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Tattoo be gone! Laser tattoo removal

You may have read a recent New York Times article about the popularity of tattoo removal services at dermatology offices. As people get older, their tattoos get more ridiculous. And wrinkly.
50% of people with permanent body art such as tattoos or permanent cosmetics seek to have it removed at some point in the future. (American Society of Dermatological Surgery)
A new solution was developed at Duke University, called Freedom-2. It is a permanent tattoo ink that is made of tiny beads that are susceptible to laser treatment. This means that the tattoos created with this ink can be removed much more easily with as little as one treatment. Wish they had this when you got your MC Hammer tattoo.

Breast implant size simulator

Inamed Aesthetics has an animated tool that shows a dynamic example of different implant sizes on different sizes of simulated models based on body type. This is probably not the best way to choose an implant size, but it does give one an idea of how milliliters of saline in an implant may translate into appearance when making a decision. Find the simulator here. Your coworkers may think you are creepy if they see you visiting the site, so be warned.

related links: plastic surgery simulator, Dr. Oliver's review of implant legislation

Lasik video to heavy metal

Here is a link to a video of the entire LASIK procedure with a heavy metal soundtrack. A blade (keratome)is used to make a flap in the outer layer of the cornea (although lasers are often used now to make this flap). The bed under the flap is lasered and the flap is replaced.  Fast and elegant.

Also of interest: ass cream for eyes

Lifestyle lift reviews cont.

Since our last post on NBC's story on the lifestyle lift, there has been continued controversy about this company and the promises they offer. We have seen many mixed reviews about this franchised style of facelift before, but realself.com has a discussion board that highlights the polarizing viewpoints on this topic. It may be that many of the proponents of the procedure on the discussion board are affiliated with the company, as is clear with a post listing many reference letters from the LL center. There are probably a good number of unhappy customers that voice their opinion, and the company is forced to respond on various internet sites with a defensive PR team. You don't often see this kind of angry debate with other procedures, aside from Thermage.

Hear the angry voices here.

Non-surgical rhinoplasty?

There was an article by a CBS affiliate last month that describes a non-surgical rhinoplasty (nose-job) being performed by a cosmetic dermatologist.  A substance called calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) is used as an injection under the skin of the nose, filing in certain spaces. The article incorrectly spells the product "Radius". The description is also deceptive- because this is only appropriate for a small percentage of patients with complaints of external nasal deformities. It is faster, less invasive, and cheaper than a rhinoplasty, but it is not for everyone, as the article implies. Hopefully, you can trust your doctor to tell you if this is the correct procedure to address your concerns. Check the link to the article above for a video on the procedure.

Hand rejuvenation

The 'hand lift' is growing in popularity, partially due to the growth of injectable fillers in the cosmetic marketplace. As we age, the body tends to lose fat, including in the hands. This leads to skeletonization and an 'old appearance'. This can be improved with fat transfer or injectable fillers, such as Restylane or Juvederm.
Many people don't think about the hands when it comes to plastic surgery, but it is something that we look at all the time. It's strange when someone has the face of a 50-year-old and the hands of a 70-year-old.
Read more about hand lifts here.

Recent news: earlobe Restylane

Vital Dent (vital don't)!

There's a dental chain in Manhattan called Vital Dent. It runs like a franchise, and they take walk-ins and offer free cleanings to get you in the door. In an expose of sorts, comedian Dave Hill (King of Miami) describes his experience with the chain here.

In a nutshell, it seems to be a suspicious venture. Here is an excerpt from Dave's dental deliberations:

"The bad news came when the dentist finally came in and told me they found six cavities that would need to be filled at a cost of about $1600." "(approximately a year after my visit to Vital Dent) I decided to finally visit a dentist again." "After the hygienist finished working her magic, the dentist came in and said “Well, I didn’t find anything.”" "“But what about the six cavities Vital Dent said I had?” He assured me that I had no cavities and laughed at the mention of Vital Dent, explaining that Vital Dent makes their money by filling cavities that don’t exist."

Testicular silicone implants

All of the controversy about silicone breast implants got you down? Well the same issues hold true for testicular implants. Currently, the Mentor saline-filled implant is approved by the FDA, and Silimed and Mentor both have silicone versions that can be used if the patient is enrolled in a study. The silicone versions are supposed to be more realistic, as these have commonly been used to replace testicles removed for cancer or in patients with undescended testes.
Here is a guide to testicular prosthesis for your interest, which must surely be growing after reading this post. No pun intended. Really.

Lifestyle lift ads to change?

An NBC affiliate is reporting on a national watchdog group that has had their eye on the lifestyle lift advertisements. It is said that many women have complained to the group stating that they have not received the improvements that were advertised by the lifestyle lift company.
Six months after the NBC investigators  reported these complaints, Lifestyle Lift advertisements have been criticized by the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureaus. If changes in the ads do not take place, NAD can report Lifestyle Lift to the Federal Trade Commission.
It will be interesting to see how this story plays out.

Cosmetic surgery videos

At www.seesurgery.com, you can see trailers for various cosmetic procedures, including facelifts, breast augmentations, abdominoplasties, and blepharoplasties. The purpose of the site is to give patients an idea about what each particular procedure entails and what can be expected in terms of recovery. But there are some things many patients will not want to see. Like the skin of the face being peeled back. Even if they know that is what is happening, they don't always need the graphic detail. In a way, it may even discourage surgery. So decide if you have the stomach for this before visiting the site.