Hand Lifts and Other New Cosmetic Surgery Trends

The “hand lift” might be the hottest new trend in plastic surgery, and if so, you can blame it on selfies! Some camera-conscious women are getting Juvederm injections to smooth out their hands to show off close-ups of their engagement rings. For a temporary fix to plump up or smooth out their skin, or disguise surface veins, they are willing to fork over up to $1,300 for this 5-10 minutes procedure. But hand lifts are hardly the strangest new cosmetic surgery procedure on the menu. Here are seven other plastic surgery trends that might just leave your jaw agape.

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Beauty and Anti-Aging Tip – Wrinkles and Face Lifts – Do They Work Together

If you see a woman with a road map of wrinkles on her face, do you instantly think: “She’d look so pretty if only she’d get a facelift.” Well,maybe a facelift isn’t the best solution . . . unless of course, you admire that wind tunnel look!

In this video, noted plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Kotler, explains why, and tells what might be a better solution.

Watch it here.

 

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ANTI-AGING WITH NEW DERMAL FILLER

 Juvederm’s  new dermal filler is getting raves from patients and surgeons alike. It’s thicker constancy is said to get better, more long lasting results. Is the result the same as a facelift? Not on your life. It’s not as long lasting, nor is the result as dramatic. But if you are surgery adverse, it might just be enough. 

Check out this video @http://www.realself.com/question/does-voluma-cost

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Addendum:

Cosmetic Surgery consultant, Denise Thomas, just sent me her thoughts on the dermal filler, Belotero. Since I have never tried any of these fillers, I was interested in her experience.

“I am going to share my experience with you after trying, Belotero, as a filler.
Juvederm has been my favorite, but noticing many good reviews on Belotero, I tried it.
To my dismay, after three months the line between my brows has returned. Also, my sister immediately noticed a very slight puff in that area plus a slight darkness.
This is not to say others have not be pleased. I will stick to Juvederm, Belotero is less expensive, but not for me.”

 

SIX SECRETS TO GORGEOUS SKIN – Some Basic Skin Care Solutions from Web MD

A team of experts analyzed photographs of the faces of 186 pairs of identical twins, taken at the Twins Day Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. The twins had also filled out detailed questionnaires about their lives and daily habits. Those who smoked and spent lots of time outdoors without wearing sunscreen looked years older than the twin who avoided those habits.  They had more fine lines, more and deeper wrinkles, and more mottled skin.

 

The results of this study should be no surprise! We have heard it over and over again. So secrets number one and two are wake-up reminders:

 

NUMBER ONE: NO SMOKING

Do not smoke — for the sake of your overall health as well as your appearance.

 

 NUMBER TWO: SUNSCREEN

• Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of 30 or higher, even on cloudy days.

• Reapply your sunscreen every two to three hours you’re outdoors.  

 NUMBER THREE: RETINOIDS

Consider the use of Retinoids. Retinoids are sold by prescription only under names that include Renova, Retin-A, and in its generic form, Tretinoin.

Retinoids unplug pores, help clear up acne, reduce fine lines, boost collagen production, lighten brown spots and freckles, and improve skin texture. They can even help treat precancerous lesions. The downside to Retinoids is that they can cause dryness, flaking, and redness at first. So start out slowly by applying a pea-sized amount of retinoid every second or third night until your skin adjusts to it. If your skin continues to overreact, Web MD suggests trying an over-the-counter cream, gel, or serum containing retinol. Although the non-prescriptive version works more gradually and gently, it is still effective in rejuvenating your skin.

NUMBER FOUR: SIMPLIFY

Noted dermatologist, Dr. Vic Narurkar, introduced me to the KISS philosophy (Keep it Simple Stupid) when writing his chapter in my book, Tick Tock, Stop the Clock ~ Getting Pretty on Your Lunch Hour. WebMD reiterates the importance of sticking to a simple routine in its current article. Not only can using a lot of different ingredients be irritating to the skin, some ingredients actually cancel out the benefits of others.

• Examples they provide include, the acid in salicylic or glycolic acid breaks down ingredients like retinol, hydroquinone or vitamin C. The products we need for beautiful skin are a simple cleanser, sunscreen, moisturizer, and a retinoid or retinol.

The simpler your skincare regimen, the more likely you are to stick with it.

NUMBER FIVE: PATIENCE

Give your products a chance to work. Finish the entire tube or bottle of a skincare product before evaluating its effectiveness. Changing your products every couple of weeks can actually be counterproductive.  But if your skin reacts to a new product with swelling, redness, or burning, stop using it immediately.

You might, however consider adjusting your beauty regimen seasonally. For example, your skin might do better with an oil-free moisturizer in the summer and a more emollient one during the winter when frigid temperatures and indoor heating can rob moisture from your skin.

NUMBER SIX: LIVE HEALTHY

Practice healthy daily habits in your diet and exercise regime. 

Healthy habits include regular exercise and at least seven hours of sleep each night.

A healthy diet is rich in fruits (especially berries), vegetables (especially spinach, raw veggies and salads), oily fish as salmon, and plenty of water throughout the day. 

 

Now if you’ve already “been there done that”,  and want to step up to the next level in minimally invasive professional treatments, read my article, “How Cosmetic Dermatology Can Enhance the Appearance of Your Skin” .

Enjoy the read and please let me know 

 

Ageless Beauty Through DermaSculpt

After reading a bit about DermaSculpt, but not understanding the difference between dermal filler injections and those administered through a cannula, I watched this video for a little education. I’d love to hear from other plastic surgeons, derms and patients about their experiences with this technique.http://dermasculpt.net/demonstration_videos/Dr_Karimi

From what I gather, DermaSculpt is a new technique for injecting cosmetic facial fillers using a blunt tip rather than hypodermic needles.  According to the surrounding chatter on this technique, it provides excellent results using the same facial fillers and autologous fats through microcannulas of various sizes.

What are the advantages? Again, I have no first hand experience with dermal fillers, but from what I read, there is less discomfort and bruising than  with needle injections, less risk of trauma to nerves and injury to blood vessels.  You can see in this video how, without removing the cannula, it can be guided quite precisely while under the skin to treat multiple areas of the face. One insertion can treat a much wider area.

I am told that after the procedure, normal activity can be resumed very quickly and that there is virtually no bruising or swelling.

Now I’ll bet my readers would like to hear from other plastic surgeons, dermatologists and patients with personal experience with this procedure.

AGELESS BEAUTY THROUGH LIP AUGMENTATION by Lois W. Stern

Unhappy with the shape of your lips? Do your lips seem to lose volume as you age? Like many other parts of the body, lips lose their smooth, full appearance as we get older. Natural substances in our bodies decrease with age, causing our skin to sag, dry, wrinkle, and crease. The lips are no exception, but they can be especially bothersome because they are such a prominent feature on the face.

Well, modern science might have just the solution for you, and it doesn’t require surgery or anesthesia. It’s lip augmentation to the rescue, a cosmetic procedure that can give you fuller, plumper lips.

Whereas years past, Collagen and fat injections were the most commonly used dermal fillers, they are used less often today because the newer options are both safer and offer longer  lasting results. There are many types of dermal fillers that can be injected in your lips and around your mouth. But the most common fillers today are products that contain hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in the body. There are several hyaluronic acid fillers on the market today including various forms of Juvederm, Restylane and Perlane. These products all are injected the same way and give you similar results. Each product also contains lidocain, a local anesthetic that renders the procedure nearly painless.

Once injected, the gel in the filler supports and shapes the tissues of the lips. The  physician has control over the amount of lip volume, and for the patient who prefers to see a gradual change, injections can be given during a series of appointments until the desired results are achieved. The effects typically last around six months to a year. After that more injections are needed to keep the volume of your lips.

Are there any downsides to these hyaluronic acids? Actually very few.  Occasionally, movement of the lips creates lumps, but these can easily be dissolved. Allergic reactions are unlikely because hyaluronic acid fillers are replicated from substances similar to those found in the body. Of course these dermal fillers come at a price and as a cosmetic procedure, will not be covered by your medical insurance.

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Which Is Better for Skin Tightening – Ulthera or Thermage?

I recently saw this question posted on Dr. Rod Rohrich’s Facebook page, which in turn linked me to a RealSelf posting of opinions provided by other noted plastic surgeons.

Although Thermage wins kudos for being on the forefront for non-invasive skin tightening devices, most of the plastic surgeons who weighed in on this topic voted Ulthera as their preferred choice for face and neck skin tightening. Here are a few of their expressed opinions:

Although none of the noninvasive technologies will give the same results as surgery, they do provide a subtle, yet noticeable improvement without much downtime or cost. Ulthera is my choice for skin tightening in the face and neck, since I have seen a definite improvement in the face and neck of the the patients…

Angela Sturm, MD

Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon

 “I have followed both technologies since their inception, Thermage for about the last 10 to 12 years, and Ultherapy by Ulthera for the past 2 years.  Based on the science behind them and the patient satisfaction results, Ultherapy by Ulthera is a superior treatment.”

Rian Maercks, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon

And finally, the statement that to me is most significant of all.

“Keep in mind these are only tools and by themselves are neither good nor bad.  A scalpel is neither good nor bad but can be used to perform beautiful surgery or make a terrible mess.  That being said, these devices are commonly used by practitioners with no formal training in plastic and reconstructive surgery and thus no understanding of what interventions, forces structures …”

 Michael A. Persky, MD

You’ll find informative articles on most every non-invasive and minimally invasive cosmetic procedure at http://www.ticktockstoptheclock.com.

Click on book cover to enter. 

DARK UNDER EYE CIRCLES

Dr. Joseph Rucker recently posted an interesting article about causes and cures for dark undereye circles,  explaining the multiple factors that can be responsible, including  heredity, hormone levels, sun exposure, stress, aging, a lack of sleep, and allergies. However, contrary to what you may think, dark circles cannot be remedied by  skin lighteners because the darkness is not caused by skin discoloration, but rather a shadowing of the skin.

To minimize the appearance of darkness around the eyes, he suggest the following methods:

1. Using powerful peptides such as Enza Essential’s Eyebright Eye Gelee will cool and sooth the appearance of puffy bags while increasing cell turnover, leaving you with a more youthful, brighter appearance.
2. Dermal fillers can be used in order to plump the area around and under your eyes which reduces the intensity of shadowing.
3. Wearing sunscreen, particularly an SPF 30 or greater, will help to minimize unprotected sun exposure and the effects of aging from the sun.
4. Applying ice or cucumbers directly on the dark circles at nighttime will soothe and minimize the dark circles caused by puffiness.
5. Lastly, Dr. Rucker suggests certain energy driven radiofrequency treatments to the dermal tissue  to help tighten and brighten your face while also increasing collagen production that will work against the skin’s natural aging process.

His advice: “Although there is no way to completely prevent dark circles from appearing, there are multiple ways to reduce the shadowing.”

Read his full article.

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WOULD YOU FEEL LIKE A DIFFERENT PERSON AFTER COSMETIC SURGERY?

Sure, cosmetic surgery will change the way you look. But did you ever wonder how some of those procedures might  change the way you FEEL? In less than 2 minutes, my book trailer tells it all.  Guaranteed to put a smile on your face for the rest of the day! Isn’t that worth 2 minutes of your time? Go ahead, click to watch it now.

Vibrant Nation recently polled a group of women ages 50 and over to learn their views on the 12 cosmetic procedures worth having. Read what these savvy women have to say about their own experiences. 

Beauty Within

                Beauty Without . . .

                               What’s Your Passion?

Explore the Many Dimensions of Beauty 

Lois W. Stern

BOTOX CAUSES BRAIN DAMAGE, SCIENCE OR HOGWASH? – PART 2

Last year, 4,329,180 aesthetic BOTOX® treatments were administered to women in the United States to relax their forehead frown lines. The side effects to these treatments have been minimal to non-existent. Slight bruising or swelling at the injection site, if any, has been found to resolve within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Occasionally, an eye has temporarily drooped after forehead injections, but also resolves within a period of a week or two. But there have been no reports of any effects on the central nervous system. And as far as risk of death from Botox Cosmetic, the FDA confirmed that: There has never been a reported death where a causal link to BOTOX® (Botox Cosmetic) was established. But new fears about BOTOX® surfaced shortly after an Italian study reported in the Journal of Neuroscience revealed that when botulinum toxin, type A (the active ingredient in Botox), was injected into one side of adult rats’ brains, minute particles of protein in the toxin were found in the other side of the brain. The media went wild with headlines such as: Botox Causes Brain Damage.

Speak about false alarms and taking things out of context. If you are anything like me, the details will blow your mind! If you are interested in giving yourself a better education on this topic, I’ve done the hard work for you. Here’s the link to my article on Botox and Safety and many more.

Beauty Within

                Beauty Without . . .

                               What’s Your Passion?

Click to Explore the Many Dimensions of Beauty 

Lois W. Stern