In a world where it has become common for those in the limelight to undergo some, or many, rejuvenating procedures, there are few left who do not discuss their nips and tucks. Gosselin has been photographed with an extremely smooth facial contour, which is why there are so many accusations of facial enhancing treatments. In addition, photos of the mom of eight in a bikini have also caused speculation on whether she has had breast surgery – Gosselin has denied these rumors as well. Whether she verifies or continues to refute claims of plastic surgery, the reality star continues to draw attention to the matter by being so vocal about it.

If you are interested in cosmetic plastic surgery and live in the Miami area, you may wish to contact Ary Krau, M.D., F.A.C.S. An experienced and qualified plastic surgeon, Dr. Krau can help you achieve a more youthful facial appearance and/or return to your  pre-pregnancy shape with the help of specific body contouring procedures.

Share This!

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.

Share This!

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.”

Share This!

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.”

Share This!

The simple truth about any medical procedure is this: No one is 100% immune from post-surgical infection. Regardless of what kind of surgery a patient undergoes, it all carries some risk of viral infection. And with the increasing popularity of things like makeshift black market plastic surgery, the risk grows as health regulation becomes harder to come by.

We here at CosmeticSurgery-Information.com would like to take this opportunity to offer some advice and tips to keep yourself protected while undergoing medical treatment.

Make Sure Your Surgeon or Health Provider is Currently Board-Certified

While the risk of getting ill following surgery can happen to anyone, even in the best of circumstances, doctors and medical professionals have strict guidelines to follow regarding sanitation and cleanliness in order to stay in good standings with the governing medical boards. Double-checking a doctor’s credentials takes very little time and can potentially save money, time and undue stress. Board certification is a crucial aspect of maintaining patient safety!

Review Your Surgeon or Health Provider’s Clinic and Practice History

Occasionally, even the best surgeons and facilities can still be a contributing source of post-operative patient illness. However, this isn’t necessarily the fault of the surgeon or their staff. In addition to doctor reviews from medical boards, take the time to find an independent review body that can indicate occurrences of viral or infectious diseases happening in hospitals and private clinics. There’s no such thing as being too prepared or too informed.

Avoid Sub-Standard, Un-Licensed and Black Market Cosmetic Surgery and Beauty Facilities At All Costs!

With the economy in the condition it’s in, it’s very easy for those of us who are desperate for change and refinement to look to some “off the table” options in order to make quick and inexpensive improvements on one’s appearance. We’ve detailed stories of motel “plumping parties” where patients engage in unlicensed injectable procedures – oftentimes involving injections of dangerous chemicals with potentially unsafe medical tools, in lieu of board-approved procedures such as Botox or collagen. Risking your life and health are not worth saving a few dollars just to look better.

Follow Your Doctor’s Recovery Instructions

We’ve also recently shared news about the health risks associated with taking herbal supplements and vitamins before and after surgery and the risks associated with this practice. If you feel you’re at risk for contracting a post-surgical virus, speak with your doctor and share your concerns. He or she will be able to best inform you on how to protect yourself from illness and surgical complications.

Report Suspect Practitioners and Facilities

There is a fear among surgery patients that reporting sub-standard or un-licensed facilities, especially if the patient chooses to go to such a facility, will get said patient in trouble with the law. This is simply not true. If you’ve witnessed an un-sanitary facility or a practitioner who seems suspect, report them immediately. Protecting the lives of fellow potential patients is something that benefits everyone in the long run.

Even though information regarding swine flu pandemic is somewhat controversial and, in some cases, outright untrue, its easy to become confused and concerned about how to best protect oneself. Participating in sound and well-trusted post-op practices as instructed by a licensed medical professional is the best way for patients to protect themselves.

Report suspect facilities and practitioners to the Center For Disease Control and any other swine flu information to the World Health Organization.

Share This!

Mind you, this isn’t necessarily bad if one can afford to have their elective procedure(s) in the safety and comfort of an abundantly staffed and accredited medical facility, with a highly-skilled and licensed plastic surgeon. Many even see the opportunity to have the plastic surgery procedure of their choice as the cornerstone to reinvigorating themselves, ultimately excelling in the workplace and their personal lives. Someone like an out-of-work T.V. newscaster could find themselves in a better position to find work and more confidence, after a facelift, botox or eyebrow lift.

Others, however, succumb to the circumstances of their personal and professional lives, resorting to desperate and dangerous means to get their appearance up to their own standards.

Take the case of Korean pop singing sensation, Hang Mioku. Now age 48, she began a troubling pattern of behavior some 20 years ago, when she began seeking facial rejuvenation procedures. Still frowned upon by many cosmetic surgeons, she began silicone injection treatments (instead of traditionally accepted injectables such as collagen or Botox) and exhausted her ability to continue having the procedure in her home country! After moving to Japan and seeking more treatments, often from un-licensed practitioners, she illegally obtained medical supplies and began injecting cooking oil directly into her own skin. Citing paranoid schizophrenia, and “hearing voices” telling her to do it, Mioku couldn’t avoid her own ill intentions. She eventually sought psychiatric help and gifted surgeons, who could help begin the path to reconstructing her face.

This phenomena isn’t exclusive to the mentally distressed, or regions where “black market medicine” reigns supreme. New York resident Fiordaliza Pichardo, died at age 43, after recieving similarly controversial silicone injections in her thighs, hips and buttocks. Refered to a local New York woman, from a mutual friend, none of Pichardo’s family or friends believed this could happen, let alone in a country with such stringent medical regulation.

Health officials fears that the illegal use of silicone as an alternative to cosmetic surgery is on the rise. Many attribute this to growing economic problems, and a desire to get facial rejuvenation quickly and discreetly. Appanrently the injections, usually done in motel rooms, makeshift medical offices and even in-home “pumping parties” are most popular among Latina and transgender women, who may be unable to afford conventional plastic surgery and who tap into it through unlicensed practitioners working through word of mouth, New York city officials said.

In a recent New York Times article, Dr. Nick Gorton was quoted: “If you go to a pumping party, you can have it tonight. It’s a big temptation, especially among young people who, when you’re 20, you’re not thinking about your own mortality.”

The fallout from these illegal injections are certainly no laughing matter. Dr. Nathan Graber from the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says that these products can get into the blood stream causing severe breathing problems, such as lung failure and worse. Silicone injections can embolize to the brain and cause seizure, coma, and of course death. Dr. Graber says if you have already had an illegal injection, see a doctor immediately.

Medical advisors strongly urge patients to never undergo a treatment outside of a licensed clinical setting. If procedures are offered at a home or in a hotel room or in a nail salon then you really have to think twice before you go ahead with that procedure.

Share This!

Paramount among these was the emergence of breast augmentation as the number one cosmetic surgery procedure, knocking off liposuction which has traditionally held the spot. Though cosmetic surgery overall declined in 2008 (which also happens to be a first), the surge in cosmetic implant use was mirrored by an increase of approximately 39% in breast reconstruction. This comes on the heels of FDA clearance for silicone gel breast implants 2 years ago, suggesting that the controversies that have plagued this breast implants type in the past have since faded.

A longer view reveals a more telling trend, however. While cosmetic surgery was down by a few percentage points, non-surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures-Botox or dermal filler injections, lasers and the like-were up. One widely held interpretation of this is that people are shifting into “maintenance mode” by opting for more affordable procedures with minimal or no downtime until the economy improves and they can justify their facelift. Botox might be the new lipstick, a modern version of the historical increase in lipstick sales with every major economic downturn in the past.

Forecasting Plastic Surgery Trends

But broader analysis reveals that non-surgical cosmetic procedures have been increasing a lot more than surgery for several years. Although 1.7 million surgical procedures were done in the U.S. last year, non-surgical procedures checked in at more than 10 million. This is due, in part, to continually improving products and technologies, and with this has come greater social acceptance. Many of them are even household words now. Plastic surgeons have adapted by expanding their repertoires to include minimally invasive technologies and beauty services at their practices.

The big question on everyone’s mind is what all this means for the economy and where we are headed. One could easily subscribe to the theory that plastic surgery bookings anticipate an upturn, and if the first quarter of the year is an indication, then the economy is headed in the right direction. Some are freshening up their appearance as they change careers, others taking advantage of time off in between jobs. Either way, it is a vote of confidence; whether it is right for you, as always, is a personal choice.

Share This!

Yvonne Jean Pampellonne, 30, surrendered to local authorities on Tuesday (March 4th) afternoon in Huntington Beach, California, where she was wanted on charges of commercial burglary, identity theft and grand theft. Pampellonne arranged her surrender through her attorney and has been released on $20,000 bail pending an arraignment on the charges on May 27.

Police say that in September of 2008 Pampellonne used the personal information of another woman to establish a fraudulent line of credit at the Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery in Huntington Beach. By the time it was discovered, doctors performed $12,000 in liposuction and breast augmentation surgery at the center, say police.

The Orange County Register newspaper reported that Pampellonne was caught by police detectives using breast implant tracking numbers. Medical staff at the center became suspicious after Pampellonne returned for follow-up appointments and, after police identified her through the tracking numbers on her old implants, picked her out of a photo line-up.

Pampellonne’s arrest marks the second similar plastic surgery-related case this year in Orange County, which recently has been portrayed as an oceanfront playground for the wealthy on such TV shows as “The Real Housewives of Orange County” and “The O.C.” In January and February, a still-unidentified woman who gave the names “Miriam Gombar” or “Miriam Flemings” had thousands of dollars worth of Botox injections and facial fillers at a pair of Newport Beach plastic surgery clinics and left without paying.

According to the Register newspaper, a worker at one of the two plastic surgery clinics described the mystery woman as having a dark complexion and shoulder length hair, adding that she was in her late 40s to early 50s, adding that she was “not very attractive”, despite the work she had.

Share This!

The idea of foregoing cosmetic enhancement is starting to show, across the board, in the field. Recent national and regional surveys by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) shows a 62% decrease in overall cosmetic procedures of all kinds, since 2007. Invasive surgical procedures have shown a 44-64% drop, depending on the procedure, while 73% of ASPS-surveyed surgeons have shown an increased or stable demand for minimally or non-invasive procedures.

A fair amount of surgeons expressed cautious optimism amidst the downturn in business, noting that while business is definitely slowing down, the expectations are that it won’t be a permanent change in the field. Many surgeons are advocating that patients focus on only one aspect of their appearance to improve and then return when they are financially capable.

“Instead of getting their whole face addressed maybe they’ll narrow it down to the eyes or their lips”, says St. Louis plastic surgeon, Dr. Bruce White, M.D.

While some surgeons and practices opt to push less obtrusive procedures like Botox or fat grafting in lieu of procedures like a facelift and body contouring, others are taking a different approach to keep their business booming. Dr. White’s practice, for example offers 10-15% discounts for first time patients.

Says ASPS president, Richard D’Amico, M.D., “It is very clear the economy is affecting the demand for surgical cosmetic procedures. We are hearing that from consumers and plastic surgeons. And while ASPS Member Surgeons are feeling the impact of the economy, we anticipate the historic bounce when patients return as the economy improves.”

Share This!