The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery is launching a new consumer publication called New You, with quarterly publishing scheduled to begin this month.

The mag is said to include visually stunning images and cutting-edge information about proven cosmetic procedures, brought to you by the best physicians in the business.

Each issue of New You will offer tips and features like these:

• How the latest cosmetic surgery procedures can enhance your appearance
• How to avoid negative results and stay safe
• How to choose a trustworthy surgeon
• Real patient stories
• Before & after photos
• Interviews with top cosmetic surgeons

Where can I find New You?

The primary distribution of New You will be in the waiting rooms of 2500 practicing cosmetic surgeons. An additional 50,000 copies will be distributed to newsstands and other medical professionals.

For more information, visit newyoumag.com

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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Being writers of a blog that pertains to specific Oklahoma Surgery practice, we are certainly poised to take part in the discussion started by Dr. Pauline Chen in the New York Times.  Dr. Chen writes, “I blog, I tweet and I use Facebook,” saying they are “enormously useful” tools for her work.  Blogger Tara Parker-Pope responds by asking, “Do you think more doctors should be using social media?”

Keeping an open mind to new networking possibilities while focusing on the core responsibilities of your profession can be quite a juggling act.  The overwhelming stream of information that is characteristic of our age has led some people to simply shun networking tools that have become trendy, with Twitter perhaps being the most obvious example.  For what professional purpose would a physician send out 140 character tweets?  Well, there are a few reasons:

The value of social media for our surgical practice (this blog for example) is found in education, and in opening the channels for further correspondence.  We want to let the community know what we’re doing and how we might be of service.

Dr. Christian Sinclair, who maintains a blog about palliative care, tells the NYTimes,  “I can help to inform the public, I can put the knowledge I have out there. And if there are patients or families who need this knowledge, I can help them because of this network.”

Connecting with potential patients is also greatly improved.  When you’re seeking a physician with the right amount of expertise, getting out the yellow pages just won’t cut it anymore; it’s more convenient, and probably wiser, to get to know the doctor’s areas of expertise and surgical portfolio before scheduling, and traveling to, a surgery consultation.

When it comes to the medical profession, the point is to provide a service, and for surgeons that service is actualized in the operating room. But that doesn’t mean surgeons shouldn’t augment the service they provide by using all the latest networking and communication tools this generation is so fortunate to have.