Friday, November 20, 2009

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.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

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.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

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.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

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.

A glimpse at the new look of LookingYourBestThe 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.

Friday, November 6, 2009

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.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Breast Ptosis Can Be Treated With A Breast Lift

Breast lift or Mastopexy is surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts. Mastopexy can also reduce the size of areola. If the breasts are small and have lost volume breast implants inserted along with Mastopexy can increase both firmness and their size. A breast lift can be performed at any age, but one has to wait until breast development has stopped. Since milk duets and nipples are left intact, surgery will not affect your ability to breast feed. Breasts that are large and heavy can be lifted, but the results may not be so long lasting as when it is done on smaller breasts.

Sagging, called ptosis, describes breasts that are flattened with an elongated shape and a nipple/areolar complex which points downwards. Breast lift surgery or mastopexy returns the breast to a more youthful shape and position by elevating the nipple and areolar to a higher, more natural point of projection. There are a variety of different breast lift options available. Breast lift surgery does not significantly change the size of your breast, but improves the overall shape and contour.

Your plastic surgeon will examine your breasts, takes measurements. The size and shape of your breasts and the placements of nipples and areolas will be carefully evaluated. Medical history will be discussed such as medicine conditions, drug allergies, medical treatments received, previous surgeries include breast biopsies and medications that you take. If there was a weight loss, your weight should be stabilized before surgery.

Monday, November 2, 2009

What is Liposuction Surgery?

Liposuction involves the removal of fat by small tubes, or cannulas, attached to a vacuum aspiration device. Only fat in the subcutaneous layers of the body are accessible for liposuction. Patients with fat inside their abdomen, for example, are not helped by liposuction, but instead must resort to dieting and exercise for this visceral fat loss. Liposuction is not a substitute for proper diet and exercise. Although liposuction, per se, is not a reliable way of losing weight; it is a very reliable means of contouring.

Once the fat cells are removed, your net fat cell number is reduced permanently, thus making it theoretically more difficult for you to regain the fullness in the treated area. Liposuction is essentially a redistribution operation in that the fat in the areas treated is reduced in proportion to the rest of the body. We are frequently asked if the fat "goes somewhere else", or if one tends to put on weight in other areas of the body. One explanation for this perception may be that without a change in caloric intake, in the setting of stable or declining basal metabolic rate (which occurs as we age), it is predictable that fat would accumulate as a means of storing energy. If the depots of fat that were once present have been significantly reduced in capacity, then it follows that those fat depots remaining untreated may tend to accumulate more fat if energy intake exceeds energy expenditure.

It is therefore very important that patients considering liposuction understand the importance of diet and exercise in maintaining their weight, and realize that liposuction is not an alternative to a healthy lifestyle.

A comprehensive assessment by the plastic surgeon of each patient on an individual basis is essential to the development of a specific treatment plan directed at identifying those specific areas that may be responsive to liposuction. In many instances, patients seek consultation for what amounts to a desire to lose weight. A stable Body Mass Index of less than 27 is necessary to be considered a candidate for liposuction. You should be aware of your Body Mass Index (BMI) and your surgeon's guidelines for what constitutes good candidacy for liposuction . In most surgeon's experience, patients with a BMI above 27 are usually too overweight to derive a good result with liposuction. Their problem is more generalized, and liposuction would not typically be able to access areas of fat accumulation, such as the fat within the abdominal cavity. The ideal candidates have very specific areas of their bodies, which cause them concern and seem to be unresponsive to dieting and/or exercise. Liposuction affords us the ability to sculpt those specific areas with very small incisions (and thus very inconspicuous scars), thus bringing the patient into proportion with the rest of his or her features.

Most plastic surgeons offer a complimentary consultation during which he/she gathers a medical history, including the patient’s weight gain and loss pattern, diet and exercise regimen, and goals for the procedure. Any previous medical conditions need to be identified prior to assessing the patient for surgical candidacy. Height and weight measurements are taken and a physical examination is done to assess the skin tone and texture, skeletal abnormalities such as scoliosis, and muscle bulk and tone. Digital images are obtained and using sophisticated morphing software, surgeons who employ this technology can demonstrate a realistic estimate of the result you might obtain with liposuction. This provides you with an image of yourself which is enormously useful to your decision-making about whether this is a procedure which would satisfy your goals.