3-D imaging has emerged as a modern method that helps cosmetic surgeons and patients visualize outcomes.  There is a high demand for a tool that allows people to see what they might look like after cosmetic surgery.  The old days of red and blue tinted glasses are gone, and the newest version of 3-D uses sophisticated computers to create lifelike images. Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks have brought three-dimensional animated features to movie theatres, with blockbuster reviews. Patients are often surprised to find the same technology used in films like James Cameron’s Avatar in their cosmetic surgeon’s office.

Most commonly, 3-D simulations are used to imagine breast augmentation, nose reshaping, and chin sculpting.  Dr. Charles Mok at Allure Medical Spa has been using this tool for the past year and it has changed the way he does consultations with patients.  ”The 3-D simulator helps me to communicate in a specific way and set the patient’s expectations.  When they are realistic about what can be achieved with surgery, they are much happier after having a procedure,” says Dr. Mok. Michelle, mother of four, knew she wanted breast augmentation but was apprehensive about the size; using 3-D imaging we were able to show her what she could expect to look like.  ”After seeing what my outcome would look like and comparing three different sizes.”

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Plastic surgery has been overtaken by technology. There are now new iPhone applications that are designed to give your body a total makeover. People contemplating plastic surgery can now get to know what their post-procedure look will be thanks to these apps.

Shafer Plastic Surgery App
a. This was created by New York-based Dr. David Shafer.
b. This is meant for sophisticated, inquisitive and information seeking patients.
c. It has a database of more than 1,000 questions and answers about specific cosmetic surgery procedures.
d. It is available on Apple’s iPhone App Store. There are 2 versions the Lite version and $2.99 version to buy.

iSurgeon App
a. This has been developed by Miami-based cosmetic surgeon Dr. Michael Salzhauer.
b. It combines a game mode that enables users to try their hand at surgery.
c. People can modify images through lip enhancements, breast augmentations and many other improvements.
d. Users can easily simulate plastic surgery by easily modifying face and body features on their phone including Rhinoplasty, Breast Augmentation, Brazilian Buttlifts and Tummy Tucks.

Dr. Denenberg’s iPhone app
a. This is an intuitive new iPhone application developed by facial plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Denenberg.
b. It allows users to view hundreds of before-and-after photos.
c. Users can turn the iPhone around to take their own photos and email them to the doctor with their questions.

BodyPlastika
a. Another iPhone app which allows users to view how they would look after plastic surgery
b. Visit http://www.bodyplastika.com to access this app

But you may want to get a 2nd opinion…

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Recently, today.msnbc.com published their list of the 8 craziest beauty treatments of the decade.  While their list certainly includes some treatments that give us pause, some of these aren’t only not crazy, some are even FDA approved.

1 – ‘Different’ facials: Facials come in all shapes, sizes and colors and may use many different materials. There are oatmeal facials, clay facials, and now – fecal facials. Some of the more extreme facial treatments to come out recently include substances many people wouldn’t want to touch, much less put on their faces, including snail secretion, human placenta, and spermine – a substance found in human sperm.

2 – Snake Massage: In Tel Aviv, Israel, you can pay $70 to have six non-venomous snakes placed on your body and enjoy what the spa calls a relaxing massage via serpent. We wonder what Indiana Jones would say.

3 – Fishy Pedicure: Customers have been paying big bucks to feed the fish. Using tiny fish imported from Asia, customers can dip their feet in the fish tank and relax while the fish feed off the dead skin, resulting in smoother feet. 14 states have banned this procedure, deeming it unsanitary as the fish are reused on multiple customers.

4 – Delicious Scents: If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, why not entice him with a food-inspired aroma? From flame broiled meat scented cologne to cheesy flavored lip balm, our choices in scent have grown, for better or worse.

5 – Bootylicious: Buttock Implants have grown in popularity over the past decade thanks in large part to the growth in celebrity backsides. Famously curvaceous women like Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez have inspired many women to seek out a more plumped behind and some are turning to cosmetic surgery to get it.

6 – Designer Vaginas: Vaginal rejuvenation procedures have definitely seen a rise in popularity in the past few years. Some plastic surgeons are even including this in a group of procedures referred to as the mommy makeover which often includes tummy tuck, breast lift, and liposuction as well. For many, the procedure is about getting back the pre-baby look and sensation, and is much more than vanity run amok.

7 – Bottled Baths: If water just isn’t doing it for you, how about some sake? In south-central Japan, there’s a medspa where you can bathe in your choice of different spirits including red wine or green tea. While it does sound a little different at first glance, people have bathed with salts and flower petals without so much as the bat of an eyelash. It it really so strange to think of red wine as a bath companion?

8 – Botox: One common misconception about Botox is that it is unsafe or that it’s vanity gone mad as people inject themselves with toxins. Botox has actually been around for years treating people for cervical dystonia, a painful condition which involves spasms of the neck muscles. Botox was used to relax the muscles. It is known to be highly dependable and predictable when dosed and injected properly. It is being used off label to treat migraines and TMJ. We don’t find that crazy at all.

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Now, along with other lunchtime procedures such as Botox injections, you can update your smile with a 20 minute procedure that will give you dimples.

If eyebrows act as frames to the eyes, then dimples act as quotation marks to a smile. The latest cosmetic procedure that can add character and a youthful appearance is Dimple Surgery.

A natural dimple exists when there is a small defect in the cheek muscle. When you smile, the skin is pulled down into the connective tissue in the cheek. Now, dimples can be replicated through a simple surgical procedure. Dr. Gal Aharonov explains, “We’re cutting away a small piece of that muscle to make a window, and then tenting the skin down.”

As with any surgical procedure, there are side effects and risks which may include bruising or swelling at the site. Another side effect is the dimple could be there all the time. However, as the surgery heals, the dimple “falls out” and will only be seen when you smile. Recovery is about a month and results are potentially reversible.

Smile on.

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Important info for you and your loved ones….

One person dies from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, almost every hour. Yet melanoma is often successfully treated, if caught early. That’s why thousands of dermatologists across the country offer free skin cancer screenings in their communities through the American Academy of Dermatology’s (AAD) National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Screening Program. The program recently reached a milestone – two million screenings have been conducted since the program’s inception in 1985. More than 188,000 suspicious lesions have been detected, including more than 21,500 suspected melanomas, through the program.

“The goal of the AAD National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Screening Program is to save lives. We’re certain that there are people who are alive today because they received a skin cancer screening,” said David M. Pariser, MD, FAAD, president, American Academy of Dermatology. “Dermatologists have volunteered countless hours to conduct screenings in locations such as sports stadiums, state and county fairs, and hospitals. The AAD National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Screening Program is a key opportunity for dermatologists to educate the public about early detection and prevention of skin cancer while saving lives by finding skin cancers in their earliest, most treatable stages.”

Visit  http://www.aad.org/public/exams/screenings/index.html to find a free skin cancer screening in your area. The Web page also includes a video of what to expect at a screening, an eCard to tell others about free screenings and an eAlert to receive notifications of screenings in your area.

“A skin cancer screening is a non-invasive exam that only takes a few minutes, yet it could save a person’s life,” said Dr. Pariser.

Significantly more than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Current estimates are that 1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. One American dies of melanoma almost every hour (every 61 minutes). More than 11,000 Americans die each year from skin cancer, but when detected early, skin cancer has a cure rate of 99 percent.

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Well not exactly, but check out this new procedure….

Zeltiq is a new procedure designed to help patients look and feel their best by helping those who desire spot fat reduction. The procedure is mostly designed for people who are in good shape but may have one or two places they want to get toned up. Often times, there are spots that exercise simply can’t shrink. Zeltiq is able to shrink those areas without surgery.

Dr. Steven Weiner, a Board Certified physician, is one of the first physicians in the US to add Zeltiq to their list of treatments offered. According to Dr. Weiner, patients typically see a 20-25% reduction in thickness. No pain is suffered by the patient and normal daily routines can resume as soon as the procedure is completed.

Zeltiq works by using precision cold therapy to crystallize the fat. The skin over the area to be treated is suctioned between two cooling plates which lower the fat’s temperature to just above freezing. The cold extracts energy from fat causing it to die. Though it is referred to as cryolipolysis, it is not actually “freezing” the fat or the surrounding tissues. Rather, it crystallizes the lipids in fat cells causing the slow collapse of cells as they die. The procedure is biologically selective meaning that it only targets fat cells and only those in the superficial fat layer close to the skin. The body then carries off the dead cells over the course of two to three months so that the result is seen more gradually. Treatment only takes about an hour per treatment area.

“This is truly a remarkable breakthrough in the cosmetic industry,” says Dr. Weiner. “Never before have we been able to see such a distinct reduction in fat tissue, non-invasively until Zeltiq. It is a safe, painless, and effective and is the first true alternative to liposuction or cosmetic surgery,” he added.

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Tara Reid (it’s been a while, we know) has starred in American Pie, The Big Lebowski and Van Wilder before becoming most well known for her botched plastic surgery, partying and that one time her boob completely fell out of her dress on the red carpet.

But now she’s trying to stage a comeback. The first step appears to be telling the world her plastic surgery is all fixed and ready for creating more lust in the male of the species. What better way to accomplish that than posing topless for Playboy? Here, we’ll let the the 34-year-old actress explain:

“I got it fixed and now I’m OK and I want people to know I’m OK,” she told New York’s WPIX. ”I’ve had it done for the last five or six years, but people only want to show the old pictures. It’s so unfair. That’s part of the reason why I did Playboy, to show people, ‘Right, look at me. This is how I look now.’ “

Bamm! You go girl.

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Cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists are asking for patient help to fight the Botox Botax. Here’s what the ASDS (American Society for Dermatologic Surgery) is giving it’s members to solicit the support of Botox consumers:

The U.S. Senate health care reform bill  (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) contains a proposed 5 percent tax on “elective cosmetic medical procedures.”  While this may look like an attractive option to Senators looking for ways to pay for health care reform, we know that:

• Cosmetic medical procedures taxes are an unreliable and risky revenue source, which has proved to be a failure at the state level;
• A tax on cosmetic surgery discriminates against working women;
• The definition of cosmetic procedures is arbitrary and almost impossible to administer; and
• enforcement would necessitate review of patient medical records by tax collectors, a clear invasion of privacy.

Please enter your zip code below to be connected to an automatic email system which allows you to send a quick message to your Senator asking him/her to vote against this tax.

Is anyone worried that this ‘Botax’ will hurt your medical spa, skin clinic or cosmetic practice?

Related articles by Skin Clinic MD:

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• Opponents of Botox Tax Go Big: Baby Boomers! Women! (blogs.wsj.com)
• A Tax on Nips and Tucks Angers Patients, Surgeons (nytimes.com)

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Photos: Above, recent online photos of Rachel Uchitel. (Photos courtesy of Gala.de and TheImproper.com) Below, Rachel Uchitel yesterday in Los Angeles. (AP photo)

Plastic surgeons and celebrity watchers gave party hostess Rachel Uchitel a once-over as soon as the tabloids thrust her into the spotlight last week as the alleged mistress of golfing great Tiger Woods.

She flatly denies the allegation, but Uchitel’s photos on the Web have provided evidence for cosmetic doctors to analyze. For example, plastic surgeon and blogger Dr. John Di Saia of San Clemente and Huntington Beach wrote:

[Her photos] show her to be an attractive woman who has probably seen the inside of a plastic surgeon’s office before. She seems to have had breast implants at the least from the images we have seen.

The online Plastic Surgery Channel commented on the uncertainties surrounding Uchitel:

Her lips do suggest lip injections, and her chest suggests breast augmentation. Uchitel would likely deny rumors of plastic surgery, just as she has denied other rumors. But, in all cases, she may be telling the truth.

skin clinic, plastic surgery

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A 38-year-old former Miss Argentina died after complications arising from plastic surgery on her buttocks, according to media report Wednesday.

Solange Magnano, the 1994 winner and a mother of 8-year-old twins, died of pulmonary embolism Sunday three days after having a gluteoplasty, a procedure that involves placing implants to enhance firmness. Officials said the injected liquid went into her lungs and brain.    

News of her death shocked her fans. The cause of her death was under investigation, the authorities said.

In the past half decade, the number of people seeking plastic surgery in Argentina has soared by 60 percent, to around 50,000. Estimates say that 1 in 30 Argentines has gone under the knife, making plastic surgeons here some of the most experienced on the globe, attracting large number of medical tourists.

Medical tourism in Argentina has seen a huge jump over the past decade, and is projected to be a 100 billion dollar global industry by 2010, according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, a U.S. research center focused on trends in the health care system.

Via Xinhuanet

Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgeon, Brazillian Buttlift, Plastic Surgery Complications

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In principle, there's no difference in clinical outcomes bet the Thermage TC and the Thermage NXT. However practically speaking there is because of the shorter lapse time between pulses on the Thermage NXT machine that one can get better results from it than from the Thermage TC.

The effective clinical targets are to heat collagen containing dermal layer to 56-60 degree celsius AND to maintain such temp range for 1-2 mins (though my goal is 2-3 mins long). Therefore the more rapid pulse firing of the NXT device would make it easier for the treater to "get there and stay there" more efficiently. Personally, I don't have such problem using the TC device (by the way, I have both devices). When using the TC device, you want to make smaller sections on the face or abdomen or wherever then start and finish one section at a time. Make sure that within each section that any treated 3cm square per pulse is "re-pulsed" within 30-60seconds, this will ensure that any heated square will be effectively brought to the correct temp range and maintained there for those 2 mins.

One more thing you asked was about the Alma Accent, it is of the "same" monopolar RF platform technically speaking combined with bipolar RF. The difference which I see is with Thermage tips you know for sure they deliver the RF at consistent depth (2.4 mm or 4.3mm depending on the tips STC or DC). With the Alma Accent, I don't think the company has been able to provide the exact information on this thu I heard the depth was about 2.4 also but not any deeper.

More discussions about Thermage and Fraxel at Medical Spa MD.

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Have you ever wondered what you would look like with bigger breasts or poutier lips? Now you can find out using a simple app made for the iPhone. There are now two plastic surgery applications for the Apple iPhone that offer users information, games and the chance to see what they would look like with a face lift, new nose, and many other procedures.

The first plastic surgery app – The Shafer Plastic Surgery App – launched in October. It’s the first app of its kind amongst Apple’s 85,000 offerings in the iPhone App Store. It was created by Dr. David Shafer of New York, and taps into more than 1,000 questions and answers about specific cosmetic procedures.

The second iPhone plastic surgery app will soon hit the iPhone App Store, and it’s called “iSurgeon”. iSurgeon was developed by Miami cosmetic surgeon Dr. Michael Salzhauer, who is also well known for authoring the 2008 book “My Beautiful Mommy” – a book aimed at helping 4 to 7 year old children cope with their mother’s plastic surgery.

iSurgeon will feature a fun game mode that allows users to try their hand at surgery, giving people the chance to instantly modify images of themselves or their friends through breast augmentations, lip enhancements and dozens of other procedures.

The Shafer Plastic Surgery App is available for $2.99. iSurgeon will be free during its first month of release later in November.

Nice to see that your iPhone can manage more than just phone calls from your plastic surgeon or medical spa.

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Facelifts have become a common cosmetic surgery for men and women. But surgery patients face a number of unwanted effects. Scarring, extensive recovery time, that artificial "stretched" look, and a permanent result that may be unwanted.

Fortunately, newly developed medical alternatives offer results to people wanting look younger without going under the knife.

As a leader in non-invasive cosmetic medicine, many medical spas, laser clinics and skin clinics now specialize in innovative new medical treatments for a youthful lift without the messy and painful recovery. Some medical spas have developed a unique non-surgical facelift for patients looking to gain the dramatic results of a surgical facelift but avoid a surgical facelift. Non-surgical facelifts include Thermage or Fraxel Skin Tightening followed by their signature Surface Point Lift as the non-invasive, yet exceptionally effective substitute for any surgical facelift. (Botox is also used.)

Thermage is an FDA approved radio-frequency technology that has been proven to tighten and contour the skin and its many underlying tissues without surgery. The treatment has the added benefit of stimulating the growth of new collagen throughout the skin. But there's a caveat. Thermage results are highly dependant upon the way the treatment is administered. Surface has developed specialized protocols that produce results that attract patients from other areas of the country who are looking to achieve maxim results.

Nonsurgical facelifts can be just as spectacular.

Point Lifts were created by specialists in non-surgical cosmetic medicine to replace the traditional invasive facelift. It can also be used for brows, jaw lines, necks, breasts, and even the derriere. They're perfect for the patient who does not want to undergo the harsh effects of a traditional surgical facelift including the associated, frustrating recovery period. Point Lifts are a physician procedure that "lifts" the treatment area in exactly the same was as surgical lifts, only there's no surgery.

The procedure involves placing a small, special suture under the skin through a tiny needle hole, leaving the skin to smooth with its own tension. The theme here is "No cutting. No stretching. No Stitches. No scars!" Most importantly, Point Lifts will not leave the face with that "stretched look" of traditional surgical lifts. Patients can resume their normal activities immediately with only minimal discomfort. Best of all, Point Lifts are completely reversible. Most people never knew they could have a fresh, younger lift without the troubles of surgery.

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When it comes to the cosmetic laser field, we can sometimes feel adrift at sea with little more than a compass and the stars to guide us. We're either doing laser treatments according to our laser manufacturers' guidelines, which are conservative and often inadequate to produce excellent clinical results. Or we're trying new laser treatment settings without the benefit of knowing what other doctors have tried.

If we discover something important, we have no forum to discuss this information with our colleagues. Many of us experiment in our clinics, but we don't share our problems, successes, failures and thought processes with anyone. As a result, we make little progress because we don't benefit from others' advances and insights.

This has flattened our learning curves. Innovation-if and when it comes-is slow. This needs to change. And it begins with doctors simply talking to each other. Participating in Internet-based user groups is one of the easiest ways to do this. Such a forum allows us to share our ideas, experiences and opinions so that we can learn from each other.

The collective intellectual capacity among us, as cosmetic laser providers, is tremendous. If we all worked together, we would discover and share treatment protocols that are more effective and less painful, and produce fewer complications. We would discover better ways to reduce and treat complications when they do arise. Our field would become stronger, and we'd become better practitioners.

Unfortunately, cosmetic laser practitioners have little clinical exchange compared to other specialists, such as cardiologists. These physicians have thorough initial training with a three-year residency and a one- to three-year fellowship. They have mentors, classmates and large practice groups so colleagues can talk to one another. Publications and newsletters keep cardiologists abreast of developments in the field. They stay in touch with their academic training centers, attend meetings and are members of professional associations. In short, they communicate and connect.

What Do We As Cosmetic Physicians Have?

Contrast this to cosmetic laser medicine. Unlike cardiologists, we don't have highly developed professional networks. Nor do we have the formal advanced training. Our main professional association is the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS), which hosts a yearly meeting and produces a monthly journal. The ASLMS is a great professional society, but it doesn't serve all of our needs.

Another source of education is the laser companies, which provide clinical training, Webinars and Web sites. The trainers teach the basics, but they're limited by company protocols, which are reviewed by corporate attorneys, and designed to prevent problems rather than to get excellent clinical results.

The laser companies' Webinars are lectures designed to sell lasers, not provide advanced training. Luminaries are paid to do the Webinars, but there's no access to them for detailed follow-up questioning.

What's more, we have to sit at our computers for two hours listening to basic, redundant information to glean one useful, advanced clinical tip. The content of the Webinars are not made available in any other format?-written summary, cassette tapes or CDs-so it's not widely accessed.

If we go to aesthetic laser manufacturers company Web sites for resources, the information is basic and limited. The marketing material, of course, is fresh and current, but the clinical material is dated and sparse.

Other resources are trade publications that keep us abreast of issues in aesthetic medicine. But these magazines don't get into the details of treatment protocols and how to get the best results.

Finally, we have independent blogs, such as MedicalSpaMD.com. This blog, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to get information and find out what other providers are thinking and doing. Some doctors who blog on MedicalSpaMD are experienced users who share their expertise and opinions?, all of which are extremely helpful. But the drawback is too few physicians blog about specific topics.

Several Solutions

Working with laser companies is one way to combat this problem. Laser companies can be particularly valuable in the clinical exchange arena. These companies have the resources to start, support and nurture this activity. They know who their users are, they can enlist the knowledge of luminaries, and they have company doctors and scientists who understand the clinical applications of their laser devices. It's important to mix all of these elements in the proper environment to spur the best advances and innovations from these groups.

M. Christine Lee, MD, MPH, writes that upstanding laser companies "put more money and resources into product development than in marketing and advertising. They have a corporate philosophy that's based on building relationships.investing in new technology and research.[and] nurturing forward vision."¹

It seems almost foolish not to work with cosmetic laser companies, especially since many providers are getting clinical results that are suboptimal. Furthermore, many patients are experiencing complications that can be avoided. (See RealSelf.com for patient complaints and see MedicalSpaMD.com for physician complaints.)

Although aesthetic laser companies don't provide the clinical exchange we need, we can find useful models to emulate outside our field. For example, a medical device company produces Philips NetForum. This community connects Philips users from around the globe in a virtual users meeting so they can share clinical experiences, learn from peers and optimize results.

I'm sure many innovations have occurred when users simply share ideas and explore insights with each other via this Internet clinical forum. If we had this resource, our field would advance dramatically.

What We're Doing As Medical Spa Physicians

As a physician, I have a responsibility to take my part in this call to action. As a result, we're now forming clinical exchange meetings at our Cherry Hill, N.J., clinic. We get together twice yearly with doctors from 20 to 30 other clinics to discuss what works and what doesn't. Part of our meeting focuses on business and marketing, and the other part addresses clinical issues.

We also work closely with MedicalSpaMD.com. We are active visitors to this site and frequent contributors. This Web site is so important that we've actually bought an intense pulsed light (IPL) system based largely on the opinions of the Web site's bloggers, many of whom have had experience with several IPL systems.

We're also forming Internet-based user groups on our own. These groups discuss everything from fractionated CO2 systems to injectables to treating patients with skin of color. Doctors from around the country and the world, including Greece, Australia, France, England and India, share their opinions and experiences.

In addition, we're setting up systems in which providers who attend conferences or listen to Webinars write summaries of what they've heard. These summaries can be posted on Medical Spa MD for others to learn from. Once these summaries are posted, other providers can read them and comment on the issues they're discussing. Of course, we cannot overlook traditional methods of clinical exchange. These are still important and should be developed further. Conferences, publications, newsletters and professional associations are excellent ways to communicate and exchange opinions and experiences.

Cosmetic laser medicine is still in its infancy. We haven't yet worked out the best protocols and new technology is continually emerging.

We have to quickly learn the best ways to use all of our technology for optimal clinical results. The best way to do this is to communicate with each other so we can learn what others are thinking, doing and experiencing. When we actively participate in this learning, our field will advance more rapidly and dramatically. This will benefit all of us. True to the Chinese maxim, when the tide rises, all boats indeed rise higher.

Reference

1. Lee CM. Lasers: what every patient should know, and what your doctor probably doesn't. The ultimate guide for the best skin ever. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse; 2006; 163.

Clinical Exchange of Laser Treatments for Medical Spas, Laser Clinics, & Skin Clinics is a post from: Skin Clinic MD

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A pointed nose and taut skin seem to have emerged as the two most important assets for Indians going by the number of people opting for rhinoplasty or “nose jobs” and botox injections in the country.

Though there are no official records of plastic surgeries in India, a study of hospital records show that cosmetic procedures like rhinoplasty and liposuction have seen an increase of 150 per cent in the last five years.

Other popular surgical procedures include abdominoplasty and male breast reduction.

Among the non-surgical procedures, some of the widely practised procedures include Botox injection, microdermabrasion (a non-invasive procedure that uses a spray of micro crystals to remove the outermost layer of dry, dead skin cells and reveal younger, healthier-looking skin), collagen injection, laser hair removal and chemical peel.

Vanity is constant as the norther star… So is Botox.

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A PLASTIC surgeon has told how he chose a dowdy girl as his bride – so he could sculpt her into his ideal wife.

Reza Vossough hated 33-year-old Cany’s body, but they tied the knot anyway after he spotted her “potential”.

Cany … in 2005

This plastic surgeon performed EIGHT operations to change her chest, thighs, eyes and face.

Vossough spent five years pumping 1,600g of silicone into her body, boosting her size A chest to a giant F cup.

He also enhanced her lips, lifted her eyelids and de-creased her forehead.

The former waitress also had nip-and-tuck ops to her bum, tummy and thighs and countless Botox injections.

‘Potential’ … Reza Vossough

 

Only AFTER £18,000 of cosmetic surgery did Reza, 48, fall in love with her.

But busty Cany, now a model, is thrilled with her new image. She said: “When your husband is a plastic surgeon, then the scalpel is your friend.”

Reza, who operates on 1,200 patients a year at his Berlin clinic, said of his skills: “It’s almost like being God – you have the ability to change nature.

“When I first met Cany, she had physical deficiencies, but I could see there was something there. She had big hips and big thighs, so we made corrections, then did a little bit more.

“On the operating table her face is covered, so she’s anonymous like any patient. I was interested in working on her. It’s better than nature could do.”

Since her hubby’s last op, Cany has had a secret fourth boob job. But Reza has not ruled out MORE work – saying: “There may be some more in the future, like a facelift, but not yet.”

But Reza is wise enough to admit that he’s not perfect himself.

He said: “I inherited a big nose from my dad, so my business partner made me a new one. And I have Botox too.”

Not something that you’ll find in your local Medical Spa or laser clinic since they’re using laser treatments and Botox, but there’s probably some overlap. Perhaps laser hair removal, IPL for skin treatments, or Restylane as a local skin clinic.

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SEATTLE – Plastic Surgery 2009 News Briefs are designed to keep you up-to-date on embargoed studies and other news being presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) held October 23-27 in Seattle. All briefs are embargoed until the date/time they are presented.

Face and Hand Transplants – Ready to Become Mainstream Medicine?

Embargo for Release: Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Though once inconceivable, face and hand transplants are quickly making themselves more present, both in the operating room and in the media. The world's first hand transplant was performed more than a decade ago, and the first partial-face transplant performed in the United States (and most extensive procedure to date) was completed this year. However, the advances in composite tissue allotransplantation also presents a number of multi-faceted issues including donor availability, patient selection, social perception, ethics, and complications. Consider this: the first-ever hand transplant was amputated after the patient failed to follow his life-long immunosuppressive regimen. Members of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons and other leading surgeons in the field of face and hand transplantation will discuss whether, at this point, face and hand transplants are ready to become "mainstream" medicine at the ASPS Plastic Surgery 2009 conference, Oct. 23-27, in Seattle.

By the Numbers:

To date, there have been 7 partial-face transplants in the world and 8 double hand transplants in the world.

There were nearly 5 million reconstructive plastic surgery procedures performed in the 2008, according to ASPS statistics.

Panel: "East Meets West: Composite Tissue Allotransplantation – Have We Achieved Liftoff" is being held on Tues., Oct. 27, 1:45-2:45PM PDT, at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

The Healing Side of War: The Worldwide Reach of U.S. Military Plastic Surgeons

Since World War I, plastic surgery has been an integral part of wound healing and rebuilding lives, physically and psychologically. War has inspired groundbreaking advances in plastic surgery. And today, plastic surgeons in the U.S. armed forces continue to pioneer reconstructive procedures and develop innovative technologies and techniques to repair traumatic battlefield injuries and restore function. Additionally, U.S. military plastic surgeons are involved in many humanitarian and diplomatic efforts from the battlefields and underdeveloped countries… to Main Street USA. Military plastic surgeons, at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery 2009 conference, Oct. 23-27, in Seattle, will discuss:

• Project C.A.R.E.
• Humanitarian Assistance Missions
• Tri-Service Military Plastic Surgery
• War Casualty Burn Reconstruction
• Forward Deployed Casualty Reconstruction

Panel: "Military Plastic Surgery – A Global Update" is being held on Tues., Oct. 27, 9:00-9:45AM PDT, at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

Chinese Surgeons Introduce Facial Reanimation Procedures That Better Restore Smiles

Embargo for Release: Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Facial expressions help others to interpret our mood, intelligence, and intentions. Facial reanimation surgery gives those who never could smile or make certain expressions, the power to communicate. Plastic surgeons from China will present a new approach to performing facial reanimation procedures to their American counterparts at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery 2009 conference, Oct. 23-27, in Seattle. The new treatment involves harvesting muscles and nerves from a patient's stomach wall and transferring it to the side of the face to inhibit jaw movement. The procedure may improve facial expressions for people who've experienced facial paralysis, bells palsy, stroke, or trauma. Better functional and aesthetic outcomes may be achieved with the procedure over current protocols.

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Many physicians who invested in the technology believe it saved their practices from succumbing to the downfall of the economy. Soon after the approval, an array of new lipolysis technologies began to develop over time. Wavelengths were altered to find the optimal "melting point", ultrasound technology was applied, high-powered water jets were developed – all in the name of technological advancement. At that time I wondered, "What the industry could possibly develop to top this?".

It wasn't long until I received my answer! Enter, the Natural Breast Augmentation procedure utilizing fat transfer under local anesthesia! Hard to believe this procedure wasn't perfected sooner! Take the fat from one body area and put it in another – perfect! Up until this point, there was a lot of controversy regarding fat transfer. In fact, for 20 years it was denounced by U.S. plastic surgery societies as being a "dangerous" procedure. Unfortunately, this declaration was based on the technology and techniques utilized over 20 years ago. Heck, even our laptops are obsolete after 3 years!

Dr. Todd K. Malan of the Innovative Cosmetic Surgery Center in Scottsdale, AZ developed new techniques which resulted in the lifting of this "ban" in March of 2009. Many dispute the success rate for the survival of the fat after the transfer. However, with the latest technological advancements in fat harvesting, adipocyte survival rates have proven to be 85% to 90%. With the addition of adult stem cells to enhance the fat transfer and breast splinting technology, adipocyte survival rates have shown to be even higher. In fact, Dr. Malan states that when the fat transfer is concentrated with adult stem cells harvested from the patient's own fat, and is injected into the fat that is already within the breast, the result can equal a permanent increase of 250cc to 500cc in overall breast size equating to a 1 to 2 cup size increase.

Of course there are many facets to this procedure not covered in this post. I just applaud innovative technology when I see it for my own eyes. So much so, that Young medical spa (our medspa) is now performing this procedure after being trained by Dr. Malan himself and others like Dr. Jeffrey Caruth of Plano Aesthetics in Plano, TX. Technology is wonderful, isn't it?

I wonder what the industry could possibly develop to top this?

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