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Nose Job: Knowing when to keep quiet

Isolaz, a new/old acne treatment

Intense pulsed light has been shown to improve the condition of people with acne, particularly blue-wavelength light. Suction also helps to clear pores of sebum (oily plugs). Isolaz is a new machine from Aesthera that combines these two aspects of acne treatment. So it flashes and sucks, so to speak.

Read more about this here.

Penn Jillette on facial fillers and breast implants

In his video blog, Penn discusses having filler to his nasolabial creases and how some of the other contestants on Dancing with the Stars had the same.  And then he explains how silicone implants should be sold as paperweights.  Classic quote: "Any time you don't have a breast implant in your hand, life is not as good as it could be."

McCain and melanoma

It's no secret that Presedential Candidate John McCain has a scar on the left side of his face from a surgical excision of a cutaneous melanoma, one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. It brings to light the importance of monitoring skin lesions and having them treated at the earliest signs of bleeding, irregularity, growth, and color changes.

Read more here about McCain's "melanoma secrecy".

Is cosmetic surgery forbidden by Jewish law?

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz offers his interpretation of Jewish law in regard to cosmetic surgery. He explains that the physical risk must be weighed with the damage of not doing surgery (as in an actress that cannot advance her career because of a blatant problem with her appearance).

20 ugliest celebrities

The 20 ugliest celebrities, according to the "expert" judges at showbiz can be found here.  You can already guess who's on the list, but there's a few interesting choices.

My Beautiful Mommy: Plastic surgery for kids book

A new book for mommys who want to explain to their kids why they look different so suddenly.
See excerpts here.

Squidface pillow

We talked before about the 'save my face pillow', which allows one to sleep without excessive pressure on the facial structures to avoid premature aging. The SquidFace pillow is a similar design, with a slightly different purpose.

According to the website: "SquidFace™ pillows solve an age-old ergonomic problem—how to tan face down without twisting your neck and body into unnatural and uncomfortable positions and still be able to breathe."

Didn't realize that is an age-old problem.

Male Pregnancy

The pregnant man has been a hoax/urban legend for as long as time can remember. For instance, this clever website advertises the world's first pregnant man. But it's not real.

Another entrant in this strange contest has emerged, and has taken the press by storm. He/she has gotten in on a technicality- he used to be a woman. Amidst jokes and rants, this person is a part of the collective spectacle that has populated daytime television airwaves and propelled Jerry Springer to stardom. 

GFX cosmetic procedure video: botox alternative?

Botox and animal testing

We received an email asking about animal testing and Botox. Yes, it's true that Allergan tests their batches of Botox on animals to determine the LD50 as a quality control measure. Recently, Allergan came out with a statement about FDA approval for a revised assay to reduce the overall number of tested animals. Although Botox is used most commonly for cosmetic reasons, it is a manufactured drug also used for medical conditions, and animal testing is not uncommon in these cases. Many feel that the human lives saved or improved are worth the animal cost.

Malignant hyperthermia as breast augmentation complication

The news for the past few days has  been filled with stories of the death of a young Floridian during breast augmentation surgery. Stephanie Kuleba reportedly underwent inverted nipple repair and correction of breast assymetry under general anesthesia. General anesthesia decidedly carries more risks than lesser levels of sedation/analgesia.  It has been implied that malignant hyperthermia was the cause of death in this case.

From the Palm Beach Post:

"The surgery was performed by Dr. Steven Schuster, a board-certified plastic surgeon, in his Boca Raton medical office. "

"The condition is triggered by anesthesia. Symptoms include rapid heart rate, muscles that become rigid, and a fever of 110 degrees or higher. The condition is reversible if recognized and acted upon - usually within 30 minutes of onset - with Dantrolene, the only known antidote, said Dr. Henry Rosenberg, president of the Malignant Hyperthermia Association, whose organization fielded a call to its hot line about Kuleba's case. " Dantrolene should be on hand in facilities performing general anesthesia.

Too much plastic surgery?

Endoscopy made easy at home

Have you always wanted to perform your own endoscopic procedure? Are you intrigued by tiny cameras that can record the magnified details of your body on a large screen for everyone to see? Are you wondering if your dental fillings are intact? Then the Miharu is for you. It's a small camera that can see inside you, and send the image to a television. Yes please.

Guiness record: Man takes off half his face

Corny cosmetic commercial

The asian market seems to go for cornier fare than americans.

Facial resistance training

There are enough bogus 'systems' out there to fill up a blog on an hourly basis. Here's one more: Flex Effect Facial Resistance Training. There is absolutely no way that the claims made by this website are legitimate. Take this before and after for example. Droopy upper eyelid skin can not be corrected by facial exercises. Never.

But, for $1750 you can become a certified facial trainer. Now that's something to put on your resume.

A bloated K-fed

Speculations is abound in the blogosphere about Federline and his body habitus. Some imply that he is with child, while others say its just adipose collections. We will add him, however tentatively to the bloated list until further data surface. But changing his moniker to K-fat? That's just cruel.

Jesus cosmetics

A Singapore company has withdrawn its "Jesus Lipbalm" after multiple complaints. Many Catholics thought it was disrespectful. On the other side of the coin, perhaps it is a tribute?

More on the story here.

Doctor sends spy to plastic surgeon

In a bizarre news story from thestar.com:

"The Ontario Society of Plastic Surgery, the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgery and the Canadian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery plan to ask Ontario's medical watchdog to investigate Dr. Behnaz Yazdanfar's decision to send an undercover female investigator to consult with plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Rice and secretly record the conversation.

Yazdanfar, a family physician without hospital privileges or a surgical specialty, claims in her lawsuit that she hired the investigator to determine whether Rice was the cause of a dramatic drop in her business this past fall – the same time Stryland's death was the subject of major headlines."

The entire wacky story, here.

Ancient prostheses

A Chicago museum (International Museum of Surgical Science) reveals ancient prosthesis made from wood. Wonder if George Washington's teeth are on display.

Has the UK gone nip-tuck mad?

Here's a map from the UK Daily Star demonstrating popular procedures by region:

Cosmetic surgery changes a man's life

Cosmetic procedures show growth

A recent report shows that cosmetic procedures grew 15% in 2007 as compared to 5% for other surgical procedures. The reasons cited include a greater public acceptance and more of a desire to improve appearances.

These statistics are consistent with other projections seen recently which describe an increase in patient demand. This is likely to translate into an increase in cheesy surgeon advertisements on the radio and in local papers and magazines.

Does it matter if your cosmetic surgeon is fat?

Here is a question posed by a reader:

"Should I be concerned if my plastic surgeon is fat?"

At first it seems like a frivolous question, but maybe this reader raises a significant point. Will a person who does not care about their own health be able to take care of others? Does this hold true for all doctors? Does obesity impede a physician's ability to effectively perform strenuous surgical tasks that require dexterity and flexibility? Please add your own comments.