Freedom of Choice: At What Age?

Silicone (or gel as it is sometimes called) implants have been allowed back on the market for the last 8 years. The implants have been shown to be safe but the FDA has cautioned against use in women under the age of 22! Due to this advice most hospitals, surgery centers, private ORs, and clinics have abided by FDA's comment... read more »

The Age Factor in Cosmetic Surgery

Recent data analyzed from over 120,000 patients during a 5 year period reveals that age (ie: people over 65 years old) was not an independent risk factor for aesthetic procedures. Age alone was not significant in how well people recovered from surgery or their rate of complications. All other risk factors removed shows that rate of complications in the older population is the same as... read more »

I Thought Acne Is For Teenagers Only

Many of my patients over 35 years of age complain about new outbreaks of acne and are both amazed and frustrated by this phenomena. The facts are that acne has many causes ranging from genetic predisposition to dairy and junk foods. Most etiologies fall somewhere between these two dichotomies. Most people have an over production of oil, not under production.... read more »

Beauty Short Cuts Are Short

There are multiple products and gimmicks for people who want to take a fast less involved approach towards enhanced looks. Just a perusal through any checkout counter magazine reveals the culture of the quick fix. Ads and articles claim creams that can take 10 years off in just seconds. Most of these products leave a tight chalky mask like appearance that does nothing in... read more »

When Can I Exercise?

One of the most common questions asked right before and right after surgery. From a physiological aspect the timing depends on the span of surgery. The more invasion the longer the recovery(but usually a better result). Injury whether intentional like surgery or accidental initiates wound healing that requires multiple steps; the most relevant to our question is neovascularization. New vessels... read more »

“I’m Not Looking For Perfection”

Of course you are! We all want to look our best and present ourselves in the best light. Aesthetic endeavors such as surgery or other procedures do IMPROVE our appearance. The operative word is improve. The foundation (i.e. our original selves) is the starting point and the building block of any improvement which governs the final result. Realistic self appraisal is the first and most important... read more »

“I Don’t See What You See”

How many times have we all said to our friends and family that we wished we could change some part of our body we don't like. Each and every time the usual response has been given with a quizzical look of disbelief or even amazement stating we look great and they don't see the problem we point out. Its not just... read more »

The Problem with Cosmetic Product Advertising

Have you carefully, I mean objectively, looked at all the ads for creams, lotions, makeup, skin rejuvenators, beauty products including lasers? They all seem to have one vital common thread: twenty-something year olds coyly looking out from the page. Are the ads appealing to us by using youth (de rigueur) to grab our attention or are they promising us youth? Certainly... read more »

What’s Really Dangerous about Anesthesia

What's really dangerous about anesthesia is the general public's ignorance of the real safety issues when it comes to sedation for surgery. I am often told by my patients that they do not want general anesthesia because they worry that they may never wake up. People want sedation that allows them to breathe on their own. The impression is that somehow this... read more »