Neck Lift or Face Lift?
- Rhys Branman, MD
The curve and shape of the neck is a large part of facial aesthetics. The relationship of the neck to the lower third of the face is a basic factor in planning surgical rejuvenation. Most patients do not know the technical name of a neck lift. One technique is called a platysmaplasty. The platysmaplasty involves removing a small part of the muscle that extends from your collarbone to the angle of your jaw. This procedure removes that "turkey waddle" or double chin that many of us accrue as we get older. Platysmaplasty is only effective when the platysma muscle is... Realistic Expectations When Seeking Cosmetic Surgery
April 5, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MD
Cosmetic surgeons are always talking about realistic expectations. What exactly does that mean, you might ask. Here is an interesting term that may help explain. The "range of believability" is the concept. What do you believe can be achieved? When a person first seriously considers seeking cosmetic surgery, it may feel as if new potentially liberating options have opened up. On the other hand, it may feel scary. These feelings describe a range of expectation, or belief about what is possible. Just from that range of possible feelings, you can see that cosmetic surgery is an emotional issue. It's easy... Looking at Before and After Pictures
April 3, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MD
We all know that researching your cosmetic surgeon is critical for the outcome of your procedure and safety. Elective surgery involves some risk, just as any other surgery does. Of course you want the best outcome as well. One thing you should do is ask how often and how recently your surgeon has performed the procedure you are seeking. Another thing you will want to do is to look at his or her portfolio, the before and after pictures of patients he has operated on. But how do you know what to look for in these pictures? First of all,... FYI Teens & Breast Reduction Surgery
March 29, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MDWhat’s Up With Kate’s Nose?
March 27, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MDChoosing Lip Augmentation
March 25, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MD
Lip augmentation is a deceptively complex subject. Most patients would love to have a permanent solution to full sensuous lips, but the lips are a very sensitive area. Most often it is simpler to use injectable fillers for better results. So although there are many choices, I prefer injectable hyaluronic acid or Silikon 1000. The hyaluronic fillers I prefer are Juvéderm® or Restylane®. For a more permanent solution, I prefer Silikon 1000 to lip implants. One would think lip implants would be an easy solution for lip augmentation, however lip implants can be a bit hard and stiff, and patients... Recent International Survey
March 20, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MD
You may have noticed the statistics are in on the new international survey of cosmetic procedures performed globally. The ISAPS (International Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) International Survey on Aesthetic/Cosmetic Procedures Performed in 2011 recruited almost 1000 surgeons to participate in a survey. This survey resulted in the numbers of procedures that were most popular in more than 25 countries. The United States recorded the most procedures, however this number may be reflecting the fact that the United States had the most surgeons who responded to the survey, 5,950. Brazil followed closely at 5,024 surgeons responding. China was third with... Sexiest Part of the Body
March 18, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MD
Some say the sexiest part of the body is the breast, others say the buttocks, and others say the face! When ranked by women, cosmetic procedures most wanted to improve their sex life, breast augmentation comes out on top, followed by lip enhancement, and liposuction, then the famous Brazilian Butt lift . . . of course these were American women. How about in men? Strong arms? Strong chin? Full head of hair? But are anyone of those parts of the body the sexiest? Not sure? In a recent poll, only 53% of people rated the brain the sexiest part of... Revolutionary New Techniques?
March 15, 2013 - Rhys Branman, MD
Companies constantly develop new cosmetic surgery products with names designed to catch your attention when they are splashed over the media. For instance, you may have heard of Zeltiq or Liposonix, new non-invasive liposuction techniques. The process of Liposonx uses focused ultrasound to heat the fat to 131 degrees Fahrenheit, which is then said to be removed by a process of phagocytosis where the white blood cells ingest foreign particles, the fat in this case. Whereas, Zeltiq or Cool Sculpting involves freezing the fat cells, which cause their death. The fat cells are then processed out of the body in... 