The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

A Star to Every Wandering Bark - Friday, June 27, 2008

One common reason given by detractors as to why people should not have cosmetic surgery is that notions of beauty are the product of fashion and that fashion is changeable. These people often point to Marilyn Monroe and say that she was considered beautiful in her day, but would be considered overweight by today's supermodel standards.

Such an argument does have some truth, but it is also seriously flawed. The very fact that she is so commonly cited by people making this argument proves that although she might be considered overweight by supermodel standards or those promoted by sleazy men's magazines, she was not just a beautiful woman, but an icon of beauty. On my daily bus ride through the commercial district of a major city, I see her face and figure many times: in the windows of poster stores, painted in murals, even as an advertisement for beauty parlors. Marilyin Monroe, and other icons like Audrey Hepburn prove that beauty never goes out of style.

The second thing wrong with the arguments of detractors is that cosmetic surgery is too big a decision to be made for anyone other than yourself. Ideally, you should have surgery so that you can like what you see in the mirror. If the standards of others change, it is of no consequence.

Finally, even if you are concerned about weathering the waves of fashion, be aware that there are a number of constants of beauty that endure through the ages:

· Proportion and balance: Proportion has long been upheld as a standard of beauty, and disproportionate tend to be seen as unattractive. A woman with overly large hips and small breasts can see a significant improvement from breast augmentation to give her body a more proportionate appearance, and people with noses out of proportion with the face can see improvement with a reduction rhinoplasty or with chin or cheek augmentation.

· Narrow waists: In studies of art and literature from cultures around the world and throughout history, cultural critics and anthropologists have discovered that relatively narrow waists are commonly perceived as beautiful. The narrow waist is the most often mentioned characteristic of a beautiful body for both men and women. Liposuction can target the fat deposits that make your waist wide and unattractive.

· Smooth curves: In art and design, the smooth continuous line that grabs and holds the eye is a constant ideal. One of the worst enemies of smooth curves is cellulite, which can make thighs and buttocks lumpy and unattractive. Endermologie can smooth these lumps and give your curves smoothness fit to be praised.

· Beautiful skin: From Rubens paintings to Maxim magazine covers, the main constant in beauty is glowing, youthful skin. Recent studies claiming that average faces were more beautiful are even further evidence. The selection of average faces seems to be related to the smoothing of the skin as an artifact of digital averaging. At the Centre, P.C, we offer an extensive array of skin care treatments, including chemical peels, laser treatments, and our own line of cosmeceuticals: Centre Yourself.

To learn more about the constants of beauty, and how you can rise above the crests and troughs of mere taste, contact the Centre, P.C, today for a consultation.

Should You Consider a Botox Breast Lift? - Thursday, June 26, 2008

A Botox breast lift is a relatively new procedure that supposedly helps women with a-cup and small b-cup breasts achieve a better appearance without surgery. Injecting the pectoral muscles with Botox causes them to relax. When the chest muscles relax, other muscles take up the slack. In this case, the muscles of the upper back cover for the paralyzed muscles. The result is a repositioning of the shoulder girdle, projecting the breasts more up and out. The result is better posture, and, as every woman knows from the age of about 12 or 13, standing upright makes your breasts look better.

At its best, the Botox breast lift is what might be called a "Wizard of Oz" procedure, in that it doesn't give you anything you didn't have already. In fact, in the book the Wizard sticks pins in the straw man's head to make him "sharper." But you can prove you're sharper by avoiding the needles in this case. If you want the kind of results you can get from a Botox breast lift, just click your heels together and stand up straight. Or buy a better bra, blouse, or swimsuit.

On a more serious note, this procedure is potentially harmful. Because the injections are treating larger muscles than in facial Botox injections, more Botox must be used and the possibility of adverse effects does increase, although it is still very small. More likely, though, is that women undergoing this procedure may experience the same types of effects on their back, shoulder, and neck muscles that induce women with hypertrophic breasts to seek breast reduction: discomfort, strain, even chronic pain.

In the novel, the Wizard makes everyone think the Emerald City is green by having them wear green-lensed glasses, but the true green of our website shows we offer genuine improvement in the appearance of your breasts with a breast lift or breast augmentation. To learn how these procedures can help you, please contact the Centre. P.C. today for a consultation.

Lipodissolve in Detail - Friday, June 20, 2008

Several weeks ago we talked briefly about injection lipolysis, sometimes commonly referred to as "lipodissolve," but the subject merits a more detailed discussion. Although not yet FDA-approved, it continues to be practiced by many doctors, who tout its benefits.

In panic about swimsuit season, and finding themselves without time to diet or have liposuction to try and get their swimsuit-ready body right away, people are turning to quick-fixes. However, there is reason to regard this treatment with skepticism as it may not be effective and may be dangerous.

No Standard Formulation

During the period of snake-oil salesmen, there were no limits on what a drug contained. It was a case of caveat emptor, and the consequences of insufficient caution could be drastic. Taking a drug that has not been FDA-approved is like voluntarily taking a step back to that time when cough syrups contained opium, pep pills cocaine, and diet pills held tapeworm eggs.

Injection lipolysis has no standard formula. Most variations include phophatidylcholine (PPC) and sodium deoxycholate (SDC). PPC is the chemical usually considered responsible for the destruction of fat, since it includes choline, a vitamin B amine with a role in the regulation of cell membranes. However, most doctors using a form of injection lipolysis custom-mix their own cocktails designed to increase the effectiveness of the formula.

Does it work?

The FDA has not seen clinical data that it is an effective treatment. The majority of researchers who have investigated its effects own a share in the patented formula being tested or otherwise have a vested interest. They claim that it is very effective: one supporter published a study saying that as many as 99 % of candidates injected with her personal formulation had some reduction of fat, and many experienced significant increases in skin tautness.

Is it dangerous?

Again, most of the research has been conducted by investors, who claim the side effects are very minor, consisting of only pain and swelling at the injection site, no worse than Botox or soft tissue fillers. In rare cases, complications are hyperpigmentation and persistent pain beyond 2 weeks following the injection, which occur in less than 1/20th of 1 percent of patients.

But the chemicals used have not shown any specificity for fat. According to tissue culture studies, injection lipolysis formulas cause general cell death, meaning the formula is potentially dangerous. Essentially, the formula could just as easily dissolve muscle or nerves as fat because you are injecting a toxin into your body to kill cells.

We do not practice injection lipolysis or any other form of mesotherapy because it is untested and potentially dangerous.

If you would like to learn about safe, effective treatments for fat, cellulite, or other cosmetic concerns, contact the Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.

Having Trouble Finding a Job? Consider Plastic Surgery - Thursday, June 19, 2008

The American Society of Dermatological Surgery performed a survey of doctors and discovered a remarkable fact. There has been significant growth in a very surprising sector of the economy: the unemployed. With the sluggish economy experiencing low job growth rates even during the so-called recovery of 2003-2004, competition for positions has become fierce, leading job-hunters to seek out every possible advantage. Among these advantages is looking younger.

Employers often don't know why they to hire younger-looking or more attractive applicants, and if asked would most likely not list it among the reasons behind their decision. Instead, they will say that the applicant seemed more energetic, harder-working. If an employer gives it a conscious thought, an applicant who looks near retirement does not seem like a good investment considering the possibility of having to look for a replacement and to pay retirement benefits five or ten years sooner.

For job seekers, cost-effective solutions like Botox and facial fillers are of course a good option, depending on what specific signs of aging you are showing. Resurfacing treatments like chemical peels are good for combating age spots and numerous fine wrinkles. But also a good investment for many people is blepharoplasty, a relatively minor surgery with a short recovery period that can combat the tired, angry, and aged appearance given by sagging, puffy eyelids. Financing is also available for those who qualify.

If you find yourself constantly turned down for jobs you are qualified for and think you interviewed well, perhaps your aged appearance is the intangible factor that decides against you. To learn more about treatments that can make you look 5 or 10 years younger, contact the Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.

Fashion Show Lets Cosmetic Surgery Patients Show Confidence - Friday, June 13, 2008

Most people considering cosmetic surgery are not runway models. They are people ashamed of their bodies, for whom the thought of displaying themselves in such a context causes bouts of terror. However, a dozen women and a man who underwent cosmetic surgery strutted their stuff on a runway in Long Island to show just how proud they were of their new bodies.

The women and man received many cosmetic surgery procedures including liposuction, tummy tucks, breast lifts, face lifts, and others to remedy the effects of pregnancy, weight gain and loss, and aging. Many of them had not told some of their family and friends about the procedures because they were ashamed of their bodies, making the show a sort of "coming-out" party as well. This final step of asserting and "owning" the surgery is crucial if a person is to make cosmetic surgery not just a procedure for the body, but for the self.

The show also proves that, no matter how many times people disparage it, plastic surgery can do real good in the world, as patient after patient finds their lives changed for the best.

To learn more about how cosmetic surgery can change your life, contact the Centre, P.C. to set up a consultation.

Superheroes and Cosmetic Surgery - Thursday, June 12, 2008

An interesting exhibit currently going on at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, entitled, Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, inspires some thoughts on cosmetic surgery. According to the curator, Andrew Bolton, "at the heart superheroes are issues related to the body, identity, and transformation, and these are all issues that are so critical to fashion." The exhibit, in the Museum's Costume Institute, "explores the different ways that superheroes serve as metaphors for fashion and its ability to transform the body," in the words of the New York Post. It includes designs from haute couture legends, Pierre Cardin, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Giorgio Armani. In addition, it includes promotional pieces from sporting lines Nike and Speedo, and actual costumes that appeared in films. The curator further says, "I think a lot of the connections we are making in the exhibit are not as immediate, they are more conceptually driven, but nevertheless there is still a strong synergy between the concept of the superhero and the concept of fashion." If the concept of the superhero and fashion have "a strong synergy," the synergistic tie between the superhero and cosmetic surgery, which actually represents a bodily transformation, must be far stronger.

Transformation of the body is a key metaphorical trope in the superhero genre. Superman's episodic transformation from mild-mannered Clark Kent into the superheroic figure of Superman that is highlighted in the series, is characterized by a fashion change from a uniform of concealment to one of revelation. The form-fitting costumes of Superman and other superheroes highlight the genre's emphasis on more-than-perfect bodies. Superman is the embodiment of the ideal masculine form, from his orthogonal chin to his huge pectorals to his toned abdomen to his muscular calves. Similarly, Wonder Woman's outfit changes from the modest WAC uniform of Diana Prince to the Wonder Woman costume, with its push-up bustier that significantly augments the appearance of her breasts.

These are both DC Comics characters dating from the 40s or earlier, whose transformations are largely costume changes. On the other hand, Marvel superheroes often undergo a bodily transformation, such as the Hulk, who transforms from a nerdy scientist into a muscular brute, or the X-Men, whose mutant powers develop during puberty, the same time women develop their curvy figure with breasts, waist, hips, and buttocks.

Cosmetic surgery cannot make your body perfect, any more than it can give you super-powers, but it can create an alter-ego, whose improved appearance can make you feel like a man of steel or a wonder woman.

To learn more about transforming your body with plastic surgery, contact the Centre, P.C. today for a free initial consultation.

Is Cosmetic Surgery Right for You? - Sunday, June 08, 2008

Does Liposuction Lead to Larger Breasts? - Thursday, June 05, 2008

A doctor who encountered anecdotal evidence from his abdominal liposuction patients that they experienced breast enlargement after their liposuction treatment, decided to follow up with a retrospective study that verified the phenomenon and quantified its frequency. The study excluded women who had had previous breast surgery or who were nursing.

According to the study, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 40 percent of women who undergo liposuction of the abdominal wall experienced an observable spontaneous breast enlargement of at least one cup size. The study also considered women who had undergone abdominoplasty, and found that only 11 percent of these women experienced a verifiable increase in breast size.

The doctor does not suggest touting this side-effect, but, instead, says that "patients should be informed about the possibility and risk of breast enlargement following liposuction of the abdominal wall in particular." In addition, this single retrospective study is far from suggesting a concrete link between the two procedures.

If you are interested in learning more about liposuction or breast enlargement, contact the Centre, P.C. today to set up a consultation.