March 2008 Blog Archive
Monday, March 31, 2008
Teen Plastic Surgery Death Defended by parents
Last week we pointed to news reports of a tragic situation in which a Florida teenager died during plastic surgery as the result of an unusual allergic reaction to the anesthesia used in the procedure. (See the full story
here.) At the time of the original report, there was some speculation as to how the parents were reacting to the situation and whether there would be grounds for a plastic surgery lawsuit resulting from the case. The parents appeared on a television news report today to discuss the situation; in that interview they
defended their decision to support their teenager's interest in getting
breast reconstructive surgery.
The parents said that they investigated the plastic surgery carefully before agreeing to the procedure (something that all people considering cosmetic surgery should do) and that they felt that the procedure was appropriate and safe for correcting the teen's breast deformities. Indeed, it likely would have been if the teen hadn't had an unknown condition that made her mdically sensitive to the anesthesia used in the procedure.
There is, however, some debate as to whether the
plastic surgeon who performed the procedure did all that they could for the girl once things started to go awry. An attorney for the parents believes that the doctor could have taken measures that would've saved the teen's life whereas the doctor's attorney says that all that could be done was done. The situation will have to be settled through litigation.
Question of the Day: Do you believe that cases like this should deter people from getting plastic surgery?
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Friday, March 28, 2008
Plastic Surgery Focused on Chest and Face
Although liposuction is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures obtained by patients today, the majority of plastic surgery being done overall is focused on the chest and the face. These are the areas of the body that received the most growth in plastic surgery attention by the general public in 2007 according to
recently released statistics.
In terms of the face, it was primarily
facelifts that were increased in 2007. In comparison with 2006 statistics, 14% more women and 16% more men opted to get facelifts. Minimally invasive facial procedures also increased to a considerably higher degree.
In terms of the chest, both men and women increased their interest in
augmentation. There was an 6% increase in female breast augmentation and an 8% increase in male pec implants. But not everyone was going up in size. Breast reduction for both men and women increased from one year to the next.
The belief is that the majority of people get plastic surgery in order to present a better face to the world around them. The areas of the body that are looked at most are the ones most likely to be considered for plastic surgery work. The face is what people see first and it's undeniable that the chest is also looked at regularly.
Question of the Day: Why do you think face and chest surgeries are on the rise?
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Shocking Case of Teen Death During Breast Reconstruction
The world of plastic surgery has been witness to a tragic loss. A teenager who was undergoing
reconstructive breast surgery died unexpectedly. The death was caused by an intense allergic reaction to the anesthesia used during the surgery. It is not something that could have been predicted and is considered to be a medical anomaly, not something that a person planning to get surgery should be particularly concerned about.
The teenager was a South Florida high school student who had been accepted into a pre-med program for college. People might initially wonder why the teen was getting breast surgery at such a young age. However, she wasn't just getting a cosmetic
breast augmentation. She suffered from asymetrical breasts as well as an areola that was inverted and was getting breast reconstruction in order to make her breasts appear normal.
There has been no decision as of yet as to whether any sort of medical malpractice suit might be filed as a result of the death. However, the case appears to have been a highly unusual situation which was dealt with properly by sending the patient directly to emergency care once signs showed that something had gone awry.
Learn more
here.
Question of the Day: Do you believe that the plastic surgeon should be held responsible for the death in this accident?
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Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Teens Would Rather Get Car for Graduation than Get Plastic Surgery
We all know that teens are concerned about how they look. Even more so than the rest of the population, the average teen places a huge emphasis on his or her appearance. And we've seen a surge in interest in
plastic surgery from this population as a result of this concern.
Despite this surge,
recent research reveals that teens would overwhelmingly prefer to get a new car as a high school graduation gift than to be given the gift of plastic surgery. Only 4% of the teens surveyed opted for plastic surgery over a car.
Of course, these same teens said that they would rather get a college degree than win American Idol and they'd rather exercise than take diet pills so there's a possibility that they are answering what they think they should answer and not what they really feel in their hearts. Nevertheless, the numbers suggest that teens are more concerned with material items like cars than with plastic surgery.
This doesn't indicate that they are any less concerned about their looks than we've always thought, though. They did generally agree that looks mattered to most areas of their life and that they spend a lot of time and money on improving their appearances. They'd just rather have a car to get to their plastic surgeon before booking that surgery!
Question of the Day: Do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing that teens would rather have a car than get plastic surgery?
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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Plastic Surgery Rises Even As Economy Goes Down
An
article in the United Press International today points out an interesting dichotomoy going on across the nation - the economy is going down but plastic surgery remains on the rise. You would certainly think that as people face a housing slump and what's rapidly being called a recession, the interest in
cosmetic surgery procedures would decline. However that hasn't been the case as the numbers have risen from last year to this one.
"A report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said almost 12 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in 2007 -- a 7 percent increase from 2006 and a 59 percent increase from 2000."
There could be many explanations for the increase. Increased affordability of favorite procedures may make it possible for people to continue to enjoy the benefits of cosmetic surgery in spite of the fact that costs on other things (like gas!) are going up. Or perhaps it's that people know that when things get bad, you really need to put your best face forward and move ahead.
Question of the Day: To what would you attribute the rise of plastic surgery during an economic recession?
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Monday, March 24, 2008
Botox as a Cure for Obesity
The
Medical Hypotheses Journal recently
issued an award to an essay which looked at all of the medical uses possible with
Botox. We know that Botox is primarily used as a dermal filler to treat wrinkles. However we also know that it can be used for a wide range of other medical purposes (which is what it actually entered the market to do). The essay reviews those different uses and makes some startling suggestions including that Botox could potentially be used as a
weight loss medicine for the obese.
The essay says that Botox could be used to remove excessive fat. It would be done via injection through a process known as "chemical
liposuction". It is not clear from current reports how this would compare to other non-invasive weight loss procedures such as
SmartLipo or
LipoDissolve.
At the current time, Botox remains a controversial medicine. People who have been using it as a dermal filler have been turning towards other dermal fillers or towards plastic surgery instead of continuing to use Botox. However there are many
cosmetic surgery applications and general medical applications for Botox if it is declared safe enough to remain on the market.
Question of the Day: What do you think of the idea of using Botox as a weight loss drug?
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Friday, March 21, 2008
Plastic Surgery Procedures Preferred By Men
The
UK Times Online had a report over the weekend that detailed the most popular
plastic surgery procedures for men. They note that there has been a rapid increase in the number of men seeking out all types of plastic surgery procedures (both invasive and non-invasive).
One of the most interesting areas of increase was in the tummy;
tummy tucks went up 60% in recent years among men. The reason for this is believed to be because of the great interest that both genders have in weight loss surgery. That surgery may leave behind a tummy that needs to be tucked. Likewise, liposuction was a popular plastic surgery procedure for men.
Many of the other plastic surgery procedures that men are seeking are in the face. The eyes,
nose and ears are all parts of the face where surgery has increased. General lifts (neck-lifts and facelifts) are also on the rise amongst British men. It is believed that these procedures are of interest because of the growing emphasis that society is placing on the attractiveness of men in high-power positions.
Question of the Day: Which plastic surgery procedure are you surprised to find out that more men are getting?
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Thursday, March 20, 2008
Eyelid Surgery Can Impact Vision
Patients who are considering getting
eyelid surgery (belpharoplasty) should be aware of the fact that this surgery may impact their vision over the long term. This does not indicate that the procedure is dangerous or damaging to eyesight. It simply means that you may require a different type or strength of corrective vision after the surgery than what you required prior to the surgery.
A study of the issue showed that a small percentage (less than ten percent) of patients had altered vision after eyelid surgery. However, for some of these people, their vision was actually improved. The changes did not take place immediately after surgery but were reported typically within the first year after the procedure had been completed.
It is important for eyelid surgery patients to discuss this issue with their plastic surgeons before proceeding with plastic surgery. You should be aware of the potential for your vision to change - for better or worse - as a result of the reshaping of the eye. Ask your doctor what the potential consequences are of your specific surgery.
Question of the Day: Would you be less interested in getting eyelid surgery after finding out that it could impact your vision - even though the impact may be an improvement?
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Learn more about this
here.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Celebrity Plastic Surgery Queen: Jocelyn Wildenstein
There are a few names that always come to mind when you are thinking about celebrity plastic surgery.
Michael Jackson, for example. But perhaps the most common name that you hear over and over again is
Jocelyn Wildenstein. Alternatively known as the "cat lady", the "lion woman" or some other variation thereof, Wildenstein is a socialite who is basically only famous because of her immersion in the world of plastic surgery.
She began getting this
plastic surgery when she was in her fifties. The reason was because her husband had decided to have an affair with a much younger woman. Wildenstein was reportedly afraid of losing both her romantic partner and the financial stability that came with the marriage. She hoped that transforming her body into the kind of image that he apparently preferred would prevent the problem. She didn't keep the man but she was able to get a decent chunk of change in the divorce settlement and her plastic surgery interest continued after the divorce. It is believed that she has spent nearly half a billion dollars on cosmetic surgery procedures.
She warns women that their female counterparts who can't afford surgery are going to be jealous and mean once they are transformed with cosmetic procedures. Not all of Wildenstein's plastic surgery procedures have gone well. In fact, in
an interview that she gave she said that she lost her peripheral vision as a result of a bad cheek implant. However, she also said that she felt that the cost of the loss was worth the benefits of the surgery.
Awful Plastic Surgery suggests that there is a good chance that Wildenstein has gotten more work done recently. They believe that she might have gotten her lips augmented. And they think that there's something new going on with her
chin. Neither of these guesses is confirmed but Wildenstein's history of surgeries points to their likelihood.
Question of the Day: Do you think Wildenstein's reason for getting plastic surgery was a good one or a bad one?
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Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Facelift Virus Affects Small Portion of Plastic Surgery Population
People who get plastic surgery or who are considering getting plastic surgery should always stay on top of the latest news about risks associated with those procedures. The latest risk
being reported is related to a "superbug" infection that may be associated with the
face lift procedure.
The infection is called Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (
MRSA). It is a version of the staph infection that is generally treatable although not always easy to cure. It may pose problems for people who have compromised immune systems. However it should be noted that plastic surgery patients should not be getting procedures done when they are dealing with immune deficiency issues.
The infection was reported in less than one percent of face lift patients studied. It is believed that some of these patients had the infection prior to surgery and that the surgery just heightened the problem's presence in the body. As a result, the recommendation for dealing with this problem includes screening for MRSA prior to surgery.
Question of the Day: Would you reconsider a face lift because of the news about MRSA?
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Monday, March 17, 2008
Plastic Surgery Patients Getting Older
You may think that the people who are getting plastic surgery these days are young folks who have been inspired by their
celebrity icons to get some work done. However, the average age of people getting
cosmetic surgery is actually on the rise.
A
recent study shows that the average age of a patient seeking any one of the top ten invasive cosmetic procedures (such as
liposuction or
face lifts) is two years older now than the average age of the same type of patient five years ago.
The average age of patients for non-invasive procedures (such as
Botox injections) has also increased by two years. The average age for both types of cosmetic surgery patients is 42. It is believed that the fact that the large generation of baby boomers is responsible for the most plastic surgery; since they're getting older the average age is going up.
Question of the Day: What do you think has caused the rise in age of patients seeking cosmetic surgery?
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Friday, March 14, 2008
Illinois Considers Donda West Plastic Surgery Law
We noted not too long ago that there were laws being considered in California that were designed to strengthen the requierments of professionals working in cosmetic surgery. The law in question was dubbed
The Donda West Law in honor of celebrity Kanye West's mother who died last year as a result of plastic surgery complications. A
news report from Illinois indicates that it's another state considering tighter regulations similar to the Donda West Law.
The main focus of these laws is that the people who are performing medical procedures, including non-invasive procedures such as dermal filler injections, should be required to be certified. A reputable doctor's office will already be engaging in this practice but there are places out there that let medical assistants and others without proper qualifications do some of the plastic surgery work that the doctor should be doing himself. The laws are designed to heighten punishments for these types of situations in order to deter problems with bad plastic surgery.
The fact of the matter with Donda West is that she ignored the advice of her first doctor and went to a less reputable doctor in order to get a plastic surgery procedure that wasn't a good idea in the first place. In addition to changing the laws, we need to be working on educating consumers about the seriousness of plastic surgery and the fact that we need to listen to our doctors' advice when it comes to getting cosmetic work done.
Question of the Day: Should legislators be using the Donda West name to change plastic surgery legislation?
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Thursday, March 13, 2008
Baby Faces Reconstructive Sugery After Burn Accident
We often discuss the fun, cosmetic side of
plastic surgery. However, there are times when we also take a look at the important role that reconstructive surgery plays in our lives. This kind of plastic surgery can improve the self-esteem and ease the daily life of people who have been in accidents or who suffer from deformities. This is particularly true in cases where the victim is a child; we all know how cruel children can be about physical differences in their peers!
We've looked at some cases of young people who need this type of surgery. For example, there was a young girl
profiled last year who needed reconstructive surgery after being attacked by a dog. But we've never looked at a child as young as the one in a recent burn accident case. The child is just an infant. He suffered severe burns after his bassinet caught fire earlier this year. Luckily he has survived the injuries and is going to be fine as far as health concerns go.
Now that the immediate concern is out of the way, the family can start looking at plastic surgery options to return the baby's features to their pre-burn state. Burn surgery is not easy to complete and it will probably take several years before the work is done. However the baby is on his way to a full recovery.
Learn more
here.
Question of the Day: When you hear "plastic surgery" do you think first of reconstructive surgery or of cosmetic surgery?
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Celebrity Katie Price Gives Up Plastic Surgery
You might recall
the story of Katie Price and her breast implants. The English actress/model who goes by the nickname "Jordan" has been in and out of celebrity plastic surgery news because of the fluctuation in her breast size. She went up to an obscene FF and then decided to get breast reduction surgery to look a little bit more concealed in her pictures. Not too long ago she was complaining that the plastic surgery ruined her life (or more specifically her sex life). But these days she's reportedly singing a different tune.
HollyScoop
now reports that Katie Price is perfectly happy with her body exactly the way that it is. She likes her breasts and everything else. As a result, she's decided to ban plastic surgery from her future. She's content to stay just the way that she is - even if it's not quite the way that nature intended. Her belief is that a little bit of exercise can go a long way to improving the look she's already enhanced. Of course, only time is going to tell whether Jordan is satisfied with her body over time.
Question of the Day: Do you think that Katie Price is really done with plastic surgery?
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Bad Celebrity Plastic Surgery News
People love hearing stories about
celebrity plastic surgery gone wrong. Better yet, they love to see photographs of the folks who used to be beautiful and are now just downright scary due to excessive - or just plain bad -
plastic surgery choices. For those people who are interested in the gossip about awful celebrity plastic surgery, there's a new article out there for you.
SheKnows.com, a top-ten website for women seeking entertainment and fashion news, has
posted an article with what they believe is the worst of celebrity plastic surgery. There are some really obvious names on the list - like Michael Jackson, of course - but there are also a few names that you might not have thought of yourself. There are some brief before and after pictures here that let you clearly see why they thought each celebrity looked better before plastic surgery than after.
There are both males and females on this list of bad plastic surgery celebrities. And each name is paired with some biting commentary that celebrity gossip lovers are sure to adore. It's not the most extensive article but it's one worth reading if you're looking to lighten up your Tuesday.
Question of the Day: Which celebrity plastic surgery do you want to know more about?
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Monday, March 10, 2008
British Author Pens Cosmetic Surgery Guide
There are many different books out there about cosmetic surgery but that doesn't mean we should ignore those that are just starting to be released. The newest books on the market are often the best resources that we hace for comprehensive plastic surgery information that's actually up to date. One such book is
Cosmetic Surgery (The Facts) by Norman Waterhouse.
Waterhouse is a British researcher and author who was the former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). He has authored numerous medical papers on different aspects of plastic surgery over the years and brings personal experience in the field to the table to support his credentials for this kind of work.
The new book is considered to be a concise guide to cosmetic surgery for someone who has never gotten it done before. Although the author is British, most of what is said in the book applies to people getting this kind of work done anywhere in the world. For example, he talks about how to identify and check the credentials and reputation of your plastic surgeon, something that we know is always important to do.
You can learn more about the book from
this news release.
Question of the Day: What other cosmetic doctors have written books we should know about?
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Friday, March 07, 2008
Mariah Carey Denies Plastic Surgery Rumors
When you're a celebrity, you're bound to have people starting rumors about you that aren't true. When you're as famous as Mariah Carey, you need to fine a way to deal with ongoing rumors throughout the duration of your career. For the most part, Mariah doesn't speak out about the rumors that people have spread about her. However, she recently did comment on a series of rumors including her plans for motherhood, her supposed suicide attempts and her use of plastic surgery to enhance her appearance.
In short order, Mariah said that she doesn't plan on having kids just yet, that she wouldn't ever try to kill herself for any reason and that she hasn't had any plastic surgery done. She didn't say that she was opposed to
celebrity plastic surgery. She simply said that she hasn't had any work done. In fact, she had a funny way of phrasing it:
"One of the rumors I just heard about was that $150,000 in plastic surgery. What in the ham sandwich do they think I did? It's very annoying." (source)
It probably is annoying to hear rumors about yourself that aren't true. However, that's part of what being a celebrity is all about. Now that Mariah's cleared up those rumors, others are sure to start.
Question of the Day: Do you think Mariah's had any plastic surgery?
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Thursday, March 06, 2008
Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery
There was an
article published online recently which reviewed all of the medical and cosmetic procedures associated with the practice of Ophthalmology. That fancy name is simply meant to describe the medicine related to the eye. It includes aspects of going to the eye doctor that we're all familiar with like getting tested to determine whether or not you need glasses and what prescription you need. However it also includes aspect of eye surgery, including cosmetic eye surgery, that the average person may be less familiar with.
Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery is the term the article uses to describe all of the surgery that relates to improving the eye. This type of eye surgery may be done as a form of reconstructive surgery after an injury or a tumor has caused deformities in the eye area. However it may also appear to cosmetic eye surgery done as an elective way to improve the appearance of the face.
For example, someone might take an interest in getting
cosmetic eyelid surgery (known by doctors as blepharoplasty. This surgery can be done on the lower eyelid, the upper eyelid or both and is designed to subtly enhance the appearance of the face. It may also be done as an anti-aging procedure.
Question of the Day: Would you expect a doctor performing Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery to have more or less credentials than someone performing general plastic surgery?
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Reading Recommendation for Gastric Bypass Patients
There are many different
weight loss surgeries available in the offices of plastic surgeons today. You might get lap band surgery or just basic liposuction to reduce the excess weight that you have on your body. But despite the prevalence of many different forms of weight loss surgery, there remain many people who are primarily interested in the procedure of
gastric bypass.
For those people who do want to know more about what gastric bypass is all about, there are numerous resources for obtaining information. Your doctor is the best place to start of course. Blogs and news reports are also good. But if you're looking for a concise review of what it's all about in a format that's easy to read, there's a book that you might want to buy.
Weight Loss Surgery: A Lighter Look at a Heavy Subject is a review of the entire process of gastric bypass. It answers many of the "frequently asked questions" that a patient may have. However it's no dry book. Written primarily in the form of comic illustrations, it approaches the topic with a sense of humor while still providing the reader with in-depth information on the topic.
Question of the Day: What other weight loss surgery books can you recommend?
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Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Childhood Facial Reconstruction not Symmetrical
There was an
interesting article published recently that touched on an aspect of reconstructive surgery that not many people are familiar with. It reported on the fact that there is a small but significant portion of the population which suffers from a congenital deformity that causes them to have an obviously assymetrical face. This population is frequently treated using
reconstructive surgery when they are still in childhood. However, a new study has revealed that the surgery doesn't entirely correct the symmetry of the face.
This doesn't mean that the surgery (which is done for the disease of
craniosynostosis) isn't effective. In fact, the individuals who have had the corrective surgery usually don't realize that their faces are still assymetrical. It is only through the kind of close examination that takes place for the purposes of a study such as this one that these individuals come to realize that the reconstructive surgery wasn't one hundred percent successful. In other words, the plastic surgery is successful for all intents and purposes, at least in the eyes of those who have gotten it done.
Question of the Day: What interests you about unique reconstructive and plastic surgery news?
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Monday, March 03, 2008
Young Adults Approve of Cosmetic Surgery
Who do you think is most likely to ge
cosmetic surgery - someone who is young or someone who is older? There are varied statistics on plastic surgery procedures depending on the type of work being done and the reason for the work but a
new study suggests that younger adults are more liekly to be generally accepting of cosmetic surgery. Whether it's for themselves or done on others, the younger population just doesn't have as many hangups about plastic surgery as some of their older counterparts might have.
"It makes sense that young people are the most approving of plastic surgery. Twenty years ago people thought only movie stars and rich women had plastic surgery," said Foad Nahai, MD, president of ASAPS. "Now people grow up knowing friends and family who openly talk about the plastic surgery procedures they have had or the ones they plan to have in the future." (source)
It's not just the younger population that's starting to become more accepting of cosmetic surgery. Over three fourths of the American population would be perfectly fine with having those they know be aware that they got plastic surgery. Women may be slightly more likely to approve of plastic surgery than their male counterparts but the difference between the genders is strikingly small. These days, plastic surgery really is something that's accessible to all different types of people. That's a major fact in contributing to the idea that people aren't as afraid of or judgmental about it as they once were.
Question of the Day: What do you think is the age group most likely to get plastic surgery?
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