Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dallas | Dr. Rai

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has released its 2009 statistics which give the numbers of how many times each procedure was performed, whether it was for a male or a female, percentages for each ethnic group, type of medical facility used, and what the total 2009 numbers are for each procedure. They do this every year and have been since 1997.

Since 1997, the total number of cosmetic surgery procedures has increased 147 percent. In 2009 it dropped, but only by two percent compared to 2008.

Most Popular 2009 Plastic Surgery Procedures

• Breast augmentation – with 311,957 procedures done, compared to 355,671 procedures in 2008;
• Liposuction -- with 283,735 procedures, compared to 341,144 in 2008;
• Eyelid surgery -- with 149,943 procedures, down from the 195,104 procedures done in 2008;
• Abdominoplasty – with 127,923 procedures, and in 2008 there were 152,434 with abdominoplasty being the fifth most popular procedure;
• Facelifts – with 94,247 procedures, and in 2008, facelifts were not in the top five procedures. Rhinoplasty is the procedure that has dropped from the 2009 top five to make way for facelifts.

Most Popular 2009 Non-Invasive Procedures

• As always, BOTOX® Cosmetic is the favorite non-invasive procedure, with 2,557,068 procedures done in 2009. This is more than the 2,464,123 done in 2008;
• Facial fillers based on hyaluronic acid, such as Restylane -- 1,313,038 procedures compared to 1,262,848 in 2008, when it was third most popular;
• Laser hair removal, which was not in the top five for 2008;
• Microdermabrasion, which also was not in the top five for 2008;
• Chemical peels, at 529,285 procedures, down from 591,808 in 2008 when it was in fourth position.

It is interesting to see how the annual numbers for major surgeries have declined while those for non-invasive procedures have increased. This may be because of the recession squeezing people’s budgets.

If you would like to learn more about any cosmetic procedure offered by Dr. Rai, please contact our Dallas, Texas office today for a free consultation with him.

There are those who think we live in a makeover culture these days. We no longer just get our nails “done” and our hair “done” – we get our face done, our breasts done, our lips done, and anything else that we think needs to be “done”. We get smile makeovers and race to try each new skin product.

One of the latest offerings is nicknamed Botox in a Bottle. It is a cream that freezes muscles temporarily, smoothing out wrinkles for the day. The real name is Glamoxy Snake Serum, based on its ingredient Syn-Ake that mimics the effects of the South-East Asian Temple Viper, whose bite causes paralysis. It is offered by the British company Rodial, Ltd. In the U.K., women are submitting massive numbers of advance orders for Glamoxy Snake Serum.

Look Better to Get a Job

In the present financial crisis it puzzles many that people are still willing to spend money on cosmetic procedures and products. However, part of the motivation in many countries is competition for jobs. As more and more companies retrench and lay off workers, more and more applicants show up for each remaining job opening.

• The Los Angeles Times passes on a report of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery that more people are asking for cosmetic surgery to help them get ahead in the work world;
• Canada’s Globe and Mail reports that more men are having BOTOX® Cosmetic and various laser treatments to look younger and fresher in their competitive work areas;
• The U.K. Daily Mail reports that men now make up one in every five cosmetic surgery patients (used to be one in ten), and that many of them are big city bankers;
• The Australian Sydney Morning Herald opines that cosmetic surgery will soon be as standard as teeth whitening and dyeing your hair;
• In China, women are having eyelid surgery and leg-lengthening surgery to be more competitive in job interviews.

From teens to grandmothers, everyone feels their appearance needs improving and they are willing to act on that feeling. If you have some of that feeling yourself, it is wise to stop for a moment and look at it before rushing to act. Do you wish you looked like someone else? That is not a good reason to have plastic surgery because you are certain to be disappointed.

The only person you can convincingly look like is You. If you feel you need to look younger in order to land a job, that is very understandable, as ageism is certainly rampant. At The Cosmetic Surgical Center, we offer many ways to rejuvenate the face and body. Some are more invasive, such as breast implants, and others are non-invasive and simpler, such as facial fillers.

If you are in the Dallas and Fort Worth area of Texas, the first step is to contact our office for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Rai. You can ask your questions and learn a lot about your best options, so that when you do decide to have cosmetic surgery done, your expectations will be realistic and you will be happy with your outcome.

Everyone loves a dimpled smile. For some mysterious reason, it looks cute and appealing and a dimple is regarded as a kind of beauty spot. Actually, a dimple is an inborn muscle defect, a small area where the cheek muscles did not fully develop and therefore create that little depression in the cheek contour when you smile.

In various countries, cosmetic surgeons have started to offer a dimple procedure to enhance a person’s smile. Men seem to be just as interested as women, and India seems to be something of a leader in this procedure.

How Are Dimples Created?

The procedure is short, taking 30 to 60 minutes and is done with local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. The plastic surgeon makes a small incision on the inside of the cheek and using a biopsy device, removes some of the fat in the proposed dimple location. More tissue is removed for a larger dimple and less for a smaller one. He then attaches part of the muscle to the skin. The incision is closed with absorbable stitches. Not every surgeon offers dimples on both cheeks, as it is difficult to make them symmetrical.

Recovery is short. There is a little swelling for a few days and you are prescribed an antibiotic to guard against infection. You would use a betadine mouth rinse also and would want to be on a liquid diet to avoid having to chew for a day or two.

At first, the dimple is there even if you are scowling, but as the cheek heals, it becomes visible only when you smile. The muscle is now pulling the skin inwards because of the closer muscle/skin attachment created by your dimple-plasty. Because the incision was inside the mouth, there is no visible scar.

You can return to your normal activities the same day if you wish and the results are permanent. Some cosmetic surgeons are also offering chin dimples.

Other Ways to Enhance Your Face

At The Cosmetic Surgical Center, Dr. Rai considers your safety a top priority and does not necessarily rush to offer the latest plastic surgery procedure just because it is new. Once a procedure is proven to be safe and effective he will offer it.

There are many ways to enhance your facial appearance. On our site, you can read about facial fillers as a way to enhance the cheeks and lip areas, cheek implants and chin implants as ways to change your facial contours, and lip enlargement or reduction to change your smile.

To learn more, please contact us today for a free consultation with Dr. Rai.

Through our genetics, we all have a basic body shape. As the years go by and we develop our lifestyle, we may change our appearance by adding bulk but we always keep the basic shape. It will re-emerge when we lose weight.

There are thought by some to be six types of female body shape. Since fashions come and go, each type is in fashion sooner or later and then drops out of fashion. If your body type is currently out of fashion, you may be feeling unattractive and may even be trying to change your basic shape with diet, exercise, and/or cosmetic surgery.

Six Female Body Types

1. The “A” Frame or Pear Shape -- this type has extra weight in the lower body and a small waist, bust, and shoulders.
2. The “V” Frame or Cone Shape – this type is the opposite of the A Frame – it has thin legs and narrow hips with a large bust and wide shoulders.
3. The “H” Frame -- this type looks square-shaped with a large waist and shoulders
4. The “Ruler” Frame – This is a type is thin with equal-sized shoulders, waist, and hips and does not gain weight easily
5. The “8” Frame or Hourglass – this type has equal-sized bust and hips with a significantly smaller waist, and weight gain or loss is evenly distributed over the body
6. The “Oval” Frame or Apple – this shape has thin legs, a short height, and a large bust, with extra weight going to the waistline

The Hourglass type is the perennial female ideal, but regardless of which body type you have, you can look attractive if you feel that you are attractive and if you dress and move well. Exercise programs can be devised for each type, focusing weight training on the thinner areas to build up muscle for a better balance. Lessons in dance or martial arts can increase your balance, grace, posture, and general muscle tone.

Cosmetic Surgery Can Help

If extra weight is obscuring your natural body type, liposuction and/or a tummy tuck can help a great deal. Sometimes we have unwanted fat in smaller, specific areas and there are procedures to help with that too, such as an arm lift or neck liposuction. Of course, there is always the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure of all among women – breast implants – to balance weight on the lower body.

Keep in mind that one’s bones contribute a great deal to your natural body shape, and no cosmetic surgery can change that (except for rhinoplasty, which can change nasal shape). Well, actually, in China, there is a procedure to lengthen the legs. The leg bones are cut and steel extensions inserted which can add about four inches to a woman’s height. But according to news reports, the leg bones are then susceptible to breaking for the rest of your life. Perhaps it is well that this procedure is not legal in the U.S.

When choosing to have plastic surgery for a more attractive or balanced body shape, it is important to be realistic about the results and to have a goal of being more YOU rather than more like someone else.

Please contact our Dallas and Fort Worth office today if you would like to schedule a free consultation with plastic surgeon Dr. Rai.

British writer Virginia Ironside has a column out today called “Why I’m not so Fonda this bare-faced hypocrite”. She takes issue with Jane Fonda for advertising anti-aging face cream (on a six-figure contract) and speaking out against people having cosmetic surgery, yet having procedures done to banish her own facial wrinkles.

Apparently Fonda has had a necklift to smooth out the wrinkles around the chin and throat areas; and also had blepharoplasty to remove bags from beneath her eyes. Ironside quotes Fonda as saying on her blog:

• “I just had some work done on my chin and neck and had the bags taken away from under my eyes, so I decided it would be a good idea to get a new haircut so people will think it's my new hair.”

Ironside is concerned about the women who bought the anti-aging cream Fonda advertised, expecting their faces to be as smooth as Fonda’s. Ironside herself has had a facelift and is proud of the results. She freely gives out the name of her cosmetic surgeon, but dislikes the statement that she “admits” to having a facelift.

• “I don't even like the word 'admitting' because it sounds as if I've committed a crime,” she says. “The whole procedure cheered me up no end. And although I'm quite open about it, very few people ask if I've had a facelift because I was one of the lucky ones who had an excellent surgeon … What on earth is wrong with having cosmetic surgery? It shows you care about your looks, which means you care about other people.”

Fonda disapproved of cosmetic surgery for many years but about four years ago she changed her mind. She had breast implants, but then had them removed. Now she is 72, more concerned about her aging appearance, and more willing to acknowledge having cosmetic surgery.

Ironside scolds celebrities who have cosmetic work done but don’t acknowledge it, because “it makes other older women feel upset that their bingo-wings, faces like contour maps and turkey necks, are somehow their own fault.”

Since everyone ages and the face shows it, it is clearly not anybody’s fault. Our culture is obsessed with youth and has forgotten that age brings valuable experience and often a more tolerant and wider perspective on life.

Ironside is right about the importance of choosing an excellent surgeon. That is the first thing you can do to ensure a good surgical outcome. The second thing to do is follow your surgeon’s pre- and post-op instructions exactly. If you would like to talk with Dr. Rai and learn more about the plastic surgery procedures we offer in Dallas Texas at The Cosmetic Surgical Center, please contact us today.

A forehead lift (brow lift) is a procedure to raise eyebrows that have started drooping over the eyes, and to smooth forehead creases and frown lines. These corrections give the face a more alert and youthful look.

Many times, a forehead lift is done along with eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). Eyelid surgery removes puffiness and wrinkles from the eyelids so the eyes match the rejuvenated forehead. Increasingly, men are coming for these two procedures, as cosmetic surgery continues to become better-known to the public and more acceptable.

Typically, male eyebrows are set lower on the forehead than those of women. So as age causes them to droop, or as a frowning habit draws them lower and closer together, the change more often affects the man’s eyesight. A brow lift can restore the full visual field by shifting the eyebrows higher and out of the way.

Endoscopic vs. Traditional Forehead Lift

Male pattern baldness is a factor in male cosmetic surgery. Traditionally, a forehead lift requires an incision to be made behind the hairline, in a long curve above the forehead and down to the temples. From there, Dr. Rai lifts the eyebrows and removes excess skin to smooth out wrinkles. That has the effect of raising the hairline and does not work so well for males whose hairline is receding, as the scar is too visible.

Therefore Dr. Rai uses the endoscopic technique for men. An endoscope is a narrow surgical tube with a light at its tip and a second channel for surgical instruments. It is connected to a computer. Dr. Rai can see on the monitor what work he is doing beneath the skin. Because the tube is narrow, only two or three small incisions are needed instead of a long one.

An endoscopic browlift cannot remove as much unwanted skin as can a traditional browlift. It is best for younger men with less wrinkling. It is a less invasive procedure with a shorter recovery time. The small incisions leave small scars that are virtually invisible.

If you would like to know more about male plastic surgery and which procedures might best benefit you, please call or email our office for a free consultation with Dr. Rai. We serve the residents of Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas and we hope to meet with you soon.

In the Palm Springs, California area, there is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization called Desert Best Friend’s Closet. It has no physical facilities and only three team members but during their first year, the 2008-2009 fiscal year, they provided the right clothing for 296 adults and 487 children, at no cost to those recipients.

They rely on donations of clothing, help, and money. They do not serve their community directly, but donate the clothing they collect to local charities or government agencies. They began by finding fashionable prom gowns for high school girls who could not afford to buy their own.

“Every girl deserves to experience prom before she graduates high school,” says Connie Golds, the president and co-founder of Desert Best Friend's Closet. “It's a rite of passage.”

Once they were on a roll with prom dresses, they spotted another need: work attire for job interviews. This assisted new high school graduates and also older women returning to the workforce.

Then they realized that the students at an elementary school in the area were in need of school uniforms. “Gently-used” uniforms were donated by students at another school so over 200 children were now well-attired for school. Part of that project was finding and providing play clothing for more than 200 children at a local rescue mission.

Cosmetic Surgery Patients Step Up

Part of their expanding project was “Bras for a Cause”, where cosmetic surgery patients donated their pre-surgery bras and camisoles because their cosmetic procedures were going to require different sized clothing.

• When you have breast implants or breast reduction, part of the preparation is determining what your new breast size will be and purchasing new bras.
• If you have liposuction, the treatment area will be much reduced in size and your old shirts and jackets may no longer be wearable if you have liposuction on the upper back; nor will your slacks or jeans be wearable if you have it on the hips or buttocks.
• After you have had a tummy tuck, you will not need your old skirts or dresses, but will have the pleasure of restocking your wardrobe with new ones.

Cosmetic surgery practices in the Desert area encouraged their patients to donate their pre-surgery clothing to Desert Best Friend’s Closet.

Future plans of this nonprofit group are to find a physical site where they can store donated items and run their organization; and to buy a truck for transporting large amounts of clothing.

It is not just your new shapely contours that can boost your self confidence after plastic surgery. Your fresh new wardrobe is part of that change. Perhaps you could further expand your good feelings by starting a similar nonprofit group in your own area, or by or donating to one if it exists.

If you would like to know more about any cosmetic surgery procedures offered at The Cosmetic Surgical Institute in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, please contact us today for a free consultation with Dr. Rai.