Thursday, December 10, 2009

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.

Monday, December 7, 2009

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.