their eyes because of their ethnic characteristics.
“African Americans have a slight slant to their eyes, much like Asians do but not as pronounced,” says Julius Few, who is the co-author of the study conducted on the subject.
Few also says that, “During aging, we found not only do the outer corners of the eyes of African Americans droop lower that Caucasians, they also droop sooner.”
Study Conducted
In the study led by Few, the median eye slant for African American women age 45 years or younger was approximately three degrees.
The number reportedly decreased to one degree for those over the age of 45 years old.
The study also showed that the median eye slant in Caucasian women who were 45 years old or younger was 1.3 degrees and decreased to nearly zero for those above the age of 45.

Bookmark to:
          

Plastic surgery has been on the rise in the past decade and surgeons are only anticipating the numbers of procedures being performed to increase in the future.

As is expected the top most requested surgeries include breast augmentation and liposuction.

Although stereotypically women are the sole seekers of cosmetic surgery, new reports are showing that more men are opting to go under the knife then ever.

Women Are Still the Majority

According to recent reports, about 91 percent of women are perfecting themselves with the help of a surgeon and are getting everything from Botox to liposuction.

Men Putting Their Best Face Forward

The American Society for Plastic Surgery recently reported that more than one million men received surgical or nonsurgical treatments in last year alone.

This statistic supposedly shows a 17 percent increase from 2006.

The ASPS also claims that men typically go for Botox when they’re opting to make some physical upgrades.

Bookmark to:
          

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.”

Bookmark to:
          

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.

Bookmark to: