The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Reversing Summer Sun Damage with Our Fall Special - Thursday, August 21, 2008

This fall we are offering an Autumn Paradise Package for all our clients to come down and undo all the damage the summer sun has done to your skin. Ultraviolet radiation can damage the skin. This is compounded by the slowing of our body's natural rate of shedding skin cells as we age. To keep your skin looking and feeling its best, it is important to keep up a routine of regular exfoliating sessions, and especially important to exfoliate your skin after a season of hot days in the summer sun.

We designed our Fall Special to help you get the full-body treatment your skin needs. The treatment includes:

An exfoliating body brushing which removes the outer layer of skin and stimulates the growth of new skin cells. Body brushing has also been credited with reducing the incidence of cellulite by stimulating the movement of nutrients and oxygen through the fat cells.

A Swedish massage that stimulates body and spirit to relax both and remove stress. Long, soothing strokes, work on pressure points, and the kneading and stretching of muscles can make you feel a whole new person inside. The massage reinforces the effects of the body brushing by aiding transport of nutrients through the muscles.

Microdermabrasion for rejuvenation of the skin of the face. Dead and damaged skin cells are removed, leaving a fresher, smoother exterior to show the world.

And all of these treatments are offered with a substantial discount. Normally $245, these three treatments are offered for the low price of $165, nearly 33 % off.

Contact The Centre, P.C. today to schedule your Autumn Paradise Package soon. The offer expires when the last autumn leaf falls, or November 30, whichever comes first.

Getting Ready for Fall Fashion - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Fall fashion tends to be more figure-friendly than skin-baring summer outfits, but this season is something of a wash. Whereas this summer gave many options for concealing your legs with maxi dresses, your arms with flouncy sleeves, even your neck with high Edwardian collars, this fall is a mixed bag of concealers and revealers. But with judicious shopping and help from The Centre, P.C, you can look your best in high fashion this fall.

Military Style

Military styles are all over the place on the runways for fall fashion. Like Cate Blanchett as the Soviet sword-wielding telepath Irina Spalko in Indiana Jones this summer, military fashions are hot this fall. This means fitted, multi-buttoned military jackets reinforcing many of the biggest trends this fall, like hats and figure-hugging belts, as well as some of the classics of fall fashion like tall boots.

Country Style

By country style, we don't mean embroidered be-sequined shirts and ten-gallon hats, we're referring to British country style, the old style of manors on the heath country. This means textured fabrics like tweeds and plaids, a very tactile look with layering: jackets, vests, hats, and belts.

Belle Curve

The belle curve is a tailoring technique that creates a flared waistline in women's clothing. It was a dominant fashion trend during the 40s, and it is back this season in jackets, vests, and skirts. Think heroines of the film noir era: Lauren Bacall in Key Largo or The Big Sleep and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca or Notorious. Or, more recently, think of neo-noir heroines like Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank in The Black Dahlia, or Kim Basinger in L.A. Confidential.

Getting Ready

There is a lot of harmony among the different styles this season, and mutually-reinforcing trends. Fitted jackets, vests, and belts all draw attention to the waistline. While this continues a trend of de-emphasizing the bustline I wrote about in connection with this year's Oscar fashion, it creates problems for women with flat waists. If you need help defining your waistline, consider liposuction or tummy tuck.

Hats are the other big trend this fall, whether you're thinking military, country, or belle curve, a hat is an essential accent. And just as it's important to make sure your choice of hat fits the shape of your face and your figure, it's important to make sure your face is ready for the attention it will get as a result. At The Centre, we offer many skin care products and treatments to make your face the best for every close-up. From full-surface treatments like laser skin resurfacing and microdermabrasion to targeted fixes like Botox^® Cosmetic and Restylane^® and other soft tissue fillers, your face can look younger than it has for many years.

If you want to look your best this fall, look into enhancing your appearance with help from The Centre, P.C. Contact us today for a consultation to learn more.

Be Your Best under Any Light - Monday, August 18, 2008

Now that we have passed the dog days of summer and the days are getting shorter and shorter, the garden and cocktail parties that you enjoyed in the long late summer evenings under the full light of sun will be moved more and more under cover and under artificial light. You may think that the glare of sunlight is the harshest, most revealing light, and that interior lighting will be more forgiving, but that is not entirely true. While some fine wrinkles and crepey skin textures do stand out more in the bright light of day, interior lighting will not allow you to neglect skin care.

Interior lighting is different from natural sunlight. It is not generally as bright, but because it is often a point-light source, it shows your skin differently from sunlight, and can be just as effective, if not more so, at highlighting different regions of your face. Most importantly, interior lighting generally has a different spectrum of light than pure sunlight, even if it appears the same white color. Many incandescent bulbs give off a more yellow color than natural sunlight, while fluorescents are more balanced to the blue. This can wreck havoc on your apparent complexion. Cosmetics that can give you an even porcelain tone in sunlight can make you look washed out under fluorescent bulbs, and a natural-looking tan can appear almost jaundiced under incandescent lights.

To be sure you look your best under any and all light, we offer VISIA computerized complexion analysis. The first step to making your skin look its best is to make it as healthy as possible, and VISIA analysis can detect areas of unevenness in your skin to make sure your face is a smooth canvas before you put on your makeup. Once it detects any skin problems, they can be treated with skin treatments from our proprietary line of cosmeceuticals: Centre Yourself™.

Once your skin is the perfect, smooth canvas, using the best cosmetics available can keep you looking your best. Jane Iredale mineral skin care makeup not only helps maintain the healthy complexion you have achieved, but their micro-pulverized mineral tints are less susceptible to change as the light changes. Mineral tints reflect radiation precisely, but chemical pigments are more likely to have secondary reflections that can appear under different lights.

To learn more about complexion analysis and mineral makeup, contact us at The Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.

Social Stigma Leads Women to Wear Damaging Bras - Friday, August 15, 2008

The University of Portsmouth's bra researchers, technically known as the breast biomechanics team, recently released a new study that includes something old and something new.

On the old side, researchers reported that as many as 90% of women wear the wrong bra. They also said that poor support could lead to the ligaments in the breasts being stretched. During exercise, they said, breasts may move up to 8-1/4 inches up and down, in and out, and side to side. Unfortunately, most bras are designed only to limit vertical movement.

On the new side, researchers also expanded our understanding of why women wear the wrong bra. Most prior studies implied that women were ignorant of what constituted an appropriate bra for their breasts, but this new study shows that bra choices are not simply the result of ignorance. An important influence on women's decision is strong personal preferences for certain styles, preferences established at a very young age and are relatively inflexible. "They won't even look at anything that doesn't look like the sort of bra they are used to wearing," said researcher Wendy Hedger.

Women's choice of bra is also determined by the social stigma attached to particular sizes of bra. Women don't want to be seen as too small or too big even in their own minds and buy an ill-fitting bra in order to appear what they consider to be a normal size. The problem is that with daily wear a wrong-sized bra can cause painful damage that may require surgical correction such as a breast lift.

Women are encouraged to come to terms with their breast size and buy an appropriate bra for their size and activity level. On the other hand, women who find they have trouble feeling comfortable with the size or shape of their breasts can make their breasts more in line with their personal norms through breast implants or breast reduction.

Instead of living in denial about the size of your breasts, it is better to take a realistic appraisal. If you decide you are interested in breast implants or breast reduction, contact The Centre, P.C. today to schedule a consultation.

Body Contouring Risks Related to BMI - Thursday, August 14, 2008

A recent study published in the July/August issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal, the peer-reviewed organ of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, showed that the risk a patient incurs during body contouring procedures is strongly related to the patient's body mass index (BMI).

The study was conducted as a retrospective review of 129 patients who underwent a single body contouring procedure between 1993 and 2004 and correlated actual complications experienced with BMIs. For the purposes of the study, patients were divided into five categories: ideal (BMI less than 25), overweight (BMI 25-30), obese (BMI 31-35), morbidly obese (BMI 36-40), and severely morbidly obese (BMI 41 and greater). Complications were divided between minor complications (such as infection, seroma, and hematoma) and major complications (including serious wounds, rehospitalization, and death).

Results indicated a significant difference between the ideal candidates and others. Whereas ideal candidates had relatively low risks (3.3% for minor complications and 6.6% for major complications) severely morbidly obese candidates had much higher risk (46.9% for minor complications and 43.7% for major complications). The results of this study highlight again that body contouring procedures such as liposuction or tummy tucks are not weight loss procedures. They are, instead, procedures that help improve your appearance beyond what you can achieve with diet and exercise. You are encouraged to do your best to achieve your ideal weight before seeking out body contouring.

If you have lost weight as a result of diet or exercise, but are still disappointed in your appearance, body contouring is a good way to get the figure you want. Contact us at The Centre, P.C. today for a consultation to learn more.

When a Facelift Is the Right Choice - Wednesday, August 13, 2008

With all the new innovations in non-invasive cosmetic procedures, such as Botox^® Cosmetic, soft tissue fillers like Restylane® , and laser treatments, it may be tempting to think that the facelift is just another page in cosmetic history, gone the way of the whalebone corset. But don't be fooled, cosmetic treatments are one thing, but plastic surgery can achieve results that are more significant and longer-lasting than any of the treatments, and with advancements in technique and technology, modern facelifts are as advanced as any "new hi-tech" procedure.

What a Facelift Treats

A facelift is a lifting and repositioning of the skin and musculature of the face. The constant draw of gravity on our bodies is one of the key causes of aging and is responsible for a number of unpleasant effects. Dark hollows under the eye can be caused by the movement of the fat pad of the cheek out of position, and parentheses lines around the nose and mouth are made worse by the sinking of the fat and skin above. These are all treatable with a mid-facelift. Gravity is also responsible for the development of jowls, "turkey neck," and deep banding in the neck. Jowls can be treated with a facelift, while turkey neck and neck banding are treated with a necklift.

Unmatched Results

A facelift can treat the effects of aging over a much larger area of the face than can be done with Botox^® Cosmetic or fillers, and it provides treatment at a deeper level than any non-invasive cosmetic procedure. Facelifts also provide results that last far longer than non-invasive treatments. While many non-invasive treatments give good results that last about six months to a year, the results of a facelift can last ten years.

How to Choose

For treating minor, superficial effects of aging, non-invasive treatments are an ideal way to get a small cosmetic "boost," especially for special occasions like a wedding or class reunion. But if you want long-lasting correction of some of the serious changes caused by aging, nothing provides the same level of results as a facelift or other plastic surgery.

And, in other cases, you don't have to choose. Skin treatments like laser resurfacing or microdermabrasion are ideal complements to plastic surgery like a facelift. If you want to learn more about what procedure(s) might be right for your situation, contact us at The Centre, P.C. today for an initial consultation.

The Benefits of Massage - Monday, August 04, 2008

Whether you are considering a cosmetic surgery procedure, are in the midst of rehabilitation therapy, suffer from a great deal of stress, or are just looking to relax for a while, massage is a positive treatment we offer at The Centre, P.C.

Massage helps you to relax and feel wonderful. In addition, it can improve circulation, not just of blood, but of the lymphatic system. Traditional Swedish massage is designed to stimulate blood flow that can lead to the release of toxins related to anaerobic muscle activity and environmental pollutants. Stress on the heart is lessened, not only because of the relaxing effect of the massage, but also because it helps to open up blood vessels. Because of this, it can also have a positive impact on the prevention of spider veins.

Deep tissue massage is designed to penetrate to the deeper muscles and connective tissue to relax the body, and may provide a reduction of chronic pain, muscle tension, soft tissue or repetitive strain injuries, and limited mobility.

Collagen Bust Treatments are also available to promote positive results of breast surgery. By helping to rehydrate and firm the skin, as well as relieve stress and reduce postoperative swelling, the massage can improve recovery. All these massage options and many others can be found on our massage menu.

To learn more about the benefits of massage, contact The Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.

Liposuction and Liposelection - Friday, August 01, 2008

Liposuction is the core of any body sculpting program. If you want the best possible figure, chances are some amount of liposuction may be necessary to get the results you are looking for. Liposuction is the process of using suction to remove fat cells from areas where they aren't wanted. It can be done on a number of areas, especially areas where fat deposits are resistant to diets and exercise, such as:

Abdomen

Back

Flanks (love handles and muffin tops)

Outer and inner thighs

At The Centre, P.C, we use ultrasonic liposuction. Ultrasonic liposuction uses ultrasound to break up the fat tissues to make them easier to remove.

Vaser liposelection is the next generation of ultrasonic liposuction. The theory of liposelection depends on the nature of fat cells, whose number and distribution is set around puberty, and only grow in size as fat deposits grow. Large fat cells are fragile, and when the ultrasonic waves hit them, they burst, whereas more robust tissues like nerves, muscles, and connective tissues tend to remain intact. The burst cells are more preferentially removed by the suction tube or cannula, meaning that liposelection selects for fat. With less other tissue being removed, bruising, bleeding, and recovery time can be reduced. In addition, Vaser liposelection can be used in areas where finer adjustments are desired, such as the face and neck.

If you would like to learn more about liposuction and liposelection, contact The Centre, P.C. today for a consultation.