We have mentioned in past blogs that getting as close to your ideal weight as possible before a tummy tuck is important, and a recent study shows that weight loss before breast surgery is important as well.
The study followed 8,000 women, 2,400 of whom were obese, who received cosmetic breast surgeries between 2002 and 2006. The study compared complication rates between the obese and non-obese women. The risk of complications was nearly 12 times higher for the obese women. These complications included:
Inflammation
Infection
Seromas (collections of fluid)
Hematomas (collections of blood)
The study examined insurance claims made by the women to measure the rate […]
In 2010, people age 40 to 54 comprised 48 percent of all cosmetic procedures performed that year, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. People age 55 and older made up 26 percent. These two age groups make up the majority of consumers for both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
Many people older than 55 have become first-time plastic surgery patients. People are living and working longer, which may be the main reasons that older people are turning to plastic surgery. Procedures like a facelift can restore an alert and youthful facial appearance and is popular among both men and […]
A new trend in facial rejuvenation draws a patient’s blood and then injects the plasma into the patient’s face. The procedure has been dubbed “the vampire facelift” but is really more like a facial filler treatment using platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
The PRP facial procedure does not yield the aesthetic results of a facelift. Facelifts restore definition to the cheekbones and jaw line, resulting in tighter facial contours. Dermal fillers restore lost facial volume.
In the PRP procedure, a vial of the patient’s blood is spun in a centrifuge to separate the blood from the plasma. The isolated plasma is injected into certain […]
Treatment with the blood-thinning drug enoxaparin may reduce the risk of the blood-clotting condition known as venous thromboembolism (VTE) following a plastic surgery procedure. This finding comes from a recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
VTE includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT blocks blood flow in large veins, usually located in the legs. PE occurs when the blood clot moves through the bloodstream into the lungs. VTE can lead to serious health problems and death. The study found that treatment with a blood-thinning drug […]
A recent study indicates there may be a benefit to combining liposuction with a tummy tuck procedure. The author of the study, Dr. Carl W. Lentz, believes that liposuction may prevent seromas from forming after a tummy tuck.
A seroma is a collection of fluid that may form after a surgical procedure. The fluid (called serum) leaks from damaged blood and lymph vessels. Seromas should be avoided because they interfere with healing and recovery. After a tummy tuck, a drain is used for about a week after the procedure to prevent fluid buildup.
Dr. Lentz’s study consisted of 113 tummy tuck patients. […]
According to data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the popularity of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures increased 5 percent in 2010 from 2009. Cosmetic surgical procedures, like facelifts, increased only 2 percent in 2010 compared to the previous year.
With the testing of a new botulinum toxin type A gel, anti-aging procedures hold the promise of becoming even less invasive. The new topical gel is still in the clinical trial phase and has not been approved by the FDA, but the gel shows promise. In a study of 270 patients with wrinkling around their eyes, 89 percent of patients […]
Breast augmentation revision surgeries are not uncommon. Women may feel dissatisfied with certain aesthetic results, such as size and shape. Sometimes, women seek revision surgeries because of a “botched” breast augmentation from another surgeon. “Botched” results include asymmetrical, sagging and misshapen breasts.
According to the British newspaper Daily Mail, a consultant plastic surgeon at University College in London may have found a solution to breast augmentation dissatisfaction. Dr. Patrick Mallucci believes that some botched breast augmentation surgeries may stem from miscommunication between patient and surgeon. In a consultation, patients often talk about cup size, volume, and other terms tending to be […]
Liposuction is the fourth most popular cosmetic surgery procedure, and a recent study shows liposuction may also lower your triglyceride levels.
Triglycerides are a type of fat present in your blood. At high levels, triglycerides are linked to hardening of the arteries and thickening of the artery walls. This condition is called “atherosclerosis,” and it can lead to:
Heart disease
Heart attack
Stroke
At the 2011 conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), Dr. Eric Swanson presented the study for which he was the author. There were 322 patients in the study, all of whom were receiving liposuction. A small percentage were undergoing […]
Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation, the manufacturer of Perlane and Restylane, has given up on trying to expand into the medical device arena. It has sold its subsidiary, Medicis Technologies Corporation, whose primary purpose was the development of a liposuction alternative device called LipoSonix.
LipoSonix is a liposuction alternative treatment that promises to dissolve fat noninvasively using ultrasonic waves. Its clearance by the FDA proved more difficult than presumed by Medicis when it purchased the company, according to industry analysts. The reason for the additional difficulty may have been concerns about the potential for dangerous dissolved fats in the bloodstream after treatment, poor […]
One of the ongoing controversies in medicine is who should be allowed to call themselves cosmetic surgeons and perform cosmetic surgery procedures such as a facelift.
This controversy has been re-ignited by the consideration of a law in New York that would permit oral and maxillofacial surgeons to perform cosmetic surgery. In many states, including Texas, oral and maxillofacial surgeons are allowed to perform facial cosmetic surgery procedures. Other states, such as California and Florida, at least require that surgeons disclose their actual board certifications in all types of advertising. This at least provides patients with the information they need to […]
