Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dallas | Dr. Rai

So, if Jessica Biel and Scarlett Johansson represent the most exemplary types of feminine beauty, what lessons can we learn from them, in terms of trying to contemplate the modern ideal of female beauty? At first glance, they seem very different. Jessica Biel, at 5'7", 112 pounds with 34 B breasts cuts a much leaner figure than Scarlett Johansson, 5'4", 120 pounds, with 34 C breasts. Biel is very much the type of woman that Hollywood is criticized as promoting as an unrealistic ideal. Tall, skinny, athletic, known for her kick-ass action roles (since leaving WB's family dramedy 7th Heaven), she is the Hollywood woman. Strange, then, that she would be sharing the reputation of the world's sexiest, most attractive woman with Scarlett Johansson, who is almost her exact opposite. Shorter, curvaceous, with a persona that wavers between shy and sincerely committed to her art and her political causes. On the other hand, she becomes a bombshell in the vein of Marilyn Monroe when she steps onto the red carpet.

So, what can we learn from these two models of beauty? Let's go with what they have in common. First, their skin is very good, even in tone, and skin is one of the most commonly-cited criteria of beauty. Second, they both have large, luscious lips, another factor that embodies feminine beauty. Third, they both have harmonious beauty. That is, their features complement one another. Biel is very much the type of taller, more athletic and assertive women. From her nearly pointed chin to her sharp eyes to her well-defined shoulders to her slender strong legs. Johansson, on the other hand, is equally the curvaceous bombshell. With her rounded face, relatively large breasts, wide hips, and shorter legs, she cuts a voluptuous figure that she promotes with red or white breast-enhancing dresses like the ones she wore for the premieres of Vicki Christina Barcelona in Cannes and Los Angeles.

The lesson is: go with what you've got. If your figure is a little on the leaner side, perhaps breast augmentation is not the procedure for you. Perhaps you might look more at liposuction to target those stubborn fat deposits, even consider a chin implant to help better define your facial shape. If, on the other hand, you have a pear-shaped body, don't curse your curves: embrace them, and accentuate them with breast augmentation, even buttock augmentation if your curves are in your hips and not your rear.

And, of course, consider skin treatments and lip augmentation to achieve the ideal appearance of youth and femininity.

If you would like to learn more about harmonizing your appearance through cosmetic surgery, contact Dr. Vasdev Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas.

The British Museum is set to display a solid gold statue of supermodel Kate Moss, entitled "Siren." It is purported to be the largest gold statue built since ancient Egypt, and it weighs 50 kg (110 lbs), making its value in gold alone nearly $1.5 million, although its actual value is likely much higher since a nude painting of her sold for over $7 million in 2005. The statue is by artist Marc Quinn, who previously made sculptures of her in various meditative postures, entitled "Sphinx." The previous seven statues were of her in yoga poses, and were made of bronze. However, they were not portraits because the bodies were drawn from yogis, but the faces and hands were from Moss. When asked about these sculptures, Quinn responded that he did them because Moss represents a mysterious persona, "an image . . . twisted and sculpted by our collective desire," and "a knotted Venus of our age." The British Museum is going to display the sculpture and several others in a gallery that houses ancient Greek sculptures, lending credibility to the notion that Kate Moss represents a Venus for our age, or perhaps Nefertiti, the Egyptians' model of beauty.

But is this true? Let's take a look at the ratings of the sexiest women by men's magazines to consider this possibility. First, let's take a look at Maxim, whose Hot 100 has the longest record:

1. Marisa Miller
2. Scarlett Johansson*
3. Jessica Biel*
4. Eva Longoria Parker*
5. Sara Michelle Geller
6. Elisha Cuthbert
7. Eva Mendes*
8. Christina Aguilera
9. Lindsay Lohan*
10. Ashley Tisdale

Asterisks indicate women who were also in the top 10 in 2007, and previous #1's were: Lohan, Longoria, Aguilera, Alba, Jessica Simpson, and Jennifer Garner. Now let's consider the list of Maxim's rival publication FHM magazine:

1. Megan Fox
2. Jessica Biel*
3. Jessica Alba*
4. Elisha Cuthbert
5. Scarlett Johansson *
6. Emmanuelle Chiqrui
7. Hilary Duff
8. Tricia Helfer
9. Blake Lively
10. Kate Beckinsale

FHM's list seems to have a little more ADD, with a 70 % annual turnover, although if you look deeper in the lists, the others typically show up, creating a more or less consistent group of women who are considered the "type" of beauty. The lists are governed via a survey of the magazine's readership, which means that they are determined by men roughly 18-35, who probably spend more time looking for and talking about what makes women beautiful than practically anyone, with the possible exception of cosmetic surgeons. Although you may object to the magazine's superficial, stereotypical notion of beauty, it is exactly this "stereotypical" notion of beauty that Quinn claims to be seeking. Since Kate Moss doesn't show up on either list this past year, we can assume that she is not the contemporary type of beauty.

So who is? If we look at women who showed up on both top 10 lists in both 2007 and 2008, the company is pretty select: Jessica Biel and Scarlett Johansson. Tomorrow we'll consider what they tell us about feminine beauty.

If you want to talk to someone who really understands not only what represents the contemporary ideal of beauty, but how to achieve it, contact the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas, today to schedule a consultation.

A lot of women try a program of diet and exercise to try and target some of their stubborn fat spots, like belly fat and love handles or "muffin tops." The problem is, for many women these are the last places your body will lose fat, so by the time you've lost this fat, your breasts have most likely shrunk and your collarbone juts out of your torso. Many women think, that's okay, breast implants will look great on my skinny chest. Au contraire.

The ribs & breasts (R&B) look is never attractive. First, it looks highly unnatural. The contrast of breasts jutting out abruptly from a ribcage can never be mistaken for a natural body. Second, it looks unhealthy. Ultimately, beauty's role is to be the marker of a healthy gene pool--that's what makes it attractive. An unhealthy appearance may fly in the eye of fashion designers who like models without curves, but the vast majority of men enjoy a woman who is healthy-looking, neither too fat nor too skinny. Finally, a man's paradigm for woman is curves. When a man sees curves, he goes "Schwing!" Once a woman's bones begin to dominate her form, she loses her curvaceousness.

If you are considering using cosmetic surgery as part of achieving the perfect look, use diet and exercise to get to a healthy fitness level, with a good balance of fat and lean muscle. Then honestly evaluate your appearance and decide what will help you perfect your appearance. It may be breast augmentation, buttock augmentation, or there may be stubborn fat deposits that can be removed using liposuction.

If you would like to learn how best to incorporate plastic surgery into your quest for the perfect look, contact the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas today to schedule a consultation.

Researchers from Brunel University have extended findings about facial aesthetics to apply to the shape of the body as well. According to researchers, human beings find symmetry in the body as important to attractiveness as symmetry in the face. The work suggests that people do not detect symmetry directly, but key into features of the anatomy that appear as attractive components for either a masculine or feminine body.

The new work represents an improvement over previous work in that it does not depend on manual measurements with calipers. Instead, it utilized a 3D optical scanner to create a detailed image of 77 individuals, approximately half male, then produced color-neutral models of just the body. Once men and women had chosen the figures they considered most attractive, the computer correlated the data against symmetry first, to find that symmetry was an important factor, but statistically significant individual variables indicated other factors related to masculinity and femininity.

The ideal masculine body was longer, with wider shoulders, smaller breasts, and short legs relative to the body. The ideal feminine body has larger breasts, narrow waists, and longer, more slender legs.

As scientific data about the unifying principles of beauty continue to accumulate, they lend more guidance to both men and women seeking cosmetic treatments. If you are interested in more closely approximating the scientific ideal of beauty, contact Dr. Vasdev Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas, today for a consultation.

Looking at the runway fashions being exhibited for the fall, there are two very interesting new (or shall we say old?) trends popping up. This fall, the tailoring technique known as the belle curve is making a comeback. The belle curve is a contour in women's clothes designed to accentuate the waist and hips and give a very feminine figure. First popular in the 1940s, it has made intermittent comebacks, but it looks to be very big this fall.

The second big trend making an appearance for the fall is the comeback of classic hats. From fedoras to hamburgs to tams, hats are most likely going to be everywhere. Hats are good accessories and can be very eye-catching when properly chosen and worn. They have the effect of drawing the eyes of people to your face. This can be good, if you're prepared for it, but if not, it can be stressful.

When these two trends are worn together, they create a classic Hollywood look, reminiscent of heroines of the film noir era. If you're a classic film fan, you can think Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca or Notorious and Lauren Bacall in The Big Sleep and Key Largo. If you're not familiar with the period, you can think of neo-noir looks like Kim Basinger in LA Confidential or Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank in The Black Dahlia.

The essence of classic Hollywood look is big curves in the hips and lips. Unfortunately, many women are either born with flat lips or find their lips have thinned with age. For these women, Dr. Vasdev Rai offers lip augmentation, which includes both plumping and shaping procedures to improve the look of your lips. For other women, the hips are the problem. The flanks, also known as love handles, are a common problem spot for women. Unresponsive to exercise, often the only way to bring them back in once they've expanded is liposuction or a tummy tuck procedure. Another problem with the belle curve fashions is that they call attention to the posterior region, which many women find unsatisfactory. If you feel your buttocks are too flat or unattractive, buttock augmentation can help you look your best in any fashion.

The good news is that although they are especially in right now, neither lips nor hips ever really go out of style. A woman with these kinds of curves gets attention in any crowd at any time of year.

If you want to look your best this fall, contact the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas, today for a consultation.

Cosmetic technology is constantly increasing, and some of the new innovations seem to take the world by storm, such as Botox^® Cosmetic, facial fillers like Restylane^® or Radiesse^®, and laser treatments. You may think that the facelift has been replaced, like the whalebone corset replaced by Lycra undergarments. But you would be mistaken. Cosmetic treatments are one thing, but plastic surgery can achieve results that are longer-lasting and more significant than any of the treatments. Besides, advancements in technique and technology make modern facelifts as advanced as any "new hi-tech" procedure.

What a Facelift Treats

In performing a facelift, Dr. Vasdev Rai lifts and repositions the skin and musculature of the face. The constant draw of gravity is one of the key causes of aging and is responsible for a number of unpleasant effects. The face is no more immune to gravity than the breasts or buttocks.

The youthful beauty of the face depends on the proper location of subcutaneous fat deposits. Dark hollows under the eye can be caused by the downward movement of the fat of the cheek, and parentheses lines around the nose and mouth are made worse by the same downward movement. These are all treatable with a mid-facelift. As the fat and skin of the face sinks, jowls become more pronounced, and deep banding of the neck, i.e."turkey neck," develops. A facelift improves the appearance of jowls, while turkey neck and neck banding are treated with a necklift.

Unmatched Results

A facelift treats the effects of aging over a much larger area of the face than Botox^® Cosmetic or fillers, and it provides treatment at a deeper level than any non-invasive cosmetic procedure. As a result, a facelift also provides results that last far longer than non-invasive treatments. While many non-invasive treatments give good results for about six months to a year, the results of a facelift can last ten years.

How to Choose

In this, as in every decision, evaluate what you want to achieve before you decide on a course of action. If you have an upcoming special event like a wedding or a class reunion and you're looking for a small cosmetic "boost," non-invasive treatments are an ideal choice. But if you want long-lasting correction of some of the serious changes caused by aging, nothing provides the same level of results as a facelift or other plastic surgery such as a blepharoplasty.

If you are considering your facial rejuvenation option, contact Dr. Vasdev Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center today to schedule a consultation.

Summer is the time of year that all women dread as forcing them to expose all their flaws. However, there are a number of fashions that can allow a woman to avoid showing the world her particular flaws.

If you have varicose veins, cellulite, or fatty ankles, the maxi dress is a good solution. With its long skirt and hip-fitted curves it can conceal many cosmetic flaws in the legs that make women feel self-conscious. To balance the look, however, the maxi shows a great deal of skin in the upper body area, including both arms and decolletage.

For women with a bulging tummy, one current trend is a combination top that has two parts, a Lycra undergarment and a more flowing outergarment.

If you have flabby arms with excess fat and skin, you can conceal them this summer with batwing, drapey, or flouncy sleeves. To balance the arms, wear a form-fitted dress, that reveals a good amount of cleavage.

If you have a neck that is beginning to show your age, Edwardian fashions have a high neck without being too heavy. Balancing bare sleeves and a high neck, the tops maintain a summer look. In addition, the fashion accent of scarves this summer help to conceal issues with the neck.

Of course, it is impossible to conceal all these flaws at the same time. And not all these fashions will work for all women. With all the concealing fashions that are available, it's an excellent opportunity to take an honest look at your body and decide what you can live with and what you can't.

To get more information about how to fix the aspects of your appearance you just can't live with, contact Dr. Vasdev Rai at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas for a consultation.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery published a study in the July/August issue of its organ Aesthetic Surgery Journal that showed that the risk a patient incurs during body contouring procedures is strongly related to the patient's body mass index (BMI).

In a retrospective review of 129 patients who underwent a single body contouring procedure between 1993 and 2004 researchers correlated actual complications experienced with BMIs. Complication rates were complicated for patients in five BMI categories: ideal (BMI less than 25), overweight (BMI 25-30), obese (BMI 31-35), morbidly obese (BMI 36-40), and severely morbidly obese (BMI 41 and greater). Both minor complications (such as infection, seroma, and hematoma) and major complications (including serious wounds, rehospitalization, and death) were studied.

Results indicated a significant difference between the ideal candidates and others, especially those in the higher BMI categories. Whereas ideal candidates had relatively low risks (3.3 % for minor complications and 6.6 % for major complications) severely morbidly obese candidates had much higher risk (46.9 % for minor complications and 43.7 % for major complications). This study highlight again that body contouring procedures (liposuction, tummy tucks, and other body lifts) are not weight loss procedures. Instead, they are procedures that help improve your appearance beyond what you can achieve with diet and exercise. You are encouraged to do your best to achieve your ideal weight before seeking out body contouring. In supporting this, Dr. Rai offers post-bariatric body contouring, in which he helps people get the ideal figure they desire after extreme weight loss as a result of bypass surgery or other highly effective methods of weight loss.

If your weight is finally ideal but you still don't have the figure you hoped for, contact the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, Texas today for a consultation. We can help you take the last step in shedding your overweight identity forever.