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Archive for September, 2009

UK Beauty Writers Offer Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery

Monday, September 28th, 2009

An editorial in the UK Observer published over the weekend pitted British journalist Alice Hart-Davis against Annabel Jones, beauty director for UK fashion magazine Grazia, asking them “Can cosmetic surgery ever be a viable solution to aging?

From the start, the question is inherently flawed. Can anything at all be a viable solution to aging?  Unless you’re optimistically waiting for developments in stem cell research, the aging process is a fact you must accept.  So, perhaps the word “solution” is misleading; we don’t have a “solution to aging,” but we do have options.

Options for dealing with the cosmetic effects of aging are relative to the individual.  Someone might be completely satisfied simply with “great skincare, clever makeup, and an amazing haircut” – but that doesn’t mean you or I need to be.

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Breast Augmentation and Breast Feeding – A Frequent Concern

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Mother breast feeding her baby girlWomen who undergo breast augmentation often share concerns about whether saline or silicone implants will affect their ability to breast feed.  Another related question is about the safety of the newborn; will the presence of a synthetic implant somehow affect the breast milk?

First of all, it is possible that breast implants will disrupt your ability to breast feed, but there are ways to minimize the risk of this occurring.  If this is a significant concern for you, your surgeon will probably tell you to choose a particular incision site such as the armpit, breast crease, or navel, because incisions in these areas avoid manipulation of the nipple.

Surgical placement of the implant below the pectoralis muscle may also be recommended, but even with subglandular (above the muscle) placement, breast feeding is not necessarily compromised.

Regarding infant safety, research studies haven’t found any measurable risks.  In the late 90s, a study was published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery showing that women with silicone breast implants carry no higher levels of silicone (silicon) in their breast milk than women without implants.  It isn’t known what effect would occur if a small amount of silicone were to pass through to the infant.

If you still have concerns, speak to one of our surgeons or your OB/GYN.  Whether you plan to become pregnant or not, it is best to understand all of the possible breast augmentation risks before proceeding with surgery.

Read more about breast augmentation at Tulsa Surgical Arts

Liquid Face Lift Still Getting Media Exposure

Friday, September 4th, 2009

harpThe September ‘09 issue of Harper’s Bazaar is supposed to include an article on the so called “liquid facelift.”  If you’re not familiar with the term, it refers to soft tissue augmentation with dermal fillers and Botox cosmetic.  They say the  goal is to achieve results that are similar to surgery. Yet the results are said to be “typically more subtle than surgery.”

Perhaps it’s important to (briefly) note that a surgical facelift tightens tissues of the lower face, while soft tissue augmentation restores volume, and Botox relaxes wrinkles.

Despite those apparent inconsistencies, the topic is getting lots of media attention: Harper’s Bazaar is the latest to pick it up and interview some of the physicians that say they’re doing liquid face lifts.  The Best Beauty section of their September issue includes before and after pictures and a discussion of professional techniques for administering injectables.  The magazine’s website also has a decent article with some facts and figures about some of the best wrinkle fillers.

Apparently, a liquid facelift isn’t exactly a “touch up” here and there, but a series of several injections.  According to the authors at Harper’s, you can expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $4000.  A Florida dermatologist by the name of Dr. Fredric Brandt explains, “I resuspend the face with Botox, lifting up the brows, neck, jawline, and tip of the nose and then fill in and replace volume around the eyes and cheeks.”

The liquid facelift has also been featured on The Doctors (NBC), Rachel Ray Show, New Beauty Magazine, Dr. 90210, FOX News, Cosmetic Surgery Times, and more exposure is said to be in the works.