Can massage and special creams reduce those “orange peel” dimples on your buttocks and thighs? Not so much, according to the nearly 90 percent of women in the U.S. who suffer from cellulite. For most of these women cellulite is stubborn, resisting even the most vigorous and stringent exercise and weight loss programs. Eradicating cellulite seems to require a specialized treatment approach. The answer may be mesotherapy.

What It Is

One of the few treatments found effective in eliminating the appearance of cellulite, mesotherapy was established as a cellulite treatment in the U.S. in 1999 by Dr. Lionel Bissoon, a leading mesotherapy expert. Dr. Bissoon, who authored the book “The Cellulite Cure,” uses special formulas that are injected into the dimpled areas in specific patterns – all customized to suit the individual patient and different types of cellulite.

Dr. Bissoon evaluates and tests each patient in advance of treatment to ensure they won’t have allergic reactions to any of the formulas he uses. After studying the science of mesotherapy under top specialists in Paris, he developed even more advanced techniques and formulas to improve the scope and efficacy of the treatment. The current mesotherapy treatment available in the U.S. has been effective in treating even the most stubborn or pronounced cellulite.

How It Works

Mesotherapy treatments are given in a series of weekly or bi-monthly sessions. Each treatment session, involving a sequence of injections, runs approximately 45 minutes. The treatments are considered safe when performed by a licensed and appropriately-trained physician, and patients may resume their normal activities on the same day of treatment. Possible side effects include a burning sensation during and directly after treatment, mild to moderate soreness for several days and some bruising.

Who Is a Candidate?

Mesotherapy can be effective for patients aged 25 and older who have varying degrees of cellulite. Dr. Bissoon has found that mesotherapy works best on in the earliest stages of cellulite, and patients with more advanced stages, or cases, of cellulite will likely require more mesotherapy sessions. “Stage 1” cellulite is defined as being invisible when standing or lying down, but it becomes visible when the skin is pinched. “Stage 2” cellulite is defined as dimples that are visible when standing but not lying down, and “Stage 3” cellulite is defined as dimples that are visible when standing and lying down.

Click here to find a dermatology facility that can help you make those "orange peel" bumps disappear!

Unless you live under a rock with no access to a television, radio or computer, you have likely heard of liposuction – a procedure that is generally considered to be plastic surgery for the body. Cosmetic surgeons are now offering a range of body sculpting procedures that are referred to as “lipo.” Many of these procedures have made headline news, and may have you wondering…what exactly is liposuction?

What it Is

Liposuction is a surgery that removes pockets of excess fat from specific areas of your body to create a slimmer, more streamlined contour.  Taken from the Greek word “lipos,” which means “fat,” liposuction is also sometimes known as “lipoplasty” and “suction assisted lipectomy.” Many people are confused by laser procedures that are also referred to as “lipo.” Those procedures use laser technology to break down fat rather than surgically remove it.

While liposuction is designed to surgically remove fat deposits, it is not an alternative to weight loss for those who are overweight. Rather, it is a method for achieving a smoother and trimmer silhouette in areas that you cannot seem to trim and tone through diet and exercise. The areas that are typically treated with liposuction surgery include the waist and abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, arms and neck.

How it Works

A liposuction procedure, which requires general anesthesia, involves making small surgical incisions in the targeted area. These incisions enable the cosmetic surgeon to “vacuum” out the excess fatty tissue with a medical suction device, and then close up the incisions. While many patients can return home the same day of their surgery, anyone considering liposuction will need to work with their surgeon to prepare for the procedure and plan for post-surgery recovery.

Who It Is For

Liposuction is not an alternative to weight loss if you are overweight. For people who have already lost excess weight and don’t have large amounts of loose skin, it offers a way to achieve smoother lines in areas with pockets of fat that don't go away despite weight loss or exercise.

Click here to find out more about liposuction and other body contouring treatments, or to find a specialist near you!



Sources:

http://ehealthmd.com/content/what-liposuction

You have tried every type of “flat belly” diet out there and a whole slew of sit-ups and abdominal crunches, but you still have an extra layer of fat around your middle. Sometimes no amount of diet and exercise will eliminate that pesky layer of belly fat or excess skin that hangs over your jeans. What next? You may be considering a “tummy tuck,” otherwise known as an abdominoplasty.

What is a tummy tuck, exactly?



The abdominoplasty or “tummy tuck” is considered a major operation that involves anesthesia. It is a surgical procedure that helps to flatten your abdominal area by removing extra fat and excess skin, and tightening the muscles of your abdominal wall. Unlike liposuction, a tummy tuck does not remove your fat deposits, although you may have liposuction performed as an added procedure during a tummy tuck surgery.

There is a “complete” or “full” abdominoplasty, which is performed when a patient has a significant amount of fat or stretched skin in the belly area. Your surgeon will contour the skin, tissue and muscle in your abdominal area as needed.  This procedure is recommended for patients who require major correction. Candidates for a full tummy tuck are typically those who have lost more than fifty pounds or whose stomachs have been severely stretched out by multiple pregnancies.



If you don’t have a significant amount of fat in your belly area, but a section of stubborn excess fat in the area between your navel and pubic bone, you may be a candidate for a “partial” or “mini” tummy tuck. For the “mini tummy tuck” procedure the surgeon would make a shorter incision in a location that might later be hidden under a bikini bottom.

Are you a “tummy tuck” candidate?



You are likely a candidate for a tummy tuck if:

•    You were once obese, have permanently kept off excess weight and have no plans to diet further, but still have loose skin and fat deposits in your abdominal area

•    You have had multiple pregnancies resulting in stretched skin and muscles in your stomach, and you don’t plan to have any more children

•    You are a man aged 40 or older and are having trouble trimming your midsection despite diet and exercise

Is a tummy tuck for you?

This procedure requires more healing and recovery time than other cosmetic surgeries, so you should reconsider if you will not be able to take a sufficient amount of time off from work and physical activity to complete your recovery period. If you have any scarring from a previous surgery in the abdominal area, find out from your surgeon if this may cause more prominent scarring for you after a tummy tuck. If you are planning to have children or diet extensively to lose more weight, a tummy tuck may not be for you, as these will affect abdominal muscles that are tightened during surgery. If you wish to reduce fat in your abdomen as well as in other areas of your body, you may find that liposuction is a more appropriate procedure for you than a tummy tuck.

Click here to find a cosmetic surgeon in your area or to learn more about tummy tucks and related procedures.

Have you have been following your diet and exercise program religiously, but find that no matter what you do, the extra layer of fat around your belly won’t budge? If you answered, yes, you might consider Zerona. One of the new “laser fat removal” or “lipolaser” methods of body contouring, Zerona uses cool laser light technology to slim and reshape difficult to treat body areas.

Zerona laser fat removal targets stubborn areas that have not responded to other body contouring measures.  One of the first "laser fat removal" devices approved by the FDA for non-invasive body slimming, Zerona targets fat cells with low-level wavelengths of light. Zerona’s five beams of “lipolaser” light are aimed at specific trouble spots to make the fat drain out of the fat cells in those areas.

Once the cells have been zapped by the “lipolaser” and deflated of their excess fat, the targeted body area should shrink and appear smoother. People hoping to trim their belly and whittle their waistline have reported seeing a trimmer contours in that area.   

How Zerona Works

Because Zerona is a non-surgical approach to fat-reduction and body shaping, the treatments are safe, painless, and no anesthetics are required. Patients generally undergo a series of six treatment sessions every two or three days over a period of two weeks. Each Zerona session typically lasts 40 minutes.

The Zerona machine is equipped with five laser light beams that will be positioned to target the adipose tissue – subcutaneous fat that is just under the surface of the skin – in specific areas of your body. The laser beams zap the fat cells in your target areas, causing them to drain liquefied fat and shrink.

During each session you will lie on a table in a private room – wearing your bathing suit and special glasses that protect your eyes from the laser lights. A technician will position the laser beams of the Zerona machine so they are pointed directly at your trouble spots.

Tips for Optimal Treatment

Drink Plenty of Water – at least 60 ounces every day – to aid your lymphatic system in processing and flushing the liquefied fat that has been excreted from your fat cells.

Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, Soda and Junk Food, as these can negatively impact your body’s ability to metabolize and flush the fat from your body once it has been released from your fat cells.

Don’t skip treatments. During the two-week series of Zerona treatments, it is best that you don’t go more than 72 hours (3 days) between sessions, or the efficacy of the “fat draining” process will be minimized. In fact, some of the fat may be reabsorbed into your fat cells if you allow too much time to elapse between sessions.

Patients who follow the above guidelines have reported the most dramatic results. A word of advice: The fat cells treated with Zerona “lipolaser” have not been destroyed, just drained of fat. If you want to keep your newly contoured waistline slim and trim, you will need to maintain a healthy regimen of diet and exercise.

To find a specialist who provides Zerona laserlipo body contouring click here.

Now that it's a brand new year, it may be time for a brand new you! Saying goodbye to 2011 doesn't mean saying good-bye to your old self completely, however. One of the following options can help to bring out a new (and younger) you for the rest of 2012:

Lip Augmentation

The Procedure: Lip augmentation usually involves an injection or an implant. Collagen and fat grafting are two of the most common types; these require repeat visits to maintain the plumping effect. Injections are simply done with a needle and require only one session. Implants are inserted into the lip through tiny incisions.

The Cost: $1,500 to $3,000 per lip (2012 prices)

Brow Lift

The Procedure: For a brow lift, incisions are made to alter or remove the muscles in the forehead that lead to wrinkling and sagging. This can be an incision behind the hairline, or tiny incisions which then allow the doctor to use an endoscope. Bandages may need to be worn for the first day or two afterward, and stitches may be in place for up to two weeks.

The Cost: $2,500 to $5,000

Eyelid Lift

The Procedure: As we age, eyelids can start to thin and begin to wrinkle. For an eyelid lift, incisions are made in the folds of the eyelids in order to tighten them up and remove that sagging look. Some excess skin is removed, and then the incision is stitched up.

The Cost: $4,000 to $5,000 for both eyelids

If you are interested in starting out the new year looking a little younger and a little more refreshed, consider having a consultation with a cosmetic specialist in your area to find out what procedures could benefit you the most. Click here to get started!

Now that the baby has arrived, do you feel like you’re not your old self? A lot of moms struggle with their self esteem after childbirth because of changes that their bodies have gone through. Whether it’s sagging skin or changes to your breasts, tummy or face, there are some common makeover surgery options for moms. You can start looking and feeling like your old self again in no time with some of these options:

Tummy Tuck

Diet and exercise just don’t cut it when trying to reduce excess fat and skin after pregnancy. A tummy tuck uses a lower abdominal incision to correct this. Fat and skin are removed, and the skin is tightened by stitching it back together when the reductions are made. The incision scar is minor, and the doctor can hide it beneath your bikini line.

Eye Lift

All those sleepless nights with a new baby can take a toll on your eyelids, and leave you looking perpetually tired (which you are, for a while). An eye lift is a simply makeover surgery to make you look fresher and younger. A hidden incision is made on the upper eyelid to take out some skin and fat, and the doctor removes fat from the lower eyelid without an external incision. Healing time is extremely quick.

Facelift

A facelift is an easy option to make you look young and healthy once again. The doctor makes incisions along the hairline and around the ear, which makes the procedure virtually invisible. Facial tissues and muscles can be repositioned and the skin can be pulled taut, which leaves you with a younger look.

Breast Lift or Augmentation

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can alter the size and shape of your breasts. Several different techniques are available to perform a breast lift, which will reduce sagging. An augmentation can restore the size and shape of breasts if they appear “deflated” after breastfeeding. These involve either saline or silicone implants to bring them back to the original size (or larger, if you prefer).

Many plastic surgery clinics will even combine one or more of the above procedures, so you can get them done at the same time for a complete mommy makeover. To discuss  what options might be right for you, click here to find a cosmetic specialist in your area!

If want a breast augmentation surgery and are having having a saline vs. silicone implants debate, there are really only a couple of differences to consider. Both types are made with an outer silicone shell. The saline implants are filled with saline, while the silicone ones contain a gel-like substance.

Complications?

Saline implants are a little bit more likely to rupture, while silicone implants may require periodic scans for problems. About one percent of saline implants rupture on average. The breast then slowly deflates as the saline solution is gradually absorbed by the body. The solution is not harmful to the body, and you won't end up suddenly lopsided; it does take time to fully deflate. Surgery will be required to correct the problem.

If a silicone implant is ruptured (which is much less likely), you might not ever know it. There's no indication that the gel substance causes any long-term harm, but it can eventually cause breast pain if it starts to leak out. The FDA recommends that patients get a periodic MRI scan to make sure the silicone implants are still intact.

Which Has the Advantage?

The only marked advantage for one over the other is arguably for aesthetic reasons: Silicone implants are thought to be more natural looking and feeling. On the other hand, they are more expensive and might leave a bigger scar than if you opted for saline. Furthermore, with improved surgical techniques, such as placement and adjusting the levels of saline, complaints about saline implants have lessened.

If you are considering implants, make sure you find a cosmetic surgery specialist who will go over your various options and help make an informed decision especially right for you.

Botox deals are all the rage these days, with many websites offering coupons or discounts for extremely cheap Botox treatments. But before you cash into these “steals,” you should stop and ask yourself whether it really is a good deal or a bad investment. Here are a few key questions to ask before handing over your money.

How long have you been administering Botox?

Almost any health care professional can administer Botox, depending on where you live. In fact, that is why there are so many “steals” out there—oftentimes, rates are cheaper when the practitioner does not have the experience. If you decide to get Botox, you always want to have it administered by a medical professional, one who is trained and specializes in Botox and one who has been doing it for a while. Recommendations from other people are always beneficial.

What kinds of complications can occur with Botox?

The specialist you choose should be honest about the types of complications that can occur with Botox. Dismissing your concerns or questions without discussing them should be a big red flag. Your specialist should disclose possible complications that can occur with Botox, such as facial paralysis or asymmetry. Your cosmetic specialist should be open and honest about complications and risks, as well as assuring you that her experience means that you will be in safe hands.

Who would NOT be good candidates for Botox?

If the answer is no one, turn around and walk out the door. Not everyone should get Botox and an ethical specialist will tell you that. People that have any neuromuscular diseases, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those with body dysmorphic disorder are just some people who should avoid Botox procedures. However, some unethical practitioners do not take any outside factors in mind and will perform the treatment on anyone willing to pay. If a potential doctor never turns anyone away, that is a huge warning sign.

If you see a Botox deal that seems suspiciously good, it just might be. While some reputable cosmetic specialists will offer Botox deals and discounts every now, make sure that above all you are in the hands of an experienced specialist, not someone who will give you a cheap deal as well as questionable results.

To make an appointment with a skin care expert in your local area today, click here!

Did you notice that Kris Kardashian was looking younger than usual at her daughter Kim's wedding in August? That's because she went in for a neck lift a couple of months earlier. Kris said she needed a little "freshening up" for her daughter's wedding, and her neck lift did indeed give her a more youthful look. The fact is, though, you don't need to be Kris Kardashian to get a necklift. You don't even need a special occasion.

The skin on your neck is often a giveaway of your true age—it doesn't matter how young your face looks. Fat accumulates in the neck area and the muscles weaken as people age. The neck is often the first place that shows signs of aging. A neck lift works to pull back the skin beneath the chin, tightening the skin and providing a more smooth and youthful look. Some doctors say the best time to have the procedure done is between the ages for 45 and 55, before significant aging has occurred. Others maintain that a person's genetics are a factor, and a neck lift can be performed outside this range depending on the individual. Regardless, a neck lift can be an effective treatment that can take years off a person's appearance, whether it's just in time for a wedding or just because she wants to look younger.

Check out our amazing Before-&-After Photo Gallery and visualize your younger neck today!  Click here if you’d like to find an experienced cosmetic surgeon in your area!