The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Sex and the City Stars on Plastic Surgery - Friday, May 30, 2008

With the premiere of the Sex and the City movie, it seems a good time to talk about some of the statements the four lead actresses have made about cosmetic surgery. As the lead characters of the series, these women are among the most commonly-cited celebrity role models for upper-middle-class white women in their 30s and above, coincidentally the largest group of cosmetic surgery patients, so what they say on the subject must be taken into account.

Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Carrie Bradshaw, was most vocal on the subject following a Maxim magazine poll that named her the world's unsexiest woman. She contrasted herself against women who in her words "Have big fake boobs, Botox and big lips," with obvious contempt. Although some rumors say that she has had rhinoplasty to improve the shape of her nose, she has denied it. She has said, "I believe in aging gracefully--and of course buying as many anti-aging creams as possible!"

Kim Cattrall, who plays the older sex-kitten Samantha, has admitted to using Botox, and has said she is thankful for such aids in combating the signs of aging. She has expressed reluctance in going farther. She believes it is frightening to have actual surgery because it means putting her body under someone else's control. And she also points out that at over 50 years of age she doesn't want to try to look 20 or even 30, but is content to looking 40-something and aging gracefully, which is certainly a good lesson in realistic expectations.

Kristen Davis, the small brunette actress who plays Charlotte, has said that plastic surgery scares her because she is afraid she will not look like herself. She has also sworn off dieting and trying to look super-skinny, but is trying to become more comfortable with her body.

Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda has not been quoted on the subject of cosmetic surgery, partly, I'm sure, because she is less commonly seen as a sex symbol and probably receives questions on the subject less often. However, her recent battle with breast cancer, in which she faced the real threat of losing her breasts and needing breast reconstruction, the original source of breast augmentation technology.

What these women say about plastic surgery is definitely important, because of their influence. They point out a number of significant concerns that every woman should consider before having surgery.

Before undergoing plastic surgery, make sure you find a cosmetic surgeon who will not only keep you safe, but will also take care to maintain your appearance. From breast augmentation to a facelift, any cosmetic surgery procedure can either look natural or artificial depending on the skill and experience of the surgeon.

In addition, it's very important to have realistic expectations before having surgery, which make you look like a celebrity, dramatically change your body type, or make you look 20 when you're 50.

Some people have said that it is hypocritical for naturally-beautiful women like these successful actresses to speak out against cosmetic surgery, which can really help women with real insecurities about their appearance, but their statements are perfectly appropriate. Cosmetic surgery is something every individual must decide for herself--or himself--after consultation with a cosmetic surgeon who will be honest about possible risks and benefits.

If you are interested in cosmetic surgery and want to discuss your options, please contact the Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.

The Root Cause of Midface Aging Discovered? - Thursday, May 29, 2008

Cosmetic surgeons may have discovered an underlying cause of several signs of aging in the midface region: a deep fat compartment below the layer of subcutaneous fat that is the target of facial filler injections. According to a study published in the June issue of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, the medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), this fat compartment may be a key to more effective and efficient treatment of symptoms of facial aging.

Since round cheeks are a sign of youth, the hollowing of the cheeks is considered one of the key signs of aging in the face. The emptying of this deep fat pocket seems to be at least partly responsible for the hollowing, and researchers postulate that it might also be implicated in the appearance of nasolabial folds--also known as parentheses around the nose and mouth or laugh lines--and what is known either a tear trough or v deformity under the eyes. If this proves to be the case, then all these issues can be corrected simultaneously with a single treatment.

The researchers discovered the deep fat compartment by studying cadavers injected with dye to identify the compartment below the subcutaneous layer of fat. Then the compartment was injected with latex to model the cavity and determine its extent. Once the extent was determined, researchers experimented with filler injections and implants and found that augmenting this compartment did in fact restore volume to the cheeks with a smaller implant or volume of filler than injections into the subcutaneous fat layer.

Although not yet proven as a viable option for combating aging, it does provide hope that a single treatment might someday do the work that is currently performed by a combining injectable fillers, facial implants, and lower-lid blepharoplasty.

Here at the Centre, P.C, we keep up with the latest trends in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and as soon as new treatment options become viable, we apply them. To learn more about state-of-the-art treatments that can help you maintain your youthful appearance, please contact us to set up a consultation.

Kellie Pickler Shows Surprising Maturity about Breast Implants - Thursday, May 22, 2008

Last year former American Idol finalist and aspiring country music star Kellie Pickler underwent cosmetic breast surgery and became the center of speculation and rumor. She kept the rumor mill churning for a long time, saying things like, "I like to be the center of attention, and right now me and the girls, we are pretty much getting a lot of attention. I like to keep it a mystery." However, after more than six months of speculation, she admitted to her breast augmentation surgery.

When Pickler performed at the American Country Music Awards, she became the center of attention for photographers, partly due to her breast implants. In response, some very crude comments were made, including one by the executive producer of the show that launched her career, who said the attention was because "She's acquired two accoutrements that (naturally) photographers and men love," then added, "I'm not sure what it cost her, but obviously it was well worth it." We might expect the so-called brain behind the prototypical low-brow reality television program to take a meretricious perspective, what is surprising is that Pickler has a much healthier perspective on her surgery and its results, possibly becoming a good role model for others considering breast enhancement.

Pickler never denied having the surgery, and in response to questions about her breast enlargement surgery she talked frankly about what might have inspired her to have it, "You're the one that has to look at yourself every day and it's important that you're happy with what you see." In response to sniping comments, she added, "I don't take any of that personal when people criticize me about the way I look. . . . As long as I'm happy with Kellie then that's most important." Recently she has discussed the breast surgery as part of her character transformation, "I still have my sassy and girly side, but I've been growing a lot--in many more ways than one. Let's just say I feel much more mature now." Ideally, breast surgery and other cosmetic surgery procedures represent an opportunity for more than just a physical makeover, but are part of a personal transformation.

In addition, Pickler put her breast enhancement in context of other things that stars do to look good, "My job is to sing and I have a total glam squad that does the rest; I use so much hairspray and so much makeup. At night it's like a mask that I take off--you really wouldn't know who I am." Makeup, hair styles, wardrobe, all coordinated and performed by dedicated professionals--these things are not seen as a cause for being embarrassed. Why should a woman be ashamed of her breast implants?

In considering breast augmentation surgery, you have to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons: for yourself and your self-image. If you want to discuss the issues surrounding breast augmentation surgery, please contact the Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.

A Step toward Reversing Bad Body Image - Tuesday, May 20, 2008

For years we have witnessed a paradoxical development in this country. As models have gotten thinner and thinner, the average weight of Americans and the obesity rate has gone up and up. Is it possible that the victory of Whitney Thompson in America's Next Top Model can reverse the trend? In what might be termed a "Reaganomic" solution to body image, perhaps as the models get bigger, the general population will get skinnier and healthier.

Whitney Thompson is a size 10 model, far larger than the majority of model competitors who are size 2 or less, but well below the average body size of women in the United States. However, some experts on health and dieting have said that her modeling victory sends the wrong message to children whose obesity rates continue to grow. They say that Thompson's victory sends the message that "it's okay to be fat."

Thompson points out in response that she is not at all fat. In fact, she says, her body mass index is right where it should be. She is a healthy, active woman who maintains her body weight, but she is, in her words, not going to starve herself, and says anyone who "[encourages] people to starve themselves or throw up after every meal [. . .] should be shot." She points out that being underweight is just as unhealthy as being overweight. She says, some "models are literally starving to death."

And, in a paradoxical way, a trend toward larger models might actually lead to a decline in obesity rates. For years we have had super-skinny models promoting an unrealistic ideal of slenderness, and during all this time the obesity rate has continued to climb. The promotion of ultra-skinny models leads to bad body image, which may inspire dieting and exercise in the short term, but then people find that their diet is either not working or causes them to lose their curves, which is a good indication that they are trying to achieve an ideal that does not match their body. People's inability to reach the model ideal drives them to despair of ever looking good. Despair leads to complete neglect of their bodies and "comfort eating," which in turn causes obesity.

On the other hand, the promotion of healthy models with realistic body types will help people to understand that, even though many of us cannot achieve the artificial ideal favored by the modeling industry, it does not mean we can't look good.

Cosmetic surgeons are lumped together with models and the fashion industry as inspiring bad body image and unrealistic expectations, but cosmetic surgeons know that cosmetic surgery procedures like liposuction cannot make larger-framed people look like models. Instead, cosmetic surgeons promote both realistic expectations and through body contouring and a proper use of proportion, show that people can look good at any size.

Thompson says that the so-called ideal model "[looks] like a hanger," but if you want to look good for more than just hanging clothes on, contact the Centre, P.C. today for a consultation on how cosmetic surgery can help you feel good about your body.

Japan Pushes the Envelope with Eco-Friendly "Concept Bras" - Friday, May 16, 2008

Most people are familiar with the Concept Car. Especially for boys growing up, the Concept Car was the coolest thing. Made in only a very limited number (sometimes as limited as 1), the cars looked the way the future car was supposed to look, although as it turned out our future cars have never looked (or performed) the way they were promised to. The best thing about them was that Hot Wheels and Matchbox usually produced toys based on them, adding some spice to the collection of sedans, trucks, and coupes.

Now a Japanese lingerie-maker has taken a similar step in making "Concept Bras," which are designed not for production, but to give a sense of the conceptual possibilities for the bra. It has produced a number of bras designed to show how lingerie can help save the environment. One bra includes metal chopsticks to promote the use of reusable chopsticks over disposable ones when eating out. Another bra turns into a reusable shopping bag.

But the pinnacle of the company's eco-line is its solar energy bra, which is actually more like a tank-top, featuring a bank of solar energy panels on the stomach. The panels generate enough electricity to charge a portable device such as a cell phone or iPod. A spokeswoman for the company admitted that the bra is essentially as useful as a screen door on a submarine, saying, "people usually cannot go outside without wearing clothes over it."

Nonetheless, as a concept bra, it is interesting, since it demonstrates possibilities. The bra utilizes second generation solar panels, the thick, dark ones, but it shows that, if combined with third generation nano-solar, which, incidentally, is a pretty purple color, a swimsuit designed for tanning could also supply power for portable devices a woman might want while sunbathing.

The primary role of the bra, is, of course, promoting breast aesthetics while maintaining breast health. If you want to learn more about breast aesthetics, please contact the Centre, P.C. today for a free consultation.

Doctors Consider Breast Augmentation with Fat Grafts - Thursday, May 15, 2008

Women have long wished they could just take the unseemly fat from their abdomen, flanks, and thighs and have it put in their breasts. At the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) conference last week, cosmetic surgeons discussed just that possibility.

Autologous fat transplantation, the moving of fat from one part of the body to another, has been used in some procedures, including buttock augmentation, and transplanted fat is sometimes used as a facial filler. The possibility of using autologous fat for breast augmentation, which is still being evaluated in clinical trials, has received much praise from some doctors. According to some, breast shaping with fat "allows for dramatic or subtle shaping of the breast in a manner previously not attainable," and have added that the "telltale signs of implants and surgery are absent--the resultant breast is completely fluid and natural appearing."

Recent studies focusing on breast reconstruction have shown that reconstruction with body tissue has a far lower rate of infection and other complications than breast reconstruction with implants, so it may be that transplanted fat might reduce complications associated with the procedure.

However, many questions relating to the long-term questions about the safety and efficacy of the procedure remain unanswered. The main concern is that transplanted fat cells have a low survival rate (from 50-75 %), which can be accounted for in micro-transplantation such as is used when utilizing transplanted fat as a facial filler, but the dieback of fat may lead to malformation if used in breast augmentation. In addition, the procedure may lead to the development of cysts, calcification, and scarring. And some have expressed concerns that the transplanted fat can lead to an increased incidence of cancer.

Until these concerns are addressed, breast implants will continue to be used for breast augmentation. Still, we can hope that some day in the not-too-distant future, a woman really will be able to move the fat in her body around to make her figure exactly how she wants it.

If you are interested in breast augmentation, liposuction, or other body contouring procedures, contact the Centre, P.C, today for a consultation.

Preventive Breast Health - Sunday, May 11, 2008

• Avoid toxins: There are many toxic chemicals in our daily environment, most of which have never been evaluated for long-term, low-level exposure risks. To avoid the risks of these chemicals, try to reduce them in your environment by buying organic products whenever possible.
• Go fruity: Increasing your intake of organic fruits and vegitables can dramatically help your body by providing it with the natural chemicals it needs to protect and heal itself.
• Get the good fat: Omega-3 fatty acids can dramatically improve the health of your circulatory system and aid in the breakdown of fibrin, helping the healing process and reducing scarring after any injury or surgery.
• Turn up the spice: Many spices not only add variety and taste to your cooking, but also have important health benefits. Rosemary, turmeric, and garlic are three good examples, but many spices fit into this category. Also, remember that spices are often spicy because they contain powerful chemicals. If you are taking medicines or have been diagnosed with a health condition, ask your doctor if there are any spices you should avoid.
• Relax: Stress is unhealthy. It can deplete your immune system and contribute to premature aging. Taking it easy a little while every day can go a long way toward keeping yourself healthy.

If you do all these things on a regular basis, you will find that not only your general health, but the health of your breasts will improve as well. Whether you are considering breast enlargement or breast reduction, you will find that these steps will help you to get better and longer-lasting results from your operation.

If you are interested in cosmetic procedures that are harmonious with healthy bodies, please contact the Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.

Welcome to Our New Website - Thursday, May 08, 2008

Sometimes it is necessary for a physician to heal himself first, so after several years we decided it was time to give our website a facelift. We like the new design much better. For one, it has a much better use of color. The green is a much healthier shade, lush and rich in comparison to the more bland, antiseptic off-white of the older site. The use of color in our logo, in the images, and in the navigation buttons creates a harmony to the site while guiding the eye to important features on the page. The color is even a nice complement to the picture of our Director of Patient Services, Lisa, who appears on every page in the Ask Lisa feature. The sweeping curves of the fronds on the new website backdrop also give the site a more dynamic appearance and feel.

We also like the image selection for this new design better. We believe the images chosen on the banner and on the buttons better reflect our attitude toward cosmetic medicine as part of a comprehensive whole health lifestyle, unifying healthy attitudes and healthy practices, whether in face and neck surgery or skin care.

And like all the best cosmetic procedures, this change is about more than just looks. We have revamped the navigation to make it easier for you to find what you're looking for. The accent green is used to bring out the buttons, which are larger than they used to be. Our navigation headings are clearer, and you can more directly get to some parts of our website--such as the online store and the media center--than ever before.

We are very proud of our new website, and we hope that you find it a pleasant place to visit. We hope you return regularly as we constantly strive to keep our website up-to-date with the best and most complete information about health and beauty.

Plastic Surgery Advocates Push Coverage for Children's Deformities - Friday, May 02, 2008

Many people think of plastic surgery as a "vanity" procedure, but here at the Centre, P.C, we are committed to plastic surgery as part of a program of overall health and wellness, part of which is expressed in our attention to the psychological effects of cosmetic surgery, and part through our dedication to not only cosmetic procedures, but also reconstructive procedures as well. We help people who have suffered debilitating or deformative injuries to the hand, breast, and skin.

In addition to those who have suffer injury or illness later in life, we are concerned about the treatment of children whose deformities may prevent them from ever fully integrating into the society of their peers. These deformities may be congenital, or due to infection, disease, tumors, or injury, and include cleft palate, hand deformities, and abnormal breast development.

Unfortunately, many children are unable to have corrective procedures because they are expensive and not covered by insurance. In response, many doctors donate their time to performing these procedures at little or no cost, both in the United States and abroad, but such volunteer procedures cannot be made available to all needy children. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has been trying to get access to these procedures for all children by lobbying for the past five years to pass what was known as the Treatment of Children's Deformities Act, now called the Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation and Surgery (CARES) Act. The bill requires that group health insurance plans cover the inpatient and outpatient diagnosis and treatment of children's deformities. The act explicitly excludes any procedure performed to reshape normal structures with the aim of improving appearance or self-esteem, but it also states that the procedure does not have to materially affect the operation of the operated body part.

As with much legislation, however, the bill is currently stalled in committee. It sits in the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where it has been since June 2007, although it has been offered as an amendment to many larger funding bills.

If you are interested in helping children overcome these sometimes debilitating conditions, contact your representative or senator today.

If you would like to learn more about the reconstructive or cosmetic procedures we offer at the Centre, P.C. please email us today for a consultation.

Promote Breast Health by Choosing an Appropriate Bra - Thursday, May 01, 2008

Recently, a London hospital recently began performing "bra checks," to women, and found that not one woman tested was wearing a properly sized bra. According to doctors, women who wear a properly sized bra can reduce neck, back, and shoulder pain, and decrease the need for a breast reduction. Wearing a properly sized bra is also important to reduce the need for a breast lift, and also to preserve the good results of a breast augmentation. Here are some tips to help you get the support you need from your bra.

Select the Right Cups

In a properly-fitting bra, the cups should completely contain your breasts without bulging or deforming the breast. Molded rather than flat cups are best. It is also important to pay attention to the seams, which play an essential role in giving support to the breasts. When you try on a bra, make sure the tie between the cups rests flat against your chest. If not, you need a larger cup size.

Underwires

Underwires add important support to the breast, but if poorly fitted they can be painful. If your cups are the right size, the underwire should be completely below the breast, resting directly against the rib cage.

Strapped In

The bra straps are the most important part of the bra for distributing the weight of the breasts and giving support. The back strap should rest flat against your back at or below the shoulder blades. When the strap rides up or is too loose, it is a sign that the bra is too big. If the bra feels too tight, try a bra with a larger cup first, then try a larger bra. Most of the weight is borne by the straps over the shoulder, and should be wider if possible. Also, keep them properly adjusted. If they drift, they are too loose, but if they cut into the shoulders, they are too tight.

Wear It

In order to protect your breasts, it is important to wear your bra all the time, especially during exercise. A sports bra is recommended for running and other high-impact exercises. You may believe that that you will not need to wear a bra following breast augmentation surgery, but this is not true. Breast implants, especially silicone implants, are more resistant to gravity than natural breast tissue, but not wearing a bra can reduce the lifetime of the procedure.

To learn more about how to maintain the health of your breasts before and following breast surgery, contact the Centre, P.C. today to set up a consultation.