You Can Improve Your Sun-Damaged Skin With Laser Treatments

Currently, there are many lasers used for facial and skin rejuvenation and to treat sun damage and photo-aging of the skin. One older laser system, the carbon dioxide laser, has been very effective for treating sun damaged skin but has fallen out of favor. This is because it routinely caused extensive rawness of the skin that typically required over 2 weeks of “hiding out” or “downtime” to recover. In addition to the time it took to heal, it frequently caused skin discoloration and occasionally scarring. Many lasers available today require very little downtime and yield some improvement of the skin but are not nearly as effective as the carbon dioxide laser. As with any procedure, anyone considering laser skin treatments should first consult with a plastic surgeon prior to under going their chosen procedure.

Protruding Ears Are Usually A Family Trait That Surgery Can Fix

Just as it is with all facial features, the size and shape of the ears are a family trait. For example, parents and grandparents with protruding ears, often have children with ears that share these same characteristics. Ear deformities can benefit from correction through surgery, and successful results can be seen in subjects as young as 4 years old. By this age, the ears have almost reached maturity and adult size, so very little change is expected after the age of 4.

During an ear surgery procedure, the plastic surgeon repositions the flexible ear cartilage. The incisions required for this procedure are usually placed behind the ear where any resulting scars will be the least visible. While there are several variations in techniques for ear surgery, the goal of the ear surgery procedure is the same in all cases - to provide a normal, more balanced appearance to the ears.

The Different Types Of Breast Implants

Most people these days are familiar with the popularity of Breast Augmentation surgery. What most of those people do not realize is that there are different types of implants used in breast augmentation surgery, and each type of implant has its different applications, that depend on the preferences of the augmentation patient, the plastic surgeon and lastly, the surgery technique used for the placement of the breast implants.

The saline implant has an exterior sack comprised of solid silicone, which is filled with a saline solution similar to the solution that is used for intravenous fluids during and after surgery. The main advantage of this solution is its safety. Should a saline breast implant leak, the saline solution is absorbed into the body.. Another great advantage of saline breast implants is that the saline breast implant poses a low infection rate, usually less than two percent.

The silicone implant is filled with a silicone gel surrounded by a solid silicone sack. More than a million women in America today have these silicone breast implants. Some patients and surgeons alike agree that the silicone breast implant results in a more natural looking breast.

Cohesive gel implants (also referred to as the "gummy bear" implant) are silicone implants that are filled with a thicker silicone gel that holds its shape and form much like a "gummy bear". If you one were to cut into a standard silicone breast implant, the liquid silicone gel escapes from the implants shell. Conversely, when you cut open a "gummy bear implant, the implant itself maintains the shape and integrity because the thicker silicone gel does not leak. These shaped implants are designed with the main focus being a natural look. Cohesive Gel implants maintain their shape in an upright position, which lessens the chances of the implant's shell folding or rippling.

When electing to have breast augmentation surgery, one should always consult with a cosmetic surgeon before to the surgical procedure. This is an important step that should be taken seriously. With any surgical procedure, there is a level of risk, and anyone considering a breast implant surgery procedure become informed of the risks involved, and fully understand the procedure, and be realistic about the results of this type of surgery procedure.

What Can Breast Reduction Do for Me?

Breast Reduction surgery, also referred to as Reduction Mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure meant to reduce breast size and weight through the removal of excess breast tissue, fat and skin. With a breast reduction procedure, the plastic surgeon not only makes the breasts more proportionate to a woman’s figure, but also lifts them.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 114 thousand Breast Reduction surgeries were performed in 2005 on women who had excessively large breasts, conditions also known as Macromastia, Mammary Hypertrophy and Mammary Gigantism. Some girls develop breast overdevelopment (Mammary Hypertrophy) during puberty, while some women develop very large breasts (Gigantomastia) during pregnancy. All of these women chose breast reduction surgery because it was the only way to correct the physical and emotional issues that are caused by excess breast weight. For many women with Mammary Hypertrophy, the mere weight of their breasts makes it impossible to maintain any kind of regular exercise routine.

A woman with "F" cup breasts is carrying approximately six pounds more than a woman with a "D" cup. This additional weight is sustained by the neck, back and shoulders, causing chronic pain in these areas. Many women find relief through strong narcotics and muscle relaxants, leading to physical addiction, and emotional trauma. With these considerations, Mammary Hypertrophy is a physical disability. A Breast reduction procedure can be the answer to these issues for women with overly large breasts.

Your Unique Complexion Profile Is the First Step to Complexion Health and Vitality

Through the new VISIA in-depth analysis of your unique facial characteristics, it is possible to design a facial rejuvenation and skin care program customized just for your specific complexion. The VISIA system’s multi-spectral imaging and analysis gives your plastic surgeon or skin care specialist a clear, multidimensional 'picture' of the individual aspects of your complexion which contribute to your overall appearance by identifying your skin's condition both on the surface and beneath your skin's surface. The VISIA imaging system measures features such as evenness and wrinkles to identify sun damage, and VISIA provides the most comprehensive means available for identifying all aspects of your complexion’s health.

Utilizing VISIA’s accurate imaging of your complexion, your skin care professional or plastic surgeon can design an optimal skin rejuvenation plan for your unique combination of facial characteristics and present you with options to help you realize the complexion you desire. Based on your individual complexion profile, your facial rejuvenation program will also include personalized recommendations for an ongoing skin care health plan, with VISIA imaging as an invaluable aid in monitoring your complexion’s vitality and checking effectiveness of your skin care regimen during a treatment plan.

Your skin complexion is the window through which your image is shown to the rest of the world. The VISIA Complexion Analysis system provides the information necessary to accurately individualize a facial rejuvenation and skin care regimens to match your unique complexion. A VISIA imaging session uses multi-spectral imaging and analysis to capture key 'visual' information of six key areas affecting your complexion's health and its appearance. These areas include wrinkles, spots, pores, color variation/evenness in the your skin's tone), evidence of bacteria within your skin's pores, and UV damage. In addition, the VISIA analysis sustem provides a precise and informative comparison of your complexion’s characteristics to those of others that share your same age and skin type.

Bigger, Easier, Better - LookingYourBest.com Reaches for the Next Level

LookingYourBest.com, the nationwide reference guide to a Who's Who of America's Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeons, offers more than just a bold new look with its comprehensive re-tooling. It offers an enhanced experience.

The first aspect of the new LookingYourBest.com that will surely catch the eye is the new layout and color scheme. The old, sterile layout with its pastel colors blending out to the window's edge has been supplanted by a sharp, clean page set against a rich chocolate tone, with deep rose accents and a commanding presence. In all the site wears a more focused, sophisticated feel that visitors are sure to appreciate.

The visual changes, however, belie the underlying metamorphosis that now makes it even easier to seek out doctors and procedures by multiple criteria. A simplified menu and site structure are two of the keys to the improved ease of use, despite the addition of even more data than before. LookingYourBest has long been an excellent source for finding and comparing professionals in aesthetic medicine, both locally and nationally. Now, the search function in both the gallery and surgeon areas has been simplified and visitors are treated to informative videos and 3D procedure animations to further enhance their search.

There's an important difference in the underpinnings as well, though a casual visitor may not even notice. Nevertheless, by streamlining the site's code, the programmers at LookingYourBest have sought to improve what is often the most important aspect of a web site; browsing speed. The new LookingYourBest.com loads faster and is more intuitive than ever.

Your Skin and Vitamin C

Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation is the major culprit in photoaging. UVA is present throughout the year. It can pass through the windows of your home, office and car, and it damages your skin by penetrating into its deeper layers. Unfortunately, UVA protection is not available in all sunscreens, and even those that contain screening agents for UVA do not offer total protection. Vitamin C to the rescue! According to an article published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, studies have suggested that vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant for UVA and ultraviolet B (UVB), making it a useful addition to your daily sunscreen.

Humans cannot synthesize vitamin C. They must ingest it, and body mechanisms limit the amount that can be absorbed and delivered to the tissues. The skin only receives about 8 percent of any vitamin C that is taken orally.

Current topical products for the skin containing specially formulated vitamin C now can provide additional protection for your skin. And, unlike most sunscreens, once vitamin C gets into the skin, it cannot be rubbed or washed away. Topical vitamin C can even be used to treat sunburn. Researchers have suggested that vitamin C can increase collagen synthesis, a reaction that is important in wound healing. It also appears to be useful in reducing fine wrinkling. It is recommended that you consult with a skin care specialist prior to starting a skin care regimen.