Plastic surgery has seen a dip in the number of patients undergoing procedures; however, the recent economical improvement has contributed to an increase in interest again. Over the past decade, a 77 percent increase in the number of patients has been seen in a recent study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Throughout the financial crisis present in the country, it is not surprising to see a decrease of invasive procedures, while non-surgical treatments continue to draw in patients.

Breast augmentation surgery has gone up 39 percent over the past 10 years; however, it appears that nose reshaping has gone down 35 percent and liposuction by 43 percent. This may be partially caused by the increase in non-invasive procedures such as Botox injections, facial fillers, and laser skin resurfacing. A reduced recovery period and lowered cost highly influenced patients in choosing which procedure(s) to undergo during an economical low point. If you are interested in a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure, surgical or non-surgical, it is highly recommended that you speak with a qualified and trained professional.

You may gain further information regarding your procedure of choice, including rhinoplasty, when visiting with Dr. Daniel C. Daube, Jr. You may view before and after photos of Dothan Alabama rhinoplasty patients, as well as schedule an appointment through his website.

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It has become a lot more common for men and women to undergo a non-invasive rejuvenation procedure versus a surgical procedure. There are a variety of reasons for this; most non-invasive treatments provide immediate results with little to no downtime and typically last anywhere from six months to two years (depending on the treatment received). Surgical procedures take longer to perform and typically require a lengthy recovery period.

And because many individuals desire to undergo a non-surgical procedure as well as a surgical procedure, such as Botox® and facelift surgery, there are under-qualified doctors out there taking advantage of patients’ lack of knowledge by offering to perform both.

Although it may sound ideal to undergo surgical procedures in combination with, say, facial fillers and/or a chemical peel, it can pose a risk to the unsuspecting patient who is unaware of the specialist’s credentials and skills. If an individual holds a medical degree, he/she can legally perform a surgical procedure. The problem is when these doctors lack the proper training and experience to perform certain cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. In order to ensure that you are in capable hands, it is strongly advised that you research your physician’s training and certifications. A surgeon who has received the appropriate education will never be hesitant to display or show you his/her credentials. If he/she fails to provide you with the information, it is best to move on to one who is willing to do so.

If you are looking for a Nashville plastic surgeon with the appropriate training, experience, and skill set, you may be interested in contacting Larry C. Young, M.D., F.A.C.S. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), and has been in practice since 1983. Please feel free to browse his website to learn of the various procedures offered at his practice.

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Plastic surgery is something that many people think about, and after careful consideration and research, some eventually undergo a procedure or two. Even though there has been a slight decrease in patients undergoing plastic surgery in recent years, there are new trends that are predicted to increase in 2011.

• Skipping Surgery – Many individuals unsure about going under the knife are looking to alternatives to invasive procedures. Some of these include facial fillers, laser skin resurfacing, and non-surgical fat removal.

• Fat Fighters – There are a few new non-surgical fat removal procedures that are becoming popular amongst patients. However, some surgeons caution that research is necessary before undergoing a new type of procedure.

• Increase in Fillers – Facial fillers have evolved quite a bit in recent years and some are providing several years of lasting results. New and improved fillers are likely to emerge as the year goes by.

• Year of the Cheeks – As celebrities surface with a fuller facial contour, plumping of the cheeks is becoming increasingly popular. Aging causes hollowness in the cheeks and in order to restore a youthful appearance, patients can undergo dermal fillers in the cheek area.

• Butt Enhancement – Shapelier Hollywood stars are making their backsides more acceptable and fans are looking to achieve similar results through buttock augmentation. Whether it is with implants or fat, butt augmentation is extremely popular now.

• Fat Transfer – No longer will your unwanted fat be unwanted. Fat removed during liposuction can be re-injected into the face to help plump up wrinkles and creases. It can also be used in butt augmentation to add volume and improve shape.

• Better Botox – Some surgeons are speculating that more advanced forms of Botox are on their way. These would last longer than Botox (three months) and provide equally, if not better, results.

• Recovering from Weight Loss – Several massive weight loss treatments are now available; and as patients lose large amounts weight, their body needs some help to adjust to the new shape. Body reshaping procedures to remove excess skin and tighten muscles are increasingly popular.
• Hair Restoration – New, less invasive forms of hair restoration are on the horizon and are likely to become highly sought after as they become available.

If you are interested in learning more about your cosmetic options, be sure to contact Houston liposuction specialist Dr. David F. Luethcke. You may browse his website to see before and after photos of plastic surgery patients.

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Last year, actress Daryl Hannah was seen with an overly plumped face, with rumors surrounding the idea of plastic surgery, claiming that she had undergone several facial rejuvenating procedures. From injectables to facelift surgery, Hannah’s face showed evidence of cosmetic plastic surgery. However, as many before her have done, she denied having had any work done, instead blaming the ocean, no makeup, and bad photography for the way she looked in the images.

As more recent images have emerged, it appears that Hannah may indeed have had some cosmetic enhancements. Her cheeks, lips, and the area below her eyes look fuller – much like that of an injectable filler patient. At the age of 49, Hannah is at the average age of the typical facial rejuvenation patient, which is why it is not unlikely that she underwent some type of rejuvenation. Other Hollywood stars have openly discussed their facelift, Botox ® injections, facial fillers, and other plastic surgery procedures, while still some remain quiet and/or express negative thoughts on the subject.

In Baltimore, Janet P. Woodyard, M.D., F.A.C.S. offers surgical and non-surgical procedures at her practice. You may learn more regarding facelift surgery and facial injectable when browsing her website. Dr. Woodyard has the experience and training to provide patients with beautiful results.

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People with diabetes often suffer from chronic foot pain because of nerve damage, but relief may be at hand.

Taiwanese doctors have shown that the pain can be reduced significantly by injections of botulinum toxin type A — better known as Botox — into the skin on top of the foot.

Dr. Chaur-Jong Hu and his associates at Taipei Medical University tested the treatment in 18 patients with Type 2 diabetes who had nerve-related pain in both feet.

The participants were assigned randomly to get injections of Botox or saline, then 12 crossed over to receive the opposite treatment a few weeks later.

A local anesthetic gel was applied to the injection sites first, and then the injections were administered into the skin (rather than into muscles) at 12 sites across the top of the foot, the team explained in the medical journal Neurology.

At the start of the study, the average pain score on a scale of 0-10 points was 6.36. There were significant differences in the decrease in pain scores between the Botox and saline injections during each 12-week period.

Specifically, at 12 weeks, the score was reduced by 2.53 points with Botox injections compared with 0.53 points with the saline injections.

Moreover, 44 percent of the subjects had a reduction of at least 3 points in their pain score within 12 weeks of recieving the Botox injections.

Another added and unexpected benefit discovered in the study was that patients are able to sleep much better after the treatments.

Hu’s team concluded that intradermal Botox injections “are an effective and safe method of relieving diabetic neuropathic pain in the feet.” However, “the detailed underlying mechanisms, optimal dosage, and precise course of therapy require further evaluation.”

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When it was first discovered a year ago about surprising new evidence that Botox and other drugs containing the neurotoxin botulinum could travel from the site of injection to the brain, it wasn’t clear whether this posed a threat to patients (the study cited described was done on lab animals).

Earlier this week however, the Food and Drug Administration announced that the risk was all too real: effective immediately, the FDA will now require Botox, Myobloc and all other botulinum treatments to carry what is known as a “black box warning” — the strongest FDA warning of record — alerting doctors and patients alike that the toxin can spread to distant parts of the body, well enough away from the injection site(s), posing serious risks such as trouble breathing and swallowing.

The FDA is also requiring manufacturers to send doctors and all other licensed practitioners a letter warning of the risk.

The action comes in response to a petition from Public Citizen, which in 2008 asked FDA to require both a black box and the warning letters. Initially, it was expected that FDA would have limited the warnings to non-cosmetic uses of the drugs, since that’s where most of the problems with adverse side effects had occurred (Editors note: botulinum is used to treat cervical dystonia, eyelid spasms and a few other medical conditions in addition to cosmetic applications such as treating frown lines), especially in unapproved uses such a limb spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.

But the administration said it found 225 cases in which the drug had migrated beyond the injection site, sometimes as far as to deep internal tissue. That was alarming enough to justify the black-box decision, even on cosmetic Botox.

According to the FDA, “there is insufficient information to fully characterize the safety profile and potential risk factors for spread of botulinum toxin at this time, given that the mechanism by which spread may occur has not been confirmed…Based on available information, it is not possible to precisely predict the role of injection site, injection technique, or dose in the spread of toxin or severity of the event. Therefore, we are seeking safety labeling changes for the both the dermatologic and neurologic indications.”

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