Patient Safety: Check Your Doctor, Do Your Research

Most patients might know that to have surgery you should go to a board-certified surgeon, but with less invasive or nonsurgical procedures, they might be tempted to go elsewhere. In a study done last year, 47% of patients said they would have a more invasive procedure outside of a plastic surgeon’s office if their nonsurgical procedure went well. That means they could have an unlicensed individual injecting botox, fillers or doing even more extensive procedures like liposuction or fat transfer.

We’ve all seen the news – here are some important steps to take when selecting your surgeon:

1)     Check for credentials:

We’ve all seen the horror stories online from the women who went into a nail or hair salon and thought that it would be okay to get a buttock augmentation or injectable procedure done by an unlicensed individual. Completely fake doctors and injectors are out there, but so are non-core doctors who never learned how to properly inject or perform a procedure. Would you have a dentist do your heart surgery? Then, why have a dentist do your plastic surgery?

-        Woman's face infected, disfigured following medi-spa visit http://www.surgery.org/consumers/plastic-surgery-news-briefs/womans-face-infected-disfigured-medi-spa-visit-1038543

-        Med spas, spreading like wildfire in Florida, offer cosmetic procedures http://www.surgery.org/consumers/plastic-surgery-news-briefs/med-spas-spreading-wildfire-florida-offer-cosmetic-procedures-1037457

 

2)     Underground injections and Botox parties:

It may seem obvious not to go to someone’s home or hotel room to get a procedure done, but the individuals running these operations are convincing and they prey on vulnerable individuals who might not be able to afford procedures, nor have access to the internet or other resources and yet are desperate to improve their appearance. There are websites, phone numbers and organizations dedicated to checking on a person’s credentials. Don’t skimp on the research. 

-        Underground buttock injection leads to woman's death http://www.surgery.org/consumers/plastic-surgery-news-briefs/underground-buttock-injection-leads-womans-death-1038076

-        Backroom procedures not worth the risk [ASAPS Press Release] http://www.surgery.org/media/news-releases/patient-safety-alert-

 

                Project Beauty Videos: Related topics 

-        FOCUS ON PATIENT SAFETY: PT I - Importance of Board Certification http://www.projectbeauty.com/videos/watch/importance-of-board-certification/

-        FOCUS ON PATIENT SAFETY: PT II – Are Quick Fix Brand Surgeries Worth it? http://www.projectbeauty.com/videos/watch/are-quick-fix-brand-surgeries-worth-it/

-        FOCUS ON PATIENT SAFETY: PT III – How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon http://www.projectbeauty.com/videos/watch/how-to-choose-a-plastic-surgeon/

-        A word of warning: Do-it-yourself plastic surgery http://www.projectbeauty.com/videos/watch/a-word-of-warning/

Facing the Truth: How to Look Your Best!

A recent article just came out discussing whether or not face and neck exercises can help make you look younger. The answer: Probably not. If you run a Google search, many electronic and manual devices will come up, but none can conclusively help target facial muscles and rejuvenate your face.

While practicing healthy habits like eating a balanced diet and exercising will help you overall, here are some procedures that can keep you looking young without resorting to gimmicks and facial calisthenics.

1. Skin, Skin, Skin - taking care of your skin can go a long way.
 First step is having a good skincare regimen at home that consists of cleaning, moisturizing and exfoliating. Treatments like facials, microdermabrasion, laser and light skin resurfacing helps maintain and treat conditions like acne, rosacea, large pores, wrinkles and sunspots. For deeper wrinkles, sagging and loss of volume, you may seek out injectables like botulinum toxin, hylauronic acid and other fillers.

Not All Fat is Treated the Same -- Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

Most of us have at least one area that's going to annoy us forever. No matter how many calories you cut and miles you run, you cant get away from it. There's a bulge or a spillage of fat that stubbornly clings to your body like a parasite.

It's no wonder that liposuction is the number one cosmetic surgery in the country. It has become integral to a population increasingly more aware of getting healthy and looking that way. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), over 41,000 men had the procedure, which helped liposuction surpass breast augmentation from the number one spot in 2010 with over 325,000 procedures performed.  
                                 
Robert W. Kessler, MD, FACS - Liposuction

Robert W. Kessler, MD, FACS Liposuction Before & After

Facing the truth: How to look your best

 

A recent article just came out discussing whether or not face and neck exercises can help make you look younger. The answer: Probably not.  If you run a Google search, many electronic and manual devices will come up, but none can conclusively help target facial muscles and rejuvenate your face.
 
While practicing healthy habits like eating a balanced diet and exercising will help you overall, here are some procedures that can keep you looking young without resorting to gimmicks and facial calisthenics.

1. Skin, Skin, Skin - taking care of your skin can go a long way. First step is having a good skincare regimen at home that consists of cleaning, moisturizing and exfoliating. Treatments like facials, microdermabrasion, laser and light skin resurfacing helps maintain and treat conditions like acne, rosacea, large pores, wrinkles and sunspots. For deeper wrinkles, sagging and loss of volume, you may seek out injectables like botulinum toxin, hylauronic acid and other fillers.

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Are Breasts Getting Bigger?

The author of a new book about breasts says that the average breast size is getting bigger.
Florence Williams, who wrote "Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History," reports that the average cup size is now a C and that many lingerie stores routinely carry KK-sized bras.

According to ABC News, Williams decided to start extensively researching breasts after she volunteered for a breast milk study while nursing her daughter and discovered her milk contained toxic contaminants.

"I realized there was so much about breasts people don't know," she told the news provider.
One thing that can be agreed upon is that both men and women are often obsessed with breast size. This obsession has its roots in history, according to the author. Williams reports that substances including glass balls, ivory, wood chips, peanut oil, ox cartilage and paraffin were used in primitive breast implants starting in the early 1900s.

Today, there are two types of breast implants regularly used - silicone gel and saline - and breast augmentation surgery remains one of the most commonly-performed cosmetic surgical procedures. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), more than 316,000 women underwent the procedure in 2011.

Concerns over breastfeeding are common among women with or without breast implants. Health Day reports that only a third of women are able to successfully carry out 3 months or more of breast-feeding. Women with breast implants are able to breast feed, but a study last year indicated that a large percentage of the women who had trouble breast-feeding thought that it would cause their breasts to sag. While pregnancy does cause sagging, breast-feeding does not contribute to that condition.

Women who have concerns with oversized breasts often consider breast reduction surgery.
Large breasts can cause back, neck and shoulder pain, restricted movement, skin irritation and self-consciousness. A board-certified plastic surgeon could help determine if you need a breast reduction or any other type of breast surgery.

“Gummy Bears” and Silicone-Gel Breast Implants Safety and Practical Issues

 

Attempts to improve breast size and shape, dating back to the late 1880s and involving implant materials such as ivory, glass balls, ground rubber, ox cartilage and sponges, have come a long way. Recent statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) prove that enhanced breasts are no passing trend. From 2008 to 2010, breast augmentation was the most popular cosmetic surgery in the United States, although in 2011 liposuction led by a nose. If you have ideas about improving your own décolletage, you are in luck. The federal government spent more on breast cancer research in 2010 than on lung and prostate cancers combined according to the National Cancer Institute.
There's a lot to consider if you're thinking about getting breasts implants, including implant safety, size, feel and shape; your incisions; your downtime and recovery period; costs; surgical facility and how your augmentation will affect your family and social relationships. Now there's something else to think about. If you've been following the news recently, you've probably seen articles about “Gummy Bear” breast implants.