The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Cosmetic Surgery Tax Considered to Fund Health Care Reform - Monday, August 31, 2009

"Luxury taxes" are commonly thought of as ways to fund public programs. Cigarette taxes, gasoline taxes, and alcohol taxes are have been around for a while, and now Congress is considering a 10% excise tax on cosmetic surgery, defined as procedures deemed not medically necessary. The tax would be levied on cosmetic surgeons, but most likely surgeons would be forced to pass it on to consumers.

Some estimates on the cost of health care reform go as high as $1 trillion. The proposed tax would most likely cover procedures currently defined as cosmetic surgery in IRS Publication 502 as "any procedure that is directed at improving the patient's appearance and does not meaningfully promote the proper function of the body or prevent or treat illness or disease. You generally cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for procedures such as face lifts, hair transplants, hair removal (electrolysis) and liposuction."

If we consider the figures published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Americans spend about $11 billion a year on plastic surgery and noninvasive cosmetic procedures each year. That means that, if passed, the cosmetic surgery tax would contribute approximately $1 billion, about a tenth of a percent of the total cost of health care reform.

However, this tax could represent a significant burden for people seeking cosmetic surgery. If you have had cosmetic surgery in the past and/or are considering it in the future, contact your Senators and Representatives to let them know how you feel about this proposal. Evan Bayh represents northern Indiana in the Senate and Joe Donnelly is Indiana’s Representative for 2nd district.

If you are interested in cosmetic surgery, this may be a good reason to have your procedure performed sooner rather than later. Contact The Centre, P.C., with locations in Elkhart, South Bend, and Chesterton, IN today to learn more about your options.

Health Benefits of Massage - Tuesday, August 25, 2009

If you've ever had a massage, you probably know that it can be a deeply relaxing, serene experience. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that massage can provide you with more than just a relaxing experience. There are numerous health benefits of massage.

At The Centre, P.C. in Elkhart and Chesterton, Indiana, we provide our patients with a few different massage therapy options. Through massage, you can improve many different aspects of your life:

• Improve circulation and the amount of oxygen that gets to your cells
• Massage can help with recovery from surgery
• Massage can relieve many different muscle cramps
• Massage aids in improving the effects of arthritis and muscle spasms
• Massage reduces anxiety and tension

These benefits are so significant that massage therapy with a trained therapist has been recommended for pain and stress reduction in cancer patients.

If you've recently had a cosmetic surgery procedure or reconstructive surgery procedure, a massage can help you. With the right massage, you can relax tense muscles around the surgery site and even reduce taught skin so that you can get the most from your surgery results.

If you would like to schedule a healthy massage and you live in the Elkhart or South Bend, Indiana area, please contact the experienced cosmetic surgeons at The Centre, P.C. to schedule your initial consultation.

Breast Cancer Patients not Always Informed of Important Breast Reconstruction Options - Friday, August 14, 2009

New research conducted to determine how many women choose to have breast reconstruction after breast cancer suggests that many breast cancer patients are not informed about the variety of options they have. Nearly 70 percent of women who could have breast reconstruction have not been informed of how a plastic surgeon could help them.

For thousands of women all over the country, including those near our cosmetic surgery office in Elkhart, Indiana, breast cancer can have serious, lifelong effects on the body. For some women, treatment of breast cancer involves removing some or all of the breast tissue.

For the large majority of breast cancer patients, losing one or both breasts mean losing a large part of being a woman. Plastic surgeons understand this and are available to help women choose a breast reconstruction surgery option that is right for them.

An experienced plastic surgeon should be contacted as soon as breast cancer has been diagnosed because they can help the breast cancer patient in choosing the right option. Often times, women do not consult a plastic surgeon until their breast tissue has already been removed, but the fact is, the plastic surgeon may have been able to help them much earlier in the treatment process.

If you or any of the women in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer, please contact one of the experienced breast surgery cosmetic surgeons at The Centre, P.C. in Elkhart or Charleston, Indiana today to schedule your initial consultation.

Dysport, The New Alternative to BOTOX® Cosmetic - Friday, August 07, 2009

Dysport, an injectable wrinkle treatment, was approved for use in the United States in April 2009. Similar to BOTOX® Cosmetic, Dysport is a skin care treatment used to relax the facial muscles that cause lines and creases to for over time.

When you smile, frown, laugh, or cry, the muscles in your face contract, creating temporary lines in the skin. Over time, the skin loses elasticity, and the lines begin to appear on the face constantly. Dysport can be used to temporary relax the muscles causing the lines in your skin, allowing the skin to regain the smooth appearance you want.

During a Dysport procedure, very small amounts of the Dysport liquid is injected into the underlying muscles of the face. Over the next few days, the muscles will gradually stop contracting as much, and your skin will look smoother. Much like BOTOX® Cosmetic, a Dysport procedure may seem simple, but it must be performed by a cosmetic surgeon.

Dysport can help you look years younger and feel better about your appearance by ridding your face of some of the deep creases around your eyes and mouth. One of the largest benefits of Dysport is that, unlike surgical procedures, Dysport is temporary, so if you aren't satisfied with it, your old appearance will gradually return.

If you have wanted to improve the appearance of your face, but are unsure what procedure to have, contact the experienced plastic surgeons at The Centre, P.C. in Elkhart and Chesterton, Indiana to schedule an initial consultation.