About.com Plastic Surgery

POLL: Do You Have a Facelift Fund?

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:47:16 +0000

My 7 year old son went to his school's "Holiday Shop" yesterday and came home with presents for loved ones, along with one he got for himself: a money jar with the words "Facelift Fund" emblazoned on the side. No, my child is not saving for a face lift. (He just liked the color of the jar, and plans to�use it to hold�the overflow from his extensive rock collection.) But it got me thinking. In these fiscally challenging times, how are people paying for�plastic surgery?

Do you have a face lift jar? A special account where you save for "me" purchases (separate from your retirement savings or kids' college funds)? Are you planning to put it on a credit card? Does your surgeon offer a financing plan? Or are you hoping your insurance plan will pay for your procedure, at least in part?

Weigh in on the poll: How are you paying for your cosmetic procedure?

POLL: Do You Have a Facelift Fund? originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 09:47:16.

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Health Care Reform Hits Cosmetic Surgery - Take the Poll

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:49:18 +0000

Most people in the U.S. agree that we need some sort of health care reform. It's how we go about -- and more importantly, how we fund it -- that is the big question dividing us into separate camps.

One�revenue source currently on the table is adding a 5% tax on all cosmetic surgery. Such a tax has been proposed in numerous states over the years and rejected after examining the feasibility. The only state to approve such a tax has been New Jersey (which boasts the highest overall tax burden per capita in the nation). Critics in the state say�the tax�has failed to realize�expected profits, and point out that the bill now faces opposition from the same legislators who approved it in the first place.

Not surprisingly, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) has issued a press release opposing the new tax. "Activating a cosmetic surgery tax is not the solution to funding a health care overhaul," states AACS Immediate Past President Dr. Steven Hopping.� AACS arguments against the cosmetic surgery tax include the following points:

A tax on elective cosmetic procedures is an unreliable, risky revenue source that has no proven record of raising projected revenues.
The difficulty of defining elective vs. medically-necessary cosmetic surgery. There is a blurry line between what procedures are considered medically-necessary and those that are elective.
Retention of highly-skilled physicians is at risk. Physicians face many challenges in operating their practices on a day-to-day basis. Turning them into tax-collectors is an additional burden on these doctors.
Cosmetic surgery is not a specialty for only the wealthy or the vain. In fact, the median income for those electing to have cosmetic surgery is dropping.
Despite the fact that more men are seeking cosmetic procedures than ever, the largest portion of patients are still working women, who would be unfairly targeted by such taxes.
A large portion of those being taxed would be the baby-boomer generation. And as this age group continues to age, the more interest will be generated in cosmetic procedures. It is important to note that the age bracket are most likely to vote in elections is the same as those who are electing to have cosmetic procedures.

Personally, I'm not sure if I buy into all of those arguments. On one hand, cosmetic surgery is not a necessity. On a $10,000 face lift, 5% is an extra $500.�The tax on a new pair of breasts, on average, would be about $300. If you can't afford the new tax, the answer is simple: Don't have the surgery. But ah, there's the rub. If fewer people end up having cosmetic surgery due to the tax, then both the anticipated revenue and the economy pay the price.

What do you think? Is is a risky move to burden an already-flailing business (and current statistics do say that the business of cosmetic surgery is having trouble in this economy) with a brand new tax? Is an extra $500 going to make a difference to those who�who have been saving up to pay a doctor�to turn back the hands of time? Do you worry that doctors might start cutting corners to be able to keep their fees the same and stay competitive? Does patient care suffer? Or do you think anyone who is having surgery for vanity's sake should be willing to chip in to help pay for reform that will help people with legitimate medical needs?

Weigh in on the poll and share your reasons for your answer.

Health Care Reform Hits Cosmetic Surgery - Take the Poll originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 12:49:18.

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Is Plastic Surgery an Insult to God?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:27:02 +0000

First,�let's just say that�any Atheists and/or Agnostics�may feel free to replace the word "God" with "nature" throughout�this article.

Second, I am going to play devil's advocate - pardon the irony�- to those who�believe plastic surgery is somehow morally wrong because "Who are we to mess with what God made?"

If God brought you into this world in poverty, do you owe it to Him to stay there?

If you were born with webbed fingers, is it an insult to God (and therefore, a sin) to have your deformity corrected so your hands can be fully functional?

If God decided you were meant to lose your eyesight (even�when there's a laser surgery that could preserve it), do you think He would be offended if you had the surgery?

Now you may be thinking that these questions are not relevant to cosmetic surgery because these things are all related to health and function, not vanity. Okay then. I have to ask you now: Did God give you pierced ears? Did God give you cut, styled, and colored hair? Did He make you with colored eyelids and glossy lips and painted nails and powdered skin? Were you born with clothes on?

Of course I'm not implying that everyone should run out and have plastic surgery. I'm not�speculating that God likes plastic surgery, or saying that vanity is a good thing (although I don't believe a little vanity is necessarily a bad thing either). I'm just saying, if you believe in God, you must also believe that He gave us each�certain gifts that we can use to improve our health, our station in life, our base of knowledge, and yes, even our appearance. When someone gives you a gift, isn't it fair to assume they want you to use and enjoy it?

Still others disparage cosmetic surgery as a selfish act. Well, yes...and no. To keep this post from getting too long, I'm going to refer you to another post about the morality of having plastic surgery in these trying times. Maybe it will help you see things from a new perspective.

Agree with me? Disagree? Let your feelings be heard by taking part in this related poll�on the morality of plastic surgery.

To sum it up, I never read anything in the Bible (and I don't believe it is in any other Holy books either)�that says�"Thou shalt not have plastic surgery". I have, however, read the part where it says, "Judge not, lest ye be judged." And that's good enough for me.

Is Plastic Surgery an Insult to God? originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 12:27:02.

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Tell Us What You Don't Like About Yourself

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:43:12 +0000

Fictional plastic surgeons Dr. Sean�McNamara and Dr. Christian Troy (from the FX network's plastic surgery-themed drama, Nip / Tuck) have a famous opening line, which they use in every consultation: "Tell us what you don't like about yourself." As a huge fan of the show, I get that it's supposed to have that darker, double meaning. Yet I wonder if there are any plastic surgeons out there who are�using this line in real life. If so, I beseech you to stop right now. Or at least amend it to "Tell me what you don't like about your appearance."

If the difference doesn't seem all that significant to you, let me explain. The first option, in this context,�implies that a dislike of a specific physical feature and a dislike of self are one and the same.��The�second problem is�yet another (although subtle) implication of the request: that plastic surgery might be able to fix the�patient's low self-esteem.

While some might argue that a desire for plastic surgery does automatically imply some sort of shortage in the self-esteem department, I respectfully disagree. In the context of self-esteem, having plastic surgery to improve a specific physical feature is no different from asking a personal trainer to design a routine to sculpt a firmer backside. Or spending $200 at the salon for a cut and color. Or buying a new wardrobe to improve your chance of getting a date (or a job). Or reading a self-help book to learn how to be a better lover. Or�even hiring a tutor to help you gain a better understanding of complex geometry (though I am certain many will take issue with this point).

What I'm getting at here is that a desire for self-improvement is not in and of itself an indication of low self-worth. More importantly, cosmetic surgery will not fix "what you don't like about yourself". Its goal is to improve a specific physical feature that you find bothersome.

On the other hand, perhaps the doctors' request�could hold�a hidden purpose as a patient screening tool.�In the right hands (which I'm afraid is not the case with McNamara and Troy), the�patient's answer could provide some insight into her emotional state, reasons for wanting surgery, and�true expectations of the outcome.

I know what you're thinking. This blog is supposed to be about plastic surgery, not psychology. And if you've read my bio, you know that I'm not a psychologist, so of course, I am not dispensing psychiatric advice. I do submit, though, that without taking psychology into account, a plastic surgeon is not going to be truly good at what he does.

A good plastic surgeon will always take care to recognize patients with emotional problems and unrealistic expectations. A good plastic surgeon will adhere to a strict code of ethics that does no harm, either physically or psychologically, to his patients. A good plastic surgeon would have, at some point,�turned away a�patient like the late Michael Jackson (and referred him to the appropriate psychiatric professional for the help he needed). And although he may be able to get rid of a bump on your nose or lift a sagging brow, a�good plastic surgeon knows that he cannot fix "what you don't like about yourself".

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Tell Us What You Don't Like About Yourself originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 11:43:12.

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A Nose Job Without Surgery?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:39:04 +0000

As much research as I do on the topic of plastic surgery and non-invasive alternatives to surgery, I was surprised recently to learn of the existence of non-surgical rhinoplasty. I write all the time about injectable dermal fillers, but until recently, it had never occurred to me that they could or would be used for sculpting the nose.

I have never made a secret of the fact that I have had a nose job. In fact, if I hadn't, I would probably not have ever come to be your About.com Guide to Plastic Surgery. And though I have been happy with my results for (gulp) twenty years now, there are a few asymmetries and contour irregularities that bother me sometimes. I have never thought it would be worth it to have surgery again for such small matters, and I understand that perfection is an unrealistic expectation. However, now that I know about non-surgical rhinoplasty (also called injection rhinoplasty, non surgical nose job, or 15 minute nose job), I have something to think about.

I recently spoke with 2 different facial plastic surgeons who perform this procedure in the Los Angeles area: Robert Kotler, MD, and Alexander Rivkin, MD. (Dr. Kotler's patient is shown in the photo above.) Though they use different filler materials -- Dr. Kotler prefers silicone while Dr. Rivkin uses mostly other non-surgical rhinoplasty fillers like Radiesse and Artefill -- the techniques are�very similar, and the results can be quite impressive.

Both doctors agree on one very important point: If you are considering non-surgical rhinoplasty, it is of paramount importance that you choose a doctor who is very experienced in the technique. One or two millimeters "off" in any direction can be very noticeable on a feature as central to the appearance as the nose.

Learn more about non-surgical rhinoplasty.

See plastic surgery before and after photos.

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A Nose Job Without Surgery? originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 12:39:04.

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Evolence Pulled From Market

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:14:08 +0000

Evolence - an injectable dermal filler derived from pig collagen - was pulled from the market�yesterday (November 4, 2009) by it's maker, Johnson & Johnson, who stated that the product is now up for sale. (The Evolence website now declares that it's "under construction".)

Though no reasons have yet been given for the pulling of the product, some doctors are speculating about three contributing factors:

stiff competition from more "established" and aggressively marketed fillers like Juvederm and Restylane
low patient satisfaction rates: According to online patient reviews on realself.com, only 35% of patients would recommend Evolence. Chief patient complaints have been pain, bruising and lumps.
a higher learning curve and more difficulty injecting�for administering physicians: Evolence is a thicker and stiffer filler, requiring a larger needle and more massage to avoid lumps. (More massage may exacerbate the bruising mentioned above.)

Of course, if you are considering dermal fillers to fill out your nasolabial folds, plump up your lips,�add fullness to your cheeks or under-eye area, or to give your entire face a "liquid lift", there is no need to despair. There are still plenty of other dermal fillers available on the market, most with a relatively high patient satisfaction level in comparison to Evolence.

Evolence Pulled From Market originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 17:14:08.

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For Halloween, One of My Top Ten Scariest Celeb Plastic Surgery Photos

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:52:37 +0000

We love you, Mary. You're an American icon. Which is why we find your post-plastic surgery face so upsetting. We worry that your eyes and brows have been pulled up so high that you�can't close your eyes at night to go to sleep. We worry about you getting enough nutrition (since we fear it might be painful to chew with your mouth pulled so far back to the sides of your face).

Posting this photo is just�our�way of begging you, Mary: Please don't have any more surgery.

For Halloween, One of My Top Ten Scariest Celeb Plastic Surgery Photos originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 12:52:37.

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World's First Plastic Surgery App for iPhone

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:32:33 +0000

Manhattan-based�plastic surgeon,�David Shafer, MD, has recently launched what he describes as the world's first plastic surgery app for the iPhone.

The Shafer Plastic Surgery App is an interactive program that allows users access to Dr.�Shafer's database of more than 1,000 FAQs (and their answers) covering invasive cosmetic surgical procedures as well as non-invasive�procedures like the use of� cosmetic injectables.

The full version of the app costs $2.99, and allows people to ask questions directly to Shafer, resulting in the addition of new (relevant) questions and answers to the�full-access database. Thanks to these built-in automatic updates, the database is continually�evolving to provide the most up-to-date information available.

If you're not ready to shell out the 3 bucks, there is�a "lite" version, which gives users a sampling of existing Qs and As. The lite version is free at the App Store. Both versions include bio information about Dr. Shafer�and direct links to Shafer's website.�

If you're not an iPhone user, take heart: You can always use your Blackberry to surf the web and get answers to all your plastic surgery-related questions right here on About.com...or hey, maybe there's a market for an AboutPlasticSurgery App by yours truly? Something to think about.

World's First Plastic Surgery App for iPhone originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 12:32:33.

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Sirenomelia Much More Than a Cosmetic Defect - Mermaid Girl Dies at Age 10

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:54:13 +0000

Shiloh Pepin, known by much of the�U.S. as the "mermaid girl" after being interviewed�by Oprah Winfrey on her show in September,�died on October 23, 2009 at Maine Medical Center. At the time of her death, Shiloh�had lived for an almost unheard of 10 years with sirenomelia,�known in the vernacular as mermaid syndrome. The outwardly distinctive characteristic shared by those with sirenomelia is the fusion on what should be two legs into a single appendage resembling a mermaid's tail.

Reconstructive plastic surgery to separate the legs and construct rudimentary outward genitalia is only a small part of treatment of this disorder, which also invloves the severe malformation (or even absence of) bladder, kidneys, reproductive organs, and bowels. Shiloh was one of only 3 people worldwide in known history to have survived past the first year of life without extensive reconstructive and other surgeries (such as the 2 kidney transplants she received during her brief lifetime). In fact, most infants born with this disease live only a matter of days.

Shiloh, whose parents were told she would live only a few days after her birth, said on Oprah that she didn't want to undergo the complex reconstructive surgery which would be needed to separate her legs -- an operation which is performed in multiple stages, using multiple recontructive tehniques including tissue expansion, skin grafts, and/or flap surgery. Even without the surgery, she defied the odds and outlived all expectations.

Following the Oprah episode, there were those who found Shiloh inspiring, and others who were put off by her curt answers and/or Oprah's questions. Regardless of the controversy and what anyone may have thought about the much-ballyhooed Oprah interview,�I know the�hearts of a nation are going out to her family in this sorrowful time.

What can we take away from Shiloh's story? Perhaps increased hope for longer and better lives for those born with serious birth defects. Perhaps increased compassion leading to better funding and staffing for charitable organizations that help provide reconstructive surgery to children with birth defects. And perhaps a different perspective on the importance of our crows feet and other cosmetic concerns.�

Sirenomelia Much More Than a Cosmetic Defect - Mermaid Girl Dies at Age 10 originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 01:54:13.

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World Series or Nip / Tuck? But Honey, It's Job-Related Research

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:12:41 +0000

Thank goodness for DVR. Nip / Tuck is all set to record tonight, and my husband can still watch Game 1.

Since I didn't actually blog on last week's episode, here it is in a nutshell:

Teddy dumped Sean and he met an even bigger wacko who stabbed him in the leg so he could score oxycontin�from the E.R.
Liz dropped her ruthless divorce suit.
Doctors Troy and McNamara removed tattoos and extreme body modification scars from a disturbed young man, who then apparently turned around and brutally killed his parents for making him have his facial "art" removed. (art which included a skull tattoo covering the entire back of his bald head, and the number "666" carved into his forehead, among other things.)

Something was a little "off" about that last story line, so perhaps things are not as they seem. I am chomping at the bit to see where it goes.

Why oh why do baseball games have to�take so long?

World Series or Nip / Tuck? But Honey, It's Job-Related Research originally appeared on About.com Plastic Surgery on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 18:12:41.

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